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Showing results for 'loose skin'.
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Weight Loss Surgery Option
catwoman7 replied to Jlady10's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
if you do lose 100 lbs, you'll likely have at least some excess skin. that is something so many pre-ops and early post-ops obsess about, and I did as well, but from where I now am five years out and over 200 lbs lighter, I can tell you that I have no idea why I wasted even one brain cell worrying about it. In the grand scheme of things, the loose skin is kind of a minor issue. And I think a lot of vets would agree with me. I'd take the loose skin any day of the week over being morbidly obese again, and plus, it's easy enough for most of us to hide. You'll likely be the only one who'll know it's there. And if it really bothers you, there's always plastic surgery P.S. this is me after losing 235 lbs (I've since gained a few back). I had a ton of excess skin here (have since had it removed) -
A few things I wasn't expecting 5 months out from surgery. 6. I would have to get smaller shoes. I was a size ten 1/2 in shoes and now 8.5. 5. Also always being cold, I wear thermals almost every day to work , but I live in a cold environment. I always wear a scarf. 4. Loosing hair was a bit traumatic for me, but it has stabilized 3. the amount of time I think of food has been transferred into new coping skills, like crafts with yarn and having fun science experiments with my kids. 2. the need for silence to be alone with my thoughts. 1. how anxious I get when buying new clothes. what are some surprise that you had?
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Hi Everyone! I'm New on here! I have struggled with my weight for years. I had my first baby in May of 2020. I lost 20lbs before having him and gained it all back and then some after giving up Breastfeeding. I am at my highest weight I've ever been at, I've been on WW for 3 years now and it hasn't helped.. I am considering weight loss surgery. I've been through some of the threads and so many people say they don't regret anything, It's nice to see for sure, i want to be healthy for my son, being able to do my hobbies again and overall be healthier. but I am concerned about the excess skin.. Right now I weigh 240lbs my goal weight is 130ish. I am 26 yrs old. Has anyone lost 110lbs and not had that much excess skin? Does anyone have before and after photos (before or without skin removal surgery). How long did it take you to recover after surgery? What were your restrictions (food, exercise?) One piece of advice I should have? Lot's of questions! Thank you in advance!!
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Hi Lori - you are on the home stretch! 8 pounds to go! Amazing! Are you finding any loose skin? Has it been pretty easy for you?
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yes you'll wake up. The mortality rate on RNY is 0.3% (it's even lower on sleeve - can't remember the stat on that one, though). So you have a 99.7% chance of pulling through just fine. And you will. These have become very routine and safe surgeries. People have died during tonsillectomies or having their wisdom teeth extracted. But how often does that happen? Hardly ever. And same with WLS. You've been thoroughly checked out physically - or will be by the time you go to surgery. If there were any red flags, they'd have cancelled or delayed the surgery. You will be fine. You will lose weight as long as you stick to the plan. It's when people stray and let bad habits creep back in that they run into trouble - either quit losing weight or start gaining it back. Just stay committed and you'll do fine. yes - if you lose 100 lbs, which looks like your goal, you will most likely have loose skin. I had a ton of it (I've since had it removed). But it was easy to hide in clothes - no one knew it was there but me (I've attached a picture of me BEFORE I had plastic surgery. Betcha can't see any loose skin. And no, it didn't look great - but it looked better than when I weighed almost 400 lbs! I think almost all of us who are a ways out would take the loose skin any day of the week over being morbidly obese again. ANY DAY!! In the grand scheme of things, the loose skin is actually pretty minor. In retrospect, I wonder why I wasted even one brain cell worrying about it. Major issues aren't very common. And most (maybe all?) are fixable. Most of us have little to no pain with these surgeries. A minority of people do have some pain, but not excruciating. They'll send you home with pain meds (I didn't even open mine, to be honest - I felt fine) - so if you're one of the unfortunate ones who has pain, just take the pain meds to keep on top of it. It'll last at most a few days. And here I am, at the time having lost 235 lbs (I've since gained back 20), and BEFORE I had my loose skin removed...
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PCOS/Endometriosis
Luna805 replied to Mo3orLess1116's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I was diagnosed with PCOS/Endometriosis before surgery. I’m only 2 months post op and have not yet noticed any relief as far as pain/symptoms go. I actually had a large cyst rupture 2 weeks ago. But, my Gynecologist is still optimistic that further weight loss might turn things around. His opinion is that it’s too early to determine if a weight change will help. But I did notice small positive results. First time in YEARS I didn’t break out in hormonal acne. My face always bloomed around that time of month and my skin is smooth and looks amazing. Ditching sugar, eating Whole Foods and limiting carbs to 20-30 a day I think is also helping. Sugar can make symptoms worse and I learned that on my own, nobody ever told me. I would of switched my diet years ago if I knew. Hopefully at my year mark I’ll be able to know if the surgery helped. -
1. You will wake up, believe It! own it! In fact, you may even ask did you have surgery yet because it will feel like you just your eyes! 2. You absolutely will lose weight, believe it! own it! * subtle disclaimer: Do not be surprised if you leave the hospital heavier than when you entered. This is not a failure of anything, it’s just your body retaining the fluids that were given to you. It’s an artificial inflation of your weight so IMHO don’t even bother thinking about it. 3. Loose skin be damned! Even it with it you’ll be smoking hot with a new slimmer silhouette plus renewed confidence (you can fix loose skin later if you even have any) 4. You are likely to have low possibility or no possibility of complications at all (if you look at statistics that are published) And if you have any complications great or small, please immediately contact your doctors ! don’t wait or ask the Internet. 5. Work with your team to make sure you have a pain management schedule put together before you even go into surgery. It’s possible to wake up feeling no pain. These fears are all completely normal, I had the same ones plus a few more, You can do it! Good Luck ❤️
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It’s so normal to have these fears! I was close to having WLS about 10 years ago, but cancelled due to fear. I’m now about a year and a half out, and only regret not doing it sooner. My recovery was a breeze. I took 3 weeks off work, but could have gone back after two. Pain was minimal, more fatigue than anything else. I carefully followed my team’s plan and have lost at a steady rate. I started at 286 and am now at my doctor’s goal of 155. Loose skin was definitely a thing, and I had plastic surgery to take care of that two weeks ago. Even if I hadn’t been able to have PS, I would take the loose skin over the 131 extra pounds any day! The process isn’t easy, but so very worth it. I can walk, run, hike, bike, and dance with my husband. I can walk in to any store and buy clothes that I love rather than trying to find something that fits me. I’m so glad I conquered my fear to do this, it is worth it in every way.
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I think I’ve been reading too many negative posts about WLS. And now I am having anxiety. I just need a little reassurance. FEARS: I won’t wake up after surgery I won’t lose weight I’ll have a lot of loose skin and look worse than I do now. I’ll have some type of major issue after surgery. I’ll be in excruciating pain. I know these fears are normal and I know most of this stuff isn’t true I would just like to hear some positive stories.
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I've had the opposite problem since the very beginning and have had to resort to laxatives on many occasions. I've essentially never had loose stools, but I do notice that they get much softer when I've eaten too many carbs.
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Thighs after weight loss
Arabesque replied to brwneyedgrl96's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Me too. I get a lot of compliments about my porcelain skin so I love it. My legs are slim - I have thigh gap whoo hoo - but I do have saggy skin on my upper inner thighs like a lot of others & a general squishyness. No shirty shorts for me either but I do wear city shorts or Bermuda style shirts - slim legs to a couple of inches above my knees. I do wear shorter shorts around the house but where no one can see. 😁 Now that is hard on the eyes. No surgery for me because the scars would be equally as bad as I don’t scar well. They look good like this but the loose skin is drooping underneath. 😆 The red blotches are from me crossing my legs lol. -
Thighs after weight loss
catwoman7 replied to brwneyedgrl96's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I was apple-shaped before surgery (and "rectangle-shaped" now), so my hips and thighs were never a huge problem - I carried most of my weight in my gut. But after losing over 200 lbs, I do have some loose skin there, but it's not awful. They're pretty thin so I look fine in pants (capris and long pants - even skintight leggings) - in fact, i have "thigh gap" for the first time in my life. But they don't look good enough to wear short shorts or mini-skirts. But at my age (60), those days are long gone, so it's not really an issue for me. -
Thighs after weight loss
WishMeSmaller replied to brwneyedgrl96's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Lolololol...if I had *it* I would for sure be wearing booty shorts, but alas, between the pale skin, varicose veins, and saggy inner thighs, I will do everyone a favor and take a hard pass 🤣🤣🤣 thanks for the compliment, @ms.sss! I can’t tell when I look at pics, and the weight loss is soooo slow lately. I want PS now, but know it will be better if I wait a minute. Body dysmorphia is really bad lately, and all I see is the flaws🙄🙄 -
Thighs after weight loss
ms.sss replied to brwneyedgrl96's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Bwah-hahahahhahahha 😆 Ha! I'll be 50 this year and *I* feel the need to wear super short shorts...I just can't, lolololololzzzz. But if these flappy inner thigh skin collections ever disappear, booty shorts here I come! P.S. @WishMeSmaller you have shrunk quite noticeably in the last month or so! Yay! Lookin' good! -
Thighs after weight loss
WishMeSmaller replied to brwneyedgrl96's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I am almost 7 months out and down over 100 pounds. I have exercised a lot since surgery, including lots of strength training. I have pockets of loose skin and underlying fat at the top of my inner thigh. I think my legs look pretty good overall, other than severe varicose veins I am working on addressing with a vascular surgeon now. I think I will be comfortable in shorts this summer, as long as they cover that saggy, inner, upper thigh, so probably 5” or more inseam shorts for me. I am also fairly tall and 47 years old, so I do not feel the need to wear super short shorts or skirts. And my skin is very pale, which is hard on the eyes 😂 I do plan to have plastics within the next year or so, and definitely want at least an extended TT, if not full lower body lift, which I know will help my inner and outer thighs. -
Thighs after weight loss
ms.sss replied to brwneyedgrl96's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I lost roughly 120 lbs. I took measurements, and the widest part of my right thigh measured at 29" two weeks before surgery. After the loss, they measure at 17". As a whole, my things look ok-ish (to ME), but the upper, inner part near the crotch was pretty saggy/flappy. I had a tummy tuck last year and the upper, FRONT part of my thighs smoothed out quite a bit, but the upper, INNER part is still pretty "un-firm"-looking. I don 't think any amount of exercise will rectify this. Only a thigh lift I think as its all basically skin and not fat. I don't hate them THAT much to warrant a thigh lift, but if I ever get a butt lift it will probably give it some help. P.S. I used to run almost every day (sometimes twice a day). Now, though, I run much less, BUT I either run, walk or hike every day. Better than nothing. P.P.S. regardless of the state of my thighs, I still wear short dresses/skirts, city shorts (but NOT fitted short-short shorts because they accentuate the flappiness of my inner thighs), and bikinis. So its all good. P.P.P.S. Im 2+ years out, 1.5+ years from plastics -
Thighs after weight loss
ChubRub replied to brwneyedgrl96's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
My inner thighs are quite saggy. The good news is they are also quite skinny! So I look great in tight jeans or leggings, but not so great in shorts or mini skirts. My plan is to start heavy weights (for both thighs and arms) once I'm cleared to do so, and see if I can fill the loose skin up with some muscle. I'm the meantime, I'll just keep my thighs covered and only show off my good parts! LOL!! -
Thighs after weight loss
BigSue replied to brwneyedgrl96's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Well, I don't think this is the answer you want, but my legs are in no shape for showing off. Now, I lost a lot more than 100 pounds (I'm 160 pounds down from my highest weight), but my thighs were the first place I started noticing loose skin. The skin sort of hangs down like a loose pair of pants. My knees look pretty bad because there's sort of a crease where the loose skin hangs down over the top of the knee. Only long skirts for me, I'm afraid. -
How faded are your surgery scars?
catwoman7 replied to 2Bsmaller18's topic in Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
arms supposedly scar worse than a lot of other areas. I'm not sure why - I think the skin is thinner there, and also, it's next to impossible to not use your arms for weeks on end after a brachioplasty. You sometimes end up tugging on some of the incisions when you inadvertently reach to get something. Anyway, my arms scars have faded a lot (I'm almost two years out from my brachioplasty), but then, I can barely see my breast lift scars and my LBL scars - so my arms are definitely "worse", even though they're not that bad (plus no one can see them anyway unless I have my arms up in the air...) -
How faded are your surgery scars?
ms.sss replied to 2Bsmaller18's topic in Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
I am probably the worst scar healer on earth, (or at least in the top 10) lol. I had mine done a year ago also (TT, Breast Lift, Arm Lift), and the majority of it is still very dark and some raised. I did have 2 rounds of steroid injections the past couple months as well on various places and I have to say it has made a HUGE noticeable difference. But they are still probably still worse than most other people who are way further out than me. I was prepared for this as I have a long history of hyperthrophic scarring. The eventually fade, but I know it will take years for me. Tummy tuck: Darkest at the edges, less dark above my pubic area. They were pretty raised at the ends, but since the steroids, they are almost flat. There are a couple small 1/2 long sections along the middle that only have thin white line. Belly Button: dark, flat thin line...from far away it looks like I have a dirty belly button, hahahaha. Breast Lift: Again, darkest at the ends close to my sides, as well as the t-junction at the bottom of each breast. The ends were raised, but not anymore since the steroids, but the t-junctions are still raised (I plan on getting another round for these guys in a couple months). The scars around my nipples are both thin skin-coloured lines (just a little lighter, but not white). Arm Lift. Ugh. These are the worst of them all. They are dark, wide, and before the steroids super raised (think bungee cord). They have lighted up dramatically since the steroids (all of the areas treated have), but still dark compared to "normal" healers. At least they are flat now! For some reason though, the scars in my both my armpits are invisible. These areas were the fastest to heal and disappear (I wonder if it was because of the "moisture" in that area...lol). But even with all my scars, I'd do it all again in a heartbeat. I know they will fade eventually. The tummy and breast scars are hidden even in my tiniest bikini, but yeah, my arm scars are in full view when I lift my arms to go "Whooooo!" hahahaha. When they are down, you can't see a thing...except for one small section on my right arm from the back, even when my arms are down. But no biggie. P.S. On a related note, I also had 2 sections of my scar "cord" cut as it was affecting the mobility of my right arm. I'm all good now. P.P.S. Sorry this was so long. -
I had my arms and a fleur de lis TT revision about a year ago. The scars on my stomach are fading to a light pink and some spots are almost skin color. My arm scars are still a very dark pink and are wider than the scar on my stomach. I know with time they will fade more but does anyone else have some areas that faded much faster than others? The plastic surgeon did a steroid injection a few weeks ago to an area on my belly because it was raised. It's been 6 weeks and it has helped so I am thinking if I should have more areas on my arms injected. I know we are not supposed to have any steroids after WLS but the plastic surgeon said the dose is less than 1% of what an oral steroid would be. Still, my skin gets really thin from steriod injections so I don't want to do an injection if not necessary. Old scars I have are all faded but they are 10-20 years old so I don't know if my arms will eventually fade as well or if I will be stuck with pink scars long term. Any thoughts or opinions?
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What I wish I knew - Post- Op January 2021- Tips and Tricks
Sunshine0331 posted a topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Some helpful hints. You will be INCREDIBLY thirsty/ dehydrated post - surgery. Bring Biotene toothpaste and mouth wash. Swish as much water as you can as soon as you can reach a sink. You may not be able to swallow fluids just yet. And your mouth will THANK you! You can get at Amazon/ Walmart/ Target. BariWise chicken Bouillon- lifesaver - Amazon. Clear Liquid- it tastes good and has 15g of protein. Amazon - Amazing. ****PILL GRINDER (not cutter) - looks like pepper grinder to actually GRIND your pills so much easier to swallow! - Amazon. Ask the hospital for the 30 cc cups - they’re 1 ounces and you can pour your protein shake and liquid clears to keep measurements . **** DO NOT be afraid to ask for pain medication (this was a mistake I made). I acted tough. Ask ask ask for nausea meds - lifesaver. No vomiting. Women - plan on wearing a sports bra that doesn’t touch your top incision and cotton underwear that does not touch your bottom incision. Wear a loose cotton dress to go home in and for recovery. Amazon has a lot of different ones (with pockets). You can lounge in them. Walk around the neighborhood and go out with nice sandals/slip on shoes or flip flops. Amazon also has long roomy comfy sleep shirts - great for lounging and letting your incisions breathe. BariWise hot chocolate- 15grams of protein and considered a clear. Add sugar free syrup ( can get a bottle at Home goods for under $5) for a treat. Cinnamon sticks and peppermint tea help with nausea. Throw a cinnamon stick in your decaf hot tea of choice (or hot chocolate). Take a small walk when comfortable even if it’s just around the house when you are waiting the 30 minutes before or after your protein. If you have a gentle dig - take them for a walk (although the first few days I couldn’t because of the bending to pick up poop). My neighbor offered to walk the dog for a few days. Enlist help - people like to help. I was sent home with liquid pain med - keep on schedule and Prilosec capsules. I was instructed to open up. Toss the beads back and follow with chaser - amazing - helped with stomach pain. Also sent home with anti- nausea under tongue melts - AMAZING. If you have headaches/ menstrual cramps - I recommend Hylands brand / melts under tongue (Amazon). Hope this helps! Wish me a great recovery! Best, Christina -
Study re: benefits of PS after WLS
kristieshannon replied to kristieshannon's topic in Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
I agree, it’s probably a multitude of factors. My insurance paid for my VSG in full, so my financial skin in that game was nothing (although I wouldn’t discount the emotional cost and hard work along the way). However, saving up and then handing over thousands of my hard earned dollars will be a strong motivator to keep on track. And you’re right, my husband and I are fortunate enough to purchase high quality meats & produce, and can afford my kickboxing gym membership so those things help as well. Physiologically, I can also see where the reduction of quantity of fat cells could have effect, plus the additional tightening effect of the muscle repair I had in my abdomen makes my restriction even more pronounced. -
February 2021 Sleeve Surgery
ashd13 replied to LifelongJourney's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
Anyone the 19th? Just had my pre-op blood work and EKG yesterday. I have my appointment with my doctor next Wednesday and then start the diet on Friday. Things are starting to get real. Anyone who has already had the surgery ever have any other surgery and if so can you compare discomfort? I’ve been put under countless times and cut open quite a few times. But nothing like this is my fear. I did have excess skin removal surgery after my lapband before I had it removed so I wonder if it compares to that? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! I’m nervous. -
February 2021 Sleeve Surgery
softbalmom replied to LifelongJourney's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
I had an EKG that showed and abnormal result, they sent me for a cardiac echo and everything was fine. The tech told me a lot of people who have and abnormal EKG it is because of loose leads. hope things work out well Good Luck.
