Tummy tucks hurt. A lot. AND tummy tucks have a big scar.
So it is tough. I was reminded of this today when I saw a patient who had liposuction and a tummy tuck a month ago. She looks fantastic and is back to normal life, but still doesn’t feel quite back to her old self. She gave me a beautiful card and present (thank you!!! So so lovely of you!). What she said I think is particularly poignant and insightful:
“Dear Dr. Greenberg,
Thank you for everything. It’s been a tough month, but well worth it. Thank you for your care and support. It has been awesome.”
On the same day I got a card from another tummy tuck patient who is 3 months out. Her card read,
“I wanted to show and say my appreciation for your services. I feel like a million bucks and like that I can do just about anything. Thank you for being such a great doctor. And thank you for helping me look better than I did 10 years ago!.”
I warn all patients regardless of how fantastic they may look in the future to expect buyers remorse the first week after abdominoplasty. Why? Even if they look great and their friends and family can see a significant change, it is a big surgery and a tough recovery for the first few days in particular. You are bent over, you have drains, you are wearing a garment, your skin is likely numb, and it hurts. It is common for you to not “feel” like you look better. It is common for you to feel weird, puffy, pudgy.
So what to do?
- know it is normal to have mixed feelings the first week after surgery. It is a tough recovery, big surgery, and unlike some other big surgeries, it is elective- you chose to do it.
- know it is going to hurt. To help with this, I use the pain pump which I implant during surgery, which drips numbing medication along your muscles to minimize the pain. Also pain pills and muscle relaxants help.
- know you won’t feel “normal” until at least 4-6 weeks out. At 3 months you will feel even better.
- look at your preop photos. It is easy to forget what you looked like which drove you to seek help. Our minds are gentle, and I think the mind freeze frames us at age 29, pre kids and other life tolls. So look at the preop photos to remind yourself.
Talk to your doctor. If there are things which are bothering you, let them know. Anxiety of what is normal or not, what is going to stay versus what is normal post op stuff is all important to address.