Is it normal to have regrets after a tummy tuck? 13 days post op.

Hello,Thank you for your question. I'm sorry to hear that you are feeling regret during your recovery. Yes it is common for patients to feel emotional and stressed after a major surgery such as tummy tuck. Being uncomfortable and taking pain medication for many days along with the restrictions to regular activity can affect mental health. It is important to have people around you who can encourage and distract you while you heal. I recommend that you contact your plastic surgeon and let them know how you are feeling. They can help you to know what to expect as you go through the phases of recovery and ensure that you are on track. You are very early in recovery but the majority of swelling and discomfort can be expected to resolve for you soon. It will take many months for you to see the settled results of your procedure and some asymmetry or distortion is quite normal at this point.All the best 

You are still extremely early in the postoperative period. It will take MONTHS for the final result to appear.  Even at that, one would hope you would see a difference between your preoperative physique and your current physique. Perhaps reviewing your preoperative and postoperative photos will give you a boost! Many times patients quite easily forget that their current post surgical appearance is not how they always locked and they forget to focus on the improvement. Without photos, it is impossible to give any assessment on your particular case. Many times patient expectations when it comes to recovery for plastic surgery are unrealistic.  Plastic surgery is real surgery. You would not expect to be recovered from a brain surgery or heart surgery after 13 days. Patience and following your plastic surgeon’s instructions will be key to a good outcome. Best of luck. 

It is not uncommon for patients to have ups and downs emotionally during recovery.  Your body has undergone quite a transition and it will take time for it to heal.  The best advice I can give you is to try to be patient.  You are early in this process and changes are ahead for you.  The swelling will go down, your energy level will increase, and you will have the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of your surgery.  It all takes time however.  Continue to follow the advice of your plastic surgeon and give your body time to heal.

Regrettably without photos it is very difficult to give you any meaningful objective opinion. Yes, it takes many weeks, if not 2-3 months after liposuction, to see results. All you can do is what you can do: that is wear your compression garments as indicated, get as many and as frequent well performed lymphatic massages as you can afford and follow the instructions of your board certified plastic surgeon. Include photos if you can.