Plastic Surgery Consultation

[rahaas]

Well, it's been quite a few months since I've been on the board. I'm about 18 months out from my lapband surgery and I'm pretty stable at about 95 pounds. I had lost about 4 pounds at my last appointment and the band is still right in the middle of the sweet spot. It makes me watch my intake and I always know it's there.

Now it's time to do something about the left over skin and fat in the front. I met with a plastic surgeon today that my wife has used in the past and he told me that I was a candidate for an extended abdominoplasty and liposuction around the waist and hip rolls. He was amazed with the way I already looked and said this would just top all the hard work off.

It's going to be expensive and out of my own pocket, but I am really looking forward to it. I am hoping to have the surgery done the last week in january. My insurance company made it perfectly clear that they will not pay for plastic surgery for any reason after lapband or any other weight reduction surgery.

I will try and be better about staying in touch with all of you that helped me during the first phases of my journey and let you know how the whole process goes.

[MommaStone]

This is great. Do you have any idea how many addtl pounds. You'll lose with the surgery?

Please do come often and share your wisdom there are several newbies and several are men. I know I learn so much from those who have been on the journey longer

[Neal R.]

Good luck. I had an extended tummy tuck and love the results!

[rahaas]

If I wasn't looking so much forward to getting it done, I'd be scared to death. But, I'm real excited about the thought of having an actual waist. I know someone else that went through this surgery so I know what I am getting into and fully realize that it is not going to be real fun, but the end justifies the means. I put in the time-off request this morning and am going to call the Dr. tomorrow to see if we can get it done on January 28th.

Thanks for the good wishes!

[Neal R.]

Your exactly right and glad you know going into it that its not easy. Probably the toughest thing I have ever gone through medically, but after seeing the results, i would do it again in a heartbeat.

[rahaas]

Well - the surgery date is set for 1/28. I need to go back to the Dr. to get some wonderful "before" pictures taken. It's not going to be a surprise - I've looked at it every day in them mirror. Then a pre-op physical and then the fun starts....

[503-250]

If you don't mind going into detail, what are you having done?

[rahaas]

I have to meet with the surgeon again on the 13th, but what he told me is that he will be doing an extended abdominoplasty - meaning that he will cut further around my waist - to the back of the "love handles". He will tighten up the muscles in the front and tighten up whatever else is loose, along with cutting off a great deal of skin and fat. He will also be doing some liposuction to flatten out a few areas like my butt and upper stomach. All in all, it sounds like a real fun time.

I will give you more information after I meet with him again next week. As I mentioned earlier, if I wasn't so excited about this, I'd be scared to death.....

[MoOrLess]

You'll be so glad you've done it, when it's over. Kudos on the weight loss and the 'need' for PS. You'll do ok and Neal IS the top dog to talk to as you go through the process, having done it himself.

[Neal R.]

Thanks Mo!

[MoOrLess]

well it's true Neal :) You are still my favorite before/after success story I brag about on here..........well and Paul....and Ralph....oh I'm letting the cat out of the bag lol - you are all hot men!

[brwneyedbeauty]

I had mine done in June...I'm so glad I did it...I have before and after pics on here;)

[MoOrLess]

I had mine done in June...I'm so glad I did it...I have before and after pics on here;)

and yes you top the list for the girls :)

[rahaas]

I looked at Neil and MoORLess's information and - WOW what a difference. I look in the mirror and dream about how I will look. I have also gone back and looked at how I was about a year and a half ago when the journey began and it's tough. I didn't see myself as that fat, but I was. I guess the doctor saying I was morbidly Obese didn't really sink in until now. I can't wait for January 28th.....

[rahaas]

Well - tomorrow's the big day! I'm still nervous as heck, but the excitement over getting the surgery done is overriding my fear. I've taken some before pictures and will do the same after and during the next few weeks and months. If I get any courage, I may even post some of them here, but that may take a while. I'll let you all know how tomorrow goes.

[Ready2succeed]

I'm excited for you! I will treat (if you can call it a treat! LOL) myself to one of those also when I get to goal & stay there for a little while! SO I will be following your journey.

[MommaStone]

Congratulations and good luck; So exciting for you

[MoOrLess]

Thinking of you. Hope surgey went well and you are on your way to recovery.

[Neal R.]

Good luck today. Let us know when you can how you are doing.

[rahaas]

Well - I'm back and everything went as expected. I won't make this too long cuase I just took another pill and need to lie down. It does hurt, but it's manageable with drugs. I have a cool drain in and it's still doing it's job too. I asked the Dr to weigh the stuff he took off and it came to around 12 pounds - kinda scary! I am starting to getr real black-and-blue, but he said that was expected.

I'll right more later when I come out of the fog. Rob

[brwneyedbeauty]

thinking of you...hoping your doing well

[KristiR]

Hope you are doing ok. Congratulations on your big day! Happy for you. Dreaming of it for myself one day. Please get brave and post the pictures. Again, Congratulations!!!

:clapsmiley:

[Ready2succeed]

Glad to hear it went well! Take it easy & let the body heal!

[rahaas]

Wow, this has been an interesting trip. Still in a fair amount of pain, but saw the Dr. yesterday and he said everything looks really good. He said the pain is from the fact that he needed to cut pretty low in the pubic area to get rid of the damaged skin I have from the flap. He said he went into a pretty nerve-rich area. Other then that, everything is going well. I did have another interesting occurance. When the surgery was over, I didn't notice as much restriction as I did before. I knew he would be moving my port, but I was concerned something was leaking. Well, it's now a week later and my restriction is back where it was before and working great. He actually moved my port up about 6 inches and I can see the circle he drew over the old location - now down below my waist.

I'll update again soon - Rob

[MoOrLess]

wow, that's big - seeing the port moved that far up. Just proves how successful you've been with your weight loss journey! So glad it isn't "too bad" and can't wait to see before/after pics! Congratulations, you've done it!

[rahaas]

I just realized the personal milestone I just hit! I am no longer OBESE - just over weight..... I went from a Morbidly Obese BMI of 42.1 to an overwieght 28.3.

[MoOrLess]

I just realized the personal milestone I just hit! I am no longer OBESE - just over weight..... I went from a Morbidly Obese BMI of 42.1 to an overwieght 28.3.

that's phenomenal!!! Congratulations! woo hoo :)

[Ready2succeed]

I just realized the personal milestone I just hit! I am no longer OBESE - just over weight..... I went from a Morbidly Obese BMI of 42.1 to an overwieght 28.3.

Wonderful job! How exciting!

[Neal R.]

Thanks for the update and glad you're doing so well!!!

[rahaas]

Hi - I want to give all of you a few words of wisdom if you are of a mind to have a tummy tuck. First off, it would be a good idea to take as much time off as possible to recover form the surgery. I took about a week off and now wish I had taken more time. I set at a desk all day so I thought it wouldn't be too bad, but it is still a little tough getting up and down, and it is important to move around as much as possible. Also - be very careful how you eat. I got a little cocky last night and eat too fast, resulting in a fairly minor PB. Unfortunately, any type of stomach issue after you've been cut open from back hip to back hip is going to be a little painful. Slow Down and remember your correct eating habits. Otherwise, I am doing OK. I still have my drain in but hopefully the doctor will pull that tomorrow or next week. Advil has been able to handle the pain that I have been experiencing so no more of the hard stuff.

One last thing, be careful driving a car. Unfortunately, the roads are really bad this time of year and hitting constaint pot-holes is a little painful.

Rob

[Ready2succeed]

Thank you for all the advise all of it really will help when my time comes!

[Neal R.]

Only one week? Wow. I was off a full 6 weeks. Dr. wouldn't release me to drive for two weeks. You're my hero for getting out so quickly.

[rahaas]

Yesterday was a very important day for me. Those of you that have gone thru abdominoplasty know what red letter day it is when you get your drain out!!!!!

[MoOrLess]

Yesterday was a very important day for me. Those of you that have gone thru abdominoplasty know what red letter day it is when you get your drain out!!!!!

Hooray - you have to feel better with it out. Congrats again!

[brwneyedbeauty]

I'm very happy for you....the "drains" were awful...

[Neal R.]

Yes, I share your joy. Those drains are a pain and it was such a happy day when they get removed. How many did you have?

[rahaas]

Neal - I only had one. I understand that some people had 2 or more, but that's all he put in me. That was bad enough. He did tell me that I might feel a little "wiggle" around my new belly button when he pulled it out, but luckily, I didn't feel a thing. I am still somewhat sore and a little swollen but I was told everything looks the way it should and I couldn't be happier. Now I just have to doctor a hole in my side, but that is going away too. TMI for those of you that haven't gone thru this I'm sure.

Rob

[Tryingsohard]

I just want to know if you had to go on a liquid diet to get this done? And what about afterwards? Any liquid involved? Can you tell I NEVER want to do liquids again...EVER? hahaha

[rahaas]

No - there was not change in my diet or eating pattern, except for the usual fasting the night before the operation itself. I mentioned that I had a wierd occurance after the surgery that my restriction went away (or so it seemed) and then came back a few days later. But other then that, no changes at all and no liquid diet.

[Neal R.]

Nice that you only had one drain. I had 3. No fun at all!. And The wiggly feeling your doctor described weirded me out. LOL. She started pulling one out and I felt a wiggle under my skin all the way from just below my ribs to my groin where is was inserted. Didn't hurt at all, just creepy feeling. I laugh about in now.

[rahaas]

Well - I have some good news and bad news. If you look at my signature line, you will notice the good news! As of this morning, I am 2 pounds under my original goal. I guess the band doesn't know what the goal was and will keep doing it's job as long as I do mine.

Now the bad news. Some of the recent weight loss is due to an infection that I have in the area of my tummy tuck. It isn't your standard messy infection, just swelling, redness and soreness. I guess I haven't been too hungry lately either. I'm back on anitbiotics and should be in good condition - especially if there is an anthax attack ( the antibiotics he has me on are also used to block anthrax too). Hopefully this is just a quick setback, but I've been taking the pills for about a day and I already noticed an improvement.

Oh well, life goes on - Rob

[MoOrLess]

Sorry to hear you have an infection. Saying a prayer this clears up and quickly. Kudos on being BELOW goal - that's awesome. Great job Rob!