hollyr

My plastic surgeon is in Fort Worth. She is awesome. Very much a perfectionist and wonderful dr. She did surgery on one of "The Biggest Loser" contestants. She's been in D Magazine as top docs several years.
Dr Candis Lovelace in FW/Keller. I consulted with multiple dr and she won hands down. I'm a nurse at one of the hospital she uses and the OR staff think she's great!!
Even her office staff are incredible!! I just posted 10 weeks post LBL on another thread.
Good luck!
Holly

Hi!
I am 8 weeks post op lower body lift. I had two drains, one that drained from the front and one that went to the back (their entrance on me was side by side). I'm a nurse. They are typically always JP drains which looks like little bulbs. There shouldn't be any foul odor from them and they are low maintenance. Initially you usually empty them often to make sure their output is a certain amount decided by your doctor. My back side drain was removed at 2 weeks. My front side was pulled between 3&4 weeks.
Hopefully you can have someone help you if it grosses you out. While I could empty my own, initially my 2 daughters did it for me. One is a nursing student and the other is truly grossed out by medical stuff but she emptied them like it was nothing. Besides, for me, two drains was not a big deal, after my sleeve I had a leak and ended up with 8 drains and a feeding tube in my belly. In fact, I asked my plastic surgeon to leave my feeding tube scar. She had never had anyone ask her to save a scar lol but it reminds me of how far I've come????.
I promise you, I tell people almost daily that all the pain, drains, long healing time etc is SO WORTH how awesome my body looks now and what it has done to my self esteem!!!
Good luck!! I hope it all works out for you.
Holly

Hi!
I am 8 weeks post op lower body lift. I had two drains, one that drained from the front and one that went to the back (their entrance on me was side by side). I'm a nurse. They are typically always JP drains which looks like little bulbs. There shouldn't be any foul odor from them and they are low maintenance. Initially you usually empty them often to make sure their output is a certain amount decided by your doctor. My back side drain was removed at 2 weeks. My front side was pulled between 3&4 weeks.
Hopefully you can have someone help you if it grosses you out. While I could empty my own, initially my 2 daughters did it for me. One is a nursing student and the other is truly grossed out by medical stuff but she emptied them like it was nothing. Besides, for me, two drains was not a big deal, after my sleeve I had a leak and ended up with 8 drains and a feeding tube in my belly. In fact, I asked my plastic surgeon to leave my feeding tube scar. She had never had anyone ask her to save a scar lol but it reminds me of how far I've come????.
I promise you, I tell people almost daily that all the pain, drains, long healing time etc is SO WORTH how awesome my body looks now and what it has done to my self esteem!!!
Good luck!! I hope it all works out for you.
Holly

My plastic surgeon is in Fort Worth. She is awesome. Very much a perfectionist and wonderful dr. She did surgery on one of "The Biggest Loser" contestants. She's been in D Magazine as top docs several years.
Dr Candis Lovelace in FW/Keller. I consulted with multiple dr and she won hands down. I'm a nurse at one of the hospital she uses and the OR staff think she's great!!
Even her office staff are incredible!! I just posted 10 weeks post LBL on another thread.
Good luck!
Holly

My plastic surgeon is in Fort Worth. She is awesome. Very much a perfectionist and wonderful dr. She did surgery on one of "The Biggest Loser" contestants. She's been in D Magazine as top docs several years.
Dr Candis Lovelace in FW/Keller. I consulted with multiple dr and she won hands down. I'm a nurse at one of the hospital she uses and the OR staff think she's great!!
Even her office staff are incredible!! I just posted 10 weeks post LBL on another thread.
Good luck!
Holly

I was told about the same thing about the indent above the belly button. He said you can see it cause of the strechyness my skin already has. And that is also where the 2 muscles were tied together. So i proceeded to ask if i was to work at it will i get a 6 pack. He said yes!! But not now. Even though i feel perfect im not. So to wait another 2 month. He said i could ho to the gym but only cardio and not to over do it. He did give me this medication cream thats a compound a pharmacist made up and is supose to work worders with scars. Ive been using it for about 2 weeks now and it look pretty good. I dont wanna get ahead of myself so i wanna wait for the full month to see an actual result.
Its nice to hear your doing better and hope everything turns out good for you.

Just a quick update - my letter showed up from BCBS. They approved the panni and one night stay. Gulp! It's getting real !!

My plastic surgeon is in Fort Worth. She is awesome. Very much a perfectionist and wonderful dr. She did surgery on one of "The Biggest Loser" contestants. She's been in D Magazine as top docs several years.
Dr Candis Lovelace in FW/Keller. I consulted with multiple dr and she won hands down. I'm a nurse at one of the hospital she uses and the OR staff think she's great!!
Even her office staff are incredible!! I just posted 10 weeks post LBL on another thread.
Good luck!
Holly

Hi!
Some doctors have their own requirements as far as how long you have to be at a stable weight before plastics. My doctor wanted 3-6 months and truly closer to 6. She weighs patients teach visit too. Last year I had been at 160 for over 6 months then decided I wanted to drop more. So I did and now go between 130-135lbs.
I had a lower body lift 8 weeks ago today. It hasn't been an easy recovery. I still have a minimum of 4 weeks official recovery to go. I'm waiting for the green light to start light cardio but I have 2 areas on my incision that opened up. They're healing but cardio would cause excess friction. My dr would not do other procedures w the lower body lift and after having it I'm grateful that she didn't. I'll get arms and boobs don't next year.
I will say, even though I'm still swollen the results are amazing and make me cry. It's worth it all to see myself the way I always imagined I could be.
Good luck!!
Holly

Hi!
I am 8 weeks post op lower body lift. I had two drains, one that drained from the front and one that went to the back (their entrance on me was side by side). I'm a nurse. They are typically always JP drains which looks like little bulbs. There shouldn't be any foul odor from them and they are low maintenance. Initially you usually empty them often to make sure their output is a certain amount decided by your doctor. My back side drain was removed at 2 weeks. My front side was pulled between 3&4 weeks.
Hopefully you can have someone help you if it grosses you out. While I could empty my own, initially my 2 daughters did it for me. One is a nursing student and the other is truly grossed out by medical stuff but she emptied them like it was nothing. Besides, for me, two drains was not a big deal, after my sleeve I had a leak and ended up with 8 drains and a feeding tube in my belly. In fact, I asked my plastic surgeon to leave my feeding tube scar. She had never had anyone ask her to save a scar lol but it reminds me of how far I've come????.
I promise you, I tell people almost daily that all the pain, drains, long healing time etc is SO WORTH how awesome my body looks now and what it has done to my self esteem!!!
Good luck!! I hope it all works out for you.
Holly

Thanks for sharing- 6 months I can do! Post some pics when you are healed!!

I used to wonder that as well. Today I am 7 weeks post lower body lift. With the binder I have to wear I can't wear a bra or underwear (sorry if TMI). But you can't tell by the clothes I wear.
So today after my shower I tried on for the first time some low cut panties I bought prior to surgery. I truly started crying because they fit like they should on my newly flattened tummy. I always had a large roll that caused a gap and the tops of panties would roll under my "roll".
This was not an easy surgery or recovery. But for ME it is worth all of the money, time and pain. Even though I had to apologize to all of my good friends for the pic I took and how I elated I was when I texted it to them! ????

I used to wonder that as well. Today I am 7 weeks post lower body lift. With the binder I have to wear I can't wear a bra or underwear (sorry if TMI). But you can't tell by the clothes I wear.
So today after my shower I tried on for the first time some low cut panties I bought prior to surgery. I truly started crying because they fit like they should on my newly flattened tummy. I always had a large roll that caused a gap and the tops of panties would roll under my "roll".
This was not an easy surgery or recovery. But for ME it is worth all of the money, time and pain. Even though I had to apologize to all of my good friends for the pic I took and how I elated I was when I texted it to them! ????

I used to wonder that as well. Today I am 7 weeks post lower body lift. With the binder I have to wear I can't wear a bra or underwear (sorry if TMI). But you can't tell by the clothes I wear.
So today after my shower I tried on for the first time some low cut panties I bought prior to surgery. I truly started crying because they fit like they should on my newly flattened tummy. I always had a large roll that caused a gap and the tops of panties would roll under my "roll".
This was not an easy surgery or recovery. But for ME it is worth all of the money, time and pain. Even though I had to apologize to all of my good friends for the pic I took and how I elated I was when I texted it to them! ????

I used to wonder that as well. Today I am 7 weeks post lower body lift. With the binder I have to wear I can't wear a bra or underwear (sorry if TMI). But you can't tell by the clothes I wear.
So today after my shower I tried on for the first time some low cut panties I bought prior to surgery. I truly started crying because they fit like they should on my newly flattened tummy. I always had a large roll that caused a gap and the tops of panties would roll under my "roll".
This was not an easy surgery or recovery. But for ME it is worth all of the money, time and pain. Even though I had to apologize to all of my good friends for the pic I took and how I elated I was when I texted it to them! ????

Two weeks has passed since my body was transformed yet again by board certified Dr Victor Gutierrez who specializes in weight loss patients. After losing over 120lbs, I had a lot of hanging skin all over my body. Two weeks ago I had a thigh and a arm lift with magnificent results. My scars are unbelievable thin, flat and straight, even after this short period of time. I know these are the two surgeries that most people want to avoid. I know I did, but since I know my plastic surgeon is highly skilled and specializes in Bariatric Weight Loss Patients, I knew I had nothing to fear. My arm incisions are already almost invisible, and the flat thin groin incisions are easily covered by my panties. Also, I am happy to say, just like my surgery last year, when I had my lower body lift, butt lift and breast lift (no implants) with my plastic surgeon, this surgery was virtually painless as well. I can not believe in a years time I have a new beautiful sexy body. I am so happy about my surgery and my total experience. I was treated so wonderful, and felt so great that it was hard for me to leave and come back home.
The pictures of my plastic surgery last year are posted on this site as well. I also wrote a full summary of my plastic surgery under MY STORY.
http://www.bariatricpal.com/gallery/member/116222-sweet-pee/
http://www.bariatricpal.com/user/116222-sweet-pee/

Here's a recent pic:

So, I'm actually two days late posting this because I thought my first plastics surgiversary was next week. I had a breast lift/augment and abdominoplasty done on 8/20/14 and this was my first and favorite of the three plastics surgeries that I had over the last year. I was always a chubby kid so never in my life have I had a flat stomach- there was always this little fat roll (or a big fat roll or rolls depending on my weight). Now that I am at a year, all of the swelling is gone. I'm a little over 5 months out from my last surgery, so I know what my final result is and I look like a very different person. I can wear tight clothing, because there's no skin or fat to be pinched and I can feel like I really look like a normal person now, instead of a fatty or a former fatty.
Also, when the first boyfriend I have had in a very long time decided to be a complete tool this week, I had no problem walking away. I didn't date anyone while I was really fat, but even when I was a little larger (145-160ish) and I was younger, I always believed that I wasn't good enough because I was fat, I was saggy, and I was someone that no one would ever be proud of being seen with. In the end any relationship that failed was because I was worthless, because on the outside I was ugly. I feel shallow saying that the sleeve and plastic surgery corrected that, but to a certain extent it did. I'm still self conscious about my brachioplasty scars and part of me wonders if when his friends saw my arm scars they made fun of him and that's why he was awful to me....but I think that's just me being paranoid. Even if it isn't being paranoid, the scars are way better than the old wings and I am working on accepting that.
I am 126 pounds on most days, I wear a size 0-2 pants and xs dresses and shirts, I have no health issues, I am athletic, I am completely self-sufficient and I do well, I have nice homes and nice cars, I have a high IQ, a doctorate level of education, and I am, I believe, a person who is mostly kind and of some value to the world....and a guy was still mean to me. Before I would have said, well duh, it's because you're fat, you're saggy, and you're embarrassing to be seen with, and I would have discounted all of the good things about me purely because on the outside I was worthless. Now I can say...well, sucks for him. For the first time in my life the end of a relationship doesn't mean I wasn't good enough because of what I look like...and the 20K I paid for my sleeve and the 40K I paid for plastics end up being priceless, because not seeing myself as worthless on the outside, has done really good things for not feeling like I'm worthless on the inside.
So...happy plastics surgiversary to me.

Jesus is grand... lol i got it before surgery... i think its a good sign. Everything will be ok.

Hi Christy,
I haven't been on this forum for a while but was so glad I got on and found this thread as well.
I am post VSG from November 2012 with major, major complications. So the ideal of another elective surgery has taken a lot of thought and prayer. Even at that I will be chatting with my therapist in the next few weeks. I just feel like this is what I need to complete my journey. My highest weight was 295lbs and my pre surgery weight was 275lbs. I am 132-134lbs now and everyone tells me I need to gain. But I don't. I'm just very toned and I like how I feel at this weight.
I am scheduled for a LBL July 16. It will be a 9 hour surgery for me. I am a workout junkie like many of us on here. The thought of not working out is very scary and sad but I know it's temporary.
If anyone has more words of wisdom they would like to share, I'll certainly listen. I am going to look for more compression garments prior to my procedure. I thought only the abdominal binder was helpful.
Good luck and I hope your recovery goes well. I will try to post my plastics journey. This will be the first (and hardest) of three.
Holly

Rude

@@JerseyCityGal no offense, seriously, but you are acting like an ass. Give it a rest already.

First pic I was 377
The last (yesterday) I was 169
I can't even believe it, it has been a remarkable change. VSG saved my life, plastic surgery have me confidence, and my life has changed for the better in countless ways. The hard work was ALL worth it
Good luck to you all, feel free to ask any questions....I am an open book. I will share anything because so many people shared so much with me to help me get here

Oh my goodness this thread is way out of hand ... They were assholes Lmbo... In a moment of weakness I lashed out. Yes it was my decision and no my family does not have to eat what I'm eating either .. But before I decided to have wls we as a family discussed the types of meals that we ALL would be having. We were doing fine pre op they waited until the time that I really needed the support post op to have a fast food bonanza .. I know it sounds crazy but they backed out of the deal and I was pissed. I've eaten alone the last two days and it sucked but I'm over it.

I had a leak immediately after surgery not by any wrongdoing on my part. A staple came out. Yes I was part of that 1% and it nearly killed me. Literally.
I spent 2.5 months in the hospital and 5 months off of work. 7 additional surgeries. I won't go into it all but my stomach will never be like someone who didn't have complications.
Would I do it again? No. Because getting sick had a huge impact on my family for a very long time. I am now 18 months post op and they still worry when I have a stomach ache that I'll be in the hospital again. But it also gave me a new outlook on life and I don't take things or people for granted.
Good luck to you in your research and decision. Don't let others discourage you or be rude to you because you are asking valid questions.