Mommy Makeover-BL, BA, TT with Muscle Repair - Duluth, GA

I want to write about this experience from the research phase to the final results so that I can remember my thoughts and feelings and to help anyone who is going to embark on this journey. A little background: My husband and I tried for several years to conceive and in 2012 decided to try IVF. We had amazing doctors and were lucky enough to conceive twins on our first try!! Our babies were born in Oct via C-section. I gained 54 lbs during my pregnancy and weighed 188 lbs the day my water broke. I'm 5'4" and 90% of the weight was in my belly. As you can imagine, my stomach stretched like crazy!! I lost 40 lbs the week after I delivered (imagine my shock when I stepped on the scale!) which left me with even more saggy skin. I was a 34B before the pregnancy and didn't go up in size AT ALL--not even after my milk came in. I breast feed for 4 months before my milk supply dwindled and ended up with less than an A cup; a very droopy A cup with very large areolas. I've lost all of the pregnancy weight and another 10 lbs so now it's time to get my body back....and then some :). I've had one consultation so far (which I will write about as an update) and am in the process of scheduling 4 more. I will update after each of those as well. My goal is to have this done by the end of the year. I'm glad I found this site...I've already gotten so many answers through reviews and directly from some of you ladies, thank you! I will definitely pay it forward and answer any questions I can. I will post before pics once I decide on a PS and have a surgery date booked :)!

First off, I verify ABPS certification independently of what is stated on the doctor's website (abplsurg.org). Also check out state certifications (medicalboard.georgia.gov in Georgia, each state is different). Ask to look at a gazillion pictures of the procedures you're interested in, performed in the same manner as suggested by your PS (same incisions, etc). They have way more than what's online.
Here are some questions I've come up with. Others might arise as I have more consultations; I will add to the list if that's the case:
GENERAL
*do you work with specific anesthesiologists
-are they board certified
*how many of these procedures do you perform per year
-revision/complication rate for these procedures
-most common revision/complication you see in your practice
*what is my financial responsibility if a revision is necessary
-what do you consider a necessary revision
*do you perform entire surgery yourself-from first incision to last stitch (some docs have assistants finish closing or stitching--NO THANK YOU!)
*how accessible are you after surgery
-if a complication or question arises do I speak to you or your nurse
*if you perform surgery at multiple locations, are facility fees different for each (could save some $$)
*if you have your own surgical facility what is the rate of complications due to infections
-what is the rate of hospital admission after surgery
*do you close with sutures or staples (or both) and why
*are compression garments provided
TUMMY TUCK
*mini or full
-benefits/short comings of either
-incisions
-recovery times
*will vaginal area look different after
-pubic hair line raised by how much if at all
-if there is a change, do patients comment about sex being affected
*will you keep my belly button or make a new one
*do you use drains or drain less procedure and why
*how long does surgery take
BA/BL
*which implants do you recommend and why
-saline/silicone
-shapes/textures
-brands
*do you use different sizers during surgery to get best fit
-do you sit your patients up during surgery to check for symmetry, cleavage, pocket placement, etc
*do you require a mammogram before surgery
-do you recommend them after specifically because of implants
*is there an implant warranty, what does it cover and for how long
-how often to replace implants and why
*what is your favorite incision and why
*what technique do you use to make sure areola are symmetrical, proportionate and even
*which lift technique will give me the longest and best results possible and why
*do you ever need to place drains for a BA or BL and why
*how long does surgery take

My consultation with Dr. R was great. Everyone at the office is really nice and answered all of my crazy questions. Jessie (his nurse) made me feel comfortable and took time explaining things after the doc left (I came up with questions that I didn't think about till he left). She took before pics and some medical history. They didn't have me try on different implants which I was looking forward to but it wasn't a big deal. I'm sure that if I booked, this would be done at a pre-op appointment. After seeing the doc and nurse I spent some time with the coordinator looking at pics and going over estimates. I don't really want to give specifics on money because I have more consults scheduled and I don't want to influence another practice (who knows if they even look on here but just in case...paranoid I know, lol!).
Dr. R was with me for almost an hour explaining the procedures, scars, recovery, etc. He took measurements and had me do slow crunches while he felt my stomach for muscle separation. I have slight separation from top to bottom. He recommended to do a full TT and breast lift together and the BA 6 to 8 weeks later. The little bit of breast tissue I have is concentrated at the base of my breast behind the areola (similar to tubular breasts) and he wants to redistribute it during the lift, let that heal and then do the BA. He also said I don't have enough excess skin to have a low incision for the TT without a vertical one to close my old belly button...that's what I get for not giving into all my pregnancy cravings!! These are "complications" that totally threw me off. I wasn't expecting more than one scar on my stomach let alone TWO surgeries!! He also requires an overnight stay at the hospital for all TT's. I actually felt better about this because I would have constant access to nurses in case anything happens.
Dr. R was highly recommended to me by several OR nurses (I work at Northside) for his conservative and natural approach. He was very thorough with his explanations and I never felt like he was trying to get more money out of me or anything like that. He really seemed to have my best interest in mind. He said he could do it all together but because of my skin laxity I may need another lift in the near future. My breasts were never really perky even before the pregnancy and he's afraid the weight of the implants would cause premature drooping if the BL and BA are done together.
Needless to say I left the consult kind of bummed out. I have consultations with 4 other docs in the next few weeks and I'm going to go to each with an open mind to see if they come to the same conclusion. It's hard because Dr. R seems very trust worthy so if another doc tells me it can be done all at once with out any issues, I don't know that I'd be comfortable with that. We also need to shop around b/c although I'm not going to someone just based on the lowest price, I do have a certain budget at this point in time. If it turns out that doing this right will require a higher price tag, then I'd rather wait to save up some more money. Even though this is something that I have my heart set on and my husband is on board with, I am still a mom first and I don't want to go into a significant amount of debt to fix something cosmetic. It's hard to be mom!! The guilt that comes along with doing things for yourself is crazy--and not something people tell you about.