I am very excited. I am about 50 pounds from goal but thought I would go in to get info and what he expects me to do before I can have my intertube (as I call it) removed. I am excited because he is hoping insurance will pay for it...we submitted it and he says I can do it now. I am very small up on top and really my legs are carring most of my weight. I am actually almost flat from under my breast to right below my belly button. He says I am mostly just skin hanging and there is no reason I cant have it now. He said even if I lost another 80 pounds it would not make a huge difference...might not be skin tight like it would be now but it wouldnt be saggy either. I have a huge area that has to be removed. He wants to do a small amount of lipo and will cut me from side to side. He has a nurse who was a patient at one time who had this done with about 50 pounds to lose and she showed me her hips and tummy and she still looks great after hitting her goal a year after surgery. He is also going to do a breast lift....all for 11,000! I thought that was great. If insurance will pay for it I will only pay about 3,800 for my breast. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Do you have to be unfilled for surgery? he never mentioned this. This will suck....my fill Dr. is 3 hours away...yuk! I am hoping this will push through so I can have it the first week of June.

Shannon

My PS and I discussed it, and because my fill Dr. is actually 6 hours away, we decided an unfill would be a wise move. Better that than to find myself swollen and too tight following the TT and having to try to get 6 hours one way to my band Dr. then be poked on freshly lipo'd stomach skin....then get home another 6 hours.

Much safer and saner we decided to do an unfill prior to surgery.

Good Luck with yours!!! My appt. to schedule surgery is this coming Friday, unless they have an earlier cancellation!!! Soooooo excited!!

Kat

My lapband doc didn't suggest an unfill, but the PS insisted on it. She didn't want me to be too tight at all and risk not getting proper nutrition. Because I have to have an extensive TT with vertical incision she wants me getting in over 100 grams of protein and she didn't want me being too tight. My fill doctor is also 6 hours away and like Kat I didn't want to risk being to tight and having to sit in a car. It is going to take will power, but I have had to be completely unfilled before and still managed to lose 10 pounds. Now I just need to maintain. Hopefully that will be easier! Good luck

Findingme - How exciting for you! I hope your insurance will cover it.

I can't believe how far you all have to go to get a fill or unfill. My band dr is about 20 minutes away. But still it was him who wants me unfilled, he said he doesn't want to risk throwing up from the anethesia. I kinda thought it was best too since I've heard how everyone gets so tight after surgery. I'm just so fortunate that I could schedule my unfill for the day before surgery and my refill a week after.

Shannon, I am about 30 lbs from goal and having my TT next Monday. Good luck.

Thanks everyone. I talked to insurance company and they said that I will have an answer no later then May 7th. I think hubby and I have decided to go for it even if they say no but its a ton of money and would prefer to use that for my boob lift and arms.

Shannon

Shannon....Good luck to you! I had my first visit to a plastic surgeon yesterday and now I'm playing the wait and see if the insurance will pay game. I'm so excited about it happening that's about all I can think about. Hope everything goes well for you!

Well I called the insurance company to see if they had made a decision and now they are requesting notes from my physician to see what we have "tried" to slove the problem. The problem is it is very hard for me to go to the Dr because of my work. I use over the counter stuff that normally works but I don't want them to know. Now dh wants to fight it ....ugh instead of paying for it. I understand its a lot of money but I want it now. With my job (home daycare) I cant just run to the Dr whenever I get a rash. I also cant close down for 6 weeks unless it is summer ( I take care of teachers children and close all summer). So, I will have to wait another year when I am off. So, I guess I will have to make a lot of trips to the Dr's office.

Any advice on how to give yourself a rash? fast and frequent. I normally get one once a month...but havent had one this month.

Shannon

Shannon a little dish detergent under the flap will work wonders for an instant rash but beware it is painful. I told my dr that the only thing that would work for me was the athletes foot cream, for fungus, he doc'd that and the ins co never asked to see pics. Maybe just a pic of the rash and a statement from your family dr will be enough. Good luck.

They submitted a picture of the rash and now they want to know what I have tried. I am going to make an apt. today with my family Dr and let him see the begining of the rash that just develped yesterday. I have a cream for a yeast infection (its actualy my moms) that her Dr gave her for her rashes. It will work eventually but I dont want them to really know that :redface: I just hate how painful they are. I am going in like I said to document it and see what he says about how he wants to documnet it. I am hoping he will let me just call when I get one or see if he wants to see me everytime I get one which will be costly. My co-pay just went to 45.00 everytime I walk thru the door. UGH! and I wonder why I want them to pay for it.....lol.

I will keep your suggestion in mind when my skin is being nice to me and I need to help the process along.

Shannon