hadouni

It's been six days since my panniculectomy and belly button fix and I got my drains and stitches out! The surgeon was impressed with how well it's progressing and with how good the results are. I go back in a week to check in. I'm so glad I did this for myself!

It's been six days since my panniculectomy and belly button fix and I got my drains and stitches out! The surgeon was impressed with how well it's progressing and with how good the results are. I go back in a week to check in. I'm so glad I did this for myself!

It's been six days since my panniculectomy and belly button fix and I got my drains and stitches out! The surgeon was impressed with how well it's progressing and with how good the results are. I go back in a week to check in. I'm so glad I did this for myself!

The check-up this morning went great. Dr Askren was pleased with the surgery and I think it looks amazing. I got to see my belly button. Lots of stitches there but it looks good. I was trying to find a couple scars from my sleeve surgery to see how far things moved down. I still have a few stretch marks down low but they're way down. I'm totally thrilled so far!
I go back on Monday to have the stitches and hopefully the drains removed!
I really agonized about the ab stitching and I think I made the right decision for me. I'm happy I skipped that part of it.
Thanks for listening!

Hi All- had my panicectomy and belly button fix this morning and I'm resting comfortably at a hotel. I have an 8am check-in tomorrow before going home. I skipped the ab plication and am happy I did! I feel really good- much better than I expected. They removed the catheter before I woke up. My drains come out at each end of the incision. I was expecting them to be around the pubis and I'm happy they didn't make extra holes for them.
Dr. Carl Askren in Fresno is amazing!

I had a consult in late October. I met Dr Askren in the summer when I went with a friend for a mastectomy reconstruction consult. I really liked him. I contacted my sleeve surgeon for a plastics recommendation and Dr Askren was on the short list.
There was a big delay after the consult. I called a couple times and left messages. I finally called and said I was coming in and would like to talk to someone. It turned out the delay was having the Dr's recorded notes transcribed. That was a little frustrating but I got in to see the office manager who is AWESOME. I explained if I didn't get in with enough time to heal and help my friend after her masectomy in mid-February, I'd have to wait at least six months. She got me in on a cancellation. Otherwise, I would have been looking at late January or even later. I got totally lucky!
My next round of luck was getting insurance to cover the panniculectomy. I had to fill out a form on why I wanted to have a Tummy Tuck and I made it ALL about the rashes and problems I had from my flap and listed all the things I used to battle the rashes. Several were prescriptions I had from other things. I only talked to my WLS surgeon's people about it. I didn't bring it up with my PCP who I rarely see. So again, Dr Askren's office worked their magic with the insurance!
He would have preferred to do the ab plication as well but I didn't want it.
Oh, and it took me over two months just to get the consult. He's in high demand.
The without insurance quote was for $8200. With insurance the full quote was $4370. I believe it will come down about $1500 because I skipped the plication. I have to pay for the belly button fix as that is cosmetic.

Just got home today from my panni.. I no longer have a belly button LOL pain is tolerable as long as your getting a good amount of MEDS every few hours! I had morophine every hour.. Came Home with oral Hicet.. Works awesome! Surgery was at 1:00 Friday ( 2.5 hours then 2 hours in recovery) Home in my own bed tonight ( Sunday ) so far NO regrets! Love the binder and I thought it would of made me nuts...????????????

I had a consult in late October. I met Dr Askren in the summer when I went with a friend for a mastectomy reconstruction consult. I really liked him. I contacted my sleeve surgeon for a plastics recommendation and Dr Askren was on the short list.
There was a big delay after the consult. I called a couple times and left messages. I finally called and said I was coming in and would like to talk to someone. It turned out the delay was having the Dr's recorded notes transcribed. That was a little frustrating but I got in to see the office manager who is AWESOME. I explained if I didn't get in with enough time to heal and help my friend after her masectomy in mid-February, I'd have to wait at least six months. She got me in on a cancellation. Otherwise, I would have been looking at late January or even later. I got totally lucky!
My next round of luck was getting insurance to cover the panniculectomy. I had to fill out a form on why I wanted to have a Tummy Tuck and I made it ALL about the rashes and problems I had from my flap and listed all the things I used to battle the rashes. Several were prescriptions I had from other things. I only talked to my WLS surgeon's people about it. I didn't bring it up with my PCP who I rarely see. So again, Dr Askren's office worked their magic with the insurance!
He would have preferred to do the ab plication as well but I didn't want it.
Oh, and it took me over two months just to get the consult. He's in high demand.
The without insurance quote was for $8200. With insurance the full quote was $4370. I believe it will come down about $1500 because I skipped the plication. I have to pay for the belly button fix as that is cosmetic.

good to hear all went great! I had a gf had a Tummy Tuck about 4 yrs ago she had her drains in for 6 wks are you? I would think so. or is this differant then a tummy tuck? rest easy..

Well congrats! Good to hear your comfortable!

Hi All- had my panicectomy and belly button fix this morning and I'm resting comfortably at a hotel. I have an 8am check-in tomorrow before going home. I skipped the ab plication and am happy I did! I feel really good- much better than I expected. They removed the catheter before I woke up. My drains come out at each end of the incision. I was expecting them to be around the pubis and I'm happy they didn't make extra holes for them.
Dr. Carl Askren in Fresno is amazing!

Hi All- had my panicectomy and belly button fix this morning and I'm resting comfortably at a hotel. I have an 8am check-in tomorrow before going home. I skipped the ab plication and am happy I did! I feel really good- much better than I expected. They removed the catheter before I woke up. My drains come out at each end of the incision. I was expecting them to be around the pubis and I'm happy they didn't make extra holes for them.
Dr. Carl Askren in Fresno is amazing!

I had an abdominoplasty, which is similar to the panniculectomy. My catheter was removed before I left thank goodness and those drains are such a pain in the butt. I didn't really need anything as mine was also an outpatient procedure. I also had my boobs done, so not sure if there is an issue with a bra if you only have the stomach portion fixed. I would wear a sports bra, just because for me it's way more comfortable. I also always wear sweats, a t-shirt or tank top, and then a zip up warm sweater over top, just because it's easier to get into after surgery, and for some reason I'm always cold after surgery.
As for the underwear, this is a trick. I didn't wear them coming home because it was just one more thing to annoy me and to try to get into and you're all wrapped up in gauze anyway. If you do want to wear them though, it won't hurt either way.
They put the drains in a position where two of them come out of your mons area and they stitch a little piece of skin to a knot around the drain tube so it doesn't fall out. That stupid suture annoyed me more than anything else. I resolved the issue by cutting my suture and using tape and gauze to keep the drain tubes in place. It hurt MUCH less and it worked just as well. I wore a compression garment that had straps that went over my shoulders- it looks like a jazzercise suit with zippers up the side and runs from your knees like bike shorts to just below your rib cage. I slid the drains out the pee-hole (because that is totally worthless to pee out of, you just have to take it all off) and then I wore a pair of tight shorts over top of the compression garment which kept my tubes nicely in place and prevented them from swaying around at all. During my first time with drains I wore them in a necklace around my neck, the second time I just tucked them into my shorts and that worked fine. Also, good trick, if you don't want to cut the sutures like I did and be creative with gauze and tape, at least slide a piece of gauze under the tube where the stitch is so that there is a separation between your skin and the suture attached to the tube and then tape it in place. I swear, that tiny sticking and pulling of the suture when you have drains is worse than the stomach part and the gauze between the suture and your skin is a nice way to make it more comfy.
So, after surgery you will be able to dress yourself into any loose clothing you want. You are not only massively doped up on pain drugs but you're largely oblivious to the world, so basic functions like getting dressed you sort of do on autopilot, like a clutzy two year old. They also help you so you don't trip over a pant leg and fall on your face. So, whatever is most comfortable and loose for you is the best idea. Also, wear dark clothes, sometimes you ooze goo for a few hours afterard.
Good luck!

Hi!
I'm not a guy but I'm almost three years out from my sleeve and the only thing I regret is that I let my regular Dr. talk me out of doing it a year earlier. Other than having my son, this is the best thing that I've done for myself.
The only hard thing for me this far out is dealing with other people's judgement of how I eat. I don't tell many people that I had WLS and it's hard for people who don't know to accept how much I eat at a sitting. If pressed I say that I lost a lot of weight and did it by carefully managing how much I ate more so than what I ate and that I generally avoided starches, but people still judge and/or question.
We are a food based entertainment culture in the USA. You will possibly miss being able to pig-out with everyone else but more than likely you'll be so happy to be healthier that it will be worth skipping the pig-out fests!

Hi!
I'm not a guy but I'm almost three years out from my sleeve and the only thing I regret is that I let my regular Dr. talk me out of doing it a year earlier. Other than having my son, this is the best thing that I've done for myself.
The only hard thing for me this far out is dealing with other people's judgement of how I eat. I don't tell many people that I had WLS and it's hard for people who don't know to accept how much I eat at a sitting. If pressed I say that I lost a lot of weight and did it by carefully managing how much I ate more so than what I ate and that I generally avoided starches, but people still judge and/or question.
We are a food based entertainment culture in the USA. You will possibly miss being able to pig-out with everyone else but more than likely you'll be so happy to be healthier that it will be worth skipping the pig-out fests!

Hi!
I'm not a guy but I'm almost three years out from my sleeve and the only thing I regret is that I let my regular Dr. talk me out of doing it a year earlier. Other than having my son, this is the best thing that I've done for myself.
The only hard thing for me this far out is dealing with other people's judgement of how I eat. I don't tell many people that I had WLS and it's hard for people who don't know to accept how much I eat at a sitting. If pressed I say that I lost a lot of weight and did it by carefully managing how much I ate more so than what I ate and that I generally avoided starches, but people still judge and/or question.
We are a food based entertainment culture in the USA. You will possibly miss being able to pig-out with everyone else but more than likely you'll be so happy to be healthier that it will be worth skipping the pig-out fests!

MichiganChic- you look AMAZING. They did such a great job!
Ab plication is where they sew the abs together above and below the belly button. I'm probably not spelling it correctly. My understanding is that is how they tighten the abs when they are separated from being stretched open too much/long. Not as separated as a hernia but not as tight as they once were.

Sorry to hear about your discomfort but CONGRATULATIONS on getting it all done!
I'm going in on Tuesday for a panniculectomy and belly-button fix. I'm schedule to have ab plication but think I will skip that part and just do the panni & belly-button. I can't wait to get rid of the icky extra skin! Not looking forward to drains but I'm trying to convince myself it's a small price to pay for the end result!

Hi!
I'm not a guy but I'm almost three years out from my sleeve and the only thing I regret is that I let my regular Dr. talk me out of doing it a year earlier. Other than having my son, this is the best thing that I've done for myself.
The only hard thing for me this far out is dealing with other people's judgement of how I eat. I don't tell many people that I had WLS and it's hard for people who don't know to accept how much I eat at a sitting. If pressed I say that I lost a lot of weight and did it by carefully managing how much I ate more so than what I ate and that I generally avoided starches, but people still judge and/or question.
We are a food based entertainment culture in the USA. You will possibly miss being able to pig-out with everyone else but more than likely you'll be so happy to be healthier that it will be worth skipping the pig-out fests!

@@hadouni what's an ab plication? I didn't love the drains from my abdominplasty at all! I have them now in my groin (and they are inserted all the way into my knees!) but they don't bother me that much. Kind of dreading having them removed, though!
Yeah, I gotta say, my belly looks phenomenal. She did such a great job, I can't believe it! I can post a pic of that. This was at about 4 weeks post op, so still swollen. You are no doubt going to love it! Good luck, and let us know how it goes!

Hi!
I'm not a guy but I'm almost three years out from my sleeve and the only thing I regret is that I let my regular Dr. talk me out of doing it a year earlier. Other than having my son, this is the best thing that I've done for myself.
The only hard thing for me this far out is dealing with other people's judgement of how I eat. I don't tell many people that I had WLS and it's hard for people who don't know to accept how much I eat at a sitting. If pressed I say that I lost a lot of weight and did it by carefully managing how much I ate more so than what I ate and that I generally avoided starches, but people still judge and/or question.
We are a food based entertainment culture in the USA. You will possibly miss being able to pig-out with everyone else but more than likely you'll be so happy to be healthier that it will be worth skipping the pig-out fests!

Sorry to hear about your discomfort but CONGRATULATIONS on getting it all done!
I'm going in on Tuesday for a panniculectomy and belly-button fix. I'm schedule to have ab plication but think I will skip that part and just do the panni & belly-button. I can't wait to get rid of the icky extra skin! Not looking forward to drains but I'm trying to convince myself it's a small price to pay for the end result!

Sorry to hear about your discomfort but CONGRATULATIONS on getting it all done!
I'm going in on Tuesday for a panniculectomy and belly-button fix. I'm schedule to have ab plication but think I will skip that part and just do the panni & belly-button. I can't wait to get rid of the icky extra skin! Not looking forward to drains but I'm trying to convince myself it's a small price to pay for the end result!

I tend to find that there is a day or two during the growing out process that I do feel a little prickly but it passes quickly and does grow in softer and sparser. It's not that there's less hair it's just that some came out from the roots and take a little time to regenerate while hairs that break grow back faster.
It is nice and clean though. I've been doing it a long time so I find it to be worth the effort.

Started at 299 now 159 ..5'8