AMAZING transformation thru RNY and Body Contouring Plastic Surgery - from 24W to size 4!...

April 2013 before plastic surgery (10yrs after RNY); June 2013 3-mos post tummy tuck and October 2013 6-mos post tummy tuck; December 2013 2-mos post stage 2 plastic surgery (four procedures)

Last year transforming my entire physical self was such an unbelievable experience. I am 1-month post-operative for my facial plastics and 3-months post-operative for my body lift (no tummy tuck), inner thigh lift, arm lift with flankplasty, and breast lift (no implants). I am 9-mos post-operative from my tummy tuck, which is the surgery that started it all.

So now I have been transformed head-to-toe (well, to knee, really, LOL). I have to say that I am as shocked by the changes in my face as I am in the changes in my body. All of it is so unbelievably good!!! I selected two of the very best surgeons in the world - one is super talented in bodies (Dr. Joseph F. Capella) and the other is super talented in faces (Dr. Catherine Winslow). I look so gosh darn young now. THRILLED.

I posted about my journey, pix and the results of my body work here: http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/plasticsurgery/4653714/Sur gery-yesterday-body-lift-thigh-lift-arm-lift-flankplasty/act ion,replies/topic_id,4653714/page,5/   All in all I have lost 36 pounds and 42.5 inches and I have gone down 5 sizes from plastic surgery. I feel like I hit the jackpot with these surgeries and these surgeons - truly each an artist in their field. Today I look like I am in my 30s, but I am turning 50 in March. And I am a size 4 and living life larger than ever!

I just want to let fellow RNYers know what is possible through plastic surgery. I never imagined I could have a body like this! My total spend has been about $41k and I have one surgery to go (breast implants). The fact is that both US board-certified plastic surgeons gave me very good pricing, especially considering their levels of expertise. But $41k is a lot of money no matter how you look at it. Was it worth it? For these results, YES! But even if I had stopped at just the tummy tuck and mons lift it would have been life changing and by far the best $7k I ever spent!

I have blogged extensively about my plastic surgery journey. You may read a detailed step by step account of my tummy tuck, my total body lift, and an interview that I did with Dr. Capella that covers everything you need to know about plastic surgery after weight loss, by visiting my profile page and clicking through to the linked stories. You also may access my photo albums -- ladies only, please! My profile page: http://www.obesityhelp.com/member/mybariatriclife/

BTW  I have had general anesthesia for my body work. I had conscious sedation/twilight sedation for the facial plastics and I woke up during surgery!!! I would not recommend doing surgery under this type of anesthesia. I know that I will never do it again. Anyone considering plastic surgery outside the US should take special note of this. If cost is a concern, there are other options -- read my interview w/Dr. Capella where I cover affording plastic surgery.

I AM SO GLAD THAT I DID THIS! RNY gave me back my health. Plastic surgery gave me back joy unimagined!!!

Size 24 W Evan Picone skirt from before my RNY in 2003, it looks like two of me can fit inside!

You look fantastic!  The Surgeon did a great job.  Keep up the good work.

Thank you (((hugs)))! I joined a gym and work out several times a week. I eat clean, super healthy, grain-free, fresh! After all this work and MONEY (believe me, this was a lot of money for me) I am committed to keeping my results.

So I do not want to sound mean and harsh...but if I don't ask questions, I'll never have answers.  You still look pretty overweight in the first picture. More than I am now, actually.  Did you not have to reach your ideal weight and maintain it before you had the surgery? There is not a reputable PS here (no one that I would trust is likely a better way to say it)  that will do anything for post WLS patients until they have lost 95% of their excess weight and maintained it for at least 6 months before they will do surgery. I'd love to have a mons lift now with 23 lbs to go, but it's a no go after 151 lbs down. 

I would love to hear any insights you have about how to approach them about doing the surgery a bit sooner. And 7K? That is awesome-I'm hearing more like 11K here for the TT and mons lift!

Hi and thank you for your question. I do not mind answering touch questions as long as they are put politely. And you did, so I appreciate that. 

I had RNY in 2003. I was 285 pounds and 5'7". No one ever told me my goal weight, well, at least not that I recall. I lost down to 185 pounds and maintained that pretty consistently over the decade, but sometimes I would go through lows and highs (weight losses and gains). I always felt kind of gipped from my WLS. While it certainly saved my life, I did not get thin as I had expected and hoped, even though I worked hard at it. PLUS no one ever told me that I would be left with hanging skin and fat that could not be exercised off. So I was surprised when my skin did not shrink with my body as it had done in the past when I lost weight (before I was morbidly obese).

In the first photo I had let myself go. I was at 198 pounds. My surgeon, Dr. Joseph F. Capella in Ramsey NJ, has the most experience in the world doing body contouring after massive weight loss. He has done 10,000 procedures, with I believe 6,000 of those being procedures on post MWL patients. Take a look at his online photo gallery and you will see he has worked on many cases that were much more challenging than mine. 

I would say to carefully choose a surgeon with a huge experience on MWL patients. Ask him/her how many have they done and how often are they doing them for each procedure you are considering. If a surgeon does not want to do your procedure for one reason or another, then s/he probably doesn't feel able to help you. We really do a ton of damage to our bodies with years of morbid obesity.

Read the interview article. It really goes deep into plastic surgery after massive weight loss. Typically a PS is looking for you to be one-year out from your weight loss surgery and stable (eg no vomiting, anemia, not actively losing weight, etc).

I live in the Midwest and I travel to Dr. Capella for my surgery. Even with travel costs he is still more affordable than my local PSs -- and far better at plastic surgery! 

I now weigh 162 pounds.

I am very intrigued! How long did you stay in NJ, on average, after your surgeries? Did you stay in a spa/hotel place or a recovery center or??? And were you as happy with them as you were with the surgeon himself? I have had a few friends who did the 'mommy makeover' and basically checked into the equivalent of a very nice hotel room with an on-call button for two to three weeks after the surgery even though they were in the same town as we live in. Had the ability of round the clock care, but the luxury of a hotel, no roomies and complete rest and relaxation since they were not able/allowed to do much after the MM. 

They were not having post WLS contouring, but were done having babies and wanted their pre-baby body back. I have heard HORROR stories about some recovery places, I'm almost as focused on that as I am with the actual surgeon. 

And just because I am as curious as can be...you have a 32 inch waist with a size 4? I have a 32 inch waist and wear a 10 or 12. Are you talking the 'indention/curve' waist or lower like at your belly button? Did you negotiate the fees for the 'whole enchilada' up front or did you simply pay at the time of each procedure and 41K was the total? As you can tell--I am very much in the discovery phase of PS.

Thank you for all the transparency and feedback on your journey!

I am as surprised as you are that I am in size 4 at 162 pounds and a 32 inch waist. Another Capella friend of mine is same height as me and 156 pounds. She has a 29 inch waist and the size 4s are baggy on her waist. I think once she has her thigh lift she will be in size 2. Amazing, right?

so a few things to consider... I wear low rise jeans. They do not hit my waist. I wear LOFT and Lucky Brand jeans in size 4. The other day I bought a pair of jeans at Abercrombie & Fitch and they were size 6. My FILA and Nike athletic wear pants are all size XS as are my leggings from LOFT. My point is, it does depend on the brand that you buy. Also, it depends on how tight you like to wear your jeans. Now that there is no fat on my body (Capella really does an aggressive job at this) I can wear my clothes tight and there are no belly rolls to hang over my waist band.

when I went to Capella originally it was in 2006 and I had him quote for everything. I saved up all the money for surgery. It took a few years. Then I chickened out and never went back to him. But I always dreamed of having him, and no one else but him, do my body work. I lived in NJ just about all my life. Then last year my job downsized me and my husband and I decided to move to our house in the Midwest. So I thought, it is now or never to get my surgery with dr. Capella. It took me a few weeks to get a consult with him.mby that time, we were ready to move in two weeks. So when I saw Dr. C I told him he had to do my surgery next week or I would not have it done. He deeply considered my request and agreed to do my tummy tuck the following Thirsday. He had one opening in his surgical calendar! I stayed in NJ one week after my TT and saw him for a follow up during which he removed the drains. The next day I drove my sports car by myself the 700 miles to my new home! BTW I stayed in the care center one night and at home for the rest of the week.

i paid for each of my surgeries as they took place. I had the face work done with Dr. Winslow out here in Indy. She is a facial plastic surgeon. I did the same thing with her - took a last minute opening that she had the following week. 

for my second surgery I came back to NJ a few days before surgery and stayed in a hotel by myself. This was a big surgery of four procedures and six hours. So I stayed in the care center for four nights until both dr. C and I are sure that I would be able to take care of myself on my own. For the remainder of my two weeks in NJ I stayed in a hotel. I saw Dr. C a few times for follow up and I was in touch with him via email or phone just about every day or two. He knew I was alone so he wanted to monitor me that I was OK. 

A surgery friend of mine travelled for her surgery, too. She went to a surgeon in TX by herself where she rented a condo and had a woman from visitng angels come in for three hours a day. The woman would bath her, dress her, prepare her food, take her to follow up appointments and to get scripts. 

All very helpful and yes, brands do make a difference. I am one size at Talbots, Ralph Lauren and Jones New York and a different size in Cynthia Rowley, Vince Camuto and Adriana Papell. Those are the core brands I wear but wish they were all consistent in their sizing!  And don't get me started on Chico's and their odd sizing, lol!

Okay--I have a lot of food for thought--thankfully calorie free--and printed this out to put in my PS research binder. I think I need to really start spending time at the post-care facilities and paying attention to the offerings there, too.

Appreciate all the insights!! 

You are very welcome. Another good plastic surgery resource is RealSelf. 

Oy veh, even within the same store I take different sizes sometimes. It makes online shopping just about impossible. From LOFT I recently bought two dress jackets - one is a 6 and the other is a 10. From Banana Republic I recently bought two dresses - one is an XS and the other is a 10.

Go figure!