Upper Abdominal Swelling 3 years after full tummy tuck

I have exactly the same symptoms that you are describing!!!! My surgeon said my muscles are really weak and he will put a big piece of mesh on my abdominal wall. I also had two previous tummy tucks. I feel like the surgeon ruined my life and I was better off not spending the money, horrible recovery, and my scars. I feel that the doctors should be honest and say hey maybe a tummy tuck is not for you because of the severe laxity that I have. I'm just heartbroken and extremely mad.

I am 15 years post op and I still have the upper abdominal swelling

I also am experiencing Gastroparesis after a tummy tuck 2 years ago. I have a very short body trunk which leads to basically no definitive waist line. I too wish i had skipped the tuck because I have a hidious scare that look just as bad bas it did 2 months after surgery. Since my tummy tuck I can only eat small amounts of food at a time. Every-time I eat I instantly look 4 months pregnant. I recently became vitamin B-12 deficient and had to take shots because my stomach doesn't correctly Digest the nutrients I consume. This problem has really taken a toll on me. I have often wondered and suspected that the tummy caused the gastroparesis. Has anyone found any correlations with a tummy tuck causing digestive problems?. Please share if so

So many people with similar problems as me. Coming up 5 yrs post op for me. Difficult surgery. Lot's of excess skin and fat to take off. Also had surgery to take excess skin & reposition my Mons. Had Lipo as well. I was cut from just a bit past breasts on my chest right down to just above the Mons. I also was cut right across like a C-section. I was left with a wound straight down my chest. A small circle wound around my "new" bellybutton. The straight wound carried on and ended at "T-section" with the wound that's like a C-section. There was a small straight wound on Mon.
Everything seemed to be going ok. Stayed in Hosp until discharged. District nurse came every few days to check wound & drains.
Exactly 1month post op, I woke up all sweaty and feverish. Decided to have a shower. I was told I needed to take dirty dressings off, have a shower, then put clean dressing on. When I took the dressing off, all this yellowish clear fluid came out of a wound that had opened up overnight. It was right in the dead centre of the t-section. And it was the size of a golf ball. And you could fit one inside of it and have room to spare. That hole wasn't there the day before. I freaked out cause that fluid was flowing out. Not oozing. Flowing. Put a towel against it & called out to my Mum, & we decided I better get to hosp in an ambulance. Soaked a couple of towels while waiting. Got stuck in Hosp for a week again. Put me on a portable vac Pac machine that sucks the fluid from wound so it can to heal. That wound took nearly a year to heal. And I still get problems. My skin tears sometimes cause it is so thin in that spot and it has so much scar tissue underneath it. Not to mention the bad IBS and everything now seems to push on my bladder, So I have to go pee more at night.
My problem lately is that I have been getting pains along my chest where my surgery scar is. My upper chest has always been oddly shaped since the surgery. And it sometimes swells. At the moment it is really swollen. The pain almost feels like something is tearing in the muscle. I've wonder if the tummy tuck was really worth it in the end, so many problems. I did it so that I could have less weight on my hips and back because of my arthritis. I'm allergic to anti-inflammatory meds & Tramadol. Limited on what pain meds I am able to take. Got a nurse visit in 2 days time for flu vaccine. I will ask her advice.

I am 5yrs post op from my tummy tuck. I read your blog and your doctor is full of c**p. I didn't have anything wrong as in the way of stomach problems before the surgery. After the surgery, I developed IBS, bad acid reflux, and something was pushing on my bladder so at night time I would need to go for a pee more often. I also developed a nasty wound right dead centre of the t-section of the tummy tuck wound where both wounds meet up. Woke up with a fever. Went to have shower. Took off dirty dressing. Then saw the hole in the surgery wound that wasn't there the day before. It was the size of a golf ball and you could fit it in there with room to spare. There was yellow/clear fluid flowing from it. Called out to my Mother. Decided it was best to go to Hospital in an ambulance . Soaked a couple of towels while waiting for the ambulance. Spent nearly a week again there. They put a vac Pac machine that sucks the fluid from wound so it can start heal it. Took nearly a year to heal that.
I noticed you also have trouble when buying clothes. I do too. I hate clothes shopping. It might be a bit easier than when I was really fat. But at the moment it is ackward because I am a smaller size pants and a larger size top, especially when my stomach is swollen.

Hi. In response to the blog you did in which you talked about being vit-b12 deficient. I'm not sure what country you live in. But if you have are able to get either Marmite or Vegemite from a store or through the internet it will do you a load of good. The trick is not put too much on either your toast, slice of bread or crackers. Put about a little less of amount you put of butter. Which you put first before you put the Marmite or Vegemite.
Marmite & Vegemite both have high levels of the B- Vitamins including B-12. And they have high levels of iron too. They are really healthy. Great for vegetarians. And tastes yum when you butter 2 slices of bread. Put some Marmite or Vegemite on one slice. And then put lots iceberg lettuce leaves. Probably sounds weird but tastes good. Another one is 2 slices of bread buttered. One slice Marmite or Vegemite. And then put some chicken or ready salted potato chips inside the 2 slices of bread.
Hope you can find it. And hope it helps.

I am a year past op AnD also have swelling above ANd below my belly button with a dip in the middle . It is sore and feels hard. Especially a couple of days after excersise.
If I hear these story’s there is not much change of getting rid of it

I’m the same way. I’m wondering about having liposuction to see if it would help... any suggestions???

I am having the same problem...the pain sometimes is so bad I just don't want to live anymore. No one seems concerned...meaning the plastic surgeon that did the surgery. Almost 2 years, still in debt for a surgery that has left me looking like I have a bowling bowl in my upper abdomen and in severe pain...I don't know what to do....I also had a c scan and any cancer or tumor have been ruled out. And I had to do this scan by myself as the cosmetic surgeon has not offered me any relief..

The same thing happens to me. My surgery was 6 years ago and after I eat my stomach swells up bad and I look 7 months pregnant. It is so frustrating because you spend all this money to not have a tummy and you look worse after it’s done. Let alone the fact that it is so uncomfortable. I just recently started having trouble with my belly button. It’s been red and the scar is swollen on one side it hurts to the touch so I have to go see the doctor to see what is going on there. I totally understand your situation smh

I am hoping you can share how the reversal of the tummy tuck went for you? I have also been considering the same thing. I think that the muscle is pulled so tight it is also causing problems with the psoas muscle that causes back, hip, and leg pain. Not to mention the horrible looking bulge in the upper part of the abdomen. Thanks for your reply.

hi! did removing the suture help your symptoms? and if you don't mind, what dr did you use to remove sutures?
thanks

I am 2yrs post op tummy tuck with lipo. I experience the bloating and discomfort after meals but I'm used to it happening so I avoid overeating so I wont get that hard, distended upper tummy. I had a fupa at 30 and I do not regret my surgery. I feel more confident not having to tuck my stomach in my panties. I want more lipo of my back, thighs and arms. I'm overall happy with my results.

I haven't been working out or eating right so I blame my bloating on that and not my surgeon.

I am 4 years, same exact thing and I was 50. I look worse now than before I wish I had never done it. My belly button is ugly, and my doctor keeps saying how wonderful I look. I hate him

Is it Dr Gary Bresliw. Because I’m 9 months PO and above my belly button I protrude where I never did before in clothes I look horrible like I have a huge muffin top and I’m tall and not over weight so to look like this after spending a fortune I want to kick myself