Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery

2,848 topics in this forum

How long after banding did you wait to get cosmetic surgery. I am down about 80 pounds and am starting to think about cosmetic surgery for next year. I had my lap band surgery on Nov. 18 so it has only been 4 months. I know this is still very early and I am not considering doing anything now. I am positive i am at least going to need the panniculectomy and probably abdominoplasty. I am thinking Feb. would be a good time, the kids will be off from school and it shouldn't be difficult for me to tke vacation from work. That would be a year and 3 months since banding. Does that sound about right?? What was the recovery like, for those that have had it? I think I am mor…

where is your port? Is that where is was placed by your band Dr? if you have had your PS already, how bad does it show? If you haven't had surgery, do you plan to have it replaced with a low profile port, or have it moved? If you are having it moved, where is it being moved to? if you are having it moved, were you told it would NOT show in the new spot? I'm so afraid mine will show if i leave it, but i don't know where i should have it placed that it won't show. also, my band Dr. really doesn't want the PS to move it for risk of infection. I REALLY trust my PS that he would be very careful, and i know he has done this before. I'm just not sure of where he wa…

Anyone had the new laser technique? what is the down time? How about pain level? Are you statisfied with the results?

I've had my plastic surgery scheduled for a month or so now, with a date of 2/15 for a lower body lift, lap band port replacement to the low profile port, breast lift with replacement of my existing implants, and medial thigh lift. Everything is set and paid for. I have the dogs scheduled to be boarded for a few days, hubby has made arrangements at work to be home, I have a lift chair on order, etc. Weeks ago, when I first set the surgery, I asked about the port, because I knew there would be an additional charge for the port itself. But, I didn't get an answer at that time. So, I sent another letter yesterday asking about the port. Well, lo and behold, I get a phone c…

Hi Everybody- I can’t believe I am actually here! I am gearing up to get my tummy tuck after my weight loss. I write a blog called ‘I really want a cookie’ (I wonder how I got so large in the first place?) I like to blog. I was thinking that I would join the masses and blog about my tummy tuck on youtube. With the help of my family and friends we are going to do our best to make a ‘blog-umentary’ that captures a lot more than what you normally find on youtube currently. I want to give people a true look at the whole experience from the lead up, the beginning, the middle, and the follow-up. I want to leave no stone unturned. As it stands now I am three weeks …

Ok just got the call. Insurance approved my surgery!YEAH!:wub: I am scheduled for May 5th. TT,lipo and arms. so excited!!:tongue2:

Hi guys! Did anyone use a wedge pillow after TT? If so how big was it? I have seen 7in and 12 in. Was it useful or waste of money? Also, what did you wear at home during recovery? Thanks for any insight!

The plastic surgeon has told me to get one of these for the surgery... I am having a Breast Reduction and Brachioplasty... Hafta order this from www.esshop.co.uk The catalogue number is B943. Hopes pic shows... Ooh - Looks lovely - LOL Have had to contact the web-site about the sizing. As I have no idea which one to get (lol) http://www.esshop.co.uk/downloads/size_chart.pdf It says to go via Under Bust size and arm size... But I am in two sizes then (Small and Medium) No Idea which one to get... Under Bust I am 29.5 inches On Bust at the moment I am 36.5 inches (Will be smaller tho after but no idea how much as having reduction) On Biceps I am 1…

Hello Everyone. I am having a TT in May. I am sure if I should get defilled or not before surgery. Does anyone have any advice or can share their experience with defilling or not defilling the band. thanks

I believe your procedure is also referred to as an anchor incision and Shalee04 had it, I think, and is thrilled with the results. She posted that the central incision basically disappeared and she has a great figure. I can see where that procedure would give an hourglass figure compared to a plain TT. Please keep posting about your journey. Mimi

I babysit my niece. How long after tt and arm surgery before i can lift a baby. She is 1 year old?

I am curious.... I am getting a full TT in May and was wondering how much the excess skin that is removed would weigh. For those that have had a TT, how much did your weight change preop to post op? thanks

Does anyone know if the PS do anything with the port or tubing at the time of surgery with a tummy tuck? Is it moved? Has anyone had less than satisfactory results because their surgeon doesn't dissect up to the port? Is your port more visible after a TT? thanks T

So I already had lipo on my stomach but now I am considering getting lipo on other parts of my body. I was just wondering what the recovery time is for people who gets lipo on their arms and legs. I know lipo isn't a permanent thing but I like my results from my stomach so it got me thinking of getting more.

I had a tummy tuck and lift on Dec 17th, I am healing quickly and feel great, except that my band has gotten extremely tight, almost to the point where I can't keep liquids down some days. I did have a slight unfill before my surgery, but my band Dr. didn't want to take all the Fluid out. Has anyone else experienced a very tight band after TT surgery? Thanks !

Hi LAP-BAND® friends. I am happy to report that I got approved by my Aetna insurance for my breast reductionn and lift surgery and it will be on April 22. Apologize in advance for a VERY Long post here but doing this so those who consider Plastic Surgery post WLS will learn from my experience. Sorry to say I had a totally different experience with my 2nd opinion surgery consult I went to who is the primary plastic surgeon the hospital where I had my bariatric surgery. It was a very easy decision to choose Dr #1 for me and I felt the relationship and comfort I had in who my plastic surgeon is was critical as well as their skill. Surgeon #1 experience: Scheduled …

Will plastic surgery have to happen medically? My Ins. will only pay for things that are needed for health reasons.

Well, I finally did it. After months of mulling it over I went for my PS consultation. I am definitly doing this! I worked so hard over the past year I think I owe it to myself to see this weight loss journey through. I am waiting for the insurance approval right now. So many emotions: SCARED TO DEATH:scared2: Excited, anxious and nervous! Hopefully by mid April there will be a new flablessness me!

Hopefully people can post pictures of their tummy tuck scars and overall results of the tummy tuck. This will be very helpful for those who are looking into getting a tummy tuck. It will give us an idea of what to expect months or years after surgery. The name and location of the doctor would also be wonderful to help us in making the decision. Thanks! Cynthia

w/implants (if that even makes a difference) what did your Dr. have you wear and for how long? I'm going to need new bras after surgery, and i want to have at least 2 purchased before hand so i don't have to go out shopping right away. right now i'm in a 36 C but was measured and told i should wear a 34 C. I had too much 'skin' hanging out so i got a 36 C and have to wear it on the tightest hook. I'm probably going to be a 34 D after surgery, so the bras i have now aren't going to work. They are also underwire. Does your Dr's say no underwire? only sports bra? (if sports bra, what kind? the uniboob kind or can it have cups, just no underwire?) and for h…

I'm waiting for an approval from UHC for a panniculectomy. I have lost 67LBS down from 283,. had my band on Feb 2 2010. Hate this excess skin, the rash's and the cuts kill me. Has anyone had this done and are there pictures? I was told the a tummy tuck wouldn't be covered but this will. :smile2:

I'm not sure about the best place to post this, so cosmetic/reconsturctive surgery it is. Has anyone had any type of treatment on their face to get rid of or minimize sun damage spots and/or wrinkles? Laser treatment? chemical peel? ............... If so, did it work? Does it hurt? Do you have to hide for a week?

After losing 110# and being not too far from where I'd like to be (about 210-220#, where my body weight was stable during one of the more active periods of my life), I'm strongly considering PS (thigh, panni, chest -- maybe the full LBL). I'm curious about how much tissue is typically removed during these procedures. I've seen anywhere between 10-20#, but no comment on how much weight the patient had lost before plastic surgery. This would help me gauge when I should bother going in for a consult. Also, how dramatic a change in waist/hips size did this incur? Would I need to immediately buy new pants, or would cinching my belt a little more be adequate?

I can’t believe I am posting here.:w00t: When I started this journey I didn’t think that I would be getting an extended tummy tuck. I thought I would lose weight, and I would be done, but now I want more…okay really I want less. (No more muffin top.)When I started out I had this vision of becoming 140 pounds, and a size 10, but in reality for the last year my body has been perfectly happy at 168. I have exercised, tried South Beach, and I even went vegan! But nothing and I mean nothing seems to budge my scale. (I tried to return my scale thinking it must be broken, but since it was four years old, and my excuse was what it was; the store didn’t go for it.) After one …

Hi everyone, I haven't been here in a long time but wanted to reconnect with you guys :scared2: I'm getting ready to finish my journey. I'm getting cosmetic surgery in 5 weeks. I can't wrap my head around it. I've wanted this for so long, but yet, having the band for 5 years, I seem to be doing everything in my power to sabotage myself from being lean. My band is leaking - we think it's the port - and there have been a lot of bumps along the way that has stalled, reversed, and slowed down my weight loss. I'm not mad about it; my journey has been unique. I can't even begin to describe the things I have learned about myself. It all unfolded the way it should have, I s…

Just wanted to share my before and after pics of my Tummy tuck and Breast Augmentation that was done on November 19, 2009 and my thigh lift which was done on January 18, 2010. My surgery was done by Dr. Passaretti out of Darien, CT.

I just saw my lap band doctor last week and he referred me to the PS. I been having really bad rashs in my belly button and under my belly. I have a really bad panni i have always had it and since loosing 85lbs it is so bad it hangs below my pubic area (completely covering). The lap band doctor told me that i really need to have this taken care of because of the infections that i keep getting. I have to wear shapwear everday just to hide it. I am very lucky that my insurance does list a abdominoplasty as a covered procedure i just have to prove that i have rashs (which won't be hard to do). But i keep hearing from everyone that i should wait till i get to goal and i shoul…

I called and got the information so I can move forward with the consult (the plastic surgeon). Anyone have Oxford that was approved for the panniculectomy? My insurance company said it's a case-by-case thing and if the dr's feel it's medically necessary they just get a pre-auth.

The other day I got my band removed because of erosion and my doctor did some lipo while I was under. I was just wondering what after care advice other people were given. Of course I follow my doctors orders but all doctors are different so I think it is good to hear others experiences and what they did after having some lipo.

for those of you who had tummy and breast done at the same time.... when did your surgeon say you could start exercising (even just stretching, walking, light weights, etc) when did you FEEL like exercising, and when did you really get back into it? Thanks!

I have c-section and hysterectomy incision scars and have developed a hernia. I intend to have a tummy tuck after weight loss so my question is should I repair the hernia now or wait and have them done together. My weight loss is slow so the tummy tuck is probably a year out. Incidently, the hernia surgery is already scheduled but I'm all for canceling.

I’m Sandi. I was banded almost 6 years ago and have lost 250 lbs. I love Banded Living. Needless to say I was left with a lot of excess skin, so I chose to have plastic surgery, and I’ve been really happy with the results. I’ve had a lower body lift, breast lift and augmentation, and had the batwings under my arms removed. I’m glad I did my homework before surgery. Here are the 7 things, I learned about plastic surgery after weight loss surgery: 1. Interview several doctors 2. Easy access to your surgeon is important for follow up care. 3. Experience with weight loss surgery patients is critical. 4. You must be totally comfortable with this doctor. 5. Let yo…

Hi, I havent posted in a long time but I wanted everyones advice, I am interested in finding out information on permanent makeup, I dont wear alot of make but pencil eyeliner and lip gloss but I wanted to get my eyes done permanently so I only have to wear lip gloss. Can anyone tell me their experince with this, did you like it? Would you do it again if you could? Where did you go? (I am in Lakewood, California) Please I really want to find out peoples experience about this topic. By the way I restarted my weight loss after about of year of being off the wagon and gaining 15 pounds, I already lost 5 and its been only 3 weeks, I went back to the gym and I am getting…

Hi All, I posted back in the fall and was scheduled for a lower body lift. It was cancelled because of low hemoglobin. It has been re-scheduled to Jan 18th. I have had a lot of trouble with my hemoglobin and so far have received 10 IV iron infusions, 2- B12 shots and now for this last week before surgery they will do 3 IV infusions, 2 EPO shots and another B12 shot. I wont know definetley if it's a go till Friday the 15th and surgery is on Monday the 18th. What an emotional roller coaster it has been. I feel great and have never been healthier....but for some reason my hemoglobin goes up and then sinks. I have had all kinds of fun tests and so far everything checks out w…

Hi all: I am 5+ years post-op lapband and have had some "work" done after losing 250 pounds. I am extremely happy with my plastic surgery results. I spent alot of time researching and visiting doctors and thought some of you might be interested in just how this process went for me. Take a look at this week's blog entry about my first experience with a plastic surgeon after losing all of my weight. You can find it at: http://sandisbandedliving.com/maintaining-003-lap-band%C2%AE-support-group-has-plastic-surgeon-as-speaker/ Please let me know what you think.

I went to a my doctor today for a routine fill and he began feelin around my hips and upper thighs. He said, "I can feel your bone". He said that he thinks I'm ready for abdominoplasty. I was like (because I couldn't beleive what I was hearing) "how much more weight do you think I need to lose?". He said, I think you're ready now. At the most maybe another 20 lbs, but I really think you're ready now. I was shocked. I was banded a year ago (2/13/09) and have only lost just over 65lbs (I was hoping to have lost closer to 100). Does this sound right? A abdominoplasty at 300 lbs? Really? Has anyone ever heard of this? I would think it would look weird. I have another 100+ lbs…

Wow... I can hardly believe I've made it this far. Tomorrow is my first appointment with the Plastic Surgeon, where I get to ask about possibilities and pathways. I'm nowhere near goal yet, but I can see it in the distance and believe that will get there one day, and I want to start planning for it now. I still have well over 15kg to lose but I'm on a roll at the moment and feeling confident that it will happen. The boob job is a given - I've lost so much weight off my chest that the girls haven't just gone south, they've migrated to Antarctica. They'll need the full reconstruction treatment - lifted back up and filled out again. Of all the weight I've lost, the only …

I was banded 2 years ago. I began my weight loss journey with a BMI of 44, now it is 25. I have the worlds worst case of jelly belly and I am about to have an inverted T abdominoplasty where the surgeon will slit me open from my breastbone to my C-section scar and pull all the lose skin inwards and remove the exxcess, then re-open the c-section scar and pull the excess skin down and remove the excess stuff. The surgeon thinks this will give me a better contour than a simple apronectomy or tummy tuck (please God). My reason for posting is to ask if anyone else has undergone this procedure - everyone says plastic surgery is very painful and I'm a bit nervous (but not nerv…

Hi.... Can anyone recommend somehting to help me firm up saggy skin besides having plastic surgery.... I have lost 102 pounds so far (6 more to go) and I work out 5 days a week, 3 days doing cardio and 2 days circuit training. Has anyone had success with any particular exercise program to firm up that loose shar pei type skin? Thanks!

My mentor and friend Sandi and I recently started blogging about our experiences as long-term successful Lap-Band® patients. Sandi who has been maintaining a 250 lb weight loss with the help of her Lap-Band®, (yes, you read that correctly, 250 lbs lost, and maintaining) is writing about her experiences with plastic surgery. These are her tips for anyone considering plastic surgery after weight loss surgery. 1. Interview several doctors. You have to know what the possibilities are before you can make a selection that works for you. 2. Access is important - you will need follow up care for drain removal, etc. so you need to know before surgery how you will han…

Happy New Year to everyone! I have just read about certain herbal supplements that can be a danger to the older adult, if he or she is taking prescribed medications. I, for one, take certain supplements on a daily basis, but I do not take prescribed medications. Click on the link and see what you think? http://www.examiner.com/x-3788-Norfo...al-supplements

I know it is better than nothing; especially in a disaster where there is no place to cook. The World food Programme is a very good organization of the UN that is a first responder. I was watching a program of what's happening in Haiti. I'm impressed at how the WPF gets simple food to the people. They showed a package of energy bisquits that a person could survive on with only one package daily. Of course, this is an intervention until more food can come. Here are the ingredients. Quote: What are they? Wheat-based biscuits which provide 450kcal with a minimum of 10 grams and max of 15 grams of Protein per 100 grams, fortified in Vitamin and miner…

What would be a good multi mineral supplement? And do minerals need to be chelated or not to be good?

Six years ago, my doctor asked me if I wanted to live or die. I was termed “morbid obesity”. I decided that I wanted to live. I was over 300 pounds, had high blood pressure and could not walk without breathing like a freight train. I had tried all the diets and had lost some weight and put more back on. My entire adult life has been a roller coaster of gaining and losing weight. I did every fad or commercial diet that came down the road. I was able to lose over 100 pounds in the past at two different points in my life. But I just couldn’t keep the weight off. After a number of years, my health was really starting to suffer. In October, 2004, I finally hit my highest wei…

I just found out I need to have a hysterectomy due to a fibroid tumor that is prolapsing through my cervix. I asked my gynecologist if he had ever had a patient who had both procedures combined and he said that he had and they had good results. He coordinates with the plastic surgeon and as long as there are no complications (such as excessive bleeding) everything should go well. I was just wondering if anyone had ever had both procedures performed at the same time? I know this would save on the cost of the tummy tuck since you would already be covering the anesthesia and OR costs with the hysterectomy, not to mention only going through recovery for one surgery instead…

I had lap-band surgery in October, 2007. It took some time (and lot’s of effort), but I managed to lose 110 lbs. Like many of you, I was thrilled with the weight loss, but, very uncomfortable in my own (sagging) skin. Specifically, my breasts. After losing the weight, my breasts were elongated, droopy and resembled deflated balloons. Very unattractive, to say the least. I’ve always had large breasts, no matter what the scale reflected. I decided to have breast reduction surgery, and started searching for a surgeon. My criteria was quite simple; must be board certified in Plastic Surgery, close to my home, easy to talk to (not all “doctor-ish”), and perhaps mos…

The 1st PS said, I need Tummy Tuck and Arm Lift. The 2nd PS said I need Belt Tummy Tuck, partial arm lift and partial inner thighs lift. I have my 3rd consult next month and if he said something different, how do I know what I really need? Thanks,

I just went to consult with another doctor this week. Remember the first one that refused to answer my questions and made me feel rushed. Well, this one is totally different. He took time talking to me and listened to what I need and gave his opinion. Well, the first one said I need tummy tuck and arm lift. This NEW doctor said tummy tuck alone with yield bad results on me because I have a lot of skins on my hips. He said I need belt tummy tuck (when they cut you all around). He also said I need a little tuck for my inner thighs and a mini arm lift (doe not cut long to elbow). He also said to do the tummy and legs first then come back in 6 months an do the arms. …

anyone have a list of things they made sure to have for after surgery? things you forgot or realized you needed? things you wish you would have had, or things that would have worked/helped? things you did to prepare for being out of it and out of comission for a few weeks? I have a lot to do/get toghether/work out having 4 kids, 2 of which are toddlers. (i have no family close to me) I have to figure out when/where the littles ones will go. how to get the others to school. how i will manage to not pick up the little ones after i'm able to do more (one is still in a baby bed).... i want to be very prepared so that very little comes up unexpected. I do my groc…

Last night, we looked at JCPenny's for some thing for me to wear after surgery and the days after that would be comfortable, easy to get on, and have pockets for my drains. we found these : spa robes that are regular $36 for $8.49! i got three of them! I'm short so they fit me past my knees and i bought a medium to allow for my compression garments and swelling. we had looked at walmart and just the lightest and not so flattering moomoos were $8...and the spa robes are really nice, good material, look comfy and i would actually wear after! just thought i'd share.:biggrin: