Bath after tummy tuck
I live in the UK. I had a tummy tuck on 3rd August. My first week of recovery was great, my 2nd week was very uncomfortable and now I’m beginning to feel normal again (apart from the itchiness of my scar).
I had my tummy tuck after losing 115lbs (262lbs to 147lbs). I am very swollen. I didn’t have lipo as the surgery was done for medical reasons in the NHS, not privately.
My swelling makes me a size bigger in clothing than I was pre surgery, and embarrassingly, it also makes me look a bit like action man in my groin area!
I feel good but I’m desperate to know:
*When can I have a bath? I am so bored of showering
*How long/far per day can I walk?
*Has anyone lost additional weight post surgery, and did it have positive or negative effect on how their stomach looked afterwards? I really want to lose another 20lbs
* I think I have had an extended tummy tuck as my incision is almost at the back of my hips.
My before and after tummy tuck
My before and after tummy tuck photo
My before and after abdominoplasty
Omg you look a lot like me pre and post op! Not to mention your story mimicked me perfectly! I’m having my lap band filled this weekend so hopefully from there will loose about 10-15lbs . They say that once you are with in 20lbs of your goal weight( more ideally 15) it will be fine to lose post surgery with out any affect in your tummy tuck! Well that’s what my surgeon told me so I’m looking forward to that! I’m not sure on the bath side of things yet and getting ready to go for walks etc as well . My DR cleared me for light excercises !
I was unable to wait until I got to my full goal, as the surgery was through our National Health Service, so as long I was the right BMI then I had to fit in with their schedule. I’m very lucky though as I couldn’t afford to go privately if it was simply a cosmetic procedure. I’m not cleared for light exercise due to the level of muscle repair as that was the main reason for the surgery, so it’s taking me longer that usual patients to stand up completely straight, but I have an appointment with the physiotherapist at the hospital to make sure I do this without damaging any of the repair work. I’ve had a very privileged few years, and I’m feeling elated that as a result of having this done, that I now feel “normal” again. Here’s a bit more of my weight loss story
do u mean 3rd august? its not september yet lol. i had mine in march and still healing very sore at times… nhs too. did u not stay in hospital long? i was there a week almost. they said to me if i wanted a bath i could have a shallow bath as long as scar wasnt soaked too long. i am lighter than before surgery but weigh fluctuates a lot and i do slimming world. had same surgery as u…did u have muscle repair too or just the tuck? healing takes time and u will have good days and bad days. i find it hard to wear anything elasticated like leggings if they are not slack as it irritates the skin and healing…swelling is a bitch lol. hope ur healing ok.
Thanks Rebecca, I just corrected it! I had the whole muscle wall corrected, it’s weird as it feels like I can feel a net inside me where the surgeon has stitched it. I had the op on Sunday and left on Tuesday. They where a bit freaked out with my recovery, and said I could stay if I was unsure but I needed to get home. I’m not allowed to get a bath yet, as I had an infection in my navel, my surgeon said he’d prefer me to shower until our next appointment…….. in October
I’ve gained a few lbs, but I am very swollen. I am wearing all in one spanx (with the lovely pee gap!!). The hospital gave me a simple compression bandage, but the bodysuit is tighter and I feel more supported so I wear that during the day and the bandage at night because it’s softer.
I feel absolutely fantastic, and very lucky to have the surgery on the NHS! I had my surgery with Mr Iqbal art Whiston, where did you have yours?
… I cannot wait to go walking properly again, I used to average at least 40 miles per week so sitting on my bum all day isn’t fun!
mr sugden in durham. only seen him twice since op lol. first time was because i had suspected seroma but it healed on its own. and second was just time to see him. i need lipo…as not healed properly on my right side as i have a dent lol. so need it filling so take from one side n put in the other haha. that will b done by end of the year. i had to buy my own support too as all i got was a few bandage tube i call em haha. first few weeks were the worst. was off work for about 6/7 weeks. still think i went back too early but cant afford to b off forever haha. i walk alot now but still get a bad back n my tops of legs hurt but hey no pain no gain lol. yeah u will have to wait bit longer to have a bath if u had an infection. not good. hope thats ok now? ):
Yes, the infection has gone, and I have a belly button instead of a slit!! I have very small dog ears at the end of my incisions, he said he can fix that in a day appointment…..I’m not that bothered by them to be honest. I only needed the bottom muscles repairing but he did the whole lot and took the skin as it kept splitting (sexy) since I lost weight. I went to a general surgeon to see about the muscle op and he referred me to the plastics unit at Whiston. The general surgeon asked me about my caesarean scar, and when I told him that I didn’t have a c scar, it was where my skin had split from friction he just threw in a call to another hospital and all of a sudden I was on a waiting list! I wanted a tummy tuck, but I couldn’t afford it as my quotes where higher because of my other health complications. I am super jammy
hehe thats cool. i got mine from losing weight n depression. was so unhappy after losing all the weight n having a huge belly still thought whats the point n exercise didint work so eventually the docs refered me n i got it done. had to stop smoking too so been about 10 months for me now. happy days lol. flying next week to france n was worried about it all lol. and i look nowt like me passport pic after the weight loss haha x
Yes, I remember that last year when I went to Amsterdam, my face was a bit rounder in the passport! How much weight did you lose?
…..sorry, it’s just rare to find another big weight loss & nhs tummy tuck person to chatter to! There’s not many if us about!
yeah i lost 9 n half stone.. more 9 now lol. my face is fatter in pic too n as u can see on my profile pic i have short spiky hair…well me hair was longer n i had a fringe inpp photo lol. x
i’m off now but if u wanna add us as a friend more than welcome. happy healing