New w/ questions about weight loss and excess skin

[BrownsugarNY 30]

Hello

I'm new to the forum and I am currently in the process of completing my prerequisites to get an approval from BCBS NY for VSG. I am 5'3" 31 years old and weigh 235 mostly bottom heavy (belly, legs, calves) and while that may not sound like a lot of weight it is especially considering my height. I'm starting to get anxiety as I haven't told anyone except my husband and a close relative because I think people will look at me crazy because I have somewhat of a curvy figure. My two biggest fears are that I will lose too much weight and it'll won't look natural and that I will have excess skin on lower body. My surgeon stated something like the elasticity in my skin will be fine but there is no guarantee and this is such a Big decision in my life. Please help any advice would be thankful

[catwoman7 10,872]

there are *a lot* more people who never make it to goal than there are who lose too much weight. Also, you can always stop the weight loss by increasing your calories. I would not worry about losing too much weight *at all*.

as for loose skin, you'll probably have at least some. Some people have a lot, some don't have much - it depends on a lot of things (age, how much weight you lost, how long you were obese, etc). Not much you can do about it (other than plastic surgery if you're so inclined). I can tell you that I used to worry about that incessantly, but now that I'm normal weight, I don't give a hoot about my loose skin. I feel better than I have in years, and my loose skin is pretty easy to hide. No one knows it's there but me. I'll take my loose skin over being obese any day!

[BrownsugarNY 30]

Thanks. One more question do you think the gym will help with the excess skin? Meaning if I got in the gym and toned the body that it would help?!

[AZBlackhawk 122]

Hi! I'm only 2 months post RNY, so I also worry about excess skin. However, I was watching Dr Duc Vuong, the support surgeon on fb (check him out if you haven't. He does VSG, but most of his videos apply to any WLS).

Anyways, he said, "you have to get there first!" I thought about that and he's right. Don't let excess skin prevent WLS. He also says working out won't help excess skin, I'm not sure. I'm sure there ar ppl who will say it ha helped. It makes sense that exercising won't help it since loose skin doesn't have muscle in it, so you cannot tone it.

I'm about your size but started out bigger. 5'3" with high wt 252. Surgery wt was 227. Two months out and I'm 196!

It is a lot of weight. I think my BMI was 40 at surgery, still morbidly obese. I feel so good now. I look at pictures and think, wow, how did I get there.

Good luck with everything!

Edited August 19, 2017 by AZBlackhawk

[catwoman7 10,872]

On 8/18/2017 at 5:39 AM, BrownsugarNY said:

Thanks. One more question do you think the gym will help with the excess skin? Meaning if I got in the gym and toned the body that it would help?!

They say it won't, but one woman on another forum I'm on said she thinks it helped with her arms. Could be that she didn't have much loose skin on them, and the added muscle was able to fill it out (?) . Not sure. Most people will tell you no, though. I don't think it would be possible to build enough muscle in some places - like your abs - to fill much out there.

[TheGirlInThePinkScarf 28]

I started out somewhat close to your size (243 at 5'5") and I'm 25.

I've been losing weight slower than most people and so far, I think that's why I'm mostly ok in the loose skin department.

I have a little bit at the top of my breasts but that's it. Of course, I have about 40 more pounds to lose though.

Sent from my SM-N920P using BariatricPal mobile app

[blondie66 271]

It really depends on where you store your excess weight and your age and elasticity of skin. I lost 140 pretty F'n impossible to be firm after losing a person lol!! But honestly skin not too bad!! Arms and legs skin is lose but I'm older so expected. I might do skin surgery - maybe but in no rush. Honestly get to goal and then decide what to do with lose skin. The likelihood is you might have some but you're all young so your skin is more elastic. Take Vitamins, eat Protein, drink Water, exercise, moisturize like crazy and skin brush or use a skin scrub on dry skin. Oh and collagen and Biotin help.