Upper Abdominal Swelling 3 years after full tummy tuck

Hi I had a Tummy tuck 5 months ago and my swelling in my upper abdomen started about 2 months ago. I went to my Dr and he said it's just healing, I don't believe that. I feel horrible have you ever found out anything.

OMG I am having the same thing.5.years after disaster tummy tuck from prominent surgeon in atlanta. I would be grateful if we could chat. Desperate to finally find someone with similar. I have been going nuts trying to explain to Friends and doctors.

after reading all these blogs and being 3days out of my tummy tuck, I'm wishing I didn't do it. I have lost over 100lbs and have alot of hanging skin, now Im afraid to do the other things I need done.

My stomach is distended and I cant stand up, and my back is killing me!

I'm One year post-op I have the same problem as you. I have had two tummy tucks now to fix the problem now it is back I'm not over weight and lost 20 lbs after first surgery and I still had big abdomen cannot tell i have had a tummy tuck. Have you found an answer to fix this. Thanks. Judi

I'm 7 months post op from a abdominopasty but had been placed on a vac/pack for three months, now all healed. From that but my upper abdomen is larger than the lower part and the swelling in the upper is a nightmare. I was a size 6/7 in pants but now size 11/12 and they are constricting. I can't wait to see how long it takes after I start walking.

What happened, did th scope help ? This same thing is what I am living with . Getting scope tommorow. Dr feels it's an ulcer plus infection . Can't lose weight . I hope he can help me.

I had my surgery in 2003 and am having horrible upper abdominal swelling, pain, numbness and frequent debilitating nausea.  I'm also suffering from sleep apnea, and reflux since the surgery.  This really scares me.  I also have this pain & numness in my umbilical area.  Has anyone ever had their internal stitches removed?  Can this even be done?  I am not starting to swell up all over my body, including my face.  It looks like fluid retention, but I'm not responding to diuretics that doctors have put me on.  I really need relief.  I'm sorry to hear that others are going through this, as well.  I never even carried weight in my upper abdominal area before this surgery.  I was 44 at the time of my surgery.  

I am 9 1/2 months post tt and umbilical hernia surgery. I only swell above my belly button. It seems fine when I wake up but not even an hour into my day it swells up. It feels hard to the touch. It's still slightly numb and I'm hoping maybe that's what's causing the swelling? I'm 52 and thinking my age has something to do with it but if it doesn't decrease by a year, I am going to the doctor to see what's going on.

Hi I wanted to know if you have had any bloating since getting the lipo. This upper belly bulge is depressing me. Thanks for the info.

I too had a tummy tuck in Atlanta in 2009 and pretty soon after surgery started to have the upper ab bulge after eating but just in this last 3 months it began to swell so significantly in an isolated area above my belly button. I went through a CT scan and ultrasound only to find out nothing was wrong. So frustrated that this is happening. I'm not an overweight person at all and only had the surgery to repair what happened to my stomach after carrying two sets of twins.

Oh my gosh, I have done nothing but cry for a week now, I went to a specialist for same thing and was told nothing more can be done. They say I have a weak stomach wall. So upset not knowing who to believe. Would love to compare notes.  Lynda.

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I had a full tummy tuck in 2004. I went on to lose more weight and then got pregnant. After I had my daughter, I lost all my pregnancy weight and was smaller than I was before i got pregnant. Now, starting about 4 years ago, I started gaining weight and no matter how hard I try to lose I cannot. I have been suffering from the gas bloating in my upper abdomen area, acid reflux, and gerd. I wake up in the morning and my stomach will be flat and without eating anything or even drinking water my stomach bloats bigger than I was when I was 8 months pregnant. It is as hard as a pregnant belly too. I have go to a thyroid specialist, because i thought I might have a hypothyroid. I was checked or hypothyriod, diabetes, cyliac disease and all came back negative. I was told by two doctors it was stress. Then put me on anti depressents, I ddint feel stressed; I am after gaining 20 lbs in 2 months from taking them. I just had a endoscope where they tested me for H. Pylori and still everything is coming back negative. I have tried gluten free, diary free, and low fat all do not help with either losing weight or this horrible bloating. It is so embarrassing that I just want to stay home and hide my non-pregnant pregnant belly.

I will add that when i was pregnant (which was post op) I carried very high, in this same area I am bloating now, and felt like my baby had no room to grow up out in my upper abdomin area.

My next step is to see a doctor of internal medicine.

My theory is that my stomach muscles that were tightened during my procedure that is now not able to expand due to scar tissue and it is forcing everything up to an area of my abdomin that gives way.

Hi, I had a tummy tuck 3 yrs ago. Because I was thin it took double the time to recover. I finally fully recovered and was back to normal. 2 1/2 yrs later I decided to enter a 10k race. 2 yrs into my training my whole abdomen swelled. I immediately called my doc. I had a ct scan and it showed nothing. I saw a diff surgeon and he said it was fine. Every time I increase my activity, to include lots of walking it swells and burns I can't take it. I saw my GI and had every test out there. The only thing to come back is my gallbladder which is coming out. The nurse said my other symptoms are not typical of gallbladder disease. I am lost. As long as I stay on the couch the pain is bare able. The more I move the more it hurts and I have missed so much work. Does anyone have any ideas?

Hello, I'm a bit embarrassed to have come here... but from time to time I do a search to see if any new ideas have resulted. Well, I also had my tummy done after 2 kids. I was and still am tiny to begin with. Very concientious of eating habits & have always we'd out. I weighed 115 before now 125, am still OK with the gain... I think in an attempt to resolve I started lifting on my upper body to give my waist an illusion it's smaller. What I'm saying is I'm small, always have been. This procedure left me a flat stomach, yes. I had extra skin left over from my two pregnancies. The swell hell is a side effect no surgeon will admit. They completely act as if nothing is wrg. In my case I actually showed up with my before pic and said it's been a yr... what is going on. I'm swollen my waist looks diff. He wouldn't look at my before picture. Wanted to force me to take the after pic saying I looked great. I refused... I said I know I'm small and u r used to maybe seeing different body types but I know my body & I know I'm swollen. He blew me off. So, here is my suggestion: I am a techy so I troubleshoot for a living... this is what I finally did to see results, I am still wrong on it... but am almost there. Back to were my body was post tummy tuck, minus the extra skin. Which was my intended outcome all along. I started doing a procedure called body at a spa. This even tough I really had no fat per say, I'm square not my torso, flat but no curve... due to sealing prior look after tummy tuck (I had a waist b4, just hanging skin embarrassing enough to not wear a swim suit r make some clothes fit incorrectly.) Anyway, this procedure zaps the fat stored not body area intended by pulses this or the other. Research it, bodyfx. Okay, so I said nothing of the tummy tuck done a year after the surgery. Months after arguing with my surgeon that I was still Swollen and he totally looked at my tiny sponge Bob square body and told me I was an ideal patient. Wtf, I said I'm i crazy... look at this picture. The more u wait u give them the opportunity to claim it's due to weight gain or poor eating habits. Don't wait, take the initiative. You invested in your body, unfortunately without being told your investment is 3/4 done. Anyway, I have seen my waist go in now. I have a curve. I am doing my back and front... all my torso 3 areas. Front, lower and upper back because it seems the sealing went to my back as well. The whole torso. With clothes I look ok, but I know my body... I know I'm swollen. It hurts... I know I am not healed yet. This procedure somehow wakes up the muscles and reactivate the healing of the skin tissue inside. Releasing the bloat. It works and is permanent. If u go to the right person this should only be done twice a week at the most. It's taken me 5 sessions. I'm down to a size 3 now and am sole wring on the lower belly now that I have a curve. I am just working on the scar and doing the Lazer removal. Please research this... because it does work. Still crying silver & blue tears #Cowboys

I had a tummy tuck in April 2014, i have major problems since the procedure..my incision didnt heal properly.  i walked around with an open deep incision that need to be packed twice a day..     basically it looked like an open c-section.   Im on 6 different meds now..I have an uppern lower destended stomach,that burns,swelling,pain and tenderness to the touch,,IM diagnosed with colitis, and diverticulitis..amongst a hineal hernia...IM in constant discomfort..Im can no longer eat any diary produts,nuts,raw veggies,no caffine,and any fruit with skin has 2 be removed...and my distension pain is incredible..ive had catscans,colonoscopy, and an endoscopy precure done lasy week..    my internal organs feel like they want to burst out of my skin...its been an everyday thing now...and i have to have my stomach incision done over because the scar healed with huge holes across my stomach line...    wtf               i need to seek concil now...