I am 60 and live alone. Is there a way to make it through the recovery period after a tummy tuck on my own?

 Any patient that is having surgery with Anesthesia should have someone to stay with them when recovering.  My patients that are having a Tummy Tuck will stay overnight at the hospital and will need to walk bent over for the first two weeks.  Ideally, these patients should have help at home with meals, walking, bathing, medication administration,  and managing the drains.  Good Luck.

Yes!  We work with a nursing company that helps patients at home with recovery when good help is not readily available.  They can help for a few days and even up to a week or so when necessary.  I also offer my patients an overnight stay in a hospital to help with recovery right after surgery.
Thank you for your question!
Dr. Schreiber, Baltimore plastic surgeon

Thanks for your question. I feel that it is very important for you to have support at home after any surgey, let alone tummy tuck. It is about secuity and safety. Muscle tightening tummy tuck can be uncomfortable and  having help to get in and out of bed is important to minimize risks of blood clots and pneumonia. Tummy tuck without muscle tightening is often an easier and shorter recovery, but still warrants some help at home until you are recovered enough. In my own practice when patients need help we turn to concierge services that can provide you and assistant. You may want to discuss this with your PS. Please don't go it alone.

Hello and thank you for your question.  The
best advice you can receive is from an in-person consultation.  I have performed many tummy tucks in patients your age, so you are not alone.  In my practice I require that a caretaker bring you home from your surgery.  I usually advise that you have someone present to help you for the first day.  There are many visiting nursing services which can be arranged to do this.   Make sure you
specifically look at before and after pictures of real patients who have
had this surgery performed by your surgeon and evaluate their
results.   The most important aspect is to find a surgeon you are
comfortable with. I recommend that you seek consultation with a qualified
board-certified plastic surgeon who can evaluate you in person.
Best wishes and good luck.
Richard G. Reish, M.D.
Harvard-trained plastic surgeon

A tummy tuck with rectus muscle repair leaves one fairly sore for several days. I suggest having someone in the home with you for the first 3-5 days. The challenging issues are when trying to get in and out of beds and chairs. With the core muscles being tightened, this can be difficult. Until one has figured out how to best navigate, it is very helpful to have someone to assist you. From a recovery from anesthesia perspective, it is always advised to have adult company present for the first 24 hours after any general anesthetic for safety reasons. Please have someone be there for you!

My patients must have someone take them home and stay with them for the first 24hours as the anesthesia will make you dizzy and there is danger of falling. You should really try to have someone help you for the first few days, you will need to remember to take medications, help with meal preparation, and you may need assistance to the bathroom. Check with your doctors office, they may know of care givers you could contact. Good luck!

Tummy tucks are significant procedures. You definitely need help during recovery. For the first several days you will need help 24 hours a day, which includes driving you home after your procedure and driving you to and from your post op appointments. Your caregiver will manage your medications, drains (if any) and will help you ambulate and get you food. If you don't have family you might be able to hire professional help. 

If you do not have friends or family who can stay with you or allow you to stay with them for several days, then it would be wise to hire an aide to assist you.  This can be arranged through nursing or home care agencies.  In NY, for example, the law requires that you not leave the surgical facility unattended. 

You need to have someone with you for at least a few days.  A tummy tuck is one of the toughest procedures to recover from. 

Services are available for people who are recovering from surgery on their own. I have many patients traveling to see me. We never release a patient, local or from out of the area without a caretaker. But services exist who can help. There are services that include transportation by a nurse who can then provide in home or in hotel care  for a period of time determined by you and your plastic surgeon. Depending on the extent of the tummy tuck, your surgeon may want you to stay overnight in their accredited facility with round the clock care and monitoring by members of their own medical team.Your plastic should have resources available for you so that you can recover privately, but with supervised medical care