Can Swelling After Tumy Tuck Be the Cause of Weight Gain?

It’s not unusual for patients to have significant swelling
following abdominoplasty.This occurs
for a variety of reasons.Patients are
typically given significant amounts of IV fluid during their surgical
procedure.In addition, the body
responds to trauma or surgery by retaining fluid as a protective mechanism.Under
these circumstances, patients can see significant weight gain from fluid
retention following Mommy Makeover surgery.The weight gain typically peaks five to seven days following surgery
and, in most cases, resolves spontaneously.In your
case, a seven pound weight gain wouldn’t be unanticipated following this type
of procedure.If you’re anxious about
this phenomenon, discussion with your surgeon is appropriate.Your surgeon should be able to reassure you
and make your post-operative experience more comfortable.

The body does retain fluid after a major surgery such as abdominoplasty, but keep in mind that you have also been inactive until now and probably eating a comfort food diet. Stick with the exercise and you should get back to a healthy weight. 

Most likely you are experiencing a lot swelling and inflammation. Healing after a  #tummytuck will require time. Some patients are out of bed and walking the night of surgery and every hour while awake.  If you have concerns about your healing, or pain that you question to be unusual, it is important to call your plastic surgeon to discuss these further asked to be examined.

Some of the weight gain may be from fluid but 7 pounds seems like a lot. Swelling is not uncommon after a tummy tuck and typically lasts quite a while. 80% has resolved by 3 months and the rest takes up to a year to resolve. You have to be patient with the healing process.Enjoy your new look!Sheila Nazarian

The retained fluid adds to your weight, so it's best not to weigh yourself until all that swelling is gone. It can take a few months, although the majority of it will be gone in a few weeks. If you are excessively swollen at the end of the day, you may want to consider slowing down your physical activity. A compression garment can also help, but ask your surgeon for their advice.