Why am I so hungry all the time post tummy tuck?

Question

I am a 11 days post tummy tuck & walking around well. In the beginning, I was not that hungry & small that what I could actually eat was much smaller in portion. I know that it was from the ab tightening. However, in the past couple of days, I've become ravenous! I'm so hungry all the time. Prior to surgery, I ate upwards of 1800-2000 calories a day because of my training program (competitive athlete). I cannot eat that much right now when I'm not exercise. Will this pass? Soon?

Nelson Castillo, MD · Answer

Thank you for your excellent question.  Immediately after surgery many patients experience a blunted appetite due to anesthesia and failure of their stomach and intestines to work normally.  Once both of these effects pass, appetite resumes and the body starts to demand a large intake of calories to help heal the skin and other tissues operated on by the tummy tuck.  Just as when you are working out the key is to maintain a healthy diet of lean meats, fish, fruits, and vegetables to give your body the needed building blocks for repair. Hope this helps.

Why am I so hungry all the time post tummy tuck?

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