Sleeve1stFitNext

I was not around you weight range when I had my surgery. However, loose skin can happen to anyone.
My suggestion is to start focusing on toning up the skin after about 2 months out (maybe sooner). It also depends on where you are carrying a lot of fat. Most people tend to not need surgery on their legs because it gains muscle and bounces back pretty nicely. However, stomach, back, and arms are the most difficult to tone up. You also want to spend at least a year truly trying to tighten your skin before deciding to get additional surgeries. My friend lost 100 lbs by dieting and exercising. Her stomach had loose skin but she has worked on it and the Abs have actually helped her tighten the skin up, as well as her arms.
Surgeons typically suggest waiting for 2 years before getting pregnant as your body is going through major changes and needs to adapt to the new calorie intake. If you are hoping to get pregnant prior to that time, it's probably best that you wait on the surgery. However, there are many women who have gotten pregnant right after surgery and have had healthy babies and a healthy pregnancy. It is that you will head into unfamiliar territory and a tricky situation. Good luck!!! Welcome to the Losers Bench.

First things first. You look amazing and have done a great job.
Now, have you thought about contacting your surgical team to speak with the Psychologist or going to a support group? I am asking not to be mean or rude but because I was in that same mindset.
Everyone was telling me how much I lost or how great I looked and all I saw was loose skin and fat everywhere. This is not the way I thought my body would look. Although I thought I had realistic expectations, truthfully, I was hoping I would look like an Ashley Stewarts model with my small waist, flat tummy, big boobies and thick thighs. Well, I got a rude awakening. My dirty pillows (from Carrie - great book) have sagged and my tummy is stubborn at this point but smaller. I just could not see it.
I decided to see my Surgical Therapist and get help on my body image issues. I just feared the self-destruction path I would soon be heading down. I had not seen her since 2 months post-op. Just her reaction alone helped bust my insecurity bubble. She said something so ingenious, "You have spent more years looking at yourself from before your weight loss. Your mind has gotten used to seeing that old person in the mirror. It will take time for your mind to get used to seeing the new you". Those words made sense because I was having a hard time understanding why I could not see what everyone else was seeing.
I go see her once a month for 30 minutes. It has really helped me.

Attention Creekimp, did he sell,his soul to the Dark Angel? Either that or he has a portrait like Dorian Gray that is doing the aging off in a corner somewhere. If it is makeup 1. What does he,look like without it? 2. Where can I get some?
Sent from my VS880PP using BariatricPal mobile app

Remember, no matter how slow you think you are losing. Progress is still progress.
Also, you can try dividing your weight loss. So you lost 20lbs a month average, 5lbs a week average. That is a great amount of loss.

Weight loss is personalized to you, your body, how well you follow the program and willingness not to fail. Someone in my support group had posted this.

Lol makeup and Scientology lol. Sorry if I offend anyone.

I am a tad confused by this entire thread.
This is a forum and negative vibes will come your way. However, letting the negative vibes get to you only hurts you. I understand that people come at you the wrong way or give their two sense when you do not want it but if you post, everyone can see it and has a right to respond. Surgery or not. Remember that if you keep above the negativity, you are the bigger person.
Also, your thread came up while I was helping another member. I thought the subject sounded interesting so I read the whole things. The perks of loving to read.

Weight loss is personalized to you, your body, how well you follow the program and willingness not to fail. Someone in my support group had posted this.

Lol makeup and Scientology lol. Sorry if I offend anyone.

Hello, I'm Tracy. I had the sleeve 5 days before my 46th birthday 2016. I'm glad I did this, only wish I would have done it years ago. I started out at 298 size 24/26, down to 173ish size 8/12, I'm 5'3" I have the best support system, my family and friend's are the best. They've always encouraged me through the whole process. I couldn't be happier with my life...NEVER going back. Thank you Lord, even though i had to pay out of pocket..I always say.. I'm blessed to be able to make the payments.

Not everyone is going to support you. Also, they could be scared for you. If this is something that you want, go for it. It’s your life. Just remember, there are people who are here to support you and encourage you. Also, they will not understand what you are going through. Don’t let negativity stop you from taking back your life. Now is the time to pull in and focus on you.
I am sorry you do not have much support at home. It is something that will help you succeed because they won’t stress you out and cause you to relapse. However, you can do this!!

Oh dear. Here is a sweet tip from us who have gone through this, RELAX. It's a stall. It happens multiple times during your first 18 months of expected weight loss.
Some people get it the first month, others get it later on. The key is to relax with the scale. If you stress about it, it keeps your cortisol levels high which then causes you to regain (mostly water) weight.
This is also your bodies way of letting you know that it is time to start exercising. Not heavy exertion but walking around more and trying to get that heart rate to about 115 steady - fat burning level.
Now is the time to start taking "before" pictures if you have not done already. Then compare to the photos before and after/now. You will be losing inches at this time, so pay attention to the following:
1) Do your clothes fit differently?
2) Are you feeling lighter on your feet or knees?
3) Are you drinking enough Water?
4) Are you meeting your bodies Protein needs?
5) Are you really doing what you are supposed to be doing?
These five questions are what you should keep in mind when going through a stall. It could be that you need to tweak somethings.

First things first. You look amazing and have done a great job.
Now, have you thought about contacting your surgical team to speak with the Psychologist or going to a support group? I am asking not to be mean or rude but because I was in that same mindset.
Everyone was telling me how much I lost or how great I looked and all I saw was loose skin and fat everywhere. This is not the way I thought my body would look. Although I thought I had realistic expectations, truthfully, I was hoping I would look like an Ashley Stewarts model with my small waist, flat tummy, big boobies and thick thighs. Well, I got a rude awakening. My dirty pillows (from Carrie - great book) have sagged and my tummy is stubborn at this point but smaller. I just could not see it.
I decided to see my Surgical Therapist and get help on my body image issues. I just feared the self-destruction path I would soon be heading down. I had not seen her since 2 months post-op. Just her reaction alone helped bust my insecurity bubble. She said something so ingenious, "You have spent more years looking at yourself from before your weight loss. Your mind has gotten used to seeing that old person in the mirror. It will take time for your mind to get used to seeing the new you". Those words made sense because I was having a hard time understanding why I could not see what everyone else was seeing.
I go see her once a month for 30 minutes. It has really helped me.

I hope to be like you when I grow up. Thank you for checking in 5 years later. It is nice to see someone that far out is still succeeding.

I hope to be like you when I grow up. Thank you for checking in 5 years later. It is nice to see someone that far out is still succeeding.

Congratulations. It feels good to be on this side of the 100's. It only gets better as you keep working towards your goal.

First things first. You look amazing and have done a great job.
Now, have you thought about contacting your surgical team to speak with the Psychologist or going to a support group? I am asking not to be mean or rude but because I was in that same mindset.
Everyone was telling me how much I lost or how great I looked and all I saw was loose skin and fat everywhere. This is not the way I thought my body would look. Although I thought I had realistic expectations, truthfully, I was hoping I would look like an Ashley Stewarts model with my small waist, flat tummy, big boobies and thick thighs. Well, I got a rude awakening. My dirty pillows (from Carrie - great book) have sagged and my tummy is stubborn at this point but smaller. I just could not see it.
I decided to see my Surgical Therapist and get help on my body image issues. I just feared the self-destruction path I would soon be heading down. I had not seen her since 2 months post-op. Just her reaction alone helped bust my insecurity bubble. She said something so ingenious, "You have spent more years looking at yourself from before your weight loss. Your mind has gotten used to seeing that old person in the mirror. It will take time for your mind to get used to seeing the new you". Those words made sense because I was having a hard time understanding why I could not see what everyone else was seeing.
I go see her once a month for 30 minutes. It has really helped me.

My suggestion is to contact your surgeon. They would be better able to assist you and find a remedy for this matter.

Well said. Well said. We tend to stress over the smallest of things that are normal or soo small compared to the changes we are going through. It is best to relax. It took me over 8 months to figure that out.

Well said. Well said. We tend to stress over the smallest of things that are normal or soo small compared to the changes we are going through. It is best to relax. It took me over 8 months to figure that out.

I am a tad confused by this entire thread.
This is a forum and negative vibes will come your way. However, letting the negative vibes get to you only hurts you. I understand that people come at you the wrong way or give their two sense when you do not want it but if you post, everyone can see it and has a right to respond. Surgery or not. Remember that if you keep above the negativity, you are the bigger person.
Also, your thread came up while I was helping another member. I thought the subject sounded interesting so I read the whole things. The perks of loving to read.

I was pretty much all of these people at one point of another lol. No shame in my game.

The most weight I lost was 18lbs in one month. That was my first month lol. 55lbs since surgery.

Mrs Ganges our Bari Friend in Red Deer, Alberta's mother came up with this term. It stands for Poor Little Old Me.
Let's see if we can get rid of some of this syndrome and its effect
Have you hit a stall in your weight loss journey ? Maybe you're not as light in weight as you planned? Well you're also not as heavy as you once were. Stalls have a way of smoothing out, just takes time.
Are you still presurgery and it seems like it's taking forever to get requirements done? Well each one has its purpose in preparing you for surgery. The better you are prepared the smoother your surgery will go
You look outside and everything looks gray and dismal? Well that only works if you are in the Northern Hemisphere like me. If you are in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa or even the Middle East that excuse won't work. If the weather is nasty outside walk inside, if you're tired of being housebound go to the mall to do your walking.
And hard as it might seem, think of one good thing today. You haven't lost enough weight? Well you're not as heavy as you once were. Nobody cares for you? Then step up and care
about you. Your family is getting on your nerves? Go give them a hug anyway, kids grow up so soon, the other adult in your life might need a hug too. Even pet your cat or dog and believe the love you pass out will return to you. And it will.
You've recently had your surgery, You feel meh. It will pass, the tummy will get less tender, your diet will smooth out once you get through the different levels, remember you are healing inside and out. Be greatful for the chance to get healthier, to get thinner, to get more fit. You've. taken charge of your life now. And guess who the ultimate winner is?
YOU
Sent from my VS880PP using BariatricPal mobile app

I hope to be like you when I grow up. Thank you for checking in 5 years later. It is nice to see someone that far out is still succeeding.