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Since surgery I've had pain in my hips, knees, wrists and back, especially if these joints remain immobile for awhile such as during sleeping. Its so painful it wakes me up and I dread moving. I've also started getting sharp pain for no reason in my right arm pit area (now gone but moved) tricep (rt) thighs and now hypersensitivity on my left outer thigh on the skin. Its so sensitive clothing annoys it, its kind of a constant numb feeling. The sharp pain started in the right arm pit area and I thought it was shingles but I had no rash. My doctor wasn't sure and called in a colleague, she also wasn't sure. Lidocaine patches and an anti seizure medication were prescribed (frequently used for nerve pain). Needless to say the pain has continued and moved to other locations listed above. The pain feels sharp, as if someone is pinching a small amount of skin and twisting it then it goes away. I've had an MRI months before the odd sharp pains started and spinal stenosis was the diagnosis. I'm not sure if my spinal stenosis is what's causing all my odd sharp pains and hypersensitivity. I bring all this up because I don't know if its attributed to my bariatric surgery or not. I just know I didn't have any of this pain beforehand. Could it be just getting older..or the surgery who knows? Anyone with ideas or who've gone through something similar? I appreciate any ideas, I'm not asking for actual medical advice so no worries just ideas, personal stories if you've had something similar! Thank you!

OK, so post surgery I have a scar under my belly button that was hard, but the nurse practitioner said it was just because my surgery was a revision and they use that same spot twice. Well now the scar part feels loose, but if I put my finger inside my belly button, I can still feel something hard underneath there. My husband had me feel his and it’s hard too but different. He says that’s just how my belly button feels without all the blubber on top of it, but I don’t know. I don’t remember ever feeling that when I was thin. Has anyone had an umbilical hernia? Is that something that could be caused by the surgery? Am I describing anything close to that? 😂 I plan to ask the surgeon eventually. Actually, I’m doing the bowel prep for a colonoscopy right now and endoscopy for something unrelated but I thought I would ask her tomorrow if she has any idea. I’m just curious what others have to say about their experience. It doesn’t hurt or anything and if it’s a hernia, I am assuming it’s very small but I just really don’t recall anything hard of being there. Maybe it’s just because it’s been a while since I could really feel it. 🤷‍♀️

I appreciate your input I have to loose the 34 lbs prior to surgery due to my fatty liver. I feel very confident that I can lose the 34 lbs. I just thought is was crappy that the first person to comment was someone trying to rain on my parade. As for a tracker, I am using Baritastic app. The weight loss clinic gave me a code to put in that pulls up their program and their staff can check on my stats right on the app and recommend changes, etc. thru it also. Plus I can log all my food & water, activity, & vitamins. I am definitely starting an exercise regimen now. Walking and some light weights. Also trying to train myself to drink water... I've never been one to drink much, so this part is tough LOL

A few of us have only told our most supportive friends and family before we had the surgery. I personally didn't need any of the negativity that comes from worried others, people who think they know about the surgery or the one person that I know who failed with a sleeve. I find that people will post things on facebook that they might not say to your face. If they did, you would get a chance to ask why they felt you may be the same as them. It is a brutal test to see if you can loose this big amount of weight pre surgery but plenty people have managed it. I had a 3 week liver shrink diet. I cursed that surgeon every day of it. AND I was paying for the privilege. I very badly wanted the surgery, my life depended on it. Thats what got me through. You will have to find the disipline from somewhere and start as soon as you can. Start moving more, walking was my go to. Started small and ended up finding the world. Find a tracker you can use every day. Set yourself a reasonable calorie limit. Log everything you eat and drink. Good or bad. I still do it, I use Fat Secret. There are lots of other free sites. Eat fresh food, home cooked. You know the calories then. Plan your food and buy it in. That way you will never be tempted to get a take out Its a test but you can get there. Keep on this site, keep talking to us.

Does anyone know if Florida Blue covers reconstructive surgery after losing 8lbs from the gastric sleeve. The extra skin is constantly infected. I do not know what to do.

Was on a mini vacay, and it was coooold 🥶 Here’s one of the outfits I wore. The jumper is quite loose but didn’t look too shabby I guess!

I remember you!!!! We had gastric sleeve the same day lol. You've done very well with your progress. I see you had to go to a bypass after the sleeve. I got really discouraged because with my sleeve I lost 52 lbs and that was it. I couldnt budge off that. I didnt want to have the bypass done as well so I just bummed around and got discouraged. Gained like 12 lbs and by January 2024 I was seeing another Dr to see if Zepbound would be beneficial for me or not. I started Zepbound by the end of Jan 2024 and so far I have lost an additional 72 lbs so its working better than the sleeve did. So much so I have all this loose skin now to deal with lol. Good to see your posts again!

I'm right there with you when it comes to my arms. I need ALL the things done, but my first priorities are my neck and arms. I use Spanx right now to keep my skin in place on my thighs and stomach, so I'm not quite as worried about that right now. Second to be done will likely be a boob job (I used to be a DD, now I'm a small B). Third would likely be a tummy tuck, 4th would be a lower body lift (including butt lift). That's really the order based on priority for me. I have a ton of loose skin on my face, so I may look into that one day, but that would be well after everything else is done.

I had a revision to SADI on 8/7/2024. Lost 70 pounds but then I started chemo for breast cancer that I was diagnosed with a day shy of my 3 month surgiversary. I was told not to lose quite as fast by the oncologist and the oncology dietician so I have since only lost ten more in 2.5 months. Anyways, my double mastectomy is tentatively scheduled for 5/8/2024. During that surgery they remove all the breast tissue and put in Empty bladders they call expanders and then they slowly fill them each week with saline in the office to stretch the skin making room for the implant. The cosmetic dr says that I could take my time and try out all the sizes and go up and down and then do the reconstruction surgery to put in the saline implant when I’m sure of the size I want and I loved that idea because I want to go smaller but I know it’s going to take a while for my brain to get used to it. The problem is that I have to begin radiation 6 weeks post surgery and the process does something to your skin that makes it very hard to stretch so the radiation Dr says I need to decide on a size before I start radiation treatments. Well I don't think it would be a good idea to postpone radiation just to decide on a breast size so I kinda need to know what my goal is right away so he fills it fast enough for me to get there within 6 weeks. At the same time it will hurt worse the faster we go. I am currently a 36 G. I was thinking maybe a 36 C or D would be small enough that they don’t get in the way with exercise and hurt my back and neck but not look too small after seeing myself larger for so many years. Also if I drop more weight and get to say a 34 I would be a D or DD but what if I lose more weight I mean I want to keep going if I can and then I’m a 32 DDD. I was a 32 C when I was younger and I think when I got my implants I went to a small DD but I sorta doubt i will get that small again, honestly. how much weight did you guys lose between band sizes. I was thinking that if I get to 158 I would be thrilled and that’s only 20 more pounds so I know that I won’t get to a 32 at that size. Do you think it’s possible I will get back to the 120’s. I know the last two months threw my pattern off a bit but I was losing steady at 3-4 pounds a week before all of this. Is there anyone with similar stats that can tell me about their experience with SADI or maybe a virgin bypass. My loss trend was similar to that according to the NP at 3 months out. I really wish I could do this after I get to my low weight and stabilize. All I want is to be able to buy bras in a normal store and not have to pay a fortune for lunch lady bras anymore or have my back breaking and poor posture from a too large chest. But at the same time I don’t want to look too small. I figure that I would find the smallest size that I could get used to so when I lose more weight it will probably be perfect but I won’t have time to get used to it like the surgeon and I hoped. 😢 So I get that cup size is a matter of preference but can anyone with similar stats tell me how much they ultimately lost if they were losing 3-4 pounds at 3 months or how much weight they lost between band sizes or 36-34 and 34-32. Or anything else that may help me. I’m so scared I’m gonna decide on a size and my body is going to change but since it’s all implant after this surgery my boobs won’t change with me with loss or gain and I will be way too big or small for my frame.

The whole shebang huh lol. Im a bit leery of it all myself. I have lost enough weight now between gastric sleeve and zepbound that I have the sagging skin issue in several places. My biggest area that I suppose bothers me (in looks) is my arms. I hate how much is sagging and actually quite heavy skin. If I do anything it will be those upper arms for sure first!!! It wasnt really until recently I noticed it wasnt just the upper arms, it has now gone downward into forearm area. Skin there is really starting to get loose. I just dont know whether to do both upper arms at the same time or one at a time. I have not spoken to a plastic surgeon yet as I am only just now seeing other areas of my body with loose sagging skin. Ive lost a considerable amount in the breast area, my thighs are now saggy and loose as well as my butt lol. I just noticed a noticeable fold of loose skin thats irritating ha!! I just dont know if I want to go through so many surgeries to get rid of all this, it seems a bit much but I guess time will tell which areas will irritate me enough to do something about it.

So sorry you have had to go through that, I feel like an outsider too. I feel too old to be in college (24) when everyone around me is 18-20. I have a few friends but being shy and well fat doesn't make it feel any easier.. It would just be nice to feel comfortable in my own skin again and that's what I'm hoping for the most.

Well I kind of did the poof and now I am skinny. Its not really what I thought it would be or now want During the Covid lock down, house arrest in the Uk, I had the surgery. I told no one and then when the country opened again, I did the big reveal. I was / am a stranger in the small town that I have lived in for 55 years. My husband has a strange mistress and a gets congratulated and a back pat while I, the ' mistress' get ignored. When he puts them correct, the shock is too much for them to believe. One man said to him ' You must be so proud now ' ffs. I am used to it but hate it at the same time. I liked the popular me. If you are gradually loosing weight then those around you at college will not realise until you get near your goal and start to look too thin to them

My diabetic husband tried Ozempic and didnt loose anything. This time around he is doing well with Mounjaro. I hope you can find the one for you

Thank you! They've gone from a 38GG to a 34FF, and trust me, without my bra they are a state 🤣🤣 The loose skin is intense!

Its early days, lots of us find some foods totally repellant, for me it was foods that I loved. pre surgery. Chicken, fish and especially salmon were very off my menu. If I even thought of them I heaved. It was like being pregnant all over again. Then some kind soul on here explained that as we loose fat cells they release hormones. Early on we are flooded with these cells because we are loosing so rapidly. It does settle down as weight loss slows. At 3+ years fish isnt totally off my menu but it isnt front and centre either. Eggs revolted me before surgery, now I eat them most days.

Ugh. It pisses me off when doctors make any of us feel like some number they come up with is applicable to each of us when even we know that all of our bodies are unique and the complexity of obesity. A weight difference of three pounds could be ANYTHING!! i know this is a little different because it chemo but it’s really not because like anything it’s not true weight gain so an example is when I come home from chemo I weigh about 6-7 pounds more than I did that morning and the next day. But everytime, the following day I drop it all. I don’t understand the science but it’s something to do with inflammation that any of us could have for various reasons to some degree. Also three pounds I know for a fact I have lost from a bowel movement. I always weigh myself first thing in the morning and I weigh about 3-4 pounds less than if I weight myself later in the day. . Long story short three pounds is absolutely nothing to stress about and if your doctor does then either smile and nod and tell them you will do better or express how ignorant they are being but whatever you do, DO NOT let that get under your skin!! Your loss is incredible. As @Justarwaxx suggested, Don’t let anyone negate how hard you have worked. Instead Celebrate your amazing progress and if anything use his or her ignorance to fuel you and keep going. 100 pounds is absolutely Amazing and takes real lifestyle changes to accomplish. All you have to do at this point is to stick with it and the rest will come off in a matter of time. The time may vary person to person but it will happen. You’ve got this!!

Hello I'm new to this site. I had the surgery 14 years ago. Lost a total of 170 pounds. I'm waiting for a date to remove extra skin.

Happy New Year! 🎉 I absolutely love your mindset and energy—it’s so inspiring! It’s such a huge shift to leave behind those weight-loss-focused resolutions and instead embrace the positives of where you are now. You've already accomplished so much, losing over 40 lbs is incredible, and feeling lighter and better in your body is such a win. 🙌 Focusing on the present and living fully is such a beautiful way to approach life. You deserve to wear that dress, enjoy those experiences, and celebrate yourself right now, not just when you reach a certain goal. Your journey isn’t just about the destination, it’s about living and loving every step along the way. Here’s to a year of living authentically, celebrating every win (big or small), and feeling great in your own skin. You've got this! 💖

59 here, 60 in a few months. In the pre-op diet phase. Need to loose 13 pounds before surgery, BUT haven’t seen anyone yet but the doctor so several more spots to go. Kim

Good for you. It’s important to love the skin you’re in. You are so much fitter and healthier already than when you started. Everything else is just a bonus in my eyes. Buy the dress now, do the thing you’ve been putting off now, live your life NOW!! You have come so far already and if you are like me you already feel 100 times better. The way you feel and your health are so much more important than any number on the scale. Try to make the scale second to the priority of being healthier. That would be a good resolution for many of us.

My husband a type 2 diabetic also tried Ozempic for 6 months. He never lost a pound. This time around hes been on Mounjaro and hes flying with it. He is loosing 3lbs a week and has lost 28lbs all together. Find the right one for you and as you say these drugs are amazing. I hope he can loose another 28.

Tomorrow will be a year since surgery, I've lost 62 lbs since the surgery, a total of 100 lbs since the beginning of the journey. This started for me with gastroparesis, hiatal hernia, and bile acid reflux with normal GERD. All of that is now better and other than a slight hiccup (hernia repair in November) I've done very well. Overall the first few weeks are still a blur, and life just got easier as the months passed. I continued to walk and work out, and the difference is amazing. My feet feel better, my back feels better. I have plantar fasciitis, and have had spinal fusion at 2 levels, so that is an incredible relief, the pain is much more manageable now. I used to get relief only from NSAIDs, now tylenol works well. My prediabetic situation is now gone, my A1C went from a 6 to a 5.2. I've recently discovered I can have a bit of chocolate or regular cookies, any more than a bit and I'll have sweating, nausea, etc. It's not that bad for me, but not pleasant which is actually helpful. I can eat anything I want to, but I don't feel driven to eat the things I know I shouldn't eat. Head hunger is a thing but I deal with it by eating protein and if it doesn't taste good, I'm not physically hungry. Not to say I haven't had a few slippery slope moments, I have, but it's much easier to get back into the good habits now that I've been doing it for a year. I just feel like myself again, physically I feel normal again, and that is life altering. I wear stupid cute clothes, mostly thrifted because I didn't know where I would land, but I think I'm there now. I loved trying different styles and colors from what I've been wearing, and now I'm back to my style, just different sizes. I wear softer colors, loose and comfortable styles, and I just feel good. I have to say that this site, and the people on here that take the time to answer questions and discuss the experience has been extremely helpful, so thank you!!!! Happy New Year everyone!

Isn't it wonderful how loosing a ton of weight can give a person so much confidence. I love that about me too. I promise the butt ache will dissipate eventually and fade away. Happy new year

Happy new year everyone. You look stunning in red too @Sophie7713. I’m a bit the same about oversized clothing too since my weight loss. I love a wide keg pant as you know but I look for those that fit neatly around the waist and hips. But loose fit palazzo style casual pants are super comfy. I have a couple of pairs of the elastic waist wide leg pants in linen and viscose I wear when pooping out to the shops. PS - Love those loafers with the cut out sides and contrasting colours. Fun.

Ms. Arabesque - You inspired me to go RED! You look stunning, Lady in Red... Just a casual outfit (very loose after recent surgery) for the holidays and, appears to match our guest room at Hotel Greenbrier...Haha. Do you all like the new palazzo sweat style pants this year? I thought I'd give them a try - but hard to wear big clothes again after years of obesity. I think I prefer more fitted. Also, treated myself to these red spectators...