When did you have your tummy tuck? Were you at goal or near goal? And when did you start the consultation process?

I think I am way too far away from my goal to even think about PS, but the whole body is getting pretty toned and trimmed while my belly just sags and sags. :/ I am getting frustrated with all of this sagginess. hmph.

Hi SDP,

I'm kind of in the same boat you are, I've lost about 75 lbs, but still have about 40 more to go. I really don't want to go in to have lipo or a tummy tuck when I still have more weight to lose. Not to mention the fact that our finances are in the toilet now thanks to the economy, so it may have to wait longer than I originally wanted.

But it's a good question and I'll be very curious to see what the responses are.

I have seen people do it within 20 pounds of their goal. I am not sure what the reasoning is... But I plan to have atleast a TT and I will wait till I get to goal to see if that's where I want to be or if I want to go a little more.

My surgeon said you should wait at least a year...don't know why though.

at least a year from when you got your band or at least a year from when you got to goal?

I am thinking that if my goal is 150 . . . then I should start the consultations and the process at 160, but schedule the surgery so I'm pretty darn close to being at 150. Does that make sense? I'll ask my surgeon, but we've talked about PS before and he didn't seem to have any timeframe suggestions for me at all. He said that he might consider going in and moving my port at that time, but he didn't tell me to wait a year.

I didn't have a tummy tuck. 6 months into weightloss I was thinking alot about plastic surgery to tighten up things.

Another 6 months passed and my doc said to WAIT on a decision.

Well, he was right.

I don't need any surgery. I have a tad bit more to go...but he said time really does heal and tighten alot.

But, there are many who do. My twin had RnY and had to have her arms and thighs done.

Oh, I had twins in 2007 -- BIG twins . . . 5 lbs 15 ounces and 6 pounds 15 ounces . . .and they were fraternal with separate sacs, placentas, umbilicle cords, EVERYTHING. I don't think there's any question . . . I WILL be having PS. My stomach was wrecked completely when I was about 6 months into my pregnancy with them - and it just got worse for the 3 months after that!

If I remember correctly it is a year from goal.

I had my band put on Jan. 2007. My arms were so bad that I could not hold them up very long for the plastic surgeon to mark them. July of 2008 I had my arms done and he removed 2.5 lbs from each one, I still had about 20 lbs to lose at the time and he said it would not make much difference if I waited. I now have 14 more lbs to lose of the 181 that I started out at. I would like to have a tummy tuck and the thighs done but will wait the year out on that. My arms I could not hide and they digusted me every time I combed my hair or I was made aware that they were there. I now feel much better about myself and it opened up my abiltiy in buying clothes that fit better especilly with tighter sleaves.

I have also heard to wait at least a year, and to maintain your weight for some time so that your body has a chance to do some of its natural adjusting on its own.

I have been lucky, it is not bikini belly but I look OK without clothes for the most part and there is only a little sag. However, now that I am pregnant, I don't know what it will look like by next summer, lol.

I had to see my ps regarding some other issues ( I have had several skin cancers removed in the past) and he said he would be happy to do my ps but always waits a year after the patient reaches goal. Seems to be the standard.