Sagging and depressed........

I don't know about you guys, but looking in the mirror is getting really tough to take lately. The sagging and wrinkling of nearly EVERYTHING on my body is horrible. I feel worse about my body now than I did at my heaviest. My upper arms are hanging down 6 INCHES! Not to mention the nice little FOLDS of fat that hang out of ANY sleeve that is short. Looks like long sleeves for me all summer - in FLORIDA! When I work out at Curves, you can hear the "slap, slap slap" sound they make as they flap. So embarrasssing.. My boobs - let's not even go there. Time for a funeral. My stomach is sliding down to my lap in rolls, giving me this really funky shape that is difficult to control with even the sturdiest undergarments Ditto my butt, which seems to be developing its own little sub-butt down below the big cheeks! My THIGHS - think huge, lumpy, sloppy, flapping jello drumsticks with charming little folds down the front. Neck looks better than before, but got a nice little wattle going.... Skin on forearms, neck, chest, etc., creping like an old lady (I'm 42). To make matters even worse, I'm stuck between plus sizes and ladies' regular sizes, so I can't buy anything new, and the clothes I have don't fit quite right, so that I feel baggy and fat in them. They can't seem to get my sewing machine fixed so I can take my clothes in, and I have NOTHING to wear to go to Disney World in 2 weeks. Yeah, I'd say I was in a bit of a funk right now. Anybody else feel like this with the sagging? Thanks for listening! Donna

MEEEEEEEEE TOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!! My arms, Lord! I am going to need a lil trip to the plastics guy... All and all I thought about it.... Things I need to have done Arms, Stomach (360) And Then Thighs... Things I want done Breast lift Well Maybe implants I still Have about another 90 lbs to loose. Neck Lift just to make things a lil tighter and my eyelids... And like I said thats only after loosing about 75lbs... I cannot imagine what will happen after the rest comes off....

Hello Donna, OH, the skin! The horror!!!! You want fright? Make a movie about me! That'll keep the kids up at night(and the men, and the women, and your pets)! I think I am most disgusted with my thighs. I too have the crease along with a big deposit of fat hanging from it. If I pull on it (like in the morror, seeing what a thigh lift might do) when I let go it all wrinkles. UGH!!!! and DOUBLE UGH!!!! I think that if I lose anymore weight, they might start sagging over my knees! OH PLEASE NO, I can hide it now in shorts and look normal! The doctors say exercise and the skin will come up! HA!!! Exercise/schmexercise! Does NOTHING for the skin! Then my arms, what a nightmare I have about 3 or 4 inches that hang down and could be removed. I still go sleeveless, I'm just careful how my arms are positioned and that I do not wave at anyone as I there might be loss of life if I do! Next, the tummy, OK I had my first child at 18 and being 4' 11" when you are PG the belly has nowhere to go but straight out, so I got the stretched out tummy. I've lived with that since I was 18, used to it, but have wanted a tummy tuck since then!!! (20 years) I think I will have to go with the belt lipectomy (all the way around) as my hiney is now beginning to sag. Which bewilders me...as big as my a$$ got, it never sagged even a little. I have saddle bags now, guess I'll have to have those lipo-sucked, but then will that sag too??? Boobs, oh yes boobs, getting flatter and longer by the day. Thank goodness for underwires! I am also getting the wattle, I noticed that in my side photos last month, I'd like to try getting one of the post surgery neck straps. I look in the mirror, the last time I say my face this thin was about 15 years ago, 15 years really ages a person, now an old woman looks back at me. So, I figure with about $50,000 worth of "Body work" I might be semi-happy with the person in the mirror. We need to all get together and go to a beach in bikinis! Wouldn't we be a sight?! We'll all do the BO Derick Run on the beach as in the movie "10". Tracy

Donna, I know exactly how you feel! I haven't posted much lately, just been way down in the dumps because of how I look! I'm thinking that because I am almost 50 there is really no hope for me! I have slowed way down on the weight loss (-78 total) and I look horrible no matter what I wear! Add to that the thinning hair and I am a major frump. I am going on a trip next week and I am thinking what in the #@$%$# am I going to wear, I have bought new clothes, but don't think they look like they should, I have looked at a million swimsuits and think that they are just way to scary. Anyway, I guess what I am trying to say is don't feel alone, I am happy for what I have lost, but sad that I still look like crap. Peggy

Donna, I say you just splurge and get a couple of long shorts and tops. You will feel much better. Those are my everyday outfits now. They cover my thighs and the shirts go to just above my elbow. I got them a little tight so I can shrink into them. I also got some spandex type shorts to go under them. Don't wear them if it's hot though. Comfort is more important than image. Especially at Disney. You go and have fun. Even if you think your skin looks bad you are so much healthier than before. That's what counts. My dad had the surgery 20 years ago and still has a little skin, but a lot shrunk up by 2 years out. It will happen to you too. Karen

AMEN Sisters! So many things are getting better, that I feel like an ungratful wuss complaining about the skin...but I'll do it anyway. You know, even at my fattest, I never had to wear the "lycra undergarments from hell." Now, unless I want to put an eye out with those bouncing boobies, or have the belly rolls sitting on my knees, it's time for the foundation garments. UGH! And I remember swearing that I would never, ever subject myself to one of those girdles mom used to wear everyday. Oh, and I never thought that my calves would shrink this much. Another gripe: My ridulously expensive custom made riding boots, the ones that are supposed be a tight fit, I can get my fist inside of them. And I'm getting sagging skin on my calves too. Ok, batwings, boobs, belly, butt - but sagging calves????? I just Know I didn't sign up for those. Please let it be true that the skin will tighten up some over the next two years, because I don't know that I will ever be able to afford lifting Everything! Well, I feel better now. Thanks for letting me rant. Deb

Hi there Donna, I am listening and hearing you. I can relate to all of what you are saying. I am a nurses aide so the upper part of my body arms and torso are very firm. As I get lower the upper thighs and butt and apron .... the stomach are hanging and loose. My breasts were small before ... now small and flat. What can a girl do? The good news is... I am upstate with my bestest friend of 30 yrs. We shopped all day, There seems to be more bargains up here. I got my bathing suit, infact I got 2 of them.....SIZE 12. I AM SO HAPPY.The bad news I had to look at myself in the mirror while I tried them on. I felt like . I just looked up and tried to ignore the fact that my lower body had a lot of hanging skin. Well guys..... Again enjoy your weekend, It is so gorgeous up here in the country part of upstate NY. to all you guys ....LORRAINE

I must be blind but I'm not seeing a lot of sagging....my arms some but not other places. I'm not bragging.....I'm wondering if I just don't SEE it!?! My boobs have always been kinda "hangy" and to me they still are but just not as big.....but not really more droopy. I see some little crinkles in my theighs but they don't bother me. I totally gave up on vanity when I was heavy.....maybe I just still don't have any?? I don't know?! I do try to dress nicer now though today I've been in sloppy big clothes. I wear more jewelry but I don't know....maybe I'm blind?! Jenni -82 53 to go to my dr.'s goal

Hi Donna, It's easier said than done, I know. BUT! Please don't be depressed over hanging skin. I was considered a light weight by the Surgeon and the hospital nurses. They couldn't convine me of that (LOL) I'm 5'1" and weighed 242 lbs. I just completed my 5 months post op and have lost -68 lbs. (40 lbs to reach goal) I had hanging skin on my upper arms and the top of my inner legs. It has all disappeared. (Smiling) And I'm 56 years old. So there is hope! I don't excercise excessively, I do place two cans of anything in my kitchen cabinets (one in each hand) I reach over my head, bring the cans together and lower them behind my head down my back as far as I can reach. This has really helped tighen the skin under my arms. What use to be hanging skin, is now just 2-3 little lines. I hope this idea helps. My cousin is a professional weight lifter and he suggested this excercise to help me. And it's working. (Smiling) As for the upper inner leg skin, another cousin is a model and she suggested to stand in a doorway hold onto both sides of the door jam and swing each leg 10 times to the front and back as far as I could reach. GUESS WHAT? There is no loose skin to contend with. (Smiling) I'm not saying this will work for everyone, but it sure is worth giving it a shot. The one thing I did differently than most, is I added a few Carbs to my diet to slow my weight loss down, so I could try and control the loose skin as I was losing the weight. So far so Good! I didn't get to this weight over night, and I didn't expect to lose it over night. I sure have had to talk to myself and test my patience for the last five months. I wish you the best of luck and keep up the good work. You have done an excellent job, just be patient with yourself, all good things come in time. (Bigger Smiles) SnoJo

Seriously, you guys are the BEST!! Where else could I get all this comforting advice from the Voices of Experience? Yeah, I really DID expect to be quite flabby. I've been over 300 pounds at 5'3" for so long (about 10 years ), I was already growing rolls on my arms and legs before surgery. It just didn't HANG and FLOP like this, so it's taking some getting used to........ Thanks for reminding me that this WILL pass, and that I can be proactive and try to minimize it. (Thanks for the exercises, SnoJo!!! ) God knows I'm drinking twice as much water as I was advised to already!! But WHAT a FUNKY little stage we're in, huh? Enough loss to feel encouraged and impatient, but not enough to look good quite yet, just droopy and hairless. Thanks again, everybody. You made my week! Donna