Nikki Riviotta

I am having abdominoplasty surgery on 2-5. Any insite or tips would be greatly appreciated. My Mom in law is here to help with my 3 kids while i recover. So my biggest question is how long will I be down?

My Tummy Tuck took almost 1 year to get approved. I have Tricare though (military insurance) I had to have months worth of documentation from my Primary Physician before they would even consider it. Once approved they only paid for the panniculectomy. I had to pay for the muscle tightening and belly button out of pocket. My doctor said that I did not need lipo. I kind of wish that I had known what lipo of the flanks was when we arranged all of this because I still feel like I have love handles and a flat stomach, kind of bugs me. But my doctor assured me that it wouldnt be long before I lost those love handles myself. I will get it accomplished. I am two months out. I am doing well.. The pain is pretty much all gone now, except when my allegies send me into a sneezing fit lol. Then my abs are sore for a couple of days. I also swell up if I am up moving around most of the day. Its weird I can feel it when I swell. Well anyway. Good luck to those of you that are in process of getting your TT approved. Hope to hear how your journeys go!

Thank you! Happy doesn't even begin to describe how I feel. Its much more than that!

I am feeling much better 3 weeks out. I still need help with the kids and lifting stuff since my doctor hasnt changed my lifting restrictions yet. I am guessing I was doing really well pain management wise when I made that post because I dont even remember logging on to here to make it haha! I am down to only needing pain meds about twice a day. The swelling has gone down quite a bit i the last couple of days also but I have noticed that my belly button seems to be a little more swollen than it has been. A big accomplishment happened sunday. I was at the Base Exchanged looking through clearanced jeans and got a wild hair to try on a size 8 and IT FIT with room to spare!!! huge for me! I cant remember the last time I wore a size 8, if ever!....thank you for checking I am doing very well This was taken exactly one week post op right before my follow up appointment.swelling is very prominent here but i was feeling pretty good that day

Never hurts to ask. Most likely they wont pay for the breast lift. but if you have medical reasoning beind needing your thighs and stomach done they will sometimes pay for it. Things like chaffing, rashes back troubles due to extra weight, those are all reasons for them to pay for it. I had severe rashes under my stomach skin folds and bad back pain. it took a year but i finally got an approval. Good luck to you and keep us posted!

For several months now I have been getting rashes where the skin hangs around my stomach area. I talked to my primary doctor and he referred me to a plastic surgeon. (We are military so we have Tricare for insurance.) I go in to see the surgeon and she says she never has problem with Tricare approving panniculectomy surgery after weightloss if 1. The patient has lost 100 pounds or more or 2. is getting rashes due to the hanging and sagging skin so she felt I was a shoe in for the surgery approval especially since we are able to get photos of the rash to submit to insurance as well. Today I get the letter in the mail that Tricare has denied my surgery. That they did not deem it medically necessary based on Tricares criteria, but I was given the option to appeal. That is exactly what I did. I wrote them an appeal letter stating all the reason I NEED this surgery. Basically I am tired of hurting from the rashes and tired of the hygiene issues that come with this saggy skin. When I initially applied for the lapband they denied that too and I at that time also wrote my own appeal letter and wouldn't ya know it they approved it. This time I stressed how much work I put into the weightloss. I have worked so hard to get here. Now I am in pain and need to have this done, but I am unsure of how this will go for me. The abdominoplasty will cost me $7500 out of pocket and that is the route I am gonna go if the panniculectomy is not approved at all after all appeals have been exhausted. But wow thats a lot of saving for a one income family of 5. I may have to get a part time job too, with also being a full time student. I keep reminding myself that I have been so blessed already and that insurance has done so much for me just by accepting my appeal and allowing me to have the surgery done. I am so appreciative of what they have done to help me. I guess it was just kind of a slap across the face when they basically said it doesnt matter to them how much pain I am in, this procedure is not medically necessary, and also forget all the hard work you have put into losing your weight, we still wont help you take care of this.... I will continue to pray about this, I know that what is meant to happen will. I am blessed to have come this far and no matter what I will have the surgery done eventually. It may take me a couple of years to get all the money but I will get it done. I just may have to come to terms that it may be later rather than sooner. Thanks for listening to me vent. I feel much better. Have a blessed evening everyone!

I just wanted to update everyone. I am 4 days post op and doing well. I have been taking pain meds every 4 hours because if I go even 30 minutes past the time for my next dose the pain becomes pretty bad. I have been fortunate to have my husband and mother in law both here helping. I was able to shower day after I got home from the hospital. I will post pics when I get a little more healed up. but thought I would let everyone know that I am done with surgery and doing very well

Thank you! Yes that covered A LOT and I will definately check out that website. So glad everything went so well for you. Hope your fatigue lets up really soon so you can get out and about more often

I am doing the whole tummy tuck. Hubby said he wanted me to be completely happy with it so we paid the difference to get the whole procedure done

Thank you. I wll have to give my husband the tip on the hangers for the drains. I already know that I will have those. She told me that I had a breast reduction in 2010 and he was wonderful through that. Same as your husband. Cleaned the drains out. Helped me with showering and bandages. His mom also was here for that and helped with drains and bandages when my husband was gone. We all used to be CNA's so luckily it doesnt bother them at all to do those things to help me. I have a pretty good team

Thank you!

Thank you so much for your help! I think I will end up sleeping in the recliner just because I am a constant mover when I sleep LOL. My other question is about showering? Is that complicated? I really hope not because I love my showers! haha!

I'm almost 2 years banded. Getting close to goal and STILL have people try to tell me I made a bad decision. After that much weightloss and NO complications...people talk...people have their opinions. I say forget them. If they cant support me and my decision to become healthier than I dont need them in my life. I am happier than I have been in YEARS...so do what you need to do. Its your life not theirs! Good Luck! By the way you talk I know you will run far with it!