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Hello All! I have a question that may seem strange, so let me give you the background real quick. After suffering years with UC (like many of you) and taking countless doses of prednisone, antidepressants, immune-suppressants, and eating bland foods as not to upset my gut, my weight sky rocketed and my self-esteem plummeted. After dealing with a failed J pouch (more surgeries) and finally a successful K pouch (YAY!) I went through my third (very challenging) pregnancy. Happy to report my healthy baby recently turned 1 year and my pouch seems (knock on wood) to be doing well. I have recently been working out and eating healthy with the goal of reclaiming some semblance of the body I had over a decade ago before the monster that was UC. From all the surgeries and pregnancies and evil evil prednisone, my skin is extremely stretched out. The more weight I lose, the worse it looks. 

In 2001 when I consulted with Dr. Dietz, I asked him if a 'Tummy Tuck" procedure was possible in the far future. He was quick to say, Sure, as long a CR surgeon like my self was present to assist the plastic surgeon. 

 

Now that I am getting closer to my goals of a healthy weight, I am wondering have any of you gone through plastic surgery with a k or bcir or do you know anything about it?

 

Now that I am in FL, I have recently reached out to Dr. Rehnke's office via email as that would be preferred for me (closer than Cleveland) (Although Cleveland is not out of the picture, just more $, more planning etc)

 

I apologize if this seems trivial to those still dealing with major pouch issues, and pain. I have just spent so many years feeling less than human, that now that my pouch is healthy, I want my body to reflect that success.

 

Also want to add that I underwent a successful C-section with this last pregnancy even with my K pouch!

 

Thank you!   <3 

Last edited by Rosie128
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Hi Rosie,

Wonderful news about the baby...fantastic.

You should also post on the women's health section here to let them all know that a c-section is possible with a k pouch...some people do not know (neither do some doctors!).

As for the plastic surgery...I've have had some.

My right k pouch side, looked like a frankenstien revival. I had  3 different stoma sites plus colostomy scar, a horrid mainline and 7 holes from the laporoscopy surgery. On top of it all I had a 'fat pack' over my stoma...a one sided bulge that hid my stoma from me and made intubation very difficult....I was about 20lbs overweight but it was all in that one spot.

Originally I was to have a one-sided lipo done and have the skin (except around my stoma (which is really, really low into the pubic hairline because my surgeon didn't want it on my left side) pulled to the middle and cut down to create a smother, almost scarless right side. It would have reduced 3 scars into 1 small one plus a right hip lipo. 

Well surgery went supposedly well and he came in to tell me that it all got done...

5 days later when the home nurse removed the bandages and I saw the scars I freaked.

He had basically redone the middle of my midline scar (left the top over the belly button and the bottom untouched . Lipo-ed out the fat over the stoma only partially and nothing else. 

No scar reductions....(he had substituted an intern into the surgey...didn't give details of surgery).

I had 3 awake redos under local anesthetic. I watched every single surgery giving instructions. He would only do one zone at a time so first he reduced the colostomy scar and lipoed that along with the top of the mainline then reduced 2 stomas into one and the final surgery he lipoed the fat lump off the side and reduced the bottom scars.

It took time but I have managed to get an almost decent abdomen. Not bikini worthy but I can look myself in the mirror now. 

You need to be very specific, take pictures before and ask lots of questions about scar length, etc

Be a pain and do not accept fuzzy responses...I trusted my surgeon (I knew him!) and he botched it...probably because I didn't ask and insist on diagrams & pre-op pictures.

Thankfully I found some to prove my point and force the issue and redos.

Shop around and be sure that you trust them with your body.

Keep us posted.

Sharon

Thanks Sharon! Hope all is well with you.  The (high-risk) obgyn that did my surgery actually went in through my incision from Dr. Dietz (vertical) not horizontal like a regular C section. The plan throughout my entire pregnancy was to avoid a C section at all costs, but at 39 weeks the baby was breech and after an attempted version (physical turning of the baby) they viewed the pouch via ultra sound and decided they could do a section while avoiding the pouch all together. They did have a Colo-rectal surgeon in the room in case of emergency, although this was Boston, so it was not a K pouch savy doc. But after they told me they were nowhere near the pouch and all looked well.

 

I actually talked to Dr. Ernest Rehnke's nurse today and he does consult with patients regarding plastic surgery as his brother is a plastic surgeon and they often do work with people that are post bariatric surgery. I have heard great things about him from many people on this forum. I am excited to consult with him, although I will not be pursuing it until the spring, as I am still working on weight loss and toning.  I have no designs on becoming a model, Lol. I just want to fit into clothes comfortably and feel comfortable in front of my husband or a bathingsuit.  Thanks again for your input!

JLH,

good luck! After the healing and the intial getting used to intubating, you will be fine! Are you getting your rectum removed and sewed shut? AKA "Barbie/Ken Butt"?  That for me was the best part after dealing with fissures, pain, and constant drainage with proctitis. I was followed by a GI doc in Boston, but the most difficult part for me was that there was no K pouch doc close by, had to hop a plane to Cleveland if needed...although supposedly some docs in NYC were beginning to crop up. But that is still a little bit of a hike. Hopefully there will be some in Boston soon! Praying for you. I would be happy to answer any questions, or give any support that I can. Take as much time as you can to recover from the surgery as your body needs the extra time to heal!

Last edited by Rosie128

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