Upper Abdominal Swelling 3 years after full tummy tuck

I had same problem went to another Doctor who is excellent but did not do original surgery. It very well could be your stitches had come undone and your muscles have separated.

Try purified bile salts. I understand that surgery causes stress and bloating and this might help. They said to take it tell your stool has a bit of green in it. . Hope it helps

I'm having the same issue.... I'm a little over a year post op. I did have major complications after surgery but those complications were cause from swelling additionally. They took the drains out too quickly and my stomach split where the vertical incision was. Long story short after months on wound can... I still have an indentation where wound vac was.. That area gets super tight and hurts like mad... At the same time the upper pa of my stomachs gets swelled and looks like I'm pregnant. I don't know what to do. If u find a solution please let me know. I've tried Natura water pills... They help... But this is crazy!

Yes... Had one lymphatic massage... Can't say it worked miracles.

I AM CURIOUS IF SOME OF THE TECHNIQUES WITH COMPRESSION AND NIGHT GARMENTS, MANUAL LYMPH DRAINAGE THAT ARE USED IN LYMPHEDEMA CARE MIGHT BE HELPFUL. wILL KEEP YOU POSTED!

Thank you for this post!!! I too have major complications. I had bilateral PEs and still have a DVT since the plication was just too tight and impossible to breathe. The percoset made me really sick so the PS told me to stop meds but didn't prescribe an alternative pain meds (tylenol did nothing). I am 5 1/2 months post op still on blood thinners and parts of the incision line still hurts! This surgery is not worth the risks! I am lucky to be alive!!! My hair fell out, and digestion was impossible from all the anxiety that I could not eat without pain for 5 months. My midsection below the belly button and upper left thigh is strangely numb and will most likely never recover. I can't lift a load of laundry as it makes my stomach bulge or reach/stretch too high over my head since it painfully pulls the skin on my thighs. My plastic surgeon misinformed me on many things such as numbness "wearing off" (she made it sound like only unskilled surgeons accidentally cut nerves and that it wears off like anastesia), sutures being fully dissolvable (turns out the ones she used are not after I got my medical record), that my incision would be front hip to hip when it was actually on my outer sides near my back, and the complete recovery to be 2 months (whereas fascia can take 6-12 months or longer). This is a Stanford trained doctor in Palo Alto and she is very misleading, brushed off my concerns, was not helpful in my follow up appts, and she had her assistant call me to say complications are not in her scope (but seemed so nice before the procedure promising the world)....Please don't get a tummy tuck. Love your body and flaws and just find ways to dress that enhances your body type. Love your waist for they carried children. I am so glad that God has kept me with my kids, yet I live with guilt, depression, and pain. I was so strong right before this (a marathon runner, basketball coach, went to the gym, and obstacle course participant) now I feel helpless, disabled, and weak. So not worth it.

Oh I am so sorry and afraid I too may be in your similar situation. I was 110 pounds very fit, physically active. I had loose skin and stretch marks and wanted them gone. After asking the female plastic surgeon question she stated I would be happier with a full tummy tuck and could go back to work in three weeks, no problem. I'm a 52 and a hair dresser. I had tons of energy. I hurt so bad and am still swollen 6 months later. I was so thin my surgeon could not even " stretch " my skin down to the incesision so my old belly button is visible as a " line " scar which is indented above the hip to hip tummy tuck scar which is not a straight thin line. Prior to surgery I could see my hip bones. NOT ANY MORE! I went in for my six week photo and check this week 1/6/2016. The ps had the adacity to ask my if I had gained weight. Then told me I should have 2,000. Worth of lipo where my skin is swollen and rolling over when she pulled me it so tight. Really, she must think I'm a blooming id**t! I'm not only in pain and swollen, out of money, and loss of range of motion, my figure is thick looking from side and front view, numbness, extra scar from her lack of calculation. " oh your belly button was high." So it was my fault. Not to mention it hurt so EXTREMELY BAD. AND let me tell you. I had a c section recovered without pain Meds. I would not recommend tummy tuck ladies.

Yes I hear you! My Ps was the same as yours! Mine told me I could return to work in 2 weeks. Really everyone should stay home at least 4 weeks. I am 7 weeks now , and it's still so tight and uncomfortable! I should have never done this, and not to mention my entire abdomen is still numb, which completely freaks me out with anxiety. They say it will get better....I feel like its never gonna get better...which may make me suicidal if it stays like this, he never even told me about the numbness! REALLY! I was a vivacious person before this. This has been the worst experience ever and its not over, and from what I am reading sound like I have a lot to look forward to.

I was a size 6, only 5'1'' and after four kids I had a lot of sagging skin that I would basically "stuff" into my pants, along with a lot of stretch marks. I decided to do the full abdominoplasty and am now one year post op and frankly regret spending the money and the pain/discomfort that I have been in since. Below my belly button it looks great, however above my belly button I have what all the others in the above posts have described: a swollen, very uncomfortable and sometimes hard protrusion ( almost shaped like a football sideways and giving me the appearance of a weird alien type pregnancy since it is only higher up in my abdomen). I spent a lot of money, time off, and a ton of pain to go through what is now a very disappointing result. I have been to see my surgeon, only to hear that it is nothing that he can go back in to fix properly and that I should do regular sit up's to try to "tighten" what he feels are loose muscles. He says that the pressure had to go somewhere and it "popped" out there. Other doctors seem to want to steer clear of me and not touch the issue. I now am more active that I ever was, trying to be active and tighten up what I can but I am finding that with more activity comes more swelling, hardness and discomfort to the touch. My advise to you is to bring these topics up to your potential surgeon if you decide to see one. I had no idea that this could happen and honestly thought that if there were some kind of complications that I would have been helped by my surgeon whom I paid a large amount of money to help me! Good luck with your decision.

Hi, I am 13 months post op of a full tummy tuck with muscle repair and no lipo. I was a 123 lb, very thin, 5'6 woman. I now have VERY wide hips, a hard and painful abdomen that blows up every evening. I am beginning to regret this decision. I too am trying to lose weight, as it came so easily before and now, no matter how much excercice and diet I cannot change this. I am more depressed than before my surgery. I cannot wear my cute dresses bc my tummy sticks out. I paid 8k to have this problem. Thank you Dr. Breslow. Great job.

I had a tummy tuck 10 years ago and suffer from swelling and discomfort. I describe it to friends like the feeling you get when you eat too much. Sometimes I think the surgeon should have left more material on me before stitching me back up. It's like I am an over-stuffed teddy bear. All this time I thought it was just me that went through this but now that I am reading online I see that it looks common. Were you able to get any relief? Or, better yet find a solution?

Does anyone have any updates? I am 8 years post op and after healing from initial surgery never had any problems until 2 weeks ago. I am not in pain just weird annoying feeling on my right side that will not go away? I had blood work and ultrasound and blood work is good and ultrasound on kidney and stomach came out negative. Not sure if it is hormonal as I am 46 or tummy tuck related?

I have the exact same problem 3 years post op! Did anyone help you with this? I am so miserable! It's hard to exercise too my abdomen feels stiff and swollen all of the time.

Omg, I have these same thoughts. I swear I am dying and the doctors are overlooking it. I have an appointment with my on/gyn next to see if he finds anything. I can't believe how many women have this......I really thought I was alone.

I had a tummy tuck 4 years ago, and had the same problem, although the surgery went well and I had no complications. What helped me was physiotherapy with a therapist experienced in dealing with rib 'ring'(i.e. - your ribs are twisted out of alignment) and abdominal issues. I had to learn how to use my abs all over again--my first appointment, I was lying on my back on the table and could not lift my leg when instructed! In time, I was able to "reconnect" and improve my ab strength and learn how to correct and release the pressure in the abdominal cavity--the result is the swelling goes down, as it's trapped air, essentially. It has not made the problem go away, but I learned how to correct it when it does happen. I would suggest anyone looking at how to resolve this look for a good physiotherapist with that specialization.