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Tummy Tuck Recovery Guide

Chicago, Illinois

You have a crucial role to play in ensuring a successful recovery from your Tummy Tuck. Before your procedure, Dr. Placik will have given you printed instructions on post-op self-care. Read them right away and be sure to get your questions answered. After your Tummy Tuck, you’ll feel better if you know exactly how to care for yourself.

He’ll also give you a pain medication prescription ahead of time, so you can get it filled and have it on hand when you need it. You can think ahead too about your recovery space. Arrange for things to be done such as bringing in the mail and newspapers, walking the dog, and caring for young children. Make sure to have plenty of pillows and blankets, good books, a TV guide, videos, hobby supplies, and a clean and tidy home. Buy good-quality, easy-to-prepare foods, including lots of liquids – juices, teas, water etc.

Tips on Diet and Exercise

Here is your Manual for Tummy Tuck Recovery.

Follow Dr. Placik’s self-care instructions to the letter:

1. Keep your follow-up appointments
with Dr. Placik so he can monitor your progress and intervene if necessary. Be aware that all surgery, regardless of the knowledge and skill of the surgeon, brings some risk. Any time the skin is incised, infection is possible, and there are other potential complications which Dr. Placik will have discussed with you beforehand. If anything untoward starts to develop, Dr. Placik will want to catch it early.

2. Protect your bandaged area and any drains
   that have been placed there. Drains are to prevent fluid build-up and will probably be in place for a week, perhaps two. Empty the bulbs according to Dr. Placik’s instructions and record the fluid amounts. You may also have a compression garment or binder to help reduce swelling. Avoid reaching above your head, bending over very far, and lifting anything heaver than about four pounds.
   
3. Shower or sponge-bathe
according to Dr. Placik’s instructions, and use an antibacterial liquid soap. Use a clean wash cloth each time, as they tend to collect bacteria.

4. Walk a little
from the first day home, according to Dr. Placik’s instructions. At first, especially with drains, you’ll be on bed rest, but even so, do a little easy walking. Do it several times a day, just for a minute or two. This will help blood circulation and help prevent blood clots from forming in the legs.

5. Keep to a bent position
(about 45 degree) for the first few days. It might start feeling uncomfortable, but remember that you have stitches on a long incision so for a few days you need to keep them safe for optimum healing. Tummy Tucks are invasive surgery and demand excellent post-op care.

6. Drink plenty of water.
This will not increase swelling, but on the contrary will help it subside. The water will flush out your whole body and help with bowel movements. You might consider having a humidifier running throughout your recovery period. Keep tabs on how much water you’re drinking each day, by using up a certain number of store-bought bottles, or refilling a sports bottle a certain number of times, according on their size. The water coming in will have to exit also, which will require more trips to the bathroom, and that will help with your daily walking.

7. Keep to a healthy diet.
The body needs good nutrition all the time, but after major surgery it’s even more important. You can stock up ahead of time on your favorite (healthy) foods, and unless you have someone cooking for you, make them easy to prepare. Eat several pieces of fruit each day and several servings of raw vegetables (of course, you can use your favorite salad dressing).

8. Limit your sodium intake.
Sodium causes the body to retain water, and you want the swelling to go down. So read labels and don’t use much canned food. Avoid pickles, deli meats and salty snacks. Make a trip to a health food store before your surgery and pick up some low-salt or salt-free foods that perhaps you haven’t tried before. Do some experimenting. Our American diet is typically over-salted, so this might be a good opportunity to widen your dietary horizons.

9. Call Dr. Placik
if you notice anything unexpected about your recovery, such as increased pain or bleeding. It’s essential to catch problems early, so don’t tough it out and hope things will get better. Err on the side of calling unnecessarily.

Surgery and its recovery are a partnership activity. You and Dr. Placik need to be in good communication throughout.

• He will explain things beforehand and be available throughout to answer questions. He’ll examine you periodically afterwards.
• You need to follow his directions at all times, go for your follow-up visits, and call him if anything seems a bit wrong.

With good communication and good self-care afterwards, your recovery should be smooth and successful. Please call us or email our Chicago or Arlington Heights office any time you have a question.

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Associated Plastic Surgeons, S.C.
Otto J. Placik, M.D., F.A.C.S.
(847) 398-1660 or (312) 787-5313
Arlington Heights and Chicago, Illinois

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