Tummy tuck - when can I go back to work?
I am 35 years old and intend to get a tummy tuck. When can I go back to work? How long and why do I have to wear a compression garment after the surgery?
Answers (3)
Tummy Tuck recovery time: depends on the type of work you do.
Recovery after a tummy tuck really depends on the type of work that you perform. I do not allow my patients to return to work while taking narcotic pain medicine, as that would be the equivalent of drinking alcohol at work. In general, patients need pain medicine for a minimum of 3 days, and most are off medications by 5 to 10 days. After stopping pain meds, patients can work from home immediately, and return to desk-work between 7 to 10 days from surgery. With the tummy tuck, I do a significant amount of tightening of the abdominal wall, and this does not become "solid" until 6 weeks after surgery. Because of this, I restrict patients from heavy lifting and strenuous exercise for 6 weeks. If your job requires a significant amount of physical activity, you may have to take 6 weeks off of work, or modify your work activities. (ie: a professional rodeo rider will be taking much more time off of work than a computer programmer...)
The compression garment does a few things after surgery. First, it gently presses out any swelling that can occur in the abdominal skin, which helps you appreciate the results of surgery sooner than if you just waited for this swelling to go away on its own. Second, it helps "splint" the skin, and reduces the chance of a seroma forming for a period of time after surgery. Lastly, it provides the patient with some support, and actually makes some people feel more secure. I request that my patients wear some type of compression (binder or garment) for the first 3 weeks after surgery, and then they can wear the garment at their discretion. Quite a few wear it for an additional 1 or 2 weeks because of the support that it provides.
It depends on what work you do...
Most all of my tummy tuck patients are able to return to sedentary types of work within 7-10 days and approximately in 2 weeks if their work is more physically demanding. They can connect with work virtually by computer within 2 days, however, and this is a great advantage that didn't used to be possible.
The compression garment helps to speed the healing of the skin and fat back to the underlying muscles. I ask my patients to wear it 24/7 for 2 weeks and on and off for another 2 weeks. Many actually ask permission to wear it longer!
Tummy tuck and back to work
Different plastic surgeons have different ideas. I try and get my patients back to desk jobs by 10-12 days in most cases.
I am very strong on getting them up moving asap and going up and down stairs etc. I also have all my pts shower the night after surgery, i.e. 24-36 hours later. It is best if you can go back for a light or shorter first day or two, to ease the transition back. However, every patient responds differently.
At 35 years old, you are young and should bounce back quickly. For most patients, it is fatigue and not pain that limits them going back to work. I know other physicians are often more conservative, but I have been doing it this way for years with good results.
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