POSTED UNDER Panniculectomy REVIEWS
Nervous and Excited-long Journey to This Point! - Saskatchewan, SK
ORIGINAL POST
Over the last 9 years or so I have changed my...
$8,500
Over the last 9 years or so I have changed my lifestyle completely and have lost 145 lbs from my heaviest (I could have weighed more at some time but honestly never used to weigh myself because I didn't want to know how bad it was). I was 349 lbs at my 6 week check up after my first son was born-heavier than when I was pregnant! I decided it was time to make some changes....
My son is now 10 and I am now 204. I can run 10 km and just recently became a certified Zumba instructor. I run 3 times a week and walk or do Zumba or the elliptical the other days. I eat well and have an athletes heart rate.
BUT I have this skin and flab that just gets worse not better as I have lost weight. I was referred by my doctor about 2 1/2 years ago here in Saskatchewan )I live in a small town). It took a good 9 months to get in to see the surgeon who then told me if I lost 30,40,50 more pounds it would be better - well wouldn't that be nice ?! My journey won't end with the surgery but life also has to be a out balance as well. I tend to go to extremes one way or the other. Anyway he took the pics and sent them on to the powers that be who decide whether I will be considered medically necessary and therefore covered by the government. That was then another 4 months to hear back and boy did I cry when I was told I would be approved!!! The skin and flab and flesh that I have hangs down and my belly button gets red and angry and sore when I sit too much like travelling for instance and when I work out I have to powder underneath it etc. I also wear a bodysuit to hold it all in place when I run or exercise. Needless to say this surgery will change my life in many ways!!! I was then told it would be a year to a year and a half wait but closer to the longer end and it ended up being a year and two months before I got the call.
So the surgeon called it a tummy tuck but from my understanding its not really as they are not cutting any muscle, just removing skin and tissue and flab. Although from what I read on here it's not just a pani either because I do remember him saying they will go up and loosen tissue etc and then pull down and cut off. So I am not sure what my procedure is actually called! That would be a complaint of mine right now is they don't give you that much detail and I assumed I would see or talk to him again before but I won't until that morning right before the surgery. The nurse that works for him was less than helpful really. I like to be prepared ad knowledgeable and I am finding this aspect very frustrating.
I have before pics that I will post on here.
My son is now 10 and I am now 204. I can run 10 km and just recently became a certified Zumba instructor. I run 3 times a week and walk or do Zumba or the elliptical the other days. I eat well and have an athletes heart rate.
BUT I have this skin and flab that just gets worse not better as I have lost weight. I was referred by my doctor about 2 1/2 years ago here in Saskatchewan )I live in a small town). It took a good 9 months to get in to see the surgeon who then told me if I lost 30,40,50 more pounds it would be better - well wouldn't that be nice ?! My journey won't end with the surgery but life also has to be a out balance as well. I tend to go to extremes one way or the other. Anyway he took the pics and sent them on to the powers that be who decide whether I will be considered medically necessary and therefore covered by the government. That was then another 4 months to hear back and boy did I cry when I was told I would be approved!!! The skin and flab and flesh that I have hangs down and my belly button gets red and angry and sore when I sit too much like travelling for instance and when I work out I have to powder underneath it etc. I also wear a bodysuit to hold it all in place when I run or exercise. Needless to say this surgery will change my life in many ways!!! I was then told it would be a year to a year and a half wait but closer to the longer end and it ended up being a year and two months before I got the call.
So the surgeon called it a tummy tuck but from my understanding its not really as they are not cutting any muscle, just removing skin and tissue and flab. Although from what I read on here it's not just a pani either because I do remember him saying they will go up and loosen tissue etc and then pull down and cut off. So I am not sure what my procedure is actually called! That would be a complaint of mine right now is they don't give you that much detail and I assumed I would see or talk to him again before but I won't until that morning right before the surgery. The nurse that works for him was less than helpful really. I like to be prepared ad knowledgeable and I am finding this aspect very frustrating.
I have before pics that I will post on here.
sizzler0123's provider
Replies (8)
September 20, 2013
Hi there, welcome and thanks for sharing your journey with us!
Congratulations on your weight loss, that's a huge achievement and you should be very proud of yourself!
Have you called your doctor to see if you can have an appointment with him before surgery? If you're not happy and you still have questions, then you definitely should get them answered before they wheel you into surgery.
Please do keep us updated with your progress!
September 21, 2013
Wow! Congratulations! You've made Such Amazing life changes! Im Just Now Looking Into A Panni, So I Dont Have AnUs Advice. But I Can Only Imagine How Much More You Will Be Able To Do After Recovery! I sure Appreciate All Your info. Keep us Updated!
September 22, 2013
Congrats on your journey!!!!! Please check out my blog.. my insurance paid for my panniculectomy and I paid the difference for abdominoplasty to tighten the muscles along with lipo. Feel free to contact me and I'll be happy to answe any questions. Take care. Nomore belly45
November 12, 2013
Honestly I didn't find it painful more uncomfortable. I only really took my pain meds the first two days to stay on top of any pain I MIGHT have but then that was it.
September 23, 2013
I had what you are going to have. I had excess skin removed and new belly button but did not have the muscle repair, and your right you have to have all for it to be a tummy tuck, according to my PS. He called what I had and your about to have a modified tummy tuck. I don't know about how much muscle separation you had but I had 4 large babies, so mine is pretty big. After the fact. If I knew all I learned after my tt before I had it I would have paid extra and had the muscle repair. But let me add this too. From what I have learned from others here, the most of the pain is the muscle repair, with that in mind, know that my pain was under control from the start. I never took any perscription pain meds. For a lot of people I am sure that not having to deal with all that pain would make a huge difference. My insurance did cover the pannilectomy part of my surgery, but that was it. I had to pay for the rest. When I say my pain was maybe not as bad as some because of not having the MR, that is about the only difference. You will need just as much recovery as a regular tt. Your body will be weak and you need to rest ALL the time at first. Please do just that, rest rest and more rest...you will have such wonderful results after that you will want to look in the mirror everytime your near one. You will take a shower and NOT have to lift up the pannus to clean under it. You will not have to powder under it. You will not get rashes and infection under it. You will LOVE it I know. My pannus was smaller but still miserable. The infections were the worst. It has been close to a year for me and I still am amazed the way clothing fits and how I can now exercise with nothing bouncing around. Please look at my pictures. The difference is so huge. I can't wait for you to have your modified tt. Good Luck and take care.
UPDATED FROM sizzler0123
1 day pre
34 hours to go!!
I am a day and a half away and I am having trouble wrapping my mind around how my body may look when I am done. I can't imagine not having that hanging there, not having to lift it to wash and powder under it when I work out. To not have an irritated and red and raw bellybutton when I am sitting too much (like a long car ride) and not have it flap up and down when I exercise and be so self conscious about it....I am ready! Getting a little anxious about the recovery but very ready!
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