..........and another thing.............

[grom]

I am really sold on the idea of a band having read all the positive stories on here, but one thing is intriguing me still .............what happens to all the SKIN?

Will I get to my goal weight but hate my body even more cos of all the skin? Will I resemble an elephant??

Will it cost me an arm and a leg to put right??

Am I too old for all this??

Questions.........so many questions ...............:sigh:

 

[hopelesscase]

Glad so many of the experiances you have read have helped you in yr descision.
I entered into WLS that i needed it to be healthy the thought of my skin not shrinking back with me does bother me but i have decided to cross that bridge when i come to it and just get myself to a health weight first.
I met a woman in clinic who had lost 16stone and her neck and face looked fantastic. she had a little wobbly skin on her arms but hey what 40 yr old doesnt and she had a bit of an apron but like she said it tooks in her knickers and she doesnt know its there. She said it is her reminder of how far she has come.
HTH
HC

 

[grom]

Thanks for that - I guess you're right - am sure I will find somewhere to tuck the excess!!! One last silly question then I will shut up for the day - how soon after the op can you fly safely?

 

[cazbandy]

Hello there,

I have over a hundred pounds to lose and my surgeon has told me that without doubt I will have excess skin but he won't even look at how to help until two years exactly have passed since the op date.

The body can take a while to end up at its final shape.

I think for me the cosmetic surgery might be too much for me too take.

But everyone is different.

I intend to wait and see what shape I become and not to worry about that side of things now. I was getting too bogged down in the small details of all this after having my band and as from today I have decided to put the scales away and just eat what I can eat, enjoy it and do more excecise. By the laws of physics weight will come off and if its slow then so be it.

As for flying, I think every surgeon will say something different. I think when you feel comfortable is a safe answer and also depends on length of flight. Just be wary that you need to move about more on a long haul incase of clots and buy good flight socks.

 

[j.u.s.t.l.i.z.]

i had bad excess skin on my tummy as they said it had lost its elasticity and no way would it go back especially after pregnancy to, i had a tum tuck 18 months ago for the hanging apron of skin and i feel so much better now, my pics are in the plastics section of the forum. some ppl can get away with not needing plastics if they havent been over weight for many years as i was.
also theres also a chance the nhs may help you with plastics.

liz x

 

[charliegirl]

Liz did you have the fully tummy tuck or just the apron of skin removed? I am looking at just having the latter as my muscles are still quite good for my age...xx

 

[j.u.s.t.l.i.z.]

hi linda i had the full tuck the fluer de lys which is hip 2 hip and a vertical scar to breast bone with tummy button repositioning, they said a full tuck like that was best for me, i presume they done my muscles as well as the pain was intense for along time but worth it. my t/t b4 and after pics are in the plastics section.
i seen my plastic surgeon again last week as the middle roll (my spare tyre) has now gone all loose and it dont match the t/t, he said i have to have my 1st fill in the new band and he will see me again in 3 months, if everythings ok i will go back on his waiting list to have that removed. he said the list be 3 months but last time it was only a 6 weeks wait.

 

[serenitylove]

this has always been my main worry as my surgeon told me they never do the cosmetic stuff on nhs here so i know i wont be able to have it iv been big since early teens so i think im gona be like a deflated balloon in a years time lol

 

[j.u.s.t.l.i.z.]

this has always been my main worry as my surgeon told me they never do the cosmetic stuff on nhs here so i know i wont be able to have it iv been big since early teens so i think im gona be like a deflated balloon in a years time lol

they will refuse yes on a cosmetic basis, but you tell them that its a health issue and the hanging apron on the tummy is not just uncomftable but that its causing sweat rashes and gets sore, you also tell them its effecting your well being and that your feeling down about it, it then isnt a cosmetic issue but a medical need, that changes things with the nhs and they have to then consider helping you.

liz xx

 

[grom]

Thanks girls! I have been big all my life too and years of yo yo dieting and my age aren't on my side..............but I think as you all say, I will cross that bridge when I come to it (and start saving now!!) What sort of costs are involved to remove 'an apron'??

 

[icemoose]

Hiya

I reduced my weight by just under 12 stone on Cambridge 3 years ago now and had a TT in Summer 2007 because the loose skin wasn't getting any better, I tried all the "tricks" including massive amounts of situps, decleor gel, skin brushing, bio oil etc but the reality is that if you have stretched the skin too much then it won't bounce back into shape.

I had the full TT and to be honest I wish I hadn't because I had complications and have had to have another operation and yet I still need one more to get it all finished. But I always thought loose skin is a nice problem to have as it means you aren't big anymore and no one ever died of loose skin was my mantra.

Mike

 

[charliegirl]

Gingernutter said her PCT Luton have said its automatic for people who have had WLS...I guess again its down to post code funding.....I will be going private abroad for mine, will choose Poland as I have family over there and will combine the two....but thats a long way off need to lose the weight first...lol...xx

 

[grom]

blimey ice moose!!

hey well done - 12 stone that's fantastic!
sorry the op didn't go well. True no-one ever died of saggy skin but after so many years of hating my body, it would be nice to have one that I'm a little bit proud of! well, one step at a time a guess .................

 

[icemoose]

hey well done - 12 stone that's fantastic!
sorry the op didn't go well. True no-one ever died of saggy skin but after so many years of hating my body, it would be nice to have one that I'm a little bit proud of! well, one step at a time a guess .................

The one thing I realise now more than I ever did when I was big or first got slim is that being happy is all inside your mind and never what the mirror tells you

I am proud now of who I am and happy being me, now I still have some loose skin and I have big ears and a bald head but that's just me and I am cool with that.

Before it didn't matter how good I looked I would always put myself down and criticise myself and never take a compliment.

M.

 

[hopelesscase]

The one thing I realise now more than I ever did when I was big or first got slim is that being happy is all inside your mind and never what the mirror tells you

I am proud now of who I am and happy being me, now I still have some loose skin and I have big ears and a bald head but that's just me and I am cool with that.

Before it didn't matter how good I looked I would always put myself down and criticise myself and never take a compliment.

M.

Its funny how different people see things my size has never been a major factor for me but i think that is because i have always been big since being a child. I have tried loosing weight many times without much sucess and it was only after dislocating my shoulder that my weight became a major issue for me as i believe that if i hadnt of been so heavy i possiably wouldnt of done as much damage as i did.:thinking2:

I dont see your big ears icemouse all i see is a good looking guy.:flirt2:

Like you say its about your inner happiness that matters. I am quite happy with my own company but equaly enjoy the company of others.

Taking compliments from anyone regardless of what they are about is hard especially if you dont believe in yourself.
but if loosing size helps someone feel good about themselves inside the outside hopefully wont matter as much.

Love yr weekly newsletter they are soooo useful

hc

 

[tesmaralda]

on a positive note i now some who lost nearly 11 stone in 12 mnths on w/w and she never had a saggy tum,bem or bingo wings, but she did go to the gym for about 6 months in the middle of her w/l so its not all doom and gloom

 

[grom]

Thanks everyone! Especially Mr Moose - Big ears? Never!
I am currently grappling with myself (they can't touch you for it!!) as to whether it is just the weight that makes me unhappy or is that just something to blame everything on? I suspect the latter. So now I need to think about how it will feel to be finally rid of the weight and what else I will do with my life and maybe start doing something now rather than waiting till I'm slimmer ......................... all very profound for a wednesday afternoon .................................

 

[hopelesscase]

grom look at the bottom of icemooses post and there is a link to his web site. One fantastic guy who really understands

 

[Brunetteandred]

they will refuse yes on a cosmetic basis, but you tell them that its a health issue and the hanging apron on the tummy is not just uncomftable but that its causing sweat rashes and gets sore, you also tell them its effecting your well being and that your feeling down about it, it then isnt a cosmetic issue but a medical need, that changes things with the nhs and they have to then consider helping you.

liz xx

My bariatric surgeon says that he will provide a letter of full support for plastics funding, should I need it (and I think I will!) back to the referring PCT.

Yes Terri, exercise is a given for successful, maintained weight loss & toning. Unfortunately, it often gets overlooked or sidetracked. It is my main focus post-op (once I am safe enough to start).

 

[Brunetteandred]

Hiya

I reduced my weight by just under 12 stone on Cambridge 3 years ago now and had a TT in Summer 2007 because the loose skin wasn't getting any better, I tried all the "tricks" including massive amounts of situps, decleor gel, skin brushing, bio oil etc but the reality is that if you have stretched the skin too much then it won't bounce back into shape.

I had the full TT and to be honest I wish I hadn't because I had complications and have had to have another operation and yet I still need one more to get it all finished. But I always thought loose skin is a nice problem to have as it means you aren't big anymore and no one ever died of loose skin was my mantra.

Mike

Hiya Mike,

Great to see you are still maintaining. Yours was the most inspirational weight loss blog I have *ever* read. Made I cry and laugh in one go! I do hope you will still be having (albeit a small) portion of Christmas dud as a nice memory of your Nan this Christmas.