Weight loss AFTER removal of excess skin

[Shrinking_Shamrock 33]

Hi all, just wondering if anyone has had a surgery to remove excess skin and then lost more weight and how you handled it..,ie has anyone had MORE surgery to remove more or was your skin more apt to snap back at that point.

Am going to be talking to my Dr about removing my panni at my next appointment but was wondering what possibilities I should potentially expect. How long does the swelling last and does the Dr provide you with the compression clothing?, If not where is the best/most affordable place to buy it.

Thanks all!

anything worth doing is Never easy

[heycrystal2052 430]

This is a great question, I'm getting my breast lift and reduction next month. I believe, as long as you're close to goal, you'll be okay. How close to goal, are you?

[Berry78 4,261]

The closer you are to goal, the happier you will be with your finished product. But if your quality of life is suffering, then getting the panni now, with a possible revision later might work. The surgery is safer and easier when the patient has lost as much weight as possible.

My MIL had a 30lb flap taken off.. she hadn't lost weight prior to the surgery. The scar looks good now, but her recovery was difficult. She didn't lose weight postop either, so I don't know what it would look like if she did.

Her swelling was significant for 6 months or a year I think. (The Fluid collected in her pubic-hair region.. looked like a half-cantaloupe under the skin). Don't know if being near goal would be helpful for that.. likely!

[Sherrie Scharbrough 311]

I had my Panni done Sept 2016. my PS removed 10plus #'s. I had been at my goal weight. I am now 4 years I had my RNY July 2, 2013. The Panni removal is a pretty easy surgery. I spent the night in the Hospital because my bladder wouldn't wake up after surgery. I did come home with 3 drains. I only had them for 1 week. If at all possible I would get a muscle repair. I now need Lipo. My upper stomach never did go as he had promised. He told me that he would give me a good deal, he would do a breast lift and Lipo on my upper stomach I ask him right after surgery, why is my upper stomach looking like that? He said it was swelling. It never went down. Lol I didn't get compression wear. I even ask the nurse to call him and ask him if I needed it. As you can see I am not that happy. The Panni is still flat and that part I love I just wish he would have been honest with me, I would have gladly payed the extra $$ that it would have taken to gewt the LIPO done a the same time. Good Luck just make sure to ask lots of ??'s!!!

[freelee 128]

2 years ago I had RNY, and at the beginning of this summer I had lost 150 lbs. I am at goal. June 30 I had my panni and he took another 3.5 lbs of skin. I am very happy with it. It does take longer to heal than I had expected. After surgery they immediately had the compression brace on and am still wearing it almost 24/7. i gained some Water weight (up to 131 from 117) but am now down to 126. my biggest fear is I will continue to gain if I dont get back on my walking/jogging routine soon. i had to have a section of my incision reopened due to a tiny complication, so I am having to pack an open 3" foe a month until it heals, so the major walking is off the table and "strolls" just arent cutting it weightloss wise.

Good luck on your journey. I am very happy with my results. Now I wish I could do my arms and thighs.

[Greensleevie 451]

This is why the better surgeons want you at your goal weight or a a stable weight for at least a year. Unless the extra skin is causing mobility issues, of course.

[heycrystal2052 430]

13 hours ago, Greensleevie said:

This is why the better surgeons want you at your goal weight or a a stable weight for at least a year. Unless the extra skin is causing mobility issues, of course.

And most insurance companies require the same as well. Before the approval of breast lift and reduction, I had to have maintained a steady weight for at least, three months.

[ssflbelle 829]

From Oct 2016 until june 2017 I had to maintain my weight between 218 to 222 after having lost over 270 pounds. In June my insurance paid for a breast reduction. The Dr took off 6 pounds of breast skin and I have since lost another 9 pounds and am 27 from my goal. The Dr said the excess weight loss probably will not affect my breasts as he made them smaller than a B cup. I was told when I get to my goal weight the Dr would take the excess skin from the tummy which he is estimating to be about 15 pounds. I will still have arms and legs excess removal to go through as well. I suppose it depends on how far you are from your goal and how old you are. Being 61 it was unlikely my skin would shrink to normal.

[terryjones 16]

Hello I was approved for a panniculectomy has anyone had this done ? I'm just concerned about any excess skin above the belly button that will not be removed .....

[Berry78 4,261]

This is a good one for your surgeon. The two pans that I'm familiar with were large, and they took the belly buttons off. But by doing so the result was smoother.

[Shrinking_Shamrock 33]

Hello All, I will tell you a little about my story and hope for advice from there., I'm 43 years old, started picking up my weight when I was 9 years old and in my teens I stayed between 160 and 175 then I had my daughter went on Depo Provera and jumped from 175 to 240, my highest weight was 248 and I'm from a family where all of the women have always been heavy, and losing my grandmother in '88 with her being 56 years old and over 550 lbs I had a VSG in April 2016, pre surgery I weighed 219, but since October of 2016 I have been floating from 160 to 165 having in my mind a goal of around 125 to 130, So currently that would put me about 30 to 35 pounds away from my goal and not knowing if that is close enough for me to consider Plastics. Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated, thank you all and congratulations to everyone and the progress you've all made! [emoji16][emoji256]

anything worth doing is Never easy [emoji3]

[Berry78 4,261]

Your weight should be stable for 9 months or a year before getting plastics. Those that get it sooner have mobility issues or something like that. Whether your weight stabilizes at 160 or 125 doesn't matter.. just has to be stable.

Since its already been stable, you can say "forget 125, I'll be satisfied here" and make your appointment.. or you can keep trying to go lower.

Personally, I believe in the set point theory, and I believe trying to go lower will be fighting your set point, and you will find it difficult to lose, and then even more difficult to maintain.

But, if you get to goal, then have Lipo and skin removal, that surgery might help actually lower your set point, making the losses easier to maintain.

This is a good question for your surgeon, since they know more about these things..

[jess9395 5,450]

6 months stable is what all the surgeons I talked with said. I got mine done at six months stable and it was perfect.

[jess9395 5,450]

Oh and I believe in the set point theory too. It's definitely been my experience. My body decided where it wanted to be and I'd have to fight to go either way. My WL surgeon believes in it so much he doesn't set goal weight with his patients instead telling them, a 10% loss has these positive effects, a 20% loss has these, etx

[terryjones 16]

This is a good one for your surgeon. The two pans that I'm familiar with were large, and they took the belly buttons off. But by doing so the result was smoother.