Question:
Does Anyone Have or Carry An Extremely Large Abdomen Being Short?

Does anyone who is "vertically" challenged like myself at 5'0" 290 lbs have a VERY large abdomen & had complications during surgery because of it? I carry a majority of my excess weight in my abdomen. I backside is flat, legs aren't that big or my arms. The surgeon even said I carry a majority of my weight in my abdomen. This caused problems during surgery & they had to stop because they think it was one of two things...lack of oxygen because of possible problems with my lungs that I'm not aware of or my abdomen being as large as it is was pushing up against my lungs causing lack of oxygen to my lungs. This caused my vitals to drop everytime they layed me on my back during surgery so the surgeon stopped surgery.    — Christine B. (posted on July 28, 2005)

July 27, 2005
I am 5'4, so I'm also vertically challenged and the day of my surgery I weighed 336. My highest weight was 380. I carry all my weight on my stomach. I've never carried weight anywhere else. I have small legs, no butt, small bust, etc. I had a long surgery, about 6 hours, because I had previous stomach surgery and I had a huge amount of scar tissue. I didn't have any problems until about the end. I was suppose to have my gallbladder removed as I had stones, although it had never bothered me, but where I was under so long, my heart rate went up and my surgeon decided he needed to get done with my quickly. When I woke up, I had oxygen on and asked if I could take it off. They said "no" as my oxygen level was low. In fact, I couldn't go home until Thursday afternoon (had surgery Monday) because my oxygen level was low. Since that time, its been fine.
   — Sue F.

July 28, 2005
I am 5 feet tall and was 261 pounds on the date of my lap rny, January 10, 2005. I have since lost 77 pounds and am becoming increasingly concerned, because as I lose weight my stomach which held a lot of my excess weight seems to be going SOUTH!!!! My upper portion of my body where my huge stomach used to protude is now flat, but all of the excess tissue has shifted. I need to lose 64 more pounds and feel that I am almost certain that I will need a tummy tuck. I can't believe that all of this excess tissue is going to disappear otherwise, unless by a miracle which I don't think is going to happen. I know that I'm not the only one going through this, and will have to deal with it when the time comes. Aloha, Pat 261/183/goal 115-118
   — white2003toyota

July 29, 2005
Well I have to say my Dh is tall but carries his weight in his stomach too and he has the same problem as Pat. As he loses and really even right after surgery everything shifted down lower. His panniculus hangs to his knees. he lost 70lb quickly and hasn't really lost more. His surgery was January 11, 2005. Even though he hasn't lost pounds he has continued to lose inches and fat. his upper body is getting smaller but it seems like the lower half isn't. He will see aplastic surgeon in August because it is like he is carrying 2 bowling balls between his legs and it is hurting his back and recently fluid started leaking from hislower part. The doctor seems to think that as he loses weight or fat that his panni is filling with fluid. I was remembering a long time ago on this website that there was people who had leaking like that and it was determined to be the fat melting away. I hope so. He has lived with the huge penduloous abdomen for so many years that it will be a miracle when it is finally gone. Soon I hope!! Good luck to you and everyone here. By the way, he is still happy he had surgery. I hope he can reach his goal someday. Read my profile for more on his and my surgery, his was a bit different from the normal RNY.
   — catleth

August 1, 2005
I was 5' at the time of my surgery and I have lost 302 lbs. The smaller I got, the larger my pannus became.....it really didn't grow, it was just that as I shrunk, the pannus seemed to be larger. I had a grade 3 pannus and it hung to my knees and caused me to hold fluid in my legs. Surprisingly, it didn't cause me any back pain as I was losing weight, but it just seemed to be larger and larger. 8 months after my wls, my surgeon asked me if I was ready to have it removed and I thought I would have to live with that thing until I had lost all my weight, but he said since it was so large, my insurance should cover it's removal and then later on I would still have to have the abdominal plasty. He turned it in on insurance and they paid 100% for it's removal. After the wls, that was the single most important thing I had ever had done. After 25 years, I finally had a flat stomach! I would check to see if insurance would pay to have it's removal. It would be worth it!
   — [Deactivated Member]