Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery

2,848 topics in this forum

hi there... I am DDD and as I loose weight it seems that they are traveling down my body. How much is usually a breast lift? Where is the best place to do it? ( if you are happy with yours - which doctor did you use and where? ) What ia the recovery time and most important one - does anyone have picture of the scars? I appreciate any input.

I had lap-band surgery in October 2005. Starting weight 230, now 127 and have maintained for 3+ years. I have Anthem BSBS POS Plan. Has anyone had tummy tuck surgery covered by this insurance? Did you have the surgery and pay out of pocket? Where did you go in Maine to have the proceedure done and what were your costs? Any information in greatly appreciated.

Though the procedure was listed as covered, I still had some doubts and thought I'd need to jump through hoops... PS submitted the paperwork Monday and I received the letter yesterday. I could barely sleep last time due to the excitement. I've never had a flat tummy and can't believe that for the first time in my life it's going to happen. I'd scheduled leave for the Christmas holidays earlier in the year and believe that I'll add another week to my leave and do it then. I'll keep you posted.

Hey guys, I'm looking for a little reassurance. I'm having a BA on the 28th Oct and have chosen my implant and have organsied everything but am starting to doubt my decision re the cup size I wish to achieve. I am starting to wonder if a 390cc teardrop implant was going to be too big for me. I'm only 5'4" and weigh about 56-56kgs, and in US sizing, I'm about a size 2. Is a D cup too big? Will I look huge? I was tossing up between the 345cc and the 390cc and my surgeon recommended going bigger. He said that in 20 years, he's never heard anyone regret going bigger, but has always had people regret going smaller. But I'm me. I know that a anatomical (teardrop) shaped…

I go next month on the 10th to meet with my surgeon that did my lapband. This time, I am meeting with him for a consult for a tummy tuck. I am so nervous. This is something I want so bad I can taste. The only thing is, I hate going under. I am always so scared that something is going to happen and I wont wake up from it. I've never had any troubles while under or coming out of it. Guess it's just one of those cold feet things everyone goes through. I have a wonderful, nice, and caring surgeon. I know he will take good care of me as he did when he placed the lapband. Still, I have the nerves problems. Is there anyone out there that can maybe give me some advice…

I'm having a panniculectomy on Dec 3rd and still not sure about the tummy tuck at the same time. Has to do with costs... Do I need an unfill if I have just the panniculectomy done?

I have my first PS consult next Thursday and I was wondering if someone who has gone through this before can give me some pointers. I know my insurance doesn't pay for plastic surgery but was told if medically needed they would. Now how do I make this happen? Give me some pointers. I have some pictures of sores and I have a history of having the sores is this enough? If someone has had luck with getting ins. companies to pay let me know how you have. Thanks Jo:confused:

Hi I am having my "bat wings" removed Oct 14th, and I am excited and scared! Would love to hear from anyone who has had this done!! I am supposed to get a full body lift Jan 31st BUT I have gained some weight during my vacation(a cruise) and I am so mad that I did that. Don't know if I should do the body lift now. What if I had already had it and gained this weight! Thanks for listening can't wait to hear from everyone! Ann

I had my first consult with my plastic surgeon today and am now booked in for a Torso Lift on the 2nd of April. I will need to get completely unfilled one week prior to the surgery, and while I'm recovering in hospital, my bariatric surgeon will visit and refill me. I can commence walking as soon as I'm home from my week-long stay in hospital, and work up to my regular exercise regime over the following 4-6 weeks. I'm being ring-barked, plus having skin removed from my upper tummy, my stomache muscles knitted together and lipo on my mons area to remove any fatty deposits that have remained there. My surgeon says he usually asks weight loss patients to wait until the…

Hello everyone! This is my first post. I am still pre-approval, but had a plastic surgery constult yesterday and dont know what to think? The surgeon suggested I have a breast reduction and breast lift BEFORE the lapband. That just didnt sound very sensible to me. I am thinking I am going to lose alot of breast volume post lapband and weight loss. So I dont know what size I am going to end up. What has been your post weight loss breast experiences?

Hey guys I am finally granted my time off work so it is time to start preparing for my tummy tuck and breast lift in 8 DAYS! Yes I know it is soon so I was hoping people can give me any tips for the aftercare, what I should do before to prepare my house etc. Also any update pics of scars etc would be great. Thanks :drool:

I'm two years post lap band surgery and have lost 117 lbs. I'm scheduled for a TT this month. I'm very nervous about the pain and not being able to move for long periods... Just was wondering when everyone was able to move with some ease and do light walking, light housework, sit on the computor, driving for short periods?

Hello! After weeks of swelling... how many pants sizes did you go down after TT? Curious as I'm scheduled for TT w/lipo in Dec. Thanks in advance for responses.

Does anyone else on here have BCBS of GA? I have been doing all my research and ready to make my case when now, my company is switching from Cigna (who covers the sleeve) to BCBS of GA, which from all my research so far, does not appear to cover it. I also have another question; I found out this year that I have Pulmonary Valve Stenosis which was operated on in September with a balloon valvuloplasty. I was also given BP meds in July. Will this hinder or help my case with weight loss surgery.

Does anyone know/have exp. with SEIU Healthcare Ins. of IL and coverage of cosmetic surgery?

Good morning guys; how are ya!!! Its been quite a while since being on here. Anyway, I just wanted to let you guys know that I will be having my TT on April 26, 2010. Woooo Hooooo Guys!!!!:smile2: Im so happy and after looking at those after pics, man!! I have so much to say that led up to me having this moment!!!

I am considering cosmetic surgery once I lose all of my weight but I can?t really afford another USA surgery. Anyone have any suggestions on who to go to in Mexico or who not to go to? I am considering breast reduction / breast implants / Abdominoplasty / Liposuction. Thanks!!!

I agree that some people will require plastic surgery after major weight loss but I have found an alternative that is absolutely awesome. My friend had the gastric bypass and lost in excess of 100+ lbs which left her with saggy, baggy skin. I was getting lap banded and was kinda scared because my insurance doesn't cover plastic surgery because it is considered cosmetic!! She searched everywhere for something to help her and she started using these all natural body wraps at home and she lost over 30 inches in a little over 90 days and has maintained the elasticity in her skin on her lower abdomen, inner thighs, arms, front of knees! I started using them before being b…

I have lost 200 pounds with the lap band, 34 more to go to get to my current goal weight. I am starting to look into plastic surgery options. I had a panniculectomy after I lost 80 pounds because I had such a severe pannus. This helped quite a lot as I had constant rashes and exercise was difficult. I am pretty sure that I will need a full lower-body lift with a T-incision, probably a inner-thigh lift, maybe brachioplasty although I can probably live with my arms. But probably the procedure I need more than anything is a breast lift. My boobs are in very sorry shape, ladies. They were pretty saggy when I was at 433 pounds, and now that I have lost weight I have go…

I was wondering if everyone who has had a TT was at their goal weight? I have gone from 260 to 190 and look and feel great. I have been at 190 since Feb. I would like to get to 160 but maybe that just isn't going to happen. I would like to know if anyone has gone ahead with the surgery even if they had not reached goal? If so, did you then go on to lose more weight? Were you then disapointed that you had not waited? Sorry for so many questions but I would really like to get rid of this hanging skin. Ugggg, there is so much of it. I am just afraid I am jumping the gun a bit. Any input?

Hello all , im 4 weeks post op of tummy tuck and breast lift and ive been wearing the binder from the hospital. My doc just recently took my drains out and told me to start wearing spanx along with the binder. Well ive tried 4 kinds now and spent a fortune and cannot get one to fit properly.. either the legs cut cirulation off or hurts my ribs.. Anyway i have another kind coming in the mail monday. a high top brief so any suggestions. Do you think this one is good for tummy tuck healing? thanks. I think im just proportioned different... I just dont wanna mess up my results. Im worried i wont find a good one... Thanks all.

hello everyone I have a question. I have a consult for a TT sceduled for the 21st of this month. I have lost 90-92 lbs. I would love to hear from anyone who may be a day out of surgery or years out on what your status/ opinion is. Regrets? Do it again? Horrible? just pleasae any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! Renee

I scheduled my tt today - Dec. 22nd. Merry Christmas to me! Now the hard part, QUIT SMOKING! I'm going to pick a day and give up cold turkey. I'll probably be the grinch by the time this is all done but it's well worth it. I keep telling myself, I'm healthy now - off ALL meds. To be the total picture of health I need to rid myself of this last vice. I CAN DO IT... Any and all words of encouragement or advice is greatly appreciated.

I was banded in 2008 and have decided to have a tummy tuck, thigh lift, breast lift and lipo. I live in Raleigh, NC and I'm having trouble finding a plastic surgeon with experience doing tummy tucks on lapband patients. Any recommendations??

I thought that this might be a good place to post questions to me, so that other people can see your questions and my answers. I will continue to answer questions from those of you that private message me, but this is a nice way to share the information with others - since many of your questions are relevant to other people. I will try to answer the questions as quickly as possible, and include links and pictures when appropriate. I am obligated to add this disclosure.....any information provided by me is my opinion and cannot substitute for an actual consultation with your qualified physician.

I received my referral from my GYN for a TT. Went to referral office to get appt. with surgeon (military hospital). Was told I had to go off base. The next day the base referral office called and said they had an opening next week! I took that appt slot, now just waiting. I had heard from someone on this site that the base will charge you and it can be anywhere from $1800 to $8000!!! Is this true??????? :thumbup:

Hi all, Even though I am down 110 pounds the size of my bosom has not shrunk. My back is constantly hurting. I have Medicare and am wondering if anyone knows whether it has covered a breast reduction? I also need to know if I should wait until I reach my goal weight first. I am so uncomfortable right now. When I was a thin teenager, my chest was oversized so I thinking that perhaps I do not have to wait until I reach goal. TIA Pen

Just found out that insurance will pay for either Panni or TT - no brainer, I'm going for the TT. However, the PS says that I'd get better results with some Lipo; he also said that more time in the gym will provide the same results. Please let me know if you had Lipo w/ your TT? Either way, were you happy with the results? Thanks!

Ok, I have waited and waited to post this...mostly because it all seems surreal...but tomorrow is the big day! I'll arrive at the surgeon's office at 7:30am, to have my out-patient plastic surgery! As you can see from the title of my post, I am having a hip to hip tummy tuck, the girls lifted with implants and a small thigh lift. The grand total should be 6 hours under epidural anesthesia, for roughly 14k. I am really excited, a little nervous, but mostly ready to get the show on the road. My lap band sx was 2 years ago, and I was successful in losing 125lbs. I have always been apple-shaped, and the weight loss has left me with a less-than-thrilling apron. Following …

I've decided I'm on a mission to get my body to a point where I feel comfortable in a bikini. I've been working very hard with food choices and hitting the gym, and have been very very pleased with the results so far. I'm happy with my back, arms, and even my thighs... BUT the dreaded stomach is killing me!!! :cursing: My skin has been very kind to me, and I feel fortunate to have decent elasticity still. My lower stomach (formally known as my "pooch") is ok in my mind. Its the area above my belly button that I am having issues with. It's like my belly button has created a little shelf for a pocket of fat and skin to sit on and it won't go away!!!! Grrr... lol Additiona…

Can someone tell me please - I am not sure as yet if I need an inner thigh lift only or inner and outer (Which I am assuming they would do separately?) And something to lift the bum... Can someone who has had this done please tell me how long afterwards would I be able to walk my daughter to school (Its not far from my house - Not far at all - Just wondering how long I would need to leave afterwards to be semi-normal) My main problem is I can only use School holidays for recuperation and my surgeon is an absolute artist - So I wouldn't wanna change - I need to work out how long so I can choose which Holiday I would use for which op. Is outer thighs worse than inner…

Has anybody had any luck with insurance paying for at least part of their TT or lift, etc...? If so, what plan and how did you approach it ? I have Aetna and they say it needs to be pre-certified first, which has me cautiously optimistic ???

I am wondering if anyone has had there Lap-Band done at a military treatment center and received a referral to plastics. I had my Lap-Band placed at Madigan Army Medical Center January 2008. I have had a referral to plastics before but due to my husband deploying, and having no-one to help me I had to decline the surgery. Well my husband is due home from deployment this Sept. and I am going in to talk to my surgeon Aug. 18 for a referral to plastics again. I know I will accepted, but my question is, has anyone had their TT done by a Army plastic surgeon? I want to know if the procedure is as good as if I went to a private practice and paid out of pocket. I am ready to th…

I had my banding done in November 2009, down 100 pounds< still have about 30 pounds to goal. I have been working my ass off in the gym,literally!:thumbup: My belly looks gross- all jelly and floppy but the whole idea of the panniculectomy and tummy tuck scares the crap out of me. I would not be able to do it until at least February because off my job and time off. I know I could really use it but it seems like such a risk. Need some encouragement and positive stories- just thinking about the huge incisions and the risk for infection and the pain, I am backing out of even the consultation.

Two years ago I had to have abdominal scar tissue removed from my hysterectomy that was 3 years ago. The pain I felt was intense, sharp stabbing pain. It took exploratory surgery for them to even see I had this scar tissue. This surgery was the reason I had the band done, because my surgical wounds wouldnt heal properly because "you have a VERY deep abdomen." I took that for doctor speak for you're fat. Which I was... Anyways, now I am feeling relatively the same pain, but not so sharp or intense. So I went to my PCM, as its too low in the abdomen for it to be the band. She thinks the pain is coming from the ugly pannus I now have after losing 95 lbs. Unfortunate…

what country will have your cosmetic surgery? do you already know what doctor?

Does anyone have a problem with their belly button??? I had an issue with mine since surgery and losing the weight my belly button closes up so it is infected. I went to the family doctor and she sent me to toher doctors, which I ended up at a plastic surgeon. Two things they could have done. 1. tummy tuck 2. cut along the belly button and open it up well of course INS would not pay for it. Saying not medical. It is medical if I wanted plastic surgery I would have had it after my third child was born and she is 22 years old. it has to do with my belly button and an infection. Ugh this drives me nuts. I have to keep going back and forth with the doctors until the…

Well i am 6 days post verical tummy tuck. I am fininaly starting to feel a little better. Everything went wonderful. No complications. The Dr removed 7lbs of skin. They binded me up in this binder of death it was so dam tight i could hardly breath and it made me black and blue form my breasts to my hips i wasn't aloud to take it off or shower until i seen the dr monday. It was a rough 4 days waiting to see what my bellie looked like. Well i went to the Dr's monday and the took all the bandages off it was so scary. It looked wonderful i almost cryied to see my bellie with no fat rolls for the first time in my life it was amazing (i been obese since i was a kid). …

If I got a tummy tuck and went back to work 3 days post op? See I want a tummy tuck ( thought I could get away without getting one) and my doc agrees I should have one. Only problem is, I must basically be dying to get time off work. I have always had all my surgeries on a Saturday and go back to work on the Monday ( band in, out, in, and many lipo sessions). I have seem to grow almost immune to the pain from lipo ( only need pain killers once right after waking up from surgery). I know everyone is different and every surgery is different but for those who have had a tummy tuck could you handle sitting at a desk for 6 hours ( standing on and off for the other 2 ho…

A week from today I will have my Rhinoplasty and chin implant. It's kindof a weight loss reward (I've lost 70 lbs now, 20 to go). I have always had this bus on my face and my other features are small so I'm hoping it turns out well. I'll let you know. When I'm down the last 20 lbs I'll start saving for the tummy tuck 'cause boy, will I need it. Between being fat and having twins (15 lbs of babies, mind you) my stomach just hangs there. Is there anyone else out there who has had other facial ps for a weight loss reward?

Hello, My surgeon informed me that I can now consider having some work done. I'm looking to have a mini tummy tuck and breast augmentation (the girls look like tube socks w/ golf balls in them) - not a pretty sight. Anyway, I'm looking for recommendations from people that have had their surgeries done. I have appts w/ 2 surgeons in September; however, I'd really feel more comfortable going to someone that folks on the forum have good things to say about. Bad experiences are welcomed too as I'll know to stay away. Thanks in advance.

Hi there, thanks in advance for looking at my question. I am wondering if there is such a surgery as a calf lift? I'm almost at goal and going for brachioplasty and breast augmentation next month. I carried a LOT of weight on my legs/calves and developed a lot of stretch marks on the backs of my calves. I have floppy calves now, just like my arms! If there is such a surgery, what does it entail and what kind of scars are involved? Thank you!

Is anyone on the public medical card?? Is it possible for them to pay for tummy tucks???

Hello, everyone, just wanted to update everyone on my tt and lipo. Well, I got back last night and I'm really exhausted. The whole thing was really hard, it is quite uncomfortable. The tt itself didn't hurt and doesn't hurt, its all really numb. The all over lipo is what I'm sore from and was even more just out of surgery. I went into the surgical room at 10:30 am to get drawn on and prepped and at about noon I went into surgery. It was a really long surgery, I didn't get out until about 7 or 8 pm. The doctor says that the body liposculpting is time consuming as he has to hit all the fat deposits on the body. I mean everywhere. Arms, upper and lower back, the side…

I am starting to think about the next step in plastic surgery for me. I have lost 184 pounds, want to lose another ~50 to get me around 200 pounds before I go under the knife again. I say "again" because I had a panniculectomy about 100 pounds ago. My pannus was such a problem that I had it removed when I was only partially down, knowing that I would still need a full lower body lift when I get to goal weight. Now looking at my body, I know I will need a lower body lift, inner thigh lift, breast lift with probable implants, and possible brachioplasty. And lipo in various spots for sure. I know this is two operations, possibly three. So since I know it will be compl…

Ok I am hoping I am not totally dense to ask this but how many of you if you pick up your bottom stomach roll have a line that looks like it is a tummy tuck scar already? Does that go away with the weight loss or always there

My insurance will pay for the Panno, but I think I will want to have the full abdominoplasty. This is will be over a year from now, but I'm trying to get an idea of costs.

I have my first appointment for a consult on June 19th, 2009. That is one day before my one year bandiversary! What an amazing year it has been! I can't believe I lost the 135 pounds in less than a year and now I am heading to flatlands! I am hoping to get a lower body lift with a breast lift/ possible implants. I will post pictures along my journey. Please keep me in your prayers and any advice or tips would be greatly appreciated! I could not have lost this weight without the help of my fellow lap banders, so many of you have inspired me!

Directed to those of you who were able to get your insurance to pay for PS: what kind of hoops did you have to jump through? I get the rashes and have been to several drs so there is a paper trail. Was it harder for you to get the approval for PS then it was to get the band? I'm wondering...thanks for your help!:biggrin:

I'm looking for PS in Connecticut. I've been referred to some by my BS, but I would prefer to hear from patients. Let me know? Thanks! :thumbup: