I'm having a hard time lately. I know my surgery will be in the next few months but I am really started to get grossed out by my body. I keep imaging the AFTER surgery me and it's making me hate the CURRENT me. My double chins, my thighs, my stomach and the weird rash I have on it. Every single part of my body is wrong. 

I used to think that this was the body I had and didn't dissect it. I would focus on my good qualities...the long hair and pretty smile...the amazingly thick eyebrows that no one in my family had...but now...all I see is what is wrong...what is going to change... 

Has anyone else gone thru this? Did you ever walk past the mirror and shutter because your body makes you nauseous...like I said, I have MONTHS before my surgery..I don't want to keep going thru this..

I did have a time pre op when I felt like this. It was once I had decided to have the surgery but had not been approved yet.  It is thoughts like these that you can turn into motivation to complete the requirements and stick to the new way of living your life that is ahead of you.  You've got to look at those 'bad' parts and think of how much better they will look and feel when the weight loss starts.  Don't let yourself get depressed by harping on the negative without trying to look at the positive that will come out of this in the long run.  I know you probably don't want to take any pictures of yourself right now, but they are wonderful to look at as you move through the process.  They are also good on those days when you've lost a good amount of weight but then hit a stall.  Unfortunately some of these parts may actually look worse at some point, once the fat starts to drop off and the skin starts to sag.  Again you have to look at the positive side - how much better you feel not carrying around all of that weight.

So I'm gonna give you a warning from the other side of the knife... ask your bariatric surgery team for a referral to a therapist that is well versed in body image issues. Because... 

It might get worse. Depending on how much you have to lose, perhaps you will be luckier that some, age, length of time you were overweight, skin condition, lots of factors but... 

Shar pei puppy skin, deflated balloon, these are what I described my body after losing. Not pretty. In fact, complete honesty... I cringed and cried often the closer I got to my goal weight... I looked great in clothes but naked... hot mess. 

Now... I was healthier which was truly the reason I had surgery (off all meds 8 of them for severe GERD, high BP, sleep apnea, aches/pains of carrying around that weight for many years), all obesity related conditions were resolved, life was sooo much better

and trust me I knew I'd never be a bikini model and really I never thought I would want plastics... I thought I'd be thrilled with whatever as long as I was healthy and the bonus was smaller but... 

Folding up loose skin into your jeans, boobs gone (tube socks with tennis balls) I'm not saying this to scare or put you off in anyway (kind of debated even commenting) I just want pre-ops to be mentally psyched up for what is ahead... WLS was the BEST GIFT I EVER GAVE MYSELF but be realistically prepared... and/or start saving for plastics.

Just one old timers 2 cents and YMMV. 

Best wishes to you!! May this be the best decision you ever made!! 

~Shelly

Thank you,. I am lucky enough to have had family members whom have either lost 200 lbs on their own or had WLS so I have had time to prepare myself for my after surgery body. I am already investing in Spanx and arm wraps to counteract the giggle that will be inevitable. Being as large as I am my balloons already come close enough to my belly button that I can deal with the ball at the end of a tube sock look. I don't care about folding my belly skin as long as I am folding it into a smaller pair of jeans..lol.. but in all seriousness, I am saving up for the plastics on at least my arms and if necessary my chin...everything else can dangle..I don't care and neither does my boyfriend so I'd rather save that $$ for a honeymoon..(eventually) 

Right now, I am just sick of being in this body. I am sick of the weight of my stomach resting on my upper thighs. I am sick of my knees hurting when all I am doing is walking...I am sick of the way my face looks when my hair is up because nothing is distracting you from my huge face.. I just feel so tired of this prison I'm trapped in.

Therapy is a good idea. 

My experience has been a bit (Just a bit) similar to Egg face. All my excess skin is in my inner thighs. I have 3 rolls on each thigh that looks like boobs. Seriously, it looks gross, I cant wear the short shorts at the gym, and I cant wear a bathing suit (event the skirted ones..the skirts arent long enough).

I NEVER thought I would want plastics. At 160 lbs the excess skin in the thighs werent that bad. Different story down here in the 140s.

So I have decided that after I successfully complete my 3rd year post -op (i.e. No regain), I am doing the plastics on my thighs.

I thought I would have icky tummy, groody boobs, and bat wings. I was prepared for that. I didnt get those..instead I got these weird thighs...

Yes, and it only gets worse. Looking at my before picture disgusts me now. I use it as motivation to stay on track and not focus on the things I gave up. Sometimes I really want to drink a margarita or go to a buffet, but I would never take back all of the weight I lost in order to do those things again, ever. Before surgery is when you really need the most motivation because there is no turning back once you go under the anesthesia, so use it.

One way I coped was to keep reminding myself that it was just temporary. Don't like something about yourself, well it is just temporary and will change soon enough. That mentality helped me a lot.

I had the same issue... It was like once I knew I was going to have the surgery I gave up on myself and looking good and trying to lose. I didn't have to do any preop diets so it was easier to just not care. Just know that you are on the right track and the end of the body issues are in sight. At least you know it will happen and its not just a dream. Keep going... You got this!

I actually have more body image issues now (9 months post op) than I ever did before. I avoided looking in full body mirrors for years, and in my mind was convinced that I 'didn't look that bad' for someone who weighed 315+ pounds. Now that I am in the 160's and wearing regular sizes, I am hypercritical of all my small flaws. The extra skin is a real mindfuck, too, although thankfully it is easily disguised with foundation garments. I really didn't expect this level of emotional struggle, but I'm working through things and hope to be able to see myself in a more positive light given more time.

I actually have more body image issues now (9 months post op) than I ever did before.

me too! My thighs

Body image is something is hard to deal with. I think focusing on things you will be able to do once you lose weight. 

I have to say when I look in the mirror I sometimes see a thinner person. And sometimes I see the SMO person. 

I take pictures of myself and compare them from when I started and now. 

Having surgery is a major life change and can be very emotional. 

Make changes now to make your life easier after WLS. Such as not drinking with meals. Write down what you eat. I had a journal and wrote down what I was feeling when I would eat. 

Do not hate yourself. You are doing something about your weight. You are going to have surgery. You are working on getting healthy. Hating yourself will not help you at all. 

It might help if you can get to a therapist that can help you.