Bluesea71

Jamie - I've been reflecting on your post a lot today and thinking about what you said. I really do love 99% of my body. I love how tall I am. I love how long my legs are. I love that I have an athletic build that looks toned with little effort. I love the color of my hair and eyes. It really is my stomach that I'm obsessing over. The reality is, I have never liked my stomach. Even BEFORE I had children. It's never been toned. It's always been flabby. The love/hate relationship with my tummy has been going on for years.In my original post I was concerned that I would get obsessive and never be satisfied with the body I had. The more I thought about it, I don't think that would be the case. I live in a community where getting Botox and fillers injected into your face is the norm. I've never done that. I'm still debating if breast implants are something I would want if the husband magically changed his mind and was 100% behind me to get them. There are endless elective procedures I could of had up to this point if wanted to but never had. Why? I guess I just wasn't one to obsess over my looks that way. This is why this whole sudden obsession of mine around body image threw me for a loop. It suddenly wasn't good enough that I looked awesome in clothing. I wanted to look good NAKED. I really do think a tummy tuck may be all that is needed to put my mind at ease.... But I recognize there is some work I need to do on myself first. I have already decided that I would wait a year (summer 2016) to see how much my skin adjusts on its own and how much I can modify with exercise. That is the easy part. The harder part is tackling the body image stuff I wasn't prepared for post surgery. Peeling back another layer of that onion (oops, apple!)

I do have to give myself SOME credit, I guess. I'm a middle-aged woman in my 40's. my butt is flat and if I really wanted to get obsessive, a plastic surgeon MAY recommend a body lift vs. a tummy tuck if I ever went down the plastic surgery route. To me, the small amount of butt sag I have isn't worth a huge scar. I don't have the expectations to have the body of someone in their 20's. I just want to look "normal." Whatever that is! I guess it's all about the journey and about us learning to feel comfortable in the skin we are in no matter our size! There will be no Brazilian butt lift in my future. Although I see some plastic surgeons offer it free with a tummy tuck.... J/K.

Funny..... I've been thinking a lot lately about how my life may have been different if I had this surgery earlier in my lifetime. I qualified with a DX of PCOS and a BMI of 38, so not sure if I would have qualified much before 5 years ago.... But mentally I'm not sure I would have been ready to make the changes needed to make the wls a success anyway if I had it earlier. Overall I think wls has been an easy process for me....Partially I think that is because as a woman in my 40's, I could easily adapt the lifestyle changes required to make it successful. In my late teens and 20's I was living a very social lifestyle. Hanging out in clubs/restaurants/bars drinking and eating with friends was the norm. So often I read posts from younger patients wanting to continue to live their lifestyle (who can blame them?) and realize the size of their new tummies often makes it difficult to partake in lifestyle choices they once made. Instead of adapting, they fight the process and complain. I know I'm generalizing and there's often a learning curve for all of us. I can only speak for myself. I could easily adapt to my new lifestyle post wls, because certain behaviors were no longer important to me. I no longer had that push to go out with my 20-something friends to hang out at a clubs and (likely drink). I had to hit a personal "rock bottom" if you will where I felt a level of desperation to make any change it took to succeed. Have I rebelled a bit? Absolutely. I guess it's one of those things that I will never know. Did I lose out on enjoying part of my life by not doing this surgery sooner? Maybe. I would also like to think I learned some valuable lessons along the way.

151.7

If you do a search on this topic you will find hundreds of posts on this topic. I know as a newbie loose skin and hair loss were two of the biggies that concerned me. I recently went back and posted a picture of myself 11 months out from surgery exposing all of my goods on an thread titled - "My top 10 ways to prevent loose skin." I'm convinced genetics and how long you spent over weight have the most influence on whether or not you will have excess skin. I also was a sloooow loser. I once read it takes skin 2-3 months to adjust every time you lose. There were times my thighs look horrific and a few months later they snapped back into place. If you lose too much too quickly, your skin may newer fully snap back. My loose skin is limited to my lower stomach. I have had two very large babies and my lower abdomen had Freddy Kruger stretch marks on it. There is no way that's going back to normal without a tummy tuck! There's likely some tell-take signs you will have loose skin in areas. For example, if you have fat pockets that start right above your elbows, you will probably have bat wings. I carried most of my excess weight in my mid-section, so it doesn't surprise me this is where I have excess skin. It doesn't look bad standing up, but when I bend over, I look like I would whelp a litter of puppies! What I can tell you is part of this journey is accepting our new bodies. I decided to post a pic of myself exposed because I noticed most people are wearing pants and long shirts in their after photos on this site. It always made me wonder what was lurking underneath. Many of us will be left with more excess skin than what we are comfortable with. Some can afford plastics. Many cant. Regardless, I wouldn't trade the new active lifestyle I live for anything. For reference, I am a woman in my mid-40's. 5'7" and was 241 at my heaviest. I was 226 the day of surgery. I was 152 when I took this picture a few days ago. I am currently 7 pounds away from my stretch goal of 145. I haven't exercised with much consistently during the 11 months post surgery. I took this photo as my "before" picture and hope to see how tone I can get after I start doing squats, sit-ups, and lifting weights! I have to say I'm a tad more motivated now that I can actually SEE my muscles! Who would have thunk I had abdominal muscles? Albeit pretty separated post child-bearing, I'm sure!

Great article. I wanted to add a brand I discovered at my local Safeway. I haven't seen it in any other store so I'm thinking it may be one of their brands. These have twice the amount of protein as any listed in the article and are very low in carbs and fat. My favorite is the cheesy chicken (26 grams of protein, 8 carbs.) All of my favorites are in the pic below except I don't care for the pork wrap and chicken stir fry. The others are delish! I can eat about 2/3 of a container at one year postop. $2.99/ box.

I hope your procedure went well and you have a speedy recovery! I foresee a TT in my future. I will likely wait until summer 2016 as I will soon reach my stretch goal weight and want to see how much my skin snaps back on its own first. I'm curious though why people elect to get the fluer de lis vs. a regular TT. I thought those were for patients who had lost significant amounts of weight and had very large skin bibs? The poster above who attached a picture looked like she could have had a regular TT. I'm in the beginning stages of doing my research and would love to hear why people chose the procedures they did. That's a very large vertical scar that would be impossible to hide. Did they tell you a Regular TT wouldn't work?

I should probably clarify that I'm not sure it's the brand you mentioned. I don't have it with me at the moment but the teriyaki one they have is awesome! A huge bag is the same price you pay for a small bag in the stores.

I came across your post in the timeline and realize it's posted in the lapband forum. I'm just curious why you're limiting yourself to researching these two surgeries? Why rule out the sleeve? For me that was the perfect compromise between the two!

Beef jerky is one of my staple snack items too. I've been known to stock up on 8-10 huge bags at a time at our local Costco (which lasts me about 3 weeks!). It's SO much cheaper to buy it in bulk! I have trouble with the sodium though. If I eat too much of it, I gain water weight the next day. It's always temporary but I'm aware ingesting too much sodium isn't good for me!

I bought a fitbit HR two weeks ago and am kicking myself that I didn't get one sooner! Warning! It will make you obsessive about reaching your step goals! I compete with my friends on the app and I left the house at 11pm last night to get in an extra 550 steps to win the challenge. My Husband thanks I'm nuts. All I can say is that I am finally exercising everyday and I love the accountability. I love my model and how I can view my steps, calories burned, heart rate and stairs climbed from my watch. I initially thought I wanted the Surge with GPS but the thing is huge and bulky. You want something comfortable that you will wear all of the time. The fitbit website is great to compare the different models. Mine was $160 at REI and as a member I will get 10% of that back at the end of the year. Plus they have a 365 day return policy if you don't like it!

I have a digital weight watchers scale I got at Bed Bath and Beyond and can step on it 20 times in a row and get the same weight reported back to me. I agree the inconsistency would drive me batty. I find I have to replace my scales every 2-4years as that's when they start to act up. I always thought it was due to the moisture in the bathroom. Who knows...

Just trust in the process. The weight will come off. Trust me. I've been a some-what slow looser the entire time. What I can tell you, is now 11 months post-op, I now credit that slow weight loss (and pretty good genetics) for having very little loose skin after losing almost 90 pounds. So think of that perk every time you want to rush through the process!!!! I remember reading that it takes your skin 2-3 months to adjust every time you lose weight. There would be times my thighs would look horrific and a few months later would bounce back into shape. Those of us with a lower beginning BMI won't have the dramatic weight loss of someone heavier. It doesn't do much good to compare yourself to others. I know I did and I just ended up miserable. I was 241 at my heaviest and weighed 226 the day of surgery. I am now 152 11 months post-op and 7 pounds away from my stretch goal of 145. I never thought it would happen. And one day... It did. Btw - I also have PCOS. That is how I qualified for wls with a bmi of 38

I can't believe I'm going to do this, but I'm going to post a pic of myself 11 months out from wls as an update. I can remember being a newbie and the whole "loose skin" and "hair loss" thing used to freak me out. You can scroll above to read my starting stats if you're interested. Consider me an experiment if you will. I'm a middle aged woman in my 40's who has had two huge babies. I am down 90 pounds from my heaviest. I spent the majority of my adult lifetime is the 160-170 pound range until I gained weight after having children. I spent maybe 10 years weighing over 200 pounds. My weight at my heaviest was 241. I weighed 226 the day of my April 2014 surgery and today I weigh 152. My surgeon's goal weight for me was 160. My goal weight is 140-145. My skin on my tummy is horrific. I have stretch marks from two pregnancies. When I bend over I look like I could welp a litter. Upright, it isn't too bad. Nothing a tummy tuck won't repair if I decide to go down that route one day. I have virtually zero skin hanging from my arms. Some is on my thighs. So what did I do from the list above? Not much. Yes, I drink water. Probably never the amount I should. I'm active, but I just started "exercising" this month 11 months post wls. I've never lifted weights. I hate the feel of lotion. It feels slimy to me so I've never used it. I have always used a loofa sponge and moisturizing shower cream everyday for years ("Nivea happiness" if you want specifics!). I also lost my weight realllllllly slow. I think this was a huge one. I remember reading that every time you lose weight, it takes your skin 2-3 months to adjust. I totally agree. There would be times the skin on my thighs would look horrific and then a few months later would snap into place. I think genetics and how many years you spent overweight probably play the biggest factor. There are some warning signs that you may experience loose skin post wls. I carried the majority of my weight in my mid-section, so it doesn't surprise me this is where most of my excess skin now is. If you have pockets of fat that begin right above your elbows, you will likely have bat wings. I have learned that this journey also includes us learning to accept our new bodies. Because I have a memory of being in shape from before, I find myself being even more critical of myself and my imperfections at times. It's a process and everyday I learn to love and accept the new me a little more. Most people post pictures of themselves fully clothed on this site and I always wonder what's lurking underneath. So here I am. Be kind.

It looks like you're doing a fantastic job. Keep up the good work! I can only view your month 1 and 2 losses from the cell phone app though. Is there more to see? What was your starting weight and current weight? I lost the majority of my weight post wls the first 4 months. At 5'7" I started out at 236, lost 10 pounds pre-op and was down 50ish pounds in the first four months. Here's the thing though. The closer you get to goal, things reallllllly start to slow down! I reached my surgeon's goal of 160 in no time. I now weigh 152 and my stretch goal is to weigh 145. Losing those last 7 pounds will likely take me several months. Looking at my track record, at 11 months post-wls I'm losing about 1-2 pounds per month if I'm lucky! It took me the last 4 months to lose 15 pounds. I've now become one of those skinny girls I used to want to smack when they complained they couldn't lose 5-10 pounds!

Enjoy it while it lasts as this is the time where you will lose the majority of your weight. Your new tummy is still swollen. With time you will be able to take in more food but it is virtually impossible in the beginning.

I would agree that tipping hospital staff would seem a tad weird. Especially from American standards where it isn't the norm. I don't know... Those of you who had surgery already in Mexico would be the experts! If It was me and I had a specific nurse who I thought was providing excellent care (and I wanted to tip) I may say, "I really appreciate everything you have done, would you accept a tip?" I have sent flowers and cards to hospital staff in the US after a surgery or hospital stay. I don't see this as being much different. I don't know... I guess there's something in me that knows how hard people in Mexico work and how little they make. You will likely notice the same nurse or staff being there the whole time you're there. Working 6 days a week is the norm. They don't have the same laws protecting their workers as we do. $20 or $40 isn't much to me but it could possibly go along way in providing for their family. In short, I don't think you are expected to tip but like any service you receive that you appreciate, make sure you show gratitude in some way. Even if it is just with a smile and saying "gracias" ????

Yes. I weigh 153 now and I weighed anywhere from 149-163 from 6th grade (11years old?) until I was 29 years old. (Note: I went through puberty really early and have been my adult height of 5'7" since 5th grade.) I slowly started gaining weight in my 30's post children. Did you have a specific question about this? I can tell you that clothing sizes have changed a great deal. A modern size 8 is equivalent to a size 12 that I wore in the 80's and 90's. I have boxes of old clothes I kept in storage that I compare. I'm currently a modern size 8 and I can't fit into some of my old size 12 and 14 pants from the 1980s!!!! Not that I would wear those pants out of the house anyway! Still questioning why I kept them all of these years?!? It's funny to go back in time though! Shoulder pads are sill awful!

It will be interesting to see what other's say. I'm post surgery (and didn't have it done in Mexico) but travel to Mexico a lot. I tip generously when I vacation there. Mexican citizens are often some of the hardest working people and their wages are a joke compared to what we make in the United States. A typical bell boy in a hotel makes about $17 US dollars a day working a 8 hour shift. If you feel you are getting good service, compensate them for it. As a bonus, they will likely step up their game. I even had waiters go out of their way to find my favorite soda for me when it wasn't offered at our resort. Drinking soda was pre-surgery, of course!

I purchased a ninja blender pre-op but have found in the last 11 months post op I have hardly used a blender at all and just used one of those shake bottles. The blender made the shakes too frothy and adding ice was a big no no as it added air and made too much to consume. I haven't used it in awhile and was thinking about drinking protein shakes again. Never drank traditional "smoothies" with fruit as they are loaded with carbs, sugar and calories. What are you guys making? I found a vegetable smoothie online I wanted to try but would love to hear about some favorites!

153.8 today.

Why don't you post your question on the Realself.com website? Plastic surgeons will evaluate you for free. You will have to get naked though. Or at least be willing to expose your mid-section!

That seems ridiculous that they are referring clients to clinicians who have practices that far away. Geez, how much do you spend on gas? It also seems like you have had a lot of hoops to jump through. At least compared to what I had to do to be approved. I had one 50 minute talk session with a psychologist on the Bariatric staff at Kaiser and I was approved. No psychological tests or anything. It's so bizarre how each surgeon and practice has their own protocol.

Thank you everyone for the great replies. It really was helpful in making me feel better! I have been tracking my entire WLS experience since pre-surgery with pictures, measurements and the scale. Thank you for the reminder that focusing on my MEASUREMENTS is where I need to focus my attention now more than what the scale reports. The timing is interesting ... I happened to notice the other day that the first time I took my measurements was on 3/8/14, a month before my surgery. The date the other day happened to be 3/8/15, exactly one year later. I measured my bust, waist, hips, thighs and arms. I was down 42"! I had lost 77.2 pounds (87 from my highest.) March 8th is when I purchased my Fitbit and really started exercising, so I will use those measurements as my "before" stats. I also realize body acceptance is coming into play here. As a middle aged woman who has had children, I will never have the body of a teenager. With that being said, I do have genetics on my side. Even after walking two short weeks, I see my thighs toning up. My "flubby" butt is starting to take on a more curved appearance! I was feeling SO motivated until I stepped on that darn scale! That article was awesome about how your body responds to exercise. I had no clue about the specifics. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

I use loseit to track my food and recently purchased a fitbit and was able to link the two apps. The food I enter on the losit app automatically gets entered on the fitbit app so it records my input and output calories. Awesome! The fitbit food app is HORRIBLE and I have found so many of the food entries to be not available or not accurate.