NYC1992

Hey all, I've lost about 200 lbs in my WLS journey (first lap band, then revised to gastric sleeve) and back in 2015 had a lower body lift and arm lift. As I've since gender transitioned, I am now looking to have breast augmentation as well as a bra line lift to remove the excess skin on my back. Not sure if that's the same as an upper body lift / back lift? Has anyone had any experience with this procedure? It seems pretty uncommon in relation to how many people deal with loose skin around their backs. Thank you!

Not happening lol!

I know with my lower body lift (tummy tuck/outer thigh/partial butt lift) and arm lift were not covered by insurance but I believe they did cover the hospital stay.

I'm transgender so I technically didn't even have breast tissue when I was losing weight (I have a considerable amount now but not as much as I would like, plus the back skin is both upper and lower) - this is probably true for most though!

Hey all, been a while since I’ve been here! To make a long story short, I had lap band done in May 2013 followed by a lower body lift and arm lift in 2015. In August 2016, I had my lap band removed and revised to gastric sleeve. I’ve lost (at most) 200 lbs to date which also gave me the courage to start my gender transition last year. As part of that, I will be getting a breast augmentation soon but am wondering what can be done for the excess skin between my breasts and back (below my arms). My back skin is also quite loose in that area. I know the implants will push the skin a -little- forward but the surgeon I consulted with said it would mostly remain. What options are out there? Thanks!

Hi all, Glad to be part of this section of BariatricPal since previously spending it on the Lap Band forum! To give a bit of background: My highest weight ever was 357 and I underwent lap band surgery on May 2013 - four days after I turned 21. I found great success with it for the first 18 months, losing 156 lbs before having a body lift (tummy tuck/butt & thigh lift) and arm lift in late February 2015 where an additional 11 lbs of excess skin was removed, making my total loss 167 lbs and my lowest weight to date being 190 lbs. Last summer, to put it as simply as possible, my band pretty much "stopped working" and I ended up gaining 30 lbs back. It was torturous and I worked tirelessly with my surgeon's office to resolve it (multiple fills which all did nothing, the highest being 6.75; anything above I couldn't swallow water) and even went on Phentermine for a few months - which helped me lose 10 of the 30 lbs I'd gained back - before my body became immune to it. After expressing for a long while that I felt helpless and would like to have my band removed/revised to a sleeve, my surgeon's office helped me apply for insurance approval which was a success! My weight pre-revision surgery was 209 lbs and I had the revision done just this past Wednesday, August 24th. I am recovering well although I'd forgotten how miserable the 2 week liquid diet is! Two questions I currently have are: 1) I am very bloated from having IV fluids for 3 days and saw my weight fluctuate to 214 and then back to 210. I don't plan to weigh myself knowing it will just upset me in the meantime - when can I expect for this to resolve itself? 2) My goal weight is 165 lbs (being 5'8 tall and 24 years old) but realize that I've already lost a large amount of weight; is this a realistic expectation? I've suffered so much heartache as a result of the past year that my fear (probably irrational) is that I won't lose any more weight or be able to see weekly progress. Thanks all for reading - any advice/comments are appreciated!

Hi Alex, I'm wondering if there is anything that can be done for someone in a case such as mine who has had two bariatric procedures done? I had my lap band in May 2013 and still was ~150 lbs lighter when I had my revision-to-gastric sleeve done 2 weeks ago on August 24th... it seems like I'm only able to merge the info together which either makes it look like I had the gastric sleeve done in 2013 OR that I lost 160+ lbs in 2 weeks while it's pretty funny it also makes my history appear very misleading. Thank you!

Thanks both!

I have: 2 tiny circular incisions (the size of scabs) with one being at the bottom of my chest 2 longer incisions with one being where my port was; the other is on the opposite side in similar place but is not very noticeable 1 more distinct incision less than 1 inch northwest of my bellybutton None have given any pain but I'm find it tempting to scratch off the little scabs LOL - I wouldn't, though.

Just a little update: I've lost 13 lbs currently since the surgery -- I am finding that walking is helping a lot though I really need to continue working on my water intake. It's just difficult because it always feels stuck, followed by a burp lol

Thank you both! It's just hard to imagine that I can lose another 50 lbs but today (Sunday) is only post-op day #4 so I need to not be so hard on myself. I do hope that the liquid diet pays off though

My band-to-sleeve revision surgery is August 24th! I was very successful with my lap band for the first 2 years, losing 165 lbs (even had skin removal)... ever since last summer, my band has completely stopped working and I gained back 30 lbs within 3 months. My surgeon's office and I worked really hard to see what the source of it was, trying several different fills - sadly I am not able to tolerate anything higher than 5.75 cc. Phentermine helped for a few months before my body developed immunity to it. I'm very grateful that insurance has approved my revision surgery and it's very surreal for it to be happening so soon. I've been bad with trying to follow the liquid diet (though nothing other than yogurt and gluten free crackers) and feel guilty about it. However, I had a very hard time sticking to it the first time around and really hope it won't impact me negatively as long as I don't have anything more solid than those options.

Wow, has it been awhile since I've posted here... glad to be back, but wish it was under better circumstances. To give backstory - I had lap band surgery on May 6th, 2013 - just days after my 21st birthday (I am now 23) - and it was one of the best decisions I could've made for myself. My highest weight was 357 lbs, and by September I had lost 90 lbs (with about 4.5 cc / 14). During that August, I dealt with extreme dehydration/nausea (I was throwing up everything) and had to be hospitalized several times to get the necessary IV fluids. Nothing was wrong with the band and it was actually Prevacid that helped me recover, but during that time is when I had my first unfill when doctors were trying to determine the cause. I was briefly back at 3.5 cc between September and November, but horribly got an unfill right before Thanksgiving. It stayed that way until March 2014 - I had gained about 35 lbs back. Thankfully, I got a fill in that month and got back on track, reaching 100 lbs loss in summer and by December 2014 I had lost a total of 150 lbs, weighing 207 lbs. It was then that I began my consultation for body reconstruction surgery - by February 2015 I was 201 lbs. On February 27th, I underwent a lower body lift (tummy tuck, butt and thigh lift) and an arm lift, a 5 hour procedure that took over a month to recover from with nurses helping me 24/7. With the 11 lbs of skin that was removed, I got to my lowest weight ever of 190 lbs and it was the happiest I had ever been. I got my fill back around April (around 3.5 to start), but did not feel anywhere near the same level of restriction as I did before. I went to 4.5 in June, with no success. In fact, I began to crave junk food more than ever and, between July and October, gained 32 lbs back. By early September I went back to my surgeon's office, devastated, and got a fill of 5.5 ccs (which was higher than what I lost all my weight with). No difference. We were concerned there might've been a port leak but it turned out false. I went up to 6.5 ccs with no change, then 7 ccs which made me too tight. I went back to 6.5 ccs and my weight has fluctuated between 220 lbs and as high as 228 lbs. I gave in to any craving I had without any ability to restrain myself (there would be nights where I'd have two pints of Ben & Jerry's - it made me feel like a monster who couldn't stop once I started). I'd instantly regret it after I finished it all and would often cry myself to sleep, only go to the supermarket the next day to buy more and repeat it all over again. Desperate to find a resolution, I went again to my surgeon in November and was prescribed Phentermine (37.5 mg). As soon as I took it the first day, I thought I had found a miracle. It gives me a boost of energy and even though it causes dry mouth and insomnia, it does wonders for my hunger throughout the day - problematically, the effect wears off by midnight and my cravings come back. In those late night moments I would have junk food again, and therefore no progress occurred. I was averaging between 220 lbs and 223 lbs at this point. The week of Thanksgiving, I got -the runs- (we're honest here, right?) where I was having to go #2 almost every hour. I knew any weight I would've lost wouldn't be the right way, but I didn't even lose a pound. I'd had to go off the Phentermine because of this and once I felt back to normal, I gained 6 lbs back in the course of two days, making me 228. I got back on soon after and lost about 5 lbs (assuming the 228 had bloating), but only had a few days worth left. Last Monday, at 222 lbs, I saw my surgeon's office again and was given a refill of the Phentermine as well as a fill, going at first to 6.8 cc again but, once trying to drink Water, realized it felt too tight and we decided on my current amount which is 6.75 ccs. I was on liquids for 2 days, then mushy for 2 days, and then solids by Friday. I even got the motivation go on the treadmill 4 times this past week, which I am proud of. I have noticeably increased my water intake and am trying to get Protein in with yogurts and Protein shakes while I do my best to develop a macro plan. Surely the no-solids diet for almost a week and all the treadmilling (burning between 250 and 300 calories each time) and more water should've helped my weight loss, right? It hasn't, really. I fluctuate between 221, 220.8, and 219.5. Nothing higher and nothing less. I am at my highest fill amount ever at 6.75 as well as the Phentermine and do feel the effects of it. I'm just not losing any weight by anything I'm doing. This year started off SO WELL with my body reconstruction surgery... now, I am heavier than I was this time last year. My chronic depression and anxiety are at an all time high (even on Lexapro which I am beginning to think my body has become immune to). I look in the mirror at my body (especially my stomach which is still tight but significantly bigger than when I had the loose skin), seeing how much heavier I look in each area (it doesn't help that my back and chest have loose skin left), barely take any photos of myself anymore and often feel extremely hopeless, crying myself to sleep and having more panic attacks in last few weeks than I have in over a year. I see all these stories where people on Phentermine are having the same effects I have but are losing as much as 10 lbs the first few days and wonder what is wrong with me. Any advice or reply would be extremely appreciated... I worked so hard for this and it is the worst feeling to have that being taken away from me, not knowing why this is happening thank you very much for reading. - Mark

I asked my surgeon (who is world famous from NYU Langone Medical Center) about sleeve conversion and he said I was overreacting, that my band is fine and that insurance would never cover me because of how much weight I've lost already.

Hey all, Excited to post in this section of the forum for the first time! I thought it would be nice to share my ever-evolving journey with you all To make a long story short: My name is Mark - I am a few months shy of 23 years old and live in New York City. I am a proud Bandster, having had lap band surgery with Dr. George Fielding of NYU Langone Medical Center on May 6, 2013. My highest weight ever was 357 lbs. As of February 21, 2015, I am 201 lbs, giving a total loss of 156 lbs! I have attached some pictures that are pretty recent. I am overwhelmed with joy to say that my next chapter in getting to my body goal is super near - I will be undergoing a body lift (tummy tuck + muscle repair, thigh and butt lift) as well an arm lift this coming Friday, February 27th at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey. My plastic surgeon is Dr. Joseph F. Capella who specializes in bariatric patients and was recommended to me by fellow member Cheryl, also known as My Bariatric Life! I am eternally grateful to her for this. I am excited to document this part of my journey with you all and become more active on this forum again! I'm super nervous for the recovery but have zero doubts that it is what I need for myself. Thanks for listening please feel free to add me here, Twitter and/or Instagram. - Mark

I want to change my signature to: Highest Weight: 357 lbs Current Weight: 193 lbs [March 2015] LAP BAND SURGERY: May 6, 2013 / 350 lbs TUMMY TUCK & MUSCLE REPAIR, THIGH/BUTT LIFT & ARM LIFT SURGERY: February 27, 2015 --- Whenever I try, this comes up: Thank you!

Came home last night! Truthfully, day #2 (Saturday) was horrific pain-wise, and I was crying in agony at several points. I had to spend a second night in the hospital as I could not urinate without the catheter. However, since then I am improving more and more every hour! I am now able to sit up and walk a bit as well as eat/drink normally. I have switched from Percuset to Tylenol/Codeine and am excited to see myself feeling better in the next few days. Thanks all for reading!

Tomorrow is so soon! I hope to update you all as soon as I can.

Cheryl, you are an angel. I am so thankful that you've helped me make this process so much easier than it could've been! I will say 'hello' for you and take everything in Hi Liz! Glad to see you saw my post yes, I cannot believe how far I've come. I don't let myself believe it. Fielding is very proud and was the first person to really give me the go-ahead - he even convinced my mom! She is very nervous for Friday but will be right with me the whole time. Thank you so much again for everything Thank you for reading my story and for the well-wishes! I am honored that you have gained something from it. Having WLS and losing almost 160 lbs have set me up for even bigger decisions in ways that I would've never been able to have the confidence to make. I will gladly be a guinea pig for you all who want to see what it's like, haha!

Thank you!! To be honest, I only started intentional exercise this year (2015) but I think it's impossible to everyone to have the same method for ideal results. You will get there! Thank you!! I will do my best to update as often as possible. Instagram is my go-to for pictures but I know that actual words detailing my experience could be beneficial I'm anxious too! Not for the same reason though Thanks!! I have been told around 2-3 weeks for feeling "normal" and 4-6 weeks for overall. I am currently unemployed for personal reasons (including anxiety) but I definitely should be able to answer the other questions.

Hey all, haven't been on here since the site evolution... I am 9 months postop and noticed in the last 2 days an unusual bump on my most prominent scar (right above bellybutton) when I felt it itching. Is this bad? Kinda concerned. Pic attached. Thanks

Hey everyone, I woke up today and decided I would motivate myself to post a body shot 4 months post-op (surgery was May 6th) and almost 100 lbs lighter... intimidating but here it is

Thanks all of you!

I don't know how to lie (which does backfire at times even though I'm never malicious) so I had to come here and just admit something... I was banded almost 2 weeks ago on May 6 (a Monday). I just turned 21 the week before and I think I am just too young to go through such a life change. I completely (I mean I was eating up until the night before my surgery) FAILED on my 2 week pre-op diet. I was so afraid to let go of the foods I loved and, though I have followed every requirement post surgery (10 days liquids, now on day 3 of mushy/pureed foods), I am just miserable inside. It is very likely when I check the scale in the morning I will have lost 30 lbs, and I am proud of it, but I don't think I had the right motivations going into this. Sure I would like to feel healthier, but it was much more that I feel so ugly on the outside to the point where I do not allow any non-face only pictures to be taken. I do want to lose weight and I know it is good for me, but with the lap band I truly did not realize that it would force me to give up a lot of what made me happy in life. The fact that I can literally never have my favorite food ever again (Chinese Fried Rice) and probably other foods too is something I am so regretful of with having this surgery. I have a nauseous appetite (at times now I only want water; the THOUGHT of other stuff even drinks makes my mouth have the nauseous feeling), only go the d-word in my BMs (though Imodium does work), and have spasm pains near my port and on the other side of my belly throughout the days that the nurse couldn't figure out because the mandatory esophagram showed nothing wrong in my body. I don't want to give up, but I don't know what to do. I'd do ANYTHING to go into a restaurant, to be able to order food again and be able to enjoy stuff still with the intention of being healthier with my choices. When I pass by a restaurant outside, I automatically sigh... and I watch a ton of cooking videos of foods I miss on YouTube. The therapist I went to for my psych evaluation should've failed me I feel so stupid even though I've come so far. Thanks for listening and would appreciate any advice. -Mark