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Gosh so sorry to be MIA! I continue to be so inspired by each one of you and this thread always brings a smile to my face, no matter how difficult the day may be!!! You all look GORGEOUS!!!! And love the fashion inspiration!
Took some pics for a meeting last week. Here's the latest. 20.5mo PO RNY. 130.2lbs Maintenance.
 
My body may have decided to defend a lower set point rather than the 135lbs that I thought it was happy at. I have lost and gained the same 2-5lbs from 130-135lbs for a while now. Just last week I briefly saw 129lbs. Now after a big weekend of fun and frivolity, I came back at only 130.2lbs--which means I may be 2lbs lighter by Friday.
I'm not hatin' on that--honestly. I have wanted to reach my super triple top secret BDG Goal since I started this process. But when it didn't look like I would ever hit my 130lbs goal, I kinda released that into the ether and called maintenance at 135lbs revised goal.
Then I hit 130lbs and revised the revised goal back to 130lbs. But now it looks as if I might actually make 125lbs (super triple top secret Barbie Dream Girl Goal). I'm pretty thrilled at this weight and I love how I look in clothes these days (or at least I'm moving in that direction). My gigantor turkey thighs are slightly less pronounced now. And I asked Mr. F. if he thought I looked too thin or sickly. He said that I didn't. He's very honest and objective, so I know I can go to him as a touchstone with reality.
I bought 3 pairs of size 8 skinny jeans from goodwill this weekend. And I'm actually in between a 6 and an 8--oddly so. The legs fit, but the the little bit of belleh skin doesn't let me fasten them. Wah. Oh well.
I saw my plastics dude last Friday. A bit of a buzz kill. He told me my insurance wouldn't cover the saggy droopy booty, even though it was giving me significant issues. He did say that I have very very little excess fat on my body - as he was looking at me totes nekkidy and that he didn't want me to lose any more. Of course I lied and said, "Swearsies! I'm not plannin' on it!" (wink wink nudge nudge saynomore...)
He still says that I need to wait on my capular contractures in the reconstructed foobs. But he wants me to consider getting nerp tats so I look more like a real gingerbread girl--and less like a Skipper Doll (Barbie's younger annoying kid sister--anotomically incorrect and lacking a kung fu grip). Still chewing on that one. Don't know what to do with that information yet.
Sorry for the book!!! [emoji20]

On my invoice, the procedure is just called BRACHIOPLASTY.
The side boob skin removal is not considered part of the arm lift/brachioplasty with my surgeon. It is part of a separate procedure invoiced as BILATERAL BREAST REDUCTION REVISION, which is basically a breast lift with auxiliary breast removal from flanks. My doc is awesome as he is charging me with a revision instead of a first time breast lift (which really is what I am getting but is about 5K less expensive) as I had a breast reduction several years ago, and he is already going to be there doing the arm lift anyway.
With that said however, I did speak to another surgeon (who I didn't end up going with) who combined the arm lift and auxiliary breast removal (without breast lift) and he called it BILATERAL ARM LIFT WITH CHEST WALL EXTENSION. He wanted to do it as one continuous incision.
Edited to add: Neither my surgeon nor the other fella I mentioned above post patient photos on their websites (I had to go in for appointments to look at their patient results books)

On 11/2/2019 at 9:54 AM, ms.sss said:

No, it's not going to be a continuous incision, my surgeon had said he doesn't do this for a few reasons, the main one being that with a continuous incision, there is a risk that the part where there is a "curve" (i.e., in the armpit) may form a "skin webbing" during healing (and end up looking like the skin at the base between your fingers) .

@ms.sss is your Dr still calling it an extended arm lift if it isn't actually one big continuous incision? I haven't been able to find any pictures/info online that talks about this as an option. Do you have any more info to share? Maybe a pic from your Doctor's website? I like the idea of the incision being separated at the arm pit area. Thx.

Take a look at this website
https://www.realself.com/

Interesting! Best of luck quitting again!

Question: Was everyone a prior smoker? I couldn't tell if there was anyone who was not?

Are you sure it was really the lure of the cigarette that mad you go back--and not the tall, dark Italian fellow? [emoji846]

That makes sense. I think I prefer the traditional scar placement. I also asked about the bra roll/side boob. He would continue the incision from the arm all the way down. I am now thinking I wonder if it could be a separate incision so if i was wearing a tank top the side boob scar would be under a bra not all the way up towards my arm pit. Is yours going to be one long continuous incision?

Thanks for the post!

I had my first post-op drink about 2 months out with no issues. I'm now 14 months out and average 2-3 drinks every other weekend. Usually vodka-cranberry or other vodka based drinks. Doesn't seem to effect me any faster than before surgery. Only thing is that my stomach can't handle as much volume as before. Sometimes I'll have doubles to get around it. I am aware of the precautions mentioned above. Just wanted to throw in my experience.

LOOK GUYS! Tall boots!!!!

I’m dressed pretty conservatively today. But really it’s about the cute Madewell spotted booties I scored at the thrift store this weekend.

Congratulations!

Yes it's normal for your mood to dip at times. This is a journey for all of us both physically and mentally. Our bodies and minds need time to adjust. Just keep following your plan. Sending good wishes to you for better days ahead.

I too felt the same in the first few months following surgery. I was angry that I couldn't eat what I wanted and how much I wanted. I hated eating my small portion then having to sit at the table waiting for everyone else to finish eating. I'm now 14 months post surgery and somehow some way it's all gotten easier for me to come to terms with. Not sure if it's simply the passage of time or what. I still struggle with following the plan exactly but I've been maintaining my goal weight for a couple months now so I think I'm managing ok. Sending you lots of good wishes that this journey gets easier for you real soon.

Awesome!!!

You may want to read this to find your perfect bra and fit

https://www.reddit.com/r/ABraThatFits/wiki/beginners_guide

Congratulations!! ONEderland was one of my favorite milestones!

Thanks!

I LOVE this bra from Soma....it is a front closure full coverage style with a back smoothing cut....super comfortable.
I went from 42DD to a 38D in this bra (I still have a ways to go)

Went to a friends Gatsby themed party last night

Thanks!

Back from vacay with Mr. a few days ago (BEST. VACATION. EVER. Thinking that we should leave the Kid at home more often!)
So all the unnecessary worrying about food and carbs pre-trip was just that: unnecessary.
I let myself eat whatever, there was nothing off limits. Though I did make sure not to eat to a stuffed feeling (failed a couple times, though I admit...damn you eating and drinking at same time!). For the most part, I figured if I couldn't eat something cuz I was already satisfied, I could always try it another time. No biggie.
I had Pasta, bread and rice for the first time since surgery, all of which I tolerated well. I found that while I still enjoy pasta (they must put crack or something in the pasta over there, cuz I just couldn't get enough), I don't really care for bread nor rice anymore. Which is surprising because bread and rice were every-meal-staples for me pre-WLS.
Drank wine like Water. Developed a loving relationship with amaretto. I suspect 80% of the carbs I consumed while away came from liquor.
The morning we left, I weighed 115.6 with 16.5% body fat.
Despite all the food and drink (and the fact that I did not go to the hotel gym once, nor go for a single run the entire time), the morning after the day we came back (2 weeks, 3 days later), I was only up to 119.9 with 17.7% body fat. I was totally prepared to see a 10 lb increase! Now I sort of wish that I tracked my food (I didn't use MFP at all, as I was giving myself a vacay from that as well) because I really would like to know what my average daily calorie/macro intake was. I would guess that it was probably in the 3000-3500 range, though (some days probably double that...specifically the days when I had TWO double scoop gelatos instead of one)
Now for the good part:
I wanted to get back to my day-before-vacay- weight, so I (easily!) went back to my running routine, and ate lower-carb, and kept my cals to about 1000-1300. I track everything I put in my mouth, and weigh myself every day at the same time. And this morning, I clocked in at 115.2 with 16.3% body fat. *drops mic*.
Moral of (my) story is that for those in maintenance, the chances to indulge will come along, take it and enjoy within reason (life is short!), and trust yourself that you will be able to work off any gains, so long as you put in the effort. I am now officially confident that I will be a successful long-term maintainer!
Life is Good.

Following. Still a struggle for me, over a year post-sleeve.

Congratulations! Great NSVs. Over if my friends said the "you're tiny" comment to me recently and it felt odd, yet fun to hear.

Congratulations!! You look fantastic!! Way to go!!