Concerned...

Thanks to LOSTTXN for the welcome message and the invite over to the men's forum...

I never have been one to fear this surgery, nor a complication that could result from it.  I don't fear not being able to chow down on a cheese and pepperoni or mozzarella sticks five times a week.  And I'm looking forward to a time when I can play tag with my boy, or ride a roller coaster with him, or hell, even help my wife with the chores and house work without being winded, soaked from sweat, and needing to rest every ten minutes to make it through.  And please understand that my motivation for this surgery has been and always will be the resolution of my health issues.  But...

My fear is what will be left of me two year or so after the fact.  The left over sagging skin, looking awful, and the real prospect that my insurance company will not cover the reconstructive surgery to make me look normal.  I know this may sound vain, but just once in my life, I would like to swim without embarrassment, or take my shirt off and catch some rays without the stares.  I know I'll be healthier in the end, but I'm ashamed of how I look now and I don't want that to still be the case after this whole process ends.

For those of you a couple years out... is there light at the end of the tunnel?  Anyone have and willing to share a related experience?  Anyone out there actually have their insurance pay for the reconstruction?

I'm several years out but I still have a loong way to go before I'd even be considering surgery for the sagging skin.  However, I've been in OH since July 2000 and on the Men's Forum almost since it began ( Yeah you had to find it even back then).  Based on what I've read, I'd say that your fears may not be warranted.  Most of the time, the people with the large amounts of sagging skin started out as super morbidly obese.  I know that many morbidly obese people do get plastic surgery, but it may not be as bad as you think.  First of all, your goal weight may be a little optimistic.  I can't tell from your picture, but I'd guess that you are in your 30s.  If that is so, you may be able to get down to normal size slacks, but you probably won't have the body of a slim 20 year old.  Age does affect us.  Secondly, with the continuing emphasis about the dangers of skin cancer, you may be better off wearing a shirt that allows for the breezes in summer while blocking out the ultra violet rays.  I think I got something from www.swimwear.com .  I may be wrong on that.  I know that the shirts that are sold for surfing do the trick.  By the way, I learned the hard way that wearing a white Tee shirt is like going without a shirt as far as skin cancer is concerned.

I hope you get a lot of responses to this.  I'm sure your son won't care whether you are wearing a shirt as long as you can play with him.

First off, thank you for your response, I appreciate it.  Please allow me to address some of your comments.

1st.. I am 33.  And at 6' tall and 365lbs, I am morbidly obese according to my doctor.

2nd...The goal of 200lbs is what would be (according to my doctor) my weight after I lost 80% of my excess body weight.  Which is the goal I have been put on.  Perhaps it is unrealistic, I don't know.

3rd... I stand corrected on the analogy and will avoid such things in the future... my point was about self consciousness, not about being tan.  I understand the dangers of UV radiation as my 31 year old friend is suffering from Stage III Melanoma.

4th.. My son doesn't care about anything other than lollipops and sandboxes at this point. :)

Hopefully, this has provided some clarity.

 welcome to the forum..  I've read that the guys who don't excercise and lift weights are the ones that have issues with skin.  

Jay,

You found us - good and again welcome.

If the sagging skin gets to be too much of an issue - duct tape!  The majority of the time insurance only covers getting a panni done.  Panni being the deflated stomach above your Johnson.  If you are having problems with rashes between the excess layers of skin document, document, document.  It is possible to write your plastic surgery expense off your income taxes.  Ask a CPA on that one.  Think the IRS books says the surgery has to be part of a corrective procedure or something of that nature.  I'm not a CPA, just live with one!

At your size and weight I don't think that the sagging skin will be much of a problem.  I have some MOOBS and some skin around my abdomen but for me it isnt an issue, I look so much better than I did, so it doesn't bother me.  There is a big difference between losing 150# and 300#.  Some of the guys in here have lost wayy more than I did or you need too.

My sagging skin is minimal and my highest was 457lbs