I having trouble sleeping after Tummy Tuck. Is this normal?

Question

I am 10 days PO and am having trouble getting to sleep. This is not related to pain. Before surgery this was not a problem for me. As a last resort, I've started taking a dose and a half of benadryl at around midnight and that will finally knock me out. I don't want to continue to do this indefinitely. Any advice, please?

Earl Stephenson, Jr., MD, DDS, MBA · Answer

It is not unusual for patients to suffer from insomnia after operations. Sometimes the likely culprit is the pain medication. Please discuss this with your plastic surgeon so that he or she make it down to the root cause. Some times the addition of a sleep aid will be helpful on a very temporary basis.

Anh Lee, MD, FACS · Answer

You can have trouble sleeping after a major procedure such as a tummy tuck due to the anesthesia and narcotics.  Your sleep patterns should normalize as you continue in the recovery process.  Please continue to follow up with your plastic surgeon.

Earl E. Ferguson III, MD, FACS · Answer

Sleep disturbances after general anesthesia are quite common and can sometimes go on for several weeks. Add to this the discomfort after abdominal surgery and additional medications that most are taking and it would almost be surprising not to have troubles. Try to sleep at normal hours and avoid too much sleep during the day. Things should begin to normalize over the next week or two.

I having trouble sleeping after Tummy Tuck. Is this normal?

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I having trouble sleeping after Tummy Tuck. Is this normal?

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Tummy Tuck

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.