Hemoglobin level is essential to the outcome of a belly tuck. It is essential to have a high hemoglobin level before to surgery since it will facilitate a quicker recovery. The greater your hemoglobin level, the less likely you are to develop issues.
When you have anemia, your blood vessels are unable to transport sufficient oxygen and nutrients from your body’s tissues to your heart and lungs. This can result in fatigue and weakness. It increases the risk of heart failure, stroke, and other dangerous problems, including anemia itself! If you have anemia, you should consume iron-rich foods such as spinach and cow liver.
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Hemoglobin Level For Tummy Tuck
Background: Abdominoplasty, the treatment for abdominal wall deformity stemming from weight loss after bariatric surgery, can cause postoperative anemia. Moreover, bariatric surgery has been associated with iron deficiency, which by itself can compromise erythropoiesis. The objective of this research is to describe the development of anemia after postbariatric abdominoplasty.
Methods: The study group consisted of 32 adult women who had received bariatric surgery. Treatment group included 20 patients who were undergoing postbariatric abdominoplasty. Control group included 12 patients waiting for abdominoplasty. Values of hemoglobin, reticulocytes, iron, ferritin, and the transferrin saturation were obtained on the evening before abdominoplasty and during the first, fourth, and eighth postoperative weeks. Hemoglobin was measured at 48 h.
Results: Mean hemoglobin levels for treatment group decreased from 12.98 to 10.8 g/dL after 48 h, increased on day 7 to 11.53 g/dL, but did not increase further after day 7. The reticulocyte number increased in the first week. Serum iron and transferrin saturation index fell during the first week and remained low. Ferritin levels increased non-significantly from 29.77 to 37.24 ng/mL at week 1, then fell until they were decreased (16.44 ng/mL) by day 56.
Conclusions: As expected, hemoglobin fell after abdominoplasty. However, after a one-third recovery of hemoglobin concentrations by week 1 postoperative, they failed to return to preoperative levels by the eighth week. Additionally, by the eighth postoperative week, 45 % of abdominoplasty patients had developed an iron deficiency and hemoglobin deficit that was higher than that of patients who maintained normal iron stocks.
Gurgling Stomach After Tummy Tuck
A tummy tuck is surgery to remove fat and skin from your belly and to tighten the stomach muscles. It is also called an abdominoplasty. The surgery makes your belly look flatter.
Your belly will be sore and swollen for the first week after surgery. The skin on your stomach will be mostly numb for several weeks to months. Feeling will return slowly. But you may have a small area on your lower stomach that is always numb. Do not use a heating pad on your stomach while it is still numb, or you could have severe burns. It’s normal to feel tired while you are healing. It can take 5 to 6 weeks for your energy to return.
You may not be able to stand up straight when you come home. You’ll need to get up and walk every day to regain your normal movement. Between walks, move your feet and legs often.
A tummy tuck leaves a long scar that will fade with time. You also may have a small scar around your belly button.
This care sheet gives you a general idea about how long it will take for you to recover. But each person recovers at a different pace. Follow the steps below to get better as quickly as possible.
How can you care for yourself at home
- Rest when you feel tired. Getting enough sleep will help you recover.
- Try to walk each day. Start by walking a little more than you did the day before. Bit by bit, increase the amount you walk. Walking boosts blood flow and helps prevent pneumonia and constipation.
- Avoid abdominal exercises and strenuous activities, such as bicycle riding, jogging, weight lifting, or aerobic exercise, for 6 to 8 weeks.
- For 6 weeks, avoid lifting anything that would make you strain. This may include heavy grocery bags and milk containers, a heavy briefcase or backpack, cat litter or dog food bags, a vacuum cleaner, or a child.
- Ask your doctor when you can drive again.
- Most people are able to return to work about 2 to 3 weeks after surgery. It depends on the type of work you do and how you feel.
- You may shower 24 to 48 hours after surgery, if your doctor okays it. Pat the incision dry. Do not take a bath for the first 2 weeks, or until your doctor tells you it is okay.
- Ask your doctor when it is okay to have sex.
- You can eat your normal diet. If your stomach is upset, try bland, low-fat foods like plain rice, broiled chicken, toast, and yogurt.
- Drink plenty of fluids (unless your doctor tells you not to).
- You may notice that your bowel movements are not regular right after your surgery. This is common. Try to avoid constipation and straining with bowel movements. You may want to take a fibre supplement every day. If you have not had a bowel movement after a couple of days, ask your doctor about taking a mild laxative.
Medicines
- Your doctor will tell you if and when you can restart your medicines. He or she will also give you instructions about taking any new medicines.
- If you take aspirin or some other blood thinner, ask your doctor if and when to start taking it again. Make sure that you understand exactly what your doctor wants you to do.
- Take pain medicines exactly as directed.
- If the doctor gave you a prescription medicine for pain, take it as prescribed.
- If you are not taking a prescription pain medicine, ask your doctor if you can take an over-the-counter medicine.
- If you think your pain medicine is making you sick to your stomach:
- Take your medicine after meals (unless your doctor has told you not to).
- Ask your doctor for a different pain medicine.
- If your doctor prescribed antibiotics, take them as directed. Do not stop taking them just because you feel better. You need to take the full course of antibiotics.
Incision care
- If you have strips of tape on your incision, leave the tape on for a week or until it falls off. Or follow your doctor’s instructions for removing the tape.
- Wash the area daily with warm, soapy water, and pat it dry. Don’t use hydrogen peroxide or alcohol, which can slow healing.
- Keep the area clean and dry. You may cover it with a gauze bandage if it weeps or rubs against clothing. Change the bandage every day if your doctor told you to do so.
- You will probably have one or two drain tubes in place to prevent fluid from building up under the skin of your belly. Your doctor will tell you how to take care of it.
Other instructions
- Hold a pillow over your incision when you cough or take deep breaths. This will support your belly and decrease your pain.
- Do breathing exercises at home as instructed by your doctor. This will help prevent pneumonia.
- You may have a tube (catheter) in your bladder for a few days after surgery. If so, your doctor will tell you how to care for the catheter.
Follow-up care is a key part of your treatment and safety. Be sure to make and go to all appointments, and call your doctor or nurse call line if you are having problems. It’s also a good idea to know your test results and keep a list of the medicines you take.
When should you call for help?
Call 911 anytime you think you may need emergency care. For example, call if:
- You passed out (lost consciousness).
- You have sudden chest pain and shortness of breath, or you cough up blood.
- You have severe pain in your belly.
Call your doctor or nurse call line now or seek immediate medical care if:
- You have pain that does not get better after you take pain medicine.
- You have loose stitches, or your incision comes open.
- You are bleeding from the incision.
- You have signs of infection, such as:
- Increased pain, swelling, warmth, or redness.
- Red streaks leading from the incision.
- Pus draining from the incision.
- A fever.
- You have signs of a blood clot in your leg (called a deep vein thrombosis), such as:
- Pain in your calf, back of the knee, thigh, or groin.
- Redness and swelling in your leg or groin.
- You are sick to your stomach or cannot keep fluids down.
Watch closely for changes in your health, and be sure to contact your doctor or nurse call line if:
- You do not get better as expected.
Gas After Tummy Tuck
Recovery from an abdominoplasty has unique features that are different from other cosmetic operations. These are aspects of recovery that I see commonly, but they are not often reviewed in the medical literature. On my web page, there are specific recovery instructions for an abdominoplasty so the patient can know exactly what to expect. This includes writings on DVT or clot prevention, and how to care for and handle your drains. This educational writing focuses on signs and symptoms that many patients experience. They are actually common. But because they are not serious, they aren’t frequently described. This was written at the request of a patient from Baltimore, MD.
Bloating and Distention
Bloating, gas pains, and abdominal distention are common features of tummy tuck recovery. Taking pain medication is part of the reason this is seen as it can effect intestinal motility or movement. The medication can cause constitution also. But what I have found unique is the bloating is more visible because the stomach is flatter and excess tissue has been removed with an abdominoplasty.
It’s normal to experience bloating in life. Just eat too many beans and you will feel the bloating. But patients after a tummy tuck will say they see it. This is because normally the extra skin and fat hide the bloating and gas we might get after certain foods. With the removal of this excess skin and fat the abdomen is flatter, thinner, and more sculpted. With this smaller abdomen, the gas bloating is now more visible and can be seen at times. This is normal and you should not worry about it. It improves over time and is not a medical problem. It’s good to know about it in case you experience it.
Paresthesias
Paresthesias are abnormal sensations after surgery. They can be described as electric shock, tingling, vibrations, water trickling on the skin, bug feelings, and many other unusual feelings. Paresthesias are very common after surgery. Many people will say it’s the nerves “waking up.” These sensations or symptoms are common, and you should not be alarmed. But they can be surprising at how strong they are. They happen after all types of operations including breast augmentation, liposuction, face lifts, and rhinoplasty. After tummy tucks, patients should be aware of the potential for these feelings. They go away over months and essentially are never permanent.
Back Pain
The tummy tuck operation is often associated with back pain. After this operation, it is common to have longer periods of time in bed. Too much time in bed can irritate the back. Even though it is recommended to get up and move around to minimize DVT or clot risks, it is frequently seen that patients will feel back pain. You can’t sleep on your stomach and sleeping on the side is difficult, so these can aggravate back issues.
During the abdominoplasty recovery it’s recommended to walk slightly bent over to take tension off the incision. This bending at the waist can further worsen back pain. The pain is not permanent, and most don’t have these symptoms. The abdominal garment worn to help the stomach heal will help with any back issues or symptoms. Heating pads and other forms of heat application to the back is strictly forbidden during the recovery process. The numbness associated with surgery and the Pain-Buster can diminish the ability to detect heat. Burns can occur in rare circumstances. As I have said, no heat application of any type. Treatment for the back pain is the abdominal garment, standing straight, Motrin, and walking. The pain is usually minor and goes away in a short period of time.
Numbness
Numbness is common after many cosmetic operations. For example, after a face lift it’s normal to have numbness in the cheek area. After liposuction as well, it’s common to have associated numbness in the area treated. As far as a tummy tuck, essentially all patients will have stomach numbness. This is the nerves healing from the operation. It is most severe in the first 4-8 weeks. It gradually resolves over 6-12 months. This numb feeling is one of the reasons we should not apply heat to any surgical area. Heating pads as described above can injure the skin and are contraindicated. The numbness is minor and gradually goes away.