Extended Tummy Tuck

[Jen-2]

Almost 2 years post op DS and 4.5 weeks post of from an extended tummy tuck with a hernia repair. Best thing I've done since I had my DS which was my 2nd wls I was a prior crap bandit.

Removed almost 9 pounds of skin. Wow! I feel so much better.

Did you have any other work done? I'm wanting my arms done next.

How bad was the recovery? I'm just starting to look into this. Any advice on how to find a good surgeon? I have a list of doctors who perform the procedure but I don't really know how to figure out which of them has the best reputation. Thanks!

 

[DS fan]

How bad was the recovery? I'm just starting to look into this. Any advice on how to find a good surgeon? I have a list of doctors who perform the procedure but I don't really know how to figure out which of them has the best reputation. Thanks!

My recovery has been better than I expected. Even my surgeon thinks I'm recovering quite well. I spent an overnight in the hospital. The first 3-5 days were pretty tough but after that I only took a mild pain med tram-adol at night and Tylenol during the day.
On Tuesday I'll be 5 weeks post op. The abdominal tightening is what still can be tender by the end of the day but really it's not bad at all.

I feel so much better having my hernia repaired and all the skin gone.

My bariatric surgeon here locally is who recommended the plastic surgeon I used. I trust my bariatric surgeon with my life so I didn't questioned his recommendation for one second.

 

[Felicity]

I had an extended abdominoplasty in November after going from 380# to 220#. The surgeon removed 12lb of skin total. My insurance covered a panniculectomy and insurance contributed about $1k towards the overall cost of my surgery, which was $13k.
I live in Texas so I called Dr. Ayoola's office (the doc I wished I had my revision with) and asked for their recommendation in a plastic surgeon that works with weight loss patients. I could not be happier with the surgeon and his staff.
I had surgery on a Friday, stayed overnight, then stayed in a hotel for the weekend so I could do a post-op with the surgeon the following Monday. I lived 5 hours away so a car trip home then back again wasn't going to happen (and not recommended). I was off work for 3 weeks and my drains were out at about 5 weeks. That was probably the grossest and most painful part... emptying these plastic grenades full of blood and pus and chunks. (LOL) I had some pain at the drain sites, which was mostly the stitch holding them on getting pulled.

Now, at almost 3.5 months out, the stitches have dissolved and I have a healing scar from hip to hip that's hidden by my underwear. I was amazed with the results and the huge jump in self-confidence from removing the apron of skin i've been toting around!
Also, this is probably TOTALLY TMI but being overweight my entire life and then having the skin removed... I can see my vagina! When the skin was removed, it definitely affected that area as well, and it's pretty awesome.

I'd like to get a brachioplasty next since my bat wings are dangerous enough that I can probably swing them as a weapon! The estimate I received for that is about $6k.

 

[DS fan]

I had an extended abdominoplasty in November after going from 380# to 220#. The surgeon removed 12lb of skin total. My insurance covered a panniculectomy and insurance contributed about $1k towards the overall cost of my surgery, which was $13k.
I live in Texas so I called Dr. Ayoola's office (the doc I wished I had my revision with) and asked for their recommendation in a plastic surgeon that works with weight loss patients. I could not be happier with the surgeon and his staff.
I had surgery on a Friday, stayed overnight, then stayed in a hotel for the weekend so I could do a post-op with the surgeon the following Monday. I lived 5 hours away so a car trip home then back again wasn't going to happen (and not recommended). I was off work for 3 weeks and my drains were out at about 5 weeks. That was probably the grossest and most painful part... emptying these plastic grenades full of blood and pus and chunks. (LOL) I had some pain at the drain sites, which was mostly the stitch holding them on getting pulled.

Now, at almost 3.5 months out, the stitches have dissolved and I have a healing scar from hip to hip that's hidden by my underwear. I was amazed with the results and the huge jump in self-confidence from removing the apron of skin i've been toting around!
Also, this is probably TOTALLY TMI but being overweight my entire life and then having the skin removed... I can see my vagina! When the skin was removed, it definitely affected that area as well, and it's pretty awesome.

I'd like to get a brachioplasty next since my bat wings are dangerous enough that I can probably swing them as a weapon! The estimate I received for that is about $6k.

I hear ya on the vaaaa jay area lol ! Looks ummm totally different. I tend to stare at myself in the mirror too long lol lol

Also, I have phantom itching under my belly. That doesn't exist anymore. So weird ! And I haven't become used to not drying underneath my belly either and daily I try to dry my under belly area still.

Arms is what I want next too !

 

[Jen-2]

I weigh 125 pounds now - 2 years after my DS but I look pregnant due to weak ab muscles and extra skin. I'm tired of wearing shapewear all the time. I'd like to get a tummy tuck w tightening of the ab wall. Someone told me I won't be able to wipe myself after using the bathroom for the first few days. This horrifies me. Is this true? Also 5 weeks w drains seems rather lengthy. Did you have your drains that long @DS fan?

 

[CaraOC]

This is an interesting topic for me right now. I'm one year out from my DS. Also formally a crap bandit. I'm down about 110 lbs. I have a big ass abdominal hernia and saw my PCP yesterday and she's sending me off to see the surgeon. My hernia seems very to the right and feels like a babies head!! Sometimes my abdomen gets rock hard and very uncomfortable but not exactly pain. My goal is to have the works done!! I'm hoping @DianaCox will be able to guide me through this as I believe her hubby has walked this walk. I know I have lots more to lose but this is something I really want!! I also want my rocks in socks boobs fixed and my bat wings removed. I have a long wish list I'm prepared to compromise on. Neck lift, thigh lift and ass remodeling to name a tiny few !!!

 

[DS fan]

I weigh 125 pounds now - 2 years after my DS but I look pregnant due to weak ab muscles and extra skin. I'm tired of wearing shapewear all the time. I'd like to get a tummy tuck w tightening of the ab wall. Someone told me I won't be able to wipe myself after using the bathroom for the first few days. This horrifies me. Is this true? Also 5 weeks w drains seems rather lengthy. Did you have your drains that long @DS fan?

Hey there, I was able to wipe myself from day 1 no issues there. I had two drains. One was removed at my one week appointment and the other at my 3 week appointment.

hope that helps relax your mind a little

 

[Felicity]

I weigh 125 pounds now - 2 years after my DS but I look pregnant due to weak ab muscles and extra skin. I'm tired of wearing shapewear all the time. I'd like to get a tummy tuck w tightening of the ab wall. Someone told me I won't be able to wipe myself after using the bathroom for the first few days. This horrifies me. Is this true? Also 5 weeks w drains seems rather lengthy. Did you have your drains that long @DS fan?

Hi Jen,
I was also able to wipe right away. I couldn't bend forward very well, but it was fine.
My drains weren't scheduled to be in for a set amount of time; rather until the drainage was low enough to remove them. My first drain was out after about 3 weeks and the second at 5 weeks... my surgeon had me monitoring the amount of fluid coming out and keep a log and email it to them so they could monitor then recommend when to have the drain removed. They said my drain was in longer than many others due to how much skin they removed and the length of the incision. It felt like FOREVER at the time, but now in retrospect the drains weren't too bad.

 

[KathrynK]

I'm jealous. Losing half my weight left me with a "melting candle" body. I cannot find clothes that fit at the waist, but don't droop at the butt, or fit at the shoulders but aren't too snug at the midriff. For those who wore shapewear was it Spanx?

You look fabulous.

 

[DS fan]

I'm jealous. Losing half my weight left me with a "melting candle" body. I cannot find clothes that fit at the waist, but don't droop at the butt, or fit at the shoulders but aren't too snug at the midriff. For those who wore shapewear was it Spanx?

You look fabulous.

I wore and still wear sometimes the flexees by maidenform foam cup tank. By far my favorite for smoothing and comfort plus value

 

[Clematis]

The funny thing is I almost always wore a Flexees midriff to calf shaper when I was fat to tame cellulite and muffin top but I have not worn one once since losing all the weight. I can't find this shaper any more. The only one I see either only comes to above knee -- and I'd end up with a huge bulge right below it's hem -- or turns into stocking-like sheer just below the panty, which means my saggy thighs (and ass that "identifies" as a thigh) would explode out below the panty like popping open a Pillsbury dough can. If I wear tight "sturdy" pants like jeans I don't look too bad, but dress pants can show the bizarrely sagged-in-the-center ass and drapery folds of rear thigh.

I'm scheduled for a full LBL at the end of April. So excited. Buh-bye swinging ass and belly flap!

 

[DS fan]

The funny thing is I almost always wore a Flexees midriff to calf shaper when I was fat to tame cellulite and muffin top but I have not worn one once since losing all the weight. I can't find this shaper any more. The only one I see either only comes to above knee -- and I'd end up with a huge bulge right below it's hem -- or turns into stocking-like sheer just below the panty, which means my saggy thighs (and ass that "identifies" as a thigh) would explode out below the panty like popping open a Pillsbury dough can. If I wear tight "sturdy" pants like jeans I don't look too bad, but dress pants can show the bizarrely sagged-in-the-center ass and drapery folds of rear thigh.

I'm scheduled for a full LBL at the end of April. So excited. Buh-bye swinging ass and belly flap!

I hate those kind. They always roll at the top for me and are a bitch to get off when I have to pee lol and I drink like 150 ounces of water a day so when I gotta go I gotta goooooooo so the long line tank worked best for me. I still have back issues so sometimes if I wear a fitted shirt I'll put the tank on but mostly I go without and it feels so good.

 

[Charris]

I just had a major ventral hernia repair done with a big hunk of mesh inserted and screwed into my abdominal wall (7.7 x 9.7 inches). We were originally looking at component separation because and possibly abdominoplasty but I couldn't get insurance to cover either tummy tuck or abdominoplasty because I didn't have any skin infections or such. I ended up with just lap repair of the hernia which was the main reason for the surgery because it was causing issues, but I really wanted the skin on my pubic bone removed and my ball sack cinched up because they were drooping and TMI hitting the damn water when taking a shit. Like I said that didn't happen.....a month after my ventral repair I sprung what I thought was just a hernia on the right side of my groin. Well when I saw the surgeon he said, "I hate to break it to you but you have one on the left side as well". So I ended up with a double inguinal hernia repair with a lymph node resection Friday the 24th (biopsied and from what I can tell it is fine but I have to ask the surgeon why he did that because I had no idea he took that lymph node and only found out because the pathology report showed up on my hospital portal).

In any case I ended up with what I call a bad case of Buffalo Balls after that surgery because they swelled bigger than a grapefruit and the swelling has gone down a bit but they are hanging lower than ever now. So I will be seeing a plastic surgeon to see if there is anyway to get his medically covered because man it is a pain and gross siting down and having your balls plop in the damn toilet water...and it is hard trying to do your business and keeping those out of the way.....anyway....glad you were able to get some work done. I could use a little off my hips, my fupa taken away and sack cinched up at some point....but right now I am tired of hurting from two surgeries in a month that are neither one a cake walk

Damn Scott I'm just now seeing this but I'm praying and wishing good Juju and some other stuff that you get this problem take care of. Have u discussed it with Dr K. maybe he can do a little sack nip and tuck in his surgery room in the office. @DSRIGGS

 

[Charris]

@Jrube did you get a new belly button. I better stop @DianaCox hates when I necropost. lol But I had been off the sight and missed a lot. lol

 

[DSRIGGS]

Damn Scott I'm just now seeing this but I'm praying and wishing good Juju and some other stuff that you get this problem take care of. Have u discussed it with Dr K. maybe he can do a little sack nip and tuck in his surgery room in the office. @DSRIGGS

Thanks and no worries my friend. I had the ventral hernia repair about this time last year and then a month later had the double inguinal hernia repaired with mesh back here in Peoria. Then last October I went back to Glendale wihere Dr K was going to take out my sigmoid and descending colon if necessary, but when he got inside he said it looked like a spaghetti factory with numerous adhesions and scar tissues. One scar tissue had completely wrapped my colon and was pulling it up causing it to twist. He let that loose and cleaned up the other scar tissue and adhesions that were also on my small intestine. He felt that since the colon was being pulled and twisted because of the scar tissue that it as better to leave my redundant colon (excess colon) alone and not remove it. It was the right call because obviously we don't want to just cut a vital part of the anatomy out if not necessary. That being said I am having similar symptoms again so I either have more scar tissue causing the same problem or my redundant colon with is also called torturous colon (if that gives you any idea of the pain it causes) is resulting in a twisted colon and partial blockage at times. That whole region causes a lot of pain and issues. I have a hard time urinating sometimes and I am 3-4 times a night peeing and sometimes pooping (pooping not as much as it used to be before my revision) and it feels to me like something is stuck or growing on my bladder and or prostate because most of the time I feel like my bladder doesn't empty and after a BM that often feels like I some stuff is still stuck in my rectum it cause my urinary tract weiner to be irritated almost burning.

I see my PCP on Tuesday and I am sure he will refer me to a Urologist. I have been on flowmax, the lowest dose, for about a year but I am not sure if it helping anything. I did have surgery on my prostate in 2002 so that could be part of the issue as well. I am sure the urologist is going to want to scope me out down there which isn't fun but I think it is needed to see if anything is going inside my urinary tract. I also think they need to go in check my guts for scar tissue and adhesions, removing my colon if it isn't wrapped again and at the same times seeing if there isn't an adhesion of something to my bladder or prostate.

Yep I am still kind of a mess. I had been feeling better and about 2 or 3 weeks ago I started looking for a job again but I am not sure if I can do it or not. I have more good days than bad ones now and the bad days aren't as bad as they were, but it still sucks and I am not sure I would be able to make it in to the office on a bad day because it still leaves me drained, hurting and physically exhausted on those days.

Anyway, that is where I am at currently.

Thank you for the kind words and checking up on me. I am hoping you are doing better and wish you the best Clarissa.