Consult today...nerves! :)

At my WL surgeon's last support group meeting, the speaker was a local plastics surgeon and he really impressed me--personality, approach, the way he talked about what he does, before/after pics, etc.--so I made a consult appointment. I'm still a ways out from goal and maintaining for several months but since insurance is not likely to cover any plastics procedures (maybe some, but not all), I wanted to get an idea of how much $$$$ I'm going to have to save up, and then start saving.

Last week I was all excited about the appointment. Today, I'm a bundle of nerves. I'm very modest and know I'm going to end up standing nekkid and having my flab handled. I know he's going to be professional and methodical but it's still...well, you guys know, I'm sure.

Just had to get that out there. I feel a little better having expressed it, lol.

:)

I know exactly how you feel!  I have been naked outside of home  more often lately than ever before in my life.  It seems like everyone has had a gander of me unclothed.  A truly professional surgeon will make sure you feel comfortable and know what he's doing and looking for at all times.  My experience was nothing like some of the prison de-lousings you hear about on here.

Good Luck!

Thanks Rob. You had me laughing out loud over the prison de-lousings. I'm glad I hadn't come across any of those before my appointment. It was an eye-opener, that's for sure. More about the appointment in a separate post on this thread. :)

Well. There is something to be said for looking at nekkid pictures of oneself.

The appointment was fine. It's the pics are getting to me. But first...they took my weight, height, and bp, explained what was going to happen, and sat me in a room with the door closed to show me a short video on body contouring after massive weight loss. They had other videos for more specific procedures but the nurse felt this one was most applicable for me. Didn't tell me a lot I didn't already know but it was a good way to get into the right mindset from paralyzing nerves.

Then the doc came in and talked about what I wanted, pros, cons, and considerations. After that, he gave me a paper robe (that fit all the way around me with nice overlap, yay!) and one of those string bikini bottom things for underwear. He came back in began the examination. Measuring, hands-on, moving things around, standing up, lying down. Had me stand next to a wall for photos. He left to print the photos while I got dressed.

When he came back in, the talk got more specific. What he thought I needed (which is quite a bit more than I’d been thinking based on what I’ve seen of myself in the mirror at home, but he is absolutely right).

It was quite an eye-opener, seeing those pics of myself and I'm not sure how I feel. Well, I know, but right now my emotions are all over the place. I've lost 70 lbs. since my highest weight. I feel better, I look better (in clothes, anyway), I feel good about my progress and getting off these last 30-40 lbs, however much longer it takes. I’m gonna do it.

It’s one thing to see yourself every day in clothes that are getting progressively looser. The clothes I wore today should probably be retired, actually. They are too big and they look it. Sort of sloppy, if I’m totally honest.

It’s also one thing to see yourself every day after a shower without clothes. Because you know how you used to look and you can see the difference.

But it’s another thing entirely to see photos of yourself without clothes on--from the front, side, and back--with absolutely no other reference. It’s like listening to the sound of you voice on a tape recorder, or like looking at photos of yourself and REALLY seeing what you look like. It was frightening.

I’m one of those people who lose weight all over rather than from the top down. So all the same rolls and bumps I had when I weighed 70 lbs. more are still there, in all their hideous glory. And they look HORRIBLE. They look just as huge in the photos he took today as they did 70 lbs. ago, if not bigger somehow. Not that I have similar photos of myself from back then, but to my eyes, there was no difference. I didn’t see my weight loss, I just saw what’s left and it makes me want to cry. I feel like I never want to eat again, but that’s ridiculous.

I knew going in that I needed to lose more weight before having plastics and he confirmed that. He said I’m doing great but that he’d like to see me again when I’ve lost another 30 lbs. Coming from 70, that doesn’t seem so far off, but I know it gets more difficult to lose when you have less left to lose.

It was late in the day so I did not get any estimates; the office manager had to leave to pick up her kids but she said she’d have write them up and send them to me this week.

The doctor thinks insurance will cover the breast reduction. He thinks I will also want to consider an extended abdominoplasty, possibly an entire lower body lift. Possibly also an upper body lift. And brachioplasty, although that will depend on whether I want to trade off the bat wings for scars. Actually, it’ll all depend on that trade-off. And the money. That’s the big one of course.

I’m all mixed emotions right now. Tired. Forcing a late dinner of Elina’s Green Chicken Soup down, trying to get closer to my protein goal. Those pics—maybe I should get copies of them. They killed my appetite, that’s for sure.