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Having my excess skin removed was the best decision I ever made, second only to having the sleeve in the first place. Yep, you'll have a long scar, but carrying around that reminder of how I used to abuse myself with food was not an option for me. After losing 155 pounds and 18 months post op, I had a tummy tuck and panni and have been so pleased with the results. Pics are in my blog if you are interested (linked in siggy).

Sounds like you are making amazing progress! Good job!!! I just had a tummy tuck and panniculectomy 6 weeks ago tomorrow. It was the best decision I've ever made outside of my sleeve surgery. After losing 155 pounds, there were no number of sit ups taht would tighten up that lose skin. And after having 4 9+ pound babies, and carrying around 155 pounds in excess weight, my ab muscles needed MUCH repair. My surgery ended up lasting 7 hours. But my surgeon was a freaking miracle worker and he did the MOST amazing job!!! I feel sexy. Like honest to god sexy for the first time in my adult life. If you do go through with it, don't just get the panni, you will still have a belly overhang. Also take your time and find the right surgeon. I did my research and am SO pleased with the results. Now I'm just waiting to hear back on my insurance approval for him to do my arms too. I've attached my before/after pics. Keep in mind these pics were take 4 weeks post op, so there's a little swelling still. The scar is covered with "scar away" scar sheets, so it's safe viewing for the weak of stomach. And don't mind the stretch marks. They were proudly earned bringing 4 amazing kiddos into the world.

Wow!! 100 pounds in 3 months??? That is completely remarkable! Great work!

I would say my weight loss leveled out just recently (22 months out) and at my "dream goal weight". However, at about 7 or 8 months post op the "falling off" of the weight that I experienced up until then slowed wayyyyy down. At that point I had lost about 130 pounds, so I wasn't upset about it, and I reached my first goal weight (145 pounds), but I kept working at it. Over the past months since then the weight loss has felt turtle-slow, but I was ordering a dress online the other day and I needed my measurements for it. I hadn't taken my measurements since my weight slowed and I reached my first goal back at 7-8 months post op. Much to my surprise, even though it feels painfully slow, I lost an additional 19 pounds and 22 inches by just keeping at it. So yes, it will slow down at a certain point around 7,8,. 9 months post op. But that doesn't mean you won't lose anymore. It just is a bit harder and you have to add in exercise if you haven't already and be really good about what you are eating.

You look great! I love taking pictures now! I used to hide behind one of my kids if I "had to" take a picture for the past 17 years.....now I'm taking pictures right and left of myself to mark my progress, pictures with the hubby, pics with the kids. It's remarkable too because I look so much happier. Congratulations on your progress!!

I don't like to use the terminology that the sleeve "worked for me". I worked IT. It is a tool. If you use it in the right way, and do the outside work you need to do in addition to physical work - you will be successful. The big thing is being willing to do the work. I stuck to the basics to a "t" until I reached my goal weight (at least 70g of Protein, no more than 40g of carbs, and at least 100g of Water daily). The weight fell off and I reached goal (over 100 pounds lost) in 10 months. Without much additional "physical" or "diet" effort, over the course of the next 10 months I continued to lose and am now at my dream goal weight of 124 and maintaining. I would say beyond the formula of protein, carbs, and water given above, the BIGGEST contributor to my success was being willing to do the hard emotional work to figure out why I was abusing myself with food in the first place. I didn't get to be nearly 300 pounds by eating normal portions or normal meals and Snacks. I have been going weekly to a therapist who works specifically with eating disorder and wls patients for well over a year now. I KNOW without a doubt that without that, I would have regained. It is about so much more than the food you put in your mouth. And it is not about whether or not "the sleeve worked for me" but whether I worked the sleeve to its full potential.

Thanks guys. I think I was just shocked more than anything. It doesn't really hurt me. I've been in therapy since about 7 months post op to deal with my "self" issues which were hidden under "food" issues, so I don't really feel like it reflects on me. I just can't imagine saying that to someone I was close to, let alone someone I barely know. People are crazy.

I would make a list of the reasons you want to have the surgery, and a "bucket list" of things that you want to do after you've lost the weight. This was huge for me. Anytime I had doubts through the 9 month process leading up to my surgery I would go back to my "surgery bucket list" and remind myself why I was doing it. I also started a blog right after/before (I can't remember right this minute) my first pre-op appointment to chronicle my journey. That is something that I've kept up even until this day (it's linked in my siggy). It has been SO incredibly helpful to look back at the entire journey from time to time - when I questioned my decision before surgery, yes absolutely - but also after surgery to see exactly how far I've come and remind myself that I am not going back. So.....write!! That is my answer! :-)

Thank you! I feel so much healthier too...not just physically but emotionally too. That is just as important in my opinion and something I didn't expect. And yes, I enjoy having a collar bone too.....and hip bones.....

THank you! Yes....looking younger was a nice, unexpected side effect!!!

I can't watch it. It gives me such anxiety, and when they have surgery and go right back and I mean right back (like within a couple weeks) to their old habits it makes me crazy. Can't do it......

Peanuts (just watch your portion...they can be high calorie/fat if you go overboard) Light and fit greek yogurt Light string cheese (I like sargentos) Protein shakes (pre-mixed) Oh also, I love treats from BariatricChoice.com like protein hot chocolate, protein Fruit drinks, protein chips, etc. Just watch the carbs.

I went back at 2 weeks, but definitely needed 3 or 4. Take the time you feel you need. I learned my lesson and with my tummy tuck I quit caring about what people at work thought and I took the extra time I needed. Good luck to you on your return!

I absolutely hate this thread (in concept/theory) because reading it almost made me cancel my sleeve surgery. So I like to pop in from time to time with updates. Weight gained since sleeve surgery: NONE Weight lost since sleeve surgery: 155 pounds Time since surgery: 22 months (IE It's staying off) Inches lost from my stomach: 26 inches LOST It's possible. Hang in there and don't let some be a deterrent. If you are wiling to do just not the physical work (which to me was the easy part) but also the emotional work (much harder) you will be successful!

I've done my before and after sleeve surgery pics before in this thread. Here are my before and after abdominoplasty and panni pics. Don't worry the scar is covered with scar sheets, so it's safe for the weak of stomach. 155 pounds gone for good and 26 inches off my stomach gone for good from pre-op sleeve (9/12/13) to 1 month post op tummy tuck (6/12/15). PS. don't mind the stretch marks. I wear them proudly as a momma of 4 amazing kiddos.

Ohhh ohhhh me! me! This is my favorite topic to talk about. I think so often our surgeon's offices prepare us for the surgery and what to expect and how to eat, but give us very little if any guidance on how to deal with our emotional selves as it relates to food. For me, around 7 months post op I realized I was slipping back into my emotional desire to cope with stress/anxiety/hurt/etc through binge eating. I wasn't engaging in it, but the desire was there. So that scared the crap out of me. I immediately started researching therapists in my area who worked specifically with eating disorders and wls patients. I have been going to see her weekly for over a year now. It has made ALL the difference for me in being successful. I feel without a doubt I would have re-gained if I would not have sought her out and did the hard emotional work to figure out what was underlying my desire/need to numb myself with food. It is a work in progress. If you are not interested in doing that, can't find anyone, etc, she recommended 2 books to me on our first session and they literally blew my mind. If you do nothing else, run to amazon right now and order "When Food is Love" by Geneen Roth. It will help you so much. Then when you finish it, you can read another by her "Women, Food and God" and the "god" doesn't have to be religious....it's more of whatever guiding being your believe in, so don't let that turn you off if you are not religious. I've written a ton about this on my blog and hope to partner with my therapist someday soon and write a book specifically for wls patients about all of this.

Our stats are similar. I had my sleeve surgery on 9/12/13 and starting weight was close to yours at 278.4. I would say a couple of suggestions. 1. Get back to the basics. The beautiful thing is that you STILL have the same tool that you had when you first started losing weight. It just depends on the extent to which we use it appropriately that it "works." Get back to Protein first (at least 70 or so grams) and no more than 40 or so carbs, and at least 100 oz of Water. When I eat that way, that is how I lost 155 pounds, and I know I won't regain when I stick to that concept. 2. Find something you love to do to get some exercise. I found running. It has saved me in a lot of ways. It is my medication, my me-time, and cancels out that occassional straying from my new way of eating. 3. Do some emotional work (this is way harder than any 'eating' advice I could give you) to figure out what got you to 270 in the first place, and why you are struggling. For me, and I venture, for many others, it is about food, but it is NOT really about food. You have to figure out what is keeping you from making the choices you already know you need to make. I would recommend reading "When Food is Love". It literally changed my life. I discovered it at 7 months post op when I started seeing an eating disorder therapist who specializes in WLS patients. She recommended it and it has been the single most important element (along with weekly therapy - which I still go to) in helping me be successful in the long term - now 22 months post op and at "dream goal" I KNOW you can do this. Please don't feel like a failure or feel discouraged. Sometimes we just don't "know" how to get back to where we know we need to be. But you have the tool, and you have the strategies. I believe you can succeed.

You are a success!!!! Congratulations!!!! In the past year (since reaching my first goal that I randomly set), I felt like the losing was slow going. But I just reached my "dream goal" and I looked back over the last year and was surprised to see I had lost an additional 19 pounds and 22 inches!!! So even when it feels like it has completely slowed, stick with it. I think you'll be surprised at your results. :-)

I'm returning to work tomorrow (just half days til next week) after my panni & abdominoplasty. I'm so not ready for this, but I guess I have to eventually. I can't say there's still pain per se......maybe a little incision pain on my hips, but a tightness & soreness in my muscles that were repaired that is hardest. I just remember how drained I was at the end of the day when I went back after the sleeve. I only took 2 weeks then and probably could have used 3. For this I took 3 weeks and could have used 4. lol. Anyway. Me=Super Nervous. Any tips for returning to work after this for those who had it done? I'm open to any and all advice!!

You are definitely not too old!!! You've done all this work on yourself, finish the process!!! When I went for my 1 month post op visit, the surgeon said I could switch over to just spanx and get rid of my ab binder, which some days I do. But for the most part, I am still wearing BOTH spanx and my ab binder. They keep the Fluid build up and swelling down. I've heard the longer you wear them (to a certain point) the better the results. I figured I've only got one shot at this so what the heck. I had a LOT of muscle repair work in my abs, so to be honest, I'm more comfortable in my binder than not because it gives me the extra support my weak and sore muscles need. I've been back to work for about 2.5 weeks now and started back 1/2 days. That helped. The first week was rough, but it has gotten progressively better. I do fine now. Just some soreness in my ab muscles.

Last summer I felt much like you. I was pissed that after all of that work and so much weight lost, I was still stuck in a suit with a skirt and struggled to find even one. I ended up at Lands End. I loved their selection and their quality. This summer, I reached my "dream goal" and had my tummy tuck/panni, so it has been a pain free shopping process. In fact I need to stop myself. I've bought my first 2 bikinis and I want more!!! :-)

Wow! They required a lot! CONGRATULATIONS!!! I'm so excited for you!! You're life is about to change in an awesome way!

Mine was covered by my insurance as "medically necessary." I am SO pleased with the results. Best decision ever. The first 2-3 weeks were very, very difficult, I'm not going to lie. but I would do it again in a heart beat. For me though getting a very good surgeon was key. I've seen some pics on here of some not so fabulous tummy tucks, and then some great ones. I feel like picking a great surgeon was more important than cost to me - even if paying out of pocket. If you get a consultation, they will give you a ball-park figure of what it will cost, and some will give you a deal if you are getting multiple things done.

Mine stopped around 7 months post op, and it started growing back in slowly. I had a lot of little "sprouties" around a year post op. It's still not as thick as it was before, and the texture is different, but hey....I have hair! :-)

I never had drains for my sleeve surgery. I don't know why they are used, maybe just surgeon's preference? Some do some don't? I did have them for my tummy tuck and it was the worst thing I have ever experienced, so be glad if you don't have them!!!