Question:
SURGERY TO REMOVE HANGING STOMACH AT 300 LBS?

CAN I HAVE SURGERY TO REMOVE ALL THIS AWFUL SKIN ALTHOUGH I AM STILL AT 300 LBS?..I STARTED IN 2003 AT 445 LBS..HAD OPEN RNY & AFTER 1 YEAR WAS (AM) 300 BUT HAVE NOT LOST MORE...THIS HANGING "STOMACH" IS DRIVING ME CRAZY..    — BLSLIM77 (posted on July 21, 2007)

July 21, 2007
Hi Bonnie - I had your exact experience. I started at 440, lost 160, and stagnated at 280 with a huge hanging stomach. My general doc, RNY surgeon, psychologist, nutritionist, and plastic surgeon all agreed that a panniculectomy would be beneficial and after a huge battle with CIGNA, it was even approved. I was so happy! Unfortunately, I did not choose my plastic surgeon carefully enough, though I did tons of research and interviews. He just didn't have the experience/background to know what to do when complications arose. I spent a year with an open, deep, at times life-threatening gash across my stomach, which he didn't really know how to handle. Some of my complications (according to the not so competent surgeon) were due to the fact that I was still fat, didn't have good muscle tone therefore circulation, there was a lot of necrosis. Over the course of that year, I fell into depression and went back to all my old habits, regaining 60 pounds. It did finally heal, though my body is lopsided and eventually will probably need to be fixed somehow, though I'm very disinclined right now. So now (4 years later) I'm back at 330 and still can't get on track for dieting again. I LOVE having the stomach gone (even with the re-gained weight, most of it seemed to go to my boobs and not stomach - strange!), but I still frequently ask myself if it was worth it, would I do it again? I know that I'm only one experience, and there are others who were very successful, but it was such a traumatic time for me, I had to share. It certainly is possible, but do a lot of research on the plastic surgeon, make sure s/he's got background with WLS patients and possible solutions for complications. I do blame the complications on the surgeon for improper care, I think everything I went through could have been avoided if he had handled things differently in the beginning. So if you have a good surgeon, you should really be fine and you will LOVE it! It is also possible that you might have to do it again if you continue to lose and get to goal. Please feel free to email me directly if you want more details. Good Luck!
   — jen41766

July 21, 2007
On the new show Big Medicine this week, they featured a woman who had lost 200 lbs and weighed about 270...she had alot of loose skin, especially in the pannus....her insurance co denied her but her surgeons agreed that a skin removal was medically necessary so she could continue to get to her goal weight.
   — Sheri A.

July 21, 2007
Hi Bonnie, thanks for writing. There are many women who have a huge pannis removed at a weight like yours. You do need to be careful because it can and is a very big surgery. You may need it done again later, but I would definitely look into having it done. I think the other post gave you some wise advice. Not to scare you, but because of the amount of skin and tissue still there, I would exercise the stomach muscles and work on getting circulation there, and be sure you are as fit as possible in the ab area prior to surgery. I did have a pannis removed but I was 130 pounds when I had it done, so I was already small. Even so, it was a huge surgery, the drain tubes and the time in bed was VERY LONG time. It was about 3 to 4 weeks, and I will admit that I did not exercise for almost 6 months after surgery because walking with a huge surgery site like that was just not comfortable. I had to re-start exercising. You should be prepared for those things and fight for returning to losing weight. I did not regain any weight, and have kept off my weight now since surgery in 3/04, so it was still successful for me. I did exercise like a wild woman prior to surgery (after wls and prior to having the pannis removed), and I think that help a lot with recovery from the pannis surgery. I think you would like the surgery, but it is tough. I had a 22 inch incision on a small body, yours may be larger, but even with my incision, and they only removed a pound of skin from me because there was really no fat attached to it, it felt like a ton removed, and it was so nice for the first time in my life to have a flat stomach. You do lose feeling in the stomach, some for up to a year, but I have never regained feeling in my lower stomach. That can be a reality as well. It doesn't bother me, but it can happen. Choose your surgeon carefully and be sure they are up on complications as well. You want the best chances for a good surgery and recovery. Take care. Patricia P.
   — Patricia P

July 22, 2007
I think the big question is does this impede your exercise and therefor your weightloss? If so then taking it off might be a huge benifit. Trust me I know what it is like to stop moving and feel all the jiggling on parts of you that keep moving! LOL I have been there. I have lost near 200lbs and am currently in the low 150lbs range. I have gotten approval from my insurance and will be having a nip/tuck this fall. Try looking on your insurance carriers website for the actual preauthorization form. It should spell out what needs to be met for them to pay. Also RESEARCH your plastic surgeon! For about $50 (usually waived if you choose them) you can interview your doctor. You are a costumer and they are selling YOU a service, you are not the one doing them a favor my choosing them! They should also be able to show you before/after pics of clients they have done. Trust me they have lots of pics and for some reason I don't get patients let them share their pics. Good luck!!
   — tazthewiz23

July 22, 2007
The other thing to think about is that most insurance companies will only pay for one surgery. If you need to have it done again later the chances of them paying for it are slim. Good Luck!
   — Lost4Ever

July 30, 2007
I have the same problem, and my insurance company denied me, because they say it is "cosmetic." It impededs my ability to exercise, and also makes it difficult to buy clothes that fit, as well as depressing me. Not many insurance companies cover it.
   — Novashannon