Hi all:), I have been maintaining 10 lbs. from goal for well over 6 months... i still want to lose 10 more, but am getting really tired of allllll the extra skin.  What do you think?  Will they tell me to lose it first, or is it okay to lose that much during/ after?  I am torn.... it is easy to maintain this weight, but really feel like i have to hit goal... any others been through that, and what did ya do?  This skin is making me feel big still, even though that isn't the case.... hard to tell what is really fat or skin:) with that idea in my head:)

If you want your insurance to pay you would have to check with them on the rules. My insurance required 12 months of maintained wt. But its a personal decision for everyone. Me Id get it done. You will probably lose almost that much with plastics. Good luck

My insurance will pay once you maintain a weight for 6 months, with documentation. I'm not at goal, but according to my surgeon if i had it I'd be at goal. So I'm thinking about it. My insurance pays all but 25 dollars

 Goal isnt some magical number.......DRs just pick it on their best guess. Mine said Id get to 125 I told her she was nuts that I never weighed less than 140 even as a teen....which is the number I picked for goal. I never hit my "goal"...who cares, my body is healthy and happy lol. My PS actually recommends someone be 20 lbs overweight to be able to do body contouring...if you need fat moved to your booty, etc etc. 

EXACTLY what I was going to say!

:)  may I ask if you got it all removed at once?  I wanted to, but still in the learning phase...:)  Didn't know if i could get the skin removed off my arms at the same time as a LBL.....  thanks for the great advice!!

 On 5/14/12 I had a LBL, arm lift, and fat transfer to (_:_)

I actually vlog about it, if you click the link in my signature it will bring you to my youtube page :)

I would totally go ahead and get the consult.  The doc can then tell you what he thinks you need and if you should lose more before surgery.  You might just have 10 lbs of extra skin.

good luck to you on your PS journey...what a great journey it is!

Patty

You are getting a consult!
Insurance coverage is another story.
Look carefully at what your insurance policy says as to what they cover medically and cosmetically.
You need to maintain the same weight for a certain amount of time.
Document rashes or skin disorders vis GP/PCP and possibly even pictures.
I was not at goal but had been Maintaining for a long time.
I'm still not at a normal BMI and no one officially set me a weight goal.
My journey began years ago at 120K.
TT was August 2011 with a weight of 83K.
3K was removed. I now weigh 77K.
I do not exercise aside from sometimes walking.
Go for a consult - even tow or three.
Check your options on doc recommendations, prices and procedures and emotional chemistry.
Great weight-loss achievement!
Mikimi in Israel

I can totally relate to what you're saying.  I too have 10-15 lbs to get to my personal "goal", but my body just naturally stopped here and I have maintained fairly easily at this weight for a year.  I too do not know what is fat and how much is skin.

I finally decided to get a PS consult and see what an expert has to say.  I have two PS consults in Seattle next week. I'll report back once I hear what they have to say.  I'm a little nervous, but curious to hear.

I have been wearing a shaper everyday for the last 2 years, but lately, I've been feeling more relaxed about my body and going without, boy would it be nice to not ever have to wear one and have no pooch/sag above the belly button!

Wishing you well on your consults, keep me posted!  I hear ya..... I am curious too, and it is hard to imagine no pooch!!

 Yes, go for the consult :)! Depending on what you have done, that'll remove some of the weight but then probably just from recovery, you'll end up losing more because you probably won't feel like eating afterward. My "stretch" goal was 135 (even tho to have a normal BMI, I need to be 123 but I think that's too low) and I went for a consult at 142. I was 139 2 weeks later when I had my BR & ext. TT. The day after surgery I weighed myself just to see how much fluid I was retaining because he had removed 7lbs. I was only up 1.5 lbs but I've heard people say you can go up several lbs from fluid retention, etc. Also I've read that some of what is removed is fluid which your body replaces so when all is said and done, I wouldn't permanently be down those 7lbs he removed. Anyway, long story short,it's been maybe 4.5 weeks since my consult at 142 and I'm 2.5 weeks post-op and weigh 130.5! I NEVER thought I'd be below my *stretch* goal!

ETA: My PS said people typically lose 5-15lbs after surgery just from not really feeling like eating during recovery. The first few days I didn't feel like eating so I lived off protein shakes.

Hello,
My initial goal is 170, but I have been bouncing between 174-177 for the last 4 months...I am having plastic surgery on 6/25 and the doctor didn't seem too concerned about me getting off the last few pounds as he said he can safely take out 5 litres of fat (15 pounds!) when he does the liposuction. That sounds awesome to me!

Very excited for you!!!  I don't know much about lipo yet.... is that standard with skin removal or "extra"?  So much to learn.  Looking forward to hearing how it all goes for you!!!!!:)

I am having vaser lipo in the hopes that it will make my legs look more normal so that I don't have to get a thigh lift...doc says if I am not happy, then next summer I can do the thigh lift. With my arm lift, he is going to lipo before skin removal, probably so that the skin will be free of fat before he cuts. With the arm lift, I didn't pay "extra" for the lipo--since my legs are just getting lipo, then that's a fee by itself. :) Good luck!!

 Definitely go for the consult!

Good luck!

If you are interested in plastics, it is time for the consult.  Especially since you are likely to lose that 10 pounds during the procedures.

Also, many plastic surgeons want you 10 - 20 pounds away from goal.  If you are too thin, it can be very difficult to perform the surgery and the healing is more painful as well.