As @FluffyChix stated in the original thread:

Quote

Let's share all our sophomore experiences, our angst, our struggles, our suggestions--let's talk about life! Let's become friends! You can be on any kind of food plan, do any kind of exercise or not, be gay or straight, engage in cardio or not--you just have to be in the "tweener" stage post WLS.

Not a Newbie but not yet a Vet - Sophomores have different challenges and are coping with an awkward middle stage, so please only post if you've passed the six month post-surgery mark!

Just finished reading sophomoreville (train got stuck this morning so I had plenty of time to read that monster) and now this one. Thanks ladies for creating this awesome thread--it is really is needed for us inbetweeners.

Harking back to the plastics convo from the previous thread incarnation - I am going for two more consults today for the boobs and arms, so I will have info for all those impatient sophomores not wanting to wait. My first two were, um...disappointing. Yes, they are going to bring up that fact that they like to wait until your weight "stabilizes," but I was firm with #1 can't wait & #2 I gots the money! Then, they were all onboard.

And let me just add I am super jealous of the real vacay musings - with the littles our next trip is disney world in March ?. I will just have to live vicariously through all of you.

WElcome!!!

3 minutes ago, FluffyChix said:

How are you getting to Lauderdale?

We flew Jet Blue out of Austin last time and it was okay except spending ALL DAY (ship docks 0700) in the crazy pre Christmas Fort Lauderdale airport so I may look at other options or just spend another night in Ft. Lauderdale and leave the next AM. Only downfall of travel during the holidays but driving it would take 2 days and too much luggage to go on the bike?

40 minutes ago, FluffyChix said:

WElcome!!!

Thank you, thank you

1 hour ago, YeahOkay31 said:

I am going for two more consults today for the boobs and arms, so I will have info for all those impatient sophomores not wanting to wait.

Oh god, just record and transcribe the entire consult, because we are going to ask every question under the sun. I want to hear the rationale behind lift with implant versus lift without implant!

@YeahOkay31 Welcome!

Deal, we will tell you our vacay stories, and you tell us all about your plastic experiences!

Edited January 11, 20197 yr by sillykitty

1 hour ago, MIZ60 said:

We flew Jet Blue out of Austin last time and it was okay except spending ALL DAY (ship docks 0700) in the crazy pre Christmas Fort Lauderdale airport so I may look at other options or just spend another night in Ft. Lauderdale and leave the next AM. Only downfall of travel during the holidays but driving it would take 2 days and too much luggage to go on the bike?

Aren't you retired? What's 2 days there and 2 days back? It's a party on wheels of a roadtrip is what it is!!!

1 hour ago, MIZ60 said:

We flew Jet Blue out of Austin last time and it was okay except spending ALL DAY (ship docks 0700) in the crazy pre Christmas Fort Lauderdale airport so I may look at other options or just spend another night in Ft. Lauderdale and leave the next AM. Only downfall of travel during the holidays but driving it would take 2 days and too much luggage to go on the bike?

6 minutes ago, FluffyChix said:

Aren't you retired? What's 2 days there and 2 days back? It's a party on wheels of a roadtrip is what it is!!!

For some reason, I'm thinking about luxury cars this morning. Why not rent an exotic car for the trip - one way. Then rent another really nice car for the drive back?

Consult run down-

my 1st consults I am grouping as one - those were the Mexico ones, which are basically just virtual. Price for both surgeries was between 8-9.5K. Fam begged me not to go to Mexico then my cardiologist said I would come back in a box so they got nixed Right away. FYI, Idid get a quote from Bariatric Pal MX for all those curious. You never "converse" with the surgeon during the process (which is different from the other Mexico consults) and they didn't have any openings until September.

My second consult was probably the worst. Surgeon said with the amount of sag I have the implant would have to be done in a separate surgery- which was hard to hear. What was harder to hear was that I would end up part of the itty-bitty titty comittee. He said I would end up possibly a B cup. That is a no go, even for the 4 months in between surgeries. Plus how the hell are you gonna turn a 36DDD into a B. What type of hack job is that? Quote for that 19K.

On to today's consults (#3 & #4) first doctor was super personable. He said he'd have no issues doing the implant and lift at the same time. But it would need to be a small implant - with out the implant I would end up a large C but would not have that full round look on top. With implant, rounder, perkier. Arm lift, great candidate, easy-peasy. Scars with be long and knarly, with take a year to lighten. He said I would have drains in the arms for a week, no drains on the breasts. Cost for that 17,513.

Second consult of the day(#4 consult) was a bit more dicey. First off Doctor was a little surly (but f*cking handsome) and he had a similar take as the first of the American surgeons. Lift and implants at the same time were not a good idea. Why? Chance of revision would be high, symmetry would suffer, chance of necrosis of the nipple high. What I did like about him was the fact that he crinkled his nose when I said the other doc said I'd be a B. Worst case scenario, large C, probably a D. If they ended up a D, frankly I wouldn't go back for the implant. I might loose feeling in my nipples, yikes. Again, arms no biggy, great candidate. Cost 15,400. He said if I wanted the implant later for fullness on top, he would give me a steep discount.

Still two consults to go on January 28 and then I make my decision. Oh, and no one today said anything about it being too soon. So if you want plastics now, go!

Edited January 11, 20197 yr by YeahOkay31

9 hours ago, YeahOkay31 said:

Just finished reading sophomoreville (train got stuck this morning so I had plenty of time to read that monster) and now this one. Thanks ladies for creating this awesome thread--it is really is needed for us inbetweeners.

Harking back to the plastics convo from the previous thread incarnation - I am going for two more consults today for the boobs and arms, so I will have info for all those impatient sophomores not wanting to wait. My first two were, um...disappointing. Yes, they are going to bring up that fact that they like to wait until your weight "stabilizes," but I was firm with #1 can't wait & #2 I gots the money! Then, they were all onboard.

And let me just add I am super jealous of the real vacay musings - with the littles our next trip is disney world in March ?. I will just have to live vicariously through all of you.

Disneyland Paris ? Eh Eh????

On 1/11/2019 at 3:40 PM, YeahOkay31 said:

Consult run down-

my 1st consults I am grouping as one - those were the Mexico ones, which are basically just virtual. Price for both surgeries was between 8-9.5K. Fam begged me not to go to Mexico then my cardiologist said I would come back in a box so they got nixed Right away. FYI, Idid get a quote from Bariatric Pal MX for all those curious. You never "converse" with the surgeon during the process (which is different from the other Mexico consults) and they didn't have any openings until September.

My second consult was probably the worst. Surgeon said with the amount of sag I have the implant would have to be done in a separate surgery- which was hard to hear. What was harder to hear was that I would end up part of the itty-bitty titty comittee. He said I would end up possibly a B cup. That is a no go, even for the 4 months in between surgeries. Plus how the hell are you gonna turn a 36DDD into a B. What type of hack job is that? Quote for that 19K.

On to today's consults (#3 & #4) first doctor was super personable. He said he'd have no issues doing the implant and lift at the same time. But it would need to be a small implant - with out the implant I would end up a large C but would not have that full round look on top. With implant, rounder, perkier. arm lift, great candidate, easy-peasy. Scars with be long and knarly, with take a year to lighten. He said I would have drains in the arms for a week, no drains on the breasts. Cost for that 17,513.

Second consult of the day(#4 consult) was a bit more dicey. First off Doctor was a little surly (but f*cking handsome) and he had a similar take as the first of the American surgeons. Lift and implants at the same time were not a good idea. Why? Chance of revision would be high, symmetry would suffer, chance of necrosis of the nipple high. What I did like about him was the fact that he crinkled his nose when I said the other doc said I'd be a B. Worst case scenario, large C, probably a D. If they ended up a D, frankly I wouldn't go back for the implant. I might loose feeling in my nipples, yikes. Again, arms no biggy, great candidate. Cost 15,400. He said if I wanted the implant later for fullness on top, he would give me a steep discount.

Still two consults to go on January 28 and then I make my decision. Oh, and no one today said anything about it being too soon. So if you want plastics now, go!

Thanks so much for giving us the run down.

I have considered going to MX myself. It's just so close and easy, and would save so much $. I'm not too concerned abut the health risk. I'm more concerned about the quality of work. It doesn't make sense to save $10K if I hate my body, right?

I'm curious as to why they don't want to do lift and implant at the same time? That's like standard mommy makeover material. What are their reasons? Because you have a significant amount of breast tissue left?

It's good to know they are willing to do arms and breasts at the same time. I had read that there might be issues with skin being pulled different directions. In my fantasy world I get breasts, arms, tummy & thighs all done at the same time. But I'm pretty sure that isn't possible, or at least not with good results.

This info has great timing. I realized this weekend that the last 10 lbs or so I lost has all come from my breasts and butt. The bras I just bought a month ago now don't fit. I was previously happy with the look of my breasts, just missed the fullness. Now they have officially pancaked, it's not a good look.

I'm booked for surgery May 2nd at BariatricPal MX. Having 360 tummy tuck (lower body lift), male chest reduction, lipo on the love handles, and a Brazilian butt lift. Yes... A butt lift. I've quite literally "worked my ass off" over the past year. Price for everything is just under $12k and includes 7 nights at their hotel with 24/7 nursing care.

Edit: There is a private Facebook page for "Dr. Alejandro Galvez and BariatricPalMX" you can search for and join. Most of their patients post their journeys, before and afters, etc. It's been a huge help in socializing me to the process as well as getting my family comfortable with the idea of surgery in Mexico.

Edited January 14, 20197 yr by BlueCrush

2 minutes ago, BlueCrush said:

I'm booked for surgery May 2nd at BariatricPal MX. Having 360 Tummy Tuck (lower body lift), male chest reduction, Lipo on the love handles, and a Brazilian butt lift. Yes... A butt lift. I've quite literally "worked my ass off" over the past year. Price for everything is just under $12k and includes 7 nights at their hotel with 24/7 nursing care.

That is an incredible price! I'm anxious to hear about your experience and results.

On 1/14/2019 at 2:53 PM, sillykitty said:

I'm curious as to why they don't want to do lift and implant at the same time? That's like standard mommy makeover material. What are their reasons? Because you have a significant amount of breast tissue left?

It has to do with the amount of tissue loss and sag. At my largest i was a 40H. So going down 3 cupsizes, and going from a 50" chest to a 4 1" chest makes the lift they have to do more complex. Also I breast Fed two kids, and this is my second major weight loss (112 pounds in my early 20s). My skin has had it.

The good news is that they usually can do the lift and implant at the same time. I am just a special case.

I felt ok going to bariatric pal MX. The price was right, for sure. But my family just was not in board. And it felt really impersonal. As for their work I thought their tummy tuck looked on point with what you get in the states. The breast were...um, how do I put it it...a little porn star in appearance. ?

Saw this on "The Facebook" and wanted to share. For those who find themselves hungrier than normal and or craving at 6+ months out...Don't dispair. I swear this is true (at least for me). I find if I can bring my carbs back into balance then my cravings go almost completely away as my blood sugars/insulin stabilize!