BananaGal

@@Djmohr Thank you for sharing your recent experience and for the local referral. I think I'm going to check out Dr. Parkins. Your after pictures look great already!

Thank you everyone for your replies. I've been so relived to receive positive feedback on this. I avoided even asking the question for so long because I figured it was a total non-starter. I feel now like I can at least check things out and go for a consultation or two (or three or four:)). Again, thank you for the advice and feedback - I really appreciate it!

Hi All, I had weight loss surgery (gastric sleeve) in 2009 with a starting weight of about 390. I lost about 100 lbs and today weight 280 (275 on a good day). I went through a period of re-gaining during 2012-2013 and decided to join Weight Watchers before I re-gained everything. I joined WW at 350 lbs in the Spring of 2013. Withing about 1.5 years I dropped 75 lbs, bringing me to my current weight. I'm still a WW member but have not lost additional weight in about the last year or so. I've just maintained. I wanted to provide this background information since it might be helpful, but my (desperate) desire to have a brachioplasty began as a child. Large, nearly deformed upper arms run in my family, and I have never once in my pre-teen, teen or adult years shown my upper arms in public. At every school dance or wedding, I wore a shawl (literally sewn to my dress so that it could never slip off). Every time I have worn a bathing suit, I've worn a t-shirt over it. Even at my lowest adult weight (in college) of 180 lbs, I never dared show my arms. My arms are a significant source of grief for me. The sight of them makes me sad. Even the thought of them makes me sad. They limit what I can wear beyond what I'm already limited to as a plus size shopper. The arms of shirts are often too tight to fit me, or they are so thin/fitted that my mammouth mounds of flesh show right through. I don't even wear short sleeve shirts, only shits that are at least elbow-length cover enough of my arm to make me feel comfortable in public. Getting back to my weight journey: I see myself losing additional weight, at some point in the future. Maybe 50 lbs. But my current focus is on maintaining, and I'm fed up with these arms. I decided to return to the BP community to get information, insight and referrals. Can anyone recommend a surgeon in the Chicago area? Am I going to be completely black balled because of my weight? I am including several pictures here. Thank you, Nina