Plastic surgery consult!!

Hello my loves! Yesterday i scheduled my plastic surgery consultation for the excess skin removal on my tummy. i HATE it and i think i would be much less of a crazy person if i actually had it removed. Also it's just not healthy i don't think, i get sores from where my pants sit. My pants aren't too tight i actually need belts! I think it's because when i sit (which i do all day at my desk) the top skin folds over that, i dunno it's nasty. Also it's itchy and my lower back is ALWAYS sore which i hear is a side effect. Anyways i'm really excited to hear what the plastic surgeon says and also to find out if it will be covered by my insurance. It says plastics will be covered if found medically necessary. I  REALLY hope they think it is!! Anyways i was just really excited and wanted to share with people that actually might care a little bit! My boyfriend just says..."oh i don't want you to  be in pain, i love you exactly how you are, you dont have to change for me"...i LOVE him to death, he is so sweet, but this isn't for you bucko, it's for me!! Any advice from those of you that have done this and such! Hope you're all well! <3

Congrats Reese  Hope everything works out, and your insurance agrees to cover it. Keep us updated!

As you said - its for you not him, so go for it. You can call your insurance now and see what their requirements are for PS - also see what they will cover... many times they only cover a panni and not a full tummy tuck - so you may want to have $$ saved up so you can get 'the whole shebang'... you may know but a panni is only skin removal, no muscle tightening... typically if you only have the skin removed over the course of 3-5 years it will losen up some again and wont be compeltely smooth/flat. Many surgeons will let you pay the difference to cover the additional procedure :-)  The requirements vary by insurance company - some require you to be at least 18 months out, some 2 years... they may also require your stomach hang over a certain number of inches (some ins cos require it hang below the pubic area) in order to be covered - good things to know before you go for the consult so you know what you are getting into. Make sure you are getting those sores documented and taking pictures - you will need to show a documented history of issues with the excess skin via drs notes, pictures are always extremely helpful as well. The more complaints over a period of time you have, the better. There are also the surgeons requirements - the PS I saw wanted you at goal and maintained for a minimum of 3 months before he would operate. Another PS I spoke to wanted the patient 18 months out or longer. Ive only been thru the consult process... my current insurance doesnt cover any PS so I am currently saving up and praying my company changes coverage next year :-)

Ok... um... please send a clone of your man to California.  I'll PM you my address.

I just want to wish you luck with getting insurance approval!  If I thought I could get approval I might go for it myself.  It is so important to like what you see, and you deserve to be happy with yourself.  GOOD LUCK!

Hey, Reese - It is good to see someone else here at a similar stage. I had a consultation with a second plastic surgeon yesterday. I like him much more than my first one and I'm working with my mom on dates for my surgery. She has to come out, of course. I'm actually staging my surgeries. My first one will be tummy tuck, lift in thighs, arms and some lipo. My second one will be three months later, breast lift and aug with butt injections! Haha...butt injections crack me up every time. Apparently the way my skin is back there it makes more sense to fatten me up a little than cut anything out. I love it!  Also, at my consult my doc commented on my "puffy vagina". He said the tummy tuck would take care of that some. I laughed so hard with my friends...we now call my vajayjay "puffster". Good times. Let me know if you want to chat or comiserate or discuss questions to ask. Since I'm not that much ahead, I may not have that much advice to offer, but it is good to discuss and stuff like that. Anyway...good luck on your consult! <3to<3

Hey Reese, congrats on the next move to plastics! I am in the same boat..I actually work in surgery at at my hospital so all of my procedures had to be done here and luckily that also means I know my surgeons personally, GB and PS. I had my initial and final consults and was submitted to insurance a so this week and for myself I looked into the coverage and it stated that a "Panniculectomy" would be covered as a result of bariatric surgery weight loss if it was with a covered provider so I am thinking I should get good results. It's all in how your doctor words everything, I actually got copies of my med recs just to be sure what he was saying and if it would be convincing. You should make sure to see your primary care doc and that he documents that you are having concerns about rash, irritation, pain, etc. It looks good if he can perscribe some kind of antibiotic and you are doing this for a period of a few months to a year and still not improving...then the PS come in and says you have followed up with the primary and have elected to try and have this surgically corrected. He had to word it as a Panni and not abdominoplasty... for myself it is a panni... because abdomino is for stretched abs, which because I am sans children, I do not need... so he will remove the skin then do a few spots of lipfo (which is NOT covered) on my upper tummy (because that will not flatten with simple skin removal) and L and R above my butt... I also asked for some thigh action since he'll have the sucky stick out anyways! So I wait... but if you haven't compalined a loud to anyone yet and had it documented for at least a year... you have some time my dear! They are so hard up about covering this stuff!