Ember532

My insurance company explicitely excludes cosmetic surgery, so I didn't even ask them about it. I'm not even sure if they take insurance. The surgeon was Dr. Christian Prada with St. Louis Cosmetic Surgery. Best of luck to you.

First, congratulations on your weight loss. Second, skin doesn't weigh very much, so don't expect a change to your scale. My goal of the TT was to get rid of the unwanted skin and have a better appearance to where my clothing would fit better. I'm very pleased with the results. I recommend that you prepare for the same weight, then if you lose a little bit, then that'll be a bonus. A word of advice though, you will have lots of swelling immediately after your procedure, so it's a good idea to wait a week or so before getting on the scale or you might be disappointed. Oh, and I also took measurements (waist, hips) prior to surgery so I would know how much my body had changed since I wasn't expecting a weight loss. It was sort of a mental thing with me just wanting to know that I was spending the money and getting something out of it. I'm down three dress sizes, so HELL YEAH! I got something out of it! Best of luck to you. Keep us posted on your progress!

I had my TT w/MR and port relocation 6 weeks ago today. I did not have any type of adjustment and I did just fine. Congratulations on your weight loss and upcoming procedure. My results are fabulous & I couldn't be happier.

Hello all - I just had a full, extended tummy tuck on 9/2/11 and am VERY pleased with the results. I'm still recovering, but it's going well. I was banded in 2008 and had a heck of a time finding a surgeon who had experience with moving the lap-band port (if necessary) and who was easy to talk to and would work with me on doing one procedure at a time so I could more easily manage the financial burden of multiple procedures. Other surgeons were also a little smug and business-like for me. The PS I chose is very personable and put me at ease immediately. Hearing about his experience with bands & ports is what clinched it for me. This is one of the best decisions I've ever made for myself. If anyone out there has questions about getting a TT (with muscle repair & port relocation), let me know! If you're in the St. Louis area, I have a FABULOUS plastic surgeon that you'll want to meet. Consults are free, of course. Kind regards. Ember

Hi Annika - The pain afterwards is not that bad. It's a big procedure, but your PS knows that and will prescribe pain killers for you. As for your expectations, talk to your PS; he'll give you an idea of what to expect. Also, look at other before/after photos on the internet to find people with your approximate body type to get a better idea of what you can expect. Be realistic, but the changes for me have been incredible. I needed a body lift, but couldn't afford to do it all at once, so I just did an extended TT and am very pleased with the results. As for your husband, if he's a reasonable man and knows how hard you've been working to lose weight, he'll probably support your decision to pursue plastic surgery. When did you have your lap-band surgery? Are you near your goal weight? Has your weight been stable for a long period of time? You're not being silly. Any concerns you have are real for you and being able to express them with others is what makes these forums so valuable. Be well.

Best of luck to you!! Keep us posted on your progress.

Great! Let us know how it went!!

I've found that it varies by doctor/practice and by state/region. Also, everyone's body is different, so your best bet is to make an appointment with a plastic surgeon and at least get a quote. The consultation is free (at least they are in the STL area), so you've got nothing to lose. Best of luck to you!

Also, if you haven't already done so, go to YouTube and type in "Full, Extended Abdominoplasty" or any such search term to watch videos of actual tummy tuck surgeries. If you're squeamish, you might not want to watch, but it really helped me to know what to expect. Keep up your Protein intake before and after surgery...that'll help you heal much more quickly. I drank Boost shakes for the first few days post-op since I couldn't eat or prepare much food. Just a thought for ya!

I hope all went well! I had my TT with MR on 9/2. We're practically TT twins! LOL

I just had a TT with muscle repair 2 weeks ago and am recovering nicely. I had a difficult time finding a PS I was comfortable with AND who had experience with patients who had a Lap-Band. Here are the questions I asked: 1. Have you actually done TTs on patients with a Lap Band? (he had) 2. If so, how many? (he had done several) 3. Tell me about how you handled the lap-band port. (This open-ended question let him tell me about how he moved it in some patients, how he left it in place in some, etc -- it also let me hear about his level of experience and comfort with working on patients with the Band.) Several other questions came from this discussion...just ask what comes naturally based on your surgeon's responses. 4. If you relocate the port, where do you put it? (This was important to me because I didn't want it to be placed directly over my heart....just in case a careless doctor "missed" my port when doing a fill in the future. I wouldn't want a heart problem!!) 5. Are there any complications that I should be aware of that a non-Band patient would not have? Oh, and you'll definitely want the pain pump. I'm happy to say that my PS was great. He answered every question and even offered more information about his areas of expertise (body lifts) and spent a long time with me in a non-rushed, conversational, relaxed environment. I felt like I was talking to a friend instead of a doctor...and I had just met the guy! I highly recommend him, but since you're probably not in the St. Louis area, he won't do you much good Best of luck to you!!

Hello again. I was banded 3 years ago and lost almost 100 lbs. I started at 271 and am now 179. That is not my goal weight, but I've been stable for about a year, so I went ahead with it. I think having a flat tummy will motivate me to kick up my exercise routine again and help me lose more lbs, but my PS assured me that as long as I don't lose a lot more (20+ lbs), then I won't have to deal with extra skin again in my midsection. I didn't have any weight loss in mind for the TT. I just wanted to get rid of the flap of skin that NOTHING would help me lose. Now that it's gone, I look like a different person. While I've only "officially" lost 2 dress sizes for the TT, I look like I've lost much more than that. My body has changed so much and I can't wait to have this procedure paid off so I can get the rest of the "body lift" done. That'll probably be next year or the one after. I'll also have lipo on my thighs at that time. A FLAT TUMMY IS SOOOO EXCITING!! You're doing the right thing. Best of luck!

I just had a full, extended tummy tuck on 9/2/11, so I'm 2 weeks out and would definitely do it again. The only problem I had was a severe allergic reaction to a surgical adhesive they use to hold the tape down (over the incision). It's called Mastisol. I recommend that you find out if your surgeon will be using it. If so, see if he'll help you find out if you're allergic to it by doing a "test" on part of your body prior to surgery. I'm healing very nicely and the incision is healing so nicely that it looks like a little scratch around most of my body. I'm very pleased with the results and am down 2 sizes. I'm "somewhere in my 40s" and thought I was being selfish too, but now that I have the results and a FLAT TUMMY for the first time in my life, I know I did the right thing. I hope you're comfortable with your surgeon. Mine was/is excellent and even called me from an airport while on vacation to talk to me about the allergic reaction and to reassure me that I'd be fine. I was very impressed. Most doctors just have their assistants call patients back. He's the greatest and I'd recommend him to anyone. He's creating a niche for himself in the St. Louis area as being "the guy" for body lifts, so if you're around here, I would recommend you talk to him! Best of luck in your upcoming surgery. Keep us posted! Be well.

Best of luck to you Jackie. I just had a full extended tummy tuck 2 weeks ago. I'm still recovering, but the pain is less than I expected. I was banded in 2008 and finally found a doctor who had experience working with banded patients (moving the port, advantages/disadvantages to leaving it where it was, etc). I had an unfortunate severe allergic reaction to a surgical adhesive they used (Mastisol), so I recommend you find out if your surgeon will be using it -- and possibly see if they'll do a "test" on you prior to surgury to determine if you're allergic. My incision from the TT is healing very nicely and I'd recommend my PS to anyone. He's quite skilled and personable. He takes an active interest in his patients and truly wants them to succeed. I had a budget on what I wanted to spend, so in spite of needing more than just a TT, he agreed to do my procedures in "baby steps" (i.e., one at a time) so I could pay one off, then get the next one. I'm very pleased with my flat tummy!! I've lost 2 dress sizes and might even lose another one after the swelling is gone. Yay!! Take care.

Hi! I too am being banded on 7/24. Good luck to you!

My date is also July 24th. Only 2 days to go! Good luck!

Cheating is not good, especially with all the negative implications of it ("open" surgery, liver damage, postponing surgery date, etc). For the record though, my pre-op diet is much shorter than yours. I only have to stick to clear liquids and jello for a total of three days. You have plenty of time, just stick with it now. You'll make it!

My date is also the 24th! I too am doing the pre-op diet and am soooo hungry. I'm trying to keep my eye on the prize, but it's difficult, especially with the pre-op jitters. This is all happening so fast for me. I'm a self-pay and hope I am making the right decision. Good luck to you.