Thinking of Traveling for Plastic Surgery? WATCH THIS FIRST! Epi 10
Planning a surgery-cation? 👙✈️
Before you book that flight to Mexico, Colombia, or the Dominican Republic for a tummy tuck, BBL, or skin removal surgery STOP and watch this first. Seriously. 🛑
In this juicy episode of the Our Sleeved Life Podcast, Ashlyn and Mel sit down with Dr. Omar Beidas, a board-certified plastic surgeon who specializes in post-weight loss body contouring and they’re asking the real questions you NEED answered.
From sketchy $3,000 surgeries to safety risks you’ve never even heard of, we break it ALL down. Whether you're chasing deals or just confused by all the options, this is your plastic surgery travel reality check. 💬
💉 In this episode, we spill the tea on:
✅ Is traveling abroad for plastic surgery actually safe?
✅ Why super cheap BBLs and tummy tucks can be super dangerous 😳
✅ What fat embolisms are — and why they’re life-threatening
✅ The HUGE difference between “cosmetic” surgeons and board-certified plastic surgeons
✅ Why some patients don’t even meet their surgeon until surgery day (yes, really)
✅ What to ask before traveling for surgery overseas ✈️
✅ Safe ways to pay: CareCredit, Cherry, & more
✅ Ashlyn’s honest take on navigating all the confusion as a post-op patient 💬
🧠 If you’ve searched:
"Is surgery in Mexico safe?"
"Cheap tummy tuck after weight loss"
"Plastic surgery abroad horror stories"
"How to afford skin removal surgery"
"Is BBL safe in the Dominican Republic?"
This episode is your must-watch. 👀
👩⚕️ About Our Host:
Dr. Omar E. Beidas, MD, FACS
💎 Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon
✨ Fellowship-trained in plastic surgery after massive weight loss
Instagram → @drbodycontouring
Ashlyn Douglass-Barnes, LCSW – Bariatric Patient and Plastic Surgery Patient after extreme weight-loss
Instagram → @ashlynchange4life2012
Mel -Hosts of Our Sleeved Life Podcast and Creator of Just Be You Awards
Follow us on IG → @oursleevedlifepodcast
Website → https://www.oursleevedlifepodcast.com
💳 Resources Mentioned:
CareCredit → https://www.carecredit.com
Cherry Financing → https://www.withcherry.com
More Episodes → https://www.oursleevedlifepodcast.com
💬 Join the Conversation:
Would you travel for plastic surgery? Have a success or horror story? Drop it below ⬇️ — We are reading all your comments and might shout you out in a future ep! 💌
How to Afford Plastic Surgery After Weight Loss l The Cutting Edge Epi 9
Struggling with loose skin or body changes after major weight loss? 💪 Wondering how to pay for plastic surgery like tummy tucks, arm lifts, or skin removal? In this episode, we break down real costs, insurance coverage options, and financing tools like CareCredit, Cherry, and payment plans.
✅ Learn what insurance might cover (like panniculectomy or breast reduction)✅ Understand what’s usually not covered — and how to prepare✅ Discover how to apply for financing without wrecking your budget✅ Hear expert tips from a board-certified plastic surgeon✅ Get advice on saving, loans, credit, and smart planning
If you’ve had weight loss surgery, use GLP-1 meds, or lost weight naturally — this is your guide to navigating post-weight loss plastic surgery without going broke 💳
🔗 Mentioned in This Video:CareCredit → https://www.carecredit.comCherry Financing → https://www.withcherry.comDr. Omar Beidas → https://www.drbeidas.com
🎙️ Follow @oursleevedlifepodcast for real talk on life after weight loss surgery.
What No One Tells You About Emotional Eating After Weight Loss Surgery #344
What if the real transformation after weight loss surgery isn’t physical — but mental? In this deeply honest and empowering episode of Our Sleeved Life Podcast, therapist and bariatric patient Kristen French reveals the emotional side of WLS no one talks about — and how to retrain your brain after surgery.
If you’ve ever struggled with emotional eating, self-sabotage, or feeling disconnected from your post-op body — this episode is for you.
🎙️ Kristen shares science-backed tools on:
Therapy after weight loss surgery
How to use neuroplasticity for mindset change
Managing emotional eating & food triggers
Identity shifts after bariatric surgery
Why “just eat less” doesn’t heal your trauma
How to build lasting self-trust and food peace
📚 Whether you’ve had gastric sleeve, bypass, or revision surgery — this interview offers real psychological tools, emotional validation, and a clear path forward.
👉 Subscribe for more expert insights on bariatric success, mindset transformation, and WLS life coaching.🧠 Ready to work with Kristen? Click here🎧 Full podcast available on Spotify & Apple Podcasts
1:05
Rucking and Weight Loss #rucking
What No One Tells You About Life After Skin Removal Surgery
Epi 8
In this powerful episode of The Cutting Edge Podcast, Mel and Ashlyn Douglass-Barnes (LCSW & bariatric + skin removal patient) sit down with board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Omar E. Beidas to talk about the things no one prepares you for after massive weight loss and plastic surgery. 💬
We dive deep into:
✅ What real support looks like after plastic surgery
✅ Mental health, compression, lymphatic care & mindset
✅ Building a care team: therapist, PCP, CNA, plastic surgeon
✅ What to do when your partner or workplace isn’t supportive
✅ Lymphedema vs. Lipedema, and how to manage them
✅ How to emotionally and physically thrive during recovery
This episode is raw, real, and full of the truth about what happens after the transformation. Whether you're prepping for skin removal surgery, just had bariatric surgery, or feel alone in your journey — this one’s for you. 💛
📲 Follow Us & Our Guest
🎙️ Podcast IG: @oursleevedlifepodcast
💛 Ashlyn: @ashlynchange4life2012
👨⚕️ Dr. Beidas: @drbodycontouring
💬 Comment Below: What was your biggest challenge after surgery? Let's talk about it 👇
📢 Don’t forget to subscribe for more real conversations on body image, healing, and living life after weight loss!
#SkinRemovalSurgery #PlasticSurgeryRecovery #BariatricSupport #OurSleevedLife #PostOpSupport #MentalHealthHealing #WLSJourney
Still Doing Cardio After Surgery? You're Missing THIS Fitness Hack interview w/Kayla Girgen, RD, CPT
If you're post-op and still grinding on the treadmill… stop right there! 👟
In this powerful episode of Our Sleeved Life Podcast, Mel welcomes back Kayla Girgen, RD, CPT, a leading bariatric dietitian and certified personal trainer, to reveal a low-impact, high-results fitness strategy: Rucking.
Whether you're on GLP-1 medications, dealing with post-op fatigue, or looking to rebuild muscle and bone density, this episode delivers practical advice, honest insight, and motivation to thrive after weight loss surgery.
💥 What You’ll Discover:
Why rucking is better than cardio for many bariatric patients
How to build bone strength, mental clarity & stamina post-op
What dietitians really want you to know about fiber, protein, and blood sugar
Kayla’s perspective on GLP-1 meds, intentional eating, and long-term health
Sneak peek of Kayla’s new book “RuckFit”
🎯 Whether you're 3 months or 3 years post-op, this episode is your next step to real results.
📚 Kayla’s Book “RuckFit” is now available
🔗 Buy it on Amazon
📸 Follow Kayla on Instagram
👉 @kaylagirgenrd
💬 Tell us in the comments:
Have you tried rucking yet? What’s YOUR go-to post-op fitness hack?
📲 Follow us @oursleevedlifepodcast
🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts
#BariatricSurgery #Rucking #KaylaGirgen #WeightLossJourney #GLP1 #RuckFit #BariatricFitness #BariatricDietitian #FiberMatters #PostOpSupport #OurSleevedLife
Pain After Plastic Surgery: What No One Tells You | The Cutting Edge Podcast #7
Epi 7
What does plastic surgery really feel like after the operating room lights go off?
In this deeply personal and medically-informed episode of The Cutting Edge Podcast, we talk openly about the pain, fear, medications, and misconceptions surrounding recovery after procedures like tummy tucks, liposuction, muscle repair, and 360 body lifts.
Our host Mel, 10 years post-bariatric surgery, knows that the journey doesn't end with weight loss. For many patients, plastic surgery is the next chapter, and with it comes a new kind of pain—both physical and emotional. She's joined by co-host Ashlyn Douglass-Barnes, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and multi-round plastic surgery patient, who brings both professional and lived experience to this candid conversation.
Together with board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Omar E. Beidas, we go beyond the usual “pain scale” talk. We explore how ERAS (Enhanced Recovery After Surgery) protocols are shifting how pain is managed, why opioids aren't always the answer, and what realistic expectations look like—especially for bariatric patients who may face higher risk with certain meds.
This episode is a rare blend of medical expertise, psychological insight, and real-world experience. Whether you're planning your first cosmetic surgery or supporting someone through recovery, you’ll walk away with a deeper understanding of:
Why some patients describe the pain as “brutal” or “burning” even weeks after surgery
How medications like Gabapentin, Valium, and Tylenol are used strategically
What it means to overestimate your pain tolerance
The emotional pressure to recover quickly or "tough it out"
How trauma, weight history, and shame can impact healing
We don’t sugarcoat anything—and that’s the point. Because your recovery should be based on facts, not filters.
🎙️ Guest Info
Dr. Omar E. Beidas – Board-certified plastic surgeon, known for his expertise in post-bariatric body contouring
Ashlyn Douglass-Barnes, LCSW – Therapist, advocate, and multiple-procedure patient sharing raw insights
🎧 Host
Mel – Plastic surgery patient, educator, and truth-teller for the community
🛏️ Plastic surgery pain is real. Managing it safely matters.
This episode is part of a bigger mission: helping weight loss and plastic surgery patients recover safely, feel empowered, and make informed decisions.
If you’ve ever accidentally eaten the whole bag… this is for you
Why ADHD Makes Weight Loss So Hard #341
Epi 341
In this episode of the Our Sleeved Life Podcast, Mel sits down with Rebecca Robbins to explore the powerful connection between ADHD, dopamine, food, and weight struggles. Rebecca shares her journey through diet culture, grief, weight loss surgery, insulin resistance, and finally finding answers that helped her understand her body instead of fighting it.
This conversation breaks down how ADHD affects eating behaviors, emotional regulation, executive function, and why willpower has never been the problem. Mel and Rebecca also discuss post surgery stalls, GLP-1 medications, rejection sensitivity dysphoria, and practical ADHD friendly strategies that support long term health.
If you’ve struggled with weight loss, regain, emotional eating, or feel like your brain works differently, this episode will help you feel seen, validated, and informed.
You can find the Our Sleeved Life Podcast on all major podcast platforms and on YouTube. For bonus content, exclusive episodes, community support, and deeper conversations, you can become a Patron at patreon.com/oslp.
Resources and helpful links mentioned in this episode are included below.
Adult ADHD assessment:
https://add.org/adhd-test/
My email:
rebeccarobbinsciaching@gmail.com
Other resources:
https://add.org/
https://www.additudemag.com/