Now that it's less than a month away, I wanted to start a thread where I post all of my experiences regarding my upcoming plastic surgery. I loved watching Telly and Puddin's journeys and I thought I'd enjoy sharing mine with others as well.

The background is that I'm 5'2, 34 years old, no pregnancies. I've lost 150 lbs in 10 months and would like to lose 40 more. I carried 100 lbs of my excess weight for a long time, given my age -- at least 15 years. The other 100, I gained in the last 6 years upon entering the workforce. I've lost weight successfully twice before being banded -- once on NutriSystem (about 60 lbs) and once on Optifast (about 90 lbs), but was unsuccessful at keeping it off.

Though under ideal circumstances I would wait until I actually hit goal to consider my major plastics, three factors have encouraged me to go ahead with surgery on March 28th. First, I'm changing jobs and have the unique ability to take the month of April off. I won't have this kind of flexibility again for several years and it's a "now or never" kind of thing. Second, both my band doctor and my plastic surgeon are on board and don't think I need to wait. I have substantial excess skin in the stomach and breasts and the whole team thinks the majority of my remaining excess weight is in the lower body (hips & thighs). Finally, my father is my plastic surgeon, so cost issues should I need a revision later for losing additional weight are less of a concern that they would be were I paying surgical fees. Thus, March 28th it is!

I had my "consult" with my dad last week and we decided on what will likely be the procedures (he's still thinking it over before deciding for sure). At Christmas, we had tentatively decided on a breast lift and a mini-abdominoplasty (where just the excess from below the belly button is removed). Now, we've decided on a larger operation because I've managed to lose quite a bit more weight between Christmas and now and he thinks I'm close enough to goal to go for a more aggressive result.

So, I'm having a breast lift for sure. As for the stomach and thighs, he's going to do what he calls an extended tummy tuck. This is a complete tummy tuck (i.e. both above and below the belly button), but the incision will extend around the thighs, akin to a LBL, to take out some skin and fat from the outer thighs. It won't go around 360 degrees like a true LBL because I don't have much excess in the back -- it's a bit of a hybrid. Plus, since I haven't had children and I've been working out consistently for several years, I don't require the muscle repair that often goes along with a tummy tuck -- just the skin and fat ressection. This should make the recovery a bit easier.

As far as preparations go, I've bought my plane ticket (I live in NYC and my parents are down south). I'm staying home for at least 3 weeks before returning to NYC -- longer if necessary. I rented a hospital bed to help with getting up and down and keeping the legs raised. My step-mother is a nurse and she'll be staying with me for about 10 days post-op, and, of course my Dad will be home in the evenings/on the weekends. I have bought all of the seasons of the TV show "24" to keep me company in the early days. I got a wireless card for my laptop so I can use it from any room. I have a shower chair but no raised toilet seat. Dad said without the muscle repair, I'll be moving around fairly well pretty quickly. I'm spending one night in the hospital.

That's it for now. As things develop, I will post again. For those ahead of me in the journey, if I've neglected any preparations, please let me know!

I am so jealous of you upcoming thigh lift.:heh:

I want to do that SOOO Bad but the PS's around here are quoting nearly as much for it as my tummy tuck.

Ugh. That sucks. Dad did tell me it's just as big of a surgery as the TT. Maybe not quite as much as an extended TT, but close. I'm not looking forward to the pain, but I do know how fortunate I am to have a PS for a Dad, in terms of the $$$.....

You'll get there if you need it, Diane. It might take some saving, but what I will tell you is as much as I can't wait for the thighs, the stomach was so much more important to my body. A part of me will miss being "super curvy girl" when I lose my thighs because there's lots of male attention at this shape. If you stay curvier through the thighs, you'll still love your body sans pannus.

Julie - Wuweeeeeeeee! You look fantastic - perky boobies, flat tummy and a firm tush and thighs to come - you're going to have to get a second job in order to pay for all those sexy/tiny clothes! Wow - can you believe the difference in your bod in 1 1/2 years! You have worked so hard for this - I'm one proud Band-mommy!

Julie you are so tiny and look like a million bucks.

I can't wait for my FTT/BL, next year can't come soon enough.

Ana

Julie, you look amazing! Only a few pounds to goal!!!! Wooohoooooo!!!! that is soooooo excellent!

Ok I'm 2 weeks out from abdominal reconstruction and having 13 pounds cut from my lower abdomin. Dr Fielding is a G_D. I too have a smiliey face that is about 36 inches long. When he opened me I had no adominal muscles left from all my prior surgeries ie. 2 c sections 5 hernia repairs, hysterectomy and appendextomy. So he put in a piece of mesh the size of a dinner plateto give me back an adominal wall.. The mesh seems to be working better than the band. It's like wearing 3 panty girddles at once and never being able to take them off.

If I eat too much I can't breathe.

After spending 5 days in ICU and another 5 in regular care I can't even thing about doing my thighs or arms .......I know this to will pass....

Spunky 13lbs! wow! glad you are doing better.

Julie you look just fantastic........thigh lift is as bad as a TT? I'm passing for now........

Spunky,

Thight lift (outer) isn't supposed to be QUITE as bad as the TT. Don't worry -- once you get some distance you might feel differently. I remember for about 5 days thinking I'd NEVER do another procedure. Then the pain fades and the desire to continue improvement takes over! And, if it doesn't for you, that's ok too -- you'll find the right balance for your body. I'm sure your TT is great!

Speedy recovery....

Take care,

Julie, thank you for sharing so much of yourself and your journey. You really are an inspiration.

I have looked and looked and cannot find your before photo. Is there a link where we can see it. I think it may motivate me even more!

Thank you.

Hi HungryForChange, thank you for your kind words.

I'm not sure if you mean my before TT picture or my before band picture.

Here's before band:

http://www.joyfulhandmades.com/Before.jpg

Here's post WL (most of it, at least) but before TT (the one on the right):

http://www.joyfulhandmades.com/BeforeAfter.jpg

I didn't post nudes of post WL but before TT, but if you email me, I'll send them to you if you will keep them in confidence.

Take care,

Julie: I'm amazed at the difference, again you wow me! We are back from our trip, our first grandbaby is due next week! Pretty exciting stuff! Please pm me and tell me what kind of jewelry you like, etc, so I can send your reward. I'm still holding on to a pound with all the traveling. I'm working out a lot and showing 3% less fat on my special scale, so hopefully even though the scales not moving, I'm building some muscle and losing fat. It will come off! Have a good day!

Julie,

I just read this entire topic from start to finish. You are definatly a great role model! I cant wait to lose this weight! My 1st consultation is tomorrow!

WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Julie your latest update pics take my breath away!

Shakeit Shakeit Shakeit!

Julie: I was talking with some one who had a lower body lift with some lipo and she advised me not to do it. She said that she scared terribly (celoid), that the surgery redistrubuted her fat, so she is now heavier in her arms and upper body and that after 8 years she still has numbness around her mid-section. I had never heard of these complications (scaring yes), except for some numbness with a breast lift in the nipple area. What's your opinion on all this? I'm exercising my butt off, but I'm never going to be able to rid myself of the pannus without some help. I'm prepared for some scaring, but not the rest. I've mostly heard positive things about LBL and TT's. Also, I'm trying to figure out when to get the LBL. I still have 20 pounds to goal, but it seems to be at a snail's pace even though, I'm working with the trainer, using the BB (meeting my deficits, etc.). I'm wondering how much poundage I would lose with the surgery and how it would change/help my metabolism. Maybe there is not quick fix for all this and I'll just have to limp along!?

Kareyquilts,

On the scarring, it's just not possible to predict how well someone will scar. Most people have a very thin, white scar that, though perceptible, is very manageable and totally worth it to get rid of the pannus. I can promise you that even if I had keloid scarring (which, thankfully, I don't) I'd still have wanted the surgery. Getting rid of the pannus made me perceptibly a thin person instead of a fat person. I would never have gotten there without it - I have a severe amount of excess skin, having been 350+ and only 5'1 1/2.

As to the numbness, that part's true. Almost everyone who has a TT is partially numb from the belly button to just above the pubic bone and it's a permanent loss. It's not complete numbness. I can feel my hand if I put it on my stomach, but it's a distant feeling. Like, it's not ticklish at all and I can barely feel someone touching it. If I have to get a shot, I'd want it in that 4 inch area (around the backside from my extended TT) because I really can't feel shots other than just a little pressure. Again, I knew this going into the surgery -- I can't imagine why your friend didn't! I thought it would be weird, but I'm totally used to it now. It was 100% worth it.

As to the redistribution of fat, Dad says this is true too, but that it's worth it. I don't know from first hand experience yet, because I haven't had the thigh lift part, and that's a major component. The theory is this: fat cells divide and make new fat cells when we gain weight. On the contrary, fat cells don't ever go away from dieting, they just shrink. So as formerly MO people, we have lots and lots of shrunken fat cells all over our bodies. So, when we have our stomach and thighs "lopped off" (for lack of a more delicate phrase), that leaves fat cells in our arms and breasts. If we gain any weight at all, our arms and breasts will probably get bigger (filling out the existing fat cells) before our bodies will make new fat cells in other places (like the stomach and legs). The solution? Don't gain weight. Or, have your arms done too. Or, don't have extensive lipo with the skin removal in the LBL. I'm doing all of the above! These are issues to discuss with your PS. In my opinion they are not a reason to forego LBL.

If you saw my legs and butt, you'd completely understand why I have no hesitation about the thigh lift (i.e. the second half of the LBL). They are really horrific in terms of excess skin. I'll post pre-op pics -- I just can't force myself to do it until I have the post-op pics to go along with them. It's too depressing. I know that when you look at my post-op TT pics (that intentionally crop out my thighs), it's hard to imagine (my Dad did such a good job -- thank you Dad), but my legs are really, really bad. It throws everything off and is super depressing to think about.

I can't wait for November 8th.