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Ok ladies, I'm almost to goal. The boobs are sad and saggy. What recommendations, other than surgery, do you suggest. I've tried a few that are more sports bra like, but I don't like the band that comes around the upper abdominal area. It bunches and is uncomfortable. I need something that will lift and round them out. I went to Dillard's 3ish months ago, and they sized me at a 36DDD (US size), I was dumbfounded because all that's left is skin and glands (there is literally nothing left). The 36 band is too big now, and it's hard to find anything in a 34 DDD/DD that is comfortable or carried in store. I would love to eventually get my breast done, but until then, how can I make them look normal under clothes. My husband, bless him, is so supportive of my sad, saggy breasts. Thanks!

I like the thought of eating porridge better than actually eating it. I am always disappointed when I retry it. It just sits like a heavy alien in my stomach all day. I think this would be very useful if I need to loose some weight again. Two small bowls of it and I would be ok all day. I have never been a potato person. I much preferred rice, noodles or pasta. To me potatoes need lots of butter to make them edible, luckily that would make me get the foamies.

I’ll start with your water issue. Our bodies need water/fluids. Keeps our blood flowing & therefore blood pressure lower, aids flushing toxins out of our bodies, aids brain function, reduce headaches, boosts energy levels, flushes bacteria out of our bladders & therefore reduces chance of infection, benefits your skin (dryness & wrinkling), eases constipation, etc. All because you didn’t drink that much fluid before doesn’t mean you weren’t doing the best for your body. In time your body gets used to the amount of fluid you are consuming & you won’t pee quite as often but again peeing is important. Remember feeling thirsty is a danger signal that you are in great need for fluids. You can add herbs & spices to your cooking to help boost flavour if you find that lacking. The period you are losing weight is an opportunity to try different foods, cooking styles, new recipes, etc. & to get used to eating foods that are not high in fats, sugars & salts, synthetic additives & generally eating more cleanly. You could try making your own sauces too so you control the ingredients. It can be helpful to remember the way you ate before did you no favours & lead t you choosing the surgery. Being on your current diet doesn’t mean you can’t go out or socialise with family & friends. It’s about making the best choices you can with options available. It’s not something you do every day but if once in a while you aren’t able to eat 100% of what you should is okay. I went to a Chinese restaurant with my mum & old family friends at around 4 months. I chose chicken & cashews & picked at the chicken & vegetables to my appropriate portion draining off what sauce I could. While everyone was sharing all the dishes I stuck to just mine. I took the leftovers home & we ate it the next day or two. I went to restaurants (casual & fine dining), birthday parties, reunions, general social gatherings,… all while I was losing. If I had to contribute food, I made something I could eat. For example at the reunion I made a zucchini bake. All cause you can’t eat something like Christmas cookies, doesn’t mean you can’t still make & share them with your family. You don’t have to eat them. This will be something that happens after your weight loss too when you work out how you will eat to maintain. I don’t eat cakes, biscuits, sweets, desserts yet today I made banana bread with my nieces & nephew. We had lots of fun & they all ate some & took the rest home. I didn’t care I didn’t eat any & neither did they (more for them 😁). Socialising isn’t only about eating & drinking. It’s really about spending time with people you love & care about. You don’t have to give up on your life.

I eat porridge a bit, especially now I'm in maintenance. Potatoes almost never but if I have to, then skin ON. They were an absolute staple before surgery (I'm Irish) but I approach them with real caution now. White carby things (bread, rice, pasta, potatoes) don't contain enough goodness to tempt me any more. If I do eat them it's wholegrain/brown/skin on versions and in small portions after I've had something properly nutritious. *Obviously other than during the holiday season when I loosen up a bit without guilt*

You look amazing! I'm considering going to Mexico for a one-and-done type surgery trip when it's time for my skin to go. The cheaper price sounds nice but honestly, I think it's the in-depth aftercare that's selling me on going there. Everyone I've seen who has traveled for plastics has had a similar care experience so far, and that alone seems worth it.

You are not going to fail! You are so strong!!! You have alreay made leaps and bounds toward a better you. Dont worry about one fry. Did it taste good? Has your taste changed since your surgery? I am a huge pasta and pastry lover. To make matters worse, I made a human just like me and have married and man who can eat all day and night with no weight gain. Since I was loosing so well on my own, I wanted to schedule a Spaghetti night prior to surgery but felt guilty even thinking about it. I was going to my last nutrition appointment and told my nutritionist about my plans. She said so it! If we deprive ourselves, we will only want it more and then end up over doing. That night, I came home cooked a huge pot of sauce and boiled the noodles. I did walk that day to make myself feel better and that night settled in for my last big bowl of pasta. The anticipation was far better. It did not taste as good as I remembered and did not provide the comfort I had anticipated. I felt like I had cheated myself but at the same time, glad I got it out of my system. Surgery is tomorrow and I am down 55 lbs since I started. Morale of the story - you are human! Eat in moderation, exercise daily, and enjoy the ride! Don't have off limit food! But when you do have the not healthy kind, think about the taste, texture, and how you felt before, while, and after. Best wishes to you.

You need to call your team. The dietician will give you some really great guidelines and hints if you are loosing too slow. As we do not know your weight and height we can not really say..

I think many of us have our own places where we self-sabotage. For me, going into this surgery, I knew consistency was going to be a challenge because I have ADHD and my brain really struggles with routine, even though routine helps my life flow better... The biggest thing I've done to help myself is to not allow things into the house that I'm not supposed to be eating. I put them all in a basket and put them in my partner's office. Out of sight, out of mind. LOL To support me, they keep the snacking in their office, thank the gods. The other thing I did was educate myself on what will happen to my body if I consistently fail my protein, vitamin, and hydration goals. Some other surgeries can get around this, but DS patients cannot. It is a very unyielding surgery. When I was younger I had a friend who had an old school bypass and was non-compliant with the dietary advice and vitamins. She'd sit there and chat while eating M&Ms, breathe through the dumping symptoms, and keep on eating them. Her hair was falling out and brittle, her skin was dry, she'd get heart palpitations with the slightest bit of exertion because her calcium was off. I can't even imagine what was happening to the strength of her bones... I don't say this to scare you, I say this to illustrate what can happen long term when we can't get our habits under control. I know for her, she just had the surgery. She had no aftercare. No psych care. No mindfulness coach. No dietician. No one supporting her through these difficult changes and helping her understand what was happening to her body when she was making less than stellar choices. Every time I'm tempted to ignore my vitamins or skip a meal I think of her and march my ass to the fridge and eat some cheese. 😂 You have a good list of things to help course correct. I've seen you post before, I know you are trying. Where is your support system to help you achieve your goals? If you have no one local, where and how can you cultivate them? I find when it is hard for me to act in my best interest, that's the time when I most need my support system to kick in and give me a helping hand...or a kick in the ass. Instead of focusing on what you need to NOT do, how can you frame those things as a list of supportive things you can add to counter those behaviors? It is so easy with our dieting history to get into a restrictive mindset, but I've been working with a mindfulness coach who has been encouraging me to be additive instead of subtractive and that helps a lot with the mind game that surgery is! So instead of fussing at myself for missing my 3rd snack of the day, I've instead added a morning protein cocoa made with Fairlife milk, Genepro protein, collagen, and a hot cocoa mix. It packs almost 30 grams of protein in one go and soothes my queasy early morning tummy. Plus by front loading it in my day, I increase the chance of having time for that post dinner snack! And yes, dehydration and lack of protein will make you snack and feel hungry... Try a snack/meal with protein and fat.

Just be careful what you put in them a make sure the are liquified good. Here are a couple I am going to make first. He one with Apple I am going to cook my Apple first to make it soft and take off the skin. The strawberries I am not sure about the seeds. So I might strain it just to make sure there isn’t any chucks. The letter in the color circle shows what stage these are for and F is full liquid.

thank you for the facebook recommendation! i’m part of a weight loss support group through my hospital but they’re all in a significantly different age bracket than me so i’m always looking for groups with similar current life experiences to mine! good luck on your surgery next month! ill be keeping you in my thoughts and prayers. 🥰 i was a tiny bit worried that one year was too soon but i was so ready to do it now. surgery is complete! i requested to have an arm list at the last moment and they said if i’m still in a good state at the end of everything else then yes. THEY DID IT! it took about seven hours cuz i had tons of skin. they removed about five pounds from my back, ten pounds from my tummy, and six pounds from my arms! i feel great right now, but i’m sure that’s the pain meds talking lol. the cost was approximately $19,000 and that’s for tummy tuck with fleur-de-lis, lower body lift, 360 liposuction, BBL, breast lift and reduction and small implants, and arm lift. the price also includes pickup and drop off from san diego airport, a day exploring tijuana pre-op, lodging in the w hospital the day before and day after surgery, and then five days in their recovery home where i’ll have prepared meals and 24 hour access to a care team, medicine, and doctors. very much worth the price! and i went to multiple plastic surgeons in my area in the us and they were all $60k+ and i would go home day of! o.O i paid 1/3 of the price with significantly more care!

thank youuuu! i crack up laughing at the monkeys too! xD surgery is complete! i requested to have an arm list at the last moment and they said if i’m still in a good state at the end of everything else then yes. THEY DID IT! it took about seven hours cuz i had tons of skin. they removed about five pounds from my back, ten pounds from my tummy, and six pounds from my arms! i feel great right now, but i’m sure that’s the pain meds talking lol. the cost was approximately $19,000 and that’s for tummy tuck with fleur-de-lis, lower body lift, 360 liposuction, BBL, breast lift and reduction and small implants, and arm lift. the price also includes pickup and drop off from san diego airport, a day exploring tijuana pre-op, lodging in the w hospital the day before and day after surgery, and then five days in their recovery home where i’ll have prepared meals and 24 hour access to a care team, medicine, and doctors. very much worth the price! and i went to multiple plastic surgeons in my area in the us and they were all $60k+ and i would go home day of! o.O i paid 1/3 of the price with significantly more care!

It's literally the most ridiculous thing ever!!! I still have 1 more surgery scheduled for March, which is my hysterectomy. I may move that out to give more time to figure out what caused this to happen. I've never had any heart issues before, so it really freaked everyone out. Once the hysterectomy is done, I'll only have skin surgeries, a boob job, and a tummy tuck. And believe me, those can definitely wait lol I'll have them eventually, but right now I just need to get the actual health issues dealt with.

I got to the photo with the little monkeys and burst out laughing. That made my day! Your weight loss is stunning and such a remarkable achievement. You look great, but I know you must be so eager to be rid of the excess skin. This surgery is going to be so amazing for you, and you absolutely deserve it. I hope the recovery goes really well and as pain-free as possible. It sounds like you're pretty much getting everything lifted and tucked as you possibly can! Would you mind sharing a ballpark figure of what that costs by going to Tijuana to have it done? All I know about costs in the US is it makes my eyes water thinking about it. Good luck to you!

tomorrow morning, i am getting my excess tummy skin removed and my boobs reduced and lifted. i had rny gastric bypass in september 2022 and lost more than 200 pounds, highest weight 410, and my weight has been stable at 190. i saved up enough money to get plastic surgery in tijuana, mexico, and my work, school, and holidays lined up to get it done! im getting 360 lower body lift, tummy tuck with fleur de lys, and breast reduction and lift. i also want to get an arm lift and inner thigh lift sometime in the future. im nervous for my surgery tomorrow morning, but i’m confident in my decision to have plastic surgery now, and trust my surgeon and medical team. ive done everything i can think of to best prepare for surgery and make sure it’s as successful as possible: i have SO MANY medical supplies; i’ve been taking SO MANY vitamins and iron to make sure my hemoglobin levels are high enough; i’ve had iv infusions of iron, vitamin c, and ozonized (definitely not the correct term) 120 ccs of my blood and pumped it back in; i’ve done too much research; and i’ve saved up thousands of dollars and dragged myself all the way to mexico and tomorrow’s the day! ill update as i drag myself through yet another surgery and recovery! 😅 i also will take any recommendations for healing, post-op recovery, pain management, and expectations. ~kukui

tomorrow morning, i am getting my excess tummy skin removed and my boobs reduced and lifted. i had rny gastric bypass in september 2022 and lost more than 200 pounds, highest weight 410, and my weight has been stable at 190. i saved up enough money to get plastic surgery in tijuana, mexico, and my work, school, and holidays lined up to get it done! im getting 360 lower body lift, tummy tuck with fleur de lys, and breast reduction and lift. i also want to get an arm lift and inner thigh lift sometime in the future. im nervous for my surgery tomorrow morning, but i’m confident in my decision to have plastic surgery now, and trust my surgeon and medical team. ive done everything i can think of to best prepare for surgery and make sure it’s as successful as possible: i have SO MANY medical supplies; i’ve been taking SO MANY vitamins and iron to make sure my hemoglobin levels are high enough; i’ve had iv infusions of iron, vitamin c, and ozonized (definitely not the correct term) 120 ccs of my blood and pumped it back in; i’ve done too much research; and i’ve saved up thousands of dollars and dragged myself all the way to mexico and tomorrow’s the day! ill update as i drag myself through yet another surgery and recovery! 😅 i also will take any recommendations for healing, post-op recovery, pain management, and expectations. ~kukui

Hi Viviana, I think for some of us, the hair loss is inevitable. I started loosing at 3 month mark. I’ve always hit my protein goals. I lost so much hair that my surgeon checked labs early. Everything was basically normal. I think it is a phase. Many people say it lasts a few months and hair will grow back beautifully. That is my hope because I literally have bald spots. I was really upset at first as well but it doesn’t seem to be much we can do to change it for some of us. I just keep up with my protein and collagen. Hoping the shedding stops soon. ((HUGGG)

Hello Joanne, You will find nothing but good wishes and support here. You have done really well to only have a regain 8 pounds in 8 years. Good luck with the hard work of loosing it again especially at this time of year.

How can I get approved for loose skin removal? Only way is if I have a rash and I do but I’m too scared to go to a dermatologist! I keep getting denied I need help asap it’s taken a toll on my lymphedema

My surgery is scheduled for this Tuesday 12/12! Started my liquid diet yesterday and surprisingly went pretty good. I am excited and nervous rolled into one. But, I am mostly afraid of excessive loose skin and losing my hair. I bought some protein powder with collagen and chewable vitamins but does anyone have any recommendations on shampoo to help prevent lose?

Y'all I DID IT!!! 1 YEAR AND 8 MONTHS POST OP AND I HIT MY GOAL!! 🤩 Now, I know my little "signature" doesn't reflect that, but my REAL goal which my surgeon and myself agreed on was 225 lbs and I AM THERE!! I am also very satisfied here, especially if the skin was gone. My "new/documented" goal is 210 lbs just so I can officially say I lost OVER 50% of my starting body weight! I am so excited!! NOW TIME FOR SKY DIVING!!!! As my personal reward, as soon as it gets warmer I JUMP!!!! SOOOO much has changed, I don't even know where to start! DO IT, DON'T WAIT- DO IT NOW! ZERO REGRETS!

Birth control pills and eventually menopause took care of the PCOS for me. I went into vitamin and weightlifting mode in my 30’s to also manage symptoms and preserve child bearing abilities, and that was somewhat successful for me (I did have one child, yeah!) Others definitely have more serious issues and other solutions so there is only encouragement for you to live your best life. I was very undecided about sleeve or bypass but further testing in me confirmed severe GERD. Bypass was the only solution my insurance would cover. In a perfect world I would have chosen DS or mini bypass as a more reliable alternative for more permanent weight loss. I still keep an eye on how my clothes feel, and how my skin looks. I do not lift weights with the vigilance I used to, just a couple days a week to beat age related decomp. I still track vitamins because it’s easy to forget iron or the B’s, or proteins, then my hair falls out (not again!). I think of the changes and tracking I would have to do as a full blown diabetic verses now, and I chose the surgery and health every day. I am so grateful for bypass every, single, day! 2+ years now

I think that you really need to contact your team. You need some real help here. Its not normal to feel permanently hungry after this surgery. Occasional head hunger is more usual. Do you feel a restriction ? You really need to fill yourself with good quality food now. Has your team said you must keep carbs out of your diet ? I ask because you sound as if you eat protein or carbs. Your body needs the protein to function well. Eat your protein first, then the vegetables and then you can eat the carbs. Try to eat better carbs like fruits, skin on potatoes, brown rice and pasta and quality wholemeal or seeded bread. You are more than likely eating 2000 plus calories a day because you are at a plateau now. The only way to reverse this is to reduce your calories and eat better. Find a calorie tracker you like and be honest with it.

Oh I still have tuck shop lady arms @KathyLev but you can really only see the loose skin if I raise & wave my arms about. Forgot to add I do my stretches & such in short bursts across the day. It all adds up & you may find it easier to manage than a single 30 or more minute session. Actually @ChunkCat someone who knows my dislike of gyms asked me suspiciously & a tad accusingly if I was now going to the gym because of my arms. Lol!

Got my surgery date for December 27th. Very excited but also very scared as I never had a procedure done before but it's time for this momma to start caring of herself. Currently 212 doctor thinks I'll loose about 80lbs so I am excited to see. Also about 5'1 so pretty short. Anyone needs an accountability / super partner I am here!!

Regarding the circular dry patches, have you ever discussed botriomycome with your healthcare provider? It's a term worth exploring as it could provide more insights into these skin changes. Consulting with a dermatologist might help pinpoint the cause and tailor a solution for you.