Appt with surgeon tomorrow, questions?!

I have a half hour consult with a plastic surgeon tomorrow.  Everything I've heard so far is good, he's board certified and works with a local hospital. I know it's still too soon for me to have surgery, but due to our flexspend at work, I needed an idea of cost and it's too difficult without an appointment.

What kind of questions are important to ask?  I am asking about a panni removal and tt (also hernia repair), breast augmentation (not sure yet if I need a lift, reduction, or implants!), brachioplasty and will ask about a lower body lift out of curiousity.

They've already said they want you at your goal weight for a year before they'll do the tt.  I wouldn't want to do anything to my chest until I reach goal and the lower body lift is a dream at this point.

What I'm most curious about now is the brachioplasty.  Genetically I had awful "bat wings", but with my weight loss they're awful.  Even with working out at the gym and doing weights at home, it just looks worse.  I knew I'd either have to live with it or have surgery (my aunts who are thin even have bat wings).  I'm having difficulties now with shirts and especially coats, because they fit everywhere but my arms.  My plan is to have this surgery first, possibly early summer because I'm not worried about being at a stable or even goal weight.  My arms even have a tiny bit of definition, all but the bottom.

Has anyone had luck with this surgery? How bad is the scar?  Would you be concerned about being at goal weight for this surgery?  The reason I'm not concerned is that I'm afraid my arms are going to start looking too muscular if I keep exercising!

Sorry for the length of the post...just curious!

Thanks!

I never thought of that...thanks!

I agree w/ checking on your Flexspending. Most plans won't let you use it for Plastics. On the brachio. I had mine done in July and love the results. For me that recovery was one of the easiest. I have an incision that goes from my elbow to my armpit. Really even after just about 4-5 months you can't see the scar. I was at my step-sisters this summer & her MIL was talking ot me about that surgery and said "well where's the scar" and I had short sleves on at the time. Guess it also depends on how badly you scar and heal from surgery. You really couldn't see my Lap scars from my gallbladder and RNY either.

Good luck to you Margie, getting rid of the batwings makes shopping so much more fun when your arms actually fit into your size.

Sonya

Thanks, Sonya...looking forward to it!!

It looks like I may have the arms done this summer. He wants to do the arms and just a breast lift and slight reduction together for under 10 grand, but I just can't do both at once, financially.

So, I think I'm doing my arms.  The scar won't be on the back of my arm, but more to the inside, so it won't be seen from the back.  He even told me to lay off on exercise on my arms, to do it but not as much because my arms are getting muscular (which was very nice to hear!)

If anyone has a spare 35 grand, I could fix my entire body LOL

I'm also happy that I'll need just a lift, not implants!

But wow...I was so freaked while standing there completely naked, especially through the pics!

being naked was the strangest part to me too Margie!  thankfully I didn't have to take pics, but I was happy when that part of my consult was over!

At one point, I'm standing there, totally naked, and so is the Dr and the nurse in the room...and we're talking.  He's going on about surgery, and other things like that. At one point he reaches out and is explaining the lip on my sides and reaches for my rear and kinda cups and lifts, explaining other parts of surgery. 

I didn't know if i wasnted to cry, scream, giggle or puke from anxiety!

HA HA HA!  I completely understand!  Mine was sort of cupping my breasts and showing how the implants would give me a slight lift, and I was MORTIFIED....

Ditto on the flexible spending account--I just signed up this week (because I'm expecting to have RNY in a couple of months...I just like to learn about the next step after I lose weight, so I check out this board too!).  When I was looking through the covered expenses, plastics were not allowed.