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It's not the scars you will be trying to hide when you wear a bikini, it is more likely to be the loose skin.

I scar 2x darker than my normal skin tone (Fitzpatrick IV skin scarring to a VI) As everyone said (and it's going to be hard to get just now) you *may* care less and less about the small stuff like 5-6 tiny scars. What you *may* really begin to care about down the line of research is how proficient or skilled your surgeon is at any surgery done to have the best possible post surgical outcomes (that is within your control) Or you *may* still care... My bikini pics are in my gallery with all of my unfaded scars for the world to behold and Zero ***** given 😍

Great work! @MeowAMR! I’m in a similar spot. Down 49 lbs since 7/30, and just 11 from the one hundreds, so very much hoping to get there by the new year. I can see a big difference in my shape and clothes. I had my Bariatric appointments the week before last and everything came back normal. I feel like I’ve been more tortoise than hare in my losing, but my PA and nutritionist were thrilled. And honestly, I am not sure I’d want to be losing any more quickly. I already feel like I’ve got some bagginess in the skin of my thighs, arms and under my chin/jaw. Hoping my collagen can keep up.

Hi:) I had the gastric sleeve is 2012. Great success! I went from 353 to 167. Maintained weight till 2015 when we lost our baby boy. Four months after lose I became pregnant. Our rainbow was born 2016. A week after her turned one, I found out we were expecting again. Brings me to 2019 I have three beautiful kids and I weigh 363lbs On 10/16/19 I had my sleeve converted to gastric bypass. Recovery is definitely rougher than the sleeve but hanging in there. From my pre-op diet and the first two weeks postop I now weigh 334. was just reaching out to see if anyone could share their success stories as I so badly want to be healthy again and lose all this excess weight. thanks so much

See if you can download the Medicaid requirements. My insurance company had a lot of very specific stipulations and requirements. I read those papers so many times, and it was good to have a hard copy. Don't try to lose right now - not before you know the plan's requirements. Some people have to actually gain a little to meet BMI requirements for surgery. Once you have information from the insurance, see how your PCP feels about working with WLS patients. Even if there is not a prolonged PCP supervision program required, you are going to need your PCP support and most likely letter of recommendation for the surgery. You can also start researching surgeons and then checking to see if they are approved by insurance. The insurance company can certainly give you names, but you may find others that may also be approved, but the insurance list is not up to date (not unusual). You want someone who not only does a good job and has been doing these procedures for years, but also a program that will follow you for years afterward. For example, my program has 2, 4, 6, 8-9, 9-12, 18 month followups, with yearly followups for 5 years. You will need that support and supervision. Absolutely start going to free seminars that many programs offer. Even if not approved by your insurance, it will give you a lot of information and ideas of what will happen. It is a good place to start your education. Just remember that they are selling a product. Keep that in mind. Focus on facts and not the sales pitch. You can also start watching YouTube programs. Dr. Matthew Weiner has a ton of good information - all the way from choosing the right surgery and how surgery works, to long term maintenance. Bear in mind, his post op diet will probably be different from your own surgeon's (MW starts soft veggies very early on, while mine made me wait 8 weeks). But he does have a LOT of good information that is sound and will give you a good foundation. You want to go into this armed with all the information and education you can get. It's very sad when someone has surgery and then says, "I didn't know about such and such" or "why didn't they tell me this or that." You have to take responsibility for your own education on this - no excuse for ignorance with all the good info out there. So there are some ideas. It is a lifelong journey, not a sprint. It's great you are in a place where you are really ready to make the changes at such a young age - before you get all the degenerative breakdown and health issues that many of us have from decade upon decade of obesity. Keep us posted on your progress.

28th here too RNY

Hi, Did you just have your surgery? I had mine on wensday Nov 6, 2019. Sent from my SM-G973U using BariatricPal mobile app

@djgirl19 I never want to see another protein shake Hahahaha

Oh yea that’s what people call it for sure I just think it’s a deceptive term. The desire to eat junk isn’t hunger. But you still are hungry. It’s hard as heck and I was the same with salad. I was sleeved in the heat of summer and was DYING for a cool crispy salad. I was able to eat it about 6 weeks in, I think. It’s funny, it all seemed like an eternity back then but once you’re on solids, it goes much quicker. Liquids was the worst for me. God willing I will never be forced to drink another protein shake in my life. Blech.

Had my surgery on the same day as you and I totally understand! Going to the grocery store is torture for me. Luckily I didn't have a special pre-op diet other than clear liquids the day before surgery. Peanut butter has been my savior as I've transitioned into the soft food stage. Just a nice teaspoon of crunchy PB has been great. Stick with it, it gets better!