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Swelling, Extra Pounds Gained After Tummy Tuck

lalatummy
posted 3 years ago
updated 3 years ago

Worth It
Cost: $6,000
New York City

I decided to get a tummy tuck because i wanted to...

11 Jul 2009

I decided to get a tummy tuck because i wanted to shed my extra fat on my tummy and i wanted to get rid of the loose skin.

Before i got tummy tuck, i weighed 132 lbs. but 4 days after tummy tuck when i weighed myself, i was up to 139 lbs. Does swelling give you extra pounds when you weigh yourself?

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Comments (12)

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ttseeker
2 years ago

Hey I live in Jersey, but would love to get the name of your doctor. Could you please send me his information. Thanks!

zayden81
3 years ago

Hey I am in New York area and am looking for a good surgeon as well. So I am also wondering the name of your doctor. If possible, can you inform me who your doctor is please?

Bxcharm
3 years ago

as well I was wondering who was your doctor

NYC_girl
3 years ago

Hi, I noticed that you live in NY & I do too. I am looking for a good surgeon. Would u mind giving me the name of the doctor that did your surgery?

Michael A. Bogdan, MD, FACS
3 years ago

Don't weigh yourself after surgery! After any operation, there will be swelling, as well as "3rd spacing" of fluid. The bigger the operation, the more of this will occur. It is not uncommon to be 2 to 3 liters positive after surgery (3 liters of fluid is about 7 lbs). You will continue to swell, and that fluid has to come from someplace (you must drink - keep your urine clear and not concentrated). Swelling tends to peak at 48-72 hours, and then your body will start to let go of all of this fluid (you will urinate a lot.) Don't look at the scale for 2 weeks after surgery - it will only produce unnecessary anxiety!

View answers from Michael A. Bogdan, MD, FACS

Peter A. Aldea, MD
3 years ago

Ladies, Surgery is trauma. We surgeons wear measks. We use sterile instruments. But we inflict serious injuries on the tissues we separate and then put together. When tissue is injured fluid literally collects in the space outside the cells and outside the blood vells - called THIRD SPACE. This is caused by damaged and leaky blood vessels. The volume varies with the injury. (In burn patients, the WHOLE body is leaky and they can put on tens of pounds). As the inflammation subsides, the fluid gets taken up by the vessels and swelling subsides. As you urinate and sweat, you will lose this weight. Do not worry. This is TOTALLY normal. Hope this was helpful. Dr. Peter Aldea PS I am a FORMER New Yorker. I still miss the city.

View answers from Peter A. Aldea, MD

Perla109
3 years ago

Dr Aldea, I have seen almost everybody had their drains removed after a week, mainly two. I had the TT/BA surgery on a Monday and my drains were taken off on Thursday. Is that ok? I was concerned because I have a few pounds over. I just want to make sure I will lose that fluid without the drains.

Peter A. Aldea, MD
3 years ago

Hi Perla, In a room with 2 Plastic surgeons you will have 4 different opinions. Some surgeons use no drains; others pull them out really quickly while others wait for the drainage to fall below a certain amount before removing both. Personally, if your body still makes fluid and the skin/fact have not yet attached to the muscle, I think the drains removing the fluid PROMOTES adhesion and healing. Since I do not like to put needles in my patients and draw this fluid NOR do I like to see the swelling and re-assure them that the body will remove the fluid (eventually....if it does not become infected), I prefer for the drain output to FALL below a certain level. In your case, I would watch for a potential seroma. A fluid wave that goes across to the back similar to the one you see when you throw a pebble in a pod. If you see anything like it, go back and have your surgeon evacuate it. If you do not have it, relax. It will be OK. AS TT is a great operation and one of my favorites to perform. It transforms women's lives for the better. Good Luck. Peter A Aldea, MD

View answers from Peter A. Aldea, MD

Sheerpink
3 years ago

absolutely it does..wait a few more weeks to weigh yourself or you are setting yourself up to be depressed. You'll either level out to your previous weight or maybe a few lbs. lighter. Take care!