I'm starting my plastics journey this week! Creating this thread as a place to gather my thoughts, and gather opinions as well.

My priorities

1&2 - Tummy & Boobs

3 - Thighs

4&5 - Butt & Arms

Specifics for each area

Tummy - low & thin scar, natural looking belly button, and lipo/conturing to narrow my waist as much as possible

Boobs - augmentation & lift, VERY important that my boobs look natural, thinking D cup with tear drop gummy bear implants

Thighs - do not want a full thigh lift with long scars, so only a crescent lift, or as part of a lower body lift

Butt - either a fat transfer (BBL) or buttock lift with a dermal fat flap as part of a lower body lift

Arms - do not want a full arm lift with long scars, so only a crescent lift

I reached out for consultations with 5 surgeons who specialize, or do a fair amount of surgeries on massive weight loss patients. I have #1 & #2 choices, and have consultations scheduled with both on Friday ? Interestingly neither of my top choices charge a consultation fee, but the three others do. I am seriously considering canceling my other consultations to see #1 & 2 first, before I invest up to $750 on consultation fees.

Anyone have opinions if I should just see #1 & #2 first, or is it worth the investment in consultation fees to have more surgeons quotes?

My #1 surgeon does lots of lower body lifts. I hadn't originally considered this because I'd rather not have the circumferential scar. But his results are amazing, and at least in the posted photos the scars are very thin. It may also be the only way I can get most of my wish list accomplished in one surgery. I have seen where he has done a lower body lift & a breast lift & augmentation in one surgery. That would only leave arms to tackle at some point later, if I still wanted them fixed.

Here's an example of the work of my #1 surgeon

Edited August 19, 20197 yr by sillykitty

3 hours ago, Darktowerdream said:

@sillykitty

here are some front zip post surgical bras, you can get 3 for as little as $20.99

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B078HMKSHV?ref=em_1p_2_ti&ref_=pe_3811160_448494540&th=1&psc=1

Thanks! Got them, arriving tomorrow!

Small update:

I'm within my 30 day to surgery window. I started all of the pre op testing required by both my surgeon and my pcp. Waiting for the blood work results for my pcp to sign off on my surgical release. Then later this week I have a mammogram. Assuming all turns out as expected, that should be it until surgery day!

As a side note ... I don't really have a PCP. I have one I chose for my insurance, but I have never seen her. I just don't have any health issues, and never have had a need to go. My chosen PCP was off the day of my appt, so I saw another physician in the office. He was pretty damn condescending about plastic surgery. He lectured me about having my health was the most important thing, and my skin "isn't very bad at all" Uhhh, thanks, but I'm the one having to live with it. He also disapproved of my using an out of state surgeon. So guess who's going to be selecting a new PCP? ?

2 hours ago, sillykitty said:

Small update:

I'm within my 30 day to surgery window. I started all of the pre op testing required by both my surgeon and my pcp. Waiting for the blood work results for my pcp to sign off on my surgical release. Then later this week I have a mammogram. Assuming all turns out as expected, that should be it until surgery day!

As a side note ... I don't really have a PCP. I have one I chose for my insurance, but I have never seen her. I just don't have any health issues, and never have had a need to go. My chosen PCP was off the day of my appt, so I saw another physician in the office. He was pretty damn condescending about plastic surgery. He lectured me about having my health was the most important thing, and my skin "isn't very bad at all" Uhhh, thanks, but I'm the one having to live with it. He also disapproved of my using an out of state surgeon. So guess who's going to be selecting a new PCP? ?

I have a PCP for the fact I have a bazillion medical conditions and she isn’t very understanding at all. She thinks she can play devils advocate about things like surgery. Like here I was trying to get answers and help for my weight to where I was at least 208lbs on the doctor office scale and BMI of 40 and she was like oh but you look fine, your weight is fine ... I has to take it into my own hands and find a endocrinologist after the first one I saw was basically an ass about the whole thing. It was the second doctor that finally listened and referred me to Cleveland clinic for bariatric surgery. But my PCP after having surgery and i saw her after her maternity leave , about some post op issues basically might as well have just said oh I told you so (not to have surgery) stuff happens and I knew I was at risk given my list of conditions. My point being we know better than some random doctor does and if we feel it’s the right thing it’s what we do. I didn’t even mention to her my recent surgery Which was also necessary. But she didn’t agree with me the first time I had it. And sometimes crap happens and you have to deal with another surgery.

my brain is scrambled. Sorry. Hopefully you can get what you need for your upcoming surgery out of this doctors office. Before you find a new doctor. They should be happy you are just there for pre op clearance and it’s not up to them to decide if you need the surgery or not or to say what they think is fine (insurance isn’t paying)

I have to jump through hoops for everything and get referrals for any test or doctor or surgery and the office I go to is terrible at getting these things going. I can’t even get the name and referral for a spine doctor. Would you believe she sent me to one knowing how bad the doctor was and when I tell her repeatedly she ignored me and then finally admitted oh he has a reputation. She gave me a whole speech of what she thinks I should do knowing I can’t do it (or should know)

It can be frustrating. But congrats on getting closer to surgery!

Edited November 12, 20196 yr by Darktowerdream

@sillykitty : So I had a pre-op appointment with my surgeon this afternoon and had asked him about butt lifts/lower body lifts (these last lost lbs had done some serious damage to my butt so I was getting some info). He had told me that he doesn't do circumferential LBLs for various reasons, his M.O. is to do the "front" and the "back" at different surgeries.

Is your LBL going to have the circumferential incision?

Yes, mine is going to be a circumferential lift. It seems to usually be done after massive weight loss, and by surgeons who specialize in such.

From my reading about LBL's vs tummy tucks, one of the main downsides of doing it as separate surgeries is it can create "dog ears" at the ends of the incision. It's due to tight skin meeting loose skin, and not laying flat.

Downside of butt lifts & LBL is it flattens the butt and raises the crack. Many surgeons counteract he flat butt affect with a BBL during the same surgery. My surgeon though doesn't believe in BBLs. I have butt implants on my potential wish list for next year, depending on exactly how pancake-y my butt turns out to be

Soooo exciting that your dates are coming soon.
I’m just now putting my big toe in the plastics pool. probably looking to start looking for docs to have consults with starting next February or March.
Has anyone really been able to agree on what the best timing is? I’m thinking at least one year PO, because even though I’m losing tiny amounts monthly compared to months past, the difference in “just” 5 pounds is startling....

4 hours ago, Sheribear68 said:

Soooo exciting that your dates are coming soon.
I’m just now putting my big toe in the plastics pool. probably looking to start looking for docs to have consults with starting next February or March.
Has anyone really been able to agree on what the best timing is? I’m thinking at least one year PO, because even though I’m losing tiny amounts monthly compared to months past, the difference in “just” 5 pounds is startling....

a lot of plastic surgeons want you at a stable weight for at least a year. I had my first round of plastic surgery at three years out, after I had my 12-lb "rebound".

I already want my thighs done. My weight has gone down and I’m 10lbs from my second goal. But think For my height I’d like to reach around 110 lbs so that final goal would be at least 23 lbs from where I am now. Hard to believe I might have reached 75lb loss now. My starting weight was 208 with 40 BMI. Im math illiterate ... numbers escape me. As does tracking time.

im wishing for a thigh lift already ... that’s the worst. For some reason I am bony in some places but still stubborn thigh and belly weight. I don’t know how much weight skin removal takes off. I don’t even know that I will ever be able to afford it even in Mexico. But I wish for it. My belly is second on that list.

my butt hasn’t existed since I had a hysterectomy in 2010. It’s just flat I have no natural curve.

On 11/15/2019 at 23:09, Darktowerdream said:

I already want my thighs done. My weight has gone down and I’m 10lbs from my second goal. But think For my height I’d like to reach around 110 lbs so that final goal would be at least 23 lbs from where I am now. Hard to believe I might have reached 75lb loss now. My starting weight was 208 with 40 BMI. Im math illiterate ... numbers escape me. As does tracking time.

im wishing for a thigh lift already ... that’s the worst. For some reason I am bony in some places but still stubborn thigh and belly weight. I don’t know how much weight skin removal takes off. I don’t even know that I will ever be able to afford it even in Mexico. But I wish for it. My belly is second on that list.

my butt hasn’t existed since I had a hysterectomy in 2010. It’s just flat I have no natural curve.

I can relate to most of this.
Despite losing down to a BMI of the 23-ish range, I have MAJOR cellulite on both thighs and pads of fat all around my knees. You can see almost every rib and my clavicles are now extremely prominent, but the lower belly pooch won’t go away either.

I’m probably really odd in this, but I’m almost glad I have a flat butt and flat boobs.
I’ve always had the body with the boobs and butt, when I’ve always really wanted the thin, long, athletic build.
Most of my fam is the long lean build and it makes me crazy that I “identify” as that, but that my body decided to go a different route.

Give me a straight-line profile with skinny legs, zero butt and a-cups and I’d be over-the-moon happy.
Anyway, my dream plastic job would be to eliminate almost all of my curves

5 minutes ago, Sheribear68 said:

can relate to most of this.
Despite losing down to a BMI of the 23-ish range, I have MAJOR cellulite on both thighs and pads of fat all around my knees. You can see almost every rib and my clavicles are now extremely prominent, but the lower belly pooch won’t go away either.

I’m probably really odd in this, but I’m almost glad I have a flat butt and flat boobs.
I’ve always had the body with the boobs and butt, when I’ve always really wanted the thin, long, athletic build.
Most of my fam is the long lean build and it makes me crazy that I “identify” as that, but that my body decided to go a different route.

Give me a straight-line profile with skinny legs, zero butt and a-cups and I’d be over-the-moon happy.
Anyway, my dream plastic job would be to eliminate almost all of my curves

I saw your answer this morning and You said what I feel but couldn’t verbalize very well.

i was mocked and bullied for having a big butt and big boobs as a kid, early teens my chest grew practically overnight to a size I wouldn’t know now since back then the biggest you saw in cup size was DDD and that didn’t come close to fitting. And I couldn’t afford to buy them. I had a very large frame (large wrist circumference)

Eventually I had breast reduction out of medical necessity. At the time I was actually 5’ 4” I also weighed 180 lbs and hated every inch of it because I didn’t understand why. Due to chronic illness and disability and metabolic disorders and a long list of medical conditions I lost bone density.

i don’t miss a big but or big boobs. My mom has always been very slim, at my heaviest she was half my weight at the same height eating the same foods. I just wanted to feel thin for once in my life. I wouldn’t even mind a more “boyish” shape. I think what bothers me most is the sagging skin in the chest, my stomach and thighs and that they aren’t getting thinner like the rest. Which is basically what you said (sorry for repeating myself) probably easier to say I agree. It would be nice to just have a lean slim body. Long isn’t in the cards for me I’m very short. Though my torso is a little longer so my butt is very low.

having struggled with my body shape for so long I just want a slim balanced unsaggy body I didn’t have as a teen.

On 11/16/2019 at 08:23, Darktowerdream said:

I saw your answer this morning and You said what I feel but couldn’t verbalize very well.

i was mocked and bullied for having a big butt and big boobs as a kid, early teens my chest grew practically overnight to a size I wouldn’t know now since back then the biggest you saw in cup size was DDD and that didn’t come close to fitting. And I couldn’t afford to buy them. I had a very large frame (large wrist circumference)

Eventually I had breast reduction out of medical necessity. At the time I was actually 5’ 4” I also weighed 180 lbs and hated every inch of it because I didn’t understand why. Due to chronic illness and disability and metabolic disorders and a long list of medical conditions I lost bone density.

i don’t miss a big but or big boobs. My mom has always been very slim, at my heaviest she was half my weight at the same height eating the same foods. I just wanted to feel thin for once in my life. I wouldn’t even mind a more “boyish” shape. I think what bothers me most is the sagging skin in the chest, my stomach and thighs and that they aren’t getting thinner like the rest. Which is basically what you said (sorry for repeating myself) probably easier to say I agree. It would be nice to just have a lean slim body. Long isn’t in the cards for me I’m very short. Though my torso is a little longer so my butt is very low.

having struggled with my body shape for so long I just want a slim balanced unsaggy body I didn’t have as a teen.

Yes!!!!
Yes to all of this!
I have a long torso, short stubby and chunky legs. Had HUMONGOUS breast (i also would spill out of DDD) and got my reduction in 2010 after a bout with breast cancer bc finally my insurance would pay for it.
Went from G cup to B cup and haven’t regretted one instant of it. I’m definitely an A cup now and I’m actually pretty thrilled with the fact.
For me, the ONLY way I’m getting these chunky legs taken care of is lipo the cellulite that covers my upper legs. Then of course get rid of all the loose skin and excess flab hanging on my waist/lower abs. Sadly there’s no amount of exercise or toning that can remove saggy, flappy skin.

Oh and sorry sillykitty, I’m kinda jacking your plastics thread, but since I’m nowhere close to a consult I didn’t want to start one of my own and I wanted to vent about frustrations with my bod even after losing >100 pounds.

10 hours ago, Sheribear68 said:

Yes to all of this!
I have a long torso, short stubby and chunky legs. Had HUMONGOUS breast (i also would spill out of DDD) and got my reduction in 2010 after a bout with breast cancer bc finally my insurance would pay for it.
Went from G cup to B cup and haven’t regretted one instant of it. I’m definitely an A cup now and I’m actually pretty thrilled with the fact.
For me, the ONLY way I’m getting these chunky legs taken care of is Lipo the cellulite that covers my upper legs. Then of course get rid of all the loose skin and excess flab hanging on my waist/lower abs. Sadly there’s no amount of exercise or toning that can remove saggy, flappy skin. 

I had a hysterectomy in 2010 that affected my body shape too. I don’t have my records anymore when the reduction was. I asked to be as small as possible I thought I was a c cup. I was early 20s at the time? I had it done at a clinic in NYC. To bad I don’t remember my measurements. oddly enough I’m Bony around my bra band and can wear between 28 G or 30 F. Yet stubborn weight elsewhere. I am trying to figure out how I’d ever have skin removal and how much weight that would come off.

BariatricPal has their MX Hospital in Mexico and a heath credit to help pay. But I’ve so little money. People might think I’m thinner now I don’t quite feel it. I wanted to post about it on a different subject. I’m in a weird head space right now. And it’s hard to talk about.

@Sheribear68 Hopefully we didn’t jack the thread from @sillykitty though I think no matter our starting weight we all will face this sometime in the journey. I’m still sorting through a lot of issues and the prospect or hope of removing saggy skin is one of them but not the biggest issue. I hide it with compression Capri, pants or shorts which had a main purpose of being recommend for orthostatic intolerance aka pots or what other name it goes by, but you can’t wear that in a swimming pool. Or make you feel better about excess weight still in thighs and belly. Along with sagging skin.

They put my height too high at 5’ 2” at best I’m 5’ 0” at most half inch more ... my mom is only slightly shorter. She weighs 100 lbs. she is able to be more active.

I posted middle of the night last time and then jerked awake thinking but this site isn’t private and neither are our conversations really but nothing is private and we all are dealing with similar issues. Not all the same but sometimes similar.

i actually wanted to start a thread on unexpected or overwhelming wins but losses at the same time. And can’t decide if I should.

it wasn’t this topic but ...

has anyone discussed plastic surgery with their bariatric surgeon? I think unless it’s a huge amount of skin they don’t see it has an issue? But for us it is. I know someone who could benefit from RNY but he isn’t in the head space to do it. But he has very high BMI, blood pressure, diabetes, needs knee replacement, etc, but he comments every time he sees me about my surgery and how he thinks I should feel.

my journey isn’t a normal one to compare to.

all the best to sillykitty on your journey too. I look forward to seeing how it all turns out.

On 10/21/2019 at 12:24 PM, sillykitty said:

Going in for my implant fitting this week. I'm experiencing boob greed already. I want to find that perfect balance of big & full, but short of porn star.

I've also wanted to tally costs for those thinking about traveling out of state. Although I'm saving a SIGNIFICANT amount of money on the surgery, other costs do add up

RT Flight for fitting (economy): $450

Car Rental for fitting: $83

Hotel for fitting: $127

Outbound flight for surgery (economy) me: $234

Outbound flight for surgery (economy) mom: $200

Return flight for surgery (first) me: $658

Return flight for surgery (economy) mom: $270

Hotel room me (15 nights): $2,100

Hotel room mom (15 nights): $2,100

Costs yet to be tallied:

Lyft costs to/from airport

Lyft costs out of state (car rental over the 15 days would be about $800)

Items that will be shipped to and then left behind, (toilet riser, shower chair etc)

Meals

I am using hotel points for the hotel. It is a huge cost savings ($4K), but it is also 300K points. Points aren't free, so using 300K points on this means I won't have them for future vacations. Also using some various flight credits my mom and I both have across a few different airlines (not miles, those are better bang for your buck with international business class). So saved some money there, but again not free, because I won't have them for personal travel in the future.

If this was all out of pocket (vs points), it would be over $6K additional costs for going out of state. Even as it is, it is over $2K, & using a huge chunk of hotel points. Of course savings could be had, specifically sharing a hotel room vs. two separate rooms. Also, could stay for only one week, vs. the full two my surgeon recommends.

Just food for thought for anyone considering plastics out of state.

This is all so exciting Silly Kitty! Who cares about a sable fur or the diamond ring when Santa baby can deliver all your wishes (body parts, haha) come true. Short of porn star, love it!

This month, I have begun serious research, assessing costs, time lines and interviewing plastic surgeons. I am so grateful for this thread. No one can truly understand this journey or its unique stages. I am looking into a breast lift and tummy tuck to address the abdominal loose skin. I can live with the bat wing arms. I have met with two surgeons thus far. One wants to do a belt, the other much less invasive. Tomorrow, I visit a female surgeon. I really liked the surgeon I met today, but he is booked thru August 2020 unless a cancellation - which is doubtful given his excellent reputation. I had hoped to have surgery this winter to allow for plenty healing time before our 25th anniversary gala May 17, 2020. While I know everyone heals differently - do you think procedures done in January or February give enough time? I am still loosing currently, and am aware of the 3-6-9 or 12 year wait thru maintenance for plastics. Do you feel that is a definite hard and fast rule? Am I rushing this too much? How did you know your personal target weight? I think I might be an inches girl more than weight? I have adopted healthy eating and 100 oz. water per day down. I adhere strictly to the wisdom + suggestions from The Obesity Code, Big Ass Salads and A Pound of Cure. I found each author and book refreshing, vindicating and honest... After years of struggle, frustration and mixed messages managing a serious weight problem. Your thoughts and experience would be so much appreciated. Thank you.