Now that it's less than a month away, I wanted to start a thread where I post all of my experiences regarding my upcoming plastic surgery. I loved watching Telly and Puddin's journeys and I thought I'd enjoy sharing mine with others as well.

The background is that I'm 5'2, 34 years old, no pregnancies. I've lost 150 lbs in 10 months and would like to lose 40 more. I carried 100 lbs of my excess weight for a long time, given my age -- at least 15 years. The other 100, I gained in the last 6 years upon entering the workforce. I've lost weight successfully twice before being banded -- once on NutriSystem (about 60 lbs) and once on Optifast (about 90 lbs), but was unsuccessful at keeping it off.

Though under ideal circumstances I would wait until I actually hit goal to consider my major plastics, three factors have encouraged me to go ahead with surgery on March 28th. First, I'm changing jobs and have the unique ability to take the month of April off. I won't have this kind of flexibility again for several years and it's a "now or never" kind of thing. Second, both my band doctor and my plastic surgeon are on board and don't think I need to wait. I have substantial excess skin in the stomach and breasts and the whole team thinks the majority of my remaining excess weight is in the lower body (hips & thighs). Finally, my father is my plastic surgeon, so cost issues should I need a revision later for losing additional weight are less of a concern that they would be were I paying surgical fees. Thus, March 28th it is!

I had my "consult" with my dad last week and we decided on what will likely be the procedures (he's still thinking it over before deciding for sure). At Christmas, we had tentatively decided on a breast lift and a mini-abdominoplasty (where just the excess from below the belly button is removed). Now, we've decided on a larger operation because I've managed to lose quite a bit more weight between Christmas and now and he thinks I'm close enough to goal to go for a more aggressive result.

So, I'm having a breast lift for sure. As for the stomach and thighs, he's going to do what he calls an extended tummy tuck. This is a complete tummy tuck (i.e. both above and below the belly button), but the incision will extend around the thighs, akin to a LBL, to take out some skin and fat from the outer thighs. It won't go around 360 degrees like a true LBL because I don't have much excess in the back -- it's a bit of a hybrid. Plus, since I haven't had children and I've been working out consistently for several years, I don't require the muscle repair that often goes along with a tummy tuck -- just the skin and fat ressection. This should make the recovery a bit easier.

As far as preparations go, I've bought my plane ticket (I live in NYC and my parents are down south). I'm staying home for at least 3 weeks before returning to NYC -- longer if necessary. I rented a hospital bed to help with getting up and down and keeping the legs raised. My step-mother is a nurse and she'll be staying with me for about 10 days post-op, and, of course my Dad will be home in the evenings/on the weekends. I have bought all of the seasons of the TV show "24" to keep me company in the early days. I got a wireless card for my laptop so I can use it from any room. I have a shower chair but no raised toilet seat. Dad said without the muscle repair, I'll be moving around fairly well pretty quickly. I'm spending one night in the hospital.

That's it for now. As things develop, I will post again. For those ahead of me in the journey, if I've neglected any preparations, please let me know!

Thanks for the clarification, Julie I understand now.

I don't suppose you have pictures of how the actual TT incision is looking?

Thanks for the clarification, Julie I understand now.

I don't suppose you have pictures of how the actual TT incision is looking?

Argon,

Take a look at the first picture on page 11. I had pulled down the side of my underwear so you could see the incision in that one. It's no big deal at all. I thought it would be much worse.

ooooh yes, I can't believe I missed those pictures. I did actually TRY to search before I asked! It looks really good.

I take it your port scar used to be ABOVE your belly button? How much higher was it?

What's your dad's take on getting TT's done before getting to your goal weight? Obviously, he thinks it's fine, since he did do it. But does he feel that another 30lb loss won't make a substantial enough difference in.. I dunno, "skin looseness"?

How is it better for your butt/thighs to be done at goal?

And is this thighplasty going to be able to lift your inner thighs too?

Just thought of something, if when it comes time to do your thighs, the weightloss between now and then has made a difference and you want your stomach tightened up, he could just do it then, right?

hehe, sorry for all the questions!

Julie: It's a deal then! I'm exicted. Thanks for the meal ideas. The calories seem a little low for all the exercise you're doing, but who can argue with sucess!? I never thought of combining the cottage and Fiber One. That sounds like a good plan. I'll keep you posted on my progress. Good luck!

I take it your port scar used to be ABOVE your belly button? How much higher was it?

What's your dad's take on getting TT's done before getting to your goal weight? Obviously, he thinks it's fine, since he did do it. But does he feel that another 30lb loss won't make a substantial enough difference in.. I dunno, "skin looseness"?

How is it better for your butt/thighs to be done at goal?

And is this thighplasty going to be able to lift your inner thighs too?

Just thought of something, if when it comes time to do your thighs, the weightloss between now and then has made a difference and you want your stomach tightened up, he could just do it then, right?

Yes, my port scar used to be above my belly button about half way between my ribcage and my belly button. It moved down about 5 or 6 inches. Now I want a low profile port but I don't want the added scar so I'm not sure what I'll do. I should have had it put in when I had the TT but I was chicken. My uncle's actually a bariatric surgeon and offered to do it while I was under, but I just didn't want to mess with it -- mostly meaning my fill level. I wound up needing an unfill later anyway, so in retrospect, I'd have had it done. Live and learn.

Dad was fine with doing the TT 30 lbs before goal -- actually it was more like 50 lbs before goal because he cut off 12 lbs, I've lost a little more since then and sitting here today I'm 30 lbs from goal. His view was that for patients who are paying and are going for a one shot deal, wait to goal to get the best results. For me, I knew I'd be having revisions anyway at some point. Plus I really wanted the pannus off right then. I was really, really sick of it, even if it meant having a looser end result. For my DAD (as opposed to my surgeon), I think he thinks I'm going to have children anyway and he'll be doing it all over again anyway, so a few more lbs lost isn't causing another surgery. Of course, I'm not at all sure I'm going to have kids, but I think that's his view.

It was better for MY butt/thighs to be done at goal -- that's not the case for everyone. My stomach was pretty much done and just hanging skin even 20 lbs ago. But, my thighs still carry a lot of fat. That's where most of my remaining 30 lbs is. It's like how many surgeons will do a BL with 30 lbs to go but want you to be within 15 for the TT. Most women lose in the upper body first. Hips and thighs are the last to slim on many, me included.

The thighplasty doesn't do the inner thighs at all. That'll be done in a separate surgery, if I decide to do it. I definitely need it cosmetically, but it doesn't really affect clothes like the outer thighs do. I'm a clothes horse, so I care more about that than I do about looking perfect naked. It's a good thing because I'll never be a swimsuit model....

Nite.

Pacomomma,

How are you feeling after your 5/21 panniculectomy?

The calories seem a little low for all the exercise you're doing, but who can argue with sucess!?

I used to fight with my nutritionist (the one through my surgeon) about this -- I thought it was low too. She convinced me that as long as I met my nutritional goals, which was 45 grams of protein, 5 fruits and veggies, that I had "plenty in storage" and should eat as low cal as possible to burn the most energy (i.e. fat) as quickly as possible. She really thinks 800 cals/day is sufficient for someone my size. She doesn't believe in the concept of starvation mode (I'm sure you know, it's quite controversial in the nutrition community). So I fought it for a while, then gave in and did things her way. And, I lost as quickly as one could expect, so -- for my body at least -- she was right.

I think everyone's body is different and you have to do what feels right for you. I've only rarely been physically hungry while banded, though as my running miles increase, I'm prepared for this to change....

I'd never heard that starvation mode was a controversial subject. I just believed what I was told. Interesting. While I wonder why the body has plaltueaus? Just to readjust? I am aback on track after the last 2 weeks of hit and miss. It feels good. I'm about to go and exercise. Talk with you soon.

OK, so as great as the TT/BL are, living with the thighs/rear end has really become onerous. I can't WAIT to have them done in December. Boy I wish I could find the time off work before then, but I just can't make it happen. My rear end sag actually touches the back of my thighs. YUCK. Can't wait for that to be gone.

My stomach has gotten a little looser with the added weight loss. Waiting to goal would have been ideal in terms of the best result in a "one time" procedure, but I still am super glad I went ahead with the pannus removal when I did.

OK, so as great as the TT/BL are, living with the thighs/rear end has really become onerous. I can't WAIT to have them done in December. Boy I wish I could find the time off work before then, but I just can't make it happen. My rear end sag actually touches the back of my thighs. YUCK. Can't wait for that to be gone.

My stomach has gotten a little looser with the added weight loss. Waiting to goal would have been ideal in terms of the best result in a "one time" procedure, but I still am super glad I went ahead with the pannus removal when I did.

Julie, it's good to hear from you. I sympathize with the butt thing. I have a definite crease where the back of the thighs meet the butt, although "crease" is an understatement. I tend to sweat a lot there, too, which makes it twice as worse to deal with. I still have at least 30 lbs to go before I can do plastic surgery, and looking back at your pictures makes me more anxious than ever. How do your scars look now?

The scars are healing nicely. You can hardly see the ones on the breasts (you'd have to be in full light to even know they were there). The TT scar is definitely visible, but it doesn't bother me at all. It looks a thousand times better than the pannus did. I'll take an update pic soon.

Hey Julie!

I just saw that you hit your 163 milestone. Congratulations! That's AWESOME!!!!

Happy summer!

Thought I'd give yall a photo update since there are so many of you about to have TT/BL. These were taken a couple of days ago, right at the 5 month mark. I'm pleased with the scars, particularly on th breasts -- they don't bother me at all. The TT scar will pretty much get opened up again for the thigh lift I'm having in November, so it'll get to heal all over again. Oddly, the heaviest marks are still from the compression garment (high stomach)! I'm promised they'll fade completely in time, but that it takes about 10 months. It's weird -- it's not a scar at all, just some discoloration from where the garment was too tight.

Anyway, I guess I got less modest along the way, given the "real" shots. Guess you can also tell why I'm so excited to have my thigh lift and finally get this body in proportion!

WOW girl you are looking awsome!!! Congratulations!!

Julie you are looking AWESOME! :clap2:

I am so jealous of you upcoming thigh lift.:heh:

I want to do that SOOO Bad but the PS's around here are quoting nearly as much for it as my tummy tuck. There is just no way I can afford that so I'm hoping to just learn to live with mine as is.:drama: