Feeling much better now and am very pleased with the resuls. I even dropped another 10 pounds and am below my goal weight!! I'm super happy I took this final step to finish this 2 year journey.

But boy, this surgery takes it out of you. I'm a month out, and am still tired all the time. Not an easy recovery. Worth it though when I look at my perky girls. Ha!

I hope to be able to do that at the end of the loss journey as well. Did your insurance pay for the surgery? I already know that mine will not, do I know it will be a while before I can get that surgery done. Congratulations. I am so happy for you. Enjoy the new you!!!

I think I'll need the same procedure. I am almost half way to my goal, but my body does a lot of jiggling!!!

I was hoping some of it would tighten up with exercise. I hate having jiggly skin....Ewww!!!

I was hoping some of it would tighten up with exercise. I hate having jiggly skin....Ewww!!!

Me too, I stand in the mirror and jiggle. It makes me laugh, but I can't believe I have all of this skin. How big was I???

How much more painful is this than the sleeve?I am now petrified of surgery and the sleeve wasnt that bad to begin with.My friend had tummy and boobs in one and arms and legs in another surgery and all in all it took her all of last year to do and recover from this.

To be honest, it was way more painful. I was back on my feet and back at work in a week from the sleeve. But it's been 4 weeks and I'm still recliner-ing it most of the time. Plan on at least 6 weeks recovery. They told me 6 week and I thought they were stupid (I was way all kinds of in shape before the surgery) but it's true. Your whole body is dedicating its energy to healing these large incisions and just has no time for frivolous stuff like, you know, walking around.

Still worth it. I swear.

Did ur insurance cover any of it? I have an appointment with a surgeon next week. Trying to get an approximate cost. I am 9 months out and trying to plan out for the next 12-18 months for lower body lift and arms and boobs. The doctor said that some insurances cover the skin removal but not a tummy tuck.

My insurance didn't cover either surgery. Sure would have been nice if it did. The total cost of the reconstructive surgery was just under $20,000.

To be honest, it was way more painful. I was back on my feet and back at work in a week from the sleeve. But it's been 4 weeks and I'm still recliner-ing it most of the time. Plan on at least 6 weeks recovery. They told me 6 week and I thought they were stupid (I was way all kinds of in shape before the surgery) but it's true. Your whole body is dedicating its energy to healing these large incisions and just has no time for frivolous stuff like, you know, walking around.

Still worth it. I swear.

Thank you for posting this honest response. Because I will have plastics eventually, and I keep telling my husband how long the recovery will be and he just doesn't get it. I bounced right back from the sleeve and he thinks I'm crazy for suggesting one of our mothers comes to stay with us for a few weeks after plastics to help around the house and with the kids!

In any case, I'm glad it's worth the expense and long recovery time, and thanks for sharing your experience.

~Cheri

Oh, and to those considering surgery the longer you wait the better! I swear it's true. I'm two years out and the difference in my skin from one year to two years was amazing. So much bounced back and rearranged even after I was at goal and maintaining. So definitely wait until you're at goal for at least six months because I lost an entire pant size, bra size, and even a shoe size in the months after I was sure I was finally done losing. I had to buy a whole new wardrobe!

Now, I still need plastics but certain areas I was sure I'd want help aren't bad and I feel like more of my natural shape came back at some point once my weight stabilized.

Just my opinion, but something to consider. I would have had other procedures done that I now think aren't necessary if I had done it right away instead of being forced to wait because of my geographical location.

~Cheri

Thanks for that good advice, clk. Haste makes waste!

My insurance didn't cover either surgery. Sure would have been nice if it did. The total cost of the reconstructive surgery was just under 20' date='000.[/quote']

Where did you choose to have your surgery? Were you happy with the surgeon?

Also, I plan to have the tummy and lift, but not the thighs. Do you think the thighs have made the recovery significantly harder, or should I expect basically the same recovery?

I'm not at goal yet, but am thinking towards the future!

Where did you choose to have your surgery? Were you happy with the surgeon?

Also, I plan to have the tummy and lift, but not the thighs. Do you think the thighs have made the recovery significantly harder, or should I expect basically the same recovery?

I'm not at goal yet, but am thinking towards the future!

I had my reconstructive surgery at the same place I was sleeved: Puget Sound Surgical Center. I could go on and on and ON about how wonderful that place is, from the surgeons to the nurses, all the way down to the receptionists. On the day after my reconstructive surgery Dr. Harris stopped by MY HOUSE with his nurse to check on me. Unheard of.

I could not stand to NOT do my thighs the way they were. I figured what was the point of having a flat stomach if I wouldn't get in a bathing suit (not a bikini, thankyouverymuch) because of my thighs. I miss swimming. The waterfall of skin running down my thighs had to go. I don't think it added too much to recovery. As far as pain went, stomach hurt the worse BY FAR. A distant 2nd was my thighs and my breasts didn't hurt at all. Dr. Harris said that last one was unusual.