[vif]

I would like to hear from ev1 about whether or not they have had plastic surgery since their gastric bypass. I have loose skin everywhere and still have 65 more pounds to lose.

I spoke with one surgeon's office, and they said I could have a body lift now, but I am afraid I would have to have it redone when I reach goal weight.

Looking at your before and after pictures has been a great inspiration to me....you all look great. I wouldn't allow my picture to be taken when I was at 311, but I will post some of me at my current weight of 204. I am 54 and have lost a lot of the elasticity in my skin. I wonder if any of you have done okay without the plastic surgery. Thanks!!!! Vicki

[dixieladybug]

I was advised to wait until two years out by one doctor but that hanging skin was making me feel so bad about myself. It was all I could see. I was about 10 pounds from my goal but I had been at the same weight for over 4 months and I really think this is where my body feels it want to stop. I hope to lose a few more but I feel good where I am now. I went to a well known PS and he said it would be fine to get it done now If that is what i wanted. I had it done in Nov. last year and I feel so much better about myself. I am so happy I did it but I will tell you that it was not an easy and pain free recovery for me but others seem to have made it fine. The drains are the worse part of it. I hated those things. lol I had the extended tummy tuck and they cut me from hip bone to hip bone. They also tightened the tummy muscles. I am very pleased with it now. It was so worth all that pain I went threw. I need much more work done but i will probably never get anything else done. That apron of skin was causing me so many problems that i wanted it gone gone gone. This is a very personal division. Some people just have more of a problem than others. It up to you to decide just how bad you need it. Good luck..

[BreeChick]

my advice is to WAIT until you are at goal weight. Most of the PS docs (the good ones!) say to wait until you have hit goal weight and maintained a 6 mos to a year. Most people don't wanna wait that long. But it's better if you are already looking at a body lift to not get it too soon.

May this year I'll be 8yrs post op--NO PLASTIC SURGERY--

really.

[DocSanae]

It's best to wait until you are at goal. Also, even though you are in youre 50s, some people the same age bracket as you are, opted to wait for a while, and found that their skin was better than before. In other words, you're probably at the worst point in regards to skin right now, and until you reach goal. Just at the moment, the fat that can be reduced easily is going, which means it will be the filler fats that you lose--and as a result, the skin will become loose. Once you are at goal, the distribution will slowly change over time, Also, give yourself time to tone up your muscles first, as you will be able to get better PS results with well toned muscle. If you have loose muscle, the surgeon is going to have to cut and sew there as well, which will be more painful than just skin, and take more recovery time.

In other words, don't rush everything. Take it all step by step. It took you years and years to get to the point where you needed surgery to resolve the basic issue. You may want everything back overnight, but it's best for your phsysical and mental being that you take things step by step, secure each step first, then go on to the next step. Right now, your priority should be lose the rest of the extra you want to lose, and also to set up the healthy eating habits and healthy life style that you will need to stick to for the rest of your life to maintain.

[katress]

it would make sense to wait until you are at goal......i wish i could lift the skin on my arms....right now.........grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr i hate this bat wing thing...

[Queenofthenilerevisited]

I agree with Doc and Breechick.... I am no where near goal and wish I could have plastic surgery to make my body look like it did when I was 20 lol not going to happen but hopefully I'll prepare my body when it is time to have plastics by continuing working out.

[lisaindallas]

Been reading the thread here and had some realizations for myself. I have now lost 103 pounds...started at 293 and am at 190 now. I still have 45 pounds to lose. I have been obese most of my life and I have decided that if what I have now is loose skin that is way better than all the extra fat I was carrying. My poor body has been so supportive of me even though I have been carrying around a whole extra person's weight. My heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, pancreas, etc. are so much healthier now. When I look at my batwings I just think how much fat I have lost!! I do wear longer sleeves but when I swim I really don't think about how I look, I try to think about how I am healthier now than I have been in 30 years.
Some of this perspective may be because I got an infection during surgery and that was so much worse than the surgery itself. I may have to have a hip replaced still, BUT I am not even going to think about that until 2011. I am going to lose the rest of my weight and tone my muscles and skin the best I can at age 58.5 and just be grateful that I am alive and healthy and probably going to live another 20 years now!! I know I will have to address the excess stomach skin probably but maybe not!! So for now I think I will just read up on bats and see some of their qualities!!!!
Just my thoughts...blessings to you each and PLEASE root for the Dallas Cowboys tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lisa in Dallas

[vif]

Hi Dixieladybug

Congratulations on your weight loss...you are looking great!!!! I too am having problems because of the apron. (Never really liked aprons...lol) Regardless of the exercise I have done, my tummy muscles just won't tighten up. The apron causes sweating which leads to yeast growth and bad odors that return within an hour after showering....and I would like it gone gone gone as well. I guess my greatest fear is the recovery though. I had a terrible time the first few weeks after my RNY....thought I was going to die a couple times, and almost thought I would rather die than go through all of that pain. How would you compare the post op tummy tuck pain to you bypass pain?

Thanks,
Vicki

Originally Posted by dixieladybug

I was advised to wait until two years out by one doctor but that hanging skin was making me feel so bad about myself. It was all I could see. I was about 10 pounds from my goal but I had been at the same weight for over 4 months and I really think this is where my body feels it want to stop. I hope to lose a few more but I feel good where I am now. I went to a well known PS and he said it would be fine to get it done now If that is what i wanted. I had it done in Nov. last year and I feel so much better about myself. I am so happy I did it but I will tell you that it was not an easy and pain free recovery for me but others seem to have made it fine. The drains are the worse part of it. I hated those things. lol I had the extended tummy tuck and they cut me from hip bone to hip bone. They also tightened the tummy muscles. I am very pleased with it now. It was so worth all that pain I went threw. I need much more work done but i will probably never get anything else done. That apron of skin was causing me so many problems that i wanted it gone gone gone. This is a very personal division. Some people just have more of a problem than others. It up to you to decide just how bad you need it. Good luck..

[MsVickie]

Whom ever told you that is wrong. Evidently they want your money later to. Listen to what these people have told you and you will be much better off.

[DocSanae]

Originally Posted by vif

Hi Dixieladybug
Regardless of the exercise I have done, my tummy muscles just won't tighten up.

Quite honestly, ti won't tighten up to a flat tummy. Your age, how many pregnancies you've had, etc will affect it, and unless you've had a flat tummy throughout your life, you aren't going to get a flat tummy like 20-somethings with dilligent exercising. In fact, while you are still in the losing stage, you probably won't be able to see any improvement. But, working to tone your muscles is improtant, because it's going to make a difference after. Not all results come out in a few months. A lot only become apparent after years of effort. THe importance of exercise here is not to tighten up your tummy just by exercise. It's to give you a better muscle tone that will improve on the results of what the PS surgeon can do for you.

The apron causes sweating which leads to yeast growth and bad odors that return within an hour after showering.

Have your dr document this, as it will help towards insurance coverage for the PS. Most of the PS will be out of pocket unless you have drs stating that there's medcial neccessity such as the skin irritation and infections, and back pains due to the pull of the excess skin, etc.

Please note that none of us are saying that you shouldn't have PS. What we are saying is even if you are having issues including your own self image, for the best results with the least hasstle (meaning complications and needing a second or thrid surgery because you develop more extra skin with further weight loss). it's best to wait until your weight stabilises.

You also need to be aware that your skin was stretched to the maximum and weaked, so, the less time you give it between your weight loss and PS, the skin will not be strong enough to give you the best results. You need to give your skin the time to recover some, and regain some of its resilence before the best results. That's why a truly good PS will tell you to wait 18-24 month after surgery or for you weight to be stable for 6 months or so prior to surgery. If the suregone is just after your money, then they will say anytime is good.