So torn =(

Well, I have finally narrowed my search down to 3 doctors! They are all really good. Each doctor has experience ( quiet a bit) in patients that have had weight loss surgery. Going into this I thought I would only be able to do a full extended tummy tuck at this time due to the sheer cost.
 
Well, one of the 3 doctors has a really great program and does a special type of body lift. Extended tummy tuck, circ lift, arm lift, breast lift w/implants and bra line lift. He then will do the thighs at a later date all for about 24k. Right now I would have to pay 18k. Do all but the legs and then the legs when I am rdy and pay the reamaing amount at the time.  He is a good doctor. He isn't as conservative as the other 2. He does his surgery as an outpatient. He wants to avoid the hospital if at all possible due to infection rates being higher and cost.

The other 2 doctors are very similiar in cost, experience, skill and they would only do my stomach now. Legs alone and a butt lift if I want or need it. Breast and arms and bra lift. So With these two I am looking at 3 surgeries. The cost would probally end up about 6-7k more in the long run.

Cost, isn't my concern here really.( it matters but its not everything)  Right now I am thinking saftey. I know people do have many area's worked on all the time. I just had not really thought about it for myself, except when I was trying to go to Mexico. My surgery would last about 6 hours. He uses the harmonic scapel and it allows for a little quicker surgery time. He doesuse a MD for anesthia.
I am scared of doing so much at one time. I keep thinking the pain will be awful or I would have such a high chance of something going wrong after the fact. Also, he sends you home the same day. I understand why he avoids the hospital, but that is alot of trauma on the body and I don't know if its really safe...

For those of you that did multiple places at once, why did you chose to do so?
For those of you that could have but didn't what made you make that choice?

Thanks for listening (reading) I need to vent and cry and I know that I can come here and I get support!
Thanks!!

I saw a photo of a patient who had the more advanced surgery that you described with the first doctor when looking through the makemeheal galleries last night. If I run across it again, I'll send you the link. I had never seen such an "aggressive" surgery before, and it was quite interesting. Her healed incisions looked wonderful, though. Here's the link to the general gallery, but I am headed out in a few minutes and don't have time to look for that link again at the moment.

http://www.makemeheal.com/pictures/gastric-bypass-bariatric

Here it is. She's calling it an "Upper Torsoplasty". Very extensive work. I hope she does not mind the cross post, but her album is open on a public forum, so I guess it's ok to post it here...

Well, on second thought, I'm removing the link and will P.M. you with the link. I forgot about OH's Facebook page, and would sure hate to see this woman's photos plastered all over Facebook. The link above is just a general link, and this person's photos were listed in a different area, so I'll leave that link since it's related to WLS.

My extended TT is going to be around 8 thousand with an overnight stay in the hospital per my request. I also wanted my breast lifted however, he said that that is around an 7-8 hours surgery and that he would do it but the longer I am under the higher the chances of having trouble because of the meds they give you to put you to sleep.

ALso, I would rather get the 8 thousand paid off, take a good year or so to heal and then go back and get the breast lift with nipple grafting(which I really am nervous about). Then after that is paid off, I might get my arms done. When that is paid off, I might get some work on my face done like fillers and stuff.

I am unable to go to Mexico with dr. S because he uses an epideral and I am unable to have one because my back is that messed up. They tried with my last c-section and after fourty five minutes they had to put me under.

Best of luck.

Teresa

 I had a similar first round to what you're describing - Circumferential Lower Body Lift, Arm Lift, and Breast Lift with Implants.  I had my thighs done at a later date.

It was a lot of surgery to get done at once, but I did fine with it.  That being said, I cannot imagine doing it as an outpatient and going home the same day.  Does he have you stay in an overnight surgical suite (like in his office, as opposed to a hospital)?  I just cannot imagine being able to go home after that.  I still had a catheter, and an IV for pain control the next morning.  And needed a ton of assistance getting up for the first few days.

He does not keep you overnight. That is part of my conflcition. I really don't know what I will decide to do. It is alot to think about it.
How was your recovery?

 I am having my FDL tummy tuck, MR, and double hernia surgery in the hospital but I am staying overnight in a hotel suite across from the hospital and down from my surgeon's office overnight.  I have had hernia surgery before, went in at 1:00 PM and was on my way home at 4:15 PM from open operation.  I chose to do my surgeries in three different steps.  After I recover from the FDL tummy tuck, I will have my lower back lift surgery if I still need it (my back looks really good just got saggy butt) and then I will have my arms done with possibly a breast lift.  Not sure on the breast lift, they are small and not that bad.  I am not going to get a medical thigh lift.  I wear bemuda shorts and I don't swim so I can live with my thighs.  I am hoping to get everything that I want done for $20,000.00.

I had my anchor cut circumferential and arms done in November and was under for 5 hours.  Phase 2 which is in October is my breast lift and thighplasty, lipo AND slight revisions to what i have already had done , this time I am scheduled for 8 hours.

My surgeon is not charging for the revisions and all along he said I would most likely need a retighten due to an old school gall bladder scar and he is not concerned with my recovery in regards to working on so many areas. He makes all his patients spend one noight in the hospital.. I guess I just trust him.

Jujuvee,
Did you stay in the hospital afterwards?

Yes. My surgeon makes you stay overnight. No exceptions. plus I live i mile from the hospital that my surgeon works at. I have seen where some have a body lift as an out patient procedure but I would stay. It cost me 900 bucks to stay overnight but the nurses came in many times to check on me, plus I had a cathater in until morning becaue they did not want me to get up until the next day.

It was a fantastic experience.