Queen of Crop

I love that you were brave enough to do this and I also love your tag line....I feel the same way....SEXY AT 62! And yes, we want photos!!! BTW, for those of you who are on FB, I just started a FB page soley for finding friends and support who have had the surgery or thinking of having the surgery. So if you are a FB person find me at Zoe Belle or www.facebook.com/queenofcrop For me, it's a much easier place to post photos than here.

Four years ago today I had no idea how my life was about to change. On October 28, 2011, at age 58, I was wheeled into an operating room in Frankfurt, Germany, and like many of the readers here, a big part of my stomach was removed and a huge hope for the future replaced it. My hope for a healthier life — where I looked and felt better, had more energy, and could move easily — not only came true but far exceeded even my wildest dreams. It seems only appropriate on this anniversary date that I look back on these last four years and tell others how grateful I am to have had this shot at such a magical life. I know there are still many people who read my blog who have not yet had the surgery, and it’s important to me that this might be the push they need. That this is not just another diet that will last a few months. I’m living proof that you can have this surgery and four years later live life as a normal-weight person without dieting. You can read the rest here: www.queenofcrop.com I hope everyone else has had as good of a trip as I have had. Thank you Alex and the forum for all the support along the way!

Wow....so happy to read such a great upbeat post!!! And to be an inspiration to others is huge!!! AND to score such great deals!!! I'm a big fan of thrift shops...you can get some great deals and you don't look like everyone else on the street.....ROCK ON MR FRIEND!!! And post some photos so we can see you!

Thanks for the nice update...this period of slow and steady that you are going through Jinty is a very exciting time...I had a love affair with H&M during this time...cute clothes that were really cheap because I knew I would only wear them a short time. I am being very well cared for; those who know me know I have two men in my life and they are both taking great care of me. I really do feel like a Queen.

I have had wonderful surgeons and feel very fortunate about that...three surgeries....the Vertical Sleeve in Frankfurt by Professor Weiner in 2011, a breast lift in Amsterdam in 2013, and just this past Monday I had an abdominiplasty in Amsterdam, the last two by Dr. van Selms. Very pleased with all my results. However, even though the surgeons are sort of rock stars in their fields, the pre-information and post-information was very minimal. In fact, just last night, 5 days after my surgery, I decided to Google post abdominplasty information to find out if there were things I needed to know. And indeed there were! So you might want to do the same thing...and just read what's out there if you can't get the info from your doctor. And of course we all help each other here too.

Hi everyone... I haven't been on this thread much lately, have been lurking around the plastic surgery threads... I just had my abdominplasty surgery done this past Monday so I am now at home recovering and finally catching up. But I wanted to thank you all for your responses, congratulations and mostly your updates. Jintycb, right about this time for me, I found a rhythm that was working and I was on top of the world; even though I wasn't enjoying meals at that point. You and I have a lot of similarities...same height, same starting weight, same husbands! But I was never think or a ballet dancer and thankfully I didn't have an addictive personality. So please tell me how you are doing now...I have a feeling your progress has been amazing. At age 62, for the first time in my life, I finally have a flat stomach and the crack in my vagina (what is the name of that anyway?) is now something you can see when I stand instead of between my legs under lots of flab. So I think this, plus the breast reduction I had two years ago (SO happy with that!) is finally going to put me at peace with my body...I hope! This coming week, I'm going to record a short little video and put it on my blog; I'll keep you posted. Also thinking about starting a FB page...so many interesting stories out here! And for those of us who are in our 50's and 60's...remember, it's never too late to create a life we have always dreamed of.

Thanks...no muscle repair; my dr. was very happy with that situation, so maybe that's why I'm having such an easy time with this. First time in my life any one said they were happy with my muscles! Probably from holding my stomach in for 62 years!

Hi everyone...I'm back from my abdominoplasty (is this also the name for a TT?). I guess I should know this. Anyway, after hearing so many stories about how painful it is and dreading the worst, I am hear to tell you that I am home after 3 days and doing extraordinarily well. I have had little or no pain, was treated very well (had it done in Amsterdam) and so far am very happy with the results, especially the fact that my labia is so lifted and not a flabby mess any more. I had to come home with the drains and will have them in until Monday but other than that, I feel great! Finally at age 62, for the first time in my life, I won't have a hanging tummy...wow.

Thanks for all the great info ladies...for now I am going to unfollow this thread....my surgery is Monday and I have a full weekend....if I don't unfollow this I will have these plus a hundred other emails to get to....but I will check in as soon as I am able to let you know how it all went... Thanks again and tot gauw from Amsterdam for now!!! Queen of Crop!

THANK YOU JESS9395!!! I was starting to freak out....you have given me hope that maybe my TT (that's all that's being done) will not be so bad.....Yikes, only a few more days. s

Wow....thank you so so much Jamie....Fabulous before and after photos and thank you also for taking the time to write so much and so honestly...I'm trying to prepare myself for the recovery but time goes by so fast that I hope I will be up and about before too long.

Just curious about something....if you are not a goal weight when you have all this done what happens when you get to goal? I'm about 10 lbs more than I wanted to be and I'm a little worried about that. Any thoughts from anyone? Also is there anyone here that had a TT and regained weight? How does that work? Does your tummy stretch again or do you gain and become out of proportion?

Wow to NEWSET OF CURVES...your photos are amazing! Very inspiring!

Hi ladies....I'm going in for my TT on Monday...can you give me an idea of your recovery time...how long did you have to wear the compression garment, how long before you could walk around normally? What did you use for scar creme? Did you lose any weight after the surgery? I'm dissapointed that I am not at goal for this...am 5 lbs over. I don't have a lot of hanging extra skin but I do have a very bulging tummy...I'm a little nervous but I had a breast reduction done 2 years ago and I am SO happy with the results! That I just think I will feel so much better with this. Any other tips will be very appreciated.

Hi everyone...I am 4.5 years post op, was at goal until the last 6 months and have gained 5-6 lbs...but it feels like more. And I am just eating too much and drinking too much wine. I went off wine for the last month hoping to lose a lb or two but it didn't happen. So today I have started the 5 DPT. Never had to do that before so I hope I can do it. Next Monday I have surgery to remove the extra skin from my stomach and tighten things up and I so wanted to be at 138 lbs before I went in...today I am 144. So any tips from anyone who has done it would be great!!!

Thank you Alex for offering this to us to watch for free. But I am sorry to say I found it very depressing. Perhaps the film maker didn't set out to make a film that was inspirational but I have found so much inspiration here on this forum, and with my own journey, and so many others, that I guess that was my expectation. If I was considering WLS and watched this I would be so sad. Even the one woman who made the amazing healthy transition was criticized by her friends. And the ones who didn't have a positive outcome seemed angry and defensive. Sorry, but it is not a video I would ever recommend.

OK ladies!!! I'm here to give you all hope!!!! Mine were not only like party balloons (a week AFTER the party!) but for some reason one was twice the size of the other when I reached my goal weight. I thought I would have to have implants (which I didn't want) to get them to look right, but I went to 3 different doctors...the one I chose said, "WE HAVE ENOUGH MATERIAL TO WORK WITH HERE!" I loved him for that, and now at age 62 I have fabulous breasts! Not big but a nice good size B or small C. I love not wearing a bra and they are the best part of my body. One night in the hospital, easy recovery and now, after 2 years, no scars. They removed 150 grams of tissue from one and 9 from the other! So get it done, you will not be sorry!!!!

Hi everyone....please please don't compare yourselves to others....we are all different. But just read this forum and you will see: HOW MUCH WEIGHT YOU LOSE WITH THIS SURGERY COMPARED TO ALL THE DIETS WE HAVE BEEN ON!!!! HOW HAPPIER AND HEALTHIER WE ALL ARE!!! HOW THIS HAS CHANGED OUR LIVES, OUR ATTITUDES, OUR SPIRITS, OUR FAMILIES, IN ADDITION TO HOW WE LOOK! I have seen posts where people have complained that they only lost 5 or 6 lbs in one month...and are only 'down' 40 lbs in 6 months....are you kidding me???? When was the LAST time you lost that much with a diet!!! I am 4 plus years out and still at goal weight. I rarely lost weight with a diet and certainly never kept off the little I lost. You may bounce up and down a bit, you hit a stall if you are still in the losing phase, but YOU ARE LOSING AND SOON YOU WILL BE A NORMAL WEIGHT PERSON. I AM GRATEFUL EVERY SINGLE DAY FOR THIS SURGERY. AND THIS FORUM AND ALL THE POSITIVE VIBES FROM ALL OF YOU. LET'S NEVER GO BACK THERE AGAIN!!!

Interesting thread for sure. I am now 62, and began living in a polyamorous marriage 2 years ago. I am open about it with most people because I feel I have nothing to be ashamed about and I only want to have honest, open-minded people around me. But I also believe timing is important; so when it seems right, you share. And until the time does seem right, just stay open to new possibilities, new people, new friends, new experiences!

I think that's a wise post...about your surgery being old news. In some ways as time went on (I am on my 5th year) I got more comfortable sharing it at times when it seemed appropriate, but as you said, our lives changed, our bodies changed, we got healthier in the best way we could. It's old news.

First I need to stick up for the engineer types...I've been married to an engineer for 25 years and I know this type very well and although they think differently than those of us without those marvelous brains, they are usually just being honest, a trait I have come to treasure. They can also be sincere, loving, tender, and have the ability to think unconventionally as well. And they are hugely responsible and trustworthy. All of that above though is just stereo typing and everyone is different and deserves a chance to show who they really are. I thought it was interesting that you felt you wanted to share your very personal story so soon. We all have secrets and having this surgery to me is something I would share with someone after I had gotten to know them, but then that's me. But it sounds like you really weren't interested from the beginning; it the guy you are hot about asked you to sushi, would you have shared it with him right away? Just curious.

Good morning Caela88....I didn't have a lap band, but I was sleeved in 2011. I started at 223, was about 210 at surgery, and reached my goal weight of 139 in just under a year. Have kept it off for 4 plus years now. I am 5'3" I don't know why the revision would affect the amount of your weight loss; the sleeve is a completely different procedure in my mind. My dr. would not give me the lap band because of the poor statistics of success. I have a feeling you will do very well. Good luck and if my success is your guide you'll be at your goal weight by the end of the year!

Ah, I was confused. Thanks Jess for pointing that out! For me, I had a breast reduction and lift done for 4500 Euro which was probably $5800USD (priceless!!!) and I am having an abdominiplasty done next month for about $5000 USD. Both of those were done here in Holland.

Frankfurt, Germany $15,000 (7 day hospital stay!) Worth every penny even at twice that amount. Self pay

How exciting MsDiggs!!!! YAHOO!!!! Are you in for a wonderful 2016!!!! Very excited for you. That first year for me was so amazing....but then it went uphill from there!!! Check in when you are on the other side! And welcome to the club!