Hi I'm planning to get sleeved in early 2018 once I switch insurance carriers. I look around and see all kinds of before and after pictures but it is hard to pinpoint ladies that are similar to me. I am particularly interested in how much excess skin you had and if you needed to have plastic surgery. I can't spend $15,000+ getting plastic surgery but I don't expect to need it at this size. I'd love to hear from those who have been there.

I'm not going to be much help as I am not at goal weight yet. But I have similar stats to yours. I am 7 months post sleeve. I am 45, 5'7" tall, was a 34 BMI, and was an apple shape. I have lost 50 lbs. Been stuck at a plateau for 6 weeks. I do not have loose hanging skin at this point. My arms and belly are soft and kind of crepey but no obvious skin folds, flaps. I think because I am losing it so slowly the skin is shrinking along with my fat.

I was a similar size to you, but a bit younger (in my 30s). I'm 5'8 and my BMI had been 32 when I had the VSG in August of 2015, but the highest it had ever been was 34.5. It's now 20.5; I've lost and kept off 86 pounds. My lowest weight was 5 pounds less than I am now, but the small gain was actually beneficial to my appearance, making my face look more youthful again. I'm still wearing an XS / size 2-4, which is surreal to me considering that fitting back into a size 14 had been a goal two years ago.

I have no loose skin. I've never taken any special vitamins or used lotions other than the typical one I apply when stepping out of the shower. I think losing weight at a very slow pace aided my skin's ability to adapt. Some people lose more than I did in a year in a few months, depending on their starting stats. Some the same size as me lost as much weight in half the time. It took 11 months for me to reach my first goal, and 18 for me to reach my second. I've maintained that weight for about six months. I focused the most on sustainable weight loss and developing new habits, so I was disciplined about what I ate, but careful to not be so strict that I'd be more likely to fall off the proverbial wagon. It caused me to lose weight less rapidly than many others, but I'm still pleased.

I'm grateful every day that I had this surgery, and I hope it improves your life as it has mine.