New with questions :)

Hey all, I was posting on the plastic surgery forum because i have been considering having surgery to remove the extra skin i have from losing weight and someone there told me about this board so i thought i would check it out! I have lost about 200 pounds with out surgery and still need to lose about another 75 or 100 pounds. I get so discouraged some days because i have hit a huge plateau and have lost nothing in about 8 months. People keep telling me that it takes the body awhile to catch up with so a huge weight loss and that losing will kick in again sometime. I sure hope so. I guess the thing i am curious about the most is how many of you have lost quite a bit of weight and not had to have plastic surgery to get rid of all that extra skin. I have a looooot of it and it effects me in every way imaginable. I should be feeling good about myself because i have change my entire life around, yet at the same time i hate everything i see when i look in the mirror becasue that fat girl is the one looking back at me. It effects my realtionship with my family because i am so unhappy about it and with my boyfrined because i hate what i look like so much that i feel like he cant possibly like me if i dont even like myself. I have almost become obsessive about wanting to get rid of the skin and have considered refinancing my house, dipping into my 401, whatever it takes. Any words of wisdom out there??

Hi Mary and welcome to the non-op board. First of all, amazing weight loss and congratulations!!! You have done so well and I can only imagine how good you feel about yourself. As far as the extra skin if you get any words of wisdom, send them my way. I was laying in bed last night talking to my boyfriend about how horrible all this skin is. I looked in the mirror last night and almost cried. I have extra skin on my belly, inside of my thighs, my upper arms, and my ass has no form whatsoever. Add to that the fact that yesterday I was looking in the mirror putting on makeup and what was once 3 chins is now becoming a bit saggy. They are no longer three chins and I actually have a jawline, but that is one area where I figured I would be the skin monster. That really sent me over the edge. At about 80 pounds lost I had noticed a good deal of skin, but it was pretty much okay. A mere 20 pounds later and oh wow, it's bad. I have another 50 pounds to go to get to my goal, and my doctor thinks I can do another 40 after that. That is still another 50 pounds, reagrdless of what he says and I cannot begin to imagine what I will look like then. My boyfriend says he is so so proud of me, and that only he has to worry about what the extra skin looks like. Thankfully clothes cover up a multitude of sins, but knowing what is underneath and realizing the summer is coming, makes me almost cry. I will not be able to wear sleeveless shirts and shorts, forget about it. But then I remember something. All of this loose skin at one time was filled in with fat. It is my badge of honor, my way of looking and seeing where I came from. That gives me some solace. My boyfriend said we'd find a way to get the surgery to get rid of this skin. Right now I continue to concentrate on the other weight I have to lose and figure everything will come in its own time. Have a beautiful day. Donna

Hi Donna, Thank you for the warm welcome! While i was reading your words i could have sworn they were coming out of my mouth. I have said the same things that you have said. I worry so much about the extra skin because as you stated, clothes can hide alot of things but once they ore off, the naked truth rears its ugly head. I have become so self conscious that i have a hard time letting my boyfriend touch me because i hate it when he rubs his hand down my back and feels fat, flabby skin. Yuck! Who can possibly like that? I am almost mad about all of this because i look at it like we have worked so hard to lose the weight and now we are being punished yet once again, by being branded with the skin that is left over. It shouldnt have to be this hard, but no one said life is easy huh? I like the way you look at it, like its your badge of honer after losing so much alreayd...congratulations by the way! Hang in there and continue to be successful at getting to where you want to be. It is so helpful to be able to talk to others who are going through te same thing.

Welcome, Mary! I have no advice about the extra skin as I am still beginning (what will be) my monumental weight loss journey. Congratulations on losing so much weight though! I have 200 pounds to lose! It seems like such a mountain to climb...............and, on some days, I just can't climb another step! I am struggling every day! YOu have already made such an accomplishment! Hang in there! I hope you find the answers you are looking for about the skin removal! Kandy

Hi Mary, Welcome! You are definately not alone with the skin issue. Just yesterday I was trying on clothes and some on the shirts do not fit well (bras too) because of all the extra skin on my arms and sides. I hate also. Have you tried talking to a plastic surgeon to see if maybe in your case it would be a medical necessity? With the amount of weight you lost it just might be. I hope so My legs are another area that I think will be pretty bad once I lose all my weight. I have personally decided to have at least my arms done, even if the insurance will not pay for it. I have another 80 to go, so I am started to save now and will borrow on my 401K if I have too. Congratulations on your weight loss, you must tell us how you did it Ann 306/211 Still/130 Non op

Hi Ann and thank you! I am just in the process of trying to figure out what i need to do with getting started on all of this flab hanging around I think i am going to get my arms done also for starters and then start the dreaded process of trying to get the insurance to cover something, even though i am pretty sure hat they wont. I am hoping maybe they will see it as a medical need because of all the weight i have lost. The way i did it was pretty much on the low carb diet. I tried to stick to around 20 grams of carbs a day which is nt much, let me tell ya. I did that for two years and lost about 100 pounds a year. I am at a stall right now, or a lull in my weight loss and am trying to mix things up a little to try to get it to come off again so hopefully things will start moving gradually. Good luck to you!! Hang in there...you will be so glad you did!

First of all, awesome job, Mary! Two hundred pounds lost without WLS! You go, girl. I had a TT in August, and hope to have my arms done this year. The doc removed 10.2 pounds of skin, and it has made a huge difference in movement. I exercise one hour to two hours most days, and had rashes and bruises from the skin hanging down over my thighs. My insurance company deemed the procedures cosmetic, so I was self-pay. I took a second job, downsized my lifestyle, got a home equity line of credit, and borrowed money from someone close to me. I'm doing the same thing (except for the second job) to pay for my arms. Best of luck. Kasey 365/210 (nonop)

Kasey, Thank you and Congrats to you also! You look absolutely beautiful girl! Ugh!! You sound like i do...i want to take a home equity out on my house and i already work a second job because i am in school full time, so i dont think i can fit in anymore hours with two jobs but isure need to do something. I am so desperate to get something done that its becoming an obsession. lol. It is ridiculous at how expensive these procedures how...but where theres a will theres a way huh?

Hi, I'm new too. I've lost 180 pounds mostly on Weigh****chers and am now in a size 8. I hate all of my extra skin too, but 10 1/2 weeks ago I had my Tummy Tuck, actually an extended abdominoplasty. My insurance covered it (I even have an HMO) because I had documentation of lower back pain. I didn't have any rashes or skin issues. I was denied the first time for my referral but my primary care doctor headed up my appeal and with a detailed letter from me, my chiropractor and a different letter from my doctor they approved on the appeal. When the PS submitted for the surgery it was approved the first try. I have to say that I really wanted my arms done first. They bother me the most, but when the insurance company said they would cover the TT, I did that first before they could change their mind. The difference that my TT has made in my own mind is a true miracle. While I didn't like that skin, tucking it in and then in some more and all that goes with it, I didn't realize how much it affected my self-image. I looked great in clothes, like you said, so it didn't bother me so much. You know, I just wanted the skin gone. Now, when I look in the mirror and I'm naked, I look normal for the first time in my life! I didn't expect that feeling. What a bonus! I don't even feel so bad about my boobs anymore. My arms...yes. They are next and I'll have to pay for those. I started my Whack the Skin Off Saving Account and I put everything I can in it. I started working for Weigh****chers as a weigher person so I could not only help other WW's but to put that money into my account. So far I have saved over $3000! My arms and boob lift will cost about $8000 so I have a ways to go but I'm at least heading in a direction. My Dad calls my skin my Red Badge of Courage. I'd rather have my arms flapping in the breeze than filled out again. My friends little nephew remarked that I must look like a flying squirrel when he overheard her talking to his mom. That made me giggle. Find the humor in the situation. Go talk to a plastic surgeon. Talk to several. They will tell you what they expect from you and what you can expect from them. I'll never look like I'm 30 or 40, I missed that boat the first time around, but I'm here to tell you the my 50's are hot! Before and after the plastic surgery.