Tummy Tuck After Successful Bariatric Surgery - Vancouver, WA

I had bariatric surgery (gastric bypass) in Sept'14. That surgery was a success - between the prep period prior to the surgery and post-surgery, I lost ~120 pounds. As my weight loss stabilized, I was still faced with a large amount of skin around my belly where the "supporting" fat had disappeared but the skin remained. This caused issues such as back pain and the formation of irritation in addition to, basically, a constant reminder of my "fat days." One of my fears was that I would start gaining weight and not really notice since my appearance would not change substantially.

A visit to Dr Gabriel to discuss options as very useful. He was very positive and supportive regarding the steps I had already taken to improve my overall health and was eager to assist me with this next step. Since a panniculectomy (aka "tummy tuck") is not a minor procedure, he, and his staff, made certain that I understood the implications. BTW, these implications include a very large incision to remove the excess skin, surgical drains in place for multiple weeks after the procedure and the chance for complications due to the state of my skin after years of being stretched by all of the fat I carried around my belly. While I was still nervous going into the procedure, I feel Dr Gabriel and his team prepared me as well as could be expected. They answered every question I had.

The procedure itself went well. Both Dr Gabriel and his assistant were very positive and reassuring as I went into surgery. My recovery included an overnight stay at PeaceHealth SW Medical Center (also where I had my prior bariatric surgery) which was top-notch. Excellent care by the entire staff while I was there. Things were so good with my surgery experience and hospital stay, I can't really provide any areas of improvement.

The aftercare by Dr Gabriel and his staff was also excellent. I did leave he hospital with 2 surgical drains in place. I was given good instructions on how to care for the drains along with a regime of meds and vitamins to improve my recovery. He was very careful to make sure my pain was properly managed. I attempted to adhere to his vitamin regime for the weeks prior to and after my procedure. There were several different vitamins he recommended so it did require some work to keep on the schedule. I will say that my recovery went well and I strongly suspect the his recovery regime is a factor in my success.

Dr Gabriel and his office was very responsive to my living with the surgical drains. As the need for them extended, they were always there to help me keep them properly in place and reduce the discomfort they caused. I was able to come into the office to see a nurse whenever there was a problem and they quickly worked to come up with solutions I could live with to reduce the discomfort. This included enabling me to take a roadtrip with my wife while I still had one of the drains in place. Their care was very responsive and took into account my specific needs. For this I am very appreciative.

At this point, several months after the procedure, my results are very good and I am very happy with the results and the process.

I will add that Dr Gabriel is VERY busy so getting the initial appointment with him can be difficult. My experience is first that he is worth it and second, once you are an established patient, the office tries hard to get you in as you need to see either him or his staff.