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Topic: RE: It's a bumpy ride, hang on tight.
This post has been most helpful! Thanks for discussing it. I'm about 30 lbs. from my goal weight and like you Skylar, have a lot of excess skin. I'm learning to accept the body that I have after losing so much weight, and letting go of the idealized image of the body I dreamed of having. They are not one and the same, however they both make me feel great. I may not like how the skin looks, but the body I have now allows me the freedom to do so many things I couldn't do before. It may not look the way I wanted, but I'm learning to love it.
In Jan. I told my Zumba classes that as part of me accepting the 'new' me, I'm going to wear the Zumba tank tops that I have in my dresser and never wear... they were going to have to ignore the arm skin flapping in the breeze! lol They were very kind and promptly showed me all of their arm flab! lol!
Having skin removal surgery scares me, but I am planning on doing it, especially my breasts. I used to carry a great deal of weight in my chest. I was about a 60 H (I say about because I stopped buying new bras and just stretched out the old ones when I was at my heaviest. They didn't really fit right, but I was embarrassed to get one that fit right because it probably would have to be specially ordered.) Anyway, I'm left with nothing for a chest now... at least just skin. It's hard finding a bra to fit properly because I have so much skin to tuck into it. I also have a lot of skin above my waist and of course my stomach and thighs.
I'm still a ways away from visiting doctors but I always like reading about this stuff because eventually I'll need the information. Thank you so much!
In Jan. I told my Zumba classes that as part of me accepting the 'new' me, I'm going to wear the Zumba tank tops that I have in my dresser and never wear... they were going to have to ignore the arm skin flapping in the breeze! lol They were very kind and promptly showed me all of their arm flab! lol!
Having skin removal surgery scares me, but I am planning on doing it, especially my breasts. I used to carry a great deal of weight in my chest. I was about a 60 H (I say about because I stopped buying new bras and just stretched out the old ones when I was at my heaviest. They didn't really fit right, but I was embarrassed to get one that fit right because it probably would have to be specially ordered.) Anyway, I'm left with nothing for a chest now... at least just skin. It's hard finding a bra to fit properly because I have so much skin to tuck into it. I also have a lot of skin above my waist and of course my stomach and thighs.
I'm still a ways away from visiting doctors but I always like reading about this stuff because eventually I'll need the information. Thank you so much!
I lost my weight with Weight Watcher's & Zumba. I've lost 302 lbs. You can visit my weight loss website at www.freewebs.com/infectiouslaughter
I'll be in the Jan. 2012 issue of People Magazine's "Half Their Weight" issue!!
(deactivated member)
on 5/23/10 6:27 am - Rochester, NY
on 5/23/10 6:27 am - Rochester, NY
Topic: RE: What are you celebrating and proud of? Weekend Edition
Bravo to both of you!!!
I'm proud that it's been a very busy weekend of entertaining and I have managed to eat only to satisfaction each day.....not fullness! My granddaughter was confirmed today and my son in from Indiana for the weekend....big family meals Friday, Saturday and a picnic today and I stayed within my points and didn't feel deprived (at least not too much). I have saved a piece of banana chocolate chip cake for after weigh-in tomorrow, but will count it toward my points for the day....just didn't need all those carbs before getting on the scale tomorrow morning. Hope my weigh-in reflects the healthy changes I'm making with my food choices!!
I'm proud that it's been a very busy weekend of entertaining and I have managed to eat only to satisfaction each day.....not fullness! My granddaughter was confirmed today and my son in from Indiana for the weekend....big family meals Friday, Saturday and a picnic today and I stayed within my points and didn't feel deprived (at least not too much). I have saved a piece of banana chocolate chip cake for after weigh-in tomorrow, but will count it toward my points for the day....just didn't need all those carbs before getting on the scale tomorrow morning. Hope my weigh-in reflects the healthy changes I'm making with my food choices!!
Topic: RE: It's a bumpy ride, hang on tight.
You made me think about something that made me smile when you said you didn't realize it was important to get their input. Miss 'Thought She Knew it All" here goes to see doc for the first time and procedes to tell him that I want to have my LBL and thigh lift at the same time and my arms and boobs done next. He sat there patiently and listened to what I was saying like he thought I was making good sense and then says he needs to feel my spine. What? Huh? Feel my spine? My spine is one of the only things that didn't have hanging skin! So he starts pressing hard near the bottom of my neck and said my breasts would have to be first to be done because the weight of them was curving the top of my spine and if we fixed them now, the spine would straighten itself out. Well now, none of the other surgeons said anything about that, they were going to do what I wanted done. Hmmmm? Then he proceeds to tell me that I need an axilla repair (side boobs) done with my arms and that would need to be done together so that I would have one running incision. This could not be done with my breasts because of blood flow issues with the incisions being that close. Who knew about blood flow issues? Same with the LBL and thigh lift, he doesn't do them together because of blood flow issues, skin being pulled in the opposite direction, and the possibility of interrupting the lymph system and causing more swelling than necessary. Holy cow! That's something they don't tell you on the websites that you go to to look at before and after pics. Our standing joke was when I would always make a grand pronouncement of something I wanted done and he would give me that cute little boy chit eatin' grin and say, "It don't work that way." He told me that a LOT!!!
Yes, unfortunately we need their input! LOL And although I didn't always get things done the way I wanted them and I didn't always get my way, I'm glad I had a surgeon who was willing to stand up to me and do things right. Happy surgeon hunting,
Mary
Yes, unfortunately we need their input! LOL And although I didn't always get things done the way I wanted them and I didn't always get my way, I'm glad I had a surgeon who was willing to stand up to me and do things right. Happy surgeon hunting,
Mary
(deactivated member)
on 5/23/10 2:58 am - West Central FL☼RIDA , FL
on 5/23/10 2:58 am - West Central FL☼RIDA , FL
Topic: RE: It's a bumpy ride, hang on tight.
Howdy....
I still have not been able to go out in sleeveless or even short sleeves yet...I'm always in at least 3/4 sleeve but I've managed to find some nice thin shirts/tops/blouses so I'm not too warm. The sun is just way to strong here for me to risk damaging my scars...I want them all healed up before I expose to the sunshine.
I know what you mean about looking forward to having plastic surgery....it's also very different. WLS you are re-arranging your internal organs. Plastic surgery yo are getting rid of excess skin...unwanted/undneeded skin. It's a good thing!!
Start making those consultation appointments. Please be sure to meet with more than one or two surgeons. You'll learn from each one you meet and then you can decide who you felt most comfortable with. Listen to your gut!!!
Can't wait to hear about your consutations and then it will be the before/after pics...what fun! You are so close to the finish line!
Have a great afternoon!
TTFN
Ruth
I still have not been able to go out in sleeveless or even short sleeves yet...I'm always in at least 3/4 sleeve but I've managed to find some nice thin shirts/tops/blouses so I'm not too warm. The sun is just way to strong here for me to risk damaging my scars...I want them all healed up before I expose to the sunshine.
I know what you mean about looking forward to having plastic surgery....it's also very different. WLS you are re-arranging your internal organs. Plastic surgery yo are getting rid of excess skin...unwanted/undneeded skin. It's a good thing!!
Start making those consultation appointments. Please be sure to meet with more than one or two surgeons. You'll learn from each one you meet and then you can decide who you felt most comfortable with. Listen to your gut!!!
Can't wait to hear about your consutations and then it will be the before/after pics...what fun! You are so close to the finish line!
Have a great afternoon!
TTFN
Ruth
(deactivated member)
on 5/23/10 2:24 am
on 5/23/10 2:24 am
Topic: RE: What are you celebrating and proud of? Weekend Edition
Ruth, that's a wonderful proud - not weird at all - it shows you are having a normal relationship with food the way that naturally slim people do. They eat desserts and don't feel guilty but then they just ease up or are careful with food for a few days afterwards to control the damage so it's not out of control - totally different to what those of us here normally do.
I'm feeling so much better after reading the responses to my other post about hitting a speed bump in my weight shedding journey. I'm now proud of where I am. As I wrote you in a private PM, this concert I'm going to is actually a 3 day concert which is being filmed to make 3 different TV shows - and you're in those seats 8 hours basically each day. I'm so thankful I can easily fit into the chairs, I can jump up and down each time they want you to stand up and I can clap and dance and gyrate to the music for 8 hours without being sore or tire. I can squeeze out of the car in a tightly parked position. I feel 20 years younger. These tickets were expensive and part of a fund raiser - and were a special treat to reward myself for getting from supermorbidly obese to overweight but it's even more rewarding to think about all the differences now shedding weight has meant in my life.
If there are people lurking who are just starting out and overwhelmed, I hope they read this and can get motivated because the rewards of shedding weight are enormous and the best ones are little things that you normally don't even think about normally. like the Nike ads say - just do it.
I'm feeling so much better after reading the responses to my other post about hitting a speed bump in my weight shedding journey. I'm now proud of where I am. As I wrote you in a private PM, this concert I'm going to is actually a 3 day concert which is being filmed to make 3 different TV shows - and you're in those seats 8 hours basically each day. I'm so thankful I can easily fit into the chairs, I can jump up and down each time they want you to stand up and I can clap and dance and gyrate to the music for 8 hours without being sore or tire. I can squeeze out of the car in a tightly parked position. I feel 20 years younger. These tickets were expensive and part of a fund raiser - and were a special treat to reward myself for getting from supermorbidly obese to overweight but it's even more rewarding to think about all the differences now shedding weight has meant in my life.
If there are people lurking who are just starting out and overwhelmed, I hope they read this and can get motivated because the rewards of shedding weight are enormous and the best ones are little things that you normally don't even think about normally. like the Nike ads say - just do it.
(deactivated member)
on 5/23/10 2:13 am
on 5/23/10 2:13 am
Topic: RE: It's a bumpy ride, hang on tight.
Oh boy Mary, lots to digest here and all of it good. I'm actually feeling excited now. I know two surgeons that I want to see, both are nationally known and recognized - but I think they operate out of the teaching hospitals - I don't know if they have a stand alone surgical suite - maybe they do. I have to look into that. Yes, my two biggest fears are infection and wound separation - with infection being the scariest. I can see the value of having surgery away from the hospital OR with the comingling of patients who are seriously ill. I just told DH that and we're in agreement, that is definitely something to discuss with the surgeons.
I am not looking forward to that post surgical swelling LOL I can see where it stretches the skin out leaving you with a minor revision.
LOL when I pull my butt skin up I have no butt whatsoever but I think I still have breast tissue - or rather I hope I have some because I really don't want to do implants if I can avoid it. Still want something for the DH LOL.
Okay I'm feeling better - I just need to lose a few more pounds and then I'm off for surgical consults. I didn't realize it was important to get their input but it makes sense since I have to show them what I have to work with and find out from them what they need me to do to be the best material they can mold to acheive my goals.
thanks everybody. this is the best.
I am not looking forward to that post surgical swelling LOL I can see where it stretches the skin out leaving you with a minor revision.
LOL when I pull my butt skin up I have no butt whatsoever but I think I still have breast tissue - or rather I hope I have some because I really don't want to do implants if I can avoid it. Still want something for the DH LOL.
Okay I'm feeling better - I just need to lose a few more pounds and then I'm off for surgical consults. I didn't realize it was important to get their input but it makes sense since I have to show them what I have to work with and find out from them what they need me to do to be the best material they can mold to acheive my goals.
thanks everybody. this is the best.
(deactivated member)
on 5/23/10 1:38 am, edited 5/23/10 1:39 am
on 5/23/10 1:38 am, edited 5/23/10 1:39 am
Topic: RE: It's a bumpy ride, hang on tight.
Hi again Ruth - oh boy, that is good information about getting the arms done - I will definitely keep that in mind - it's these little details that are so helpful to know about. I haven't worn sleeveless tops since I was a kid because my arms were larger, then larger , then huge and now malformed and disgusting so I am really looking forward to wearing short sleeves and maybe even sleeveless - LOL I would hate to time it wrong like you did. These are the things plastic surgeons don't tell you. Poor you because you're down in Florida - wrapped in compression arms in the summer. Okay 10-15 pounds before goal - that sounds closer than being at goal - that makes me feel better to know that I can aleast get going on the final chapter leading to surgery.
It's funny, I shed my weight without WLS because I was afraid of the surgery - LOL now I look forward to having plastic surgery for reconstruction.
edited to add; I looked at my ticker and see I'm right now about 21.5 pounds away from goal - so now I'm really feeling good because that puts me about 5-10 pounds away from starting consultations with surgeons - okay Ruth, this is really helping me to feel good about all of this. thank you for your words of wisdom. You don't know how much this has helped me.
It's funny, I shed my weight without WLS because I was afraid of the surgery - LOL now I look forward to having plastic surgery for reconstruction.
edited to add; I looked at my ticker and see I'm right now about 21.5 pounds away from goal - so now I'm really feeling good because that puts me about 5-10 pounds away from starting consultations with surgeons - okay Ruth, this is really helping me to feel good about all of this. thank you for your words of wisdom. You don't know how much this has helped me.
(deactivated member)
on 5/23/10 1:31 am
on 5/23/10 1:31 am
Topic: RE: It's a bumpy ride, hang on tight.
Hi Michelle, thanks for your response. Yes, I am discouraged now that things are slow going and you're right, it's making me be more negative about this hanging skin and distorted body. I have to remember that I'm the only one who is looking at this hanging skin and most of it is hidden in clothes. DH is very happy with how I look. I will have to remember what you said, that under that hanging skin is the body I want - and it will be revealed after plastic surgery. I will hang in and it will not defeat me. I am starting to feel better. And I am thankful I can afford to fix it because I know many can't. I appreciate you help.
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