Body Image ...again

My weight loss center has 3 support groups a month .....2 for pre ops and 1 for post ops. And one thing they never bring up is body image AFTER weight loss surgery. Of course people ask the same things like "will I lose my hair?" or "will I have extra skin?" and they answered with generic responses.

I wish they would get real about it!! My weight loss center has a board on Yahoo that we can go to for online support and I mentioned something the other day about still being in pain even after losing weight and someone responded and she sounds SO depressed, like she wishes she didn't have the surgery.

When I tell people how I feel about my skin they'll say "well only you have to look at yourself naked". Well that won't always be the case! And yes ..I do see myself nakey and I'm not impressed!! I want to put on cute undies and be like "damn I'm hot" lol.

I guess I just wish people prepared me for this. All they ever talked about for after surgery is what to eat, how to exercise, go to support groups, get your bloodwork done ...no one EVER mentioned how friggen difficult it would be to accept your new self!! 

I so so know what you mean!  I have a real hard time time the sagging skin no one prepared me for!

I am blessed with a partner that always tells me I am beautiful with or without weightloss!  I just wish the horrible sags and bags didn't appear so my hard earned weightloss could be more appreciated!

I now try daily to just accept my healthy weightloss and not allow myself to feel ugly about the skin!

Good luck ot you!

Kiss your partner - what a blessing.

Brooke -

I am only 3 months out but have already witnessed so many changes in my body that it sometimes frightens me.  I don't think I will love some of the changes to my appearance and how I feel about my self

I was not a obese child or teenager,  I was a "big girl" who was physically active and happy for many years as a young adult (20's)  I felt sexy as hell at a size 16 (I am 5'4"),  particularly - I have always had nice skin and a curvy body.  It wasn't until I was in the size 24-26 range and had health problems that I developed image issues.

So, now I look in the mirror and I see that my boobs are "gone" and my butt which has always been quite shapely is beginning to sag already and my face looks "older" to me...

Don't get me wrong... I love the fact that I can walk a mile or more with no back pain and I am still happy I had the surgery -  but I hear ya on the "ill prepared for the body image issues".

However -  I don't know what you looked like before -  but you are a real looker now

Brooke - I know EXACTLY how you feel. It's very frustrating. I know I'm significantly smaller, but all the extra "stuff" just hanging around is depressing. I'm always thinking...I've worked damn hard to not be fat....and now I'm saggy. - - granted, I much prefer saggy to being HUGE...but it is hard to look at myself naked and think "if only I had 50,000... all this could be nipped and tucked and I'd look how I feel inside" -

Something that's helped me alot....body shapers!! At least when I'm dressed (naked, it's just sad)...they hold all the extra skin tight so your sculpted and smooth. I use "Ardyss" - you can order them online. - Pretty painful when you first start wearing them...but for me it's totally worth it (and bonus...it totally lifts your boobs!!).

Shannon :)

I went to a therapist for this. She didn't help me at all. I am seeing one that helped Mark and me with our issues. It's not his specialty but is willing to work with me on it. He said I have two lives. One before surgery and one after. I have to accept this new me.

At my last support group meeting, a plastic surgeon came in and talked to us about our options after surgery. He showed us before and after pics of skin, and to be honest...I walked out of there NOT wanting my surgery. The before pics had me so scared. They were ugly... I'm still freaking out about this cause I know emotionally, this is going to be an issue with me once I lose my weight. I know I'll be healthier and skinnier, but I need to look in the mirror and like the person I see. With all the sagging skin, I know I won't..... And I'm scared. But, I'm moving forward with my surgery and I guess I''ll just have to deal with this issue when the time comes. I'm hoping that maybe working out and keeping my body moving will help a lot, but I already know that I can exercise 24/7, and it won't help completely, but I'll give it my best shot...

If anyone here does find a place that helps deal with body image....please let us all know. I think it's really important for us mentally to be prepared. It does kinda bother me that it's not something we talk about pre-op....hmmm!