My brain is not my friend

Gwen M.
on 4/13/17 3:04 pm, edited 4/13/17 3:05 pm
VSG on 03/13/14

I've got 52 days until my first surgery. Not that I'm counting or anything. (Actually, there's an app for that.) I pretty much want to spend all day, every day, just reading the posts in this forum. (There are over 8000, I've made it through 200...) This is bad because I've got four weeks of college to finish between now and then with seven exams and two essays remaining.

But anyway. I'm starting to do the panicky thing of "am I really stupid to be getting my LBL and arms done at the same time?! How will I be able to get out of bed/chair/toilet/anything?!"

And then I have to take deep breaths and remind myself that a) other people have done these things (and some more!) at the same time and survived and b) I trust my surgeon and he wouldn't have suggested pairing these things if it was a bad idea.

I wonder how many more little freakouts I'll have in the next 52 days?

VSG with Dr. Salameh - 3/13/2014
Diagnosed with Binge Eating Disorder and started Vyvanse - 7/22/2016
Reconstructive Surgeries with Dr. Michaels - 6/5/2017 (LBL & brachioplasty), 8/14/2017 (UBL & mastopexy), 11/6/2017 (medial leg lift)

Age 42 Height 5'4" HW 319 (1/3/2014) SW 293 (3/13/2014) CW 149 (7/16/2017)
Next Goal 145 - normal BMI | Total Weight Lost 170

TrendWeight | Food Blog (sort of functional) | Journal (down for maintenance)

Laura in Texas
on 4/13/17 7:26 pm

A lot. But it will all work out. You have done your research and have made the best choices for you. Try to focus on your school work!!

Laura in Texas

53 years old; 5'7" tall; HW: 339 (BMI=53); GW: 140 CW: 170 (BMI=27)

RNY: 09-17-08 Dr. Garth Davis

brachioplasty: 12-18-09 Dr. Wainwright; lbl/bl: 06-28-11 Dr. LoMonaco

"May your choices reflect your hopes and not your fears."

Gwen M.
on 4/14/17 2:09 pm
VSG on 03/13/14

I wish we were still doing skin in Anatomy ;) Or even digestive!

VSG with Dr. Salameh - 3/13/2014
Diagnosed with Binge Eating Disorder and started Vyvanse - 7/22/2016
Reconstructive Surgeries with Dr. Michaels - 6/5/2017 (LBL & brachioplasty), 8/14/2017 (UBL & mastopexy), 11/6/2017 (medial leg lift)

Age 42 Height 5'4" HW 319 (1/3/2014) SW 293 (3/13/2014) CW 149 (7/16/2017)
Next Goal 145 - normal BMI | Total Weight Lost 170

TrendWeight | Food Blog (sort of functional) | Journal (down for maintenance)

Emiepie
on 4/14/17 2:36 pm
RNY on 08/11/14

You'll do great! One piece of advice....get some scrubs, at least for pants. More breathable than most pants. I know that doesn't really pertain to this current post but I wanted to mention it to ya!

RNY 8/11/14 with Dr. Kelvin Higa PS Lipectomy 4/12/17 with Dr. John Burnett HW291.4/CW165/GW150

south2north
on 4/15/17 4:22 am
DS on 11/19/14

I had a lbl, breast lift and arms done 10 weeks ago and I have to say I was a ball of nerves and anxiety for the weeks leading up to it, the making sure I was prepared, worrying about the what ifs, wondering if I would have complications, would I be happy with my results?....

Well I survived, I was more than prepared, I didn't have complications and I guess my way of describing my results would be to say I'm shocked at what my surgeon was able to do and the beautiful figure that has emerged from the destruction that I had left my body in!!! He is truly an artist, no doubt!!

I'm scheduled to have my inner thigh lift on 5/22 and I'm a little anxious, more so about going through the pain and recovery again, now that I'm finally feeling "normal", but I know it will be alright and I'll get back to "normal" again, but this time knowing "I'm DONE"!!!!! No more surgeries!!

Best of luck with your surgery ?

nancy6
on 4/21/17 7:46 am - Tacoma, WA

So nice to see your post and that you had the LBL, BL and arms all done at the same time. I'm having the same procedures all done at once on May 22 and it was great to read your post that all went well. Your post definitely reassured me that this is very do-able and that there are not always complications. So many posts dwell on all the negatives so I really appreciate your positive post. :) We'll be in surgery on the same date - you for your inner thigh lift and me for the LBL, BL/BA and arms! I'm sure you'll do great! Take care!

~Nancy~


  

south2north
on 4/21/17 1:30 pm
DS on 11/19/14

Awe, well congrats on your upcoming surgery and I hope all goes well for you!

breathemusic
on 4/17/17 2:39 pm

Instead of just telling yourself other people have done it so you'll be fine, maybe a more concrete "why" you'll be fine might help?

Because you're only having skin removed from your arms and not muscles or anything like that, you can still flex your arms in the sense that you can still push down against a chair/seat/toilet whatever in order to help yourself sit up, stand up, sit down, etc. What you're actually limited with on your arms is range of motion. So you can't just stretch your arms over your head or anything like that.

Same goes for all those tummy muscles. Sure, your tummy will feel TIGHT, but you can still make minor bends at the waist (not much though and standing up straight won't feel good). But also, you can DEF still bend at the knees. So you can squat to raise and lower yourself most of the way for sitting and standing.

And since you work out on the reg, I'll bet you have strong legs and arms for doing all of these things!

I think we all worried about things before hand because, well, our brains just go there. But you can do it! And the actual science, anatomy, AND other people's experiences just go to show that you can!

I hope maybe that helps even a little.

-Cindyloo-
on 4/18/17 10:03 am

I like that last post! The poster is right.

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