Hypothyroidism, will my Tummy Tuck be delayed?

Question

Today way my pre op for full tummy tuck. I'm a overall healthy woman however I do have hypothyroidism and am not on my meds as of right now due to some personal issues . I will be getting back on my medication within the week though. Anyways they are saying it might be a problem pertaining to surgery and want my levels checked. Kinda freaking out here. Do you think they will delay my surgery??? Any feedback is appreciated.

Robert F. Centeno, MD, FACS · Answer

Thank you for your question.  It is unclear from your post how far out from your surgery you are, but most surgeons get a preop evaluation within 30 days of surgery to address just this sort of issue.  Elective surgery is very safe in patients with medical conditions such as yours as long as they are well controlled.  The most important thing you can do right now is resume your thyroid medicine as soon as possible.   Your surgeon, internist and anesthesiologist will probably want to check your levels to make sure they are in the normal range.  Hypo and hyperthyroidism can present some risk for having anesthesia depending on the cause of the problem. Fluctuating levels of thyroid hormone can lead to problems with your heart rate that should be avoided around surgery.  Further, hypothyroidism and surgery together can increase your risk of going into a depressive episode that would make recovery harder. It would be best to schedule a follow up appointment with your primary care doctor and your surgeon to further discuss these issues and whether you are in your best shape for surgery or just need a little more time to be safe.  Best wishes!

Nelson Castillo, MD · Answer

Thank you for sharing your question. As a tummy tuck is an elective procedure it is always wise to be medically optimized before pursuing surgery.  If you are having any manifestations of hypothyroidism it would be wise to have this medically managed before following through with your abdominoplasty.  Hope this helps.

Hypothyroidism, will my Tummy Tuck be delayed?

Answers (2)

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