Just a paniculectomy?

[Sue Magoo 71]

Hi:

Not sure if I spelled it right, but has anybody had just a paniculectomy? I am considering this because I will soon be laid off from my job and my current health insurance may cover a paniculectomy. I would prefer to have a full Tummy Tuck, but because I will be unemployed I don't have the extra dough to pay the difference between paniculectomy and tummy tuck.

So, I thought I'd ask on the forum. Anybody had just a paniculectomy? Were you happy with the results? I've seen some pictures online on some of the plastic surgeon's websites of just a paniculectomy and they give me nightmares. I am guessing they put those pics up to encourage people to get the tummy tuck instead.

I'm very close to goal and need to start soon because I'll be losing my medical insurance coverage at end of June.

Please share with me if you've had just a paniculectomy done.

Thanks.

Sue

[MacMadame 81]

I've been researching this and, from what I've seen, people who just get the paniculectomy are often unhappy with their results.

Without the muscle tightening, you don't get the really flat stomach.

I'm still on the fence about it all... especially since it looks like insurance will not pay for a paniculectomy either as mine isn't long enough by their criteria and also they want the rashes to not be treatable. I haven't even had a rash yet let alone an untreatable one!

[Jachut 487]

I got the impression from here over the years that it was quite common for insurance companies to cover panniculectomies but not full tummy tucks? And that its often a step undertaken part way through weight loss to facilitate mobility - its hard to exercise, dress appropriately etc with a massive apron. So lop it off, lose weight, fine tune later.

If you can get it covered now, and think about the belly button, muscle tightening etc later and your stomach really bothers you, I would do it. Its better to be dissatisfied with a panniculectomy result than with a hanging stomach, no?

[Sue Magoo 71]

Jacqui:

I'm tending to think that way - get rid of the flab, and worry about how it looks later. I'm self-conscious about it now, and couldn't think of being naked in front of anyone, but I also don't want it to look worse than it looks now. My skin doesn't hang down enough to cause mobility problems, but I pinch myself sometimes without even trying. I've only had a rash a couple of times.

I hope to schedule an appointment with a PS by the end of this week.

Thanks for your input. I'll let you know what the PS has to say.

Anybody got any pictures where it actually looks better after than before a panniculectomy?

Sue

[MacMadame 81]

Chickie does. She really didn't need anything but a panni though. You should be able to find her through the Members page.

[jjsmiles 3]

Hi Sue

I had a panniculectomy as part of a larger surgical procedure in September and am very happy with the results. Do I have a great body - nope, but it is a great improvement over the hanging belly skin. I no longer have to tuck in my skin into my pants and my pants look really great (I no longer look for longer tops to cover my belly). When I wear my "skinny" pants, I actually have people comment on how "tiny" I am - you can see from my weight that I am far from tiny, but my bottom tummy is very flat :wink:

From my results, I would have to say look at your body in a mirror and imagine that the hanging pannus at the bottom of your abdomen is gone. Then look at your mid section and mid belly and imagine that it is still there. That is what your results will likely look like. The panni basically pulls down the excess skin at the very bottom of your abdomen and lops it off - it will not impact your mid section.

I still have a pretty significant "roll" in my mid section - I had it before the surgery too - my ps says it isn't really a lot of excess skin and fat, but rather my abdominal muscles have been stretched out and I would have to have major abdominal reconstruction in order to change it. Who knows - I am not convinced that a full abdominoplasty would have totally fixed the shape. I can live with the roll. I was square through the body before the surgery - still am.

At the end of the day, you need to realize that a panni won't change the over all shape of your body, but it can really improve your body and how your wear clothes. Is that enough for you? I think that many of the people whose pics you have seen would say - you should have seen what I looked like before - it is a huge improvement and I wouldn't trade these results for the $12 to $20 k for a full abdominoplasty.

Good luck to you!!

[Sue Magoo 71]

JJSmiles:

Thanks for your thorough response. It's kind of a personal question, but did your belly button come out looking okay? I'm just curious if they touch it at all when you get a panni? I'm just thinking it might look like it's too low if I just have the excess skin cut off from below it.

Please let me know if you're comfortable answering. Otherwise, I can wait for my ps consult - not scheduled yet.

Thanks.

Sue

[jjsmiles 3]

Ask away - I don't have any problem answering any questions. I don't have a belly button anymore :wink:.

You will have to check with your ps, but I also had a bowel resection, ileostomy reversal and two large hernia's repaired (one of them in my belly button) all during the same surgery as the panni, so I am not absolutely sure what led to what. I had two different surgeons working on me during the surgery.

I knew I wouldn't have a belly button at the end - the ps was pretty clear on that from the beginning - I could care less - one less place to collect lint. You will need to ask if belly button resonstruction is part of the deal or not. To my way of thinking it either needs to be recreated or taken away, because the procedure itself will move it way off course (at least the way it was done for me). My incision runs from hip to hip and goes up and around my pubic area, so my scar actually runs pretty much in the area where my belly button would have been. You should ask your ps though because my experience may be different from the general population.

I don't know if is the presence of the incision line or the disappearance of bulge where the hernia used to be, but I don't really notice that it isn't there anymore.

Jacquie

[Sue Magoo 71]

Thanks so much Jacqui!

Enjoy your new body.

Sue

[Frangipani 1]

Hi Sue,

Congrats on your continued success!

One thing I've noticed from reading the threads is that some plastic surgeons manage to do a full TT at no extra cost to their patients when the patient only has approval for a panniculectomy. I'm not exactly sure how this is done, but it probably has something to with with the surgeon adjusting/reducing their fees for the full TT.

Good luck with your consults -- I look forward to hearing more about this :smile::crying:!

Edited March 9, 2009 by Frangipani

[lingling 0]

Here's a helpful link!

Suture for a Living: panniculectomy vs Abdominoplasty

[Sue Magoo 71]

Thanks so much for that link. I don't have a hanging skin issue above the belly button, so a panniculectomy might actually work for me. The link was very enlightening and encouraging for me.

Thanks again.

Sue

[jjsmiles 3]

Hi Sue,

I know how concerned you are about the results of "just a panniculectomy" - so I thought I would share a picture of myself from March 3. I tried to pm you, but I couldn't figure out how to attach a phote, so here goes :crying:

I am not perfect, but my tummy is vastly improved by just having that procedure. I have spent much of my adult life around 350 pounds.

[Sue Magoo 71]

jjsmiles:

Thank you. That picture is very encouraging to me.

I'll keep you posted after my consult on 4/1/09.

Thanks again for sharing.

Sue

[Candle 11]

Hey Sue

I've been thinking a lot about this topic for the exact same reasons you are.

I have approval for the panni removal. I took a big pay cut last year, that I've finally adjusted to but now my job isn't looking very secure. I have the sick time to use and insurance coverage. I worry that with a new job (if one is even out there - my field has been hit hard by the economic downturn) I might not have those 2 things for awhile, if at all.

I'm just really nervous about spending this type of money right now. I got a quote for an extended TT of $9,500 but I think my insurance would only cover maybe a 1/4 of that. I have a $2,000 deductible after that they pay 70% of the contracted rate. (out of network) I also think that was a low ball quote and am expecting to hear more in the $12,000 range at my other consults.

Unlike you, I have the belly on top. I think I'm almost equally uncomfortable about that. I have a real problem finding pants. I really don't think I'd be happy with the panni removal only but would I be happier than I am now? I really hope to have my breasts and inner thighs done in the [distant] future - I really don't want to do my tummy in 2 stages and then still need a 3rd surgery for the rest.

Ugh!

I'm no help but I understand your dilemma!

Edited March 28, 2009 by Candle