POSTED UNDER Panniculectomy REVIEWS
From wanting an Abdominoplasty, Panniculectomy, and Arm Lift to GASTRIC SLEEVE?!
ORIGINAL POST
I have set up a consultation with a plastic...
$15,001
I have set up a consultation with a plastic surgeon next Friday. My highest known weight was 309lbs. My current weight is 257lbs. I lost the majority of the weight just over a year ago, I still workout regularly and eat healthy. I have not been able to stably keep anymore weight off, the lowest I ever got was when my doctor prescribed me Phentermine but that was only to 248lbs and as soon as I was weaned off of it I gained it back almost immediately. Anyways, I hope to get the panniculectomy covered by insurance. I have been doing a ton of research and have wanted this for almost 2 years. My fiance' and I have decided this year is the year for me to finally have surgery because we set our wedding date for Oct 2015!! So excited for a year of change!
Replies (1)
UPDATED FROM Sam Marais
14 days pre
No Covered...but still hoping to be able to afford it...hopefully! :)
I have been in contact with the receptionist at the clinic I am going for my consult at, she told me there is such a strict criteria to get it covered and normally always get denied. She said in order to to even be considered you need the following:
*no less than 6 months documented rashes, sores, or ulcers.
(I have rashes if I don't powder daily, I have never got it documented though because, frankly, I can't afford to, nor do I have time to go running to the doctor every time I get a rash. The powder makes them manageable, so I am kinda annoyed by this as a "NEED TO BE DOCUMENTED" in the criteria)
*Significant (100+) weight loss and a stable weight for at least 3 months, preferably caused by gastric bypass surgery
*a normal range BMI
*Panni has to hang below the pubic bone.
I have all the above, except Normal BMI, just not documented by a doctor. Feeling really annoyed that I have continually worked hard to do this all natural. But because I'm not a child who runs to the doctor to "fix" my rashes every time I get one because I already knew how to manage them I am not even able to be considered. How is this fair? Just because I'm a normal person, who works hard, and was taught to be tough by "unless it is unbearable no doctor needed"...I would think that having most of the criteria met would at least give me a chance to be considered. Uhg! I suppose though, we'll see what kind of cost the plastic surgeon will charge. I might just have do one surgery and have the other done next year when I've saved enough money.
*no less than 6 months documented rashes, sores, or ulcers.
(I have rashes if I don't powder daily, I have never got it documented though because, frankly, I can't afford to, nor do I have time to go running to the doctor every time I get a rash. The powder makes them manageable, so I am kinda annoyed by this as a "NEED TO BE DOCUMENTED" in the criteria)
*Significant (100+) weight loss and a stable weight for at least 3 months, preferably caused by gastric bypass surgery
*a normal range BMI
*Panni has to hang below the pubic bone.
I have all the above, except Normal BMI, just not documented by a doctor. Feeling really annoyed that I have continually worked hard to do this all natural. But because I'm not a child who runs to the doctor to "fix" my rashes every time I get one because I already knew how to manage them I am not even able to be considered. How is this fair? Just because I'm a normal person, who works hard, and was taught to be tough by "unless it is unbearable no doctor needed"...I would think that having most of the criteria met would at least give me a chance to be considered. Uhg! I suppose though, we'll see what kind of cost the plastic surgeon will charge. I might just have do one surgery and have the other done next year when I've saved enough money.
Replies (1)
December 31, 2014
after years of dealing with my hanging pannis from weight loss and still having a high BMI i started to get rashes....so you bet I went and got it documented and treatment for it. I knew it was required for the surgery. I also had 1 hernia that was found via Ct scan but it was above the belly button so they didn't consider it necessary to to a panni to correct the hernia. I finally got referred to a PS who went over my history with me and said she felt that my ability to loose the weight I still want to loose was dependant on removing the pannis. Also with the history of rashes and infections it was just a matter of time before they became so bad that it ended me up in the hosptial with other complications. My surgery has not been as easy as most. I had 2 hernia repaired (one they found that was actually becoming attached to my intestines) and the one above the belly button. They removed my belly button, which I was fine with because I had so many infections in it over the past year. A few weeks after surgery the incision got so infected that they had to actually open it up and it has been healing as an OPEN WOUND for the past 2 + months. It has not been easy, but in the long run I know what I did was the best thing for me. I am on Medicare and the surgery did get covered. Start getting your rashes documented. If your panni hangs low enough, and you have the weight loss required you might just get the surgery covered. Keep working at it. Good luck.
UPDATED FROM Sam Marais
11 days pre
Today is the day!!!
Super stoked to be having my consult today! Hoping all goes well!
Good luck with your consultation, I hope it goes well. Please do let us know how you get on and what the doctor says. :-)