BigSue

I'm 3 years post-op. I did absolutely nothing to treat my incisions and I have no visible scars now. If I look really closely (I had to refer to old pictures to see where the scars were so I could tell where to look), the skin is ever so slightly raised where the incisions were, but the color is no different than the surrounding skin.

If you're not familiar with the Michigan Bariatric Surgery Collective, you should definitely check it out. They have an extensive database of bariatric surgery patients, and there's a calculator that shows average outcomes based on the data.
https://mbsc.arbormetrix.com/Registry/public/calculator/uiCalculator/7?menuId=1013
My info:
1. Basics: GENDER, AGE, HEIGHT - female, 39 (at time of surgery), 5'3"
2. Total Weight lost in the 6 months BEFORE surgery (if any) - 64 pounds
3. Weight on DAY OF SURGERY. - 277 pounds
4. Weight at 1 MONTH POST surgery - 256 pounds
5. Weight at 3 MONTHs POST surgery - 225 pounds
6. Weight at 6 MONTHs POST surgery - 181 pounds
7. Weight at 12 MONTHs POST surgery - 144 pounds

I'm 3 years post-op. I did absolutely nothing to treat my incisions and I have no visible scars now. If I look really closely (I had to refer to old pictures to see where the scars were so I could tell where to look), the skin is ever so slightly raised where the incisions were, but the color is no different than the surrounding skin.

If you're not familiar with the Michigan Bariatric Surgery Collective, you should definitely check it out. They have an extensive database of bariatric surgery patients, and there's a calculator that shows average outcomes based on the data.
https://mbsc.arbormetrix.com/Registry/public/calculator/uiCalculator/7?menuId=1013
My info:
1. Basics: GENDER, AGE, HEIGHT - female, 39 (at time of surgery), 5'3"
2. Total Weight lost in the 6 months BEFORE surgery (if any) - 64 pounds
3. Weight on DAY OF SURGERY. - 277 pounds
4. Weight at 1 MONTH POST surgery - 256 pounds
5. Weight at 3 MONTHs POST surgery - 225 pounds
6. Weight at 6 MONTHs POST surgery - 181 pounds
7. Weight at 12 MONTHs POST surgery - 144 pounds

I can’t believe I haven’t really thought about this NSV until now, but now that you mention it, I remember that I used to go through so many pants because of wearing out the inner thighs. I haven’t worn out a single pair of pants since I’ve been my current size (about 2 years)!

If you're not familiar with the Michigan Bariatric Surgery Collective, you should definitely check it out. They have an extensive database of bariatric surgery patients, and there's a calculator that shows average outcomes based on the data.
https://mbsc.arbormetrix.com/Registry/public/calculator/uiCalculator/7?menuId=1013
My info:
1. Basics: GENDER, AGE, HEIGHT - female, 39 (at time of surgery), 5'3"
2. Total Weight lost in the 6 months BEFORE surgery (if any) - 64 pounds
3. Weight on DAY OF SURGERY. - 277 pounds
4. Weight at 1 MONTH POST surgery - 256 pounds
5. Weight at 3 MONTHs POST surgery - 225 pounds
6. Weight at 6 MONTHs POST surgery - 181 pounds
7. Weight at 12 MONTHs POST surgery - 144 pounds

If you're not familiar with the Michigan Bariatric Surgery Collective, you should definitely check it out. They have an extensive database of bariatric surgery patients, and there's a calculator that shows average outcomes based on the data.
https://mbsc.arbormetrix.com/Registry/public/calculator/uiCalculator/7?menuId=1013
My info:
1. Basics: GENDER, AGE, HEIGHT - female, 39 (at time of surgery), 5'3"
2. Total Weight lost in the 6 months BEFORE surgery (if any) - 64 pounds
3. Weight on DAY OF SURGERY. - 277 pounds
4. Weight at 1 MONTH POST surgery - 256 pounds
5. Weight at 3 MONTHs POST surgery - 225 pounds
6. Weight at 6 MONTHs POST surgery - 181 pounds
7. Weight at 12 MONTHs POST surgery - 144 pounds

I've never heard of snakehead fish, but if I ever see it, I'll give it a try! I used to hate seafood, but now I love it and really enjoy trying different types of fish. One of my favorite easy meals is fish coated with spice rub and cooked in the air fryer, with a side salad and/or steamed veggies.

I've never heard of snakehead fish, but if I ever see it, I'll give it a try! I used to hate seafood, but now I love it and really enjoy trying different types of fish. One of my favorite easy meals is fish coated with spice rub and cooked in the air fryer, with a side salad and/or steamed veggies.

I've never heard of snakehead fish, but if I ever see it, I'll give it a try! I used to hate seafood, but now I love it and really enjoy trying different types of fish. One of my favorite easy meals is fish coated with spice rub and cooked in the air fryer, with a side salad and/or steamed veggies.

I didn’t tell anyone other than medical professionals about my surgery. I’m 2.5 years post-op and still haven’t told anyone. I managed fine on my own after surgery; my biggest challenge was getting home from the hospital (the hospital said I couldn’t take a cab or Uber, so I paid a home care aide to drive me home). I took a week of vacation time at work and didn’t tell anyone I was having surgery.
However, I live alone. I assume you live with your husband, and I can’t imagine how it would be possible to have surgery without someone who lives with you finding out, unless he goes out of town for long periods of time and you somehow time your surgery accordingly. Even then, it would be difficult to hide, unless your plan is to have the surgery and tell him after the fact. Obviously, I am not a relationship expert in any way, but it does not seem conducive to a healthy marriage to have a major surgery without telling your partner.

I can’t believe I haven’t really thought about this NSV until now, but now that you mention it, I remember that I used to go through so many pants because of wearing out the inner thighs. I haven’t worn out a single pair of pants since I’ve been my current size (about 2 years)!

I can’t believe I haven’t really thought about this NSV until now, but now that you mention it, I remember that I used to go through so many pants because of wearing out the inner thighs. I haven’t worn out a single pair of pants since I’ve been my current size (about 2 years)!

BTW, I would like to compliment you on this post. I have thought about starting a post like this but never got around to it. There’s a popular thread about weird non-scale victories, where about half the posts are not exactly victories, but more like “skinny people’s problems.” But for people who have spent their whole lives suffering from obese people’s problems, it is a privilege and yeah, a victory of sorts, to experience this type of problem.

It’s hard not to take it personally when I’m the one who mentioned “vanity sizing” on this thread and then you specifically mocked the use of that term.

Ok, that was clearly directed toward me and I think it's pretty rude. This is uncalled for and I'm really offended. I was not humble bragging -- I fully acknowledge that in mainstream clothing, I'm a size large, about average for a 40-something lady, not a skinny-ass. It really is difficult to navigate clothes shopping now that I am a completely different shape and size than I was for the rest of my adult life. It is an actual problem that I don't know what size clothes will fit me because different brands can vary so much in sizing. Most women my age have figured out what stores/brands they like and what sizes fit them in those brands, but I'm new to shopping at these stores and have to figure it out as I go.
Of course I'd rather have this problem any day than the problem I used to have, which was that 99% of clothing stores didn't have clothes big enough to fit me, but that doesn't make it humble-bragging to say that clothing sizes are weird and confusing.

BTW, I would like to compliment you on this post. I have thought about starting a post like this but never got around to it. There’s a popular thread about weird non-scale victories, where about half the posts are not exactly victories, but more like “skinny people’s problems.” But for people who have spent their whole lives suffering from obese people’s problems, it is a privilege and yeah, a victory of sorts, to experience this type of problem.

Ok, that was clearly directed toward me and I think it's pretty rude. This is uncalled for and I'm really offended. I was not humble bragging -- I fully acknowledge that in mainstream clothing, I'm a size large, about average for a 40-something lady, not a skinny-ass. It really is difficult to navigate clothes shopping now that I am a completely different shape and size than I was for the rest of my adult life. It is an actual problem that I don't know what size clothes will fit me because different brands can vary so much in sizing. Most women my age have figured out what stores/brands they like and what sizes fit them in those brands, but I'm new to shopping at these stores and have to figure it out as I go.
Of course I'd rather have this problem any day than the problem I used to have, which was that 99% of clothing stores didn't have clothes big enough to fit me, but that doesn't make it humble-bragging to say that clothing sizes are weird and confusing.

Ok, that was clearly directed toward me and I think it's pretty rude. This is uncalled for and I'm really offended. I was not humble bragging -- I fully acknowledge that in mainstream clothing, I'm a size large, about average for a 40-something lady, not a skinny-ass. It really is difficult to navigate clothes shopping now that I am a completely different shape and size than I was for the rest of my adult life. It is an actual problem that I don't know what size clothes will fit me because different brands can vary so much in sizing. Most women my age have figured out what stores/brands they like and what sizes fit them in those brands, but I'm new to shopping at these stores and have to figure it out as I go.
Of course I'd rather have this problem any day than the problem I used to have, which was that 99% of clothing stores didn't have clothes big enough to fit me, but that doesn't make it humble-bragging to say that clothing sizes are weird and confusing.

I recently went clothes shopping at an actual mall for the first time in years, and I felt lost, disoriented, and completely out of place, like an alien trying to pass for human. Since I started losing weight, I've mainly been buying clothes from Amazon, Old Navy, and Walmart because I had no idea what to buy and don't want to spend too much on clothes, but I've been maintaining for a couple of years and feel like it's time to upgrade my wardrobe a bit.
For one thing, now that I am not plus-sized, the options are overwhelming. I used to be limited to Lane Bryant and Torrid, but now I can shop almost anywhere and have no idea where to start. I felt like an imposter, shopping in stores that, 3 years ago, didn't have anything in my size. What 40-something professional lady has never shopped at Ann Taylor? (Answer: one who had to lose 100+ pounds to fit into any of their clothes.)
I've heard of "vanity sizing" and now I've experienced it. In Amazon/Old Navy/Walmart clothes, large or 10-12 usually fits, but in more upscale stores, medium or 8 is on the roomy side. I found a shirt I liked in Eddie Bauer and medium was too big. I was afraid they would laugh in my face when I asked for a small (like, "LOL, can you believe this fat lady thinks she needs a small?!"). They didn't have any smalls left except the one the mannequin was wearing, so I bought that one. I can't believe I wear the same size as the mannequin! At Loft, I was looking in the large section of the clearance rack, and the salesperson looked at me like I was crazy and pointed me toward the small/medium section -- even offered to look for an XS in a sweater I was eying.

I recently went clothes shopping at an actual mall for the first time in years, and I felt lost, disoriented, and completely out of place, like an alien trying to pass for human. Since I started losing weight, I've mainly been buying clothes from Amazon, Old Navy, and Walmart because I had no idea what to buy and don't want to spend too much on clothes, but I've been maintaining for a couple of years and feel like it's time to upgrade my wardrobe a bit.
For one thing, now that I am not plus-sized, the options are overwhelming. I used to be limited to Lane Bryant and Torrid, but now I can shop almost anywhere and have no idea where to start. I felt like an imposter, shopping in stores that, 3 years ago, didn't have anything in my size. What 40-something professional lady has never shopped at Ann Taylor? (Answer: one who had to lose 100+ pounds to fit into any of their clothes.)
I've heard of "vanity sizing" and now I've experienced it. In Amazon/Old Navy/Walmart clothes, large or 10-12 usually fits, but in more upscale stores, medium or 8 is on the roomy side. I found a shirt I liked in Eddie Bauer and medium was too big. I was afraid they would laugh in my face when I asked for a small (like, "LOL, can you believe this fat lady thinks she needs a small?!"). They didn't have any smalls left except the one the mannequin was wearing, so I bought that one. I can't believe I wear the same size as the mannequin! At Loft, I was looking in the large section of the clearance rack, and the salesperson looked at me like I was crazy and pointed me toward the small/medium section -- even offered to look for an XS in a sweater I was eying.

I recently went clothes shopping at an actual mall for the first time in years, and I felt lost, disoriented, and completely out of place, like an alien trying to pass for human. Since I started losing weight, I've mainly been buying clothes from Amazon, Old Navy, and Walmart because I had no idea what to buy and don't want to spend too much on clothes, but I've been maintaining for a couple of years and feel like it's time to upgrade my wardrobe a bit.
For one thing, now that I am not plus-sized, the options are overwhelming. I used to be limited to Lane Bryant and Torrid, but now I can shop almost anywhere and have no idea where to start. I felt like an imposter, shopping in stores that, 3 years ago, didn't have anything in my size. What 40-something professional lady has never shopped at Ann Taylor? (Answer: one who had to lose 100+ pounds to fit into any of their clothes.)
I've heard of "vanity sizing" and now I've experienced it. In Amazon/Old Navy/Walmart clothes, large or 10-12 usually fits, but in more upscale stores, medium or 8 is on the roomy side. I found a shirt I liked in Eddie Bauer and medium was too big. I was afraid they would laugh in my face when I asked for a small (like, "LOL, can you believe this fat lady thinks she needs a small?!"). They didn't have any smalls left except the one the mannequin was wearing, so I bought that one. I can't believe I wear the same size as the mannequin! At Loft, I was looking in the large section of the clearance rack, and the salesperson looked at me like I was crazy and pointed me toward the small/medium section -- even offered to look for an XS in a sweater I was eying.

First of all, congrats on your success so far! That's GREAT!
However, Apple Cider Vinegar will have no impact to how or where you lose weight, the elasticity of your skin, or make any other material impacts to your loss or body. It might be helpful for digestion or other things, but it truly will not add anything to your weight loss efforts.
As for weight lifting, most surgeons have a recommended waiting period before working out again, so you need to check with your doctors. Weight lifting WILL help in myriad ways and it CAN help reduce saggy skin by filling it with muscle, but it won't change the skin itself.
The reality is, lose skin is a byproduct of major weight loss. It will happen. The extent of it will vary widely from person to person for a million different reasons. There is very little with any scientific support to be done about it, and most of the recmondtations you might get will be anecdotal at best. Hit your Protein, drink your Water, lift weights, and be patient. Whatever lose skin you may have will NEVER be more detrimental than not having changed your life.

first of all, only about 30% of bypassers dump (I never have - and I know lots of others who never have, either). It's caused by eating too much sugar at one sitting, so you can prevent it by....not eating a lot of sugar at one sitting.
the issue with restaurants is temporary - just the first few weeks. Once you're a couple months out, you'll be able to find things on practically any menu that you can eat - and once you're about six months out, you'll be cleared to eat any food item (you may still have some intolerances, but nothing will be off the table). My new normal (well, not so new anymore since I'm eight years out) is either ordering an appetizer or two, or ordering an entree and having them box up half of it to take home. Honestly, most of my never-been-obese women friends do exactly the same. At this point, no one would be able to tell I've had weight loss surgery - they'd just assume I'm a "light eater".
and what are you throwing your cookbooks out for? I never threw out a single one - and I've since added a few more to my collection! I enjoy cooking and I cook a lot. I just eat smaller portions now, and I only occasionally indulge in something like chips or dessert.
honestly, the eating that people often associate with weight loss patients doesn't last forever. It's tough the first month or two (well, esp the first month), so I tried to avoid going out to eat. But after that you can eat more variety and should be able to find things you can eat at any restaurant. And then, as I said, after about six months, there won't be any food restrictions.
It takes about 1600 calories/day to maintain my weight (although that varies a lot among people - I know women who can only eat around 1200 and others who can eat 2000), and I eat very nutritiously most of the time. Yes there are days when I overeat or splurge on some junky thing, but it's not very often - and I'm back on track the next day. There are times when I wish I could eat whatever I want and however much I want every day, but very few people can do that - and it sure didn't work for me since it got me up to almost 400 lbs. I think I'm eating much more like a "normie" now.

I first considered bariatric surgery about 15 years before I actually went through with it. I considered it off and on at various times in my life, but kept deciding against it, until 3 years ago when I couldn't keep living the way I was and realized that I had to do something drastic.
Like you, I spent a lot of time worrying about the worst case scenario and I specifically sought out stories of people who have regretted having bariatric surgery. These are hard to find! Bariatric surgery is very common and safe nowadays and serious complications are rare. Of course, that's not much comfort when you are one of the unlucky few, but even when I found people who had horrible complications, most of them still said they would do it all over again.
I think the main reason you don't find a lot of bariatric surgery veterans on this forum or other WLS communities is that the first year or so is really rough and requires a lot of lifestyle changes and attention, but eventually, you get used to the changes and find a new normal (plus, most people can gradually return to a relatively "normal" diet) and get to a point where your life no longer revolves around your surgery. One of the biggest factors that made me hesitant about getting the surgery was that I didn't want my life to be ruled by my pouch. But I got to a point where my life was severely limited by my weight, so I took the plunge and had the surgery.
I've lost 200 pounds and the world has really opened up to me. I'm 3 years out and have completely changed my diet and lifestyle, but I can eat a "normal" portion (not as much as when I was 300+ pounds, of course, but I'm not limited to half a cup of food anymore). I can drink Water as much and as quickly as I ever could before surgery. I haven't told anyone, even my family, that I got surgery. Like a lot of people I wish that I had lost weight earlier because my weight was holding me back in so many ways, but it was probably a good thing that I wanted until I was really ready to change my lifestyle before I had the surgery. There are people who gain back all the weight, and I suspect that this is because they rely on the surgery alone for weight loss, and once the effects wear off, they are able to go back to their old eating habits and regain the weight.
I do not experience dumping and I have only had one day of vomiting since my surgery. I kind of wish I would get dumping syndrome because it would be a good deterrent to eating things I shouldn't. If I eat something with too much fat and/or sugar (e.g., a slice of cake), I get super sleepy and feel like garbage for the rest of the day. I actually have had a serious complication, not directly from the surgery, but from the rapid weight loss, and that is bradycardia which required me to get a pacemaker. That's a bummer, but I'm sure my overall health is better off now than it would have been without the surgery.