Hello everyone!

I had a question for you post-ops who chose not to go the plastics route...

I am pre-op, pear-shaped & therefore carry most of my weight in my stomach, butt & thighs.

Have you been able to wear fitted pants (I am still in stretch pants...all elastic waistbands) with shirts that are either tucked in, shorter or don't cover your stomach? If so, is your stomach real noticeable? I am in my 50's so I know it's going to be a sagging mess, but as long as I can camoflouge it to look presentable I would be okay. 

Thanks for any feedback!

I am almost 5 months post op. I have lost 70 lbs with 40 or 50 still to lose. I am also pear shaped. and I am now wearing size 14 pants almost 12s. Every time I get ready I ask my daughter if my shirt covers my stomach because I have this jelly belly thing going on. She keeps saying "Yes, mother!! You don't even have a stomach anymore!" and of course I do so I still worry about it. All I can figure is that my pants are keeping it hidden enough that its not as noticeable to everyone else as it is to me. So yes, I think you will be able to camo it but you will still think its huge even when its not.

I wore shapewear to keep all the skin in place before I had plastics. It did a pretty good job of hiding it and I was able to wear fitted pants.

I was shaped the same way. I have what I think is a horrible apron, but my spouse swears its not as noticeable as I think. At my heaviest it literally hung half way down my legs, granted I am only 5'0 tall, but still. Now with exercise its tightened up a lot. One of my biggest NSV was the day I realized I could look down and not have to practice the art of contortion just to shave my bikini area. I wear jeans, dresses, etc. I think that once the fat is out of the loose skin it makes it so much easier to "hide" it with shape wear. 

I feel very encouraged by these responses, as I'm also pear shaped and already have a significant apron.  It's exciting to think that it might shrink a bit as I shrink after the surgery.   If not, I'll be able to roll it up and tuck it into my bra until I get around to getting plastics. 

Trust me it will be the only thing in your bra!HAHA!! I went from a 48 "overflowing" DD to a very droopy-almost too big for me C cup. I am flat chested without a bra now. 

Trust me you can "tuck in" a lot with a good shaper.  You can get one that will do a great job at Walmart for under $20 and they have many styles to choose from.  I personally like the one that starts just under my bra and has a little leg to it (like a pair of shorts).  It stays in place nice (even when I go dancing) and you don't have a "bulge" between your bra and the top of the shaper. 

I was not able to, but I started with a BMI of 57 and had "lost" about the top third of my thighs to belly overlap before I had surgery.  After losing about 175 of the eventual 190 pounds,  I still had a large apron of almost all just skin that hung down onto the tops of my thighs (and also had a very large mons -- the largest my plastic surgeon ahd ever seen -- where not all of the fat left it, as is apparently commonly the case in women who carry much of their fat in the bellies). 

It really depends on specifically how you carry the weight -- how much of it currently hangs down? -- and how much of the fat you lose.  If you lose almost all the fat and literally just have excess skin (MANY people end up having plastic surgery to help get rid of the residual fat along with the skin), shapewear will usually help a lot with holding the skin in. What it does NOT help with is the hanging part.  It cannot really raise UP what hangs if what hangs has any weight to it.

It has been a long day for me, so I hope that makes sense!

Lora

Hi Ladies!

I really appreciate the time you took to respond to my question.

I, too, feel encouraged with many of the answers. I have lost 32 pounds to date w/my pre-op 'diet,' and b/c my 'top stomach' obliterated the view of my real stomach it is hard to tell how much sagging is going on. Right now I estimate I have an overhang of about 3 or 4 inches on my very upper thigh.

This journey & talking to ppl reminds me constantly of how bad things got, and the things I became 'mindless' to in regards to my body. For instance, I have always showered and powdered twice a day, but seldom looked at my body while soaping up and powdering. I felt disconnected from it! Once that 2nd stomach/major midriff bulge began I could never really see my stomach, thighs or toes.

I am now excited (at 319 God help me!) to be almost rid of the bulge and to see my sagging, but flatter stomach! My thighs look HUGE though.

I stopped wearing shapewear about 2 years ago as all it did was push everything around...bulges of fat...NO SHAPE! I never even thought I will eventually be able to wear it again to smooth things out!

See, it's the little things the members of these boards are a gold mine for!

If all else fails and the belly hangs too much I will also stuff it in my bra. I am currently a 46C so if I shrink there should be ample room...lol...they already sag to the point they don't plump out the top part of my bras!!!

Again, thanks for all the feedback! I am getting SO psyched, and at 58 and obese there is less and less in life to really get me going!

"My thighs look HUGE though."

I was a figure skater before and I have recently started the sport again. Huge thighs are almost a necessity.

I believe it was MIdori Ito (the first woman to land a triple axel) who said "Judges dont like my big legs. But they like the jumps my big legs can do"  Or something along that line.

Find something you love that your "big thighs" permit you to do. Appreciate them