I am scheduled for a March 20tj bypass - it’s getting real and the questions are hitting me fast and furious. Appreciate any advice and insight:

1. Dying my hair/roots - any issues. Should I do it now or closer to the surgery date so it lasts longer. Same question for a new cut. Time for people to get use to it? Should I start taking collagen, non-sulphur shampoo - anything to manage the hair loss a little

Walking post surgery - should I get walking sticks?

I know there is no weight lifting post surgery - what about other non-weight bearing exercised- exercise bike, yoga classes etc.

COVID, flu, tetanus, - anything else I should get ahead of

Any kitchen things I should get- can you purée with a hand blender?

not much you can do about the hair loss. If it's gonna happen, it's gonna happen. And not everyone loses hair - I lost some, but very little. I noticed more strands of hair than usual during months 5-8, but just looking at my hair in the mirror, I couldn't tell - so neither could anyone else. Most people do lose some, but usually, you're the only one who notices. If you're one of the folks who loses a noticeable amount (and it's more like shedding - not big clumps), a shorter style will make it look less noticeable.

dying hair - I can't remember if there are any issues with that (I do dye my hair, but I'm several years post-op) but I don't think there are

walking - re: sticks - up to you. I didn't have any

vaccines - you can get those any time, before or after. It's pretty late in the season for flu shots (although that doesn't mean you can't get one). Tetanus is every 10 years, so if it's been 10 years, I'd get one.

puree - I just used a regular blender, but a hand blender would work, too.

Edited February 22, 20233 yr by catwoman7

Thanks - super helpful. Did you take anything to prevent stretch marks/ lose skin?

Thoughts/experience with any of these products - this was included with the pre-op surgery materials received

Regarding hair dying, get it done before surgery. It was recommended that I wait a few months after surgery to dye it again because the dye itself would not take as well to my hair post surgery. My stylist said the same thing because her mom had the sleeve and experienced that issue.

The cut itself I don't think really makes a difference in the hair loss. I have been lucky in that I haven't lost much hair.

No questions are dumb!

1. Dyeing hair/roots: You can dye your hair before surgery, but it's important to avoid harsh chemicals and hair treatments close to the surgery date as they can affect the healing process.
2. Walking post-surgery: If your doctor recommends it, you can use walking sticks to assist you in walking.
3. Non-weight bearing exercises: It's best to consult with your doctor to know what kind of exercises are safe for you after surgery.
4. COVID, flu, tetanus: It's important to follow the recommended guidelines and get vaccinated for COVID-19, flu, and tetanus if you have not done so.
5. Kitchen things: A hand blender can be used for puréeing food.

Hello and congrats on your surgery date. If you have any questions, ask away, none are silly

I had my hair dyed pre surgery. I had my bottom length hair cut twice. My long straight, hair made me look so much balder. Once to shoulder length then a very necessary pixie cut. I have lost hair at other times of my life when going through surgery so did not bother to try expensive treatments. I read others say nothing stopped the shedding so that was good enough for me

I was already using a stick so continued with it for a while. Walking is recommended by everyone. I love it still.

Try and keep people at a distance in the last two weeks, especially school children. I know this advice is a waste but its the only way you can be sure of no virus cropping up the last week before surgery.

I bought a thermos cup to keep my drinks warm. My stomach would not tolerate cold drinks.

Like hair loss, skin sagging after surgery is a matter of age, weight and genetics. I believe the chemists who have nothing to do with the cosmetic industry. They say nothing helps your skin regain its shape after loosing a ton of weight if you are a certain age and your skin has no elasticity left.

im almost 6 months out and my hair just started thinning now.

I take bioten daily and collegen a few times a week (when I remember it)

Talk to your hair stylist, and I would avoid dying your hair for atleast 6 months if not a year after surgery to give it time to do its thing.

7 hours ago, Yahoo said:

Thanks - super helpful. Did you take anything to prevent stretch marks/ lose skin?

there's nothing you can take to prevent it. How much you have and how much elasticity it still has depends on age and genetics, as summerseeker said, as well as how much weight you lose. If you're talking 100+ lbs, you will probably have loose skin. Seriously stretched skin is damaged skin and isn't going to bounce back. I lost over 200 lbs so I had a ton of it. It was easy to hide in clothes so no one knew it was there, but I eventually had it removed because *I* knew it was there, and it was driving me crazy...

I forgot that you asked about exercise. I was allowed (in fact, ENCOURAGED) to start walking right away. At one month out, I was cleared to do everything except for weights. I was cleared for weights at about eight weeks out, I think.

On 02/22/2023 at 13:25, summerseeker said:

Hello and congrats on your surgery date. If you have any questions, ask away, none are silly

I had my hair dyed pre surgery. I had my bottom length hair cut twice. My long straight, hair made me look so much balder. Once to shoulder length then a very necessary pixie cut. I have lost hair at other times of my life when going through surgery so did not bother to try expensive treatments. I read others say nothing stopped the shedding so that was good enough for me

I was already using a stick so continued with it for a while. Walking is recommended by everyone. I love it still.

Try and keep people at a distance in the last two weeks, especially school children. I know this advice is a waste but its the only way you can be sure of no virus cropping up the last week before surgery.

I bought a thermos cup to keep my drinks warm. My stomach would not tolerate cold drinks.

Like Hair loss, skin sagging after surgery is a matter of age, weight and genetics. I believe the chemists who have nothing to do with the cosmetic industry. They say nothing helps your skin regain its shape after loosing a ton of weight if you are a certain age and your skin has no elasticity left.

200 lbs - wow! Well done and congratulations! Was it very expensive to remove the loose skin

44 minutes ago, Yahoo said:

200 lbs - wow! Well done and congratulations! Was it very expensive to remove the loose skin

unfortunately, yes. I had my surgeries (three of them) over the last four years. The first one I had three years after my WLS, so that would have been in 2018. I was told by people on this site (BariatricPal) and/or a similar one to expect to pay about $8000-$10,000 per procedure. with a lower body lift counting as two procedures since they do both front and back. I had three consultations in the US, and those estimates were pretty accurate. I had a fourth estimate by a plastic surgeon in Mexico, and his estimate was about half that, if I remember correctly (however, I decided to stay in the US)

although keep in mind that it really depends on where you have it done, and the experience & reputation of the surgeon. You're probably going to pay more in New York, Chicago, or Los Angeles than you will in Knoxville, Tennessee. Also, a surgeon who's nationally known and has 20 years of experience is probably going to be more costly than someone with only a couple years of experience under their belt.

Other procedures I had were breast lift, arm lift, and face/neck lift. Those all fell into that range too (each of those are considered one procedure). Face/neck lift was a little cheaper, I think - but not much. I think it was $7000.

insurance usually doesn't cover it, but if you have some medical issues due to the loose skin - like a chronic rash that doesn't clear up with more conventional treatments, then it *might* cover it. Or at least some of it. If you do have such issues, go see your doctor about it so its documented. Then if you decide to pursue plastic surgery and think part or all of it should be covered because of medical issues caused by the skin, you'll have documentation of the problem - because the insurance company will want to see that before approving it.

On 02/22/2023 at 17:48, catwoman7 said:

unfortunately, yes. I had my surgeries (three of them) over the last four years. The first one I had three years after my WLS, so that would have been in 2018. I was told by people on this site (BariatricPal) and/or a similar one to expect to pay about $8000-$10,000 per procedure. with a lower body lift counting as two procedures since they do both front and back. I had three consultations in the US, and those estimates were pretty accurate. I had a fourth estimate by a plastic surgeon in Mexico, and his estimate was about half that, if I remember correctly (however, I decided to stay in the US)

although keep in mind that it really depends on where you have it done, and the experience & reputation of the surgeon. You're probably going to pay more in New York, Chicago, or Los Angeles than you will in Knoxville, Tennessee. Also, a surgeon who's nationally known and has 20 years of experience is probably going to be more costly than someone with only a couple years of experience under their belt.

Other procedures I had were breast lift, arm lift, and face/neck lift. Those all fell into that range too (each of those are considered one procedure). Face/neck lift was a little cheaper, I think - but not much. I think it was $7000.

insurance usually doesn't cover it, but if you have some medical issues due to the loose skin - like a chronic rash that doesn't clear up with more conventional treatments, then it *might* cover it. Or at least some of it. If you do have such issues, go see your doctor about it so its documented. Then if you decide to pursue plastic surgery and think part or all of it should be covered because of medical issues caused by the skin, you'll have documentation of the problem - because the insurance company will want to see that before approving it.

So $60,000 ish for everything - talk about motivation to keep it off!! Do you know if it makes any difference at all if you lose more slowly. Good thing I’ll be saving money not eating out (and as a pack rat still have a wardrobe in all sizes)

3 minutes ago, Yahoo said:

So $60,000 ish for everything - talk about motivation to keep it off!! Do you know if it makes any difference at all if you lose more slowly. Good thing I’ll be saving money not eating out (and as a pack rat still have a wardrobe in all sizes)

I don't think it matters if you lose it quickly or slowly. If there's a difference, it's probably negligible, because stretched out skin is stretched out skin. It might not get that stretched out if someone is 20 lbs overweight, but at 100 lbs or more, a lot of the skin just isn't going to bounce back. I wouldn't try to intentionally slow down my weight loss. You want to lose as much as you can during the first 12-18 months, when you're in the "honeymoon" period, because it gets a lot harder after that. Of course, follow your clinic's plan and don't starve yourself, either. You want to stay healthy.

the cost depends on how much you have done, and again where and by whom. I had a face/neck lift, but I don't think most people do. But then, I'm also in my 60s, which was another factor in choosing to get one. Lower body lift or tummy tuck (tummy tuck is just the front part - lower body lift is both front and back) is the most common surgery people get- so if you just get that, it'd be a lot less than $60,000. Quotes I was getting for my lower body lift (which as I said is usually more than the tummy tuck since they do both front and back) were $16,000-$21,000. But I also had mine done in Chicago, so I was playing Chicago prices. And I chose well-known surgeons for my consults. But that surgery was also five years ago - so I'm not sure what people are paying these days. But at least that gives you an idea.

I agree with most everyone that there is little you can do about stretched and ripped (let's get real) skin.

However, don't accept that you must pay for tummy-tucks or anything else. My insurance paid for my abdominoplasty (tummy-tuck), and had approved my thighs had I continued. I wasn't worried about my arms, but I could have made similar cases and had insurance pay.

Remember: "Reconstructive." Start documenting rashes, back pain, infections, etc. and your plastic surgery becomes a "reconstructive" surgery rather than a cosmetic one. Because mine were reconstructive mine were 100% paid by my insurance.

Good luck,

Tek

On 02/22/2023 at 18:21, The Greater Fool said:

I agree with most everyone that there is little you can do about stretched and ripped (let's get real) skin.

However, don't accept that you must pay for tummy-tucks or anything else. My insurance paid for my abdominoplasty (tummy-tuck), and had approved my thighs had I continued. I wasn't worried about my arms, but I could have made similar cases and had insurance pay.

Remember: "Reconstructive." Start documenting rashes, back pain, infections, etc. and your plastic surgery becomes a "reconstructive" surgery rather than a cosmetic one. Because mine were reconstructive mine were 100% paid by my insurance.

Good luck,

Tek

Good to know. It’s funny my surgery is scheduled for March 20th and I have already jumped from what if I die, get cancer and can’t absorb nutrients, don’t lose the weight - to what am I going to do about lose skin!!! Another dumb question - how did you tell people/ respond to invitations for lunches or dinners?