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Excess Skin Removal with Tri-Care



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Alright so Ive lost 124 pounds, Im below my goal weight, and now Ive got all this excess skin just about everywhere you can imagine,I have a huge pannus, and carry a lot of skin above the belly button too. my PcM sent me to a plastic surgeon for my initial consult last week. He was such a d-bag, he kept taking out his phone and looking at it, and wouldnt listen to a thing I had to say. I have googled and researched skin removal with tri-care until ive been blue in the face and its 50/50 about the skin removal.Quite a few forums i came across are from woman that had WLS and Tri-care approved them for a full abdominalplasty. Have any of you been dealt with this issue, and how did you go about getting it aprroved. My WLS Surgeon and my PCM both say it is medically Necssary, but the plastic surgeon didnt even want to try and get it approved.

(btw I am going for more of the excess skin removed without the muscles being tightened from upper and lower) Also I have really bad infections on my thighs.

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Do you have to stay with this surgeon? If he's not listening to you now, I'd be concerned we won't work to give you as close to the results you want as possible. For the price I'm paying now (and what I'm planning to get done in the future) I interviewed 8 surgeons before I committed. Cosmetic surgery may be routine for some people, but it's not for me. I waited to find a Dr that gave me "warm-fuzzies", listened and answered all of my crazy questions, and a front staff who was attentive and followed-up. I have surgery scheduled 8/27, so we'll see if my patience paid off!

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I agree. Don't go with a surgeon you don't feel comfortable with. Sounds like you would qualify for a panniculectomy covered by insurance. Keep looking for a doctor that will work with you and your insurance company, and that you feel comfortable with.

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Alright so Ive lost 124 pounds' date=' Im below my goal weight, and now Ive got all this excess skin just about everywhere you can imagine,I have a huge pannus, and carry a lot of skin above the belly button too. my PcM sent me to a plastic surgeon for my initial consult last week. He was such a d-bag, he kept taking out his phone and looking at it, and wouldnt listen to a thing I had to say. I have googled and researched skin removal with tri-care until ive been blue in the face and its 50/50 about the skin removal.Quite a few forums i came across are from woman that had WLS and Tri-care approved them for a full abdominalplasty. Have any of you been dealt with this issue, and how did you go about getting it aprroved. My WLS Surgeon and my PCM both say it is medically Necssary, but the plastic surgeon didnt even want to try and get it approved.

(btw I am going for more of the excess skin removed without the muscles being tightened from upper and lower) Also I have really bad infections on my thighs.[/quote']

Sounds like you should see another surgeon. Its so important that you have someone who is genuinely concerned for your wellbeing and who wants the very best for you. This guy sounds like a rude, unprofessional a##hole and I certainly wouldn't feel that I could trust him. You deserve so much better xx

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I'm wondering what response you got after this. I had a panni done through tricare in May, and it was completely covered. As long as you have lost 100 lbs, it's considered medically necessary. Right now I am trying to talk tricare into covering my arms and thighs (they say they won't...). I was approved for a breast lift, but tricare doesn't cover the implant I might need (there's barely any breast left). DM me if you'd like.

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Any update? Tricare standard here would love feed back

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I'm wondering what response you got after this. I had a panni done through tricare in May, and it was completely covered. As long as you have lost 100 lbs, it's considered medically necessary. Right now I am trying to talk tricare into covering my arms and thighs (they say they won't...). I was approved for a breast lift, but tricare doesn't cover the implant I might need (there's barely any breast left). DM me if you'd like.

really? as long as 100 pounds loss? this gives me hope..

can you tell me the steps you used to have this done...documentation you did/needed....i have tricare prime north

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panniculectomy is what u need to do a search on i read most insurance will cover this. Panniculectomy is a body contouring surgical procedure that removes hanging fat and skin, typically after massive weight loss. It may be performed as a standalone procedure or combined with a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty).

Panniculectomy candidates may have recently experienced significant weight loss after bariatric surgery to treat obesity or a post-pregnancy complication resulting in inordinate amounts of fat below the belly button.

Candidates may have fat extending as low as their knees, over their hips, genitals and around their back. This hanging pannus can cause a host of health issues including back problems, the breakdown of skin, rashes, ulcers, or skin disorders. These conditions may interfere with everyday life, and walking, standing, or sitting may become difficult.

Ideal panniculectomy candidates should be at a stable weight for at least one year.

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
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      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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