Search the Community

Hi!!! I agree with Lissa, it sounds like you already know what you need to do to get that scale/inches moving again. If this helps at all, Plastic Surgeons don't usually perform skin removals until you are at GOAL for about a years worth of time. If you are really interested in having that procedure done, then work really hard to hit your goal and stay there. Best wishes to you!! Congrats on your 80#'s lost as well, thats really fantastic!!

Hello All, My maintenance is going pretty well since I achieved my goal a few months ago. I usually have a 3 pound fluctuation depending on the time of the month, but other than that is going well. My current problem is my saggy skin on my thighs. Can anyone recommend a cream that actually work s to improve the skin and helps firm it? I also read that taking a separate Vitamin E supplement will help. Does body wraps help? I am starting to change up my exercise routine to try and tone more in my thighs than my current overall cardio and body workout. Any advice from anyone that has found something that works other than surgery is appreciated. Thanks !!!

Hello Everyone, I am new to the board and to the WLS process. I have been lurking on here for a few months now and have found everyone's posts so informative and helpful! I had a few questions regarding rate of weight loss and sagging skin for those people who have 100 pounds or less to loose. While I know everyone is different, I was hoping to hear people's real life experience. I am going to assume that when you hear of someone losing 40 plus pounds the first month, it's because they were several hundred pounds over weight to start. Obviously the more weight you have to loose, the quicker it will come off in the begining. Does this amount of significant weight loss happen for people with less weight to lose? What is typical? How bad is the saggy skin? I have had two pregnancies and already have stretch marks on my belly as a result of that. I have come to terms with the fact that I will likley have saggy belly skin. I'm curious about the rest of me though! I am 5' 7" and currently weigh 231 pounds (BMI is under 40 but I qualify because I have PCOS and insilin resistance.) I would like to set my goal weight between 140-150. I am almost done with the required classes at Kaiser and scheduling my sleeve surgery for early summer. Thanks in advance for sharing your experience!

Yeah, I have seen this time and time again. I must say it is harder to detect in ethnic women though. I look out for the lollypop head look or a lot of sagging skin on darker women.

Really trying to be good with my eating. Was good all day up until 30 mins ago and had 1 1/2 biscuit. I am trying to stay under 1200 calories as I need to loose 10% of my weight by August. I almost feel that i should just go to bed after I eat dinner so I am not tempted. Any pointers

Thanks everyone! I was banded in 2011 and in July 2013 all was great had the band under control and NO RESTRICTION it was light a light switch! My doctor and I did two fills ( cleaning it out Fluid was a little yellowish) did a EDG everything looked fine. Replaced port then went for a fill and there was that color of fluid again. Dec 18 we decided together to go in and see what's happening he was worries about the first stages of erosion of the band.... Nope it was an erosion of the tubing " the tube was crystalized" My surgeon is very professional and he didn't really have answers for me... He said there was one case he heard of that was in Vegas but didn't know why this happens! So he replaced everything including the new port he did weeks prior. My questions are what it my PH balance ? Did I do something wrong ? Was the tubing defective? Was it the acid into body ? The band was fine! Same material right! I just want to do good this time around and it seems the more you know the harder it is for me in my head. Appt today at 2 for my 3 week post op ( suppose to be 2 weeks but because of the holiday and my work schedule). I am going to ask for a slight fill he put 1/2 cc fill durning surgery swelling is down and OBVIOUSLY I can eat... I think when I ate the skin the fried part just made my belly hurt that's all! I have been so clean and good but couldn't resist now I know... Thanks again for the encouragement and listening I think that's all I needed plus a kick in the butt!

Interesting article today... here's the link: http://news.yahoo.com/weight-loss-surgery-may-help-menstruation-skin-hair-180405888.html

hello....I was banded on 17th march 2011...but im not loosing any weight now.... In fact I put on very easily. could anyone guide me about the daily requirement of Proteins? [ [/media]

Is anyone else shedding skin, first it was my face, now my feet and stomach and arms. I feel like I am growing a new skin. Am I a snake?

That's one I've never heard of before. Are you getting in enough water? How far post-op are you? If you're not getting in enough water, that could be causing you to peel. I know that I'm pouring lotion and oil on my skin these days, so maybe you need to ramp up the lotion to prevent the peeling?

I'm not sleeved yet, June 4th is my date. I'm hoping for a loss of no more than 10lbs a month because maybe my skin will catch up to my body. In the long run losing a little more slowly is better. My whole point of getting the sleeve is because I would get long stalls with my weight loss, get frustrated and then over eat and break my diet. Now, when I hit those same plateaus I won't be able to "pig out".

I got my third fill last week of 1cc, making a total of 6cc., which was way too tight. I went in to see the doctor for a slight unfill and he asked me to try to wait it out to see if when the swelling went down, if it might be better for me. It wasn't, so I went in for a 1/2 cc unfill. I did feel better, considering I wasn't able to eat anything at all at that point. But now it's been 4 days since that unfill and I am still having some trouble with eating and feeling comfortable. It takes me about an hour to eat a small meal, and sometimes I feel a little nausous when it is time to eat, and sometimes get a knot feeling in my chest after I drink or eat even just a little. This doesn't happen all the time, but most. I think maybe I need another very small unfill, but he didn't seem to want to do the last one. Wanting me to wait it out. I hadn't been loosing any weight at all before my last fill, so I think he wanted me to be a little tight. I mean, I can live with it the way it is now, but should it be this way? I want to be able to eat and feel full but right now, I am afraid to eat and when I do, it is extremely slow! Will the tightness wear off? Should I wait it out for awhile? Is this the normal tight (good) feeling? Or should I get a little more taken out?

If it's any consolation, you shouldn't be too hard on yourself. The band has limitations that people didn't know about the first few years it was out there. I read a few weeks ago where doctors are being urged to not even install the band into patients anymore because the long-term issues (weight re-gain, failure to loose, scarring, etc...) just are not worth it. The feds have sent subpoenas to Allergan about the lap band and expect them to testify about the low weight loss results and the complications. It was in the news back in May. If you are convinced that you'll regain, I think it's better for you to act proactively, especially with your co-morbid conditions. Why climb back up when you don't have to?

I am 30 days post op. Days 1 - 15, I lost 18 pounds. Then a stall. One day I gained two pounds. Then I lost that. Then I stayed the same for two weeks. This morning I weighed an I have lost a pound. I also started my period yesterday so that may have had an impact on my stall. I usually lose several pounds of bloat during my cycle so hopefully, my loss will now continue. I will say that all during my stall, I continued to shrink. My clothes kept getting more loose. If you have been sleeved, you will lose weight. I think it is just natural to see all the folks on here saying they lost 105 pounds in 4 months and you think, "I better start dropping some REAL weight or I will never get there". And you start doubting it will really work, etc. I think it is just best to live in your own process and be pleased with the small changes. I am off my CPAP, I am down a size, my skin has cleared up and I have not had a migraine in a month. And I am the size I was 9 years ago. 9 years worth of fat gone in 30 days is pretty darn exciting.

my doctor sent me home with a binder, a wide elastic band that I wrapped around my middle section which helped a lot the first few nights of sleeping, kind of kept abdomen skin from moving if I wanted to sleep on side. I'm sure you might be able to get one at a pharmacy or medical supply company. Also helped for the 85 mile trip home. good luck all trisha

Haven't seen this in awhile and it is just too fun, so I thought I would revive it!! What have you lost? Your weight loss = 1 lb/0.45 kg/0.07 Stone = a Guinea Pig 1.5 lbs/0.68 kg/0.11 stone = a dozen Krispy Kreme glazed donuts 2 lbs/0.9 kg/0.14 stone = a rack of baby back ribs 3 lbs/1.36 kg/0.21 stone = an average human brain 4 lbs/1.8 kg/0.29 stones = an ostrich egg 5 lbs/2.27 kg/0.36 stones = a Chihuahua 6 lbs/2.72 kg/0.43 stones = a human's skin 7.5 lbs/3.4 kg/0.54 stones = an average newborn 8 lbs/3.6 kg/0.57 stones = a human head 10 lbs/4.5 kg/0.71 stones= chemical additives an American consumes each year 11 lbs/5 kg/0.79 stones = an average housecat 12 lbs/5.4 kg/0.86 stones = a Bald Eagle 15 lbs/6.8 kg/1 stones = 10 dozen large eggs 16 lbs/7.3 kg/1.1 stones = a sperm whale's brain 20 lbs/9.1 kg/1.4 stones = an automobile tire 23 lbs/10.4 kg/1.6 stones = amount of pizza an average American eats in a year 24 lbs/10.9 kg/1.7 stones = a 3-gallon tub of super premium ice cream 30 lbs/13.6 kg/2.1 stones = amount of cheese an average American eats in a year 33 lbs/15 kg/2.4 stones = a cinder block 36 lbs/16 kg/2.6 stones = a mid-size microwave 40 lbs/18 kg/2.9 stones = a 5-gallon bottle of Water or an average human leg 44 lbs/20 kg/3.1 stones = an elephant's heart 50 lbs/23 kg/3.6 stones = a small bale of hay 55 lbs/25 kg/3.9 stones = a 5000 BTU air conditioner 60 lbs/27 kg/4.3 stones = an elephant's penis (yep, weights more than his heart!) 66 lbs/30 kg/4.7 stones = fats and oils an average American eats in a year 70 lbs/32 kg/5 stones = an Irish Setter 77 lbs/35 kg/5.5 stones = a gold brick 80 lbs/36 kg/5.7 stones = the World's Largest Ball of Tape 90 lbs/41 kg/6.4 stones = a newborn calf 100 lbs/45 kg/7.1 stones = a 2 month old horse 111 lbs/50 kg/7.9 stones = red meat an average American eats in a year 117 lbs/53 kg/8.3 stones = an average fashion model (and she's 5'11") 118 lbs/53.5 kg/8.4 stones = the complete Encyclopedia Britannica 120 lbs/54 kg/8.6 stones = amount of trash you throw away in a month 130 lbs/59 kg/9.3 stones = a newborn giraffe 138 lbs/63 kg/9.9 stones = potatoes an average American eats in a year 140 lbs/64 kg/10 stones = refined sugar an average American eats in a year 144 lbs/65 kg/10.3 stones = an average adult woman (and she's 5'4") 150 lbs/68 kg/11 stones = the complete Oxford English Dictionary 187 lbs/85 kg/13 stones = an average adult man 200 lbs/91 kg/14 stones = 2 Bloodhounds 235 lbs/107 kg/17 stones = Arnold Schwarzenegger 300 lbs/136 kg/21 stones = an average American football lineman 400 lbs/181 kg/27 stones = a Welsh pony

Methyl Sulfonyl Methane. A lot of people have been using it to tighten the sagging skin problem after WLS. Some people swear by it so I said why not Ill give it a shot! I started early to give it a jump start.

Feb Bandsters, Thank you for everyone who has shared here so far. I know some of us are feeling discouraged, stuck or unhappy in our results so far. However, remember, this journey is not about comparisons or who gets to their goal first. It's about you, your journey and how you are going to live your lifestyle. Wether you use the band as a tool, for restriction or fill it to the max, this journey is 100% about you. Stick with your NUT and Doc, follow the tips for WLS and even though we are going to struggle, we will all loose. If you haven't joined MFP to track your food or exercise motivation, please look me up at Fabricwife. I would love to help motivate and give support whenever possible. For Bandsters that have been loosing successfully... WAHHOOOO! It feels amazing to wake up a little bit lighter everyday. Cheers to all your hard work, planning and exercising that has gotten you there so far. I plan on posting my first 8 weeks post op today. Please share your journey with me! I would love to see us all succeed together. Cheers Everyone.

Hi!! I'm an Aug 9th sleever. I'm wondering about moisturizer. My skin is drier now. Any faves??

Libbe - Well done! I can totally relate to the loose skin issues. I have it hanging EVERYWHERE! Not a great look for bathing suit seasoh (or sleeveless dresses/tops for that matter) but oh well...it's better than the alternative - Been there, done that... I'm comfortably under my goal weight of 140 and would like 136 to be the bottom of the range I've given myself. (with 139 being the top number) The hardest part for me now is finding the optimum calories per day to maintain. BTW - I think a monthly thread is a great idea. Happy Mothers day to all

Hi everyone! Starting to lose motivation! Ive been sick on/off since just after Christmas. Its made my new job be put off as they are requiring me to have no symptoms for 48 hours before my start date. Ill go one day perfectly fine, the next feeling like death. Its been like that for almost a month. Ive done so many PCR tests in the last couple weeks and theyve all been negative for covid! Because with the increased covid cases here in Sydney i havent wanted to put my son or I at risk of getting it. My sons unvaccinated and although i am now boosted too, i have asthma and being so soon after surgery i wanted to minimise risk. Even put all the plans i had for school holidays off because of the rising cases. But then on Monday my son got his test back that hes positive for covid, he was really sick over the weekend. He caught it off his cousin who had been around one of her fathers family's kids who had covid and didnt let any of my family know about it until my niece tested positive and my sister let her husbands side know!!😡 Now im having symptoms again and going for yet another PCR tomorrow. Feeling like the new job will just find someone else at this point! Almost a month later from when i was supposed to start and i need no end to this. I cant even see my GP. Its just phone appointments and each time i have an appointment they just tell me to go for another PCR because its been a few days since the last one and i could have covid now. Its driving me nuts. I know this time i do a test its likely i will be positive because my son is and i cant exactly isolate him to one room but this whole experience the last month has really made me lost motivation. If im positive ill need to isolate for another 7 days from test result so potentially another 10+ days in isolation. Im now 8 weeks post op and wanted to be getting out and regularly exercising while the summer lasts but cant now because were in isolation! And because im a single mum this whole experience has been very isolating, because my family are also in isolation, i dont really have any friends to speak to either😣 Tips on keeping motivated? Any ideas for what i can do while stuck in isolation? All we seem to be doing is playing video/board games and cleaning, its getting boring! How to cope with isolation!

We can be the harshest person to ourselves. We get enough negative from those around at times and it we are not positive we may believe their lies. We get upset our letting our body and health get so bad. We lose weight then it's the loose skin and things we have to work out in or lives even emotionally. Try to keep this post in mind and speak positive everyday. Get going tell us great things about you. Sent from my LM-Q710(FGN) using BariatricPal mobile app

Congrats! Well done!! Do you have issues with extra skin?

I love Pilates for this. The arm/shoulder work has been doing great things to reshape my arms. I haven't had skin removal surgery, though, and my arms were not way way big. I do have some saggy skin on them, but it seems to be toning up a bit.

Just concentrate on being well. I was up and down after surgery too and I still have days where I feel like crap but not covid like symptoms just tired and run down and a bit of nausea. Oh no they let the dragon loose so to speak after 2 years of avoiding it