livvsmum

Thanks! Yes! He took his time (7 hours!!) and did a great job. Doing your research & picking the right surgeon is so key!

I had 4 very large babies (9-10+ pounds) plus with the 150 extra pounds my ab muscles got very thin & very stretched apart.

Don't be terrified!! Just do your research & know what to expect & what you'll need after. It's definitely worth it.

Thank you! I feel pretty good. It's been a painful recovery, I'm not gonna lie. But at 4.5 weeks post op, my energy has pretty much returned to normal. I had a lot more muscle repair with the abdominoplasty that I needed to be done than normal, so I sstill have a fair amount of soreness in my abs, and I still wear my ab binder for support and to keep the swelling down, but that 's no biggie.How long before you could return to work? I'm a nurse so this is a big factor for me. I'm not ready at all to do this as I'm only 8 months out and 18 lbs from goal. I will have more questions in the future. I'm really hoping my insurance will cover this. Your results are amazing and I'm glad you are returning to normal! I returned after 3.5 weeks. I felt pretty good. Probably could have used one more week but I had some complications like reactions to the Percocet & I developed an infection. The type of work you do matters I would think. I'm not sure I felt up to bending, turning, lifting until at least 4 weeks

I'm sorry yours was denied :-( Did you appeal? It's funny we submitted for my tummy & arms at the same time & my TT was approved but the arms were denied. I'm I'm the appeal process with that.

Don't be terrified. Just do your research & know what to expect. The more prepared you are the better it will be for you. Here are a couple tips I would pass on. Get a lanyard that you can wear hook your drainage "bulbs" to while showering or going to the bathroom. That was a lifesaver. Also the hospital will send you home with a binder but I ordered an extra from Amazon for under $20 & liked it way more. And I don't know if you have one, but my recliner was crucial. I slept in it until I had the drainage tubes removed.

thank you! Good luck with yours!

I was lucky enough to get approved for both the panni and the abdominoplasty. I haven't paid anything except office visit co-pays. You do raise a good point though. I'm certain I wouldn't have been as pleased with the results if I would have just had the panni. Firstly, that wouldn't have included the muscle repair I needed, secondly, it wouldn't have given me that nice hour-glass figure, and thirdly, I would have tummy overhang over my belly button. I would definitley encourage having both done.

Thank you! I really did have a great surgeon. I joke that he must be a god. The surgery took 7 hours, and I'm so glad that he took his time and really did it perfectly. He's really please with the results too and the scar. I would say if anyone is thinking about having it done, picking the right surgeon who will take his time and get it right is SO important.

Thank you! I'm not sure I would have been nearly as pleased with just the panni. I also (as mentioned above) had a lot of muscle repair that needed to be done and wouldnt have been through the panni. I also would have had a little belly overhang at the belly button, etc. Luckily my insurance covered both. I say if you are on the fence, go for it. I can't imagine living the rest of my life with all that excess reminder of how I used to basically abuse my body with food now that I'm on the other side of it.

Thank you! I feel pretty good. It's been a painful recovery, I'm not gonna lie. But at 4.5 weeks post op, my energy has pretty much returned to normal. I had a lot more muscle repair with the abdominoplasty that I needed to be done than normal, so I sstill have a fair amount of soreness in my abs, and I still wear my ab binder for support and to keep the swelling down, but that 's no biggie.

Sorry for cross-posting in the general forum, but I know I posted my recovery and process here, so I wanted to share here too. So my surgeon sent me my "before" pictures yesterday, which of course made me want to take an "after" pic to compare. My surgeon does the "official" after pictures at the 3 month appointment when the scar is more healed. So I snapped a couple of pics today. It amazes me. There's only a difference of about 5 pounds in my weight since before and after surgery, but it seriously looks like a huge difference. I couldn't be more pleased with the results so far. I have scar sheets on the scar, so we will see how that ends up, but so far so good.

So my surgeon sent me my "before" pictures yesterday, which of course made me want to take an "after" pic to compare. My surgeon does the "official" after pictures at the 3 month appointment when the scar is more healed. So I snapped a couple of pics today. It amazes me. There's only a difference of about 5 pounds in my weight since before and after surgery, but it seriously looks like a huge difference. I couldn't be more pleased with the results so far. I have scar sheets on the scar, so we will see how that ends up, but so far so good.

I definitely wouldn't let the recovery stop you from having the surgery. I heard it was a tough recovery, but didn't listen because I wanted it so very badly. It was tough. The surgery itself is painful. You don't realize how much you use your core until you have this done. The drainage tubes are uncomfortable, there is lots to complain about if I wanted to. BUT I'm so thrilled with the results and I'm only 4 weeks out. I'm still sore and still wearing an ab binder, though my surgeon said I could move to something like spanx. I just feel for now like I like that extra support for my abs. BUT with that being said, I would do it all again in a heartbeat. No question about it. I say if you find a surgeon you are comfortable with, GO FOR IT! I'm waiting now to hear back on an appeal for my brachioplasty on my arms. But that seems like it would be a a walk in the park comparatively. I also should say that everyone's experience is totally different. You may have it done and be back to normal in 2 weeks, who knows! What I can say, is it was worth it!

"Happy tears" I should have said in the title...... So I had my sleeve surgery in Sept of 2013 and reached my initial goal pretty quickly, maybe in 10 months. Then I realized that my "dream goal" was within reach. So I pushed a little further and eventually reached my "dream goal" of 125 pounds, which is about 155 pounds lost. It's been a crazy journey and I couldn't have done it without entering therapy with an amazing therapist to deal with my "food issues" which really aren't "food issues" if you know what I mean. Anyway, I was approved about 6 weeks ago for a abdominoplasty & panniculectomy and a quick week and a half or so later was in surgery. It's been a struggle since then because I don't think I was quite prepared for the difficult recovery. Or maybe I just wanted it so badly I dismissed what I was hearing. Anyway. All is good now. I had my 1-month post-op check up yesterday and my surgeon cleared me to start running again (YAY...not that I feel that I could yet...but...YAY) and said he was super pleased with how my incision was healing. Up until this point I had dermabond tape over my incision and I had to keep it "dressed" (covered in bandages and taped up) with binder on top. Everytime I showered or changed my dressing I made it a point not to look in the mirror because I kind of wanted a big reveal, you know? So at the appointment he removed everything and said I was good to go. Side note: I will still wear my binder for a bit longer because he had a LOT of ab muscle repair to do and I still feel pretty weak and just weird in there because sometimes I can feel the internal stitches poking a bit according to him, "because I'm so thin"....which is SO strange to hear someone say about me. Weirdest ever. Anyway....so I rushed home, ran up to my bedroom to the full length mirror, took off my clothes and stood in the mirror crying my eyes out. It's so freaking amazing not to have all of that extra hanging skin there reminding me of who I used to be, and how I used to basically abuse myself with food. I couldn't believe it was me I was looking at. Totally overcome with emotion. I will always have a faint scar, and I'm glad because I never want to completely forget where I was lest I go back, but what a mental change for me to have that "excess baggage" gone. For the first time I "feel" thin. I'm not brave enough to post before/after pics yet. I want the scar to heal a bit more. The surgeon said he take the 'after" pic at the 3 month appointment, so maybe then I'll post them. But for now..... I'll let you all have a peek at my new little belly button. It used to be a freaking canyon.....seriously..... Just this alone is such a confidence booster and change. this whole journey has just been freaking amazing and now i need to figure out how just to maintain. No losing, no gaining.....just stay put.

Sorry for the late add here too. The end of the Memorial Day challenge found me below my "dream goal" of 125 at 123.8. Well.......I weighed in today and managed to throw everything I know out the window and weighed in at 127.8. I gained 4 pounds. FOUR POUNDS in a week. Not cool. It's totally my fault too. No excuses. So...... Starting weight: 127.8 Goal weight: 123.8 (to get back to where I ended the last challenge then just maintain)

Ending the challenge at 123.2 which is 1.8 under goal! :-) Happy Memorial Day!

Too funny that you ask this. I didn't really expect this....didn't know it was part of the whole thing. The first time I saw my "lady parts" in the mirror I was like "holy crap!!" It's a good thing though. I got a little lift and it's back where it belongs lol

My question is, how do you stop losing weight in a healthy way? I'm at 123 and I'm starting to look just too thin. But I don't want to just eat a bunch of junk to gain back a little. Know what I mean? Any thoughts. I guess it's also about maintaining weight. It's a balance. How do you do it??

I'm returning to work tomorrow (just half days til next week) after my panni & abdominoplasty. I'm so not ready for this, but I guess I have to eventually. I can't say there's still pain per se......maybe a little incision pain on my hips, but a tightness & soreness in my muscles that were repaired that is hardest. I just remember how drained I was at the end of the day when I went back after the sleeve. I only took 2 weeks then and probably could have used 3. For this I took 3 weeks and could have used 4. lol. Anyway. Me=Super Nervous. Any tips for returning to work after this for those who had it done? I'm open to any and all advice!!

I'm returning to work tomorrow (just half days til next week) after my panni & abdominoplasty. I'm so not ready for this, but I guess I have to eventually. I can't say there's still pain per se......maybe a little incision pain on my hips, but a tightness & soreness in my muscles that were repaired that is hardest. I just remember how drained I was at the end of the day when I went back after the sleeve. I only took 2 weeks then and probably could have used 3. For this I took 3 weeks and could have used 4. lol. Anyway. Me=Super Nervous. Any tips for returning to work after this for those who had it done? I'm open to any and all advice!!

Thanks everyone. It helps. I don't typically hang around the "vet" forum, but it just struck me the other day that I'm almost 2 years post op. I guess that makes me a vet. lol.

Definitely could be. I gained 10 pounds on it (post-sleeve) and said nooooooo thank you. My doctor switched me to a new med, just FDA approved called Contrave. It's part appetite suppressant, part Wellburin. It's made all the difference.

So I'm a pretty regular poster on the "general discussion" board since before my surgery in 2013. I still need support to maintain my weight loss as much as those who are actively losing. I still struggle everyday to work with my new "tool", I still struggle to make the right choices, and I struggle to keep myself in line. I join the holiday challenges to get me to goal and to keep me accountable to maintain. But more than once I've gotten snarky comments there like I don't have a right to be tracking my weight there. And sometimes when I post responses in other threads about struggles etc I feel like I get some snarky comments there as well. Like maybe once you reach goal or a certain point people don't really want to hear about struggles, or think that you don't need support? IDK...... I mean people on on the pre- and post- surgery forum seem more than happy to get feedback, so I don't get that vibe there, but I guess I just am disappointed because we all need support in this journey, no matter if we are 100 pounds from goal or at goal. Oh well Does anyone else ever get that vibe??

125.4 for me. 0.4 of a pound from goal lol