Plastic surgery is done!

Feb 28, 2011

February 9, 2011 (2.5 weeks ago) I had a bilateral breast reduction and abdominoplasty, 5 years after my lap band, and after losing almost 100 lbs. My surgeon called it a panniculectomy actually, but he did tighten my abdominal fascia and float my belly button to a new location, so I think technically I had the full abdominoplasty.  He did not do a whole lot of work above my belly button on the left side because that is where my band and port-a-cath are, and he said he didn't want to mess it up.  I'm guessing he called it what he did so my insurance would cover it.  BCBS did give me the approval and precert, and then when I looked at my EOB yesterday, they denied one of the two procedures. It has one $4,400 charge as excluded for cosmetic surgery purposes only.  We'll be having World War III when I call them today.  It was for functional purposes, and they pre-approved it as medically necessary in writing.  They have lost their minds!
 

I have pre-op and post op pics if anyone wants to see (for friends only), although the important body parts are covered.. I still want to moderate who sees them. It's quite amazing the difference.  I had a large pannus (apron belly) and very large pendulous breasts (although half the volume had left them since I lost all that weight).  They made it worse on my scoliosis and also on the back and shoulder pain I have following a bad car accident I had in 2009 having to wag all that around all the time.  He only removed 6+ lbs in all, but it looks like much more than that, IMO.  You probably relate to how my "fat" mind works.  No matter how well I do, how much weight I lose, or how much better I look, I still see the same morbidly obese person.  I have to pinch myself when I look at the pictures to make sure I'm not dreaming.   I can't believe I have curves and not multiple rolls of fat anymore, although I'm not skinny and never will be.  :)

My weight pre-op was around 175 lbs.  After surgery you would have thought I would have been at least 6 lbs down, but I had soooooooo much fluid on my body following all those IV fluids that I actually gained almost 10 lbs by the time I came home.  Almost 3 weeks later and I"m still swollen all over.. My weight today was 174.  I expect when all of this fluid finally goes away, that I will be in the 160s.  If you are interested in seeing my before/after plastic surgery pics, please just send me a message.    If I can help you in any way, let me know.  What an incredible journey this has been for me the past 5+ years! I am so thankful to have a good outcome.

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