Question:
Will I really lose 20 lbs and 2-3 sizes w/panniculectomy?

Hi everyone, I had my panni consult last week. Everything went great...I just find it hard to believe the results will be as dramatic as specified. I weighed 360 pre-op I'm about 170-175 16 months later, and currently wear anywhere from a size 12-16 in jeans and M-XL on top, depending on clothing style. When I told my nurse in my program I was thinking about a consult she said I will probably lose 20 lbs and be a size 8/10! I thought that was an overestimate until plastic surgeon told me exact same thing! I know lots of people who had a tummy tuck and they only lost 5-10 lbs and generally 1 size. While I would be thrilled with those results, most of my friends who had a panni weighed at least 60 lbs less than me. So those of you who were "heavyweights", did you have such dramatic results?If I get insurance approval I'm not having any muscle repair cause I've worked out a lot and most likely wont need it. My surgeon would do a general panni along with a "T" cut around my abs to get rid of some of the top loose "flub". Just curious would love to hear some different stories. Thanks :)    — mzcath (posted on July 5, 2005)

July 5, 2005
You need to go to the plastic surgery message board, there is alot of helpful information and experiences from the people on that board. I had my TT with hernia repair and the swelling is very bad for about 3 months, I am now 6 months post op and still have swelling in the afternoon. I did go down two sizes after about 3 to 4 months. I had 5 lbs removed, including the loose skin around my back. I was a size 12 and now I am a size 8 and some 6's in pants. I weighed 158 lbs before my TT and now 6 months later I weigh 147 lbs.
   — cindy

July 6, 2005
I always am vague about the amount of weight to be lost after surgery. Fat doesnt weigh much, and its hard to estimate for me. But the real measure of improvement will be your new shape: loss of the skin folds, more defined waist, flatter tummy. Who cares what the scale says when you'll look and feel so much better!
   — DrL

July 6, 2005
I did not lose any weight nor any clothing sizes with my hernia repair and abdominoplasty. My clothes fit better, but the scale never showed a change. My plastic surgeon said she removed only loose skin, no fat, and that is why I never lost weight.
   — Margaret S.

July 6, 2005
Hi, I had my tummy tuck and thighplasty over a year ago. The surgeon took off 8 pounds of skin. It is not unusual to take more depending on how much skin is hanging. Also, the surgeon is making a T incision that will tighten you up more. I have no regrets about my surgery. I dropped 2 sizes with my surgery.Good luck Mona
   — monymony

July 7, 2005
It really comes down to how you are built and where you carried the most weight before. I started at 442 and had a lower body lift at 217 lbs. My goal weight was 200 lbs. The surgeon removed 19 lbs off the gut. It took 2 months before I saw the 19 lbs reflected on the scale. It took a good 3-4 months to fully realize the size changes. I was a tight 16W going in and a very tight 16 misses coming out of surgery. I eventually reached a 12. I have put a few lbs on and more consistently wear a 14, but occassionally a 12 or 16, depending on how it is cut. I need the lateral thigh lift redone to clean up the remaining skin since my medial thigh lift. Consequently sometimes I am forced into larger pants or skirts because of the saddle bags. I also have large knees and if the pants are more fitted in the legs sometimes I need them a size larger to hang properly over the knees. I never thought I would have 19 lbs of skin removed off the gut. The 2nd abdominal surgery removed about 3 lbs, which mainly focused on the large blobs on my upper back. The medial thigh left also removed about 3 lbs. I suspect the redo on the lateral thigh lift would remove an additional 3 lbs easy. It is very hard to judge how much will be taken, as many things factor in. Just pick a surgeon you are comfortable with and trust will do the best possible job and go forward. Whatever the amount removed the results will be amazing.
   — zoedogcbr