21 y/o TT After Weight Loss... Date set for Sept 14!- Massachusetts

Forgot to add another con to the normal horizontal scar: he said it would likely need to be higher up so there goes my dreams of low rise jeans anyway. Ah!

Hello! I've been absent as I've held of updating until my consultation which was this morning.

Liked the doctor a lot. He seems very experienced since the hospital he works at has an extensive weight loss surgery program and they inevitably turn to the plastic surgeons when they all have gross extra skin like me! He also mentioned that he is a salaried doctor so he's not interesting in jacking up the cost because it won't guarantee him any extra. Not a peep out of him about any reasons to not do the surgery (size, future children, etc) so that was a relief. Hospital fees will include a nights stay in the hospital which I'm happy about. He also clarified that without the muscle repair (due to not having kids), it's considered a Panniculectomy. He mentioned that he takes great care with his scars and that is also great especially because of the next part:

DILEMMA: He said that for the best results, he suggests that I have the skin taken vertically as well as horizontally so the scar will be an upside down T. Not what I want to hear!! But from my second picture above, its clear that he's right. My shape may benefit greatly but I really never will get to wear a bikini. I'm 21 for gosh sakes! He said he could alternatively do it normally (the one horizontal scar) but he would have to do lipo too and I would only have "moderate" results. He said he wouldn't need to do lipo if I went with the vertical. I'm pretty upset about the prospects so I have a lot of thinking to do.

I have only seen one example of a vertical scar here on the forum (and I remember it being one of those either not worth it or a question for the doctors about something wrong with it), not too encouraging! Can anyone at all point me in the direction of some Real Self-ers who have the vertical scar? I feel like I'm jumping into uncharted territory. I wasn't at all nervous about the horizontal but I hadn't even considered if I would need a vertical scar...

I asked for photos from the Dr for examples but he says he is so busy (only two PS in the hospital) that he hasn't had time to put together a portfolio and though he excused himself to dig some photos up for me, we decided it would be best for him to email them to me so I am waiting waiting waiting to see his work but if his scars are as nice as he claims, I would be open to the vertical one. He is also including the pricing in the email so I'm still in the dark on that one (he was willing to draw up some estimates there but I didn't push for it).

So, in the 24 hours or so since the consultation, I have made the decision that I will be fine with the vertical incision and scar. I would much rather have a scar than all of this extra skin on my stomach and in reality "cut-out" swimsuits (sometimes incorrectly referred to as monokinis) are extremely fashionable right now! I have also entertained the idea of getting a tattoo along the vertical scar when it is fully healed but I'll think more about that later since I've never seen anyone with a tattoo right down their middle and mine will have to be awesome.

Since this won't exactly be the dream stomach I was hoping for, I think I'm going to go ahead and get my breasts lifted and the size evened out. Might as well have some nice boobs if I can afford them, haha. I would prefer to not have anything implanted (other than my own fat) so I will discuss this with my doctor and see what can be done.

Still waiting on the PS to send me photos of his work and the pricing for the panniculectomy. I think he will be surprised by my snap decision but that's the kind of person I am. I don't like to waste time on decisions that will be made no matter what. Full speed ahead!

Full speed ahead? Oh how I was wrong.

Finally received one pair of photos from this PS of his work. Yep, just the one example. This is after I called the office twice about seeing them. The results they sent, while drastic for this particular patient, just aren't good enough and look like a before photo! There was still a very visible pooch and the photos weren't even of a procedure that had the vertical scar (which he said he would send and that I asked for specifically)! Feel like I'm wasting time with this guy!! My dad called them to ask if our health insurance might cover some of the costs and they said they would get back to him, as far as I know, they never did! I thought that it would be better that he was "so busy" i.e. more experience I guess but damn, I would rather have a P.S. that has time for me and is motivated to help me make the right decision.

So I'm starting over. Calling some places in the morning and this time, I'm going to make sure they have photos to show me! Looks like there's no way this is getting done before school starts so I'm nervous about how to make it all work while that's going on.

Met with the first doc again a week ago. Saw 2 or 3 more pictures and was not feeling it. To his credit, my dad came to the appointment and he did a great job dealing with him and later apologized for letting my father interrupt me during the discussion. Thanks dude. But yeah, I did not like his results since he seems to work with people with massive, massive weight loss so his experience is in surgery to just hack off the worst of it. I know I won't look like a model but if I'm going to spend so much and go through this all, I want to get close! Thankfully I already had a consultation scheduled for today with a doctor in Boston.

Met with this other guy. He was very straight forward which I like, asked me my previous high weight, how I lost the weight, laid out the risks and such and even though he barely looked at my stomach, he declared "great" when I showed him so I know he thinks he can do it, hah. His portfolio was outstanding, he has 23 years of experience, is extremely high ranking in this field and in other specialties and teaches surgery at Harvard Medical School. Amazing credentials and I got a god vibe from him. I prefer someone who is direct. I was surprised to find he was not much more $$ than than the first doctor I met (though this does not include the overnight stay so my Mom will be waiting on me...not my favorite thing to rely on people for help, even my mother...). I mentioned that the first guy wanted to give me a vertical scar and he assured me it was not necessary (phew). The hospital is a teaching hospital (for Harvard Medical students and similarly qualified others, I'm sure) and I had some fun chatting with his assistants who I assume are students. Felt good about the experience even if others might have found him blunt.

SO I HAVE A DATE! September 14th! 14 is a "lucky" number of mine so I'm glad that's the date.

So soon and school starts up on the 5th! I asked for 11 days off of work (two weekends worth) and I only have class 4 times a week so I do not anticipate it being a huge problem to go to school the week after especially since the semester will still be just starting (and I thankfully have most of the programs and things I use for projects on my own computer). Now or never!