After Your Tummy Tuck: The Recovery Begins
The Road To Recovery
Your tummy tuck recovery begins the moment you are wheeled from the operating room, and into the recovery room. From this point on the goal is to help your body recover from surgery, and return it to a state of optimum health.
The recovery room is where one is taken immediately following a surgical procedure, to a place of critical care where every body function will be monitored and treated until it can function on its own. Here, the nurse will be at your side and monitoring your vital signs, breathing, state of consciousness, and pain intensity.
As the anesthesia wears off, you will become more aware of your surroundings. You will feel very groggy and may fall in and out of a conscious state. You may feel nauseous, and the nurse will give you medication to prevent you from vomiting. Furthermore, as you become more alert, you will begin to feel the pain at a greater intensity. A tummy tuck is very painful, and the doctor will order the appropriate medications needed to combat this.
Nurses in the recovery room are very attentive, and will manage your pain to keep it at a comfortable level. You will be wearing an oxygen mask, and an IV line will deliver electrolytes and antibiotics to your body. This is to replenish fluids lost during surgery and the antibiotics to prevent infection.
Waking Up
As you become more awake and alert, you will notice that you are wearing compression stockings. This is to prevent blood clots from forming in your legs. Clotting is your body’s defense against bleeding. While your legs are not moving, these clots can develop and cut off your circulation. The symptoms are pain, redness, swelling and a feeling of warmth.
The danger is if one of these clots breaks off before dissipating, and travels to your heart, lungs or brain. This would cause either a heart attack or stroke. The stockings are a wonderful precautionary measure. That is why the doctor will want you to ambulate the first day or two after surgery.
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- Recovering from a Tummy Tuck Operation
- Having a non surgical tummy tuck is a great alternative to abdominoplasty
- Preventing Tummy Tuck Scars
- Know How The Liposuction And Tummy Tuck Procedures Done
- A New Look At Old Advice For Staying Alert