Excess Skin Removal Surgery?

[Maryposa]

Originally Posted by Bejewelme

Yeah it was a while before I shaved but like Mary said, the hair didnt get long or anything, I probably shave once a month now under there, and it is harder like it has deep rut now, if you know what I mean? 2 weeks I was back at work, doing all the regular housework except laundry basket was hard to carry so I would throw the stuff a little at a time down the steps, scoop it up down the next steps, LOL You will be fine! I will send you some of my bolero shrugs, LOL I never want to see those darn things again!

I forgot to tell you this, but he airburshed my scars the day of my wedding when I got my make up done, no scars it made me just bawl 20 seconds, and 6 months of fussing over these darn scars and they were gone! It was amazing!

Actually I dunno if I meant the same thing, maybe because I got the brachioplasty COMBINED with a torso lift, but I literally have no more of my old armpit tissue where hair and sweat glands are. It's cut out, gone lol

[clmoore]

Originally Posted by Maryposa

Actually I dunno if I meant the same thing, maybe because I got the brachioplasty COMBINED with a torso lift, but I literally have no more of my old armpit tissue where hair and sweat glands are. It's cut out, gone lol

Mary:

Did they really remove the glands along with excess skin? I have lots less of the hairy area of the skin where it was removed from the armpit area. Would be cool not to sweat there!

[Bejewelme]

Man that would be cool, one thing I notice is my pits dont get smelly and sweat nearly like they did, but I still use deodorant, man that would be awesome, he said he is going to try to remove the lovely side fat that pushes up over my bra when he does the breast lift I will have to ask him about that,

[Maryposa]

Originally Posted by clmoore

Mary:

Did they really remove the glands along with excess skin? I have lots less of the hairy area of the skin where it was removed from the armpit area. Would be cool not to sweat there!

I have no idea lol all I know is the pores are gone and I have zero bo. I'll have to ask my surgeon

[LunaAshling]

Originally Posted by Bejewelme

Luna- Exactly right, Valley of Fire at the Seven Sisters Rock formation


And to top it off, I entered the Atkins weight loss contest, I didnt win, but today I got an email, they want to use my story and pictures on their website and pay me $300 I am in shock!!!!

I thought I recognized that! Seriously ladies if you are ever in Vegas go out there at sunset. It needs to be sunset. There is a reason it's called the "Valley of Fire".


And wooohooo on making it on the website!!!

[Bejewelme]

Oh Luna- We got the pictures and video form the wedding yesterday from the professional photographer, OMG those rocks look so incredible, it is a magical place, the files are so large I cant upload them to Facebook, they are going to have to be resized, I was pleased with his work cool pics with the big moon coming up between the rocks!

Step 2 I heard back, they said marketing is contacting me, and getting forms for payment so they can post!

[LunaAshling]

Wow the moon pics sound AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!

[E.W.]

Long ago I always thought my ideal weight should be 154 lbs. But back 20 years ago
I got up to about 350 lbs kind of strange I didn't stay that high but a year or so. So
now at long last I found a WOE that works with me and I think will be easy to live with.
I now weigh 276 lbs and already have some extra skin and expect to have more as I
continue to lose weight. And although it's a long way off I just wonder what I should
set my goal weight as. Being this obese for over 20 years and being 61 years old I sure
don't expect this skin to recover all that much. Clearly my goal weight will now be higher than 154 lbs and it sure would psychologicaly be conforting to no longer feal like I was
over a 100 lbs over weight sort of like that day the scale said 299lbs and no longer 300.
But it's not worth asking a surgon at this point.

[Bejewelme]

E.W.- my doctor set a goal for me of 198, I am 5'10, I am still not there, it is like next to impossible to get under 200 it seems! I was 204 this morning, I got as low as 201 before the wedding. I have a ton of extra skin, as I was 300-350 for most of my 30's, and the high 280-290 in my 20's. I would say start working out, and dont worry about a goal weight for now, I seem to have about 175 in my head,and then surgery.

[LunaAshling]

Sending more good luck and approval vibes this month!!!!

[Bejewelme]

I see my PS on Tuesday for my arms, and to talk more about TT, I have March 1 in my head, whatever my weight is I guess, it is not moving too fast at this point, I just seem to hover at 202. My size 14 skinny jeans were too tight to take to Vegas on the trip I put them on today and they are falling off my butt, so I am not losing on the scale but the exercise is changing something, I could barely close these suckers and now I cant believe how loose they are!

[AussieShane]

Wow! You Ladies are amazing. Have sat here reading your stories and am so inspired by your stories. In fact i have tears in my eyes. Well Done to you all and Good Luck on future weight loss.

Reading your stories on surgery to remove excess skin is sad. If being big wasnt hard enough the thought i having large amounts of excess skin is deflating. I am currently weighing 225kg (approx 450lb). This year is the first time i have felt like death warmed up. it has been hard. i am about to start on my journey and i hope i can have as much success as you all have. But i realise i cant keep feeling like this. I worry i wont see 40. I may carry the emotional scars of being fat until i die but i certainly dont want to carry the weight that caused it.

I do worry about the saggy skin. No one wants to look like a two legged shar pei.lol. But i guess thats the penalty we pay for getting so big. Although im not worried about that right now because that is a long way off from today.

So to all of you on this chat thead Thank you. Although you made me cry i want you to know you have helped to inspire me to start my battle. I hope that in a year to two years time that i too will be like you all.

[Hot Tamale]

Welcome Shane and best of luck to you! You CAN do this!!! Don't worry about saggy skin - just know how much better you will feel as you begin to lose the weight! We are all on your side and willing to help!!! Congrats to you for posting and starting out strong!

[clmoore]

Welcome, Shane! Best of fortune to you in getting healthy.

Don't worry about excess skin. If we stay obese, we STILL have the skin, it's just full of FAT! It is better to lose the fat and be healthy!

[Bejewelme]

Shane- do not let the skin be a deterrent to losing weight, honestly if I could have this skin or be fat I will take the skin any day of the week!!!! Is it a problem sure it is, but there are Plastic surgeons that can fix all that down the road, getting healthy is going to be the biggest thing, and you are going to feel great!!! Do not let the numbers overwhelm you, look at it in 10 pound increments, just work in always getting to the next decade, and day by day, month by month you will get it off! Start a journal on here, it is what kept me going, support is needed let me tell you, and start exercising, it will not only help you lose, but help with the skin too!!! Drink lots of water!!! You can do this, we all were sitting where you are, and we did it, is it easy?? Heck no, is it worth it? Heck yes!!!! Good luck to you!!!!!

[Bejewelme]

I might as well tell you guys, I had my PS appt, I am trying like the dickens to get 25 pounds more off before TT and BL in the Spring, my house must sell I got a new realtor if I get close to the asking price, I will have enough to put on the new house and pay for surgery, yeah!!! I was going to close an old IRA but with the market acting as it is, its not worth it with the penalty!

My PS was amazed he is like you lost so much weight I said I didn't I am still not under 200 he said I would be an 8 if he did it now! I am wearing 12 and 14's now, I cant believe it!!!

The last few months were too crazy with parties, the wedding trip etc, now its time to get down to business I am working out like a freaking nut, but I am going to do even more!

CLM and Mary hope you guys are doing well and loving your new bods,

HT- when is surgery for you?

Happy Thanksgiving peeps!!!

[Maryposa]

less than two weeks until round two! Anyone looking for a loan I recommend peer lending... not as in borrow from a friend lol... as in lending club. totally took a burden off of me.

[Bejewelme]

Mary- what are you doing with round 2 I think I missed it???

What is peer lending is there a link you can post???

Might be an option for me like if the house doesnt sell til March I want to do it but cant risk the mortgage approval charging up 13K, if you can let me know I would appreciate it!!!

[Hot Tamale]

Hi All - Bejewel, its scheduled for 12/20... I'm getting mostly nervous about it... officially asking all of you for any/all advice about what to expect with a breast lift and the arm surgery... What should I buy to prepare for the recovery? I know someone said support hose to cut and wear on your arms? I'll be home for just about 2 weeks before I have to go back to work...will that be enough time that I should be somewhat comfortable? I'm also worried about not being able to exercise for a while - anyone have any ideas about how long I may be out of commission? I want to get back to walking as soon as I can, but don't want to mess up healing. Comments appreciated!

[Bejewelme]

I cut the support hose off for compression, the regular compression ones were too tights while I was so swollen! I was off 2 weeks and that was plenty! I couldnt lift my arms to wash my own hair the first week, then I could by week 2, so might need help! Get one of those back cushions with arms like to watch TV? I slept on that since I had to prop my arms! Have some gauze and tape for leakage, I didnt have much but might be good to have. I swar by the silicone scar strips when you can wear them!!! loose things that button is helpful its hard raising your arms to pull things on so like old shirts and old flannel PJ tops, I cant think of anything else. My doc said no cardio for a month, I started doing the elliptical and legs after 1 month and arms after 7 weeks, I was suppose to wait til 8 weeks, LOL But I was impatient!!! Be prepared to wait, it is a waiting game to heal but you will be fine!!!

[Maryposa]

Originally Posted by Bejewelme

Mary- what are you doing with round 2 I think I missed it???

What is peer lending is there a link you can post???

Might be an option for me like if the house doesnt sell til March I want to do it but cant risk the mortgage approval charging up 13K, if you can let me know I would appreciate it!!!

neck lift, breast lift with spiral flap augmentation (my own fat to augment), and revisions to back and arms. More fat to the butt.

[Bejewelme]

Oh Mary- wow that is a lot of stuff going on, good luck to you!!! I am sure it will all be good!! I pity you girls with the holidays coming, but I guess its a good time to be off,hubby is having another knee surgery over the break too, so I guess I will be off nursing him, LOL

[E.W.]

Has anyone here in the U.S.A. had a tummy tuck done out of the U.S.A. ?
What was the cost ect.

[Bejewelme]

EW- never did and would never consider it, with the visits I make to my plastic surgeon for monitoring, I don think it is worth risking your health! There would be no follow up and what if you developed a complication? Not a big fan, their standards are not as strict as here and I have seen horror pictures of girls who had work done in Mexico and Columbia.

[clmoore]

Originally Posted by Bejewelme

EW- never did and would never consider it, with the visits I make to my plastic surgeon for monitoring, I don think it is worth risking your health! There would be no follow up and what if you developed a complication? Not a big fan, their standards are not as strict as here and I have seen horror pictures of girls who had work done in Mexico and Columbia.

I totally agree with Bejewelme! I want my surgeon close to me!! My surgeon is now repairing the surgeries of two people I know who had their cosmetic surgery done out of the country.

[emily1965]

I have seen some beuatiful work done in Mexico. The Mexican hospital I had my WLS done in, was the cleanest hospital I've ever set foot in and the care far exceeded anything I've ever recieved in the US. I will most definately be going to Mexico for my plastics.

[Maryposa]

having had my VSG done in Mexico by one of the best surgeons for VSG (my insurance covered RNY and Lap-band and I insisted on VSG) I know there are surgeons who are good anywhere, who excede any standard of care defined by any government regulation. However, also having had some reconstructive surgery done, and seeing my surgeon every week plus as needed for several weeks, I don't think I'd be comfortable going very far from home.

[Bejewelme]

Mary- OMG hun, I just saw your video, I never saw your before pics, you look so amazing, it made me cry!!!! I am so happy for you, you are so beautiful!!! I almost died that one of your before I had that same burgandy velvet blazer from Lane Giant, man I was glad to get rid of that!!! How tall are you? I am trying to get to 175 that will be 1/2 my weight, you look fabulous! I also like how you call it reconstructive surgery it is what it is, I have all this wreckage, like I say I made a wreck of myself overeating and now it has to be fixed!!!

Cant wait to hear how the other surgeries go, I am getting the bottoms of my arms lipod too when I get the TT, he said its common to need it down there after it settles and I have lost like 40 pounds since my arm surgery!

Amazing!! So proud and happy for you!!!!

[Hot Tamale]

Hi Everyone. I am having a bit of a crisis. Let me partially explain: I went to see my hematologist the other day. He was happy with my blood work...However, when I brought up my upcoming plastic surgery, he changed. I watched his face get, well, serious. He isn't American, so he has a bit of an accent, but the basic gist of it was he was concerned that, due to my blood clot history, that this surgery, to him, seemed pretty unnecessary and that he wanted me to be admitted after it, etc... He also wanted me to really think about whether or not I "needed" to have it done. I spoke my piece about it, but left kinda sad and upset. He is going to speak with my plastic surgeon before the surgery... My family doctor also reacted similarly. Bottom line, as of late, it seems almost everyone is trying to talk me out of this surgery and/or is questioning my judgement about it.

I know it is surgery. I know it is serious. I am very concerned. I realize there can be complications, etc... I am especially alarmed about something I heard about the chance of getting lymph edema if the surgeon does something wrong...

You know, none of these doctors or people know what it is like to be me - to be in my skin (and there's lots of it...). None of these people have lived (okay, I'll be whiny and dramatic and even say "suffered"...) being overweight and feeling so darn unattractive for over 35 years. I guess these surgeries aren't medically necessary, but man, don't I deserve it?

I am a worrier by nature. Now I'm pretty close to terrified. I don't want to have complications or, God forbid, die over this. I just want to be happy. Why is this so difficult? As I said in another thread, I don't even know what I want people to say. I just had to let it all out cause it has me very upset. Thanks for listening.

[Bejewelme]

HT- I totally know where you are coming from, everyone tried to talk me out of my arm surgery, it was premature, as I have lost 40 more pounds since the surgery but having it done for the wedding was worth it to me. If you have a serious blood issue though that is a worry, I so know how you feel-feeling unattractive after losing the weight and dealing with the skin! I feel worse most days than I did being 300 pounds, when I see myself naked. Not sure what to tell you, maybe other than talk to all the doctors, see what they say and maybe worse case scenario you wait til you are at goal? I am trying like you to get to 175 before my tummy tuck and boob lift, one thing, the closer you get to goal, it seems like my boobs are still constantly changing, I am buying bras about every month it seems, so I want to be as low as possible for the best outcome.

All I can say is I know how you feel, it is a terrible situation, listen to your gut and make your decision!!!

Call me sometime!!!