Advice needed! Feeling defeated

I had my one year follow-up appointment yesterday and was actually excited going into it. I started off with my weigh-in ... showing a 165 lb weight loss thus far so yes I'm very happy with that and was told that for VSG I exceeded expectations by quite a bit. That is the good news!

Here is the bad news and what I need advice on ASAP.

With such a large weight loss I have excess skin mainly in the stomach with possible lymphedema as the one side is hard, heavy and sometimes swells. This hangs to mid-thigh and impedes with daily activities. I go to the gym several times a week and am embarrassed doing some of the exercises due to this pendulum swaying and slapping during certain movements. I have skin issues and my nurse practitioner had said from the beginning that this will be OHIP covered surgery. Yesterday, when meeting with my doctor, he first congratulated me on such a great job, then slapped me with the news that NO plastic surgeon in Ontario will do the procedure that is covered by OHIP. He said that I need something done immediately to be able to keep moving forward, and to start calling plastic surgeons offices for the cheapest quote which he expects to be $15000-$20000 for this area alone. We didn't even discuss inner thighs which are also obstructive to daily activities.

So PLEASE give me whatever recommendations you have...IF I pay out of pocket, I don't want some budget plastic surgeon who has no idea about bariatric patients.

London or Windsor area would be ideal.

What is covered is a Brest reduction or panni.
legs aren't covered.

dr nandagopal and dr chivers both in Scarborough are often used.

yazdani is popular in london

in Windsor, it's often dr Snowden who's popular. I suggest asking in your local support group.

Thanks very much for the names of plastic surgeons! I will start with those and get calling.

From what the doctor at my centre said.. the panni is covered but there is no doctor in Ontario that will do that procedure. (I am hoping this is incorrect information)

I appreciate the input and knew this would be the best place get accurate information.

He said that the panni is covered by no one will do it?

untrue. Most wont do it though without upgrading to a tt. But there are a few doctors who will do it.

the docs above require upgrade.

join the ontario plastic surgery fb

I concur. It's not true that no one will do it.

Your Doctor needs to do some research and dig deep because there are Plastic Surgeons out there that will do it.

If it's medically necessary - there are surgeons who will do it. I think Dr. Harris in Burlington accepts OHIP.

I would go back to the Bariatric Clinic and get a referral from them. I betcha they know surgeons who accept OHIP.

Keep us up to date on this please. I'd really like to know how this works out.

Well I am glad to hear that there are plastic surgeons who will accept OHIP and do the panni even if it requires the upgrade as Dawn mentioned.

Unfortunately this was my Bariatric Clinic doctor who gave me the information and told me to flip open the yellow pages and just take the cheapest quote. Or maybe start a "go fund me" page! I was soooo upset!

I'll start by seeing my nurse practitioner in January (the earliest I can get in) and also make some calls to the doctors suggested here.

I will keep you posted.

I compared my plastic surgery to buying an automobile. I am willing to spend $40,000 for a piece of metal that will rust out and need to be replaced. I will have my body for the rest of my life. I preferred my body without the hanging skin.

Figure out a way to get the plastic surgery that you need. Sometimes people borrow on their home or retirement savings. There are some credit card plans that cover surgery.

Look at it as an investment in your happiness. Don't just go by the cheapest price. Talk to the surgeon and ask to see pictures of his work. There is also the option of going to Mexico for lower cost surgery. Do your research.

I use Usculpt in Vaughan for all my plastics. Dr. Nandagopal and Dr, Al-Habib are fantastic. as they are a private they no longer do OHIP but as they specialize in wls patients I wouod highly reccommenr

I had a consult there and was very impressed. I'll be doing an extended tt with muscle repair sometime in 2020. Can't wait.

First Off congratulations on your weight loss, be proud ,you worked hard for it. I felt so sad seeing your topic.... "Feeling Defeated" it brought back a lot of my own memories concerning plastics after massive weight loss. Like you my family doctor told me that Ohip didn't cover anything, .....not true! Boy was I very happy to set her straight after I had a panniculectomy, with muscle repair(hernia) and a new belly button, breast reduction/lift all covered by Ohip, I paid $3500 for the lipo. That was 5 years ago and I know for a fact that the surgeon I went with still does a lot of Ohip funded surgeries. I used Dr.M.Elahi www.elahiplasticsurgery.com and if you get a referral, its no charge for your consultation. He is excellent at getting Ohip approval for as much as possible and if you do end up going with him you won't be disappointed. As someone else above suggested, join the fb Ontario, Canada plastic surgery boards, its private and has a wealth of information on Dr.'s and even has a album section of different Dr.'s before and afters put there by the patients themselves, I got brave and added few of my own.

Good Luck,

Nancy