The following post from our forum is from a woman who had a tummy tuck and now experiences bloating after every meal. She is wondering if this is normal or if there is something wrong.

Date: 08/15/2010 Submitted by: Rika

Hello: It’s been 2 months since my abdominalplasty with lipo. When I wake up in the morning my stomach is flat but throughout the day every time I eat my stomach blows up. Is this normal? I feel like I look pregnant all over again. I know I still have a little swelling but I didn’t think this would happen with a bowl of oatmeal. I hope nothing’s wrong. Please advise. Rika

RESPONSE

Date: 08/15/2010 Submitted by: Tanner

Rika,

When you say your stomach “blows up”, can you actually see a difference when looking in the mirror (before and after eating) or is it just a feeling of being bloated?

I can sort of relate to what you feel. I remember soon after my tummy tuck I noticed that I seemed to get fuller much faster when I ate. I took this as a good thing and assumed that since my skin and stomach muscles were “tighter”, my stomach did not have as much room to expand when I ate. It also served as a reminder and incentive not to eat too much. Every time I got that feeling I would think “I don’t want to overeat and cause my skin to stretch again or pull at the stomach stitches”. Even today, over two years later I get that same feeling. If it’s not just a feeling of being too full and you can actually see bloating and swelling every time you eat it might be time to go back to the doctor to check it out. Good luck.

Tanner

FOLLOW-UP

Thx. I go see my doc on Wednesday. I don’t feel bloated. I can actually see it. Is this a complication? Rika

RESPONSE

I have never heard of anyone having that problem in relation to a tummy tuck, but I don’t know if it is a complication or not. Tanner

FOLLOW-UP

Ok thanks. Rika