Is it normal to have 25 lbs removed and only 9 lbs. register on the scale post op?

asked 6 months ago by lcollette in Moncton
Latest answer by Lisa L. Sowder, MD
Question viewed 278 times
Tags: weight loss, 1 week post-op, final result, normal, swelling

Hi , I had a tummy tuck 9 days ago. They removed 13.6 lbs od stomach fat and approx 4.5 kg of fat from liposuction. All together he removed apprx 25 lbs. on my scale it shows only 9 pds lower. i am still swollen. but i would like to know if it will come off as the doctor said he removed 25 lbs approx.

8 answers to Is it normal to have 25 lbs removed and only 9 lbs. register on the scale post op?

Weight after body contouring surgery

Yikes! Put that scale away for at least a month! Surgery causes a lot of fluid retention which can make the patient think that fat may have been added during surgery. I tell my patients not to weight themselves until they are back in action with a normal diet and normal exercise. You can calculate your "net weight" by subtracting the weight of the tummy tissue removed and the amount of FAT removed. There is always some fluid removed with... more

Lisa L. Sowder, MD
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

www.sowdermd.com

Weight Loss After A Tummy Tuck And Liposuction

There are two reasons why you are not seeing the stated amount of weight reduction due to tissue removal after your tummy tuck and liposuction. First, you are experiencing fluid retention which is perfectly normal in the first few weeks after surgery. Most of this fluid will be mobilized and excreted by three weeks after surgery. That will give you a closer approximation to the intraoperative tissue weights removed. Secondly, the amount of weight that is the result of liposuction is never... more

Barry L. Eppley, MD, DMD
Indianapolis Plastic Surgeon

www.eppleyplasticsurgery.com

Weight Loss After Surgery

This is a common question. After tummy tuck / abdominoplasty and liposuction the body replaces the missing tissue/fat with swelling. It may take several weeks for the swelling to completely resolve. So, if you weight yourself in the immediate post-op period you may not see as much of a weight change as you were expecting. However, over time as the swelling resolves, you will see more of a change. Good Luck.

David Shafer, MD
New York Plastic Surgeon

www.ShaferPlasticSurgery.com

Weight Reduction after Tummy Tuck and Liposuction

Weight loss in the postoperative period after body contouring surgery is variable. Intravenous fluids and fluids infused at the time of liposuction may take some time to be mobilized. This fluid retention early-on will contribute to overall body weight and it may take several weeks until body weight normalizes. More importantly, however, these procedures are designed to improve overall shape and body contour and I would not put too much emphasis on... more

Stephen Delia, M.D.
Boston Plastic Surgeon

Weight gain after tummy tuck

This is absolutely normal and common. I tell my patients not to even look at their scale for a few weeks! You are given a lot of fluid during surgery and your body will hold on to that for some time. It will help to keep a low salt diet and drink water, move around, etc. In the next couple of weeks you will start to diurese quite a bit so be patient, I'm sure your results will be amazing!

Tiffany McCormack, MD
Reno Plastic Surgeon

www.plasticsurgeryrenotahoe.com

Weight after tummy tuck

It's normal to gain a little weight right after surgery. This is because of all the salt and water you receive during the surgery. Also, your body's "response" to the stress of surgery is to hold on to water and salt. It usually takes a good 3-4 weeks to get rid of it. So be patient. You should see the improvement soon.

Ronald Schuster, MD
Baltimore Plastic Surgeon

www.drschuster.com

Why Doesn't My Scale Match What They Said They Took Off?

Dear Icollette, Thanks for your question; it is one we often hear after a tummy tuck/liposuction procedure. Immediately after surgery, your body begins to swell and store fluid in its "soft tissues". This is called "third spacing" by doctors and is probably a survival response by our bodies to store as much fluid as possible after an injury. This fluid adds quite a bit of weight right after surgery. Once your body reaches a certain stage... more

Herluf G. Lund, Jr, MD
Saint Louis Plastic Surgeon

www.stlcosmeticsurgery.com

Weight after Tummy Tuck surgery?

Thank you for the question. Congratulations on your recent tummy tuck surgery. It is normal for patients to “retain” fluid after surgery. This will throw off your weight calculations until the fluid is mobilized ( and excreted). Best wishes for the remainder of your recovery. see video