MichiganChic

I did have the long thigh lift, and I wouldn't do it unless there was just no other option. You had asked me early on to let you know what I thought about it, and honestly, the scar isn't that bad, and once it fades, will be a non issue. However, it didn't make my legs tight and smooth. They were pretty hideous before, and strangely uneven. Now they are less hideous and still a little uneven. I had that seroma for months, had it reopened, and ended up with some residual swelling in one foot (I'm still hopeful that it's temporary). I still have a LOT of cellulite, which the surgery doesn't always address. So, unless you have something that is really awful, (like me, with drippy deposits of lumpy fat) I wouldn't do it. Just my opinion, but it's a lot of risk. I am looking at some tweaking. I'm probably going to need some liposuction in the larger leg, and also need a redo on my butt lift. My legs were just so heavy that they pulled the skin and things are drooping again. Still way better, but I've seen people have plastics for less. I wouldn't be thinking about doing anything else but that larger leg is uncomfortable in pants, and my saddle bags are little freaky looking to me in certain stances. I am also of the mindset that I'm not seeking perfection. I'm mostly happy with the way I look in clothes (other that the saddlebags and bigger thigh). I know I'm never wearing shorts that are shorter than knee length, and never wearing dress without nylons (I still haven't worn one shorter than maxi). I look way, way better!

@@BethinPA just wondering how you are doing?

Sorry to hear about your struggle. What you are describing is the sad reality - it's hard. WLS is not a guarantee of success for any of us. But try not to despair, maybe this doesn't have to be it for you. You probably can't lose weight at 1200 calories. I have to eat much lower to lose, and so do lots of others. Try cutting down to around 1000 or less. Increase your activity. Try low carb. Are you weighing and measuring your food? Take a good, honest look at what you are consuming. And be brutally honest. Are you grazing? If so, those calories can add up fast. I suspect there is some reason you are not losing, and it's related to some of the things I've mentioned, or it might be something else you have to figure out. At a minimum, seek the help of your surgeon, or find a new one if you didn't have it done locally. Find a support group. See a shrink. Do what you have to do to get your head where it needs to be. You might not ever lose all of what you want to lose, but I bet you can get closer than you are now. And lets not forget - you've had some success! It's awesome that you lost about half of your excess weight! Do what you did in the beginning, and I bet you will see results!

@@gowalking great message, and congratulation on your success. You achieved it your way, and by your own definition. My measure of success looks different on some levels than yours, and exactly the same in others. For me, the number on the scale does have meaning. It meant something at 300 and it means something different now at 163. I would not be able to live the full and active life I do now if I still weighed 300+. I have weighed myself every single day since surgery, and I will continue to do so. If I didn't, I would likely gain weight before I even realized it. I can eat a lot, and I gain weight fast. Ignoring the scale is a recipe for disaster for me. I'm not saying people should do it my way, just that there are many ways to achieve and measure our success.

My skin used to be oily, my entire life. Once I had my sleeve, it got much dryer. I don't think it's related to only water intake, I think it's also related to diet of decreased fat.

@@BLERDgirl do you work in the world of makeup? If so, what do you do? I always think that would be such a fun job!

LOL @AvaFern. Yeah, it's way better to be comfortable with all the holes than be freaked out by them! The last hole I had in my leg was super impressive, as far as holes go. Sorry to hear about your problems, but I think it's more common than people realize. I still agree that it was worth the misery and money. I have swelling in my foot and lower leg that I didn't have until after the seroma in my leg was cut out. If that is permanent I might be recanting, but for the moment I think it's temporary, and my results are a major improvement.

You are wise to be sensible about it. I had a LOT of it, and I do look a lot better, but had some complications I'm still dealing with. And I'm far from perfect all over. I looked pretty good in clothes before, and I usually wear clothes, so I was pretty good to go. One of the plastic surgeons came to our WLS support group meeting and talked about how any candidate for plastic surgery has to have mental fortitude. I think that's the understatement of the year. It's not for the faint of heart. I'm not sorry I did it, but I had to deal with open wounds that I think would have sent me into a panic if I weren't a nurse. It's been 8 months, two surgeries, and I'm just starting to get my energy back. And I'm looking at more surgeries to finish it up. So, thousands of dollars and probably a year and half by the time it's all done, potential long term issues with swelling and numbness......it's a lot to think about. I don't mean to be negative about it, but just pointing out it's a much bigger undertaking than meets the eye.

Not sure if you were responding to me, but no, it's still the case that I think better brands are usually worth the money, because it's still my opinion, lol. And even when things are manufactured in the same facilities, it still may (or may not) be the same quality. However, as I also stated, I do think some less expensive products are fine. Also, not all products are good for all people.

It is a tough decision, and I struggled with it, too. I had reflux before the sleeve, but it was well controlled with Prilosec. My surgeon told me I could have either. Ultimately I decided I wanted the option to take NSAIDS, and I didn't want to deal with malabsorption, and potential dumping. I wanted to live as close to a normal life as possible. I think I achieved my personal goals with the sleeve. I've lost 140 pounds and kept it off over a year, I eat normal size portions, I watch what I eat like most of the thin people I know, I do not have reflux, and I take NSAIDS daily for arthritic pain. On the other hand, I might have lost that last 10 pounds with the malabsortion. I'm still thrilled with my choice.

How much are the drains putting out? Be glad the Fluid is leaking out instead of accumulating inside you! Two drains are better than one when it comes to an abdomen. I'm glad it went OK and you are home resting. I'd say just use 4x4 and cut slits in them for the drains, (or get drain sponges) and change as needed. I'm anxious to see how long that takes to heal!

I think having a healthy fear of failure is a good thing when it comes to WLS. You are correct in all your assumptions - you could lose on your own, or you could have surgery and gain it back, or it could be a second chance. The important nugget in all of that it can be our second (or maybe last) chance. You are wondering if having surgery really makes it all that different. For me, there is no comparison. Having WLS removed the barriers that kept me from being successful for years. It offered a physical restriction and maybe even a little aversion to food, while removing the raging hunger and drive to eat all the time I lived with before. It allowed me to eat very little and quickly lose a significant amount of weight, which provided more motivation. The more I lost, the more I wanted to do whatever it took to continue. What was physically imposed by surgery initially taught me a lot. I DON'T need a lot of food to live. I can live without over eating and grazing. Eat only enough to satisfy hunger. Make good choices. As I was learning what it takes to lose, I was forcing myself to learn new habits. So, fast forward 2 years. I love my new life. I absolutely struggle daily with managing my weight. I can eat a lot more now, I can eat anything, and there's no aversion to food anymore. I could absolutely eat my way right back to 300+ pounds. And it wouldn't be work for me to do it, either. It IS work to maintain my loss. But I don't care, because I'm succeeding. I get hungry now, but I think it's hunger like normal people get, so it's manageable. Make no mistake - WLS is a hard road to hoe, and there is no escaping it, and it's hard work all day, every day. There are inherent risks associated with it that must be carefully considered. But for me, even knowing all of that, it's much, much easier than trying to lose or maintain weight than without it. And it's a lot more rewarding to do the hard work it takes to maintain while looking and feeling good than it was pre WLS, working just has hard but always remaining fat. The failure factor with that was just demoralizing. Good luck, whatever you decide.

@@BethinPA good luck today. Let us know how it goes.

I think the better brands are worth the money, usually. There are some things that are ok in the drugstore brands. I really like IT eye liners, because they stay put all day. I like Naked 3 by Urban Decay, as someone posted above. I thought all that shimmer might be too much for my age, but it's not. I also like Urban Decay Perversion Mascara, too. However, it's really hard to get off! I know what you mean about things shifting. I have always loved makeup, and have worn it every day since I was about 12, lol. At 52 and 140 pounds lighter, I had to update my products, shades, etc. You can go to any department store or Ulta or Sephora and get some tips. Be careful though, or you could walk out spending several hundred in products. I usually shop at Ulta, and I signed up for their discount card, and they give you coupons and discounts frequently, so you could build up over time. They also carry their own brands, which isn't too bad. They have the usual drug store brands all the way to the higher end stuff, so you're covered when you go there.

I'm a 52 year old white female seeking to remain thin. Like long walks to burn calories so I don't gain weight. Hobbies include frequent shopping trips because I can fit in all normal clothes, and that never gets old! Shopping is the only sport I engage in, and it provides lots of cardio from walking, and strength training from carrying bags. It's also a nice diversion from eating. I also never pay retail, so it's a bit of an added sport in that it requires a "hunt"! In real life, I've been married to the same wonderful husband for 29 years, have three wonderful grown daughters, one great son-in-law and totally awesome 17 month old grandson! I've been a registered nurse for over 30 years, and currently am an informatics nurse working for a large health care organization as an IT director, managing and implementing clinical systems. Oh, and I know it's a surprise, but I'm from Michigan. I'm near The D

@@Alex Brecher Thanks! At first I wondered what that VIP was, and then I found this forum and thought it was a mistake. I seriously was going to check my credit card statement, thinking perhaps I signed up! Then I saw others also wondering, and thought it must be a "free trial"! So thank you for the exclusive access. I feel important

There's a lot to be said for positive thinking! My lower abdomen and back are quite numb. I only notice it if I get an itch there, because you can't relieve it by scratching. Drives me nuts! My skin on my abdomen looks great - better than it ever did. My belly button also looks great. At first she thought I might have more scarring, but it's not bad. The actual scar around my lower torso isn't that great. I had a small area of necrosis in the front, so that's a red scar, and I had an area open in the back that's much wider, and all the drain spots are also bigger. It's still red, too. I'm 8 months out from my lower body lift. The skin on my thighs didn't perform as well. I still have a lot of cellulite, and still some fat in my outer hips which pulled things down. My upper posterior thighs looked better at first, but now have a fair amount of laxity to them. I'm not sure what I'm going to do about all that. Either way, they are better than before! One of these days I'm going to post a picture....

@@Rovobay funny! Love those funny clips.

Hey Jane, I have so greatly relied on this forum for camaraderie, and to help keep me focused. It's really been wonderful. But lately I've been finding things slowing down, and as there is anywhere in life, some people are getting on my nerves, lol! So, I made a conscious decision to back off the boards a little. I used to wonder why people didn't stay around long. I didn't know how they could lose interest, or how they could possibly succeed in maintaining their weight without BP! But now that time has gone on for me, I'm starting to see what maybe they saw. Newbies who might be a little over zealous, have an opinion or idea that they want to force on others, people who have seen the light and now KNOW IT ALL, people who split hairs and find reason to disagree, and those who love to stir others up. The same topics over and over, and after a while, it's just more of the same. Maybe that's why some enjoy the controversy? I have a pretty stressful job, and I just want some peace in my free time! So, I think @@Alex Brecher is right. It's the way these forums are. People come and go for a variety of reasons. Some just go quietly, others just drift away, and others leave making a dramatic exit. I don't think there's a way to prevent it. Adding the vets forum was good, and there are a few of us who post there routinely. This lounge is good, too. After all....I saw it and it dragged me back in

Hello....I'm a VIP??

There's more to obesity than calories in/calories out. Science just does not have all the pieces yet. I've seen enough "known fact" be proven wrong over the years as more knowledge is gained, and I think there is much more to learn in the area of obesity. So, to the OP statement, yes, I think we would be a good study cohort. I should do that Just not sure what my hypothesis would be.

Pretty soon it will be a distant memory. I don't blame you for wanting it over, and I bet you'll heal really fast. You sound like me, going to work with a hole in my leg. Geez, it would be nice not to have to do that, wouldn't it? Once you have this done, you might wonder why you didn't do it sooner. I messed around getting it drained for weeks, but once she cut it open and left it open, it healed in a month. The scar is a little wider there, but not bad. I still have swelling in my foot, but it seems to be getting slightly better, and I'm praying it's temporary. Once that swelling goes down, I'll still think this was worth all the trouble. One thing about being numb - none of this hurts that much! You'll get through the drain phase and be on your way to feeling and looking good very soon! Hang in there - you are almost there!

I agree, there is a lot to be learned about obesity and weight loss with us. Because you don't have malabsorption with the sleeve, you really do a get clear picture of what it truly takes to lose weight. I find it fascinating (not in a good way) how the known, accepted, scientific math does not hold up - at least for me. It doesn't even matter if I ate too much Protein - I'd still gain. Carbs definitely make it worse, but I need a steady deficit (about 800-900 calories/day) to lose, and only a slight increase to gain. It sure explains why I was so fat. It's true - I was obese because I ate more calories than I burned. And while I'll never say I didn't eat much or ate so healthy, I couldn't lose weight on a 1400 calorie diet. At 325 pounds, that's absurd. The sleeve helped me eat under 900 calories a day, which is why I finally could lose. The amount we can eat and lose or maintain is unique to each of us. It was a real eye opener for me.

Chicos has short sleeves that go almost to the elbow. They were great for hot weather before I had my brachiolplasty. Long enough to hide the loose are skin, but not 3/4 length. Lots of great colors, too.

Good Job! But I thought you wanted to weigh less than 100 pounds, lol!