Help I'm scared

Ranece
on 9/2/14 11:55 am
RNY on 09/30/14

I'm reading so many blogs on sagging skin. One lady on YouTube pulled her stomach from out of her pant legs. Iim horrified.  I am scheduled for rny gastric bypass on September 30th but I'm afraid that I still will see a fat woman with all if that excess skin.  Any suggestions ? Thanks in advance!

NikkyBeauty
on 9/2/14 12:21 pm - Sacramento , CA
VSG on 02/18/15

I'm pre-op right now too and I looked at so many videos on yt about the excess skin! I'm concerned as well but man O man I rather have sagging skin then be scared every night, I'm not going to wake up in the morning! But from what I've seen I guess it depends on how big you are and where you carry the most weight at! My body is completely proportioned I carry my weight everywhere I know I'm going to have a lot of excess skin but I'm not going to let it bother me or discourage me I mean I know we want to be just as beautiful as healthy especially me! But we have to overlook or quest to be beautiful for the quest to be healthy! You can always work out build muscle and tone, if it so bad you can't deal, you can have one of the many elective procedures to fix yourself I know most insurances don't cover them but that's always an option! I wish you luck with whatever you decide to do and sorry for the long post. 

HW: 465lbs SW: 387lbs CW:??? GW:175

    

    
Millasnana
on 9/2/14 12:22 pm

My doctors tell me for the next several months I need to document everything from a rash to itching to anything that might warrant a medical procedure for skin removal. If it can be attributed to a medical reason, insurance will cover it.  I plan to follow this advice and we'll see what happens.  Good luck!

Bette B.
on 9/2/14 12:24 pm

Ranece: you have three choices when it comes to loose skin . . 

- you can have plastic surgery

-you can find a way to live with it

-you can not have WLS.

What someone experiences with skin sag will vary from what someone else experiences. What happens will depend on your age, how much you have to lose, how much you actually lose, genetics, etc.

I've lost a lot of weight and have a fair amount of sag. I can't afford plastics - since it is almost always a "cosmetic"procedures not covered by insurance. If I DID have the money, I don't know if I'd have them done. But regardless of the sag, I'm happy that I had my WLS and don't regret it for a second.

    

Banded 10 years & maintaining my weight loss!! Any questions, message me.

Eggface
on 9/2/14 8:52 pm - Sunny Southern, CA

If you have 100+ pounds to lose you can pretty much be sure there will be some excess skin issues post weight loss surgery... the degree will vary, lots of factors: how long you were overweight, damage/stretch marks, where you carry your weight, age, ethnicity, genetics. You can exercise and that may help some but maybe not. 

I had WLS to save my life... lots of comorbidities, 8 prescriptions I didn't think I would need or want plastics but after I lost 150+ pounds I had physical and emotional issues from the excess skin and found a way (medical tourism) to have most of it removed. Start saving your $$ now for plastics and if you are one of the lucky ones or if what you are left with is OK then you have a nice chunk of change for some adventure ;)

Best wishes with your decision

 

Weight Loss Surgery Friendly Recipes & Rambling
www.theworldaccordingtoeggface.com

Tracy D.
on 9/2/14 11:37 pm - Papillion, NE
VSG on 05/24/13

Well, I don't know what to tell you....other than the fact that I look great in my size 6 jeans but I can pull out a LOT of extra skin over the top and horrify people.  Not exactly a party trick I want to be known for ;-)  

I'm having to constantly deal with the body image issues of having all this excess skin.  It's going to happen...very few escape it.  That's why I continue to go to therapy to help me reach a state of love and acceptance of my body, regardless of what it looks like.  

You don't say how old you are or how overweight you are - those things matter.  People who are younger, who aren't severely obese and who haven't been obese that long stand a better chance of the skin snapping back.  However, if you've been overweight for any length of time you have grown NEW skin to cover all that fat.  Yup, new extra skin.  And that skin doesn't evaporate.  

Also, anywhere you have stretch marks is permanently damaged skin that no lotion and no amount of massage will ever make go back into place.  Thank god for clothes because they hide a LOT!  But the excess skin is why a lot of people end up getting plastic surgery later.

Suggestions:  accept the reality that you too will have sagging, loose skin.  Exercise (resistance train) to increase the muscle tone under that skin.  Get therapy to deal with the head issues that will come along with it.  Start saving your money for plastics - you'll probably want them.   

Best of luck on your surgery later this month! 

 Tracy  5'3"     HW: 235  SW: 218  CW: 132    M1: -22  M2: -13  M3: -12  M4: -9  M5: -8   M6: -10   M7: -4

 Goal reached in 7 months and 1 week

 Lower Body Lift w/Dr. Barnthouse 7-8-15

   

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

Sparklekitty, Science-Loving Derby Hag
on 9/3/14 6:20 am
RNY on 08/05/19

Also: good support undies are worth the investment! I have a couple of Spanx camis I got for $8 each at Ross, they come down to my hips and prevent the muffin-top effect from a sort-of-poofy stomach.

Sparklekitty / Julie / Nerdy Little Secret (#42)
Roller derby - cycling - triathlon
VSG 2013, RNY conversion 2019 due to GERD. Trendweight here!

shygirlxoxo
on 9/4/14 12:37 am - savannah, GA
RNY on 12/04/12

I can tell you that after losing 180lbs so far,  even with the sagging skin,  I look much better now I did 180lbs ago.  Don't let something small make a decision that could save your life or change it in more ways than you can even imagine.  When you are out living your life (for some of us, for the first time our entire adult lives), whether you have to throw on a Spanx top won't even matter.  The ones who matter won't care and the ones that do care won't matter.  Good luck! 

 

-Anna  HW: 401 | SW: 377 (12/04/12) Blog: http://notfattabulous.blogspot.com




 

 

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VTGAL
on 9/4/14 1:28 am

I had RNY surgery on 4/2/12.  I went from 295 lbs to 155 lbs where I'm at now and have been for at least 1 year.  I do not have any sagging skin.  About 6 months before the surgery I started swimming laps 5x week and doing exercises in the pool. At first I was lucky if I could do 5 minutes of laps...now I do 45 minutes.  My exercises consist of leg lifts and cross overs and arm crunches.  (There are books with great photos to show you a wide range of pool exercises.) I've kept this  up for the 3 years now and I'm a size 10 with no sagging skin -- with the exception of my boobs which appear like two empty socks just hanging there.

I couldn't swim for 1 month after the surgery, but once cleared to be back in the water I was there.

This surgery has changed my life.  I feel great. I'm active doing things I've always wanted to do.  Right now I'm on my way back from spending the summer in Alaska hiking and enjoying every moment of every day.

Be positive, be healthy.  Best to you.  Hope this has helped.

(deactivated member)
on 9/4/14 1:53 am

You know that old expression ... you cant have your cake and eat it to... well I am so much healthier, more energy and look a hell of alot better than I did before ..saggy skin and all. I would much rather this than the way I was before. I dont think it will be as bad as you think. Worry about saggy skin later when you have lost your weight and then maybe you might be able to do something about it. Remember the surgery is about getting healthy again, and not so much looks. I have added probably 25 plus years to my life, and loving it, I may have had about 5 years tops the way I was. That is what is important. Good luck in your up coming surgery and try not to worry.

 

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