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Not Sure If I Should Have Skin Removal



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I'm struggling to decide if I want to move forward with a panniculectomy or not. I am having issues with the excess skin, which I was well before even considering WLS. I have had 3 c-sections and carried twins in the last pregnancy so I am sure you can imagine the state of my stomach.

My surgeon has been trying to find a way to get the insurance to cover it yet they would not, even though long ago I had been approved for it and had been a wait list which some random idiot dr pulled me from the list :/ And a friend with NO issues from her small amount of excess skin was recently approved and had her surgery two weeks later on the same insurance. Ugh!

So anyways, my surgeon called the other day to discuss all my issues lately and said he actually found something in my medical record that can likely get the skin removal approved.

The problem? Well now I am having serious issues with my husband and I do not think we will make it out of this mess. So of course I start thinking that I would like to have more kids some day, something I have always wanted but he had a vasectomy after the twins against my will. So here I am in my 20s still and thinking what if our marriage doesn't make it and what if I find some guy crazy enough to take in a woman with all these kids that wants more kids?! Then of course I think, what guy would want to see all this loose skin either. I do have a friend who had a Tummy Tuck and a year later got pregnant but do I really want to undergo this surgery to have my stomach possibly destroyed again a few years down the line?!

AHHHH! And I'm on a time limit now too before this insurance ends....so any opinions? What would you all do? Thanks in advance ladies.

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I would go for the panni. I would do it as soon as possible before your insurance runs out or you wind up divorced, etc. I hope you can make your marriage work out of course, I dont mean to sound like that. I just think you should seize the moment. If later on in life you have more kids, then great! You can deal with any issues that come from that then. I would not base my decision on what ifs. I would do what I need to do for me and do it now. lol. I have been following you on you tube and on here and I wonder how you are doing. Are you getting better now? Have you lost anymore weight? What did your surgeon say after the tests? I hope they find your problem so you can stabilize and be happy. becky.gif

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You know, you are right. I need to stop looking so far into the future. It's been such a long road to get to here and I need to just do what I need to do and really I want a normal body.

My weight has stabilized, thank the Lord! I am still really struggling to get in liquids and food, but I'm forcing myself to get in what I can even though it's quite uncomfortable. I don't even get to see my surgeon til the end of NEXT week so I am still left with no answers :/ I just wish they would hurry up and tell me what is up so I can get over these issues and stop being so uncomfortable. Stupidly I decided to try kickboxing last night, I was in such a bad mood I just needed to beat the snot out of something ;) Well I paid for it and my sleeve was furious and I ended up in pain soooo no more kickboxing till this gets figured out ;) Thanks for asking!

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I can completely relate to what you are saying about the excess skin, except, I am only almost 3 weeks out. I have three kids, all c-section also with one pregnancy being twins. So I compltely understand. I am much older though. I won't impart advice on you because you have to live your life for you. What I will say is this...you never know what is going to happen 10 or 20 years from now. You only have today,

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I agree with Forensikchic - don't put a paid for surgery off on the possibility of having kids with your mythical perhaps next husband. We obese people have put our lives on hold so often, waiting for that perfect future. Well, there is no guarantee that tomorrow will come - perfect or not. Make today as wonderful as you can. Carpe Diem!

Good Luck with the marriage and with your decision.

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My niece had a panni and then got pregnant with her daughter--her stomach is actually really flat a year and a bit post-baby, so the tightening seems to have held up fine. I say go for the surgery, if it's something you feel strongly about. No need to borrow worries about the future just yet. Good luck with everything.

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You can get the panni without the actual Tummy Tuck. The tummy tuck is what gets destroyed in pregnancy because the muscles get pulled apart again. But the panni is just skin removal.

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I too have had 3 pregnancies with the last one being twins-I carried my twin girls to full term,they were 7 lbs each!! LOL! They did such a number on my belly. I am almost 3 weeks out,have lost 30 lbs total pre and post op and I have like 98 more to go! I am soooo afraid of loose skin. I would go ahead with the panni removal. Good luck with your marriage,I really hope yall are able to work through it. (HUGS)

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Well I thought I would give an update on this. SOOOO...things are 10000000% better with my husband. It took a lot of counseling and a lot of tears with our Pastor and his wife but our marriage is in a place it has never been in the last 10 years. Amazing how God can work even the worst situations out for His glory. We have quite the testimony of what He has done for us now :)

SO that also means I am moving forward with the gut tuck!! We were able to get my insurance to cover it and surgery is next week. THank you all for the encouragement!

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Congratulations!

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yay for you! so glad to hear it. Hope your surgery goes smoothly. Tammi

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Great news Sasicas, I wish you the very very best!! Please be sure to share your photos on here! I'm starting to get really interested in the idea of skin removal. It won't be for a long time, but there's nothing like planning ahead. :)

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I'm happy to see I'm not the only one who is thinking about this and is struggling with this. I'm going to be 25 and I'm happy with the way I look but I always keep thinking ugh if this skin only wasn't here. I will have to admit I did get very very lucky and the extra skin isn't terrible. Good luck with your decision and do what makes YOU happy

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Thanks ladies. I am at the nervous yet excited stage and just trying to prep myself for yet another surgery. All my preop stuff is done except my lab work. THe skin just drives me batty and I knew deep down it had to go one way or another. I will definitely share pics and I am sure I will post a few vids on my youtube channel too.

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Well ladies, it's done! I had my panniculectomy on Monday and got home yesterday. Most people stay a day but of course I had to be difficult haha. I ended up with the scar from hip to hip and up to the belly button. It sure isn't pretty but I am just glad the skin is gone. if you all are interested I have the link to my youtube channel in my signature and I just posted a video showing what my stomach looks like now.

Thank you all for being so encouraging!

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