Abdominal pain since tummy tuck (2021) - is this normal and can it be fixed?

Question

I have had abdominal pain since my tummy tuck in May of 2021. I waited a few years to see if it would improve but it has not. My left side hurts more than the right. I feel like I have weights sitting in my stomach and have terrible pain after handling my 1 year old granddaughter. Is this normal?

Tyler Frew, MD · Answer

Hi there,
No, years of pain and a heavy feeling after a tummy tuck isn't something you should just live with. I'm glad you're asking. There are several possible causes, and some are very fixable, but sorting them out takes a hands-on exam and sometimes imaging.
Please see a board-certified plastic surgeon in person, either your original surgeon or a new one for a fresh look, and let your primary care doctor know too. Go to the ER right away if you ever get sudden severe pain, a bulge that won't go back in, vomiting, or fever. An in-person exam is needed for personal advice.
All the best!

Yasemin Aydinli, MD · Answer

Pain lasting five years after a tummy tuck is not normal and should be investigated. When it is worse on one side and triggered by lifting, common causes are a nerve caught in a stitch or scar near the incision or the muscle repair, or tension from the muscle repair sutures. Pain that is sharp, burning or localized to one point near the incision often points to a nerve, and an injection of local anesthetic at that point can both confirm the cause and guide treatment. An ultrasound or CT of the abdominal wall is a sensible first step. Many of these causes can be treated once identified.

Abdominal pain since tummy tuck (2021) - is this normal and can it be fixed?

Answers (2)

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