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!

Julie: Thank you so much for answering my questions so thoroughly! I really appreciate it. I think I'll be fine with all those complications too, but I'm going to think about it for a while. I know that I would be 1 or 2 sizes smaller if it werent for my stomach which is where I was the heaviest and am now because of the excess skin. Now, how do you know when you should get the procedure, when the optimum time is. I'm not sure how much more weight I should lose. I think at least 10 more pounds, decisions, decisions! Thanks again for your support!

Hey, Julie -- I have an appointment in 2 weeks to talk to a plastic surgeon. I'm still 30 lbs from my goal weight, though. I plan on having my arms done before the end of the year and then my breasts and thighs after I get to goal. How is the scarring around your nipples? And what about sensation? Did you lose sensation and if so has it come back? When are you planning to do your thighs? I'm also worried about loss of feeling with the thighs. The incision is so close to the genital area, I'm afraid it could affect sensation there, too. Any thoughts about that? What does your dad say about it?

By the way, you have given me the courage to have my breasts done. I was so worried about the scars, but your photos inspired me. The scars are so much thinner than I was expecting. Thanks for being brave enough to show us.

How is the scarring around your nipples? And what about sensation? Did you lose sensation and if so has it come back? When are you planning to do your thighs? I'm also worried about loss of feeling with the thighs. The incision is so close to the genital area, I'm afraid it could affect sensation there, too. Any thoughts about that? What does your dad say about it?

There is no visible scarring around the nipples. Since the skin changes color there anyway (from breast to areola), you would really never know there'd been an incision there. Now, they don't look exactly like they did before, but it's just different in appearance -- not really a scar.

I lost about 15% sensation and I was GLAD about it. My nipples were too sensitive for my tastes. Now they're perfect. Responsive but not painfully so. Dad says most people (like 70% I think was his number) don't lose any sensation at all. Only about 10% have a major loss (if I recall correctly).

I'm doing my outer thighs and butt on November 8th, along with arms. I'm doing my inner thighs, mons lift, very minor lower TT revision and port replacement on December 20th. Dad's still thinking it all through, but that's the tentative plan.

I'm not worried about loss of sensation from the thighs, in terms of affecting sexual sensation. I've never heard of that happening. But I'll let you know how the recovery is, as I go through it.

Thanks for your kind words, Enterprise. Posting nearly naked pics on the internet is not an easy thing to do, but I do believe it's important to this community to see as close to the truth as possible, even at the end stage like PS. In that regard, I'm looking forward to sharing my lower body journey as well. 26 days!! Woohoo!!!

Julie,

you do look simply amazing!

i cant believe i'm starting to really think about PS. my arms are just horrible (well, everything is horrible, but my arms are more toned but the skin hanging is just dreadful!!)

question about the mons lift - is that normally part of a LBL?

thanks!

question about the mons lift - is that normally part of a LBL?

I think it's about 50/50. I feel like I really need and want it, but from what I've ready, it's not a given that everyone needs it.

Hi Julie I just finished reading the entire thread and you are an inspiration! I love reading the ps threads because it shows the kind of success you can get with the band (and some hard work!) I hope to be there by next year- I finally got everything together and my Doctor will submit to insurance this week!!! Just wanted to give an opinion on the boobs. You mentioned that you might get implants but I think your boobs are beautiful! A lot of people on the site say they want big boobies but I think natural looking breasts that are in proportion are so much more attractive than the look some get of two bowling balls glued to your chest!! You are going to be so tiny after your thigh surgery that your boobs will look huge anyway. Thank you so much for your inspiring journey!

Thanks for the kind words gilrygilz. I definitely want "natural" boobs, in terms of size, but I haven't posted pics in the last 15 lbs or so. My breasts have really deflated. If they'd stayed where they were in the last pic, I'd have been thrilled. Anyway, implants aren't a certainty. There's a good chance I'll gain some in the right areas when my marathon is over. We'll see. Dad said we can't really consider it until Spring anyway, to give my body a chance to rebound from the thigh surgeries. That's fine with me. I hope I decide NOT to get them, actually. But if I need them, I'll get them.

Julie, you look absolutely beautiful!! Keep up the good work -- you are such a great role-model for all of us pre-bandsters (myself) and newly banded folks.

I really like seeing what the hard work and dedication to our "tool" can bring. Thanks for sharing your journey!

Julie,

It's been too long since I popped over here. I look forward to reading all about your thigh lift.

Thanks for being honest and sharing your experiences with us. It's very profound.

Juli

The countdown is ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thighs be gone!

The countdown is ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thighs be gone!

I only have to live with them for SIXTEEN more days. WOOOOOHOOOO! Tracy, you made my day.

My BF broke up with me on Friday and now all I care about is obessing about getting this damned surgery behind me. Gives me something to obsess about other than him, which is helpful.

Gotta tell you all though, this stage is not a bed of roses. I'm having pretty radical emotional swings with food. On the one hand, I've been told to not lose more weight prior to the surgery and I want to be a compliant patient. On the other hand, I still feel fat and it feels good (emotionally) to eat very little. I'm hoping the surgery will let me see the thin person that I am. If not, I'm going to work very hard to not trade one eating disorder (compulsive overeating) for another (struggling to force myself to eat enough to maintain).

Julie!!!!!!

No pity party for you, but I want to say Bastard Ass!

There are certainly better things to invest your energy into, like you said, obsessing about surgery is one.

Don't you wish there was an auto-pilot button we could go on when thinking about food (too much or too little) becomes overwhelming? I worry about trading out behaviors too, but having a handle on the concept should be a way to buffer it, right

I only have to live with them for SIXTEEN more days. WOOOOOHOOOO! Tracy, you made my day.

My BF broke up with me on Friday and now all I care about is obessing about getting this damned surgery behind me. Gives me something to obsess about other than him, which is helpful.

Gotta tell you all though, this stage is not a bed of roses. I'm having pretty radical emotional swings with food. On the one hand, I've been told to not lose more weight prior to the surgery and I want to be a compliant patient. On the other hand, I still feel fat and it feels good (emotionally) to eat very little. I'm hoping the surgery will let me see the thin person that I am. If not, I'm going to work very hard to not trade one eating disorder (compulsive overeating) for another (struggling to force myself to eat enough to maintain).

Julie - sorry to hear about your ex's loss ...

i cant believe its just over 2 weeks!! you are going to look even hotter than ever!

C

Julie-His loss, TOTALLY!

Woohoo, your date with another procedure is coming, and you'll be more than half-way through your procedure list! You are one HOT woman now, you are going to be even skinnier and more beautiful than you already are in a matter of weeks.

Julie: (Most) Men suck.. no matter if we are heavy or thin....... I would imagine that you are a force to be reckoned with! HottieMcHottie Marathon Runner AND a Lawyer! That is a pretty fierce combo, and some alpha male's would be very threatened! (Moooaawwwww!) Big kiss! Big Hugs! So many men.... so little time!