p/s tuck-body lift
Rhett, Not "The Way" but one that worked for me….just telling you how I went about it. I posted to the Local Boards in the areas of the country where I was hoping to have my PS. I’m in Mississippi, so finding one in a town where I could stay and check in was important. You’re in Kingwood? So asking the Texas State Board for info on Plastic Surgeons in the Houston area would be a good start. http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/TX/ And, also a "shout out" on the Plastic Surgery Board- http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/plasticsurgery/posts.html Asking if anyone there has a Great Plastic Surgeon they would Highly recommend. Give a quick read at- http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/plasticsurgery/choosing+pl astic+surgeon.html Also, search the Plastic Surgeons listed on this site- http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/plastic+surgeons+in +texas.html Now, once you get a "Big-Azzed List," Click the ones who have e-mail on their site. Send them a short and to the point summary of what you want to know- Such as- (this is my letter with some of the facts left blank) "I am a Bariatric Post-Op. Patient of Dr. ______ in ______. I’ve gone from 385lbs to 179-180lbs. At a stable constant weight for the last 10 months. I have redundant skin (pannus) that I’m wanting to have removed due to continued dermatitis, and rash problems. My PCP, my Bariatric Surgeon and my Dermatologist have all recommended that I have reconstructive surgery to remove the redundant skin as a long term treatment for my ongoing skin conditions/problems." "I’m fortunate to have insurance that has a history of fully covering this exact procedure. I’m hoping to have a Panneculectomy or Abdominoplasty this summer. I’m specifically looking for a surgeon with experience with Bariatric patients who also accepts insurance coverage. If your office deals with such patients, I would love to set up an appointment for consultation at your earliest possible availability. If your practice does not deal with insurance or Bariatric patients, then I would not want to waste your time." & Thank you for your blah, blah, blah… That got me 12 replies from various Docs. Of those, 8 had done the exact sort of procedure that I was looking for (4-specifically on Male Bariatric patients) and their offices would file the insurance. I set up consultations with 5 of them. (the ones that had the most "Great Doctor!" replies from the forums.) I had to pay out of pocket for the consultations, but it’s not that much. 3 of them even filed for that fee rather than have me pay it all on the spot. I then "Auditioned" my candidates. 3 were really very impressive. I asked them to draw for me to explain exactly what they would do. (I was observing their ‘eye-hand-coordination’ – I’m an artist and figured if they had the manipulation skills needed to "sculpt flesh," drawing a description of it would be no challenge. 3, were excellent at manipulating the pen on paper) J Then, they each filed for insurance coverage and I went back to mull over the "auditions." Before they had even wasted the time, I called up and cut one loose. No need to waste any of their office’s time when I was certain that I wanted one of the other two. I kept my "Top Two" in the running until both had called to say I had been approved by insurance. Just ‘covering my rear in case one was not. (in my case, they were both out of state, but different states- TN and GA, and I wasn’t sure about state insurance coverage "out of Network." There was also another differential in the mix for me, that you may not have. The doc in Georgia was planning a full Abdominoplasty that she felt would be possible even with my pre-complications of reconstructed abdominal muscles and mesh. The doc in Tennessee was a little more conservative and recommended to play it safer and go for a Panneculectomy. He was certain that the compromise aesthetically would be minimal and that the benefits by staying ‘on the side of caution’ would be maximum. I then made my final cut, and he got my business to finally ‘cut me.’ Make sure that you discuss having the excess skin of the pubic region ‘lifted’ and excess removed. It’s "Worth the price of admission"- as they say in my business. Being as close as you are to a major city such as Houston, you should have no trouble in finding a Great doc. Do plan to stay "near-by" for a few days after for follow-up. If you have family there? Or just get a hotel near the hospital? If you have folks in Dallas, then you may want to look for docs up that way. Several guys here have had work done. Hollar out with any questions. Sorry to babble on so…. Best Wishes- Dx
on 6/18/07 11:15 pm - Houston, TX
on 6/21/07 9:44 pm - Houston, TX
