I posted this last year on another board. I will share it here as well. I actually got thinner after this and I now have a 6th child but I stand by the rest of what was said.

I wanted to give you guys a REAL look at what weight loss surgery does to you so that if you decide to get it you know all the facts. I would do this surgery again in a heart beat, however it is not all rainbows and unicorns. I have an insane amount of excess skin, 2 hernias and Iron so low I have to be transfused weekly. At my heaviest being weighed I was 368 but I HAD ALREADY BEEN DIETING so I was probably closer to 380. I have had 5 kids and that has a lot to do with my stomach being so baggy, I am going to get the apron surgery and have that removed once my iron is high enough. This surgery saved my life, I am not longer diabetic, my blood pressure is perfect and 5 months out of surgery I got pregnant with my daughter. It was a miracle for me but I wish someone had shown me REAL before and after photos so I would know what I was REALLY in for cosmetically.

Thanks for the pic. Im preparing myself for this to happen.

Thanks for sharing this. I appreciate real posts about the realities. Skin or not you look great and the health benefits are amazing. Great job!

Thank you for the honesty and pics! I know the skin is a problem, but you really do look fantastic. And your arms and back/flank rebounded good! You remind me of the actress Piper Perabo.

Good luck on your continued journey, and congratulations on all you have accomplished. It's a big deal!

Thank you for sharing. You look great, skin or no skin.

I have a similar stats to you and it's good to know what to expect. And all in all, it's not that bad.

I got far too thin about 4 months after these photos 155 is just too small for me

Omgosh! you look great! Yeah, the extra skin is there but look at what you did! I've lost about 165 pounds in the past year, and have quite a bit of loose skin now too. Sure, I'd like to have my arms back to where I could wear sleeveless shirts and not have to think about my 'wings', but I embrace seeing the loose skin. It reminds me of where I came from. A battle scar if you will. Great job!

Thank you for sharing! We have similar starting weights and VERY similar body shapes. We are even the same height! This is probably a close representation of what I'll look like when I finally get there.

Edited December 30, 201510 yr by Cervidae

Omgosh! you look great! Yeah, the extra skin is there but look at what you did! I've lost about 165 pounds in the past year, and have quite a bit of loose skin now too. Sure, I'd like to have my arms back to where I could wear sleeveless shirts and not have to think about my 'wings', but I embrace seeing the loose skin. It reminds me of where I came from. A battle scar if you will. Great job!

I call them bat wings lol

Those photos are actually very encouraging. To me, I imagine you must feel like you are walking on air after losing all of that weight. You have done amazingly well.

Congratulations on your weight loss! Skin issues are very dependent on what you look like when you start. If you have thicker, tighter skin you may not have such loose skin when done. As in your pics you had very lax, loose skin so really you can't expect skin to all tighten up and go back to normal looking. If we take a good look at ourselves while fat, this really will be what we will look like when thin, just deflated!

I think you look great and very happy! What is a bit of loose skin when you can live life to the fullest?

Skin or no skin - you are a huge inspiration! I think you look amazing!

You should be so proud!

Congratulations

Your willingness to show a more authentic series of before and after pics helps to prepare those of us starting out for what lies ahead, and it is very much appreciated. I also hope to lose 200 lbs overall, and I find your post very inspiring. YOu've done a great job!

Girl you look great!Thanks for your honesty and truth.,....

I can see what you are talking about, but your beautiful and to me that skin is like a wound, remnants from another life, I was at 388 in January and today I am at 256, after surgery on June 10th, I bed am losing very quickly, and I knew those before and after photos were going to let me down, it's very rare to look like some of those people in the pics but you are real as am I, I also found that I don't have as much excess skin as I assumed I would, especially since I do a lot of weight training, I'm very content to be the healthiest I've been my whole life and yes I also have side effects that bother me a little, sneezing during most meals, and constantly cold even in the summer, but I wouldn't hesitate to do it again, thank you for your honesty and open minded posting of what many consider to be extremely personal pictures of one's self, I would post too but I got a new phone yesterday and unfortunately my pictures didn't transfer, you have my admiration and respect.......