Upper Abdominal Swelling 3 years after full tummy tuck

I am 4 months post surgery. For the most part I am satisfied with the work done, but like most of you I get very bloated and it's my upper abdomin that gets swollen. I had lipo also and I have terrible pain in my sides whenever I am in one position too long. It feels like my skin is ripping apart. I have to massage the area befor I am able to get up from either a sitting or laying position. Any idea why that happens?

Not really sure. It's been 4 years now for me and still no answers. I try to limit my sodium intake and drink plenty of water. I suspect it has to do with the scar tissue and the lymphatic system not being able to drain properly, but it's just a theory with the research I have done. Good luck!!

I agree with you. I'm almost a year post op...but I do notice it is very sensitive to what I eat and drink. It is much worse when I eat bad. I'm going back in for lipo in 2 months.... the flanks, back, hips and inner/outer thighs. Maybe it will look better with the sides smaller? The weird thing is it didn't start till 3-4 months out.

I have the EXACT same thing and I am 2 years 2mo. post-op. Although mine isn't painful it is very uncomfortable. I feel like my stomach is the size of a watermelon but it really isn't. I even have trouble breathing sometimes after eating a bit too much. It's not too bad in the morning but as soon as I eat anything it starts and gets worse if I'm stressed out or do any type of exercise. After reading all of these posts, I think I will go back to my surgeon.

If you get any answers, please post it here even if it's just suggestions from your doc. I've lived with it for 4 years and have never had an answer. I wish you luck!!

Quote:

sand2sun wrote:

I am seven years post tummy tuck and feel so bad. My abdomen looks swollen and I feel awful half the time. My right side gets swollen and hard making my clothes so uncomfortable. My doctor is no help. Of course, it was "nothing he did"! I get to feeling so bad that I have severe anxiety thinking that I am dying and they are overlooking the problem. I wish that I would have been made aware of these possible side effects before the surgery. I am so sorry that I spent money to be this miserable? Good luck to everyone!!

I am also seven years post tummy tuck and am having the same problem with the swelling above my belly button and on the right side as well. It is almost comforting to read your blogs because I thought I was the only one experiencing these weird sensations. No doctor I have spoken to about it understands what I'm going through or have an answer. Bummer that we're all in the same boat.

I am seven years post tummy tuck and feel I made the biggest mistake of my life. I was 50 years old and newly married. I exercised and felt great but had a little saggy skin from having five children. In clothes I looked great and had a small waist. So in I went for what I thought was a mini tuck. After surgery my stomach was tighter but wider. My waist is now bigger then it ever was. I still sleep with a pillow because the pressure, swelling and pain has never gone away. I never regained my energy. The lost feeling and numbness in the skin feels strange and the constant swelling is so uncomfortable. My plastic surgeon just kept saying you look great so I stopped seeing him after the first year. It comforts me to know I am not alone.

I am five years past surgery with all the symptoms described above. I have to eat small meals and extreme intestinal problems. The last CAT scan revealed that even with laxatives - waste does not go through my intestines (there is just no room for normal movement). Forget the plastic surgeon- I went to a colo-rectal surgeon who did a CAT scan and operated to relieve some of the scar tissue which was actually causing an obstructive in the intestines- the intestine was then wrapped in mesh to keep it from growing to the vaginal wall. Two years out- I am again in the same mess- PLEASE STOP THESE SURGERIES- No one should have an tummy-tuck. I had stretch marks and loose skin, (at the time of the surgery I weighed 110 lbs). Immediately after the surgery my surgeon said, "oh, you now have the belly of an 18 year old." She then instructed me not to "stand straight," for a few months!!!! I had to literally walk stooped over until my tissue stretched. I am a healthy, attractive, active person-- the quality of my life diminished forever after this surgery. I don't care how your body looks after children.. nothing compares to this. The pain, the back pain, (nerve damage- I know longer have "feeling," on my stomach- the swelling- the inability to exercise, you can't even eat properly. You never ever hear of the problems with this surgery. My surgeon was a woman, how could someone do this to another woman???? I tell every doctor and surgeon the problems with this surgery, they only shrug their shoulders, and I can tell they are thinking, "well, you asked for it." I was misinformed, I did ask questions.. I was never told by my doctor about the potential outcome and problems that could occur. The only thing I can do, is tell every woman who is contemplating this procedure to BEWARE. I have even overheard someone in a restaurant comtemplating the surgery with a friend.... I asked her to come in the restroom and I would show her the consequences of my surgery (by a top surgeon in Atlanta), the scar over 2/3 of my body, the bulge from the swelling... that woman is now informed.. this is what the REAL thing looks like, this is your possible outcome no-one bothers to tell you about!!!

Wow I am so moved by these stories. I am 6mos post surgery, and I do still have some swelling, some numbness in my lower stomach area and I get very bloated when i eat. However I noticed that if I eat smaller meals, walk or do some form or moderate exercise it helps. One thing I must say to anyone considering this procedure is, DO YOUR RESEARCH, not just on the procedure, but the after effects. know you body, how you scar, how you heal and understand that the recovery is a process. This is something I am still working through. I expected a supermodle body instantly post surgery, instead I gained more weight and depression and frustration set in. Now I am learning to first be healthy, love me and by doing that I am able to love and care for my body. I hope this brings some kind of comfort to someone who is going through a difficult time post surgery.

i am so surprised and somewhat comforted about so many of you having the same problem as i am

i had a tummy tuck three years ago  i have maintained my wei

ght losing close to 4 1/2 pounds after surgery but like so many

of you i am experiencing a huge upper abdominal area which gets as hard as a brick and feels and looks disgusting

i was told by my plastic surgeon that nothing can be done with that area makes me so sad and  i feel quite foolish

for spending the large amount for the operation

i now have pressure in my bladder and bowel area and pain on right side  i go tomorrow for gyn appointment and am praying i

don't have anyhthing seriously wrong

i think this is a result of doing what i should not have done in the first place

  

I came to read this thread, because I was curious if a tummy tuck caused the same symptoms of upper abdominal distention and bloating as liposuction has done to me. I found out that the answer is YES!  

When I had my lower stomach lipo done 10 years ago, then another in 2006 with me walking out worse than after the first one, my body has never been the same. I looked good for a few months, and slowly, weight crept up without me eating more or exercising less. I always had this theory of a boomerang effect and now I know it is true. I used to be 140-145 with no effort to watch my intake, or work out routine. First I crept up to 166, and stayed there a few years, now my weight has slowly crept up to 172-174.  I am trying to even get it back to 166 which doesn't seem to be happening, despite low caloric intake and working out now. My lower stomach is smaller than my upper stomach, which looks weird, unnatural and totally UNSEXY! I don't even WANT a flat stomach, I'd love a smaller upper stomach, and a round sexy lower stomach, I can forget that, it's never going to be that way. I actually look better when the weight is higher, because when I start to lose, the lower stomach hangs and is flabby. Lipo destroys the support fibers in the skin, and makes it all lose. So there is like a hanging sack that caves in, and a big hard rock belly above. I am miserable over it for over a decade.

It's been a continuing battle. My upper stomach is always hard as a rock and distended, like I am pregnant. In fact, I was 123 right after giving birth and now I weigh more than I did when I was 9 months pregnant, and look about the same! Instead of a baby, my abdominal cavity has filled with visceral fat. This is what all of you are experiencing.

I wish I could turn back the clock. I used to lose weight with small effort, not anymore. After a meal my stomach feels huge and distended. My pants never fit right, my stomach always ends up falling out of them. It is horrible.

My upper body is bigger altogether, arms, neck, I had my chin done, it's bigger and my neck is bigger too. 

Ladies, be happy with yourselves, DON'T HAVE A TUMMY TUCK AND DON'T HAVE LIPOSUCTION!  Results are the same, the body fights back and puts fat in other places. I feel that I rebounded and my body sucked up many more times fat to store, in case it's ever assaulted by a plastic surgeon again. Visceral fat is far worse than the subcutaneous fat we traded it for.

Plastic surgeons should be stopped, at all costs. They're making a fortune, and disfiguring all of us and worse, making us unhealthy too!

 

 

 

 

I had lipo 1 year ago (lower abdomen) and again 6 months ago (upper abdomen) as part of fat graphing to rebuild my breasts after double mastectomy. I, too, have been having major problems with swelling/bloating in my upper abdomen. In addition, I've developed a sensivity to gluten and some IBS symptoms. I am completely consumed with the struggles I am having. I am uncomfortable in all of my pants and prefer to wear sweat pants when I can.

It seems so many of us have this problem. What I am most curious about is what all of you do to help with this problem? I read that one of you eat small meals, because large meals cause the bloating (I agree). What else? I am still wearing compression garments because it makes me feel better. My muscles seem to become very tense when I am bloated which causes more discomfort. A spanx like camisole helps with that (some).

Any tips and tricks you all have learned would be helpful. I'm desparte to get some relief and my plastic surgeon just seems to shrug her shoulders. I don't get too mad at her because she gave me beautifully reconstructed breasts, but the abdomen things is taking it's toll on me.

Thanks.

Suzy45,

I find it interesting that you now have celiacs. I too have it (just diagnosed a few months ago) but I suspicion that I've had it for several years and just thought it was IBS. It's been about 4 1/2 yrs since my surgery and that's about the time I think celiacs started for me and I just didn't know it.

Unfortunately I live with the swelling/bloating problem everyday. Drinking plenty of water, avoiding sodium as much as possible and eating smaller meals help but in no way eliminate the problem. It's miserable.

I am curious about someone's post about pseudo bursa. The only way to correct that though is through surgery this far post op for me and I've already had 2 corrective surgeries each time making things worse, so I'm in no hurry to see another surgeon if that's what it is.

If you get any answers please post it here and good luck!

Thanks, Superstar

I wish I had an answer.  I don't, after many years of being upper belly swollen all the time.

I am sure, beyond just thinking it's possible, that any sort of tampering with ones natural stomach, whether it be through Lipo or Tummy tuck, this rebound effect will happen.  I am pretty much obsessed with discovering a way to get my old body back, but to no avail.  I'd love to find a way to get fat back into my lower stomach, and out of my upper stomach and stomach cavity.  I wish I could get my upper body not to look so thick and burly, with beefy shoulders and arms, and a big back.  I can wish all I want, what's done is done.  Can't be undone.  All I can say is, the folks that come here, read all these posts, and STILL think they have a great surgeon so it won't happen to them, you're really ignorant. If I read all this, I'd never have gone NEAR a plastic surgeon once, let alone twice.

I find it reprehensible that plastic surgeons HAVE to know about this side effect, but play dumb.  This surgery should be outlawed permanently.  It should be a CRIME to alter stomachs.  I don't care if you have sagging skin, stretchmarks, wear a ONE PIECE and give up crop tops ok?? DO NOT TOUCH your original tummy for ANY reason.

 Surgeons all shrug, and I bet they shrug at LOT'S of other patients too...yet never stop inflicting their black magic upon those who believe the outcome will be different. It won't be, and if it is, you're extremely lucky because look how many folks are having this reaction.  What does this say??

 There IS no quick cure.  No one should alter their stomach at ALL, because I think out of anything you can do, it seems to really freak the balance of the body out completely and you will NOT like the end result, I sure don't.  

When I think back to 10 years ago when I had this done for the first time, it was pretty new compared to now.  I had no computer, no info, but I did think I might be doing something stupid. I did not trust my instincts to not go through with it.  Oh how I wish I could turn back that time and redo that decision.  I thought even about maybe fooling around with normal healthy cells, could cause even something worse than a swollen upper stomach.  Who really knows.  We're causing scars, clumps of dead tissue, necrosis, who knows what that can become?

What makes anyone, from patient to doctor, think it is OK to physically cut out, suck out, or re-arrange any part of the body we were given that has every cell, and every inch of skin, for a reason, for a delicate balance. What makes any of us think ANY part of us was expendable to have cut off, out or sucked through a tube and disposed of.  We threw away parts of ourselves, IMPORTANT PARTS that threw off the rest of the balance of our bodies.  We were put together a certain way for a reason.  Are we all crazy to alter this delicate balance? YES!! For every action, there is a reaction. We are all fools who let our vanity get the best of us.

What have I tried so far?? Well, I took Relora for a month, lost maybe 5 pounds, then a pound came back.  It is just about impossible to lose weight since I had lipo. I feel very defeated.  Trying Green Coffee Bean now, we'll see how that goes.  Glucomanan/Lipozene did nothing, carb blockers have done nothing, raspberry keytones have done nothing, Coleus nothing, Relora is the only supplement that worked a bit.

I just feel huge after every meal. My stomach is a rock and quite convex BEFORE I get started, after a big meal, I feel like I should hide my big belly in a tent!  I am going on vacation, I hate being at a pool, in a bathing suit, while normal looking people can wear a nice two piece, and I have to try to minimize my big belly.  So sad.  I am afraid to eat lunch, I cannot even enjoy a meal without feeling so bloated after.  I never felt like this before liposuction. I never had an upper stomach that is hard as a rock and swollen all the time. 10 years it has been this way, and all because of lipo.  

Ladies, listen...DO NOT DO ANYTHING TO YOUR STOMACHS. Just love yourself, embrace yourself, do not ALTER NATURE!

to hilster and whoever else reads this i too agree with you that any surgery you do to transform your body any part of it is not the way to go but even though i am now aware of the mistake i made, i have stopped beating myself up over it i made a mistake GOD forgave me and that is all that matters please forgive yourself and accept who you are now a beautiful person that GOD made who made a mistake as we all have in one way or another HE died for us and with our sorrowfull repentive heart HE forgave us and someday these shells of a body will be just that and we will live in eternity with Him with our new bodies perfect in every way ALLELUIA

My advice to anyone considering abdominal lipo is to run the other way. Take the money you were going to spend on lipo and go hire yourself a trainer and/or a nutritionist.