Question:
Tummy tuck recovery!

Okay, I had lap rny and went back to work 6 days later. I was fine. I want to know what to expect from a tummy tuck. If I had to, could I have surgery on, say, a Friday, stay home that next week and return on the following Monday. If you think this is not possible, please tell me what the BIGGEST obstacles would be to going back to work. I am an elementary school administrator. I walk around alot, but do no lifting or anything. Please elaborate and share as much detail as you can. Thanks to all!!!    — Courtney W. (posted on November 18, 2001)

November 18, 2001
I had my TT on Oct 1. I was more fearful of this than I was of the original WLS. I guess it was knowing I would be cut open from side to side. But my fears were for not. This was a lot easier. I was home in 3 days and the recovery was much easier. Good Luck
   — Carol M.

November 20, 2001
Courtney ... I'm now about 6 weeks out from having my beloved poochie removed, and I've been back at work two weeks. My surgeon wouldn't let me sit up straight (in a chair with my legs down) for about three weeks after the surgery, although I was mentally ready to go back to work while I was still in the hospital. Now, let me preface this by saying that I have an EXTREMELY high threshold for pain. All that lying around made me crazy, but I was very careful simply because I don't feel it, and I was afraid I was going to pull/rip something. The recovery from this was far more onerous than my recovery from the open VBG in April of 2000, but only because I couldn't sit "properly". I had no complications at all, stitches came right out, I have a beautiful new belly button. Quite frankly, I'd ask your surgeon what s/he recommends, and DO IT. My surgeon said "four weeks at least" when I asked how long I'd be off work -- if I'd had a job that involved lots of lifting and standing, I'd have been off six weeks. I'm still milking the "I can't lift anything, dear" thing, but I have a feeling there'll be vacuuming in my future before too long. Take all the time you need to heal -- you'll have a hip-to-hip horizontal incision, which will be a little harder to deal with than lap WLS. Take it easy, and good luck!
   — Cheryl Denomy