Help! Need advice ASAP

 Amy,  

Do the full tummy tuck!,,,   It is a total no brainer decision in my humble opinion!  Somehow find the money.  I really don't think you would be happy with just the panni.  I just had my tummy tuck in jan and I am very happy with the results.  I also get always putting the kids needs first...I am the Mom of 3 and they come first....but this time it was me!  So do it.
    I really don't think that is too high of a price to pay considering you stay in the hospital overnight.  For me, the stay was 1000 just for the room.  My TT with lipo was 13,000......so I would have been thrilled to get that for 1/2 price.  There is a Hugh difference between a 
Panni and a TT.  Make sure you get a great surgeon... I went with the one I thought was the best , not the cheapest.
  Good luck to you....I really think you wouldn't be happy with the panni....go for the gold!

Patty

I  am scheduled for a full corset trunkplasty (corsettrunkplasty.com) for $3200 out of pocket, with insurance paying for the panniculectomy part of it.

The price they gave me was-
5000- surgeons fee
950- hospital over night fee
360- anesthesia portion

I have a friend who 8 years ago got a "mini tummy tuck" along with a hysterectomy.  She's an OR nurse and to this day cannot tell you what a mini TT is.  Either way, she regrets not having the full tummy tuck.  She said every time she takes a shower and looks down at her tummy, she just wants to cry...and is starting to contemplate saving up for one after all these years.

As for cost - I just paid about $9700 out of pocket for a lower body lift, tummy tuck (just the lower abs) and breast augmentation.  But mine was outpatient and not an overnight and he gave me a "poster child" discount of about $2300.   Your insurance should already be paying the facility fee and anesthesiologist - you should only have to cover his additional time.  

Ask around but if you really like him, you can always tell him what your researched showed and see if he'll match or beat the price of others.  Go with the one you feel most comfortable with, don't just let price dictate your decision.   And I'd say do as much as you can at one time because in my personal experience, I won't put myself through the pain of another surgery again.

Good luck!

tg

I paid 4k for my extended tt with muscle tightening at a teaching hospital, total, no insurance.  I think that number is very high and I would not get anything but a tt, you think you don't want rock hard abs, but you do, believe me you do.  Nothing beats a flat stomach, nothing, period.  Switch doctors if need be to get what you want for a resonable price.

Just an update ...
 
I had another consultation with a different doctor and was qouted $2300 for the complete TT after ins pays for the panni part. That's a far cry from the $6300 I was qouted a few weeks ago! So glad I went for another opinion. I even like this doctor better. I am now just waiting on the date and final approval from ins. They already approved it once, so it shouldn't take long. Thank you everyone for your advice.