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KarenLR75

Gastric Bypass Patients
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  1. Like
    KarenLR75 reacted to catwoman7 in Tummy Tuck in Chicago   
    I had one of my consultations with Dr. Shifrin. He's very well-known, that's probably why his prices are a little higher. Although Chicago prices in general are going to run high. I had the full lower body lift and none of my three consults would do more than that in one surgery. There are a lot of surgeons who don't like having patients under anesthesia for more than six hours, and you can't really do both a lower body lift and something else in that amount of time (I figured a Tummy Tuck wouldn't take as long as a lower body lift, since with the latter they do front and back, but i think my LBL was also about four hours). I had my breast and arm lift in a second surgery, and then about 18 months ago (long after my other surgeries) I had a face and neck lift by a different surgeon (one who specializes in facial plastic surgery)
    P.S. I also didn't like the fact that Dr. Shifrin did his surgeries in his office suite - or one other place in the area (can't remember where it was - somewhere in the Loop, though). He said I could stay at the hotel across the street (I was an out-of-town patient), but I really wanted to be monitored that first night, *just in case* something happened. That was the deal breaker for me.
  2. Like
    KarenLR75 reacted to gwoodgm in Anyone have plastics in Dallas-Fort Worth area   
    I've met with Christopher Patronella MD in Houston. He was highly recommended. I'm scheduled with him this fall for bilateral arm lift.
  3. Hugs
    KarenLR75 got a reaction from summerseeker in Anyone have plastics in Dallas-Fort Worth area   
    Looking preferably for someone in the DFW area, but will travel farther if I need to (i.e. Austin or Houston). Looking for surgery on upper arms, a breast lift
    Unsure if I want anything inserted into my breasts like implants but also not sure if a lift will look good without putting something back into the deflated balloons that are my chest now. My upper arms and chest (and all the loose skin that flows out from under my bra, from the sides of any bra I've tried, etc.) are the things that bother me the most.
    I've always thought I probably couldn't handle (pain-wise) getting my abdominal area done but obviously there is PLENTY of loose skin there and I wouldn't mind having my mons...looking better. I just need some names/referrals so I can start shopping and I don't know if my priorities might change based on costs and whichever doctor I end up selecting.
    I've tried just general Google searches but honestly I don't trust them and asking on local Facebook groups is not the same as talking with people who may have used doctors somewhere I can get to...and you have all been on the journey of losing a large amount of weight and the issues that came with that so I would prefer to have a surgeon who has a lot of experience with operating on people who have lost a great deal of weight which is the main reason behind their Quest for surgery.
    Ugh..just got diagnosed with COVID so apologies in advance if I didn't string together coherent questions....


  4. Hugs
    KarenLR75 got a reaction from summerseeker in Anyone have plastics in Dallas-Fort Worth area   
    Looking preferably for someone in the DFW area, but will travel farther if I need to (i.e. Austin or Houston). Looking for surgery on upper arms, a breast lift
    Unsure if I want anything inserted into my breasts like implants but also not sure if a lift will look good without putting something back into the deflated balloons that are my chest now. My upper arms and chest (and all the loose skin that flows out from under my bra, from the sides of any bra I've tried, etc.) are the things that bother me the most.
    I've always thought I probably couldn't handle (pain-wise) getting my abdominal area done but obviously there is PLENTY of loose skin there and I wouldn't mind having my mons...looking better. I just need some names/referrals so I can start shopping and I don't know if my priorities might change based on costs and whichever doctor I end up selecting.
    I've tried just general Google searches but honestly I don't trust them and asking on local Facebook groups is not the same as talking with people who may have used doctors somewhere I can get to...and you have all been on the journey of losing a large amount of weight and the issues that came with that so I would prefer to have a surgeon who has a lot of experience with operating on people who have lost a great deal of weight which is the main reason behind their Quest for surgery.
    Ugh..just got diagnosed with COVID so apologies in advance if I didn't string together coherent questions....


  5. Like
    KarenLR75 reacted to catwoman7 in Best Time to Have a Panni   
    many surgeons recommend you wait a year after hitting your goal weight to be sure your weight is stable. A 10 to 20 lb gain after you hit your lowest weight is unfortunately VERY common - it usually occurs during year 3. And a gain of more than 10 or 15 lbs can affect your surgery results.
    some insurance companies don't cover plastic surgery at all (mine did not). Some will cover it if you have some medical issue with it that doesn't respond to traditional treatment - like a chronic rash. So if you have those kinds of issues, see a doctor because you'll need the documentation to submit to the insurance company.
    I had my surgery with Lawrence Zachary, who's on the faculty at the Univ of Chicago - but he does his self-pay surgeries at Weiss on the north side. He specializes in plastic surgery for massive weight loss patients and is nationally known, so he is pricey. Dave Shifrin (in the Loop) doesn't specialize in it, but he's done a TON of PS for massive weight loss patients and is also nationally known (and also pretty pricey). I had a consult with him as well. I also had a consult with Daniel Krochmal. Not well-known nationally although he had some pretty impressive fellowships (he's younger with not as many years under his belt) - I liked him as well but decided to go with Zachary due to his reputation and many years of experience.
    there are lots of surgeons in Chicago - so set up 3-5 consults as you may get different ideas from different surgeons. I definitely wanted someone who either specialized in it or has done a boatload of them.
    realself.com is a good resource for creating your list of people to consult with...
  6. Like
    KarenLR75 reacted to Kris77 in Recommendations for surgeons near Austin, TX?   
    Dr Mahlon Kerr is in Austin. I’m very happy with my results. I got a breast lift and Aug w TT. PM me if you want
    Now you’re not going to get in next week or in the next couple months with anyone. Takes time. Consultation and then booking your procedure out.
    Def don’t book with a surgeon who can get you in that quickly. Most good ones are busy.
  7. Like
    KarenLR75 reacted to kristieshannon in Plastic surgery pricing and insurance   
    If you do look in to Miami, make sure you do your research. There are super cheap, high volume places that have high complication rates. I chose a surgeon that was on the higher end cost wise for that area but has a private practice and an excellent safety record.
  8. Like
    KarenLR75 reacted to kristieshannon in Plastic surgery pricing and insurance   
    I didn’t bother. My insurance required a year of documentation of failed treatment for infections under my hanging belly skin. Then they pay only for a panniculectomy (no muscle repair). I had a Tummy Tuck, arm lift, and breast lift/augmentation in Miami in January and paid $16,000. Prices vary wildly around the country. I would have paid $30,000-$40,000 for the same surgery in Seattle.
  9. Thanks
    KarenLR75 got a reaction from Bee kami in Regain 4 Years out   
    YES
  10. Like
    KarenLR75 reacted to kcuster83 in 3 years POST OP bypass, had gallbladder removed and still in pain   
    Sorry you are going through all of this. I hope they figure it out and get it resolved soon.
    Wishing you the best.
  11. Like
    KarenLR75 reacted to Bettyboop56 in 3 years POST OP bypass, had gallbladder removed and still in pain   
    I had my gall bladder removed years before bypass. My Surgery was extended as my rotted gallbladder ate my bile ducts so they gad to create and replace them. I don't remember much pain after 10 days. Maybe you should make a visit to the surgeon or at least family doctor.
  12. Like
    KarenLR75 reacted to St77 in 3 years POST OP bypass, had gallbladder removed and still in pain   
    I had my gallbladder out 17 years ago, a month after my daughter was born and I still experience pain like that. I call it the phantom gallbladder and one GI doctor said that I wasn't wrong.
    After I had my weight loss surgery I mentioned the pain to my surgeon and she said it's possible there could be something wrong with the sphincter.

  13. Like
    KarenLR75 reacted to Arabesque in 3 years POST OP bypass, had gallbladder removed and still in pain   
    Go back to the surgeon who removed your gall or back to emergency sooner rather than later. You shouldn’t still be experiencing pain & the other symptoms three weeks out. I wonder if you may have an infection.
    I had my sleeve surgery about 2 months before you had your bypass. I had my gall removed in June 2021 so 2 yrs later. Gall stones are pretty common after weight loss. I’m surprised no one picked it up or explored the possibility more deeply sooner & you had to experience gall attacks for so long. They picked up my single gall stone about 8 months after my sleeve during a ultra sound of my liver to check it was okay. I had no symptoms. When I had my first attack (yes, it was horrendous too) I I knew what it likely was. Saw my GP, got a referral back to my bariatric surgeon & he removed my gall about 2 weeks after that first attack. Yes the recovery was a little worse than my sleeve but not much - had gas pain which I didn’t with my sleeve & a little more general discomfort for a week or so. I wonder if your surgery & recovery has been longer & more arduous because your gall wasn’t in the best way (lots of inflammation, the adherences, etc.) But definitely seek medical advice.

  14. Like
    KarenLR75 reacted to SleeverSk in 3 years POST OP bypass, had gallbladder removed and still in pain   
    I was going to say the same thing in fact I will, go back to the ER and or the surgeon who did the surgery sounds like you have an infection and that is serious





  15. Like
    KarenLR75 reacted to Smanky in 3 years POST OP bypass, had gallbladder removed and still in pain   
    Have you had an MRI of the area? I would honestly make enough noise that your doctor has a second look. Sometimes you really need to stress to them that you are truly in considerable pain - and that your medical history will prove you're not a hypochondriac or opioid addict.
    I haven't had exactly what you describe, but I will say that with my own experience, gallbladders and their removal aren't simple or even cure the issue. I had my gallbladder removed in 2015, years before my WLS. I had a terrible gallstone attack that landed me in ER. Since then, I have had, on and off, gallstone-like attacks despite no longer having a gallbladder. Same sensation. Same building pressure that can bad enough that I have to lie down and just groan the pain out (I live in fear of it happening while driving). I get very sore right under my right rib where my liver is. Then it goes away again within a few minutes, sometimes less, depending on the severity. My gallbladder surgeon was also my WLS surgeon, so I've been able to tell him about it the last couple of times I've seen him. We're keeping an eye on it, and if it gets worse we'll have to talk options, however he's warned me that the "cure" can sometimes cause even worse issues, so I'm unlikely to choose a surgical fix. Apparently what I have can happen - sorry I don't recall the details (I was talking to him right before he did a gastroscopy on me so I was dopey), but from memory, some people can continue to have "attacks" because of new issues with the bile duct leading from the liver.
    Anyway, that's a long winded way of saying "chase this up because post-gallbladder-removal issues absolutely happen".
  16. Like
    KarenLR75 got a reaction from GreenTealael in July 2019 Surgery Siblings Post-Op   
    Haven't been doing well the past 5 weeks..no weight loss. Letting calories sneak in during the day. COVID is driving me nuts especially with a spouse home 24/7 eating carbs and many trigger foods that they used to not eat in front of me. Getting back to business as I still have so much to lose. Down 175 lbs from highest weight ever but lost 60 lbs of that in 3 years doing Keto off and on before surgery. My 1 year 'anniversary' was yesterday (7/25) so from the date of surgery I lost 115 lbs. If I had stayed on track, that # could easily have been 10 lbs more but that is not something I can stay hung up on.
  17. Like
    KarenLR75 got a reaction from GreenTealael in July 2019 Surgery Siblings Post-Op   
    Haven't been doing well the past 5 weeks..no weight loss. Letting calories sneak in during the day. COVID is driving me nuts especially with a spouse home 24/7 eating carbs and many trigger foods that they used to not eat in front of me. Getting back to business as I still have so much to lose. Down 175 lbs from highest weight ever but lost 60 lbs of that in 3 years doing Keto off and on before surgery. My 1 year 'anniversary' was yesterday (7/25) so from the date of surgery I lost 115 lbs. If I had stayed on track, that # could easily have been 10 lbs more but that is not something I can stay hung up on.
  18. Like
    KarenLR75 got a reaction from GreenTealael in July 2019 Surgery Siblings Post-Op   
    Haven't been doing well the past 5 weeks..no weight loss. Letting calories sneak in during the day. COVID is driving me nuts especially with a spouse home 24/7 eating carbs and many trigger foods that they used to not eat in front of me. Getting back to business as I still have so much to lose. Down 175 lbs from highest weight ever but lost 60 lbs of that in 3 years doing Keto off and on before surgery. My 1 year 'anniversary' was yesterday (7/25) so from the date of surgery I lost 115 lbs. If I had stayed on track, that # could easily have been 10 lbs more but that is not something I can stay hung up on.
  19. Congrats!
    KarenLR75 reacted to Goldn02Grl in July 2019 Surgery Siblings Post-Op   
    I’m doing great! Down 115.. eating a little more since I’m exercising.. biking 8-10 miles and Zumba! Down from 20 to an 8... healthy eating

  20. Congrats!
    KarenLR75 reacted to aiclark1 in July 2019 Surgery Siblings Post-Op   
    Yesterday marked my 1 yr anniversary post OP gastric sleeve surgery.

    Congratulations to you to

    Sent from my SM-G955U using BariatricPal mobile app


  21. Like
    KarenLR75 reacted to JAKE H in July 2019 Surgery Siblings Post-Op   
    How are my july siblings doing? were all coming up on a year. i hope everyone is killing it!!
  22. Like
    KarenLR75 reacted to GreenTealael in July 2019 Surgery Siblings Post-Op   
    Woah, I just realized it's almost a year since my conversion to RNY 😳
  23. Like
    KarenLR75 got a reaction from Heather13 in Week 3-4 food suggestions or recipes   
    Usually searches by phase and//or stage should yield some helpful results like search for 'soft food phase', 'pureed food phase',, etc.
  24. Like
    KarenLR75 reacted to Sammi_Katt in Regrets?   
    My only regret is that I can't chug Water anymore lol. I miss getting a gallon down in like... five hours. I struggle to get 60 ounces in some days, but it's definitely getting easier.
    Also, same as everyone else, I regret not getting it done sooner, even with my complications.
  25. Like
    KarenLR75 reacted to rosey1115 in Regrets?   
    @angiebear yea that’s what I need to keep telling myself. Thanks for your encouraging words. Glad I’m not in this alone

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