questions I know have been asked before...but im going to again...

So this extra skin problem. Does it always happen? Can you prevent it by working out? Does insurance ever cover getting that taken care of?

The hair loss. I've come to grips that it happens, but can I start taking vitamins now so I get them built up in my system? What should I take?

A lady i've met at a local store had surgery 2 yeras ago. She told a family friend that she's been "really struggling" and has been putting weight back on...do you find thats typical?

Thanks!

Jamie, I'll answer what I can. Don't know about the extra skin, as I'm still only 3 months post op. I know that they say the younger you are, the more elasticity your skin has and the better it rebounds to where it should be. Working out should help and it's how I'm trying to prevent issues.

The hair loss: Buy your bottle of BIOTIN now and get started on it. My hair has really started to come out lately. I've been sick and not been able to get my pills in, but I've made a point to get the BIOTIN going again. It's $3 or so at Wal-Mart.

I know that putting weight back on is definately possible, especially if you let yourself slide and quit working the tool that the surgery gives you. If you find yourself eating things you should not be or eating too big of portions, you can back slide into your old ways and put the weight back on. It's important to continue to go to support group meetings, etc to help you keep in mind why you did the surgery to begin.

hope this helps.

Melissa

I will likely be having surgery within two months, so I am going to buy my biotin today!! 

Also, I am looking forward to the answers on the skin thing.

Stacy

So this extra skin problem. Does it always happen? Can you prevent it by working out? Does insurance ever cover getting that taken care of?
No the extra skin does not always happen, or it happens to different degrees.  Some of the factors that contribute to the outcome of weight loss and loose skin are age, degree of obesity, how long you have been obese and your skin elasticity.   You can NOT prevent skin issues by working out, skin that has been stretch loses its eleasticity and cannot be "fixed".  Some insurances have and will pay for the removal of the panni, if it is causing issues such as rashes or infections.  However, they do not pay for the sclupture work such and making a new belly button or tightening the muscles, like is done in a full tummy tuck.

The hair loss. I've come to grips that it happens, but can I start taking vitamins now so I get them built up in my system? What should I take?

Hair loss is part of rapid weight loss, it happens no vitamin will stop it.  I know there are those that believe in the biotin and even swear by it but I don't think there is scientific research supporting it.  I lost hair starting at 3 months after surgery rather severly but it stopped at around 6 months post op and is now in the peach fuzz stage of regrowth.  Just get in your vitamins and proteins and a good beautician it will not last forever.

A lady i've met at a local store had surgery 2 yeras ago. She told a family friend that she's been "really struggling" and has been putting weight back on...do you find thats typical?

I am eight months post op and struggle almost daily with weight loss, this is no magic cure for obesity, there is still plenty of work to be done by us.  I exercise and eat a good healthy protein rich diet.   I have struggles, some days I want a diet coke so bad it makes me cry.  I don't dump (30% of RNY patients dump that leaves 70% who don't)  that means I can eat sugar so I must be self disciplined I can't rely on the surgery to "fix" this for me.  I also have days when I can graze (eating small meals all day long).  However these days are few and far between thank God, but if I were less motivated then yes I would regain my weight.  The surgery is a tool for you to use to learn better eating habits and portion control its up to you to put these things into action.  I had no idea as a pre op how much work I still had to do to be successful.

Jeannie

Thanks Jeannie for the insight!

thanks Melissa!

Extra skin problem......
I think it just depends on her skin. I was 300 pounds for quite awhile and I was stretched out big time from being pregnant with my kids. Prolly the worse stretch marks you have ever seen. My tummy looks like a road map. My mom tells me I hide my skin well. LOL. Ain't NO workout in the world gonna fix this skin problem. I really don't even think a tummy tuck would fix it, they couldn't pull the skin up high enough. So short of a miracle, i guess I will live with it for now.
goood luck shanna

We can compare our skin to a balloon ....   When the balloon is new and we blow it up we strain to get the air in. When we  let the air out it come back to its never used shape fairly well but when we blow it up the second time its easier to blow up and doesn't come back to its never used shape so well.  Say the second time we blow it up we fill it with enough air to make it almost bust then let the air out the next time we put air in it will be even easier yet to fill because it is losing its elacsticity.  I can't speak for the young girls but my balloon has been filled many times and way over filled to the point of bursting many times over the years.  I am still about 25 pounds to my goal weight but its quite obvious at this point that plastic surgery or good undergarments will be an everyday event in my life.

Jeannie

Jamie,

I'm 4 1/2 yrs post-op....

I'm also 47 and was 43 when I had my RNY. My heaviest weight was 354 lbs, I have 2 kids (grown) and have been overweight my entire life. I definately had the loose skin to show for it. I had a full abdoplasty 9/07. My insurance took care of the panni portion and I kicked in the extra to get above the belly button done as well.

I didn't take Biotin when I first had my RNY and I thought I was going to go bald! I've had several surgeries since then and with taking Biotin (a B vitamin), I may lose a little bit of hair but nothing like that period was before I discovered Biotin. The label on the bottle that I have does say that it is for hair and nail growth. I googled Biotin and several sites did come up that verifies that lack of biotin can lead to loss of hair. It does say that biotin added in shampoos probably would not help hair loss as biotin is not absorbed through the skin very readily. It normally is produced in the stomach...which, with RNY patients, we don't have the 'normal' stomach produced chemicals anymore so it make sence for us to need to supplement this.


As with any weight loss effort, if you don't make lifestyle changes, the weight will come back. The surgery helps you to make those changes but if you don't stick to it, the weight will not stay gone. This is why I cringe when I see people less than a year out post about eating pizza, baked potatoes, or any other high carb or high calorie food. If you don't get that lifestyle change put in place in that first year...chances are great that you will gain it back after the honeymoon stage (the first year post-op) is done.

Sherri