Full Tummy Tuck in Monterrey - Mexico

I had vertical sleeve surgery at the end of January 2013. I had already lost 50 pounds and at the time of surgery was weighing 276 pounds. I'm going on my 11th month and have lost 80 pounds since. I'm currently 195 pounds. I'm ok with my top half and my legs. I just don't like my stomach. I always had a huge pannus and its gotten smaller but I definitely need some plastics. I never wanted to be normal weight 120-130. I don't mind being chubby. I thought I would like to weigh around 150 pounds. Now that I've gone below 200 pounds, I don't like how my face is looking. Its too small and sickly-like. I thought it was just me until someone made a comment about it. That confirmed my insecurities. If I'm gonna look worse, I don't want to lose more weight.
I started looking for a plastic surgeon(Dr. Filiberto Rodriguez)back in October. I visited a local surgeon and he was happy to do a lower body lift with an anchor cut. He wanted me to be below 200 pounds and I wanted to do this in early 2014, so that wouldn't be a problem. The problem was that he wanted to charge $23,000! I needed to make a deposit of $5,000 and pay the rest up front. I don't even make that in a year! Even if I could get credit with Care Credit, I don't think I would want to pay that much.

In December, I went to the surgeon (Dr. Ashraf Hilmy) that did my vertical sleeve surgery. I was hoping to do at least a panniculectomy first and maybe a tummy tuck later. Insurance will not pay for a panniculectomy, so that was disappointing. He said I should be at a lower weight but if I want this done, he could do a tummy tuck. He suggested a full tummy tuck with lipo. He could do it at the hospital with general anesthesia. The problem is that the billing department wasn't there and couldn't give me an estimate. They said it could start around $15,000. If I could get Care Credit to pay most of that, I could probably go for that.

I've also done some research on another plastic surgeon (Dr. Francisco Sauceda) in Monterrey, Mexico. His lower body lift is $7,200. I need to get a passport and an airplane ticket and some medical exams/labs done first. I think I'm gonna wait to see what Dr. Hilmy's office will tell me first.

Its been 9 days since I've seen Dr. Hilmy. His office has still not contacted me about a price. He told me it will take a week. I guess I'm gonna have to call on Monday to follow up.

Now I'm having doubts and want to see another plastic surgeon located in Harlingen, named Dr. Giovanna Ghafoori ( http://www.drghafoori.net/) She's a female and board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. I'm excited to meet her.

So I called Dr. Hilmy to see if they had my quote yet. The girl took awhile and said that Dr. Hilmy said I should wait 6-12 months and he was gonna refer me to another plastic surgeon for a panniculectomy. In the office he told me I should wait because I'm gonna continue to lose but he can do a tummy tuck if I want. The girl then kept reading and said that there was going to be a quote but the biller was not there and will be out for the holidays so I should wait for her to call me...grr!

I called Dr. Giovanna Ghafoori's office and wanted to make an appointment. The man tells me they're open Monday-Friday 9-4:30, they're gone for lunch from 12-1. The tummy tucks are $4,800-$7,500 and it includes lipo to waist and mons area and muscle repair. The first visit is watching a video explaining the procedure, the 2nd visit will cost $100 and I'll meet the doctor. If I schedule the surgery within 3 months that $100 will get deducted from my total. It all sounds fantastic so I ask him if I can go ahead and schedule an appointment and he tells me yes, Monday thru Friday 9-4:30pm. I tell him its after 10am? He said yes, so I hang up and call again and he starts going through the info again. I tell him I want to come in today, he says no not til Monday. He should of just told me next week after the holidays!

So I'm feeling frustrated and just want to have a date already. I'm tired of all this waiting and wondering.