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I was lucky enough to get approved for both the panni and the abdominoplasty. I haven't paid anything except office visit co-pays. You do raise a good point though. I'm certain I wouldn't have been as pleased with the results if I would have just had the panni. Firstly, that wouldn't have included the muscle repair I needed, secondly, it wouldn't have given me that nice hour-glass figure, and thirdly, I would have tummy overhang over my belly button. I would definitley encourage having both done.

Thank you! I really did have a great surgeon. I joke that he must be a god. The surgery took 7 hours, and I'm so glad that he took his time and really did it perfectly. He's really please with the results too and the scar. I would say if anyone is thinking about having it done, picking the right surgeon who will take his time and get it right is SO important.

Thank you! I'm not sure I would have been nearly as pleased with just the panni. I also (as mentioned above) had a lot of muscle repair that needed to be done and wouldnt have been through the panni. I also would have had a little belly overhang at the belly button, etc. Luckily my insurance covered both. I say if you are on the fence, go for it. I can't imagine living the rest of my life with all that excess reminder of how I used to basically abuse my body with food now that I'm on the other side of it.

Thank you! I feel pretty good. It's been a painful recovery, I'm not gonna lie. But at 4.5 weeks post op, my energy has pretty much returned to normal. I had a lot more muscle repair with the abdominoplasty that I needed to be done than normal, so I sstill have a fair amount of soreness in my abs, and I still wear my ab binder for support and to keep the swelling down, but that 's no biggie.

"Happy tears" I should have said in the title...... So I had my sleeve surgery in Sept of 2013 and reached my initial goal pretty quickly, maybe in 10 months. Then I realized that my "dream goal" was within reach. So I pushed a little further and eventually reached my "dream goal" of 125 pounds, which is about 155 pounds lost. It's been a crazy journey and I couldn't have done it without entering therapy with an amazing therapist to deal with my "food issues" which really aren't "food issues" if you know what I mean. Anyway, I was approved about 6 weeks ago for a abdominoplasty & panniculectomy and a quick week and a half or so later was in surgery. It's been a struggle since then because I don't think I was quite prepared for the difficult recovery. Or maybe I just wanted it so badly I dismissed what I was hearing. Anyway. All is good now. I had my 1-month post-op check up yesterday and my surgeon cleared me to start running again (YAY...not that I feel that I could yet...but...YAY) and said he was super pleased with how my incision was healing. Up until this point I had dermabond tape over my incision and I had to keep it "dressed" (covered in bandages and taped up) with binder on top. Everytime I showered or changed my dressing I made it a point not to look in the mirror because I kind of wanted a big reveal, you know? So at the appointment he removed everything and said I was good to go. Side note: I will still wear my binder for a bit longer because he had a LOT of ab muscle repair to do and I still feel pretty weak and just weird in there because sometimes I can feel the internal stitches poking a bit according to him, "because I'm so thin"....which is SO strange to hear someone say about me. Weirdest ever. Anyway....so I rushed home, ran up to my bedroom to the full length mirror, took off my clothes and stood in the mirror crying my eyes out. It's so freaking amazing not to have all of that extra hanging skin there reminding me of who I used to be, and how I used to basically abuse myself with food. I couldn't believe it was me I was looking at. Totally overcome with emotion. I will always have a faint scar, and I'm glad because I never want to completely forget where I was lest I go back, but what a mental change for me to have that "excess baggage" gone. For the first time I "feel" thin. I'm not brave enough to post before/after pics yet. I want the scar to heal a bit more. The surgeon said he take the 'after" pic at the 3 month appointment, so maybe then I'll post them. But for now..... I'll let you all have a peek at my new little belly button. It used to be a freaking canyon.....seriously..... Just this alone is such a confidence booster and change. this whole journey has just been freaking amazing and now i need to figure out how just to maintain. No losing, no gaining.....just stay put.

I definitely wouldn't let the recovery stop you from having the surgery. I heard it was a tough recovery, but didn't listen because I wanted it so very badly. It was tough. The surgery itself is painful. You don't realize how much you use your core until you have this done. The drainage tubes are uncomfortable, there is lots to complain about if I wanted to. BUT I'm so thrilled with the results and I'm only 4 weeks out. I'm still sore and still wearing an ab binder, though my surgeon said I could move to something like spanx. I just feel for now like I like that extra support for my abs. BUT with that being said, I would do it all again in a heartbeat. No question about it. I say if you find a surgeon you are comfortable with, GO FOR IT! I'm waiting now to hear back on an appeal for my brachioplasty on my arms. But that seems like it would be a a walk in the park comparatively. I also should say that everyone's experience is totally different. You may have it done and be back to normal in 2 weeks, who knows! What I can say, is it was worth it!

Sorry for the late add here too. The end of the Memorial Day challenge found me below my "dream goal" of 125 at 123.8. Well.......I weighed in today and managed to throw everything I know out the window and weighed in at 127.8. I gained 4 pounds. FOUR POUNDS in a week. Not cool. It's totally my fault too. No excuses. So...... Starting weight: 127.8 Goal weight: 123.8 (to get back to where I ended the last challenge then just maintain)

Ending the challenge at 123.2 which is 1.8 under goal! :-) Happy Memorial Day!

Too funny that you ask this. I didn't really expect this....didn't know it was part of the whole thing. The first time I saw my "lady parts" in the mirror I was like "holy crap!!" It's a good thing though. I got a little lift and it's back where it belongs lol

My question is, how do you stop losing weight in a healthy way? I'm at 123 and I'm starting to look just too thin. But I don't want to just eat a bunch of junk to gain back a little. Know what I mean? Any thoughts. I guess it's also about maintaining weight. It's a balance. How do you do it??

I'm returning to work tomorrow (just half days til next week) after my panni & abdominoplasty. I'm so not ready for this, but I guess I have to eventually. I can't say there's still pain per se......maybe a little incision pain on my hips, but a tightness & soreness in my muscles that were repaired that is hardest. I just remember how drained I was at the end of the day when I went back after the sleeve. I only took 2 weeks then and probably could have used 3. For this I took 3 weeks and could have used 4. lol. Anyway. Me=Super Nervous. Any tips for returning to work after this for those who had it done? I'm open to any and all advice!!

Thanks everyone. It helps. I don't typically hang around the "vet" forum, but it just struck me the other day that I'm almost 2 years post op. I guess that makes me a vet. lol.

I put in approval for both panni+abdominoplasty and a brachioplasty at the same time. The TT was approved and done, but the Brachioplasty was denied. They did the peer to peer review and I don't think anything came of it. I think at this point I have to write an appeal letter. Do you all have any recommendations or tips for getting appeals approved?

Definitely could be. I gained 10 pounds on it (post-sleeve) and said nooooooo thank you. My doctor switched me to a new med, just FDA approved called Contrave. It's part appetite suppressant, part Wellburin. It's made all the difference.

125.4 for me. 0.4 of a pound from goal lol

I put in approval for both panni+abdominoplasty and a brachioplasty at the same time. The TT was approved and done, but the Brachioplasty was denied. They did the peer to peer review and I don't think anything came of it. I think at this point I have to write an appeal letter. Do you all have any recommendations or tips for getting appeals approved?

Congrats on the surgery. I hear you on not taking off enough time. I had a panniculectomy + abdominoplasty on 4/29 and took off 2.5 works from work. There is NO WAY I will be ready to go back. It was the most painful thing ever. I will take another work because my healing is the most important thing to me. Good luck in your healing! I'm jealous too! I put in for approval for a brachioplasty at the same time as my pann+ ab and the tummy was approved but the arms were denied. Random question, did you have drainage tubes for the brachioplasty?

I think everyone has a "oh my gosh what did I sign up for" kind of moment. Mine was about 2 weeks from surgery .I can tell you though, that after that initial week or so recover I have not for one moment regretted this surgery. It has made me experience so many more things with my kids and husband that I never could have done before. If you are freaking out I would encourage you to check out my blog (linked in my signature). I documented my journey from my very first pre-op appointment until today (20 months post op and recovering from my insurance-covered tummy tuck). And honestly, looking back, after doing both the sleeve and the panni+tummy tuck, the sleeve was a way easier recovery and much easier as far as actual surgery. It's easy to be scared by the "what if's" and the stories of surgeries gone wrong. I just thought I would offer you my blog as an option for a success story with a happy ending :-)

My goal for weight loss was 150 which would have been 138 pounds lost. My dream goal was 125, which I just recently reached and passed (by just a pound, but I'll take it....lol). So that puts me at 154 pounds lost. If you stick to the plan you will lose what you need to lose. At a certain point your body kind of settles into where it should be. I'm not sure if that answers your question.

Wearing my first bikini in my life this summer after losing 150+ pounds and having completed my panni & abdominplasty. I feel like a literally new person!!!!

You are doing well so far! I will tell you , though, that when I hit around 7 months, things seemed to change a bit and the "magic of the sleeve' seemed to go away and it became more good old fashioned work, just like before, but now I had this awesome "tool" to help me. One huge factor for me was counseling weekly with an eating disorder therapist. I started at 7 months post op, and now I'm 20 months post op and I have gone weekly since then. I know for a fact I woulnd't have been successful without working through the emotional stuff. BUt, to answer your specific questions: are you at goal? YES. My first "realistic goal was 150. My "dream goal" was 125. I've reached both. If so how long did it take you? I was at my first goal by 10 months post op. I just now (2o months post op reached my "dream goal" How much weight were you looking into loosing?I hoped to lose 100 pounds, I've lost 155. Hows your mental state? Right now I'm stronger every day, but like I said above I've done A LOT of work on the emotional side of eating. I wouldn't not be at my "dream goal" without all of the hard work that I've done emotionally through therapy. If you haven't looked into it, I highly recommend it. You can read more about my whole journey in my blog if you want (in my signature)

I didn't read all posts so I'm not sure if it's been said, but aside from all the usuals, I recommend ear buds and your music. I was supposed to have a private room but ended up with a shared room and the music and earbuds were the ONLY way I got any sleep with the other person in the room. Even if you have a private room it will block out the hospital sounds.

So I was lucky enough to have my insurance approve my panniculectmy & abdominoplasty and it is scheduled for this week. I'm thinking I'll need some nightgowns since I probably won't want to be wearing even yoga pants at first. For those who have had this surgery, or have planned for it, do you have any tips? Anything else I should get, what to expect, etc. Any feedback is appreciated !!

Congratulations!!!! Hope your infection clears up soon! I've followed your story for so long I feel like I know you... Our stories are quite similar and I feel like you're always one step ahead of me so I can look to you for what's to come, LOL! Doing my marathon in 9 days (so sorry yours got temporarily derailed) and then my plastics are scheduled for June 11th! Awww! Thank you! I'm SO jealous of your marathon. It was either do this surgery now or wait until July which would interfere with our vacation and that was not happening. We're doing the same just in reverse order. :-) GOOD LUCK at your marathon!!!! That is awesome!

So I was lucky enough to have my insurance approve my panniculectmy & abdominoplasty and it is scheduled for this week. I'm thinking I'll need some nightgowns since I probably won't want to be wearing even yoga pants at first. For those who have had this surgery, or have planned for it, do you have any tips? Anything else I should get, what to expect, etc. Any feedback is appreciated !!