Polling the Veterans

On December 9th I am scheduled for an extended adominoplasty.  My surgeon estimates removing 35 lbs of skin from my abdomen. (I have lost 234 lbs)

Here is my question, did you have trouble imagining what the gone flesh would be like?  How was the process of rediscovering your body shape and size?  I am getting excited for what is to come but in truth I don't really know what to anticipate.  I would appreciate if you some of you would share what it is has been like to go to sleep with one body size and wake up with a new one.   

I am nowhere near the veteran you are looking for.  But I wanted to say Congrats on your weight loss.  That is amazing and I hope you have wonderful success with your PS. 

I haven't lost nearly what you have so I don't know that I can say much to help you.  I've had a hangy tummy my whole life.  To have that gone is amazing to me.  I have the cutest belly button I have seen on a 41 year old woman (not that I check out old ladies belly buttons!)  LOL 

I had a Full TT, MR, BL, BA, Arm Lift (brach) and Lipo.  I had this all done in one surgery.  The first memory I have was waking up and my breasts being in my face.  My husband said my eyes crossed and I just said what the Heck is that?  Its a joke to us now, but I was seriously worried.  They were big and up there!  They have since gone to where they belong.  But it is a big change.  You are going to love the results.  I have no doubts.  You have worked really hard to get to where you are and I hope you reap all the benefits of your success! 

Hopefully some others will chime in and give you some better advice.  I really wanted to congratulate you!
Hugs
Kim J!

 Thank you.  I do plan a breast lift with implants and an arm lift in my future, but my PS is quite conservative and will not do all of that at one time with me.  I can't blame him, I am a high risk patient due to a history of blood clots and he is removing massive amounts of skin with just the one surgery I am having in December.  

Thanks for sharing your experience. 

Hi!
Congrats on your weight loss.

I lost almost 160 lbs and was left with lots of saggy skin.
I've had a breast reduction & breast lift  (Nov 2008) , brachioplasty (March 2009), and extended adominoplasty anchor cut (Sept 2009). 
I remember the first time I saw my new breasts.....it took me a little time to get used to seeing them so much smaller and standing so perky.  But I LOVED them from the start.  I remember my first shower and thinking how strangely smaller they felt...but again I knew from the start I was happy with the results.
I was not as surprised after my arm surgery....but that's a long story .....I'm going in for a revision to take more skin off.

Before my Tummy Tuck I used to stand in front of the mirror and pull all my skin to one side trying to picture what I would look like when it's all gone......
I was really nervous to look at my Tummy but the nurse who helped me take my first shower told me I would be really happy if I looked in the mirror......so I looked and I was thrilled!  My tummy was perfectly flat and I did not miss the big ball of saggy skin that hung there for so long.  So far I have to say my tummy looks even better than I imagined it would.

I can't wait to have the rest of my lower body done....my legs and butt really need it.

Hope that helps some...
Best wishes on your journey

 I don't really have plans for my thighs, but I am afraid right now I am able to overlook those imperfections due to the BOB (Big Ol Belly).  Once I get rid of BOB and get some real breasts, I am sure the thighs will be next on my agenda.  Well, thighs and winning the Powerball!

I am not a veteran as my plastics are scheduled for December 15th but I know what you are feeling.  Every single day I manipulate my saggy skin and wonder what Dr. S. is going to be able to do.  I worry alot about breast size.  Before I lost 120 lbs I was a 42 H.  Now I am a 36 long and to be honest, no idea what cup size.  I have a few different bras but nothing really fits well in the D range.  I wonder if I will have enuf breast tissue left just for a lift.  I am not against implants, but for some reason, they scare me.  Then I try and figure out if a C cup will be too small for my frame.  It doesn't help much that I still haven't gotten used to the smaller me and that I was always the girl with the big breasts.  I can't wait to see what he is going to do with my saggy body.  I trust him completely and I'm excited to maybe actually see my nipples pointing in the direction God intended them to be.  lol.  No more NGB's (National Geographic boobs) for this girl!

I was a 48H pre RNY-- and am now a 34C with no implants, and they're just right. I had just a lift-- no "lollipop scar"-- just inframammary fold stitches. Very full, very nice.

 I cannot imagine my belly not laying halfway down my lap when I sit down.  I cradle my belly sometimes while sitting and try to imagine a life without enough skin hanging from the front of my body that I am able to hold it in my arms like a baby.  Truly, I can't imagine such a body.

I hear ya. I have never had a flat stomach. When I toke a look at myself the day after surgery I was truly amazed. I was so scared to look at myself because I said what if I look like Frankenstein. But boy I am ssssooooo happy with my results. I've had a big stomach with huge love handles my whole life. My surgeon got rid of everything and I mean everything. I about wanted to cry when I saw myself for the first time because I was overjoyed with happiness. To be able to sit down and have nothing hanging over your pants is the best. Sometimes I forget I don't have the stomach and rolls anymore (still new post-op just had surgery 9/11/09). So many people say I have the shape of an hour glass now. I always look around as if they are talking to someone else because no one has ever told me I have a nice body let alone a hour glass figure.

You are going to be so happy with your results. You'll probably do what I did when I first saw myself. I must have stood naked in the mirror for about 20 minutes staring at myself. I even pinched myself to make sure I wasnt dreaming and it was really me.  My Plastic surgeon was a miracle worker in my opinion. She over exceeded my expectation times a billion. Ok let me stop rambling because I would talk about this all day. Best wishes to you on your surgery and recovery. New body here you come.

I never could have imangined what my new tummy would look like pre-op. Everyday now post op i'm kind of in awe. I've never remembered having a flat tummy, always had the hanging roll. I would always wear shirts or sweaters that didn't have to be tucked in so they could hide the belly roll. Now i'm going out and buying things that will tuck in and belts & low rise jeans that will show off the flat belly. I am so happy w/ my results. My self esteem has grown by leaps and bounds even more now since the skin is gone than when I had just lost the weight.

I can't wait til my next surgery in 2 1/2 weeks so I can be completed in my eyes.