For 190+ pound tummy tuckers

For the ladies who have had weight lost stabled at or above 190 and opted for an extended tummy tuck with or without lipo, please share your experiences. I would like to know if ur tummy was flat, did you like your results, did you lose any more weight afterwards, any drop in pants size, any pictures posted, pain levels, advise?  Any thoughts or comments will be greatly appreciated. Past and current experiences along with appetite changes and dissatisfaction with another part of your body afterwards. Pretty much would like to know everything you wish to type or pm me if you don't want to post here. Thank you all so much I am looking to schedule mine Monday. I am 18 months post op VSG...I weigh 195 since sept 2012. Went down to 183 and gained 12 pounds ugh. I am 40 years old and 5'5" tall. I weighed 248 day of surgery. Thanks again ladies.

I was around this weight when I had my tummy tuck on April 18th. I wrote a detailed account of my experience on HealthCentral. It answers everything you have asked here and more. You may read it here http://www.healthcentral.com/obesity/c/276918/160586/bariatric-abdominoplasty-ch I hope this helps!

My appetite has decreased dramatically and I have lost additional weight.

MBL

I had a lower body lift with lipo in October. I had lost 160 pounds but was still at a weight of about 250 (I'm 5'10). My surgeon took off 21.5 pounds of tissue from my midsection and about another 4 lbs of fat from the outer thighs with the lipo. I have my before and after pics on my profile if you would like to take a look. I wound up losing about 30 lbs total after the procedure (mostly from not being able to each much for a month) and about 10 inches off of my hips. I dropped serval clothing sizes, but my body is such a different shape now its hard to tell how many....

So far, I am very happy with my results and the procedures that I chose. I opted to not have an anchor cut on the tummy tuck portion of the LBL, because I did not want the additional scar and my lower body was so much bigger in proportion to my lower body. I have a small amount of extra skin above the belly button, but below it is totally flat. My scars on the front and outer thighs are great, but the butt scars are a little high and uneven. I still swell quite a bit even now, but it is manageable. As the nerves heal my scars are super sensitive and I still have some numbness and pain in the areas where the lipo was done. I have heard over and over again that it can take up to a year to really see your final results, and I believe it now! The hardest part about my recovery was not the pain, which was controlled better than I thought it would be with the pain meds, but it was the dizziness and fatigue.

All things considered, I don't think I could have realistically had a better outcome. Before my LBL, I was all excited about getting my arms and inner thighs done as soon as possible. Now that I know what this plastic surgery thing really entails, I think I am going to skip the arms and wait a few more months on the thighs. Good luck with your surgery!

I am dissatisfied with other areas of my body now. I want to get more work done. Part of me wants to do it right away. The other part of me wants to be very well healed before I do. I have been told LBL and TT are the worst as far as pain. Followed by arms and thighs which are about the same. Boobs are easiest. I won't where face lift fits in on the pain scale?

Hello I read your blog before I posted my questions.  I prolly missed all the questions I asked lol. I just remember the savings,the drive, the new house, the ER, and things like that.  But thank you fthe any additional input.  

Thank you for reading my article, Shannelle. I have not updated it yet but here is the scoop on some of the additional questions you asked. This is my experience at least - my appetite has decreased significantly since swell hell began. I barely have an appetite. So I keep my protein intake up with protein powder added to smoothies or coffee. The protein as I understand is important to healing, as well as to us as Bariatric patients. It should help with weight loss.

I have lost additional weight, about 4 lbs in addition to the 6lbs they removed. I am confident that when my swelling goes down, I will have lost a pants size and be back to size medium. My pre surgical pants were tight on me before surgery. They are now very loose. So this is why I believe that when my swelling goes down I will be back in my skinny girl pants.

I bought new panties sizes 6 at Jockey and they fit perfectly. This would be for size 10-12 pants. I also bought a few shirts at Ann Taylor Loft size small - I like my knit shirts tight but the jelly roll around my stomachs prevented me from wearing them this way. now I can!!!

I have been told that my tummy and mons will return to the way that they were on day 1 post op, which was completely flat. My upper abdomen will be even smaller than it was on day 1. at my 1 week post op visit, My PA told me to suck in my stomach - he said that is how small I will be. yeah!!!! I cannot wait!!!

Hey!  Sorry I missed this question until now!  :)

 

I'm 5'7 and weigh about 200 lbs right now (just dropping below to high 190s as my swelling continues to go down). 

 

My tummy tuck experience has been FANTASTIC.  Seriously, the best decision I've ever made (next to getting to help me lose weight, that is.)  I had anchor tummy tuck, so I have a hip to hip scar as well as a line from the center of that scar up to my breast bone.   I had muscle repair but NO liposuction.  Everyone has a different experience, but my tummy tuck recovery has been a piece of cake.  Very little pain.  My arm lift, on the other hand...  holy cow.  My poor ams STILL hurt, and it's been over three months!  My arm lift recovery was far more difficult.  Part of that is because I had multiple holes in my arms pits opening up, but a big part of it is that I had lipo done with the arm lift.  That is what still really hurts.

 

It's hard to tell my pant size.  I was a 16W before the surgery.   I put on a pair 14s the other day that fit just fine.   I also bought some capris that were a regular size Large.    So I've probably gone down 2 sizes...?  It's hard to tell.  I do still have some swelling, especially in the "ken doll" area. 

 

My upper thighs have swollen, and are still swollen, so I am actually a bit more self-conscious about them now.  I think the swelling will subside, but even when it does they will probably look comparatively worse than the rest of my body.  But I decided I have to draw the line somewhere.  It's a highly individual thing, but I am not going to worry about my thighs.   I embrace my wiggly thighs, celluite and all.  I'm glad to "worry" about them instead of a giant backwardly panni!!

 

My appetite did decrease after surgery, but it back in full force now.  Still, it seems that I can eat more calories now and not gain than I could before.  Not sure why...  I'm keep tabs on everything because I know any metabolic boast could be temporary.   My stomach does indeed look flat, but I am still "thick" all around, if that makes sense.  I love it!  I'm very happy with my body right now and don't want to lose any more weight.  If I do, unintentionally, that's fine.   But I've very happy being almost 200 pounds and wearing a size 14.   Not everyone would feel that way, but I do.  :)   Coming from 360+ pounds, I feel very blessed to be where I'm at now and very happy to be wearing what amounts to an "average" american size.    I've never aspirated or desired to be skinny.   I just wanted my weight to "fit in" with the crowd and for my health to be improved. 

 

The weight loss journey, setting goals, choosing when and if to do plastics... it's all so personal and individual.  Only you can know if you'd be happy at a certain weight.  I think you sound like you are an awesome size ;) - and I think you'll be thrilled with the results of a tt.   But no matter what you choose, love yourself and your body right now.  You are beautiful just as you are.  If you can feel some self-acceptance going into the tummy tuck, you'll be even more likely to be happy with your results after the tummy tuck.  Not sure if that made sense... I think I need more coffee! ;)

Good luck with your decision!

 

Ok ... Thanks autocorrect for making the above post hilarious. I aspirate to be so funny someday.

Thanks all for your comments.  I welcome many more to chime in.  I am happy just to be in wonderland. I never and still don't want to be skinny either. I am happy if I don't lose anymore but I would not be mad. I would like to wear a size 12. I'm in 16 I'm some things now as my appetite and sweet tooth r huge. I have been out of control lately for quite some time now. I have to find a way to get back on track. If I had stuck to cut downs from surgery, ion would have prolly reached 175 goal.  I hate that I messed up, now I am close to my 18 month window with a 15 pound regain. I pray I get better.  

Hang in there. We all struggle from time to time. Just don't give up. God bless you as you get back on track.