MichiganChic

Thanks to all for your responses. I've had several consults, and just got back from the surgeon's office who will be doing the surgery. Right now, we are looking at around 400 cc. That doesn't really offer much guidance, though, because it depends on how much breast tissue you have to start with. I have almost none. We looked at pictures of people who look like me now in their before pics, and then with implants in a similar size. She didn't have anything for me to try on, so it's really hard to know. It also depends on how wide your breasts are, and how much projection you get. I am going with the small to mid range projection, and apparently my breasts are wide, so they said they wouldn't be too big. @@CowgirlJane That is a great list of questions. I thought of many of those questions, too. I really don't want to look like an old fake woman - I'm OK with aging (mostly ). I also don't want to have to buy a bigger size top. I currently wear an 8 or 10, some smalls and some mediums, but I sure don't want to up a size! She is going to extend the incision out a little, and remove some of the excess skin the hangs out around my bra strap, so that might make my torso a little smaller. Right now, that size 8/10 is with that lovely padded bra, so I'm relying on her good judgement in the OR to go no bigger than that. Makes me nervous! I hadn't really thought about looking professional, but you are really right about that. I work in a professional setting where I really need to look the part. I think overly large breasts will detract from my desired look. I always think most people probably look best with what God gave them, so really large breasts just isn't me. I don't think God would mind a little help, though

Those small losses add up over time. It's what we do over the long haul that makes the difference. The first 3-4 months were really difficult for me, too. I didn't ever get the energy spurt people talked about, yet 2 years later, I have as much energy as I did in my twenties. Eating and drinking was a chore, now it's not. I used to think every pound lost would be my last, and that this surgery would not work for me. I was so wrong - it does work, and I learned a lot along the way on how to MAKE it work for me. It's amazing how your life and body will change over time. Just keep on doing what you know you need to do!

I used to love to cook and bake before surgery, but not so much, anymore. I don't do it as often, either. I had to give up my preoccupation with food in order to succeed at weight loss with my sleeve. Thinking about, purchasing, preparing and serving food used to be a huge part of my daily life. It took a lot of energy to do that, and I just don't have the willpower to resist it. I try to keep no junk in my house, and I limit the amount of things to choose from so that I am not tempted.

Good luck, see you on the other side!

My doc didn't recommend them, and I didn't wear them. I wish I had, though, because I had really awful swelling. She said there isn't evidence to support that the compression garments do anything. My scars look pretty good.

You might find it improves over time. Mine was really bad when I first started losing, but has continued to firm up over time. It's been 2 years since my surgery, and while I notice if I look, it does not jump out at me like it used to. I'm going to look at laser treatments, but not ready for anything surgical with it. I really don't want a face lift if I can avoid it.

I'm going to be finishing my plastics in December. In August I had an abdominoplasty, butt lift with autologous fat flap, and brachioplasty. I love the results so far! So now I'm having a thigh lift (long scar inner thighs) and a breast lift with augmentation. I'm trying to decide what size breasts would be best. I'm interested in hearing from those of you who have had this surgery, and what your experience has been. I've always been small busted, and not particularly happy with it. My shape used to be a pear, but I'm much more hour glass now post plastics and with my Victoria Secret bra. Right now I'm wearing a VS 36D perfect shape, super padded bra. That's pretty funny because I most certainly do not have a D cup. It's more like a deflated A, or maybe a small B. When I was young/thin, I wore a B cup. I think the shape and size I get with that bra looks pretty natural on my somewhat small torso. So, while I'm thinking that size bra looks pretty good, I don't want unnatural looking breasts, or breasts that require their own zip code. To me, the look I achieve in the bra does not look like what I would have thought a D would be. For those of you who have had breast augmentation, how did you decide what size to get? Are you happy with the results? Are they uncomfortable, or difficult to lay on? How did you communicate to your physician what you wanted? Do you wish you had gone bigger or smaller? Thanks for any advice you can offer!

I had a LBL 3 months ago, and I'm still pretty swollen, too. Even the small of my back is swollen, and feels like I'm laying on a lump when I lay down or sit back in a chair. Not everyone swells so much, but it can last a year. My swelling goes up and down, and I can easily retain 5 pounds of water in a day when it goes up. She removed about 6 pounds of skin, and I have never lost a pound since surgery.

I've been watching this thread for a while, and decided I should jump on for a bit, too. My weight has been stable for the past 7 months or so, but it inches up from time to time, and I just can't seem to get to goal. I don't even know what goal should be anymore! I had been taking a diuretic, but had to come off of it because my blood pressure was too low. I gained 15 pounds in a week, and only lost 7 of it. Then I had plastics, and I've been somewhat swollen since then, so I'm still up the same 7 pounds from my lowest weight even though she removed about 6 pounds. With the holiday's coming I thought it would be good to be proactive to prevent more gain, and hopefully lose some! So I started yesterday, and came in at 520 calories. I only had Protein Shakes and yogurt, and a cheese stick. I'm going to shoot for 900-1000 today, with super low carbs. Have a nice day, everyone!

I'd say the same for myself. It has definitely been an eye opening experience for me, too. You are the only person I know who has to eat so little besides myself to lose! I can lose slowly on 900 calories, and better at 700. I also came to the realization that I can't eat carbs. It was a little affirming for me that I hadn't lost the weight before this because I sort of had the deck stacked against me. I never really thought that or realized it before surgery until I had that barrier removed. I always felt a little guilty or something, that I caused myself to be that obese. While I'm not making excuses for it, having a reasonable explanation for it made my light bulb come on. Having surgery leveled the playing field and gave me a fighting chance at successful weight loss. Now I still have to work for it, but at least now I know what it takes. Now I'm at a more normal weight, so it not an insurmountable task, and with only 15% of my stomach left, the restriction can help me if I start to go overboard, and the knowledge and habits I've gained are becoming ingrained.

I had my surgery two years ago on December 19. Most definitely an anniversary I Celebrate each year - more so than birthdays or holidays - because it changed my life. I also struggled with a sleeve vs RNY. In the end, I chose the sleeve because there is less incidence of ulcers post sleeve, and you can take NSAIDS with a sleeve. I know that as I age, needing those types of medications (as well as steroids), will increase. I do take ibuprofen every day without issue. I also didn't want the malapsorption issues, or the possibility of dumping. I can eat anything, and I've had great success with the sleeve, so for me, it was a good choice. On the flip side, because I can eat anything, it requires a lot of self restraint on my part not to. (I'm sure it's similar with RNY, though). I am a grazer, and honestly, RNY would have been a better choice in that respect. Because I don't have dumping syndrome, there is not physical aversion to sugar. That's both a blessing a curse, but I'm still not sad about it. While the RNY is reversible, the sleeve is not. However, I've never wished for my stomach back. I also know that I could convert to a RNY if needed. Some people get reflux really bad. I had it before surgery, and for a while afterwards, but now I don't have it and I don't have to take anything for reflux. So, I did a list of pros and cons, and that NSAID thing was the deciding factor in my case. Only you know what your issues and concerns are, but knowing the benefits and risks of each surgery can help you make your decision.

I agree with others, look at the specific surgeon you are considering, and what their complication rates are. The other thing to remember is that they are statistics - so if you are one of the rare people who do get a complication, you have it 100%. Only you know your risk tolerance. Having said that, getting the sleeve was one of the best things I ever did for myself. I'm two years out, and I'm living a far better life than I did before surgery. I used the surgery to help me do the things I need to do - I changed my eating and lifestyle permanently. I've been successful as a result, but only because I did the work, and continue to do so. I always have to remember to make a conscious decision to make good choices, all day, every day when it comes to food. Honestly, I know that having the sleeve made it possible.

You look absolutely wonderful! Congratulation on your success!

Good to see you back, GG, and congrats on your success. You both look wonderful in your pictures! I also have to track, and as you say, it is the daily diligence that matters for overall success. I can never let my guard down. Good luck with your impending plastics! I've had some done, and looking at more, and it really was worth it for me.

@RJ'S/beginning I have another thought for you that I hope can make you look at this differently. I know you've had some uncaring professionals, but I hate to think that EVERY one of them is that way. I used to be that nurse on the end of the phone. I had 45 patients to get safely to and from surgery every day, and 45 more that I had to get prepped via that phone call. As the manager of the unit, it was a lot to do for my staff! We had a standard questionnaire that we had to ask everyone, and it could keep you there a long time if you went too far off the beaten path. The nurses job is to get the basic information so that the anesthesiologist can know it and ask more detailed questions if needed. But honestly, knowing you had a surgery is often enough. The fact that she asked you if it was worth it tells me she was interested, but honestly, going too far down that path is unprofessional. It's none of her business, and not relevant. So, I didn't hear her tone, and I'm not defending the nurse. I only say this because you have to go there for care. If you feel like they are all not caring, then it makes it harder for YOU. If you choose to look at it differently, maybe it would be easier for you. Once you decide that all the health care professionals in your area are bad, it makes it really hard to get good care, because you will always perceive that you are not. You would be mad at them before you even know them. Do you think there is a way for you to step back and look at things differently? Just a thought sent to you with the most caring tone - and I mean that. Hugs.

I love to bake, and used to bake almost every day. Since surgery, I've baked twice (in 2 years). I don't think about this stuff all the time, but if it's around, I do think about it. I hate that it's that way for me, but it is. At least I have the willpower not to bring it in the house, and I am OK with not baking all the time. But it would be glorious to not want it if it were around. Last week I baked chocolate chip Cookies for my dad, and I had one small one, and I didn't think it tasted very good. I used to LOVE them when I made them. It made me want to eat a few more to see what was wrong with them.....or see if maybe they just don't taste the same as they used to, to me. Either way, I didn't eat anymore. They were only in the house 12 hours, and so eating one wasn't too bad, but I had to just tell myself no. I don't think I would have tried or been able to stop at one before the sleeve, so that's definitely a blessing!

Congratulations on your wonderful success! Great pics!

@@tammygRN so sorry to hear how that went for you, but happy you are recovering. What a story Please keep us posted on your progress, and get well soon!

I have the Vitamix and I love it! It makes great Soups, smoothies, and frozen Desserts.

I weigh daily first thing in the morning. I track it, then move on. I don't get on the scale again, because it most certainly will be different. I watch and track trends. Now that I'm in maintenance, I still have the same routine, but I watch the monthly average. The daily incremental weights tell me if I'm track or not. A slight gain will remind me to course-correct, and adjust my diet accordingly.

I don't think you need someone to tell you to stop. You already said it yourself, and you know what to do. I don't think this is about not knowing what it could do to you. I think this is about commitment. The nicest thing I can say to you is this: In order to succeed, we all have to commit to a new life style. If you can't commit, make the needed changes, and make the right choices according to the plan your physician gave you, then you are not committed to losing the weight and becoming "normal". The nice thing about this is that it's YOUR choice. You are in charge, not a victim of WLS.

I hear you. I'm in the same boat. If I ate 900 calories a day and exercised for an hour every day, I could probably get my weight lower. I might, at some point. Right now, though, I'm trying to make peace with that number on the scale because I look pretty normal and feel great. Even maintaining this weight, I have to be very careful with my diet. 80-90% of the time I am spot on, no digression from my plan. But once in a while, I allow myself a little break from the strict plan, and I'm sure that's why I don't drop more weight. I've been at this weight for about 8-9 months, and my body likes it here. Like you, I need for it to be a sustainable loss, and so far, it seems this is. At times, I do yearn for about 10 more lost pounds though....

Just curious - how long did it take for the arm scars to flatten? Mine are starting to really heal, I think, and are more raised than they were initially. Still pretty fine, but a little red and raised. The front of my LBL is flat and barely visible, too, but the back actually split in one spot and is still not totally healed, so I'm going to have a 1x2 inch area that's wider and thicker from that. I also have a couple of other areas on the sides that didn't heal into a fine line where the drains were. She said she can easily clean them up in her office, though, so I may have that done at some point.

I had an abdominoplasty, and had the muscles sewn back together along with the skin removal, along with a butt lift and brachioplasty. I honestly might not have even had the abdominoplasty done since it was the thing that bothered me the least. My arms and legs bothered me much more. But my insurance actually paid for the abdominplasty portion, so I went ahead and had it done. Now that I did, I'm really glad I did. I had some loose skin, and actually looked pretty good in clothes and had a nice waistline, but the surgeon said the muscles were really separated. So, now that I'm about 3 months out, I'm actually shocked at how great I look! Seriously, way better than at age 20-25 when I was pretty thin. I have a new almond shaped navel and now that the swelling is going down, you can see obliques. I am taught and flat and thin. I didn't think the pain from that was too terrible (my arms hurt way worse). I am 52 years old, was overweight for most of my adult life, and had three kids. I had no desire to bear my midriff out in public, so I didn't even have expectations that it would be possible. Now that I've had this done, I realize I had set my expectations too low. I think i was so used to being morbidly obese that it never occurred to me that I could look this good. As an aside, I've started doing yoga, and my abs are still a little sore. I chuckle to myself everytime I'm at yoga because I keep thinking plastic surgery is much quicker, and more effective and rewarding than yoga!

I am so happy I had my arms done. I am about 3 months post op, and I still have fairly red scars, and they are starting to thicken a little now. I expect them to fade and flatten over time, but even if not, I look way better in clothes. I had mine placed to the back inside of my arm, but they are not perfectly symmetrical. The left is a little more median than back, so slightly more visible. My left arm was bigger to start with, so that may be why. That's one of the risks of plastics, that the scars are not perfectly symmetrical. Mine healed fine, though, and I don't regret it. I had a lot of swelling, which caused a lot of discomfort, but I think I'm in a small percentage of people who get that. I had to wear long sleeves to cover the bat wings year round, so even if the scars never fade, I'm not worse off that way. I can always choose to wear something to cover them, though I doubt that I'll need to.