Question:
Anyone had good results with just a panniculectomy?

I weigh 265 lbs. I have lost 170 lbs. My surgeon said I was ready for a panniculectomy. Should I expect to have good results. The surgeon is the chief of plastic surgery. I am not having an abdominoplasty even though he recommended it. My insurance would only cover the panniculectomy. I am worried I will not get the results I am expecting. Please help!    — NTR555 (posted on April 26, 2007)

April 27, 2007
Norma: My insurance only covered a panniculectomy also. I am pretty satisfied with the results. I had an anchor cut, plus he tucked the pubic area and relocated my belly button. I'm definitely not tight enough to bounce any quarters off, but I have a nice shape, and no more hanging skin to tuck in!! Alot depends on your surgeon as far as what your results are. I would encourage you to ask alot of questions and to ask your Dr exactly what all he does with his pannis, it varies alot! If you are looking for a tight firm abdomen, you may want to self pay for the muscle work. Best wishes!!
   — DeeAnn

April 27, 2007
Hi Norma, and congraulations on such a great weight loss! It does sound like you are ready for skin surgery. I had the same thing you had after losing 120 pounds. The thing about plastic surgery is you need to be sure you are communicating with your surgeon clearly. My major concern with my panniculectomy was that from what I had seen of others getting it done was that these ladies lost their waist line. That really bothered me because even when I was very obese I had a waist line. I didn't want to lose it. I was very clear that even though I understood that they would do their best (I had a woman surgeon), that I wanted her to work hard to preserve a waist line for me. It was emotionally important. I could live with her best effort. Well, during surgery, I don't know what she die, but the result was perfect. I had a little extra skin on my right and left hip, but I had a waist line. She cut me very low, and ended up taking about 1 inch below the pubic hair line to protect my waist, but she did a great job. I don't think the result would have been the same if I had not made it clear that this was important to me, but also express confidence that I would appreciate her best effort no matter what happened in the end. I am totally satisfied with my result. You are under 100 pounds, and that concernes me for you in the long run. I hope that you are getting all your vitamins and minerals and calcium in. Please be sure you stay on top of these. Also, are you eating enough? Weight loss is great, but once we hit this thin level, it is easy to turn into someone who is obsessive with being thin. Please be sure you don't fall into this category. The bottom line with your surgery is if you don't want to pay for the difference, then you have to go with what they will cover. Just be sure that your surgeon will do their best on the table, if you don't have confidence in that, find a new surgeon. Sometimes they try and "sell" something more expensive. Sometimes you really need the other surgery. Find out the cost difference and the difference in the surgeries and see which way you want to you. I personally didn't think there was a big difference in the two surgeries. I tend to think it is a sell tactic you are under. Take care, Patricia P.
   — Patricia P

April 28, 2007
I have heard that some have the panni and pay up to do the tummy tuck themselfes.
   — Danita S.