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I haven't had the band yet but I'm terrified of loose skin for one. For two I've been a little freaked out about not being able to eat pasta for a very long time.. anything Italian is like my favorite foods ever...I eat it almost every single day and its what made me fat I'm sure... of course the insurance denying me is another thing I'm afraid of...but I'm sure that won't happen since I have multiple things wrong with me because of my weight, including an APAP machine for sleep apnea.

I also had a couple lumps in my two largest incisions where the skin simply didn't lay flat. But I'm nearly six months out and it's smooth again.

Hi :wave: I am new to this site and thought I would introduce myself and tell my story, I hope you don't mind? A bit of background I had an appointment about 2 years ago at the obesity clinic where the thought of surgery scared me half to death, and since the only thing that they were offering at the time was either Reductil (When it was still on the market) or Orlistat (Neither one worked for me) I decided that I would try and loose weight myself......Again..... with no luck :thumbup: . Now I decided this year that since I was still the same (Probably a bit more in fact) that I would actually go for the surgery I went back to my GP who referred me and to the obesity clinic again and when I finally got my appointment asked to have surgery. Recently I originally wanted the band, but have decided to have the Sleeve instead, due to myself having pcos, I think that will be the better option for me. I know that I have been referred to Dr Ameet Patel at Kings Hospital in South London as I just received a copy of my referral letter to Dr Patel and I even found the number on-line of his secretary to find out if it has been received! She said it has and I asked her if there was anyway to speed up the process...... she told me no! Now I already sort of knew what the answer would be but I still had a glimmer of hope that maybe I could just be given the test and put on the list for surgery instead of going to this group thing.... I had so many emotions all at the same time, I felt like I could have broken down on the phone. :huh0: :ohmy: :glare: :cursing: :sad0: :crying::svengo: Questions Anywho, I just wondered if anyone else has been funded by the NHS in the London area (Even better at Kings with Mr Patel) and if so how long was the whole process? And also if anyone knows a way that I can speed up the process? Please excuse my impatience but I have been through so much with my weight (Probably like everyone else on here) that I just want it out of the way and if it is going to be the centre of attention, I want it to be positive. I look forward to hearing your experiences Thanks in advance P

Totally get the "Mom" thing... sorry that your holiday was effected by stress. My mom has not mentioned a thing about my weight as well ( she did when I was fat though) I use this as inspiration to loose MORE!!! You have done a fabulous job!!! Be proud of yourself!!! My GOD 84lbs is a HUGE deal and you are certainly getting praise from me!!! You are an inspiration to all of us that read your blog!!! Happy Anniversary!

Banded 9/4, first fill was on last Thursday, 4cc. I don't feel any different since the fill, but I always take small bites and eat slow:-) Went to a wedding last night, I was nervous about what they were going to serve to eat. I had chicken, green beans and mashed red skin potatoes! No problems with any of the food, thank goodness. I did have my first cocktails since being banded and I can drink just like I did pre-band:-) I only drink on occasion, had water with black cherry mio and whipped vodka, yummy! Low calorie, non carbonated:-) danced the night away (cardio) and had a blast! Now I know I can survive a get together just fine with my new band:-)

It depends on whether you plan to pay for it yourself or through insurance. Most insurance companies want at least 2 years of documented maintenance. It can be done earlier if you can document problems due to excess skin. (rash, infection, etc...). If you plan to use insurance, thoroughly check your policy before you do anything.

I know my reply is late and you most likely had surgery but this doctor isn't mine....I hope you are happy with your progress. I have been dropping weight but I've gone through a deep depression over the situation and stopped loosing for several months, I drop and gain the same 5 lbs. I'm sure people will say get over it but you don't know what someone has been thru until you've Wales in their shoes. Now I have an issue finding a new dr to do my follow-ups with. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

1. How much weight do you want to loose? 2. Are you doing this to be skinny? 3. What is your favorite food you can't eat anymore? 4. Are you allowed to eat anything good? (Seriously, of course, all in moderation.) 5. Why would you do this to your body? (Why would I stay fat? Which is more damaging you moron, both have risks, this option was actually considerably less.) 6. Won't you just gain the weight back? (Sure if I go back to old habits or carb load, but with the SUPPORT of friends I will be fine!) 7. Did you try diet and exercise first? (DUH? Of course, you have to.) 8. Are you ever going to be able to eat real food again? (Nope, just mushy cat food the rest of my life. Do you really think I would have done this if I could never eat REAL food again?) Feel free to add your questions that have annoyed you! LOL:eek:

Hey Chris, Whatcha doing? Nope, they took both kidneys, thinking they were her breats. LOL Where do these crazy people come from. How are you doing my fellow Julyer, I don't think thats a word. From the looks of things my friend you are doing excellent. What is it with you guys, just loose, loose, loose and leave us ladies behind. You need to slow down and wait for me. I'll be there in a year or so. How much fill do you have.

I got in almost 300 calories today. I wanted the procedure to put a screaching halt to the diabetes that were impending, to the arthritis, degeneration of my joints, fatty liver, metabolic syndrome,...etc. I'm not nearly in as much pain, and spent the morning into early afternoon on only Tylenol so that I could drive my daughter to the store and she could go in and get stuff the twins need. I did ok. I'm still tired, though managed to get a knap, and I took the binder off while I slept and let air get to my belly...seemed to help. I'm tired, tonight from the commotion of going to the store...there were some glitches. I wish some of my favorite tv shows were on to kill some of the time. I'd also like to upload resumes and letters of reference into education websites to look for a job...but to heck with that! I can sit here, but if I start moving around, my belly gets giggled and could be bumped off the edge of the desk...and my arms push on the belly, which makes me have more pain. I'll just wait to look for a job. It's not like my info isn't out there. I'll stick to walking and resting. I also lost 3 lbs. more today. My daughter says my backside looks a lot smaller. I can see my knuckles and veins again, and we put the anti-embolism stockings back on--the right way. I do wish I could eat regular food...even just a little...but there is no way in hell I'm going to risk another surgery...NO WAY! I'm still black and blue from the attempts at iv's, and my stretch marks are still red from being blown up so much during the procedure, and from the binder. I put thick medical pads between the slices and red parts of my skin and the binder, and that helped. The nurse was no help on Monday after I got home, and now that I'm moving around and my little girl nursed me to this point...the nurse wants to come back. I don't think so! What I needed was help going to the bathroom, getting meds, getting up and down out of the chairs, getting a shower....I can take my own blood pressure, and don't see how nurses can make $163 an hour (or how services can charge that) just to take my bp and look at my booboos. The nurse wouldn't even get my meds for me. It's a bunch of crap. I told her not to bother coming back here tomorrow--at the crack of dawn, no less!...and told her that what I needed was not fought for...no waivers were requested from insurance...and she informed me that she told the insurance company that my drain incision was "not deep!" They would have covered more if she said it was! How could it not be deep when it went directly to my stomach! She's a flake, and was from before she walked in here. I don't want her back, anyway. My brothers who have come around this summer...never bothered to see if I was ok, or needed help, even though one of them promised to help me...he was simply silent. Now he claims he couldn't call me these last 7 days because he was in the hospital over night for a faint. What happened to the other 6 days? Aren't there phones everywhere?...like his wife's phones checked on me is my pal, Diane, who voluteers with us at a local museum. She's bringing us soup on Sunday. My mother who lives a short way from me, but who never has an interest in us, was not at all interested in anything I wanted or needed....she is so selfish, and the three of them disgust me. I am amazed how you find out who your friends are when you really need something. My daughter is going to get paid $20 for her hard work helping me at home between cyber school classes and days. My son has a chest cold, and has been very faithful in wearing his face mask and staying in his room...so since that is his part, I will pay him as well...less, though, because he hasn't done the care that my daughter has for me...then again...not being infected with a serious lung infection, cough, cold, flu...is probably worth $20 for helping mom in her tough time of need. He's a good boy. I'm worried about the chores and things I have to do, and that I am not going to be able to do them for a while...oh well...of bigger concern is the air conditioners are still in the windows and I have to figure out what to do with them for the cold times until I can get them out of the windows...honestly, that is a HUGE feat for me to put them in, let alone take them out, because of my arthritis and things. I'm going ot have to research how to weatherize and leave them in the windows...and maybe find a strong man to take them upstairs ac's out of the windows for me. We'll see. I'm thankful I have a house to be in, a chair to sit in, the comforts of a home...not a rich home, but a pleasant and secure one. I hope I always have a home for the rest of my life,a nd that we are ok....and that means that sometime soon, I have to find a job. Hiccups, and gas are an issue, still, pulling pain in the stomach is a bit of an issue, and the headache seems to have dissipated. I keep the fans on, and my slippers on, and prop my arms on the recliner arms with extra pillows. I am looking forward to my post-op visit, as well as writing some letters about some of the lack of care I have received.

"Snap out of it!" (in my Cher voice). You're doing great! Remember slower or slow weight loss helps mitigate loose skin. Just that fact would have me smiling instead of frowning. You've got this!

I would think because you have 7cc's now he should only add about .5cc's because if he adds a full cc you wont be able to keep any food down at all.. but if you try it then that should start you back at loosing weight. I Will be honest with you. I should be about 9cc's and the last time i got a fill was in march or either early april lol.. but he only put 1/2cc and i could only eat 1/4 cup of food poss. 2x's a day if that much i wasent hungry at all but thats not a good thing... i have loosened up since and feel great but if he fills you and you are too full let him know....

Congratulations i am now under 300 too i am 268lbs. I have lost a total of 180 lbs.It is my skin i need to get rid of now. And another 50 lbs to go

It is true about age and your starting weight and how much you lose. My arms are my worst enemy right now! I hate them! Ive had stretch marks all my life but there are more since ive had surgery. My stomach has a microbit of excess skin but that's from my baby pouch I believe. But my main problem now is flabbiness...ick

If you exercise you go back to regular shape with some extra skin, at least that is what I did.

My advice is to not weigh yourself because you're stressing yourself out. I know it's hard and you want to know how you're doing, but it's discouraging to see it coming off so slowly. Tomorrow will be my six week surgiversary and I've lost 30 pounds since my surgery. That's amazing to me even if other people had bigger losses in their first six weeks. We are all different and our bodies work different. I was told month two and three (and for some people month one) are slow months that people seem to hit a wall that they struggle to get past. So when I do weigh myself and don't see huge results I try to be positive that at least I'm seeing some weight loss, even if it's small amounts. On average I was losing 7-8 pounds a month before my surgery and now I loose that in half the time. So that's a good thing and proves that the surgery IS a success. You've lost 8 pounds in 13 days and that's great! Be proud of yourself and don't stress about it! More weight will come off, it just takes time and effort.

Yes, I heard you have to make sure you have documentation of your doctor having to treat recurrent infections in skin folds.

Surgery went very well said the doctor. They whole procedure took 45 minutes. Waking up from anesthetic took about two hours. Then the nurses came in and help me get up and walk. I felt no pain, just some discomfort. My belly felt numb and tide. The hospital staff was vary attentive. They came around and checked on me every few hours and gave me medication for Nausea, antibiotics and pain meds like clock work every 6Hours. I went home two days after. At home things where easier. I got my meds and my proteins which at first was with just water (nasty) then two days later half water half milk (better) then with just milk (great) until now that i cant stand it anymore. I was drinking it on the pre-op diet. Now its just nasty. Thank god i could drink diet juices, gelatin and drained sups. I do feel nausea when I drink to much of Anything. I only vomited once, so I think that's great. About going number 2, at the beginning I had no issues. Now, I haven't been about a week 1/2. Which is normal because am not really eating any solids. I feel great right now. I've been walking everyday. I've been grocery shopping, I went and spend the weekend in my home town that first weekend after my surgery (3 days after). I've been site seeing. Its been awesome, my diet has evolved now that am entering week 3, I can enjoy some yogurt, eggs and some cheese. so far I've lost 30lbs total. Initial wait 268. Surgery Date Oct 27th 256lbs, Nov 3rd 244lbs and Today Nov 11th 238lbs. THAT IS A LOT. Maybe because of my age, or the amount of weight i have to loose. But i just can not believe it. And Wow its amazing how ease it is after the surgery. Don't get me wrong I still crave all kinds of foods. But I feel full. Now i know i can't cheat. And am soo grateful for that. I am very lucky that i haven't experience any complications yet. Once i get to the states I'll be posting some pictures. I hope this can be helpful for those considering the sleeve. My Name is Lesli and I've been Sleeved. Lesli E. Surgery Date: Oct. 27th 2010 Surgeon: Luis A. Betances Surgery Location: Dominican Republic

Mine are shrinking as we speak. The skin doesn't shirink but what is in it does. I am 21 years old and I have saggy boobs. Oh well. I don't care. I will get them fixed after I have kids on day.

Super oily skin. Ewww. It's not bad enough I got some bronchitis thing the night before so no one knew I was sick till after the surgery. Coughing and any abdominal surgery is very much living poo, but, my skin and hair also need to become so oily that I feel all slimy. Ugh. I mean I'll live but, ewe

1. VSG on 1/17/13 (273lb highest weight). Close to goal in about 7 mo but worked on that pesky 20 lb for another 6 mo. Plastics on 7/22/14 at 165lb (in 5'10"), so I was at goal for maybe 6 mo. I think it's more important to wait for a year when you're young and your skin has more elasticity and will continue to tighten. Mine was never going to tighten at 48 yrs old. Part of the reason to have plastics is to keep the weight off long term by being more satisfied with your body image and I wanted it done asap. 2. I had everything done at once. Arms, breast lift/augmentation, lower body lift, and 2 days later a lower face lift (neck lift). I went to Mexico for plastics for a lot of reasons, but one big one was that they do surgery using twilight sedation and epidural. I woke after surgery feeling awesome! Felt like I'd had the best sleep of my life. Hardly any pain. If it weren't for a compression garment that irritated the nerves in my elbow I would not have had to take any painkillers. Very lucky! If I had to do it over again, the only thing I might change would be to do the LBL in two surgeries and only because I think doing it in one puts more stress on the back incision (because you have to walk hunched over because of the tummy tuck) and you end up with a wider scar. 3. I did not lose any weight from plastics. The total weight of skin removed was around 6 pounds, but I had some of it put back in with a butt flap augmentation. Swelling for the first 3-6 months more than makes up for weight lost. Lots of lymph pathways are destroyed, so you are in swell hell until they re-generate.

I know another problem i have had are coldish foods. If your sandwich, bread / mayo / meat, is made of cold foods, this may cause slow/stuck feelings. Also, bread is one of the top foods that give us problems, unless it is toasted. Usually breads or pasta types foods will swell up in our pouch or along the way, that's why doctors usually tell us to toast our bread first. Hope this helps, btw it gets better. Usually what happens between fills is this: 1st week, whatever your doctor puts you on, mine puts me on 1 week liquid again 2nd,3rd,4th --> normal eating, feeling good restriction 5th week --> starting to notice i can eat more. 6th week --> time for another fill, because i can eat a bit more than the beginning of the fill. This is why it takes a few fills to hit that 'sweet spot", i've been told it's because there is fat between our band and our stomach, so when we lose more weight / fat between the band/stomach, it gets loose again, so that's why we get fills until we've burned enough of that fat to be comfortable with where our band is. Mine took 4 fills to reach. Good Luck! :scared2:

After truly a lifetime of trying to lose weight I am finally so close to my goal weight. I have been fat my whole life, being over 300 pounds at my heaviest. I am now 51 years old and finally I am in a normal weight range. I am trying to decide what to make my actual goal weight and also what to do in terms of all of this massive skin. This is the first time I am really thinking about skin removal surgery so I'm sorry if these questions have been covered previously but there are just so, so many posts. I am hoping that some of you can give me your experiences and opinions. 1. How long were you at your goal weight before you had skin removal surgery? 2. Is there a suggested order for removal? I have to have everything done. Is it better to do a full body lift first and then breasts, arms, thighs ..... does it matter which order each section is done in? 3. I guess this is more of a personal preference or personal experience question but I will ask it anyway. I am about 140 pounds lower than my highest weight. I am struggling with the last 20 pounds, to lose them. It is difficult for me to estimate how much the actual skin weighs. For those of you that had the skin removal, did you think it was essential to get down to absolute goal weight or did you have the skin removal done at a weight you were just comfortable with? How much did you actually lose with having skin removal over your whole body? I know this is probably a strange question and maybe I am being impulsive and impatient. I really want all of this skin off but struggling with that last 20 pounds. It just sounds crazy actually now writing this so maybe I need to just persevere and get that last 20 pounds off! I will do more reading on these boards to find experiences of people with massive skin removal. But thank you for listening.

It's not much of a revision. The sleeve was first done as a pre surgery for the super obese to loose enough weight to get the RNY safely. Just picture the anatomy of an RNY with part of the stomach already removed.