Can you use water pills to decrease swelling with a tummy tuck?

Hello and thank you for your question.  The
best advice you can receive is from an in-person consultation.  I do not advise taking a diuretic medication after surgery, unless you are regularly prescribed this by your primary physician and have been taking it regularly over an extended time period.  This type of medication can be damaging to your kidneys if it is not properly prescribed and monitored.  Swelling will decrease with time after surgery.   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.  FACS
Harvard-trained plastic surgeon

Thank you for your question. In general I don’t like to use diuretics after Surgery unless prolonged swelling is noted after a few weeks. Best way to get swelling down in the abdomen after an abdominoplasty is with garment use and lymphatic massage which we provide in the office. 

Diuretics (water pills) are not typically used for swelling caused by surgery. Swelling is common and expected after surgery. It resolves over time as healing continues. Compression garments are often helpful, as is closely following activity recommendations by your surgeon.

Thanks for the question.  There is no right answer but I'll try to explain.  Yes, water pills (diuretics) allow the body to remove excess water, BUT, there are always side effects.  Water pills also cause you to lose electrolytes specifically Potassium (K+).  This can be life threatening in certain conditions so the use of diuretics should be monitored.  Tight garments and massages with leg elevation also help with the post op swelling.Dr T

Hi. Swelling after Tummy Tuck is a response of the body to the surgical trauma, and the edema after pregnancy is a multifactoral phisiological and hormonal one, that can be managed with diuretics. That is why the  management for the Tummy Tuck edema is not the same.International Member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS)
Member of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS)
Board Certified Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon