Queen of Crop

I have been in a polyamorous relationship for 2 years....I'm married (for 25 years) to a wonderful man, and he has a partner of 2 years who I like very much. I just celebrated my one year anniversary with my partner; the four of us get along very well. It's a little complicated at times, but so are monagamous relationships and ours is very loving and respectful. After 25 years of marriage, my husband and I love each other very much, be we have found in our partners very important aspects that we never had with each other. Like you said, there are many different forms of this type of life. But for us, it's working. Good luck and always keep an open mind.

@@DRene and kat27641 Your concerns are perfectly normal! But just spend a little time on this forum and you will see that there are very few (I think I have read one or two out of the thousands of posts!) of people who were not thrilled with this option for us to get healthier! Feel better about ourselves! Look better...get off medications...play with your grand kids....be sexier....get control over food....so many positives....it is a bit surreal the first few months but time goes by SO fast! I have been at goal for 4 years....sleeved at 58...and how I wish I could have done it sooner. But it's never too late. If you need more motivation, read my book...I kept a diary every Sunday of my first year...so you can have an idea of what you will be in for. It's called Queen of Crop and you can get it here a the Bariatric Pal store, or on Amazon.com It will help keep you motivated! Good luck and keep us posted.

Welcome Patricia! I was 58 when I was sleeved 4 years ago...have been at goal for 3 years....welcome to the club! Very excited for you and what you will experience in the very near future!

Definitely smaller! I am a nice full (but not large) size 36B and I love them. I did not want implants, I just wanted nice natural looking breasts and that's what I got. I was probably a 40 or 42 D or DD or who knows when I was heavy. I couldn't walk around without a bra even when I just got out of bed...I hated it. And I didn't want to worry about blouses not closing all the way at my bust line. Very happy with my decision. As my doctor said..."you have enough material to work with!!!"

Haven't had my arms done...maybe next year. I just had a TT 2 months ago and not thrilled with the results but of course it's a little better. BUT, I had a boob lift done 3 years ago and my boobs were totally mismatched!!! They removed 150 grams of tissue from one, and 9 from the other to get them to match! So it happens....who knows why. I did have a consultation for the arm surgery and it was only 4500 Euros (about $5000 USD) here in the Netherlands. But like the others said, you need to wait. Good luck

Excited for you! Had my boob lift done 3 years ago and can't imagine having my old deflated balloons...just had a TT 2 months ago and it's OK, not fabulous; maybe it will get better. Maybe next year my arms...it never stops...like remodeling a house!

At smom13 I am 4 years post op, have been at my goal weight since one year after my surgery, didn't have it done until I was 58 and my only regret was not doing it sooner! As I think most people will say here. I can tell you that time really and truly does fly and soon you will be a veteran, at goal weight, happy, healthy and cheering someone else on. I kept a blog every Sunday of my first year (and turned it into a book) and when I look back on that time now it seems a bit surreal because now I have been living the life of a normal weight person and this is who I truly always was....sadly I was just trapped inside a fat body most of my life. I suspect you, like most of us will feel so much happier and more free from the life you have now. Rock on and get it done!!!

Great....I'll check in on my first Fast Day in a while on Tues morning...should be your Monday still. We can do this! Good luck at the doctor.

Hi traveler60 ! Good for you for coming back here! I had my tummy tuck surgery done 2 months ago and have not been to the gym and gained 4 lbs and so I too need to get back on track...we are both the same height...I am currently at 143 lbs...need to get back under 140. I am starting the 5:2 diet on Monday and finally going back to the gym today....please please don't let yourself gain any more....remember how good you must have felt at 140 lbs. Try the 5:2....it is only 2 days a week....just google it and you can see the details, but basically it's just eating 500 calories for 2 days a week. Let's do it together...my days are Mondays and Thursdays.

Welcome to the club....almost! Your 50's are going to be amazing! I had mine done a couple of days after my 58th BD...am 62 now and loving life!!!

Let yourself cry, and be sad. It's perfectly appropriate. Lucky for them they had such a loving home. But it doesn't make the hurt any better. Most of us know your pain, and it's really really hard. Hoping that your dog pulls through.

Good morning from Amsterdam...welcome Mariaike! You can get my book, Queen of Crop on Amazon or right here at the Bariatric Pal Store! Paperback, Kindle or ibook....it's mainly inspirational but the fun part is that it is a weekly update starting from right before my surgery and goes for one year....so very timely for the newbies....you can read a sample on my website....www.queenofcrop.com Welcome to the forum and have fun on your own journey!

Yep, and the more I think about it, the more I like it! Going back to the islands for 2 months this fall and was already going to get my first tattoo (at age 63!) on my upper back, but this is going to get some serious consideration! Aloha and stay tuned!

Just an FYI, I had a reduction and lift done two years ago, you can barely see the scars....just had my abdominoplasty done 4 weeks ago and I think the scar line will be noticeable for a couple of years but SO much better than the hunk of flab....I have had a bit of a setback with a bout of seroma but it does seem to be getting better. Hey, I just had an idea....maybe I'll get a beautiful flower 'lei' tattoo around my TT scar.....it's a thought!!!!

HI ladies....thanks for all the recent tips on the TT; I am 3 weeks out today and I am not freaking out about the scar or even the swelling and I have had no pain, just discomfort. But I am so swollen and hard in my tummy because of the seroma that my stomach is bigger now than when I went in. So I'm keeping the faith that it will go down...I have another appt on Thursday for him to drain more stuff....but I have to say I am so happy with the area above my tummy (smooth and not wrinkly) and the pubic area below. I can't get that scar creme here so I'm putting Vit E oil on the scar each day.

@ Michiganchic and @ Elode I very much appreciate the comments on the seroma....I feel better this morning knowing all of this information. I go back to the dr. on Thursday to have it drained again. I have a feeling that sleeping on my side after the first week without my compression garment is what caused it. And although uncomfortable, I am in any pain and I'm encouraged with time it will heal. So my advice to those who are having this done, wear your garment always for the first month and sleep on your back if possible.

Hi Elode....I was lucky not to have to have any muscle repair done...and I did have drains in for one week...3 days in the hospital and then I came home with them. But I guess it didn't drain enough... Hi Elode....I was lucky not to have to have any muscle repair done...and I did have drains in for one week...3 days in the hospital and then I came home with them. But I guess it didn't drain enough... Hi Elode....I was lucky not to have to have any muscle repair done...and I did have drains in for one week...3 days in the hospital and then I came home with them. But I guess it didn't drain enough... Hi Elode....I was lucky not to have to have any muscle repair done...and I did have drains in for one week...3 days in the hospital and then I came home with them. But I guess it didn't drain enough... Hi Elode....I was lucky not to have to have any muscle repair done...and I did have drains in for one week...3 days in the hospital and then I came home with them. But I guess it didn't drain enough...

Oh yes...I'm 62! Sleeved at 58, breast lift at 60 and just had the admoniplasty 3 weeks ago! It's never too late!!!

@ Michiganchic: how long did your seroma last and is there any advice you can give to help it go away?

Hi ladies....I am 3 weeks out and my tummy is bigger than when I went in!!! So I really appreciate Michiganchic's post about that...apparently it is all normal with the swelling...but sadly I developed something called seroma....which means that blood and fluid is collecting near my tummy area...it feels very hard and lumpy and I feel like I have a 8lb bowling ball in there...or an alien...not sure which! I went back to the dr last week and he drained some, but have to go back again and have it done next week and maybe the week after too. He says about 30% of the patients develop it. Having said that, I love the tightness in my torso (not the feel just yet, but the look) and I can see my vagina for the first time in many years when I look in the mirror. Lots of bruising still but I know that will go away...and the scar is ok, it's just then damn bloating...and I'm tired. BUT, I have never been in pain and I'm sleeping pretty well. I know in a month or two I will be very happy but give yourself time to recover. I bounced right back from the sleeve and my breast lift so I expected to on this as well. But we are all doing this so we will feel better in the end, right?

Yep....it's like remodeling a house....you think, if I can just redo the kitchen, the house would be perfect....then you redo the kitchen and the rest of the rooms don't look so great so you keep on plugging away at all of it until you get it the way you want!

Jamielogical is correct...I just had my TT done 2 weeks ago, they removed a little over a kilo (about 3 lbs) and I came home 3 lbs heavier! WTF. And although it all went well and in general I think I will be very happy with the results, I feel like I am carrying around a half of a bowling ball in my swollen tummy. The best part of it so far is the wrinkly skin on my torso is gone and my vagina is lifted for the first time in my life. My scar although wide is very skinny and when the swelling goes down I think it will be great. Go back to the dr. tomorrow to see what he says. But to answer your question, don't expect any weight loss.

Hello everyone....checking in again...had my TT done 2 weeks ago today...feeling good, no pain at all. Was in the hospital here in Amsterdam for 3 days and was treated very very well. Came home with the drains that I had to drag around with me for 4 days (not fun, but doable). Was hunched over for about 10 days but have been walking fine now for several days. Love the results so far of the very tight torso and it looks like I've had a vagina lift which is very exciting to see for the first time in my life! And even though I have the tape still on over my scar, the scar looks very thin. However, the bad news is that tummy is so swollen...I feel like I have a football inside or that I'm carrying a 5 lb baby; it's heavy and a little hard. So I don't know if that's normal...have not been wearing my compression garment 100% but about 60%. Go back to the dr on Wed so will update everyone then.

Thanks for the good detailed post Kristenvsg2014 I have had two plastics after my vsg in 2011 The first was a breast lift in 2013, best thing I could have done...imagining me now with those mismatched deflated balloons would mess with my head a lot more than enjoying my size B breasts which I have to say I LOVE. Clothes fit great and I have cleavage...I too was told to get implants and then one surgeon said, ah, we have enough material to work with here..." I loved that. I just had an abdominoplasty done a week ago and even though it looks like I got hit by a train, I can see I am going to feel so much better without all that wrinkly skin...it wasn't painful, but it will take a few months to get rid of the bruising and fresh scars and then of course we have to live with the scar the rest of our life. Still, having a hanging tummy made me so self conscious. Are you selfish? I don't think so; you are remodeling your body into one that works for YOU; just like you would a house. Unless you are taking food out of your babies mouth or not living up to your other responsibilities, finish what you started. I don't know how old you are, but I'm 62...I suspect you're a lot younger and you will be able to enjoy the results for many many years...I say rock on!!!!

@deedumble...can you point me to the FB page you're talking about? I just started my FB page (just one for bariatric support only) and only have one friend at this point! I have over 500 on my personal page but I want to keep them separate. So if anyone wants to be my FB friend (PUHLEAASE??) please friend me at https://www.facebook.com/queenofcrop or just look for Zoe Belle I really like the Before and After photos and find FB so much easier than here...speaking of which deedumble, do you have After photos???