Home from plastics!

Claire: I know u didn't ask me specifically but I am happy to share my info: This is what ~I~ paid for my Lower Body Lift/Breast Augmentation...ALL SELF PAY, insurance didn't PAY a cent! This was in June 2004 for MY SURGEON AND FOR MY BODY..that may alter fees a little! Anesthesia now is an hourly feel before it was a flat fee. My surgeon was Dr. Joshua King! I HIGHLY recommend him to all wlsers in area he is great and VERY experienced w/ post bariatric body contouring! http://www.albanyplasticsurgeons.com/ surgeon fee: LBL $5,000 Augmentation: $3,500 Implants themselves flat fee $1,250 -$400 multisurgery discount -10% cahs payment or something like that? -$75 consult fee credited *if you have a procedure this is credited ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ $8,465 $2,890 Hospital fee for 2 nights stay/ or and preop testing at Albany Medical Center South Clinical Campus. $1,440 anesthesia fee 4-6 hrs in OR ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ total: $12,795 Here is a few links to average costs! http://www.cosmeticplasticsurgerystatistics.com/basics.html http://www.plasticsurgery4u.com/prices.html http://www.ineed2know.org/plastic-surgery-costs.htm?referrer=adwords http://www.plasticsurgerycosts.com/ http://beautysurg.com/learn/general_fees.html Some other sites to look at: http://www.plasticsurgery.org/ http://www.abplsurg.org/index.htm http://www.surgery.org/public/index.php http://www.tuckthattummy.com/ http://patient-info.com/brochures.htm Some groups to ask ? and look at pics etc! http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/plasticsurgery/ http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/GastricBypass-PlasticSurgery/ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ossgplasticsurgery2/ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WLSandPlasticSurgery/ http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/OSSG_Reconstructive_Plastic_Surgery/ I put the total on my credit card (bank One), then opened a new card (chase) that was 0% financing for 1 yr on balance transfers and had a $0 balance transfer (u see these all the time in the sunday paper coupon section or go online! type in 0% credit cards) initially. As long as you pay 2% off a month no charges apply. I paid 1/2 offin 1st year, I then again opened another card discover this time 0% interest 12 mo and no balance transfer fee...I will have it paid off in May! Free financing for 2 yrs! Now u can not put any charges on these cards because it pays lowest interest first thent he higher, meaning if u buy anything that will acrrue interest until the initial balance transfer is paid off. It pays to shop around and be wise! Hey beart a home equity loan at 6% or so! Take Care, Jamie Lap RNY 10/9/02 Dr. Singh 320/163 5'9'' (lost 45# before surgery) Plastics 6/9/04 & 11/11/2005 Dr. King "Being happy doesn't mean everything's perfect, it just means you've decided to see beyond the imperfections!"

Hi Mary, That is awesome news and very confirming of my own experience with Dr. King. Sweet, competant, excellent doc. I'm glad to hear that you're on the other side of surgery, feeling well, and recovering quickly. You give me hope for my own future (haven't even had bypass yet, but soon!) when I'm ready for plastics... Heal well, Amy

Hi MaryJ I'm glad to hear that you are home and in good spirits. When do the lower drains come out? If I may ask how did you get insurance to approve the panniculectomy? and what insurance do you have? (email me if you don't want to post the information). How was the AMC South Clinic for surgery and after care? They don't have weekend overnighters I've heard so anyone who needs to stay overnight into Sat. is transported to the main hospital. How did you feel waking up after 7 hours of surgery? Was it different from the WLS? Sorry for all of the questions, but I will be heading down that route in about a year so the more information, the better. I appreciate any information that you want to share. Take care, heal well.. LindaM

Linda, Jaime (J Catlasy5) and I both had same surgeons/hospital etc. The drains will come out when there is not much draining. That would vary from person to person. The right hip/groin are barely anything now. The L hip is very little but the groin is still producing a lot and I will keep as long as necessary because they are doing the job that needs to be done. I would bet by week 2 or 3 I will be totally drainless. AMC South Clinical Campus - I originally did not want to go there but that is where Dr. King wanted to be so that is where I went. I was wowed by them. I have never ever seen a more clean bathroom/hopital in my life. I was one of 5 patients on my floor to say I had what seemed like a private duty nurse is an understatement. They were superb. They originally had a possible plan to keep me through some/all of the weekend depending on how I did based on my past surgical history and never said I would have to be moved so I am unsure about that. Jaime may know as she is a Nurse Practioner and I believe she works for Albany Med main (not positive). I had a lot of complications with WLS so hard to compare how I felt. I really didn't use the pain pump except when I knew I was gonna get out the first time and I did as preventative and I think I hit it once the first night just to help me sleep better. But basically I have not been in any pain, just discomfort. I prefer discomfort to groggy hazes :> I have CDPHP for insurance. They originally denied my Panni, I called and told them that I had twice in the past couple of years hold moles grow under my Panni and had a dermatologist remove them. I also told them I would probably have to have it done every year or so as the warm moist area kept them coming back. I suggested they look at the related costs of the dermatologist every year or 1 time for panni removal. She said they would consider my phone appeal and get back to me. That Sat I got a letter saying they would cover it. That was all I did. If you have ANY issues start documenting them NOW and keep going back for ANY followup. It can't hurt. I understand it i**** or miss with that coverage. Maybe I was just lucky or actually got to someone who it made financial sense to??? I am actually walking pretty straight, maybe just a little hunched over. I am quite swollen and I can see that going down already although I expect it to take many months to get the 8 inches of swelling to completely go away. (MY tummy and butt although now nice and flat measure 8 inches bigger than last week) I did expect that. I am now 2 lbs heavier today than the day of surgery but I am sure it is the swelling so I am not concerned about that either. I am eating very light and have mild bouts of nausea (again to be expected) but on the whole I feel fabulous considering what I had done just this past Wednesday :> Please do not hesitate to ask anything. People here had helped me so much I hope it will be my way of giving back. Good Luck, HUGS Mary