How is breathing affected after a Tummy Tuck?

It will take at least 6 months before you will be ready for a marathon after a tummy tuck. Your tight muscle fascia of your tummy is preventing your diaphragm from moving as far down into the belly that it has been used to. You will stretch your belly and cause it to bulge if you insist on using those deep breaths for your running. Consider why and what you are doing. Good luck...

Tightening of the abdomen pushes the contents of the abdominal cavity up against the diaphragm making it harder to take a deep breath.  You are also likely to be de-conditioned after a surgical recovery.  Reconditioning takes a considerable period of time so be patient.You didn't remark on your age but the older you are the longer it takes to get back in condition.  If you have any extra intra-abdominal fatty tissue (not probable as you are an athlete), weight gain after abdominoplasty can cause to pressure against the diaphragm to be even worse and can even cause cramps and indigestion.Blood clots can form in the legs after a relative period of inactivity and move to the lungs (pulmonary embolism). Check in with your surgeon to get an assessment and be sure that nothing serious is underway.

Hi, MrsC21.  Peri-operatively, your abdomen is tight and pushes into the chest.  In addition, you have pain from the surgery;  and most patients tend to take a short, shallow breath.  However, after couple weeks, your breathing should normalize.  The fact that you are not able to take a deep breaths 2 months post-op may be due to 1) deconditioning, or 2) some other cardiac/respiratory issue.  Please visit  your plastic surgeon to be evaluated in-person.  Best wishes.

Thank you for the question. You are still in the early stages of the healing process. In the initial phase after surgery, within the first three months, there is a period of inflammation and scarring that must occur in order for you to heal. The surgical areas will typically appear as swollen, "lumpy/bumpy", feel tender, tight, etc. During this time the metabolic demands on your body have significantly increased making you feel tired with a level of activity which was easily handled prior to your surgery. This should improve over ensuing months as these processes subside and the inflammatory process gives way to scar softening and remodeling. It is during this time that you will start to see your results appear and look more "natural" as the swelling dissipates and the soft tissues soften. I tell my patients that they will not see their final results for at least 6 months. In the same way your energy will slowly return during that time.At this point I would recommend to be patient and continue close follow up with your plastic surgeon. This will allow you and your surgeon the chance to discuss your concerns and help allay any anxieties you may be experiencing. I hope this helps. Best wishes

Hi MrsC, Thank you for sharing your question about breating after your tummy tuck plastic surgery procedure.  I'd strongly urge you to speak directly with your board certified plastic surgeon about your questions and issues.  It sounds like you're still in the early phases of healing and some of your "out of breath" feelings could be coming from lack of energy that many patients experience after a lengthly plastic surgery procedure like an abdominoplasty.  We encourage our patients to maintain a very high protein diet after a tummy tuck, however please check in with your operative surgeon.  He or she will appreciate the open communication.All the best to you,Brian S. Coan, MD, FACS

Hello, very good question a proper evaluation is done by a cardiologist or a pneumologist before any surgical procedure, with chest X rays common problems like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease can be diagnosed, recommendations are to wear the compression garment that you are going to wear after surgery, in this way you will get used to the increase of the abdominal pressure caused by the muscle repair. Best of luck