I just lost another 100 pounds!

Well, not exactly. But I feel like it!  Ya'll don't know, but I've been struggling with whether or not to have a reduction/lift - NOW!  A PS spoke at a support group meeting last summer and said the best time to have an assessment done and pics taken and all is before WLS surgery. I actually went in about 2 weeks post-op. The week of Christmas I rec'd the call that I'd been approved by insurance. The bad thing is that the surgeon I was going to have is relocating her practice to Miami in March.

Well, I want to update you on the whole “reduction/lift” issue. The PS office called and offered me a date of Feb. 14^th. They said this is the latest that (said PS - who shall remain nameless) would be able to do the surgery and still have time to do the follow-up visits before she moved to Miami. (First of all, could you even imagine doing that on Valentine’s Day?!) Well, I did the smartest thing ever: I called Dr. Spaw.  After giving him all the details, he put some things into perspective for me. First of all, he said, I’m too early out from WLS to be considering this at this point. When I told him that she (the PS) had said that for a reduction/lift you don’t have to wait like for the others (tummy tuck, etc.), he was very surprised. He said he couldn’t speak for PS’s across the board, but he could speak for Bariatric surgeons across the board – and you need to be a year out before consider a surgery like this. 

Secondly, he was very concerned at the prospect of me having a surgery like this (or any other, probably) when the surgeon is in the process of relocating. He said, “What happens if 4-6 weeks after surgery you develop an infection or something? She’s gone! And nobody else is going to want to touch you… and if they do take you on, they will have no invested interest in you. After all, they’re not going to get the check from Aetna.” He said as soon as he found out she was leaving, he quit referring patients to her. He said, “You need to know that your surgeon is going to be here 6 months, a year… 6 years after you have your surgery. If she was changing hospitals or something like that, that would be different. But leaving the state – that’s a different story.”  And thirdly, he totally validated my “inner voice”. I told him how when I first found out I’d been approved, that I was little shaken… a little scared… feeling like I’m not ready. I asked him if those were just the natural feelings of someone facing this type of procedure, or was that a sign that I wasn’t ready. He told me that my emotional response was very healthy, and it indeed confirmed that I wasn’t ready for this. He said that typically patients who are looking for a PS “can’t wait”… they are chompin’ at the bit, so to speak. I said, “Kind of like we all were to have bypass surgery.” He said, “Exactly!”  He also told me that I am way ahead of the game in that I already have insurance approval. He said most patients don’t get approval and therefore are left shopping for the cheapest price, because they are looking at paying for it out of pocket. He said it will make a big difference that, when the time comes, I can walk into a PS office and say, “I’ve got approval – I want to know how good you are and what I’m going to look like when you’re done!” He said to verify with my insurance co. how long the approval is for, but that most of the time approvals are good for 1 year.  I got off the phone and felt like I'd lost 100 more pounds  – such a heavy weight was lifted off my shoulders. Maybe I can say I’ve lost 179 pounds instead of just 79! 

I could not believe how “oppressed” I’d been feeling. It had been almost as debilitating as my fibro was…  I just sat around all day, feeling very overwhelmed,  had no motivation to do anything. Of course, feeling like that made me “snappy”  and John said I had definitely been ‘withdrawn’ for days – that he could tell it was weighing heavily on me. Anyway, I feel like I’m “back”. My joy is back.  I am so at peace again. I am pleased at where I am – where I’ve come from – and where I’m going. And that I’ll get there. And it doesn’t have to happen in 5 months’ time! So, that brings you up to speed on all things “Tara” – ha ha.  I want to thank you all for listening and for sincerely caring! You are valuable and precious – and I’m glad God brought you into my life!  Have a terrific day! ~ Tara

That Dr. Spaw is a wise man.  I meet him at a support group meeting once and he was very informative, straight forward with suggestions and such.  I am glad you took his advise to heart.  Glad to hear you are at peace again.  Have a Wonderful Day!! Sherry

Tara Sounds like you got some really good advice.....congrats on your weight of the world being lifted....that is a really good feeling.........have a great day and a safe weekend Wendy

I do agree that the best time to get the initial assessment and pics is before the wls... that's so they can tell what they used to look like, because after losing all the weight, they will definitely not be the same set of pics!  They may have denied you if you had lost all the weight and then got the pics taken... But, I cant imagine them doing a reduction and lift before you have either gotten to goal or a year out...  I had a reduction back in 05... way before I even thought about wls... well, ok the truth is I had THOUGHT about wls... just never thought I would do it... but anyway, now all I have are pockets of deflated skin that needs some implants.  But at least one good thing happened out of it...  I will not need a lift.  I just need the implants...  Glad you feel better about it...  If you had that much frustration and anxiety I wouuld definitely say that you were not at peace for a reason... 

Hey Sweet One!

I had no idea that you were having such a conflict.  Thank you for sharing all the details of your experience.  It will help those of us who have yet to venture into this area.

Big hug!

Freddie

Don't you just love Dr. Spaw? I'm so glad he was able to help you with this decision. I know it was weighing heavily on you.

Im another one who had a reduction before WLS,,I'm glad u listened to Dr Spaw,,my  PS I can never see again,,so I will be looking for another one when I'm all said and done also :)

Girl if yo lost another 100 lbs, you would be a toothpick skeleton!

That Dr Spaw sounds like a smart man! I totally agree with him and I am glad he was able to ease your mind about it. You really need to look into someone who can give you lots of aftercare if the need arises and hopefully it will not. Plus, I would think you should wait a little longer because you will still be losing weight and that does come off in your "top" also for a lot of women. So, you would hate to have a lift right now, lose 50 pounds and then them be saggy agian. You would have went through all of that for nothing. Of course, I am not am edical professional by any means but just from experience, you shoudl wait a little longer and look for someone who will be here for future appointment and possible future PS if you decide to go that route. At least you have been approved and now when "shopping around" you can look for the best. Good luck!  Oh yeah- congrats on the job!

If I have said it once, I have said it a million times, Dr. Spaw is a very wonderful man, he KNOWS what is best for his patients and he cares.  One of the things I love about him, regardless how busy he is, he always takes the time to listen, he honestly cares about the COMPLETE success of his patients!! I am so glad that you decided to call him in regards to this, because he lead you to the PEACE that you needed, he told you exactly how it was, and it confirmed your own feelings!!! Well you need a "Weight of Your Shoulders", Century Card for that one!!!