Progress, Loose Skin, & Other Thoughts

Hi guys! It has been a long time since I have checked in. I got so busy with life and work - that I have been completely out of touch. You know how that goes. It has been 9 months since I had surgery and i have lost 105 pounds so far. It has been an amazing ride so far and its not over yet.

Mentally, accepting that my body is smaller now has been more challenging than I realized. Its all in my head I know - I have lost 105 pounds so of course I look smaller. However, when I look in the mirror I still see all those same problem areas I have always seen. Even though I KNOW they are smaller - when I just look in the mirror, I feel like I look the same. It is not until I see old pictures of myself that I begin to see what progress I have made. And crazier still - I barely recognize the girl in the photos. I feel like I have always looked exactly like I do now. I don't even remember being 340+ pounds. No complaints here, just some weird thoughts I have had - I figured the only other people who will understand/relate - are those who have had similar situations- my fellow sleevers.

Its funny- I have lost so much weight and am so happy with my progress - and yet I still feel like I have so far to go. I am still heavier than alot of people in this thread were when they first got the surgery! The weight no longer just melts off - its work for every pound. The diet seems to stagnate with stalls way more often than before, but I am used to that. Its like i can predict when the stalls will start and stop. I am down to 8-10 pounds of loss per month and it usually happens all at once. Then a stall of 3 weeks. I live my life by the NSVs now. I am 100% out of the plus sizes. I am in a baggy 14 and a l/xl. I have worn plus sizes for 15 years and it is surreal to be able to walk into any store and buy something. Its actually overwhelming - the choices I have now. Its fantastic.

Lastly - loose skin. I am already battling it and I know it is only going to get worse as the weight continues to drop. My stomach, thighs, and upper arms are so flabby and soft and I am not sure what to do. I can feel the hard muscle underneath of my arms and legs, but the skin is there, blocking it out from being visible. Has anyone had loose skin removed? Thoughts? The surgery, recovery, and cost scare me - so I am interested in hearing the experience of others. It was never on my radar when I had surgery because my shape was never...flabby, so I never expected to have this much skin. I will lose another 50-80 pounds (HOPEFULLY) and I am sure this issue will only get worse.

Thanks for reading my novel! I am happy to be back!

Dottie,
Welcome back and congratulations on your continued weight loss. I went for a consult last year about skin removal. I did contact my insurance provider recently and they said that they will cover it, if it is not because of cosmetic reasons. Not sure if I want to jump through the insurance hoops, not sure if I want to spend the 20K quoted me, and also not sure if I want to undergo surgery. We'll see. Best of luck in whatever you decide.

I lost 92 pounds and could really use a tummy tuck, but I'm chicken and don't want to be cut hip to hip. I look fine under clothes! At support group we've had plastic surgeons speak a few times and both said to wait a year at goal weight before surgery. Sounds like people who do it are pleased.

Hi Dottie
What great progress you are making. 8-10 pounds a month is pretty darn good in my book! :-)

Re the loose skin - I look like a Sharpei dog under my clothes - but like sraebaer I'm too chicken to do anything about it - also the cost is prohibitive for me as I would have to go private. If I was younger and if I had a whole lot of skin that was a problem then I would certainly have to consider my options but right now I can keep it all under control with some good shapewear and no-one other then me, my partner and my Dr are any the wiser ;-)

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Originally Posted by KiwiGal

Hi Dottie
What great progress you are making. 8-10 pounds a month is pretty darn good in my book! :-)

Re the loose skin - I look like a Sharpei dog under my clothes - but like sraebaer I'm too chicken to do anything about it - also the cost is prohibitive for me as I would have to go private. If I was younger and if I had a whole lot of skin that was a problem then I would certainly have to consider my options but right now I can keep it all under control with some good shapewear and no-one other then me, my partner and my Dr are any the wiser ;-)

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Kiwi!!!
You did not say Sharpei dog!!!:cool:

Yep, Sharpei here too.
There is nothing you can do about loose skin.
But the older you are, the less elastic the skin is.
Younger people are the lucky ones, there is a chance your skin will "bounce back".
Even at my age my loose skin looks different than it did one year ago.
Things are definitely shifting.
I don't know how, or why, but it is a fact.
But I look cute with clothes on.:D

As for surgery, I feel like I am too old for that.
But for a young person like you, it should be something you could consider.
But I would wait until you are one year into maintenance.

And congrats on you weight loss so far!
You are doing great and never, ever, compare yourself to others.

Well done on your weight loss journey so far. Like you and all who have responded I too have loose skin and the worst about is, I have a c-section scar and that makes it fall like an apron over the scar. I have been thinking lately about surgery , but it is expensive and I too am chicken. I also don't really like to have more surgery as with surgery there are always possible complications and death, so I will hang onto the loose skin and hope it improves as I improve my core training.

Congratulations on your success so far, you look amazing. You've done a lot of hard work to be so successful and should be proud of yourself. I also found the sleeve journey to be just as mental as physical. It's hard to put into words, but I went from being so miserable and unhappy to feeling like I now have a second chance at living again. The sleeve works if you work the sleeve.

I had a TT years ago after gaining too much weight during pregnancy, I went from 100 pounds to 168 at delivery. I am a very small boned person and I carried all of the weight in my tummy so stretching was inevitable . I am absolutely thrilled with the results and didn't have any problems after surgery. The biggest pain was having the drainage tubes (inconvenient), but it really wasn't any more painful than the sleeve surgery in my opinion. The scar has faded and is almost unnoticeable. I think it boils down to what is important to you at the time, and only you know the answer there. No real right or wrong answer.

Keep up the great work!

Hey Dottie. Awesome job so far! Keep going! You will totally hit your goal. I think the loose skin is one of those things. A lot of things go into if you will have it and how much. How long you were that size, genetics, diet, hydration, exercise habits, speed of weight loss....so we all generally have varying amounts of it. Some can live with it and some need the removal. My most noticeable sagginess is on my rear and thighs. I can deal with it, though. I don't like it but I have come to embrace it. Mostly because I hear that the thigh lift is the most painful of skin removals and viewing before and after pics online I do not think it would even be worth it. I do have some loose skin elsewhere but it isn't that bad. I lift weights, eat right, and stay hydrated. I am also lucky genetically I think. Good luck with your decision.

They say wait a year after goal(or at least stabilizing). I was freaked out like you. I actually had a consult scheduled with a surgeon after I hit goal who did my wife's mommy makeover. I had to cancel it but I've slowed down to a pound or two a month loss 15 months out. What I noticed is my skin really started shrinking up when I hit goal. It really depends on how much you lose, hydration, work out and most importantly age.

While I was losing I was self conscious about tummy, neck, underarm and thighs. At this point tummy is the only remaining issue so I'm going to wait six months and reassess. If it catches up to neck tightening I won't. If it stays I might.