Just want to whine...and/or cry!

I had my surgery on 2/14/11 I got to my goal of 129 lbs. but my doctor told me I needed to gain some weight because he was concerned I had become to small. So as per his directions I gained and gained! Now I'm 50 lbs. heavier than I want to be but I've lost so much weight I'm not sure if most of it isn't 30+ of excess skin! My thighs, butt, arms and stomach all have an extreme amount of skin! Clothing such as skirts and dresses are not options for me unless they are floor length and forget about short sleeves or shirts without a shrug! I need surgery! I have insurance but costmetics would never be covered. I have had NO SUCCESS at becoming pregnant so I'm ready to get this skin removed! I just want to finally be normal! Right now I FEEL fatter than I ACTUALLY was at 318lbs! The cycle is never ending! Sooo...I'm looking for a miracle! A way to pay, a surgeon in Mexico, a charity, fundraiser etc. I don't know, just something! Ok, whining and crying over. Thanks for listening!

Wow your doctor told you to go up from a healthy BMI of 21.5 at 129 lbs to an overweight measure? Strange doctor!  Its true that BMI is not the perfect measure of health but still you were smack in the middle of the normal range and now if you are 50 lbs heavier you are at 29.8 and 30 would already be in the obese category. Personally, I'd want to be in the 'normal' range.

about plastics and insurance - maybe if you document the skin issues like rashes and such and even the psychological impact you may get at least partial coverage? I have seen skin removal covered. That way if you need any muscle tightening or something that really is not covered you would have to just pay the difference.

there is Dr Sauceda in Mexico that lots of folks swear by. There is also Dr Capella in new jersey whose prices really are very very reasonable.

i had an LBL, breast lift, thigh lift and didn't lose much with plastics. Maybe 5-8 lbs tops.

skin doesn't weigh much. If you lose 30 lbs with plastics that is major lipo and flesh removal in addition to skin.

in any event you should go for a consult or two. Usually the first appointment is free with many plastic surgeons.

plastics is a very worthwhile investment. Makes you feel sooooo good! Look into it. U may be pleasantly surprised by your insurance. 

I honestly think he was going by looks. I looked emaciated! However now I look and feel fat. I'm back on the wagon losing the weight I gained, it hasn't been easy but my excess skin is completely stopping me. The mental aspect of all of this is so completely consuming and overwhelming! Sometimes too overwhelming.

You have one problem in your thinking.
Plastic surgery is cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgery to Normalcy which is what you want. My you do NOT want cosmetic surgery by any means. You do need a plastic surgeon but one who works with the formerly morbidly obese and their excess skin.
You need to check with your HMO on Excess Skin Removal After Weight Loss.
Also document with your GP/dermatologist any skin rashes and possibly orthopedist for possible back pains and knees from the excess skin hanging from your lower belly or breasts. And a lltter from a psychiatrist on how much this affects your daily life and functionality.
Mikimi in Israel

I'm feeling the same way. I'm only 4 1/2 months out so I won't consider plastics until I hit goal and stay there a while, but I know I will want plastics and don't know how I will afford it. I need a new car and can't even afford that. I have always been busty, but now my huge boobs are really, REALLY saggy (like soon I'll be able to get a mammogram and a pedicure at the same time saggy) and my back is KILLING me. I thought my back would feel better when my boobs were smaller but I swear I think it feels WORSE! I haven't even checked my insurance coverage because I am certain they won't cover much (I plan to check after the new  year).

So I have been trying to play the worst case scenario game. What if I never have plastics? I have to learn to be okay with that despite the apron of skin that hangs down past my mons (haven't seen my pubes in years). I've even got hip fat/skin that is starting to fold over on itself on my butt (don't know how else to describe it. It's like a booty panni). After I get closer to goal I'm going to get some good shapewear and invest a small fortune in bras. Put away $35 a week for a year and then see if you can get a loan for the rest. But even if it never happens, remember that the excess skin is WAY better than the excess weight! Good luck.

I started saving for plastics right after my vsg.  I quit teaching, went into sales, started a tutoring business in the afternoons and on  weekends, pushed off buying a car for another two years. Between my tutoring and some of the commission I've made I have saved $8,000.  I took out a loan to cover the difference and will keep working to pay that off. 

I also submitted pictures to insurance and got the excision of skin removal covered.  I expect that will be a saving of around $3,000 but will find out for sure in the next two weeks.

I'm sorry you were told to gain weight back.  I know when I got down to 125 lbs everyone said I was too gaunt but I also knew from reading these boards that it was good to have bounce back room and that your body just kind of fills back out over time.  I have gained back about 8 lbs since hitting maintenance but feel pretty good about where I am.  I'm not really trying to lose as much as trying not to gain any more.  hopefully I will lose some with my surgery, but as Julia said, skin doesn't weigh very much.

good luck with saving for plastics and getting insurance to cover some,if not all.

 

 

I would suggest visiting the website of the American Society of Bariatric Plastic Surgeons(www.ASBPS.org) to help you find a member plastic surgeon in your area. I always start by trying to get coverage for my patients. If that fails, even after appeal, then we do offer many reasonable payment options including for those with bad credit. Also, I do offer military discounts and substantial discounts for patients willing to share their stories with our media requests.

Dr. Edward Jonas Domanskis is Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery 1441 Avocado Avenue, Suite 307 Newport Beach, California 92660 949.640-6324/1.888.234-5080(Ca) Website: http://www.surgery-plastic.com Assistant Clinical Professor of SurgeryWOS-Plastic,University of California (Irvine) Orange County’s Physician of Excellence/America’s Top Physicians/Top Doctors Plastic Surgery- 2005/2006/2007/2008/2009/2012/2013 President,American Society of Bariatric Plastic Surgeons www.ASBPS.org

Non-Toxic, No Nanos Skin Care- www.ORGANODERM.com

Scar Therapy-www.ScaRxtape.com

 

Well Doc - you got MY attention!  I'm super-willing to let you media me all you want!  And if not that, do you give a teacher discount? 

I'm actually quite serious btw.  Should I contact you through your website?  I am actually looking into Mexico cuz I'm a teacher and you KNOW how much we get paid!  Ha!  But if you wanna use my visage to promote your services and expertise, I'm open to flying into LA vs Mexico.

Leslie

As Julia said, Mexico with Dr. Sauceda is an option and in the states, Dr. Joseph Capella does amazing work at reasonable prices. He did my plastic surgery and I can't say enough wonderful things about him.

I'm curious though how exactly excess skin is preventing you from losing weight? Taking in less calories than your body burns still results in weight loss, regardless of the presence of excess skin.

I lost 250 lbs and STILL did not have more than 10 lbs of excess skin on me. I'm not trying to say this in a mean way, so please don't take it that way... but there is not 30 lbs of excess skin on you. You said you lost down to a normal BMI range and looked "emaciated" - if there wasn't 30 lbs of skin on you now, you didn't magically grow that skin when you gained 50 lbs. Where would that 30 lbs of skin have been when you were emaciated?

Could more than 10 lbs be removed from you? Maybe... but it would be the doctor removing more than skin - but a lot of fat and tissue as well. You will have better results if that fat were gone before heading into plastics.

Saving for plastics is tough, but can be very worth it. I would suggest getting a second job, taking on freelance work, going without cable or a new car or whatever it is you have to do to make it happen.

Hang in there!

Sorry, but if you gained 50 pounds back (for whatever reason), 30 pounds of it is NOT excess skin. Excess skin does not just disappear and then reappear (but fat does), and excess skin with little to no fat underneath it weighs very little.  (I had a large pannus that hung down onto my thighs but was skin with just a small amount of fat and tissue attached, and it was only 6 pounds!  I had giant bat wings and they were only a pound each.)

As others have said, you are unlikely to get insurance to pay for plastic surgery, so saving up for it, having it done in Mexico, or using something like Care Credit to finance whatever you absolutely feel you HAVE to have done are your best options.

Lora