Pre-ops and those of you shopping for a surgeon - I have some suggestions......

Hi guys!!!  As I get ready for my second appt tomorrow with the doc that I am trusting to fix the last doc's f*ckup - I have a few things to share that are hindsight to me, but could be pre-warnings and red flags that might help or even save you.......

1 - a GOOD surgeon will give you a detailed quote describing the procedure, the cuts that are going to be made and have all the facility and anethesiologist pricing with it

2 - a GOOD surgeon will take whatever time to talk to you so that you are comfortable with what's going to be done and will tell you the LEAST he expects to be able to do and the BEST

3 - a GOOD surgeon will talk to you the morning of your surgery and should be there when you wake up to let you know everything went ok - or what issues he had working on you

4 - if you are unhappy - a GOOD surgeon will explain your options and what he can do to get you where you would like to be

5- a GOOD surgeon has a responsive back office staff.  If your calls are not returned or you feel brushed off - they aren't going to change - no one should be too busy to care for a patient

6 - ANY negative feedback on a surgeon on an online site is info worth weighing like IRON - anyone willing to search for a forum and take the time to enter that should tell you something

7 - Board certification ain't everything.  WLS patients are VERY different cases to handle - make sure he's worked with formerly fat folk before.... and a LOT.  

8 - make sure you search your state's medical board site for complaints - if you see ANY - RUN.  A GOOD surgeon will have a clean record.  My surgeon last year had one complaint from 2000 - I brushed it off thinking it was 8 years ago - that should be relevant now, right?  My surgeon now has a clean record since being licensed over 15 years ago and has not a single negative comment on every site I found online.

9 - Money isn't everything.  Just because you find cheaper doesn't mean you found better. 

10 - No credible surgeon can promise you perfection.  You spent a good chunk of your life very overweight and you have jacked up your chance to be Pamela Anderson - so get over it.  Any surgeon who says you can be perfect as if you never were overweight is selling you horse patties and telling you it's hamburger - RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!!!!!

Ok - that's my 10.  Feel free to take heed or ignore - but if something happens... don't say I didn't tell you so!!!!!

Good Advice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
                                                            Thanks   Gail

Thanks for the great advice!!!

*standing and applauding*

That was great advice and so so so true.  How many folks do I know who are so desperate for PS that they go with whomever says "I'll do it now and I'll do it for less" and that's all there is to it.  Later there are often regrets.

So how are things with you, by the way?

Hi Renee! 

I am good - I am working with a new doc that got a anchor TT approved with my insurance as a correction to the panniculetomy done by jacklegg doc last year - the bad job THAT fool did REQUIRES a TT to fix it - can you believe that?  The amount of overhanging skin above my scar line is constant discomfort.

BUT - anyhoo - I am scheduled for a anchor TT on May 27th and am going for a 2nd consult appt tomorrow morning to discuss a breast lift.  I'm excited!!!!  This should finish me off - it will get my tummy where I want and bring the 'girls' up north!

Great Advice.  Do you mind if I add #11?

A good surgeon is not just a doc that cuts -- he is a physician first.  He will look at your medical history and be concerned about your overall health and how that will impact not only the surgery itself but could also effect your recovery and results.  He will seek the advice of other physicians concerning your health issues that are outside of his area of specialty. 

Red

  VERY GOOD additional point to make!!!!!! 

Thanks so much for the info....I guess one just assumes that doctors doing plastic surgery should know what they are doing...of course not always the case.  I don't understand how come the laws are such in the US that doctors that are not board certified in plastics can legally practice doing plastics on patients.  Here in Canada, that is not allowed...But I never thought about the fact that a surgeon should have lots of experience with Bariatric patients...that only makes sense, now that you have said it!

Don't get me started on the US health care system..... I saw Michael Moore's Sicko and I am still SICK about it!!!!  LOL

yes it is crazy - i personally think that post bariatric plastics should be it's own specialty within the plastics speciality.  It is really a serious difference.  the surgeon I worked with that jacked me up last year didn't really deal a lot with post bariatric and i honestly think that he didn't understand the gravity of the job he was agreeing to and got into the surgery and just said f-it because then he realized just how much work it was going to be. 

Hey there Ani.....first time here, just crusing the boards...and I was like...

HEY I know her...LOL

Pre-planning for my inner thigh and bat wings.

A girl needs a goal to shoot for.