When Will I Feel Normal After Full Tummy Tuck?

Abdominoplasty removes excess abdominal skin while
simultaneously tightening the abdominal muscles. Patients can anticipate
limited physical activity for ten to fourteen days following surgery. I
typically tell my patients bathroom and kitchen privileges initially with slow
resumption of normal activity over the next two weeks. Patients can usually
return to work in two weeks if no strenuous activity or heavy lifting is
involved. After seven to eight weeks, patients can resume all their normal
activities including heavy lifting.The
vast majority of abdominoplasty patients have resumed their normal activities
within three months of surgery, but the wound healing process continues for up
to a year following this procedure. During this period of time, patients
occasionally note swelling, pulling, numbness and tightness. These symptoms
usually disappear with the passage of time.When
complications such as bleeding and infection occur, the healing process may be
delayed and recovery slowed. When this situation arises, it’s important to
maintain close contact with your surgeon. Your surgeon should be able to
address your concerns and alleviate your anxiety.

You appear to have had a more complicated course than is typical. It is quite common to experience almost a post-partum depression like syndrom 3 weeks after a tummy tuck. This may take an additional 3 weeks to improve. Difficulty sleeping is also quite common.

Typically, I tell my tummy tuck patients to plan on missing two weeks of work, no heavy lifting for at least four weeks, and that it will take a minimum of 6-8 weeks until they feel back to normal.  When a tummy tuck is combined with other procedures the recovery period is not only more strenuous, but also longer in some cases.  In addition, I think patients who undergo multiple procedures at once have a higher likelihood of experiencing a complication.  Lastly, it's important to remember that it takes a minimum of one year for a patient's body to be completely recovered from any surgery.