dianec

Has anyone had the experience of someone asking this ignorant question: So, did you lose your weight the hard way or by surgery? I was soooooooo angry. There's no easy thing about surgery. I wanted to say to this person: Yeah, I took the easy way by getting cut open, the insides cut and rearranged, sewed up and then reintroduce food only to throw it up because my stomach wasn't ready for solid foods......... How did you deal with people and their stupid question?

Not quite sure, but probably two weeks. Depending on the type of work you do.

I took off 6 weeks (but I had 3 procedures - tummy tuck, back lift and the brachioplasty).

Hey all. I'm about 4 weeks post of from getting my skin removed from my tummy, back and arms. I had about 3 good weeks with only a few bad days, but this fourth week has been miserable. More pain and more fatigue. I just want to feel normal again. I want to get back out there and start exercising again. Sadness has begun to set in. Any advise or encouragement would be helpful. I thought that things would start to improve by the 4th week, but they seem to be going worse. Is this roller coaster normal? On a more positive note, I am thankful that they removed about 12 pounds of skin!

My left arm is healing AWESOME, however my right arm the scar is not healing as well - thicker scar. I am massaging them and putting the lotion on. Pain is not in the arms, just my abdomen.

So, this is an update on me.........I'm still feeling blue as I can't get back to running yet. I have tried and I get stabbing pains. It's sooooo frustrating. I miss my running and the happy endorphins it gives me. I can walk, but not at a very fast pace. My body hurts. I sometimes feel like I'm back at my weight of 328 pounds. I need some support here guys. Do you have any words of encouragement? Please help.

TracyW2 that's awesome that you are doing well. Thanks for letting us know!

Dylanmiles23. Good job on your weight loss. Keep it up! Yes, the excess skin can be very bothersome however it can be removed. This is not to discount your feeling at all. Your fear is normal and valid. Have they said that you can't have the skin removal surgery? I encourage you to focus on the weight loss at this time. Fear can set you back. Trust me I know. Let me know if I can help ease your fear in some way. I'm here to encourage and support you the best I can.

My stomach had 2 big tires. I'll try to post photos if I can figure it out. If you have kids, you will definitely need some help. I am a single lady and though I didn't need a lot of help, I think the stress of the things a mom does you will need help especially if they are real young. Definitely no lifting. Follow your doctor's orders on what you can and can't do. Unfortunately you won't be able to get back to the gym as quickly as you'd like. My surgery was June 18th. I haven't been able to get back to the running that I did before. Though in saying this, I had some complications and my recovery might be different. I have run twice about 2 miles at a very slow pace. Very slow which is VERY frustrating. I loved my exercising and not being able to do it really stinks. Just be prepared to not exercise for awhile. Mentally before surgery, I thought that I would bounce right back into exercising. I was wrong. I can't wait to get back to where I was. I pray it is soon.

I take pill form AND do the lotion. I had RNY surgery not lap band. This surgery was MUCH harder to recover from for me, but I had complications after they gave me a blood thinner so I wouldn't get blood clots. The initial surgery for the abdominalplasty went great. I think had I not had the complications things would have been easier. I took 6 1/2 weeks off work. I'm a ward clerk in a nursing home. My first day back was this past Wednesday. I was exhausted after day one. Then Thursday I felt great and I had so much energy. Hardly any pain, so when I got home from work, I went out for a walk / jog. I over did it. I paid for it yesterday and still today. So that's why I say take your time in healing. I'm definitely not myself - well on Thursday I was, but like I said, I over did it and it set me back. Ease back into the work outs. Everyone's recovery is different so maybe you won't have the issues I did. I'll be praying that you don't!

TracyW2, no problem. Take it easy during your recovery. I'm about 6 1/2 weeks post op and I over did it at work and home on Thurs. I paid the price yesterday and today. I'm totally wiped out and was in some significant pain. Some advise in regards to incision healing: Take extra Vitamin E, once the steri-strips come off and there is no scabbing use lotion with vitamin E in it. Rub in using small circular strokes (my dr said twice a day for 2 minutes) I rubbed the incisions in the shower with the antibiotic soap and then when I put the lotion on. My incisions look great! Let me know if you have any other questions.

Hi Sarie. That's wonderful on your weight loss. You're doing great. I wasn't banded, but rather I had gastric bypass. I experienced the "stopping when I felt full" vs "stopping when I was satisfied". I too hurt and was beating myself up for not stopping when I knew I should. I found that the days where I didn't feel satisfied (and this is just me) I found an emotional trigger. Something happened to me and I ate beyond where I should have because I wanted to get rid of the feelings (I didn't figure it out until after I ate - I had to take the time to think back and figure out what happened.) It has taken me awhile to be able to see my triggers and be able to stop myself from eating to much. I had to be mindful and ask myself: "Diane, why are you eating? Are you truly hungry or what is going on?" I don't know if this has helped you or not, but I hope it does. Keep your chin up. You haven't failed, you just hit a bump in the road.

I had bracioblasty done on June 18th and I found the pain to be very tolerable. I also had a pannilectomy, abdominoplasty and back lift. I was off the big pain meds the Saturday after surgery and was just taking Tylenol ES. Everyone is different though and some have higher pain tolerances than others.

Hi Rebecca or is it Misty? You look AMAZING! I'm also a Michigander. I am about 4 weeks (almost 5) post op Tummy Tuck, Back Lift, Panni and Brachioplasty. I didn't have much pain. My arms just felt really tight and still do. They look sooooo much better. I too hated my bat wings. If I can figure out how to post photos on here I'll post them. Please feel free to private message me / friend me to know more if you'd like. Where are you here in Michigan. I'm in the Detroit area.

I'm not a lap band patient. I actually had RNY surgery (gastric bypass), but I had a similar experience. I ate something I shouldn't and had the exact same issue of the white slimy foam. It lasted until the next day. Just keep trying to drink your fluids so you don't get dehydrated and if it continues thru tomorrow call your doctor. Hope this helps.

Good job on the walkin 2-3 miles. That's awesome! I too hated exercise, but I grew to love it. I miss it sooooo much right now. I worked up to running. This helped acclerate my weight loss. You might want to consider trying to start running. I couldn't go more than 2 houses w/out hyperventilating (LOL), but the Saturday before my skin removal surgery I ran my first ever 10 K (6.2 miles) and I ran the whole thing. It took me about a year to work up to the 10 K. In fact the most I ran prior to the 10 K race was 5 miles. I was just so determined to reach my goal for 2012 (running the 10K) that I knew I needed to do it prior to skin removal surgery. I don't think you were having a pity party at all. You are just expressing your thoughts and feelings about the frustration of being close to goal weight and how hard it is to get there when you're smaller. I have about 30 more pounds to go and it seems like the goal is 100 miles away, but you know what I'll make it, just like you'll make it! Keep your chin up, keep getting out there and exercising. It IS possible!

I'm feeling better as far as the incisions. My issue now is I may have an ulcer due to stopping my Prilosec. I'm in pain and am VERY bloated. I go to see a gastroenterologist next week, but don't know if I can wait until then. I'm quite uncomfortable. You can do it barbie. If you need any support or encouragement, just let me know. I'm here to help in any way that I can.

Yeah, my legs and breasts need done. I have to save up some PTO (paid time off) from work again so that probably won't be for another year and a half or two. I won't go out in a bathing suit either. Not until I can get my legs and breasts back to normal. Yes a good bra helps, but I would still like to have perky breasts for the first time since puberty. LOL I decided on the RNY surgery because I didn't want to have to keep going in for fills or unfills. Do you find that a nuisance at all?

LOL Georgia. I work in the medical field so we are constantly talking bodily functions. It is nice being able to discuss our issues post op.

Oh Cazzy, I can't wait to get back to exercising. I've been going mad at just resting. I am complying with it though as I don't want to do more damage and have a set back. I too look at before pics and remember how far I've come. I even carry one in my purse to remind myself. Thanks so much for your encouragement. You're the best!

I know what you mean Karen about the little 'depression'. I'm experiencing it as well as I stated in my original post. It's so frustrating. I had some complications from a lovenox shot that they gave me (which was protocol) and it thinned my blood so much that I ended up getting a blood clot along one of the back incisions. I needed emergency surgery to take care of that. Along with some other issues that occurred, my dr felt that there was some PTSD going on. Big sigh...................This to shall pass though. I just hope soon. Skinny Jill, I was able to get out for 2 hours yesterday and went to the local Kohl's store and was "SHOCKED" to find that I can fit into a size 6 pant and a size small shirt. I was beaming from ear to ear. If they had cameras in the dressing room they were cracking up just like I was because I was giggling, laughing and saying to myself: "these are a size 6? I'm in a size 6! I can't believe it I'm........" It was fun indeed. I was tuckered out though after my short trip. But it WILL get better from here as I've gained encouragement from everybodies posts! Thanks everyone!

Thanks everyone for your support. It means ALOT! I finally had a good restful sleep last night so I know this has helped my mood as well as healing of my body. My brachioplasty was part of a package. For the whole procedure with insurance only covering part of it I had to pay $1030.00. This was for abdominoplasty, panni, back lift and brachioplasty. Can you say my body is my new 'used' car that I need. LOL I'm trying to go slow and be patient in this process of healing. It's just so hard. I was so active just before surgery. In fact, the Saturday before surgery I ran my first ever 10K (6.2 miles). I was so, but I ran the whole thing. I reached my goal for 2012. It's just so hard to struggle to walk a mile now, hunched over. I know it WILL get better, I just want it to be better now. Hmmmm, I sound like a 2 year old. LMBO. (oh wait, I no longer have a butt - LOL) as Ralph Malph on Happy Days says: "I still got it" (a little humor left in me) Anyway, thanks again guys for the support. Means alot to me.

I was very constipated after my Lower Body Lift. I didn't have a BM for 8 days and even the 8th day wasn't much. It wasn't until 11 days post op that I was able to clean out so to speak. I was miserable. My friend told me about Magnesium Citrate and it really worked. I know I'm late on this thread so hopefully you're back to 'normal'.