Tummy Tuck: Stories

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Why Doesnt Anyone Complain of Standing Straight After Full TT?

sarahg09
updated 3 years ago

Worth It
Cost: $10,000
Beverly Hills, CA

Im 17 days post op from full tummy tuck and breast...

15 Apr 2010

Im 17 days post op from full tummy tuck and breast lift and augmentation.

everything is good except i havent been able to stand straight. that is my biggest complaint. i have been reading everyone's experience and cant believe almost no one writes about walking bent over and back discomfort due to that. am i the only person experiencing this??? help !!

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kellybelly811 6 Apr 2013

I had surgery on march 25th. Slept in a recliner for 7 days and had my drains removed 1 week post op. I still can not stand up straight, which from what I read I guess is a good thing cause my tummy is tight as hell, nothing fits cause I am so much more swollen then I thought I would be. I was big into workingout pre-op and I am finding that all my downtime I am starting to have some depression. I broke down in the shower this morning asking why did I do this to myself. I know the results are what I will ultimately enjoy. But this recovery is definetly different and harder than any other surgery I have had, and I have had a few.

Shelly7768 6 Apr 2013

I know how you feel. At two weeks I was doing the same thing. Clothes wouldn't fit. I was depressed. All I wanted to do was cry. It gets better. I'm at 5 weeks post op now and I can fit into some if my clothes. Are you taking vitamins? I started a multivitamin, omega 3, calcium, vitamin c and L-Arginine. Drink a lot of water and it helps with the swelling. Also I started lymphatic massages which have helped tremendously with swelling. Make sure you clear it with your doctor first on the massage and make sure the masseuse is licensed to do them. I found this site at around the two week mark. I wanted to be able to read others recovery stories so I knew what to expect. Unless you've been through it yourself you don't know what to really expect. I've gotten great support off this site just by reading others' comments and questions. Keep your head up. The first few weeks are the worst. I would also lightly massage my tummy to help loosen up the tight muscles and used Aveeno lotion to moisturize my right skin. I have always been an active person and being stuck in the house with nothing to do was really getting to me.

kellybelly811 6 Apr 2013

OMG! reading that almost brought me to tears. I tried talking to my friends and they made me smile, but they don't know what I am going through. It feels so much better to have someone else who has been through it tell me it will be ok. I feel a million times better, thank you so much. This is the first I heard of lymphatic massages or needing to take vitamins. I will check with my doctor to see what he says. I do drink a lot of water, am walking and trying to just breath and remind myself time I will be back to normal in no time. I will check out that sight and try the light tummy massages. thank you so very much. I truely do feel a million times better.

Shelly7768 6 Apr 2013

You're welcome. I'm glad you feel better and that I was able to help. The doctors who perform these procedures haven't done it to themselves. They just do the surgery. Today I was able to take my kids to a family rodeo. I walked around. I sat some when I needed too and watched my kids wrangle calves and compete with other kids. Tonight I'm going out for the first time in 6 weeks. It does feel good to be able to talk to another person who's done this procedure. I've had to learn to be patient. This is a huge surgery. But you are going to look amazing when its all said and done. You won't regret the decision you made. Many emotions are mixed during recovery. I had no idea I would be so upset and fall into a short depression afterwards. I'm a distributor for AdvoCare and they have an awesome product called night time recovery. I've been taking it for just over a week. I would have started it sooner but I wanted to clear it with my doctor first. I feel so much better every morning I wake up. And of course I take ibuprofen still. I haven't been able to feel comfortable sleeping without my spanx yet even though my doctor said I could stop wearing it 24/7 and only need to wear it for 12 hours a day. It's my security blanket. Maybe another week and I will see how it feels. When it comes to recovering faster, if there's a way I will find it out lol. I've been doing a lot of research. I'm really glad I found this site.

kellybelly811 7 Apr 2013

Im still wearing my girdle the doctor put me in and I want to start wearing my spanx, I just havent found the girdle type that I think would be more comfortable then the kind thats with the panties attached. What kind do you have? I understand about them as your security blanket. I had a breast tack in October and had to wear a bra 24/7 for 3 months, even now I find myself wearing a bra 24/7, my boyfriend thinks Im crazy. I definetly know in the end all the pain and uncomfortableness will all be worth it and I will feel like a million bucks. Thanks for being there for me.

Shelly7768 7 Apr 2013

It's not a problem. If I have info that's helping me, them it might help others as well. I bought my spanx at Target. I have the one that goes from mid thigh up to below my bust. It's quite comfortable. I bought the wrong size at first and felt like I was gonna die in it. It was too small. They were $16. I want to find one now that is like a camisole. It's a pain to go potty. I get a work out pulling it up and down. I slept without it last night and it felt pretty good.

Alice65 8 Apr 2013

i had my tt on March 21. I still have swelling and pain. My tummy is very tight and it hurts really bad to stand straight. Recovery is much more difficult that I ever imagined it would be but...... I know this will all be worth it.. I love my flat tummy and my pretty belly button!! Good luck with your continued recovery! button

Shelly7768 24 Mar 2013

I am 24 days post TT, Lipo on the outer hips, Breast lift. Finally got all the tape off. I walked hunched over for about 7-8 days. The swelling is what gets me. I am taking my vitamins regularly and drinking between 64 and 96 ounces of water a day. Avoiding high sodium foods helps remendously. I have 2 pair of jeans I can wear from post op that were a bit loose on me pre-op but other than that its leggings and PJ's. I started sleeping in my own bed at 5 days post op which was such a relief from my chair and pillows. My drains came out at 7 days and on day 8 I was ecstatic to be able to sleep on my sides. I am not a back sleeper. I have been doing a ton of reading to figure out how to jumpstart my lymphatic system to help reduce swelling faster and found that I need to drink a ton of water, walk as much as my body will let me(which causes swelling, catch 22 there. Swell up so you swell less?), take calcium, load up on L-Arginine and keep hydrated. I am about to start lymphatic massages after speaking to my doctor and am about to start my Advocare products back up and add Nighttime recovery to the vitamin regimen. If I have possitive results in the next week or so of taking them I will let everyone know if it works or not. I am just wanting to walk around comfortably without having to sit down every 100 feet because I am swelling up and hurting.

S. Sean Younai, MD, FACS 9 Feb 2013

All my patients complain of not being able to stand up straight after tummy tuck. I varies from 1 week to 6 weeks, depending on the patients body, age, lifestyle, and the tightness of the tummy tuck. In my professional opinion, those patients who do not complain did not have a tight tummy tuck!

View answers from S. Sean Younai, MD, FACS

Marney13 11 Feb 2013

Thanks Dr. Younai, My surgeon said mine was very tight so i guess thats a good thing.

Marney13 5 Feb 2013

Hi i'm 2 weeks today post op and i'm still hunched over but my PS said yesterday that he wants me to be walking straight. It still feels very tight and sore and i just cant staraighten up. The nurse told me one of their patients was bent over for around 6 weeks..Ouchh!!!

JeannieM1959 5 Feb 2013

Hi Marney, from my experience and others that I have read about. Walking bent over is the right thing to do right after a tt surgery. But two weeks out, yes I do think at that point I had started standing up. Six weeks sounds way to long to me to still be walking bent over. I have a feeling the nurse was telling you more of an exception and not the rule. You look great, so good luck.

Maldev 21 Apr 2012

hi guys, I'm 19 days PO, and still hunched over, I feel like I have done 1000 sit ups and just can't stand straight, I feel that if I do try and stand straight my stomach will rip... Crazy I know. Along with thus awful experience I'm phooing ok but finding it SO hard to push again cuz of the tightness of my tummy... Has this been the case for anyone else??? Also I'm due back to work in 10 days and hope I will be ok.. Sometimes I do feel why did I do this.... My swelling is all still there... All recommendations will be greatly noted....

CO Liz 21 Dec 2011

I found it took a good six weeks before I felt totally normal. It has been over 20 months and I have some hip pain -- I wonder if it is from the tightness in my tummy. I would do it over in a minute, however!

NHaven 19 Dec 2011

Hang in there sister!!!! Five days...you're doing great!

DPVA 19 Dec 2011

I'm 5 days post surgery from a full tummy tuck. My back has been aching really bad and i was already considering a reduction. I have never had back problems until the surgery. I was able to start walking around on day 3. Tomorrow dec 20 my tubes will be removed. I cannot wait and the fact I get to do a shower. I haven't had much pain other than my abs felt as if I did a million situps. I'm just ready to get these tubes removed.

NHaven 22 Aug 2011

I am so happy you guys wrote about this experience. I was thinking of a tummy tuck and NEVER thought about this experience. I love RealSelf!

babe2snuggles 7 Jun 2010

Can you give me your doctors name? I am looking for a PS for a tt right now and am looking around. Thanks in advance!

6803anon 17 May 2010

Is been 6 weeks post op and I can tell you during the first part of the morning I can walk straight as the day goes I start to hunched and get tired by the end of the day, for the back pain Ice packs work great, but had to tell you my best friend was the recliner for the first two weeks, as the time progress i fell better can wait to get back to stand up straight 100%. hope you feel better and hang in there make sure you ask your doctor about the New Gel+ they work wonders my scar is going away alot quicker with them.

sarahg09 28 Apr 2010

UPDATE FOR ALL MY TUMMY TUCK FRIENDS: today i am exactly 4 weeks post op and i am all the way straight i mean military erect wowhhooo i went back to work today and cant be happier. it has been a long 4 week recovery but im almost back to normal. still have the pulling and tugging but it doesnt bother me much. my back feels so much better now that i can stand straight =)

Kimmers25 (Community Manager) 27 Apr 2010

Oh yes my back has been hurting like crazy for the past 13 days. Hunched over and I have back spasms most every day. It is getting easier each day but definitely not great. I hear that this could be the case for up to six weeks! UGH Hang in there.

CO Liz 27 Apr 2010

I am 18 days post op from an abdominoplasty and I still am not always upright. I had trouble getting a full, deep breath for the first three days. On day ten, I felt that I could stand up all of a sudden, but I am still a bit hunched over. I lived and slept in a recliner for the first two weeks and found that to be very comfortable. I am now back in bed and my only real nighttime discomfort is unexplained hip pain.

backtome 19 Apr 2010

I am 3 days post op and my lower back is killing me.I don't walk as hunched over as I did the first day, but I am still hunched. I am still in my recliner with three pillows behind my back and a rolled up throw around my neck. The worst thing for me besides eing hunched over is doing my deep breathing exercises

sarahg09 20 Apr 2010

i know its really hard to take deep breaths but that gets much better after the first week. for me its my back from walking bent over. and my incision feels as if i have a wire wraped around me. very tight. i hope we all recover fully :)

4051anon 20 Apr 2010

Don't worry you will be fine, first 3 weeks at home was okay, going back to work for me was hard and made me think i made a mistake having this surgery, but day by day got better for me, and now I feel GREAT! I think what worked for me is wearing a all in one compression girdle 24/7, only taking off for showers, now i wear spankx to work everyday, and from me wearing that compression girdle 24/7 made my waist really small. My doctor was a little surprised with my waist & my size. You will LOVE the new you after you heal a little more, GOOD LUCK, keep me posted!