My Plastic Surgery is Tomorrow Morning 12/15/2023!

[kukuiokalani 99]

tomorrow morning, i am getting my excess tummy skin removed and my boobs reduced and lifted. i had rny gastric bypass in september 2022 and lost more than 200 pounds, highest weight 410, and my weight has been stable at 190. i saved up enough money to get plastic surgery in Tijuana, mexico, and my work, school, and holidays lined up to get it done!

im getting 360 lower body lift, Tummy Tuck with fleur de lys, and breast reduction and lift. i also want to get an arm lift and inner thigh lift sometime in the future.

im nervous for my surgery tomorrow morning, but i’m confident in my decision to have plastic surgery now, and trust my surgeon and medical team.

ive done everything i can think of to best prepare for surgery and make sure it’s as successful as possible: i have SO MANY medical supplies; i’ve been taking SO MANY Vitamins and Iron to make sure my hemoglobin levels are high enough; i’ve had iv infusions of iron, Vitamin C, and ozonized (definitely not the correct term) 120 ccs of my blood and pumped it back in; i’ve done too much research; and i’ve saved up thousands of dollars and dragged myself all the way to mexico and tomorrow’s the day!

ill update as i drag myself through yet another surgery and recovery! 😅 i also will take any recommendations for healing, post-op recovery, pain management, and expectations.

~kukui

[ChunkCat 728]

Congratulations on your plastic surgery!! I'll be watching for your updates. I had DS surgery 6 weeks ago but I anticipate by the time I'm done losing I'll be wanting the same list you are getting done tomorrow! I hear the recovery can be hard when you stack them that way, but if they aren't doing the arms at least you'll be able to move them without too much pain. I don't know of any advice since I haven't had plastic surgery before, but I imagine you should be watching your Fluid intake so you don't get dehydrated and stay on top of the stool softeners and Miralax so you don't get constipated!!

Good luck with things tomorrow! Have a safe and uneventful surgery! ❤️

[Hope4NewMe 173]

I'm so happy for you and a fellow sept 22 member too. You have done amazing! I am also going to Tijuana for my plastic surgery but I'm scheduled for Jan 17th. Please keep us updated, I'm especially interested because I'll be following in your footsteps soon. I've joined Facebook groups for plastic surgery and for the dr himself. That support and info has helped me a lot so far. So I would recommend that if you haven't done that already. This hopefully is a working link to the facebook group that seems active and supportive. https://www.facebook.com/groups/allthingscs

Good luck tomorrow and congrats on getting to start the new year with a new looking you You have definitely earned it!

[catwoman7 11,212]

I've had three plastic surgeries! They're a tougher recovery than weight loss surgery (especially lower body lift - that one was really tough!), but you'll be so glad you did it once you're a ways out and all healed! I'm really glad I did it. I now have a normal-looking body!

P.S. it can take up to a year for you to look like you'll look permanently - although you'll have a really good idea after the first four months or so, when all the swelling is gone and the scars are starting to fade. The biggest thing I noticed after all that time is that my breasts dropped into a more "normal" location (at first they were way high up - it was kind of jarring - but my surgeon reassured me that they'd eventually drop into a more natural place - and they did)

is Dr. Laura Carmina Cardenas doing your surgery? She's supposed to be really good (she specializes in plastic surgery for massive weight loss patients, so a lot of WLS patients have gone to her)

Edited December 15, 2023 by catwoman7

[kukuiokalani 99]

On 12/14/2023 at 18:43, Hope4NewMe said:

I'm so happy for you and a fellow sept 22 member too. You have done amazing! I am also going to Tijuana for my plastic surgery but I'm scheduled for Jan 17th. Please keep us updated, I'm especially interested because I'll be following in your footsteps soon. I've joined Facebook groups for plastic surgery and for the dr himself. That support and info has helped me a lot so far. So I would recommend that if you haven't done that already. This hopefully is a working link to the Facebook group that seems active and supportive. https://www.facebook.com/groups/allthingscs

Good luck tomorrow and congrats on getting to start the new year with a new looking you You have definitely earned it!

thank you for the facebook recommendation! i’m part of a weight loss support group through my hospital but they’re all in a significantly different age bracket than me so i’m always looking for groups with similar current life experiences to mine! good luck on your surgery next month! ill be keeping you in my thoughts and prayers. 🥰 i was a tiny bit worried that one year was too soon but i was so ready to do it now.
surgery is complete! i requested to have an arm list at the last moment and they said if i’m still in a good state at the end of everything else then yes. THEY DID IT! it took about seven hours cuz i had tons of skin. they removed about five pounds from my back, ten pounds from my tummy, and six pounds from my arms!
i feel great right now, but i’m sure that’s the pain meds talking lol. the cost was approximately $19,000 and that’s for Tummy Tuck with fleur-de-lis, lower body lift, 360 liposuction, BBL, breast lift and reduction and small implants, and arm lift. the price also includes pickup and drop off from San Diego airport, a day exploring Tijuana pre-op, lodging in the w hospital the day before and day after surgery, and then five days in their recovery home where i’ll have prepared meals and 24 hour access to a care team, medicine, and doctors. very much worth the price!
and i went to multiple plastic surgeons in my area in the us and they were all $60k+ and i would go home day of! o.O i paid 1/3 of the price with significantly more care!

[catwoman7 11,212]

$19K for all that is super cheap! That was about the cost of just a lower body lift when I was doing my consults about seven years ago (in the US).

[Hope4NewMe 173]

You look amazing and so tiny! That is awesome that they were able to do the arm lift too. I'm also trying to do a one and done surgery but I'm not doing my arms or legs. You got an amazing deal too. I love how well you are supported after the surgery in mexico. Which recovery house are you staying at? I have bella booked and the reviews look good, but recovery houses seem to be harder to research then the drs lol. I hope you continue to feel well and please keep us posted on your recovery. Thank you for the update!

[kukuiokalani 99]

On 12/16/2023 at 07:51, Hope4NewMe said:

You look amazing and so tiny! That is awesome that they were able to do the arm lift too. I'm also trying to do a one and done surgery but I'm not doing my arms or legs. You got an amazing deal too. I love how well you are supported after the surgery in mexico. Which recovery house are you staying at? I have bella booked and the reviews look good, but recovery houses seem to be harder to research then the drs lol. I hope you continue to feel well and please keep us posted on your recovery. Thank you for the update!

my surgery was through health & wellness bazaar and they have their own recovery house so that was all taken care of. i got lucky tho cuz everyone was booking surgeries over christmas break and i got the last room they had available!

[Sigh 196]

Please let me know who you are using— I am ready to sign up. I did my VSG in Mexico and have been so pleased. I am looking at a “tiny tuck” here in the states and its 10K— would love to price the doctor you are using. I agree, I like the after care you get there.

[missdestruction 6]

You look amazing! I'm considering going to Mexico for a one-and-done type surgery trip when it's time for my skin to go. The cheaper price sounds nice but honestly, I think it's the in-depth aftercare that's selling me on going there. Everyone I've seen who has traveled for plastics has had a similar care experience so far, and that alone seems worth it.

[GMaJen 79]

I'm looking forward to following your progress. My surgery is scheduled for 1/12/24 in Tijuana. Dr. Rodolfo Castillo. I found him on RealSelf.com and researched him. I'm spending 6 nights in a recovery home (Casa Linda), then a week at my Dad's in southern California. $12,699 for 360 belt lipectomy, Lipo, breast lift with Gummy implants. He's going to do a bbl for no additional charge if he can, but he isn't sure from my pictures if I have enough fat in the areas he is working to do a bbl. I'm planning on going back to do my inner thighs and arms. My package includes all pre-surgery tests including cardio evaluation and lab tests, all surgery expenses and 1 night at the hospital, 6 nights at the recovery house with meals and nursing 24/7, all pain meds and medical supplies, compression garments and post surgery consultations. It doesn't include transportation to/from the airport because I have family and friends in Mexico and Southern California who I will be visiting before and after who will provide that.