Is 2.5 weeks enough time after tummy tuck to return to work?

Abdominoplasty involves a recovery period of 10 to 14 days longer than most plastic surgical procedures. Initial discomfort and decreased mobility is typical. Light activity is comfortable in 10-20 days. No sports or heavy lifting for 6 weeks or more. If you are helping patients out of wheel chairs, it's possible that you are lifting more than what's recommended post op. You should check with your surgeon to make sure you are healing well!

The Mommy Makeover is a combination of procedures to bring a woman’s body back to the way she looked prior to pregnancy. Most commonly some variation of a #TummyTuck and #BreastSurgery are performed. Additional procedures can include liposuction, umbilical hernia repair.  The most common #breastprocedures include #mastopexy or #breastlift, #breastaugmentation, or #breastreduction.    

Healing after a  #tummytuck will require time. Some patients are out of bed and walking the night of surgery and every hour while awake. I allow my patients to return to work at one to two weeks with 14 days preferred.  However, no lifting or straining.  At three weeks, increased level of activity and full with no restrictions, at 6 weeks. As I advise my patients, if your work keeps you sedentary, you may return whenever you feel up to it. If your work is strenuous, wait until your work activity does not cause any superficial pain. Some employers will modify a person’s job duties so they can back sooner, but without physical activity. Our office can provide our patients with a note stating they are not to engage in strenuous activity for a specified period of time. The note will not disclose what procedure they have underwent. Therefore, you may have to request a similar note from your surgeon if you are not independently employed. I recommend avoiding heavy lifting and strenuous #activity for six weeks following your surgery. With that said, it may help you plan your return to work accordingly.

As for heavy lifting and other #strenuous #activities, it should be avoided for until you have clearance from your surgeon. You may, however, do normal activities at any time if they cause no pain or #discomfort. Let your body tell you what you can or cannot do. Aerobic exercise will raise your blood pressure, which could cause late bleeding and harm your result. Once you begin exercising again, start gently and let your body tell you what it can tolerate. Don’t rush!!  If you have concerns about your healing, or pain that you question to be unusual, it is important to call your plastic surgeon to discuss these further asked to be examined.

You should discuss this question frankly with your plastic surgeon.  It depends on several issues, including the physicality of your job, the amount of surgery you've had, pain, use of pain meds, complications etc.  I think what youre describing is probably a little too ambitious for this point in your post op recovery.  

Over the years, I have had patients return to work much sooner than before due to an improvement in techniques that reduce injury and postoperative pain.   Currently most of my patients at desk jobs return to work within a week, and for patients with a more strenuous job as yours, two weeks should be sufficient.  Because the muscle fascia is plicated, you need to allow 8-10 weeks before doing situps or really straining your core muscles, but exercise, and moderate lifting has not been a problem.  Every surgeon uses different techniques, so it is best to follow your surgeon's recommendations.

I recommend my patients not do do heavy activity for, at least, 4 weeks; but, if (based on your recovery improvement) your surgeon advises you to go back to work by that time , you feel capable and your job doesn't require heavy activities, you could do so. But, I honestly think your job may be rough for someone who just had a Tummy Tuck. I think if you really can't be off from work for long, you can at least prepare yourself for 3 weeks of.