Stomach Pain After Zeltiq (CoolSculpting)

If you have a pot belly, that means the fat is behind the stomach wall, around the intestinal tract, and as you say you had little fat in the abdomen, meaning above the muscle wall, then the Zeltiq was pulling harder on the deeper tissues, and although the muscle is not pulled into the machine, the nerve endings or collagen attachments to the muscle from teh subcutaneous tissues might have pulled harder and it hurts now.  This should go away in a few weeks.  Follow up with your doctor.  You should be concerned about your diet as increasing your calories will make you gain weight and some will go back to the residual 80% of fat cells that don't die from the Zeltiq in that area.

Most patients do have soreness and swelling after CoolSculpting.  Occasionally there can be mild bruising.  Everyone has a different pain tolerance, and in rare cases, there can be more significant pain after CoolSculpting. If this is the case, you should return to your doctor for evaluation.  I have seen improvement within several days with careful use of topical anesthetics prescribed by a doctor.  In a group of hundreds of patients, I have not seen any instances of pain that did not resolve.

The areas treated should improve even if your diet remains the same.  If you are losing weight, the improvement could be enhanced.  Most people begin to see size reduction within 4-5 weeks.

It if very common to feel pain in the area of treatment. This is due to the inflammation of the fat cells. You may feel a dulling of sensation in the treated area that can last for several weeks after the procedure. Prolonged swelling, itching, tingling, numbness, tenderness to the touch, cramping, and/or aching. Feeling like you just got a great workout is normal but if concern always follow up with your provider. Wearing spanks will help support the abdomen area so you do not feel as tender. We will always recommend to maintain a healthy life style after in general but especially after coolsculpting to make sure the remainder of the fat cell do not expand.

It is not uncommon to have delayed onset pain after a Coolsculpting procedure.  This pain is more commonly experienced with abdominal Coolsculpting.  It starts 3-5 days after the procedure and can last 10 days or so.  This pain is nerve based and is best treated with Neurontin.  Ask your physician to prescribe you some.

Best of luck,

Sheila Nazarian

I find that people who develop extreme hypersensitivity after Coolsculpting find that their symptoms resolve within 1-2 weeks. There are medications that can help reduce the intensity of the treatment. I would also recommend using compression.

Thanks for your question. It is normal after Coolsculpting to experience some mild side effects including swelling, bruising, tenderness and cramping that can last several weeks. Implementing a healthy diet is advised. 

Tenderness after coolsculpting is very common. It can last several weeks. Try Motrin or benadryl and some heat. It just gradually fades away with time.

Most patients have soreness for 3-4 days after the procedure but in rare cases it can last for up to two weeks. You may also experience bruising and mild cramping for a few days in addition to pins and needles like sensation. If the discomfort does not improve for two weeks you should see your doctor for an evaluation. You may expect to have the same reaction after the second treatment which is usually done in 2-3 months. You do not have to be on a special diet after the procedure just avoid gaining weight as usual!

                  Patients
who undergo coolsculpting of the abdomen occasionally complain of abdominal
pain and swelling. The origin of this problem appears to be related to traction
on the underlying abdominal contents. Patients typically describe a dull achy
pain which may be accompanied by low grade swelling.

                  In
some cases the swelling can actually translate into small amounts of weight
gain. In rare cases, patients can actually experience nausea.

                  These
symptoms usually resolve quickly without treatment. In some cases non-
steroidal anti-inflammatory agents are helpful, but most patients are symptom
free within a week of the procedure without treatment. Most patients are able
to see their final result in about 3-4 months following coolsculpting. 

Some pain and discomfort at treated areas after CoolSculpting is common and can last up to 2 weeks. Usually, the pain can be controlled with over the counter pain medication. Rarely, your doctor may have to prescribe some medication if the pain is more severe. Most people also experience numbness and itching. The larger applicator usually causes more discomfort post treatment than the smaller one. A strict diet is not required, but it would be a good idea to be conscious of your diet since you are making an investment. The fat cells hat were destroyed during the treatment will slowly get processed out of your body and you should start seeing results in 2-4 months.You should always contact the provider that treated you if symptoms worsen or persist.

Pain after Coolsculpting can occur, but over the counter pain medicines usually help.  If not, contact the plastic surgeon who helped you to possibly prescribe lidodcaine patches or a mild narcotic medicine.