Should I Or Shouldn't I?

[Lissa 2,631]

Well, here's the plastics consult results: The doc feels that I would get amazing results from an abdominoplasty and that I should also consider a boob lift with upper arms, then a thigh lift after the first two surgeries are completed. However, he wants me to get to 170 or lower before he thinks about doing the abdominoplasty. All of these surgeries will be out of pocket because my insurance will NOT cover any of them since I went out of network for the WLS. UGH

The money is doable, will just take a little extra work for a while. What concerns me is the weight loss he wants before surgery. I don't see 170 as a realistic goal at this point. IMO, 170 will make me look like I died last week and my WLS surgeon agreed when we discussed this at my last visit to him.

I'm willing to keep working towards 170, but I don't think even I can make that goal. Anyone have any tips or advice here?

[coops 1,790]

Lissa I agree... if you think 170 is too low, then basically it is! I am in a similar prediciment myself. I've asked my GP about at TT on the NHS (our health service here in UK) and to be eligable for even a consultation I have to have a BMI below 25 which means at least another 28lbs, which, like you is too low for me. I don't want to look too thin/skinny or old!! I can still get it done, but it will be 'private' surgery and I will have to pay for it.

Is there another surgeon that you can ask advice from?

I think if I was you, I would continue to do what you are doing... perhaps another 10-15lb loss - perhaps not. You're happy so that is irrelevant at the moment - but it sounds like the tummy area is your main problem. Continue with the core exercises and overall fitness training you do and perhaps a consultation with another surgeon or if that isn't possible tell the surgeon that you do not want to lose too much weight!

Good luck and let me know your next step... hugs

[Lissa 2,631]

Thanks, Coops! I am definitely not interested in getting too thin. He says he can get me back in a bikini if I do all this work, but at what price... and who wants to see a 50 year old in a bikini anyway?!?

I'm definitely going to be putting the money away, but I may decide to take a killer vacation instead of having any of those surgeries.

[windycitymom 60]

LIssa,

I would wait and let things shift around since you are still losing (even if slowly prior to last month). You never know how things are going to shift. You can always go in for surgery but you can't always undo it. Wait until you're stable. Looks like you want to lose another 50lbs, will you get surgery again then? It can't hurt to wait.

WCM

[Lissa 2,631]

WindyCityMom, I know I still have some distance to go before I'm truly at goal, but my WLS surgeon wanted me to see the plastic surgeon now so we could start the process. We both knew that I'd still have some weight left to lose before plastics. What neither of us anticipated was that the PS would demand that I lose another SEVENTY pounds. I'm thinking 30-40 is about perfect for me, especially with the amount of exercise I do. I don't see 70 pounds coming off me anywhere without my looking like I died.

No, I definitely don't want to have to revise the abdominal surgery. According to the plastic surgeon, revision of a Tummy Tuck is one of the riskiest surgeries to have in terms of good/bad results. I'm truthfully not 100% sure I want to have the TT at all, but I'll know more in another 20 pounds or so.