Question:
Can anyone that is 5'10 or taller, with a starting weight of 300 lbs or above please
give me an idea how their weight loss progressed and whether or not they have experienced lots of loose skin. I am one month post op and started at a weight of 306 lbs. I am about 5'11" tall. Any before and after pictures would be great to se as well! I'm just curious to talk to people that were or are roughly my size and have gone through this! Thanks everyone and good luck! — Amy R. (posted on December 3, 2001)
December 3, 2001
Hi! I am 5'10" and started out at 336 lbs. I am 3 and half months
post op and weight 265 pounds. I can tell you that the majority of my
wieght was in my stomach and rear end. I definitely AM going to have loose
skin on my stomach. I have noticed excess there already in addition to
excess skin on my upper arms and thighs. I am 33 and have had one child.
The loose skin issue is very hard to determine and really changes with each
person and their body type. Good luck to you.
— [Deactivated Member]
December 3, 2001
Hi! I am 5'10'...actually 5'93/4". My starting weight was 307lbs. I am
34yrs old. No kids yet!! I am 9weeks post op and have lost almost 60lbs
mostly in my stomach and rearend.Also face,neck,and hands! My weight is/was
fairly evenly distributed if you know what I mean!! My goal is 150lbs! I
have had alot of problems eating postop! But I am hanging in there trying
to focus on the end result!! Best of luck to you. My surgeon told me I
probably would not need any plastic surgery for hanging skin...He said that
is generally age and body type related?12/4/01 katherine hallowes
— katherine H.
December 3, 2001
I am 5'9 & was 350 pre-op. Eighteen months later I weigh around 175. My
ideal goal weight is 165. I definitely have lots of loose skin.. arms are
the worst, then upper thighs, throat area, and last, stomach, hips, butt.
I'm definitely a candidate for plastic surgery & am currently trying to
get my insurance to cover it. I lost all my 175 pounds in the first 12
months & have basically stabilized at my current weight. BTW, I am very
happy at this weight & am able to do anything I want to do. I'm wearing
size 12 now, quite a big change from the size 28 & 30 I used to wear!
— [Anonymous]
January 2, 2002
I am 30 yrs old. No biological children. And I was evenly large at 309
lbs. I am now 15 weeks post op and down to 240 lbs. I have to say that
most of the weight came off my stomach and butt. But because I haven't had
any children my Dr. and I both agree that the belly doesn't look bad enough
or even necessary for a tummy tuck. But I knew within my first 50 lbs that
this girl would need a breast lift....they are really sagging now. And
have just got worse now that I have lost 70pounds...so can you imagine what
they will look like at 175 pounds? YUCK. Good luck. Have a thin day!
— Cherie K.
March 18, 2002
Hi,
I'm 36 yo, 5'9", preop wt. was 287 and size 28. Now at just over a
year postop, and I weigh 150 lbs and wear size 8/10. I am the classic pear
shape, in that when I put on weight, it always goes to my hips, thighs, and
butt first (and of course, that's the LAST place it comes off!). At any
rate, I won't need any surgery on my arms as they have toned up very well.
But I without a doubt have wrinkly hanging skin on my belly that will need
to be removed. I also am not happy with my thigh (upper inside of my
thighs is a little saggy), but I'll play that one by ear. And one last
thing is I have a little pinch of skin under my chin that I hate, but I
feel like it will eventually draw back in okay.
— Cheryl B.
March 18, 2002
Hi -- I was 35 and 5'10" at 307 on the day of my surgery. At 13
months post-op, I'm down to 183 and hoping to get down to the low 180s or
mid 170s. My bmi is 26 and I look and feel GREAT! :) I'm in a size 14
but can wear medium tops depending on the style/cut. I don't look bad at
all in terms of skin -- my tummy does protrude (not really loose or hanging
skin at all - but I have a belly that protrudes and I know it is affecting
my back pain). However, insurance denied my request for an abdominoplasty
as 'totally cosmetic' because the tummy isn't so bad. My arms are a little
'loose' but, once again - no hanging skin just not totally 'buff' or in
tone. Same for the butt and outer thighs. I think I'd look totally firm
if I got an abdominoplasty, breast lift, thigh/butt lift and arms done.
I'd surely be a size 12 and not have an ounce of any jiggle on me! LOL
However, it is not absolutely necessary that I correct any of these post-op
'faults' because they really are livable. I did have two children so this
could be why my belly didn't totally bounce back. Once again, it doesn't
hang down but sticks out and my abdominal muscles are most likely totally
shot (from two births as well as massive weight and massive weight loss).
I have before and after pics in my profile (I am even 10-15 lbs less than I
was in the pic on the site). My weight loss was relatively 'slow' but
steady. I'm really satisfied with my weight loss and looks now -- I pretty
much look like an older version of my high school self but a little
'softer' in the butt, outer thigh (not as 'firm' but no cellulose) and
stomach. My breasts are lower (sagging) but still have a nice form -- they
are not totally deflated or anything. I went down from a 45DD to a 40C.
If it weren't for the extreme lower and upper back pain I've had, I
probably wouldn't even consider any plastic surgery! :) Lap ds with
gallbladder removal, January 25, 2001, preop: 307 lbs/bmi 45 now: 184
lbs/bmi 26
— Teresa N.
March 27, 2002
Hi! I am 5'10", and started at 307 too (geez, what is it about that
height and weight? Seems a lot of us here started there!). I am 6 months
out, and have lost 95 lbs., want to lose another 40 or so. I'm currently
wearing a tall size 14.
The hanging skin thing really hasn't bothered me much. In fact, I noticed
more sagging in my thighs and stomach *before* the surgery than I do now! I
had two *very* large babies (12 lb. 6 oz. and 10 lb. 12.5 oz.) a number of
years ago, and the stretch marks they left behind were pretty phenomenal,
so I guess I'm used to that look now, and don't really mind it.
I think the thing that has made the biggest difference for me has been
exercise. I started at 2 months out, taking 3 aerobics classes per week,
and now I do strength training as well, 1 or 2 times per week. I find it
has made a HUGE difference in terms of muscle tone (the muscle is still
under the fat, but I can feel it and know it's there, and eventually I'm
hoping I'll lose enough fat that some of the toned bits will actually
show!). I do at least 50 crunches for my upper and lower abs, and oblique
crunches as well, every time I work out; and I do an exercise called
"the plank", where I balance on my toes and my elbows, with my
body in a straight line -- this is great for abs and lower back muscles.
When I first started exercising I couldn't do the plank at all, but I
started to be able to hoist my hips up a little about two months in, and
now I can hold the position for 15 - 30 seconds, depending on how I'm
feeling.
In addition to the formal classes I take, I walk *quickly* quite a lot
during the average day; and if the snow ever lets up around here, my next
plan is to shop for a new bicycle. Yay!
Sorry, getting off topic...can you tell I'm enthusiastic about moving my
new body? :D Seriously, though, I do think the loose skin thing can be
helped significantly by exercise. And we taller WLS people are lucky, as
our weight didn't "show" as much as some of our shorter friends
did before surgery; so it's possible we're left with less hanging bits
afterward. However, everyone is built differently, so there aren't any
guarantees.
— Karen I.
March 27, 2002
Hi! Well, I seem to be the biggest of this group. I am 6' 1" tall
and my pre-op weight was 345. I am now 11 months post op and I have lost
145 pounds. My last weigh in had me at 200.4, so wanted to be below that
200 mark. I have lose skin, I have never had children either. I tend to
think that I look like a balloon that has been deflated. It is shrinking
up, but it is only really bad when I am naked. Only a few people see me
that way so as long as I look good in clothes and I am healther that is ok
with me. I have a website that shows photos of me in my journey. I have
not updated them recently but you can check them out if you want. The
address is, http://www.geocities.com/wub96is hope this helps!
— Tawny F.
July 13, 2002
I'm 6'8" weighed 530 before and still weigh 300 lbs at four years post
op. Do I have some sags, yes! not noticeable with clothes on and hope to
afford some plastic surgery (I could lose another 25 lbs or more!) heehee I
don't have pictures on a website but email to [email protected] and I'll
email a (clothed) post and pre pic good luck in your journey!
— Ed A.
July 17, 2002
I am 5'10. I weighed 317 before surgery. I had surgery on Oct.15, 2001.
I have lost 111 lbs to date. I have some loose skin on my arms, but have
held up pretty good otherwise. I am 29 years old. I hope this gives you
some idea of your progress. I had the same question when I started, but
never thought to post it.LOL.
— denaa
April 10, 2003
I am 6 feet tall, started at 320. Now 5 months post op and down 92 pounds.
Working out 3 days a week. MAJOR hanging abdomen. Arms have moderate bat
wings and upper inner thighs are a bit saggy.I hope to have panniculectomy
once I get the last 50 pounds off.
— Mary L.
September 14, 2005
I am 6 ft tall and weighed 375 before surgery 2 years ago. I have lost 130
and still have 50 pounds left to go but I am not discouraged I am still
taking off the weight S-L-O-W-L-y and that is what counts. Baggy skin?? I
sometimes think I could have a garage sale of it..yuck, with clothes on it
is not as noticeable and who parades around w/o them? I am very happy and
would not go back to before surgury for any thing. Plastic surgury may be
an option but not yet I still have too much to go.
— katste40
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