There’s a lot to consider when getting any surgery done, especially plastic surgery. You have to weigh the pros and cons — both physical and financial. One thing I’ve learned while researching all these topics is that you need to get as much information as humanly possible so that you know what the risks (however small) of your surgery are and how to tackle them.
You can walk up stairs after tummy tuck, however, the ability to do so will depend on the procedure performed, your goals and your surgeon’s instructions. The amount of fat removal and the amount of skin tightening that results from a tummy tuck will dictate how soon (or if) you can walk up stairs after surgery. This decision is made on an individual basis by your surgeon and depends on all of these factors.
Can You Walk Up Stairs After Tummy Tuck
The answer to this question is usually yes, but you may need some help. This is because the muscles in your abdomen are tight and stiff after surgery and will not be able to support your weight as well as they did prior to surgery.
The recovery period is different for everyone, but you should be able to walk up stairs after a few weeks. If you experience pain when walking up or down stairs, or if you feel dizzy when climbing them, stop immediately and contact your surgeon or nurse practitioner immediately.
Your skin incision line may feel sore at first, but it should gradually improve over time as it heals.
The tummy tuck procedure is usually done through incisions in the umbilicus (belly button) and low on the pubic area. The resulting scar will look like a c-section scar, but it will be much lower on the abdomen.
A tummy tuck is a major surgery that requires general anesthesia. It can take several weeks to recover from such an invasive procedure. Walking up stairs too soon after your tummy tuck may increase your risk of complications such as infection or bleeding.
If possible, avoid climbing stairs for at least two weeks after your tummy tuck until you feel stronger and more comfortable doing so.
The tummy tuck procedure is a relatively long procedure that involves several layers of the abdominal wall being cut, pulled together and sewn together.
The abdominoplasty procedure is performed under general anesthesia. The skin of the upper abdomen is incised vertically, from pubis to beneath the breast. Fat and tissue are removed from the abdominal wall, creating a flatter contour by removing excess skin and fat.
After surgery, you will need someone to help you for at least 2 weeks. You may also have drains placed to help with swelling and drainage.
Your doctor will give you specific instructions about how soon after surgery you can get out of bed and walk up stairs. If you have any questions about these instructions, do not hesitate to ask your surgeon or nurse before surgery.
Gastrointestinal Problems After Tummy Tuck
You may find it hard to access the right information on the internet, so we are here to help you in the following article, providing the best and updated information on Gastrointestinal problems after tummy tuck, back fat after tummy tuck. Read on to learn more. We at cosmeticsurgerytips have all the information that you need about weight gain after tummy tuck surgery. Read on to learn more.
tummy tuck may be associated with abdominal issues after surgery.
Stomach cramps are the most common side effect after the tummy tuck procedure. Abdominoplasty or tummy tuck is a cosmetic procedure to remove excess skin and fat from the abdomen or tummy. Below are the common abdominal issues that may occur due to a tummy tuck
- A patient may have a permanent scar (located in the bikini area) that usually does not fade.
- There may be swelling, which may obscure the actual result until the treated area is healed. This swelling is temporary and may be controlled with bandages and compression garments.
- Pain, swelling, numbness, bruising and soreness are usually common in the stomach area, especially at the incision site. It may be temporary and is usually managed with medications.
- There may be temporary fluid accumulation at the incision site, which is usually drained using small pipes that are attached to the stomach.
- Bulges under the skin of the abdomen are common.
- Extra skin at the edges of the scar (known as “dog ears”) is also seen.
- Incision sites on the stomach may fail to heal leading to infections and complications.
- There may be a collection of blood under the operated skin (hematoma).
- Many patients experience constipation following their tummy tucks. It is usually recommended to drink plenty of water.
- The tight abdominal skin makes it difficult to bend forward.
- Vomiting due to anesthesia reaction.
- There may be an injury to vessels and nerves in the stomach area.
- During a tummy tuck, fatty tissue deep within the skin in the abdominal area might get damaged or die. Depending on the size of the area, tissue might heal on its own or require another procedure.
- A patient may have pregnancy-related complications after the tummy tuck procedure. Hence, it is recommended to plan for this surgery only if a patient has no wish to have further pregnancy.
Who are ideal and not ideal candidates for a tummy tuck procedure?
Most patients opting for this procedure are women who have been pregnant and do not plan to have more children. They may dislike the effects childbirth has had on their body’s shape and appearance. In many cases, it also restores separated muscles.
Ideal candidates for tummy tuck procedure include
- Slender individuals with a stable weight are the best candidates.
- Good candidates for tummy tuck surgery are people with any amount of sagging skin and muscle looseness in the abdominal area.
- Patients who are unable to diet or exercise due to various reasons are usually considered.
- Patients with good general health with a positive attitude and realistic expectations are most likely considered good candidates for this procedure.
Not ideal candidates
- A patient whose only goal is to lose a lot of weight is not considered an ideal candidate for this procedure. A tummy tuck should be a last resort after the patient has tried everything else. It should not be used as an alternative to weight loss.
- Women who may plan to get pregnant may need to postpone a tummy tuck until they have no further pregnancy plans. During surgery, the vertical muscles are tightened and future pregnancies can separate those muscles leading to complications.
- Very obese patients and patients with health issues are not considered for this procedure.
- Patients who have an unhealthy lifestyle, including smoking, alcohol use and drug consumption, may not be considered for this procedure.
What is the outcome of the tummy tuck procedure?
As per the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, the tummy tuck procedure ranks as one of the top five surgical procedures. The outcomes are good and patients may get immediate results and regain self-esteem. By removing excess skin and fat and strengthening the abdominal wall, a tummy tuck can give the abdomen a more toned and slimmer appearance. Tummy tuck results are usually long-lasting if the patient maintains a stable weight. Some medical issues like backache due to abnormal posture and weight and ventral hernia (a bulge through an opening in the belly muscles) may also be resolved.
However, unfortunately, the procedure will leave the patient with permanent scars due to the incisions made on the abdomen. Although the scar usually heals well, for some people it may take up to 18 months or 2 years for the scar to fade and to reap the full benefits from the tummy tuck. Putting on weight after a tummy tuck may lead to abnormal abdominal tissue (can stretch and change shape), thus reversing the effects of the procedure. If this occurs, the patient may consider getting a tummy tuck revision to restore the results from the original surgery. The patient must eat a proper diet and exercise to maintain their new look.
Gas After Tummy Tuck Surgery
“Passing gas” is a pretty personal part of day-to-day life. So it may seem strange that doctors and nurses want to know if you have released gas after you’ve had anesthesia.
After surgery, you may be told to let your nurse know if you pass gas. A child may be told that the nurse would like to know if they “toot” or “fart,” which may cause some giggles.
Why focus on passing gas? It’s simple. If you can pass gas, it means you aren’t developing a condition called post-operative ileus (POI). A POI means your intestines are not moving food through your body properly. This condition can be serious.
This article explains why it’s important that you pass gas after surgery and what it could mean if you cannot.
Importance of Gas After Surgery
You may have received medication to put you to sleep during surgery. The medication can slow down or even stop the gut from moving things from your stomach through the digestive tract. When this slowdown happens, it’s called a delay in gastric motility or POI.
A POI means that it takes your intestines longer to recover from anesthesia than the rest of you. The slowdown can be mild, or it can be severe enough to need medical treatment.1
The ability to pass gas is a clear sign that your digestive system is waking up. If you can pass gas, you either didn’t have a POI, or it is improving.
You may have had a bowel preparation to clean the stool out of your body before surgery. If so, it may be several days before you have a bowel movement. Gas may pass long before a stool does, showing that your bowels are working well.
If you had outpatient surgery, your healthcare team may even require you to pass gas before you go home. The staff doesn’t want to send you home with a POI that could become serious. That’s the reason it’s important to let them know when it happens.
Symptoms
A delay in gastric motility is usually brief. A more severe POI may call for a longer hospital stay.2 Severe symptoms can include:
- Nausea
- Bloating
- Vomiting
- Abdominal tenderness or pain
- Delayed or stopped passing of gas/stool
Sometimes people have nausea, vomiting, and pain after surgery. Because these symptoms can have different causes, it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor any time you have these symptoms while you are recovering.
Causes
Researchers have several theories about why postoperative ileus happens. POIs may be caused by different factors in different people.
One theory involves your nervous system. Your nervous system has two “departments.” The sympathetic nervous system (SNS) normally makes your intestines move less. The parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) makes your intestines move more. After surgery, your SNS may have more control for a short time.3
Another theory is that POI happens when your intestines are handled during surgery. For example, your surgeon may move them out of the way to reach other body parts. Or you may have had surgery directly on your intestines.
If your intestines were handled, your body’s immune system may be triggered. White blood cells and other types of cells may rush to the area, causing a slowdown.
Surgery can also unbalance your electrolytes. Electrolytes are minerals needed for key functions in the body, such as normal digestion.
It’s also possible that pain medications could raise your risk of a POI. Opioid medications can cause constipation after surgery. If you are taking opioid medications for pain relief, or if you already had issues with your intestines before this surgery, you have a higher risk of developing POI.2
Prevention
Preventing a POI is not always possible, but there are ways to lower the risk.
People who receive anesthesia by an epidural in their spine typically recover faster from a POI. Lighter anesthesias usually cut down on the risk of POI.3
Less-invasive surgeries also have a lower risk of POI. These procedures typically use tools inserted through small incisions. POIs may not last as long as they might with more open surgeries with larger incisions. That may be because you are under anesthesia a shorter time and there is a smaller impact on your body.
One simple solution for a POI may be chewing gum after surgery.3 Several studies have shown that POIs in patients who chewed gum resolved more quickly than in those who didn’t chew gum. There was some evidence that their hospital stays were shorter compared to non-gum chewers.
Walking after surgery can also help reduce the severity of symptoms and speed the return to normal.