Plastic Surgery Consult - ThinnerTimes

Christina · 10-27-2004, 12:57 PM

Hi everyone,

I had my first of I am guessing many plastic surgery consults yesturday. I still have about 30-40 lbs to go before I even consider this proceedure but just wanted to be well informed as to what I needed to do to ensure good results after I had surgery. So this was the suggestion of the Doctor, for those considering it.. of course not every Doctor practices the same and not every Doctor has the same requirements, so don't go just by what mine said.

First of all he won't do surgery until you are at least 12 months post op or more and have been stable at your weight for some time. He said this is the best way to ensure accurate results. If you lose after your surgery, it will have less than desireable results. Therefore, you should be done losing and stable at that weight for up to six months. This makes total sense to me.

Also before you consider plastic surgery you should be in the best shape possible, gaining as much muscle tone as possible in the area/areas you are having surgery on. For me it was my arms and my breasts, as there is no way to "tone up" my breasts he felt I should do my best to tone up my arms and my chest wall as much as I can therefore he KNOWS what he is contouring as opposed to going in there and trying to contour something that is still flabby or without muscle tone. This makes sense. I am not considering an abdominal plasty at this point, until we decide if we are having children or not, so this wasn't an issue. But he said if I were planning one then I would definitely need to start doing crunches or whatever I can to tighten the abdominal muscles as well as possible so that he had something to work with and sculpt. Otherwise I would have an undesireable outcome. This Doctor impressed me, he wasn't after a buck.. he wanted me to be well informed and know that if I don't do my leg work so to speak now then I would not have good results afterwards. I liked how he explained all that to me. He also told me I may NOT need implants if I can go back to him in several months with the same amount of "fatty tissue" in my breasts that he could probably give me a nice B cup without implants. I really liked that idea. I haven't been a B cup since I was in Elementary or Jr. high school. That prospect really makes me happy. Either way I just went to find out what I needed to do to prepare for this journey. I have no intentions of having surgery any time soon.. it's just good to know that I have another reason to really kick it in gear at the gym and tone up the best I can.

Just thought I would share this with ya'll and give you some hope and encouragement if I could. I am totally psyched and can't wait to tone up these muscles.. especially knowing that my results will be that much greater!!! YAY!!!

Thanks for listening..

Red Feather · 10-27-2004, 01:13 PM

Christina. That's excellent info and kind of re-states what I've heard before. I'm pre-op but started my reconstruction "kitty" (just in case the insurance gets flaky on me) a few months ago. It's really cool. If I take something back to the store for instance, in the kitty, recyclables - in the kitty, no gifts please - $$ in the kitty - kind of a game! Thanks again (give me and the kitty more time too!)

melanie hirschorn · 10-27-2004, 01:45 PM

chirstina, that makes all perfect sense and that's what i've heard.
now this is for bridgett. bridgett, don't you think after reading this you should wait. I think you're getting it done too soon. What did your surgeon say about all this. That's just my personal opinion.
melanie

bridgetgirl · 10-27-2004, 03:40 PM

No reading this post is not going to change my mind. I dont want to lose any more weight, Christina still wants to lose 30 pounds, but me, Im done. It appears as though I have 20 pounds of excess skin, that will put me at 160 pounds. I am tall for a woman and this weight is ideal for me. I expect to lose 5 pounds from not being able to eat as well, but I will not allow myself to go below that 155-160 mark, I will shovel in the carbs to maintain at that weight. I already have protruding collar bones, hip bones that stick out and bony shoulders and a gaunt face. When I saw my aunt and uncle this weekend, they asked me if I wanted to lose more weight, I told them no. They had a big sigh of relief, and were glad, they felt that I was looking too thin.

When I had my post op check up at 7 months out Kelly told me I was done and that I had better start saving a "a honey pot" for PS. Neither Kelly or Dr Callery when I talked to him last night about it, has said that I should wait. The only time I hear about being "advised" to wait is by you guys, but neither Dr C, Kelly or Dr Katzen has said I should wait.

I really appreciate your concern Melanie, your such a sweetie-but I cant see a reason to delay it...... I dont feel as though I'll have any regrets. Right now I cannot sit for long periods of time because the skin is constantly shifting and rolling up beneath my clothes. It burns because the blood flow gets restricted. Last night I laid down to go to sleep and I felt like I had laid on top of something, I thought it was one of the kids toys, when I put my hand underneath my butt to remove what I had laid on... it was me... it was my own skin... it really is terrible and I am uncomfortable and miserable for me.. I get sweat rings around my shirts because I have 2 folds of skin around my abdomen, and back, I get small boil like sores from the moisture ..when I lay on my side, my skin literally folds over (I have pics to prove it) I dont want to live like this a day longer than I have to, I hope that you can see why I have made the decision to go forth. Thanks again for your concern... I love your 'lil face!

brutherford · 10-27-2004, 04:34 PM

That helped a lot - as I get closer to goal, I'm seeing all of this skin that I'd rather not have. I went into the surgery saying that I wouldn't have plastic surgery because what they do to you during ps just seems so traumatic to me. However, now that I'm seeing the same sagging skin that Bridget's been complaining about for the last few months, I'm really starting to think that I may have to do it too. I just can't imagine loosing 150 lbs and still not being comfortable wearing a tank top because of the 4" of skin hanging from my arms... that, and wouldn't it be RAD to wear a bikini?!

Thanks again, Christina - your post answered a lot of my questions. Love ya, B

MakeMusic · 10-27-2004, 05:21 PM

Hello all!

When I was in my informational seminar, Dr. Callery said something about them having a good track record as far as getting insurance to pay for this. Can anyone elaborate? My sister went through this surgery 5 or so years ago and is till having issues because her insurance wouldn't pay to have the excess skin removed, saying it is a cosmetic issue. Unfortunately, she is not in a financial position to pay for it herself.

Thanks! Any insite on this will help!

Christina · 10-28-2004, 08:17 AM

MakeMusic,

All I can say is DOCUMENTATION is the key to having Insurance pay for it. I am not guaranteed that Insurance will pay for my arms or my breast reduction/lift. However, I am going to start documenting now the skin irritation, back, neck and shoulder pain, and anything else I can to ensure a better chance to have Insurance pay for it. The harder thing to get the insurance to pay for would be a brachioplasty (arm lift) because it is more cosmetic. However, in MY own case I had a shoulder surgery some 9 years ago or so and probably due to my weight and the size of my arms the right arm started sagging at that point. When I asked the ortho Doc about it he said that it appeared that all of the excess tissue was not reattached when he did it. Therefore I am asymetrical and still cannot lift my arm up in the air from the side without using the other one to do it. So that may be my ticket to having the surgery covered?

But then again, I may have to pay for it myself. So I will start saving up now just in case. At least I know what it will cost me now. The breast will probably be reduced due to the fact that I have had large breasts thin or thick and started wearing a bra in the 3rd grade. I am hoping that because of the extra back pain and slumping of the shoulders that the Insurance will cover it. That is why I am going to start documenting NOW!!!!

I am glad my post helped some of you. I did not intend to cause any friction, just give facts that I totally agree with from My Doctor.

If I could give any good advice to any of you, it would be start documenting NOW and start getting as much muscle tone underneath your saggy skin and then you will be even that much more happy with your results. I'm off to do some crunches!!!!!!

bridgetgirl · 10-28-2004, 11:56 AM

According to Blue Cross's guidelines you must have 3 months of documented rashes, irritations, sores, etc... take pictures and go see the Dr, no matter how much of a drag it is to go in once a month.... you only need to do it 3 times...... Good luck.

MakeMusic · 10-28-2004, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bridgetgirl

According to Blue Cross's guidelines you must have 3 months of documented rashes, irritations, sores, etc... take pictures and go see the Dr, no matter how much of a drag it is to go in once a month.... you only need to do it 3 times...... Good luck.

Brig, Any idea about Aetna, hmo?

Americanwoman397 · 10-28-2004, 11:58 AM

Thank you gals. You have no idea how much you are helping all of us so we all know what we have to look forward to.

Thanks again and good luck.

I love you both.