Plastic/Skin Surgery

I'm just curious how difficult is it to get excess skin removed post op?  I don't yet know how much I'll have, but was just curious. 

Not difficult at all. There are a lot of plastic surgeons out there who will do it.

If you are asking how hard it is to get insurance approval, your insurance will either cover it or not. You have to check your policy. If you have the money, it is a simple process to find a surgeon who will do it. The recovery varies from person to person. i was in a lot of pain the first week, but it was manageable with pain meds. After a few weeks I felt pretty good.

I guess I'll have to check in with my insurance and see what they have to say...  I see Dr. Garth did your surgery, how did that go?  I am seeing Dr. Robert.  :) 

I love Garth and Robert. How has your experience been with their office??

So far, so good.  I like that Dr. Robert is such a straight shooter.  Makes me wonder about his bedside manner at the hospital, but, by then, I'll be a woman on a mission.  I haven't met Dr. Garth yet, but he is doing my EGD on the 25th, so I imagine I'll get to then.  Hoping I don't go all silly fangirl because I loved his book so much.  LOL!

Not difficult. It was self pay. I came up with the fees and had breast and arm lifts first. Later that year I had lower body lift. $$$ for sure. So worth it. 

Panniculectomy is often easier to get covered by insurance. It was one operation I didn't have to appeal in order to get covered. Just be sure to have doctors document any skin issues or problems you have starting NOW. Even just at my annual check up I saw the doctor said that exam was difficult due to my size, so I asked her if she'd elaborate and say due to the excess skin in the way and she said she would, just more detail. With that said I had a friend whose insurance clearly stated that 3 months documented skin treatment for rash had to have failed before they would approve skin removal...they did not have that...I warned him he would probably be denied and need to go get rash treated by prescription verses his over the counter medication use...well guess what? He was approved in 8 days from PS submission! Insurance can be so wonky sometimes! But he had lose over 100lbs and had definite visible skin hanging low, etc.

Thank you for this information.  Because of how I've always carried my weight I *know* this will be one I'll have to have and I'm going to keep your words in mind and document, document, document.  Thanks again.

Document any skin problems thru your doctor NOW.  Get Rx for them.  I lost 150 pounds and didn't need to have my stomach done (go figure) but did have arms done.  Easy surgery.  No pain at all and very pleased with results.  Needed face done but had filler in cheeks and lips.  No pain.  I am 68 years old.  

I was told by my insurance company in my RNY approval letter in 2008 that they WOULD NOT pay for any subsequent skin removal surgery even if deemed medically necessary.  And in 2011 when I had 16 pounds of skin removed during my Medically necessary Circumfrential lower body lift (I was litterally bruising my thighs when I walked from the skin hitting me) they did indeed hold to that decision.  My plastic Surgeon charged me $16,000 to remove that 16 pounds.  But becasue of that I had to choose just the abdomen, and not all the other parts that I want done, and will prolly never be able to have done now.  Especially since I am now unemployed and have had to spend of other more important surgeries (double hip, double knee replacements, and arthritis clean outs in shoulders, elbows, and as of yesterday an Ankle)  So i still haven't had my arms, breasts or thighs done. 

BUT if you were not given any restrictions like that , then as long as you have medical necessity proven for it it should be fairly easy, unless your insurance denies all plastics no mater why.