POST DISAPPEARED AGAIN; PLASTIC SURGERY IN OTHER COUNTRIES.

DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON ANOTHER COUNTRY IN WHICH I COULD GET RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY ? THE US IS TOO EXPENSIVE WITHOUT INSURANCE COVERAGE AND I AM NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET ANY. THE SKIN IS CAUSING ME AGGRAVATION AND PAIN AND DR. A SAID THAT I DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH FOR THE INSURANCE TO COVER . I NEED 25,000 FOR THE WORK THAT IS NEEDED, SO I AM WILLING TO GO AND TAKE A CHANCE IN ANOTHER COUNTRY. CAN SOMEONE REFER ME? BLKNECTAR SUGGESTIONS? HOPE THAT I DON'T LOSE THIS POST AS WELL.

Hi Jayne! Have you checked out the plastic surgery forum on here at obesity help? They are VERY informative and alot of people on the board, quite a few have gone out of the country and I am sure they can refer you to some people. Check the forum out http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/plasticsurgery/ I was just blessed to have my insurance pay for half the surgery for my full abdominoplasty...it would have cost 14000, and they are paying almost half. Good luck on your journey! They also have special financing places they talk about on this board that can help finance the surgeries. My surgery is scheduled for january 3rd. Take care! MaryJo

Hi MaryJo... That's awesome that you got the insurance company to cover half. If you don't mind me asking... who is your insurance provider? And what "techniques", if you will, did you use to get approved for the abdominoplasty?? That's what I need to have done... but I have NO idea about how the "system" works. Be sure to let us know how you make out on the 3rd!!!

Hi C J, Thanks! I am soooo excited! I have all this extra skin which is nasty and so uncomfy and need to get rid of it....finally the day is coming. To complete my journey. I have ALOT of hanging skin in the pannus area and the DR. said it is probly 10 to 12 pounds of it. I started getting some irritations under the hanging skin, and was going to go to the DR. for it, cause powder was not cutting it anymore. I went to consult for plastic surgery....and they submitted pics, and info to my insurance Blue Cross blue Shield Century Preffered and they just wanted to make sure my weight loss was pretty much at a stop, and how many pounds lost, you have to had lost 100 pounds or more, and that was all they needed. They are covering the panniculectimy which is the section below the belly button, I am having full abdominplasty with ancor incision, I have alot of extra skin above the belley button too, so they are going to remove everything and tighten my ab muscles. So i am paying for the "above" belly button part. All insurances are so different. I suggest getting documentation, if your skin in uncomfy or giving you irritations, or back aches, or getting in the way of doing physcial things get documentation. My surgeon is great, he has done alot of people that have had WLS, and thier office staff is very good as well. I was happy my insurance covered half, I have heard some insurances cover all of it. They have a plastic surgery forum on here with alot if info, I have been on those boards latley and more of a lurker on the CT one. http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/plasticsurgery/ Check it out and if you have any more questions please don't be afraid to ask. I am hoping to get some before and after shots on my profile once i have surgery.......Good luck on your journey! I'll keep everyone posted..... God Bless! MaryJo

Oh MaryJo thank you so much!! I have lost 80 lbs from my original weight of 250... and want to drop 30 more. So far the skin hanging thing is REALLY bothering me. More psychologically than physically, though. My stomach is really saggy and ripply... those old stretch marks are the killer -- they make my stomach look sooooo wrinkley it's gross! I call it my "saddle bag"... because looking at me from the side, I look like a motorcycle with the saddle bags hanging off the sides I feel like I have two butts. One round plump in the back, and one saggy wrinkley one in the front. UGH. I'm sure it's only going to get worse when I drop the 30 remaining lbs. I have problems with intimacy big time... I refuse to be naked in front of anyone else, and when we *ahem* "you know", I HAVE to make sure all the lights are off... and I hate being touched in my midsection. I always shreik and squirm, pretending to be extremely ticklish, but really just trying to avoid him getting ahold of the front-butt and saying "what the heck is this...". Also, I'm still toying with the idea of maybe having another child within the next few years. Don't know how that's going to work becuase, well, I'm getting older (going on 30...) and not married anymore, and only seeing my new beau for a few months. So who knows, but I don't want to rule it out comepletely. I don't want to have PS done, and then get pregnant later on down the road. Also I worry about putting weight back on, and starting the whole process allllll over again. Geeez, so many "what-ifs" they drive me crazy! --CJ

Hi CJ! You sound so much like me! I am happy to offer any helping advice I can give. If you have read my profile you will see I have been there done that all you have just posted to me about. I got preggo 8 months out not even knowing becuase we were told we would never have kids. Mind you that after one week of me being post-op we got our first song we adopted and 10 months later we adopted his newborn brother. Unfortunaltley we lost our baby Austin whom we got pregnant with right before he was born. NOthing do to WLS, we had every test in the book done. Anyway, we decided that god has blessed us in so many ways and now it is time for me to get rid of this hanging belley.......you can email me privatley if you would like, i would love to talk to you. [email protected] take care! MaryJo

Hi Jayne! Please do not go other country for this surgery. I have Dr John Borkowski for full abdominoplasty and breast lift. Yesterday they received a letter from my insurance company and want to know more information. I am keeping my finger crossed for good new and hope it will approve for my xmas present!!! I have documents for my chiropractic over 6 months, rashes documents over 6 months and letter from my gynecology dr said I had two c sec from my kids, letter from my PCP about my rashes , letter from my chiropractic dr about my lower back and letter from wonderful reconstructive surgeon about reconstructive surgery. Also alot of pictures of my stomach and breasts and also very bad rashes pictures to show insurance company.... I will let you know what they approved or not soon!!! I am so happy for Mary Jo and will root for her after her surgery Hugs Kathy K

I don't want to go to another country, but I am sure that I will not be approved here as I do not have enough of anything. My breasts may be the only thing covered. It is said that we come this far, and then we get stuck , I look worse naked now than before, I am at my goal weight and with the surgery, I will be one happy camper. I am going to try everything I am starting physical therapy and doing all that I can. If not, then I am going to have to tak my chances as I will not look like this, I amde up my mind, I can;'t stand it. Thaks for the support, and I quite coming to support groups, so I guess this is the forum for me. I have 5 more months and then I will make a decision. Thanks Jannie

Hi there. Looks like this post stuck! Here's my advice- get a second opinion! Chances are that your Dr was NOT familiar with your specific coverage and cir****tance. I'd highly recommend that you look for a PS that is willing to work with you and your insurance company here in CT. If you truly have a medical need, I'd fight for as much coverage as possible. The key is this- some PS's do not do extensive work with RECONSTRUCTIVE surgery, rather than cosmetic. If you deal with someone who is highly experienced in reconstructive work- then they should have the ability to help you fight for your benefits. Some ps's will just looks and say- yeah- that's not going to get covered, just because they don't want the hassle. No kidding. While I wouldn't say DONT go to another country- I would caution you. Not so much from the persepctive of quality as from the perspective of AFTER CARE. We are special cases. Not just a nip tuck scenario. You WILL need followthrough and quality aftercare, and when there is excess skin there are so many more chances for complications! you can't get that if your doctor is in another country. You can begin now building you case for insurance coverage. not every insurance uses the amount of the overhang as the sole deciding factor. So- #1 Call your insurance company and find out what their criteria is. Get it sent to you in writing- faxed is good- if at all possible. #2 Get working on any parts of the criteria that you can. Persistent rashes, infections (such as yeast), back pain, regular ulcerations of the skin, impairment of movement and general discomfort can all be documented by your medical professionals and later submitted to your insurance. ALso, if there is any chance you have an incisional hernias (which are fairly common) a PS will find it, and you can use that too. If you fight the good fight, and still don't get coverage, well, then it might be time to consider the alternatives. But, until then- I'd put my head down and begin fighting! You may just get them to cover more than you think! Best of luck to you, Lisa C

Thanks Lisa, you were very inspiring. After talking with my mother, she was so afraid for me leaving the country that she is going to let me borrow the money from her and do it here!! Guess that God heard my prayers. I am so blessed to have had the surgery, it seems selfish that I ask for more when there are so many that can't get the surgery at all, neverless the PS. I am meeting with Dr A and Dr.B and maybe they can think of something. I am starting the doucmentation. Thanks for the advice it was great!!!!! No I am not going to another country, too many stories unless someone comes with me and gets the surgery done at the same time. Any takers??? Thanks Lisa BlkNectar