I'm 100 pounds into a 300-pound weight loss adventure, and I'm having the same problem everyone who's ever lost a large amount of weight has struggled with: excess skin. Instead of a spare tire around my middle, I have two floppy inner tubes separated by a waist. Above my belly button, I have lumpy cottage cheese skin that's not a problem other than appearance (which doesn't bother me yet and is easily fixed with shapewear) and frequent yeast infections in my belly button (which is easily fixed with antifungal cream). My lower apron, though, is really heavy, and since I'm still over 350, it's still an actual, full fat roll. It hangs down between panniculus level 1 and level 2, so not extreme yet. I think the problem is more the weight than the size.

My question is, how do the rest of you ladies find comfortable underwear once the loose skin starts to become an issue? For years I've been wearing Just My Size cotton briefs, but the ones I have now are so stretched out they don't fit properly and they're so threadbare I've had to throw some out. I guess they've changed their patterns and their material, though, because the new ones I've bought do not fit properly and the material doesn't have any "give" to it at all. I've tried my usual size, a larger size, and a smaller size, and none of them fit comfortably. I want something that tucks under my tummy pooch, because I recently got an office job and now spend a large part of my day sitting in a chair with my apron spread across my lap, and here in Missouri where the humidity is already 95% and the heat index is "only" 100 degrees Fahrenheit, having heavy bare skin laying against another layer of bare skin is even less comfortable than it sounds. Plus, the crotch is too short and narrow, which is a different kind of uncomfortable, and the leg elastic stretching across my belly is itchy and irritating and makes my stomach bunch up in weird lumps. (I haven't started wearing lower shapewear yet but in this heat, shapewear isn't really an option.) I've also tried Hanes and Woman Within, but had a similar fit issue.

I don't care what it looks like as long as it fits comfortably. I usually dress casually in jeans, so they don't have to be seamless or non-clingy or anything, but I do need something that's easy to move around in, do light exercise in, and sit in (my days are varied and I usually don't have an opportunity to change my underwear between activities). I tried boy shorts a few years ago but otherwise I usually wear briefs. Any ideas?

Thanks!

If Spanx-type tummy control is what you're looking for, try FullBeauty.com under shapewear. They have shapewear briefs that go all the way up to 8X. I have a 5X or 6X that fit me just fine at almost 400 pounds.

If you're looking for regular cotton underwear to accommodate your belly, I like Catherine's high-waisted briefs (the ones that come in a pack of 3). They have enough material to cover your stomach but the leg holes are cut low enough that they shouldn't sag under the weight of your stomach. I buy mine one size too large (they go up to underwear size 16, which I think is the equivalent of a 6X in pants), tuck the excess fabric under my "apron" and it keeps me from chafing without being too bulky. They're a bit on the pricey side, but watch for a buy 2, get 1 free sale.

Yeah I was once in 13-14s myself, now at my weight it's a 10 maybe an 11 in the cheapies. Never thought I would be able to say THAT! Be so obese so long I feared I would die THAT Way, thank you God, thank you Surgeon, and most of all thank you strong woman spirit that has kept me following along with my Care Plan! Like the late Mary Tyler Moore theme song " I'm going to make it after all!"

This may have started the thread many many moons ago but it still says a lot. I just broke into the 100s yesterday, and I'm sure I will miss Just My Size a lot in undies, not the clithes, just the undies. But I do have a Catherine's in Columbus, they currently call it C-BUS and I will make do through it all because I even with photo documentation will find it difficult to get Medicare or Medicaid to pay for plastics. But you know the weight loss, it still is all good , and I am certain GOD won't demand I go commando at the end! Have a shining sparkling day EVERYONE!