Lower Body Lift

Hi Guys, Maureen asked me about my lower body lift and I thought I would respond in a new thread! I had surgery on 9/21/05. I was in surgery for five hours. Since my surgeon has a deal with the hospital, they allowed me to stay for 23 hours and not be charged for a night's stay in the hospital (I was self-pay). My surgery was at 8 am, done at 1 pm. I was in recovery until 5 p.m. (they delayed sending me to a room so my 23 hours wouldn't start ticking until I actually arrived in my room) and I was released at 3 p.m. the next day. I had a morophine pump while I was in the hospital and Percoset tablets that I took around the clock for the first week, then Tylenol. But the coolest thing I got was a On-Q pack! Get this! On top of my dressings and binder was this On-Q fanny pack with a cylinder of topical pain medication that was administered to me via a tiny catheter that ran out of the fanny pack into my incision. It time released the medication for FIVE days! So, I wasn't in a lot of pain and I didn't have to take very high dosages of narcotics after I got home. Anyway, I had four drains. They came out of my upper thighs, two on each side. That was great, because they didn't get in the way of the elastic in the legs of my underwear and the skin on my thighs is much tougher than in my abdomen. Two drains were threaded to my back incision and two to the front of my incision; remember, I was cut all the way around my body. The first drain came out after a week. Two more came out at three weeks and the last one didn't come out for 35 days because it kept putting out too much fluid to remove. They never hurt; just a nusience. And they did NOT hurt when he removed them. I returned to work after three weeks. I am just now allowed to start exercising again (except for walking which I could do at two weeks). All in all, it was a great experience. No surprises. And the results are remarkable! If you really want to see my Before and After pictures, some are graphic, go to http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8EcMmjlq0bOmg . Click View Pictures and then View as Slideshow to see them enlarges with captions. Let me know what you think. These pictures were taken three weeks apart! This surgeon was remarkable! Good Luck, Maureen, with you surgery in January! Keep me posted! Karen

Wow!!!! That is wonderful!!!! I have an appt with the plastic surgeon on the the 18th of Jan. I can only hope for results half as good. You have given me real; hope. Thank you, Luv Crissie!

Thanks, Crissie! Did you go on Shutterfly and look at the pictures? Are you going for a lower body lift, too? I needed it because my hips and butt needed work in addition to my tummy. I was also sitting on some of my skin, so the lift took care of that, too! I hope they weren't too graphic! I think there is a picture of the On-Q fanny pack, too. Good Luck on the 18th! Let me know how it goes! Karen

Karen, yes I did go to shutterfly and check out your pics! They are truly amazing! And no, they were not too graphic. They were very informative. I am a nurse and thought that they were very professional and useful. I have lost 300 pounds and have skin around my butt and thighs as well. Surprisingly, not as much as you would think, but more than enough to need the surgery. I would like to have the brachioplasty and breast reconstruction as well. Did your insurance cover any of it? Your profile list BCBS as your insurer. I have FedBLue. The fanny pack is intriguing. I had never seen this done and it makes so much sense. You look wonderful! I will let ya know what is going on with the doc after my visit. Did you have any rashes, I don't. I do however have a lot of back pain that comes from the hanging skin.

I did not have any rashes at all. But I did have a great deal of lower back pain from the hanging skin. I had never had lower back pain before. I went to physical therapy and had an MRI done on my back, in hopes that insurance would pay for some of it. I am getting ready to submit my claim now. I paid for it up front and hope I can get some of it back. I hear that the key to it is to get your surgeon to call it "reconstructive" surgery and not "cosmetic" surgery. Mine opted to call it cosmetic.....so I don't know what will happen! I will keep you posted! Let me know how your Dr. visit goes! I saw five different plastic surgeons before making up my mind, including one from Brazil! He was definately the cheapest and would do everything (face lift, breast lift, arms, thighs and lower body lift) for $18,000. But I only wanted the lower body lift done, so I opted not to go out of the country. I do have three friends who have used him, though, and he does remarkable work, too. I have another friend who is going down in January to have all her stuff done because she needs so much done. Dr. Fabio's website is www.mednetbrazil.com . Just sign up for a user name and password and then click Downloads and his price list is there. You can send him specific pictures he requests and he will send you a treatment plan for $100. He comes to the US once a year, holds a convention and sees prospective patients, gives treatment plans and you get to meet his whole staff. Last year, he went to Orlando. This year (spring) he will be in Las Vegas for his convention. It was fun and well worth the money to get a consultation from him. Just a thought for those who need a lot done and only a limited amount of money. Karen

I viewed the slided. Thank you for sharing. I have hopes for doing something in January. I have the pictures showing the rashes. I have looked at several tt sites and the before pictures of some of the patients did not look to me like they needed the surgery half as bad as us WLS patients. Now we all need to keep our fingers crossed for each other. I cannot pay for the surgery at this time but I mentally and physically need it. I have some very gross pictures.

Karen, thanks so much for sharing this! I don't think my TT looks half as good as yours although I am grateful not to have that apron anymore. Once I get the LBL, thighplasty and brachioplasty done in January, I'm finished with the reconstructive surgeries -- my body will forever more look like a road map from Hartford to Passadena but will hopefully enjoy freedom of movement for the rest of my days. Take care. M.

Karen, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING YOUR PICTURES & EXPERIENCE. I would love to do it if I could afford it and if I could go to your doctor! -Jen

Thank you all so much for your feedback! And Jen, New Jersey isn't that far to go for surgery, especially when you will live with the results for the rest of your life! My surgeon specializes in bariatric patients and body sculpting. Experience is priceless. My lower body lift, including surgeon fees, hospital and anethesia was $11,700. We took out a home equity loan to pay for mine. I wish you all the luck in the world with your plastic surgery when the time comes. I will be here to support you! Hugs, Karen

okay- i wanna know who took the pics of me and snuck them into your photo trail!!! pic #6 and #10 are me now------- seriously-thanx for sharing-they are not too graphic-they are honest and i appreciate that as well as the commentary-- i really don't know where i'll be in the plastics discussion once i get to goal etc.... btw-this past week has been better since i have "come out" about my dilemma and regain....thx karen!