PS Consults - Progress with Dr Francisco Sauceda

I had gastric bypass in early 2017 and have been below goal weight for 1.5 years. I had plastic surgery consults in So Cal earlier this year for a LBL and brachioplasty. I really liked the surgeons I met; however, my ideal surgeon would be Dr Joseph Michaels in the Maryland/DC area. I haven't pulled the trigger on any of these surgeons due to total cost of surgery and a recovery center or home nurse/health care aide. I also don't like how the belly buttons look post-LBL for the majority of PS patients, EXCEPT for Dr Michaels' patients. Another challenge is I would have the surgery alone as I don't have anyone willing to care for me for weeks afterwards and drive me to appointments as everyone I know (family & friends) are overextended in their lives. As well, a number of my family members are judgmental about PS so I am reluctant to have them involved in this process. I am currently between jobs as I had been caring for a sick parent so now is an ideal time for me to have these procedures as I will be able to rest unencumbered to get the best outcome.

Recently, I had a virtual consult and have been exchanging emails with Dr Francisco Sauceda in Monterrey, MX. I am very impressed with him, from the extensive research I've done on him and with my interactions with him thus far. He is highly regarded by his former patients on OH and Realself. The other thing that makes him so compelling is the after care provided in the clinic and at a local Hampton Inn, whi*****ludes daily visits by Dr Sauceda and his fabulous nurse, Paty. I'm considering staying down there past the normal 12 days that most people do, which will add to the overall expense but would be nowhere near what it would cost in the US.

I also shared with Dr Sauceda my concerns about belly button appearances post-LBL and I sent him pics of some of Dr Michaels' former patients as my goal BBs, and he says he thinks that can be achieved. He also says I don't look that bad right now as far as my current weight, amount of loose skin, and having minimal excess fat. I appreciate hearing that as I've worked hard to lose weight and am lucky that my extra skin isn't too bad even though I'm in my mid 50's. I attribute this mainly to my genetics, but also to never smoking or having diabetes, minimal sun damage, and my total weight loss was only 100 lbs. The thing is that even when I was thin as a child, my stomach was always pudgy/pot belly, and I've always been self conscious about my upper arms and belly button. So I feel having these procedures will finally give me the body I've longed for and help keep me motivated to live a healthy lifestyle and reduce the risk of regain. (I've actually read that studies show PS after WLS can help minimize regain/emotional eating but I don't have any studies to quote at this moment, for what's it's worth.)

Fingers crossed that I'll be able to move forward on PS and have a desirable outcome.

This is a quote from the book "Weight Loss Surgery for Dummies"

Weight loss surgery gave me back my health; plastic surgery gave me back my self-esteem.

There are extended care facilities in Maryland like Residence Inn. This is a once-in-a-lifetime thing, so you want the best you can possibly get. I was the thin child with the pot belly, so I know how thrilling it was to have a tight, flat stomach after my plastic surgery.

I don't think there are any statistics, but I know if I gain more than 10 pounds from my plastic surgery weight, I start to have a pot belly again. So that is a good incentive not to let it happen. I really don't care about my family's opinions. Mine did not approve of weight loss surgery or plastic surgery. I did it anyhow.

Good luck with this and please post when you chose a doctor and get your surgery done.

Thanks White Dove; great quote! The challenge with going to Maryland isn't the housing per se but having someone to help with bandages, compression garments, showering, washing clothes, food, etc. I'm very independent and have had solo surgeries and travel many times but this is a different beast. I really appreciate your input as it will aid me in my final decision.

I've heard a lot of good things about Dr. Sauceda. I did an email consult with him but decided to go to someone in the area.

I've heard it's kind of challenging to get a belly button to look really good - so I'm not surprised you had a hard time finding plastic surgeons who can consistently do good ones. I didn't take that into consideration (although mine looks great, fortunately), but you're not the first person I've heard of who's had some concerns about belly button results...

Thanks catwoman7! The post-op belly button is a big deal to me. I have yet to find info online on why so many of them don't turn out well, aesthetically.

I had gastric bypass in early 2017 and have been below goal weight for 1.5 years. I had plastic surgery consults in So Cal earlier this year for a LBL and brachioplasty. I really liked the surgeons I met; however, my ideal surgeon would be Dr Joseph Michaels in the Maryland/DC area. I haven?t pulled the trigger on any of these surgeons due to total cost of surgery and a recovery center or home nurse/health care aide. I also don?t like how the belly buttons look post-LBL for the majority of PS patients, EXCEPT for Dr Michaels? patients. Another challenge is I would have the surgery alone as I don?t have anyone willing to care for me for weeks afterwards and drive me to appointments as everyone I know (family & friends) are overextended in their lives. As well, a number of my family members are judgmental about PS so I am reluctant to have them involved in this process. I am currently between jobs as I had been caring for a sick parent so now is an ideal time for me to have these procedures as I will be able to rest unencumbered to get the best outcome.

Recently, I had a virtual consult and have been exchanging emails with Dr Francisco Sauceda in Monterrey, MX. I am very impressed with him, from the extensive research I?ve done on him and with my interactions with him thus far. He is highly regarded by his former patients on OH and Realself. The other thing that makes him so compelling is the after care provided in the clinic and at a local Hampton Inn, whi*****ludes daily visits by Dr Sauceda and his fabulous nurse, Paty. I?m considering staying down there past the normal 12 days that most people do, which will add to the overall expense but would be nowhere near what it would cost in the US.

I also shared with Dr Sauceda my concerns about belly button appearances post-LBL and I sent him pics of some of Dr Michaels? former patients as my goal BBs, and he says he thinks that can be achieved. He also says I don?t look that bad right now as far as my current weight, amount of loose skin, and having minimal excess fat. I appreciate hearing that as I?ve worked hard to lose weight and am lucky that my extra skin isn?t too bad even though I?m in my mid 50?s. I attribute this mainly to my genetics, but also to never smoking or having diabetes, minimal sun damage, and my total weight loss was only 100 lbs. The thing is that even when I was thin as a child, my stomach was always pudgy/pot belly, and I?ve always been self conscious about my upper arms and belly button. So I feel having these procedures will finally give me the body I?ve longed for and help keep me motivated to live a healthy lifestyle and reduce the risk of regain. (I?ve actually read that studies show PS after WLS can help minimize regain/emotional eating but I don?t have any studies to quote at this moment, for what?s it?s worth.)

Fingers crossed that I?ll be able to move forward on PS and have a desirable outcome.

I used Dr as for a huge Amy of reconstruction in 2015. Everything was just as he said it would be an Paty is awesome!

we also stayed a week longer, in a suite no less!, and the cost was really a drop In The bucket.

I am going back in Feb 2020 for another round.

dr s is friendly, skilled and knowledgeable. His wife, we call her Dr. Mrs S, is his anesthesiologist and uses some kind of long lasting pain med through an epidural that still lets you walk around so there was very minimal pain for me.

edited to add: there is a Dr Sauceda group on OH too.

Wouldn't it be great if we are both at the Hampton Inn in Feb 2020, recovering from our plastic surgeries with Dr Sauceda?! What are you going to have done, if you don't mind me asking? I really appreciate you sharing your past experience with Dr S and your continued trust in him to perform additional surgery on you.

Hollykim - you are one of my favorite posters on OH so I would love to meet you in person. All the best.

Update: Dr S just emailed me that he has a cancellation on Feb 14 so that may be the date & place for me.

Wouldn?t it be great if we are both at the Hampton Inn in Feb 2020, recovering from our plastic surgeries with Dr Sauceda?! What are you going to have done, if you don?t mind me asking? I really appreciate you sharing your past experience with Dr S and your continued trust in him to perform additional surgery on you.

Hollykim - you are one of my favorite posters on OH so I would love to meet you in person. All the best.

Update: Dr S just emailed me that he has a cancellation on Feb 14 so that may be the date & place for me.

yes, we may very well be there at the same time. I go on the 17 th with surgery on the 18! That would be great, wouldn?t it?

oh, and I have a belly button that looks great.

I am having small breast implants, cause I didn?t first time and I really should have. Gravity being what it is! And having liposuction on my hips.

What are you having?

edited to add: sometimes in breast reconstruction, the nerves surrounding the nipples die,because the surgeon didn't take special car3 of them. Dr. S floats the nipples in saline to keep the nerves alive until he is ready to reattach them to the new breast. I didn't lose any sensitivity at all in my nipples,which is great.

Proposed procedures: Lower body lift and brachioplasty. I'm super happy to hear that you have belly button that looks great. It really is my main worry about a LBL. I would also not mind a breast lift as mine are droopy but they are (luckily) still a decent shape; however, I don't have enough tissue for BL with no BA, and am reluctant to get implants as I don't want large boobs and the thought of having to replace them in 10-15 years is unappealing. I like being a B cup and I have never heard of surgeons doing breast augmentations with less than C cup sized implants.

How about your scars? Thin, thick, perfect placement, could be better?

And did your butt flatten much with the LBL or did Dr S do a butt flap and/or fat transfer to increase the volume? He says I don't have enough fat for fat transfer but I'd rather have a flat butt over a sagging one.

overall my scars are acceptable. Some are less noticeable than others and some could be definitely better but I think that may be true of any surgeon.

My butt is flat but I think that is more from the weight loss than the lol. I didn't have any augmentation there,I just wear a panty that has a butt in it!