Tummy tuck in Medellín · Day 2 of 10

Day 2 after a tummy tuck in Medellín

Many people leave hospital around now. Rest at the hotel, walk a little every hour or two and keep your knees bent when you lie down. Today is still for your companion to explore.

Short answer

On day 2 after a tummy tuck in Medellín:

  • Not today Lifting and straining · Exercise · Showers, baths and pools · Flying home
  • With care Walking · Compression garment · Sleeping position

For your companion today: Comuna 13 graffiti tour, Museo de Antioquia and Plaza Botero, Rooftop bars and Parque Lleras.

Today's rules

With care

Walking

Get up and walk a little as soon as your team allows, usually within the first day or two and with help at first. You may not be able to stand fully upright yet; that improves.

Source: Kaiser Permanente · Acibadem International

Not today

Lifting and straining

For 6 weeks, avoid lifting anything that makes you strain, such as a suitcase, heavy shopping bags or a child. Let your companion carry the bags.

Source: Kaiser Permanente

Not today

Exercise

No abdominal exercises and nothing strenuous, such as cycling, jogging, weights or aerobics, for 6 to 8 weeks.

Source: Kaiser Permanente · NHS

With care

Compression garment

Wear the compression garment all the time except in the shower. The NHS says it is usually worn for about 6 weeks; your surgeon sets the date.

Source: Kaiser Permanente · NHS

Not today

Showers, baths and pools

Showering usually starts 24 to 48 hours after surgery or once the drains are out, as your surgeon says. No bath for at least 2 weeks, and ask your surgeon before pools, the sea, hot tubs or the hammam.

Source: Kaiser Permanente · Acibadem International

With care

Sleeping position

Rest with your upper body raised and pillows under your knees. Keeping your knees bent takes tension off the stitches.

Source: NHS · Acibadem International

Not today

Flying home

Not yet. Surgeons usually ask you to stay near the hospital for about one to two weeks before a long flight, and the CDC advises medical tourists to wait at least 10 days after abdominal surgery.

Source: Acibadem International · U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · NHS

Confirm with your surgeon. These are general activity limits from published aftercare guidance. Your clinic's written instructions always come first, and they may be stricter or looser for your procedure.

Day 2: a rest day at your hotel

Today is for resting at the hotel and short walks as your surgeon advises. The picks below are for your companion, all within a short ride of the clinic district.

  • Comuna 13 graffiti tour

    Street art, outdoor escalators and hillside lanes with a local guide. Steep, busy and mostly in the sun.

    A few hours on foot with breaks, mostly in full sun, about 4 hours

  • Museo de Antioquia and Plaza Botero

    Fernando Botero's paintings indoors, and his bronze sculptures on the busy square outside.

    Gentle walking, some open-air walking, about 2 hours

  • Rooftop bars and Parque Lleras

    El Poblado's rooftop bars and clubs. Late, loud and built around drinking, often on your feet for hours.

    A few hours on foot with breaks, indoors, about 4 hours

  • Coffee farm tour

    A visit to a coffee farm in the hills outside the city: plants, picking, roasting and tasting.

    A few hours on foot with breaks, some open-air walking, about 6 hours

Nothing to skip today

Nothing on our Medellín list breaks today's rules. Keep following the food and care rules above.

Where to eat today

  • Fresh fruit juices. Jugos of lulo, maracuyá, guanábana or mango, made with water or milk at any café.
  • Sancocho or mondongo soup. Hearty chicken, beef or tripe soups with vegetables, served at lunch with rice and avocado.
  • Buñuelos and natilla. Cheese dough balls and a soft custard-like dessert, in bakeries all year.

Put every day of this guide in your calendar, with your dates

Questions people ask