Short Sleeves = Depressing...

Last night I went to Kohl's to check out some new tops and slacks as I seem to have graduated from XL (16) into L (14). I grabbed some cute tee's and off to the dressing room I went. I tried on a really cute top with kind of short sleeves, and I was appalled at how saggy and wrinkly my upper arms were!! (Why is there no emoticon for a PRIMAL SCREAM??) My upper thighs are no better!! So, back went the cute tops with the cap sleeves, and I ended up finding a few tops with longer sleeves that came just above my elbows. Guess capris are the shortest I'll get in the pants department. Anyway, it really kind of got me down. Being a single parent with two teenage boys, there's no way I can afford any kind of plastic surgery ~ so I guess I'll just have to get over the shock and count my blessings! I really do feel blessed to have had this surgery and to have come this far, and hey, I'm way better off than I was last year!! Thanks for listening.... Hugs, Nancy -103

ah nanc dont worry try adding some soy to your diet...... when or if you walk add weights and although it might not cure the sagging skin it will tighten it up thats a fact..... when you go to the doctor have him document things like rashes from the skin and so on hey ya never know i am battleing with the loose skin as well but i agree i am way better off then i was last year i have learned once again to dress appropriatley only its much more fun this way then shopping in the plus stores and departments... keep a stiff upper lip and know we are all here for you.. oh and by the way i weighed myself this morning and the scale read 140.5 but im not making a major issue of it till it says that 4 mornings in a row.... is there somthing wrong with me? i think so ha ha ha well i hope i got you to smile and thanks again for your support and strength Stacy 232/141/140

Nancy: HI I'm right there with ya babe!! My arms and thighs are nasty!! But I have been told by several post ops that your skin will change, probably still saggy but it will change its composition. Old Navy has some real cute bermuda shorts!! I'm going to get some of those! I've been down cause I've plateaued this past few weeks, but the scale moved two pounds this one, so hopefully I'll start losing again. I still have so far to go. Take Care Michelle

Aww Nancy, I know how depressing it is when you've gone through all this work to look good, and we still dont feel like we look good. BUt I have to tell you. I walk 3-4 miles a day and I carry a 5lb weight in each hand and my arms have gotten very muscular looking. I bought some tank tops yesterday, and some shorts, I'm just gonna have the who cares attitude about my legs, because Im not gonna suffer through SOuthern Calif. heat this summer, but my arms dont look bad at all. ~Debra -92

dear nancy i know how you feel, i have such bat wings i could fly across the atlantic with a good tail wind!! but altho it is depressing having the saggy skin, think about being in a size large top, that's my size now too, i used to be a 3X, i haven't been a large in 20 years. i have started working with weights and hope that will help some!! good luck lilykate

Yes, I too have noticed my bat wings and inner thigh sag. I wondered what I would do and came to the conclusion also that I would have to get capris or bermuda shorts. I did feel better though when someone at work asked why I didn't have "balls of skin" on my arms and thighs like her friend. I showed her my bat wings and she said her friend had huge balls of skin hanging from her arms and thighs. I felt better then. Also, I have found out that we have a hospital for burn victims that will take off skin for free to have it donated to burn patients. I don't know all the details but maybe you can find out if there is something like that in your area. I'm hoping I can do my skin surgery there for free and help a great cause. Tara 305/188/170 -117

I heard a rumor about the burn victim/skin donation thing that was true, then I heard that it wasn't true. I don't know about your area (or for that matter, my area either). I just wanted to suggest you check the burn center situation out before you put all of your eggs in one basket. If it is true, I'd love to know more about it. I'd even go to Ohio to make a deposit at the skin bank. I'm right there with all of you other "skin-ny" people. My arms are awful, but they seem to be shrinking somewhat, but not nearly enough. My upper thighs are bad. When I get down on all fours, my stomach and boobs are truly a sight to see. I am tentatively planning on reconstructive arm surgery this fall if they don't shrink significantly by then. I've heard that brachioplasty is around $4000. Ugh. Diana

I just wanted to add I would much rather have the hanging skin than the big balloon arms I had before with all the fat under that skin .. Nancy you look great! and I don't think people will be so critical of your hanging skin as they were of bluges. And who cares if they do ! I plan to wear shorts becuz before I was too embarrassed to wear them with my huge legs and bluging knees. The short sleeves are another story I haven't worked on my arms as much as my legs. Besides I heard Plastic surgery is much more painful than WLS... Sue

Nancy , hun you look awesome let me ask you did you wear them clothes 103 pounds ago ? and just dont want to now . or was you not wearing them then as well . my thoughts is this . i will be insecure w/ shorts that are to short . i to ike capris . but i will refuse to suffer from the heat . this is our body the only one we get . we have a second chance to live again . dont let what other people think let you sway one way or the other . be so proud of all you have done and accomplished and put them shorts on , and short sleeves hold that head up and strut your stuff you have lost 103 that is a whole person .. let the new you emerge .. just do it w/ confidence you aree beautiful . dont let society or your shameful thoughts keep you bundled up ...

I know what u mean,,, I bought a cute dress t -straps,,forgot abt my arms,,, i guess i thought i cld firm them up by the time i was going to wear the dress,,,but believe u me,, its still hanging with the price tag on it. and yeah i'm with u ,, legs or not better,, and what's even worse for me is that my legs or big all the way up and down,, so can u image sagging legs on the bottom? GO FIGURE HUH? Well if u find something that works plz update... YOur july friend dana