Judgy McJudgerpants

I don't know where I read this, but I remember seeing that 75% of WLS patients would like to have plastic surgery, but only about 25% actually get the plastic surgery. 

I'm only a year out of surgery, down 134 from my highest, and I wear support hose on 'light' days and the real SPANX for special occasions.  I'm thinking I should buy stock in SPANX.   

PS I will NOT use the new photo app on OH to post with and without Spanx photos.

I had to have plastic surgery for my mental health. The skin messed with my head. I look exactly the same in clothes and did not go down a single size. I will admit I love walking around nekked now.

I firmly believe my plastic surgery is a big factor in why I am able to keep off all my weight at 7 years out. I am NOT going to mess this up. 

I hear ya. My arms look far worse than any "before" picture I've seen on a plastic surgeon's website!

Two things to consider -- 1) A plastic surgeon with experience working with massive weight loss patients should be able to show you before and after pics of people in your same situation. I would be concerned if they aren't familiar with our population.  2) Websites are where surgeons show off -- they're typically going to include their best results, and it's easier to get good results when there's less "work" to be done to begin with. I have another 10-30 lbs to go, but when I start seriously researching plastic surgeons, I plan to ask them to show me some before and after shots of pts who later needed revisions, just so I see the whole range of possibilities.

The site I was looking at had both wls patients and regular patients. The work looked pretty good. My sister had a tummy tuck in May (non wls) so I might look into her surgeon. I have quite a while before I will be ready to commit. But, I want to look into the types of procedures I want and the relative cost of them.

I personally got some post-op plastics done because the weight of the excess skin (belly & boobs) pulled on my back and affected the way I peed (TMI) and I was getting too many UTI's I hoped getting rid of some skin would help that and it did. Oh and warning... folding panni skin into jeans and accidentally zippering yourself hurts like a Mofo. 

There was a psychological/emotional component too... I did think it would help body image issues but really for me I soon found (and most of us who have body image issues find) that those issues do not go away with weight loss or skin removal... the real work needs to be on the head stuff ;) I have friends that have no body image issues at all... and they can't understand my hang-ups... "but why?! you look great" but you know that's the nature of head stuff... our internal voice is stronger than any outside. We need to learn to tell it to STFU ;)

I will say this... post op plastics photos of reconstructive plastics (what we post-WLS are getting) are not the the same at all as those on new skin... so the typical boob job, Mommy makeover tummy tuck stuff... our skin usually is pretty shot (deflated balloon-ish) and without the elasticity the outcomes are OK but not optimal... and we all heal differently, nutrition and health vary post-op and that has a lot to do with it too. 

Yeah, I am having some issues. Its like your whole life you are like well if I can just get the weight off. Now, its a whole new set of issues. I knew my stomach was pretty much shot (I had 2 c-sections). But, I have been surprised by my thighs. I know things we re-adjust (to a point). So, its more about trying to be patient. But, in my head I think I need to know there are options if my body doesn't bounce back to any degree. I have been having problems more with the disconnect between weight and size. I am currently a size 10 (which I know is completely subjective to the store). But, lets say for reference a Gap or White House Black Market 10. In my mind, I always thought I would weight less at this size. I never "hated" my fat body, but I am not a big fan of the smaller one yet.

Honestly, regardless of Plastics being a yay or nay?  I think what you are feeling is so 100% normal and for many of us the more difficult part of this WLS process.  

In my head I always thought that if I just lost the weight, then I'd look normal and feel awesome.  Well, not so much when you look like a melted candle body you're left with and you feel even more self conscious of your nekked self than you did when you were obese!  At least, for me, I struggled with these feeling for the better part of my WL journey  And I think hitting the size 10/12 area is extra tough.  This is the size we've been dreaming about - clearly NOT in Lane Bryant stores and seemingly the skinny girl size.  Low and behold, this is the "fat" size of the skinny folk.  It is a complete head trip. 

It does get better.  I had PS and I am so glad I did.  For me it was as much a part of the journey as the rest.  Whatever you decide to do - this is the place to come to talk about it!

It is weird being smaller. I think in my mind I didn't look as big as a I was before. And now, I still really don't see it yet. I take pictures and that helps a lot. But, it is such a mind trip.

This is one of the biggest issues therapists deal with for post-WLSers. Many of us feel that our weight was the source of all our problems. Most of us discover that a lot of those problems are still there after we lose the weight, and a few new ones, like excess skin, pop up. It can be horribly, horribly depressing.

We worked so hard, risked surgery, did what we were supposed to do, and that should fix everything, right? But it doesn't. A lot of that has to take place in our heads, and that's hard work that takes a lot longer. There are no easy answers.

Keep focusing on all the positives from losing weight. There are a million little victories to be proud of, and take advantage of. Life will never be perfect. It's always hard work. Our accomplishments have less value when they come easily.

You're asking great questions. Keep working hard.

Thanks! I am literally working my butt off! I didn't think that wls would fix all of my problems. I thought that it would make me feel more confident about my body, but so far it hasn't. I know my brain has a lot of catching up to do. It is hard to see your own progress sometimes. But, I have been making sure I take pictures for comparison. This has been really helpful. 

And don't worry, I have a trip to Mars planned to test out that Spanx theory. I'll let you know how that works out.