Question:
Should I have a tummy tuck?
Is this procedure more paperwork and waiting and problematic and not worth it all? I want to do it, but I don't want another waiting and hassle and summer of pain. — Stephanie N. (posted on March 6, 2002)
March 6, 2002
I've asked myself this over and over again..... I can't wait to see your
responses. I know if I got one I'd probably become an easy size 12 from a
16, and lose at least 10-15 more lbs. Still, I think perhaps I should
consider trying to have kids first- or wouldn't it just get messed up
again? If I had it after kids would they still approve it, or then
consider it totally cosmetic? I do have some major back pain at night-
comparable to pre-surgery back pain, as my frame cannot deal with this
apron! Still, I am unsure what to do. After a Breast Reduction, Gastric
Bypass and Gallbladder Removal- if I tell my husband, family and friends I
am going in for another surgery- they are likely to strangle me :)
— Karen R.
March 6, 2002
I am definitely going to have a tummy tuck this year. The apron is
annoying, rashy, and sometimes even smelly. Not to mention that it's
keeping me in MUCH larger clothes than I actually need.<p>My plastic
surgeon's office is MUCH more efficient about insurance and other paperwork
than my WLS surgeon's was, so that is a non-issue.<p>I know the
surgical recovery can be a bit slower because you're talking about bigger
incisions and so on, but I wouldn't call it a "summer of
pain" – it sounds to me like maybe you are talking
yourself out of it. Only you can decide what's right, in consultation with
your PCP, maybe your WLS surgeon, and a plastic surgeon.<p>Get
recommendations from people you know. Plastic surgery, especially
reconstructive surgery like abdominoplasty, is as much an art as a science.
All the plastic surgeons in your area might have functionally correct
outcomes, but some will be much more sensitive to the needs of the post-WLS
patient, and some will have much more aesthetically pleasing
results.<br>Good luck no matter what you decide!
— Julia M.
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