panni surgery date
So I got my panni surgery date....March 17th. I am very excited. Its kinda my final step to this chapter of my life. I haven't lost much in the last 3 months but I haven't gained anything either so I'm good with that. I really want to lose 5 more pounds before the surgery.
Just wanted to ask anyone who has had a panni how it went for you. Where you in much pain and for how long? Any problems? I know everyone is different but just wanted to see what other people's experiences were like.
Thanks for any info.
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; a optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty"- Winston Churchill
I had very little pain with mine after the 3rd or 4th day. The drain hat stayed in for 2 weeks was a PITA, and the endpoints on the incision on my hips were tender when I stretched or twisted, but since there is no muscle cutting involved, the pain is minimal (despite the huge incision!) and it heals very quickly.
Lora
14 years out; 190 pounds lost, 165 pound loss maintained
You don't drown by falling in the water. You drown by staying there.
PITA - pain in the ass
It's hard to remember exactly because it has been several years. It was several weeks before i cold sleep on my side, though, because the endpoints of the incisions were right in the center of my hips on the side (the joke is that the surgeon cuts until the tale stops him) so sleeping on my side was uncomfortable for a while.
The first couple of nights at home I slept in the LaZBoy because it hurt to lie flat in bed (and my chair is more comfy than propping myself up with pillows in bed).
14 years out; 190 pounds lost, 165 pound loss maintained
You don't drown by falling in the water. You drown by staying there.
Yes, I was happy with the results of what he did. My extra skin hung down onto teh tops of my thighs, so having no skin there and a flat lower belly was amazing. I was NOT happy about the fact that the morning of surgery (as he was marking me up!) he backed out of doing a self-pay mons lift at the same time (I ended up having another surgery (sel;f pay) 6 weeks later with another plastic surgeon) and the excess skin above my waist then bothered me more than I expected (which meant a self-pay tummy tuck a year later), though.
I don't remember exactly how long it took the swelling to go down completely. I didn't really have much swelling after the first week, and was able to wear smaller pants than before the surgery even WITH the swelling, so it wasn't a big deal for me. I did have a stretchy binder that I wore for the first 3 weeks. Since my swelling was limited, it helped keep the drain tube in place more than anything, LOL.
14 years out; 190 pounds lost, 165 pound loss maintained
You don't drown by falling in the water. You drown by staying there.
Yes, I was happy with the results of what he did. My extra skin hung down onto teh tops of my thighs, so having no skin there and a flat lower belly was amazing. I was NOT happy about the fact that the morning of surgery (as he was marking me up!) he backed out of doing a self-pay mons lift at the same time (I ended up having another surgery (sel;f pay) 6 weeks later with another plastic surgeon) and the excess skin above my waist then bothered me more than I expected (which meant a self-pay tummy tuck a year later), though.
I don't remember exactly how long it took the swelling to go down completely. I didn't really have much swelling after the first week, and was able to wear smaller pants than before the surgery even WITH the swelling, so it wasn't a big deal for me. I did have a stretchy binder that I wore for the first 3 weeks. Since my swelling was limited, it helped keep the drain tube in place more than anything, LOL.
If you could go back in time, would you have told the first surgeon to jump in a lake and done at least the first two procedures together? And would you have done all three at once if possible? What was the mons lift recovery like? I am thinking that is one I will absolutely have to have.
HW333--SW 289--GW of 160 5' 11" woman. I only know the way I know & when you ask for input/advice, you'll get the way I've been successful through my surgeon & nutritionist. Please consult your surgeon & nutritionist for how to do it their way. Biggest regret? Not doing this 10 years ago! Every day is better than the day before...and it was a pretty great day!
He was literally the only surgeon in town who would accept insurance for the panniculectomy (and since I had mine done, he has joined with all of he other local plastic surgeons to refuse insurance because they maintain it is "cosmetic" even if the insurance company finds it be medically necessary). They require full payment up front from you and then YOU have to submit to insurance and accept the small amount they pay. It is outrageous, but my insurance company said I was stuck. If I had been able to just seek out another surgeon do do the panni and mons together I would have.
If I had been in a position to pay the $9000 for the tummy tuck and mons lift at the time I did the panniculectomy, then, yes, I would have had it done all at once and just paid out of pocket for a traditional tummy tuck rather than panniculectomy and then reverse (true "T" shaped) tummy tuck). I wasnt planning a full TT at all, but I did not anticipate how bad the extra skin above my waist would look compared to the flat lower belly.
One surgery, if possible, is always better than three in terms of anesthesia and general toll on the body (although it still would have been two surgeries for me because I still needed the arms done (which I and done with the mons lift)).
14 years out; 190 pounds lost, 165 pound loss maintained
You don't drown by falling in the water. You drown by staying there.
He was literally the only surgeon in town who would accept insurance for the panniculectomy (and since I had mine done, he has joined with all of he other local plastic surgeons to refuse insurance because they maintain it is "cosmetic" even if the insurance company finds it be medically necessary). They require full payment up front from you and then YOU have to submit to insurance and accept the small amount they pay. It is outrageous, but my insurance company said I was stuck. If I had been able to just seek out another surgeon do do the panni and mons together I would have.
If I had been in a position to pay the $9000 for the tummy tuck and mons lift at the time I did the panniculectomy, then, yes, I would have had it done all at once and just paid out of pocket for a traditional tummy tuck rather than panniculectomy and then reverse (true "T" shaped) tummy tuck). I wasnt planning a full TT at all, but I did not anticipate how bad the extra skin above my waist would look compared to the flat lower belly.
One surgery, if possible, is always better than three in terms of anesthesia and general toll on the body (although it still would have been two surgeries for me because I still needed the arms done (which I and done with the mons lift)).
URGH! That just rankles me to no end on the insurance front for you! Glad you were able to combine the arms and mons! I love learning from the 'BTDT' crew not only on living daily life but PS experiences!
Thanks for sharing! :)
HW333--SW 289--GW of 160 5' 11" woman. I only know the way I know & when you ask for input/advice, you'll get the way I've been successful through my surgeon & nutritionist. Please consult your surgeon & nutritionist for how to do it their way. Biggest regret? Not doing this 10 years ago! Every day is better than the day before...and it was a pretty great day!
