tightness and pain one year after tummy tuck

I had a full body lift and tummy tuck one year ago.  I am still feeling a lot of tightness and disscomfort in my stomach, mostly the lower part.  Everytime I eat anything I feel bloated and uncomfortable, like my stomach is stretching apart. I work out 5 days a week. I have gained 6 pounds over the last year. Is it normal to feel this much tightness after one year or am I actually stretching my stomach back out?

[Howard Rosenberg, MD]

The tightness you feel is probably related to the sutures placed in the muscle fascia (the tendinous layer over the muscle) to flatten the abdominal wall.  While  most patients have these symtpoms early after surgery, they gradually diminish.  It is not likely that anything serious is going on, but have your surgeon check you.

[cmhadin]

Does this mean that I am streching the sutures?

[Howard Rosenberg, MD]

Your sutures are no longer in play.  The fascia has healed in its new tightened position and even removal of the sutures will have no bearing on the fascial tightness.

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