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I had my sleeve in Nov of 2011 and decided to get my arms done. I went to Dr. Steven Robinson in Columbus Ohio. It cost about $4800 paid all by me (no insurance coverage). I had the procedure on Dec 21st and was off work for 2 weeks. I have scars running the length of my arms from elbow to under arm pit. The left arm is still swollen (and more so than the right, but I am left handed) I have internal stitches and then external removable stitches. The stitches were removed after 2 weeks. I never had a drain. It was painful but more like someone punched me in the arms many times...they are numb along the stitch line still and the swelling might be present for up to 3 or so months. I had compression sleeves I was wearing till the 2 week mark but due to some drainage into blisters my doc stopped the compressions and the blisters have resolved I started "Scar away" silicon sheets with light athletic arm sleeves to hold them in place and use Vitamin E oil when the scar away sheets are not on.

I have the pic of the day before and then the day after surgery wrapped and the stitch line prior to the stitches being removed. Already the scar line is starting to fade in the lower end.

Gayle

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Wow, that looks pretty amazing...you can see a big difference even right after surgery. I will be anxious to hear how your are doing/feeling as you recover. Thanks for sharing the photos, too.

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Thanks kmwheel,

The doc thinks he will use my arms for his before and after book. LOL my old fat will be famous. When i asked the doc how much he took off...he said "let me put it this way... A LOT!" LOL

Gayle

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Your stitch line looks great!

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Your pictures are fantastic. How far out was the third(the stitches) picture? I just had my arms done on the 10th in Tijuana Mexico. I paid $1800.00 for the arm lift with Lipo. They look so good I can't believe it. I have never had such thin arms. I am to wear my arm compression garments for 4-6 weeks, they say the longer the better. I only have a couple of removable stitches that too can come out in 2 weeks.

Best wishes to you and your recovery.

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They really do look great. I am planning on doing this- thanks so much for sharing your experience with us!

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looks great! Thanks for sharing pictures. Yours incision looks great.

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Your pictures are fantastic. How far out was the third(the stitches) picture? I just had my arms done on the 10th in Tijuana Mexico. I paid 1800.00 for the arm lift with Lipo. They look so good I can't believe it. I have never had such thin arms. I am to wear my arm compression garments for 4-6 weeks' date=' they say the longer the better. I only have a couple of removable stitches that too can come out in 2 weeks.

Best wishes to you and your recovery.[/quote']

Do you have any B4/after pics? How did you find your surgeon in TJ and do you mind sharing the info? Was this out patient? I've been considering and the price u posted is definitely accessible to me. When you said lipo and tuck you meant the arms only, correct?

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Thank you all for the nice replies! Amazon13, the pic of the incision line was taken Jan 3rd so about 2 weeks after the surgery. I had some issues with oozing from the left arm (into a huge blister) due to the swelling, but i'm left handed so that might have added to the swelling, finally he told me to take off the compression for a while to stop squeezing out all the juices...ewwww. I'm doing great with them now, starting to feel a lot more myself this last few days. I stopped by a store yesterday and bought...MEDIUM long sleeved tops! That was amazing considering before the WLS my arms measured around at 19 inches..and are currently swollen still and about 13 inches...6 inches of!!! crazy and I'm so happy..we are calling this summer...the "tank top summer"! I'll take some pic's at one month (this monday)to show you the improvements already.

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I am so impressed with your progress. I am scheduled for my arm lift and lower body lift on Feb 7th. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks

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Your pictures are fantastic. How far out was the third(the stitches) picture? I just had my arms done on the 10th in Tijuana Mexico. I paid 1800.00 for the arm lift with Lipo. They look so good I can't believe it. I have never had such thin arms. I am to wear my arm compression garments for 4-6 weeks' date=' they say the longer the better. I only have a couple of removable stitches that too can come out in 2 weeks.

Best wishes to you and your recovery.[/quote']

What doctor did you use in Tijuana

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Ok all it's been a month...well it's been 6 weeks but I have pic's from the one month out. These were taken about 2 weeks after the stitches came out. I had a slight infection and took antibiotics but feel so much better today. Yesterday I saw the PS and he took me off all restrictions and said when all the swelling is gone he wanted to know if he could put my arms on his website..woohoo my arms will be famous...LOL

As you can see the scars are already fading nicely. The PS loved the combo of the "Scar Away" pads and Vitamin E oil. So for only about 10-12 days of treatment..i know they will fade nicely! and as of one month out i have lost a total ( since before weight loss surgery to now) 6.25 inches and PS said ther e might be more once he swelling is gone

Gayle

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Wow that looks great!!! I bet you are so happy!!! Woohoo!! :)

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    • LeighaTR

      I am new here today... and only two weeks out from my sleeve surgery on the 23rd. I am amazed I have kept my calories down to 467 today so far... that leaves me almost 750 left for dinner and maybe a snack. This is going to be tough for two weeks... but I have to believe I can do it!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Doughgurl

      Hey everyone. I'm new here so I thought I should introduce myself. I am 53y/o and am scheduled for Gastric Bypass on June 25th, 2025. I'm located in San Antonio, Texas. I will be having my surgery in Tiajuana Mexico. I've wanted this for years, but I always had insurance where bariatric procedures were excluded. Finally I am able to afford to pay out of pocket.  I can't wait to get started, and I hope I'm prepared for the initial period of "hell". I know what I have signed up for, but I'm sure the good to come will out way the temporary period of discomfort and feelings of regret. I'd love to find people to talk to who have been through the same procedure or experience before. So I look forward to meeting you all. Hope you have a great week!
      · 2 replies
      1. Selina333

        I'm so happy for you! You are about to change your life. I was so glad to get the sleeve done in Dec. I didn't have feelings of regret overall. And I'm down almost 60 lbs. I do feel a little sad at restaurants. I can barely eat half a kid's meal. I get adults meals often because kid ones don't have the same offerings at times. Then I feel obligated to eat on that until it's gone and that can be days. So the restaurant thing isn't great for me. All the rest is fine by me! I love feeling full with very little. I do wish I could drink when eating. And will sip at the end. Just a strong habit to stop. But I'm working on it! You will do fine! Just keep focused on your desire to be different. Not better or worse. But different. I am happy both ways but my low back doesn't like me that heavy. So I listened (also my feet!). LOL! Update us on your journey! I'm not far from you. I'm in Houston. Good luck and I hope it all goes smoothly! Would love to see pics of the town you go to for this. I've never been there. Neat you will be traveling for this! Enjoy the journey. Take it one day at a time. Sometimes a few hours at a time. Follow all recommendations as best you can. 💗

      2. Doughgurl

        Thank you so much for your well wishes. I am hoping that everything goes easy for me as well. We don't eat out much as it is, so it wont be too bad in that department. Thankfully. Also, I hear you regarding your back and feet!! I'd like to add knees to the list. Killing me as we speak! I'm only 5' so the weight has to go. Too short to carry all this weight. Menopause really did a doosey on me. (😶lol) My daughter also lives in Houston. with her Husband and my 5 grand-littles. I grew up in Beaumont, so I know Houston well, I will be sure to keep in touch and update you on my journey. I may need some advice in the future, or just motivation. Thank You so much for reaching out, I was hoping to connect with someone in the community. I really appreciate it. 💜

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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