Question:
What is a tummy tuck?

I am a year post op and down 122 lbs. I know quite a few posties who are now considering a tummy tuck (penniculectomy(sp)). They have rather large aprons of various degrees. I have lost in the same weight range, with about 20 more to go until goal. I do not have an apron. I do have a big pouchy belly though. I understand insurance probably won't cover a tt as I don't have any medical problems associated with it and thats fine. However, I'm wondering if I should get one at all. I would like to if it will remove my fat belly, but I don't know if that is the point of a tt. I assumed it was to remove the hanging skin. But now I'm wondering if I can get some of the last few lbs I want off this way, and also get a flatter belly? Is that reasonable? Does a tt work that way? Also, I had open RNY and have a scar from breast bone to belly button...with a tt would that be removed, only to have a different series of scars? I'm truely ignorant in this area, and advice would be greatly appreciated. -Kim open RNY 7/17/01 -122    — KimBo36 (posted on August 14, 2002)

August 14, 2002
Congratulations on your weight loss!!!! If you go under a search engine on the web and look up Tummy Tuck or plastic surgery you can find lots of before and after photos! Some where small tummy pouch's have been removed, others are the more extreme panny removals. I'm sure you'll find everything you ever wanted to know (and maybe not want to know)....lol.... about the subject!!! GOOD LuCK!!!
   — Tambi B.

August 14, 2002
I just had my tummy tuck last week. My doctor said he removed very little fat from the stomach. It was almost all excess skin. Take a baloon and blow it up and then let all the air out and that was my stomach. It looked terrible. I also had to buy a larger size pants just to fit the excess skin in the pants around the waist. I'm still swollen and have put on about 5 pounds of water weight gain due to the surgery, but so far, the scar is minimal after only a week and that flabby, lose skin (plus the nasty stretch marks that went with them) are gone. In about 3 weeks after the swelling goes down and the drains are removed, I'm sure I'll be a much happy camper. I already think it looks good now (just without the swelling!!). So unless you have fat - not excess skin - maybe the 20 pound weight loss will get rid of your pooch. I didn't have the fat - just the excess skin which looked like a nasty fat pooch and it's gone now. I'm glad I did it. I already feel better about myself and I only see that getting better over the next month. Also, don't assume insurance won't cover it. With the amount of weight you've lost if you can show in pictures how much extra belly/skin you have (take pictures from the side and pull your stomach out as far as you can), the insurance may cover the surgery. They covered mine and I've only lost 108 pounds with another 10 to go. Submit a letter and tell the problems that you have with the excess skin (can't run or exercise the way others can, skin hangs down to pubic bone, if you have any odor in the skin fold after exercising) all of that makes a difference. Get your PCP to also write a letter to this effect and SUBMIT PICTURES. Plastic surgeons don't write great letters to get things approved since they'll always get there money whether it be from the insurance company or you. They make more money from you then from the insurance company so it's to your advantage to have a doctor like a PCP who has no vested interest write the letter for you.
   — Patty H.

August 15, 2002
I had my TT about 4 months ago. I did not have a large, hanging pannis, either, but did have extra, stretched out, crepey-looking skin. When I sat, it kind of laid on my thighs. My TT gave me a very flat, tight, smooth tummy. It DID get my weight loss back going again & I lost about an additional 15 pounds over those months, to reach goal weight & a little below. My TT actually increased my WLS scar. Before, it went from breast bone to just barely below the navel, now it goes all the way to my TT scar at the pelvic line. So now I have the WLS scar from breast bone to pelvis (altho it is very light in color) AND the TT scar from hip to hip, dipping down in the front to the pelvic area. My Dr called what I had a TT, but it was really an abdominoplasty because he did tighten & sew down the underlying musculature, not just the skin. It took longer for the swelling to go away than I thought it would, but I am pleased with the results, overall. My scar is still ugly, still red-looking & big. I'm not real happy with the way my navel looks & it's higher than it should be. I also wish the TT had tightened the skin more around the sides & hip areas better. But I have no regrets; I'm glad I had it done, but will be much happier when the scar fades & looks less ugly. Hope this helps.
   — Kathy W.