What to Eat PRE-OP to Make It Easier in my First Week Post-op?

It is good that you are planning now how to have the best outcome for your surgery and how you can participate. Nutrition is important in the healing process. I advise my patients to eat healthy; fruits, vegetables and protein and supplement with a good multi-vitamin, but be sure that there is not more than 400 units of vitamin E as that can interfere with blood clotting. Try to make this a permanent way of eating and limit sugars and processed foods so you can maintain your new figure! Good luck.

Avoid fast food, eat a high fiber diet with fruits and vegetables, nuts and grains, seeds.  Avoid fried food, hydrogenated fats, and overly processed foods.  Keep some prune juice on available and get your bowels in a pattern of a bowel movement at least once or twice a day.  Avoid cheese, cream cheese, pizza, white flower, desserts, and other low fiber sugar infested foods.

Indeed pre-op nutrition has been proven to be important for the wound healing and recovery process.  There are many nutrients that are involved in the process, most importantly protein and a multivitamin.  For a more comprehensive list I refer you to a formula I created called "Healthy Recovery Formula".  Best of luck with a smooth recovery...RAS 

You are about to undergo a major operation which often involves a significant physical and emotional recovery. A few words of advice may be helpful:

1. Make sure you are doing the procedure for the right reasons (for yourself)  and that you have realistic expectations.  Be aware that an improvement in the “problem area” may not translate to an overall improvement in your life   situation.  You are bound to be disappointed with results of the procedure if your motivation for doing the surgery is not internally driven.

2. Time your surgery carefully; generally, it is not a good idea to have surgery done during or immediately after a stressful period in life (for example divorce or death of a loved one). The additional stress of surgery will undoubtedly be  more challenging to deal with if a patient's emotional reserves our already exhausted. Remember, that an improvement in your physical appearance will not translate to an improvement in your life situation.

3. If possible speak to patients who have undergone similar procedures and query them about the toughest times of their recovery period. Any practical hints previous patients can provide may be very helpful.

4. Make sure you are aware of potential complications that may arise how to reach your surgeon if necessary.

5. Make sure you have a strong and patient support system (several people if possible) in place who have time/patience to take care of you. Arrange for professional nursing if any doubt exists regarding the availability and/or stamina  of your caretakers.

6. Be patient with the healing process, understanding that it will take several weeks to months to feel “normal” again. It may also take many months/year to see the end results of your surgery.

7. Be prepared to distract your mind with things of interest such as books, magazines, and movies.

8. Expect less of yourself; do not go back to work, school or chores too early and let others take care of you (for a change).

9. Pick your surgeon carefully (a well experienced board-certified plastic surgeon) and trust in his/her advice. Keep in close communication with your surgeon and do not hesitate to communicate questions/concerns and the   emotional swings that you may experience.

10. Resume all medications that you were using preoperatively when cleared by your plastic surgeon and stop the use of narcotics and sedatives as soon as feasible after surgery.

11. Keep in mind the end results as you go through the tougher emotional times after your surgery.
I hope this helps.

No special diet is required; I would eat what you normally eat avoiding extremes (over or under eating).  For example, don't be like one of my patients who before a liposuction procedure told me she was going to really "overindulge" since I was going to "suck it all out" ( it doesn't work that way).  I also remind patients post-op that this is not the time to "start a diet"- they will need good nutrition and calories to recover and heal the surgical wounds.  Starting a stool softener before or right after surgery is also helpful because we don't want patients to strain post-op and the post-op pain medication is usually constipating.  Don't  forget to fully inform your plastic surgeon and anesthesia about all of your medications- including vitamins and herbals- some of the herbals in particular can interfere with  blood clotting, anesthesia, etc. Best of luck

There is no special diet needed in order to prepare for tummy tuck. You should neither binge to build up, nor hold back calories to become leaner the week before. Relax and eat normally and your experience should be a good one.
Best of luck,
peterejohnsonmd

We usually have the patient take a laxative 2 days ahead of time and start a stool softener. This helps prevent postop constipation which can lead to problems with straining which in turn can lead to bleeding and putting strain on the muscle plication sutures.