Approval and questions.....

So... I got approved!!!! I am so excited and scared and nervous and elated! I can't keep a single thought silent in my head. At night, I swear I must spend about an hour and a half just thinking about all that this is going to encompass... saggy skin, new clothes, libido like whoa!, easier time working out, partying (kind of), and loads of other things.

Now for the Q&A's:
How many of you are actually worried about saggy skin? Will working out more intensely prevent some saggage? Do us 20somethings have more elasticity than others, and therefore more resilient to said sagging? I guess most of this will be known over time... so frustrating! But what are your opinions and what have you heard or experienced?

Needless to say, I will mos def take some saggy skin over being unhealthy... but it makes you think.

Are any of you that are pre or post opposed to plastics? Especially breast jobs, either lifting or full augmentation?

Do any of you smoke? If yes, did you smoke during your healing stages? Did adversely affect you? Does it cause stomach irritation?

I have loads more questions but unfortunately I can't remember them.

opps, my stats: Not banded yet. 250/250/125 4'11 Don't know what else to put :)

Basically here is it.... proper nutrition, staying hydrated (by drinking and putting lotion on your skin) and working out will HELP your skin... but it wont make miracles happen. You will have some sag... some wiggle... some wrinkly skin... it comes down to what you can live with and what you cant live with.... there may be areas you can accept the way they look and areas you cannot. I have already gone for a consult for PS... it is NOT cheap... my total would be 37,000$ (I have no medical reason to have insurance cover) for the surgeon and hospital... for now I am opting to getting done what is the most important... my arms and circumfrencial TT which will run $24000. I went about a circumfrencial TT, arms, breast lift (no implants) and possible inner thigh lift (my inner thighs arnt horrible, after the TT I may be able to get away with lipo or a shoter thigh lift scar... would make the cost of surgery gone down). I do not smoke :-)

Hi Welcome to the 20's Forum and good luck with your upcoming WLS plans...I used to smoke too, my clinic (Duke WLS) made me quit before they would clear me before surgery, they even tested my urine to prove that there was no longer nicotine in my system. I won't lecture you on why you should quit, because I'm sure you have heard it from doctors and others before. I will just say that I agree with them! Here is what the Duke WLS Center website says about the question:

Why do I need to stop smoking before having weight loss surgery?

There are multiple reasons to stop smoking before having weight loss surgery. Long-term outcome data document that patients lose more weight and have fewer complications if they no longer smoke. In particular vascular complications are considerably less common. In addition, smoking injures the lungs and bronchi resulting in higher anesthetic risks during and immediately following surgery. It takes about a month before the lungs and bronchi repair themselves after smoking cessation - so stop now! Finally, the goal of weight loss surgery is to improve both the quality and quantity of your life. Smoking contradicts both of these goals. We want you to do everything possible to get the most out of this life changing surgery.

Again, not trying to judge you or anything like that, just trying to pass some information along. If you aren't sure though, I would ask the clinic you are having your surgery at if they will require you to quit beforehand.