Hi Sarah, I had open RNY 2.5 years ago..started at 22/24 and now am a size 6 bottom, size 10 top because of the girls....yes, a size 6 makes ME feel wonderful.... now back to your post... First, remember, take one bite out of the apple at a time.... First, WLS, then maybe a year, two, three years down the road you MIGHT need some plastics...but you might not!!! Did I have plastics? yes, I did have a tummy tuck and then a second procedure of a breast lift....I dress very well, always did....could I have lived without the plastics and looked "normal"? yes, I could have and I still looked 125 lbs better than I did before the WLS...you get the idea.... bTW, I had 8.5 lbs of skin removed from my tummy...and I looked VERY nice before the tummy tuck...after the TT I looked amazing...but I could have lived without it if that was the way life went. Without the plastics I would not have been wearing my bikini or my midriff tops...but I wasn't wearing those before WLS either...so, I gained something by having WLS and I gained a little more by having plastics.... so, take one bite out of the apple....see your surgeon about WLS....take it slow, learn all your can...but you have a whole lot of apple before you need to worry about plastics.... Best wishes to you... RAE

I went through similiar feelings when I was 1 week out.. it does get better..just takes time. When you feel better, have more energy and can buy clothes that are cute, trendy and small...you'll realize that you made the right decision.. at least that was how it was for me, i've not regretted my decision..just had moments of doubt, but they pass.. best of luck to ya!

I thought I was the only one that felt hungry after my surgery. And yes, the head hunger was terrible. Just think of it like you quit smoking. The craving is there! That is for sure. I am now 5 months out and don't regret a thing. It will get better and you will learn to work with your new stomach. Just give it time and stop stressing out. I was so freaked when I felt hunger within 3 days of surgery. Everyone kept telling me it was head hunger. But, I knew it was hunger hunger! Today, I am 100% happy I had the surgery. I am down 85 pounds and very happy. I know how to work with my pouch now. Just give it time!!!

Have your ferritin checked. Ferritin is related to iron storage in your body, but I'm still learning. My hair started falling out at 15 months and has continued to get worse. I spent the summer going to doctors looking for an answer and nobody could tell me why it started thinning tremendously. I recently cam across an article on ferritin and its relation to hair loss -- if you do an internet search on "ferritin and hair loss" you'll find quite a few articles. My last ferritin level was 13 ng/ml, which is within normal limits. Several of the articles that I found suggested that a level fo 40 ng/ml was required to retain hair and 70 ng/ml to restore hair. I forwarded this information to my surgeon lat week and am awaiting his reply. Ask your surgeon if this is in play for you, sue O.

Hi Sarah, Fist I want to ask why you want an open surgery??? LapRNY has a much shorter recovery in general and the scars are less which is helpful if you do have excess skin. The less in terms of previous scars the better for you. I am also single and have gone from a 32+ to now a 4/6. I didn't like my body before and I still have a hard time not seeing myself as fat. My skin looks like a sharpai and I have started reconstruction. Although my skin did retract very well and the rest you wouldn't know about but I knew. I was a size 8 and had 8 pounds of skin removed from my abdomen and back. Would I do it all again.....absolutely! I am healthier and happier. I am because of the 4/6 no. I feel better about me, but I admit I am still a work in progress. I wish you all the best. Just start a savings jar for your PS if you need it. Good Luck and shoot for the lap instead of the open.... Robin