clairec

I hope that your appointment goes well. Try not to be too worried about it. You need to allow enough time to recover but I haven't found it scary, but we are all different. See what she says at your appointment and then think about what is best for you. I am pleased that I have had it done. Take care Claire Hope the appointment goes really well and is reassuring and gives you the answers that you want. Take care Claire

I hope that your appointment goes well. Try not to be too worried about it. You need to allow enough time to recover but I haven't found it scary, but we are all different. See what she says at your appointment and then think about what is best for you. I am pleased that I have had it done. Take care Claire

Hi, I think that knackeredness covers it all!!! The stitch like pain is probably just nerves regenerating themselves so that is fine. I have learnt a new trick.... if I press the areas swollen with Fluid I can make fluid come up through the wound in the belly button. Hopefully that should mean that I don't need further aspirations of the fluid. It fills up again fast but it is draining and of course it sops the unplanned explosions, so it is all good really. Carry on getting better Deanna. My friend Julie had her op almost 4 weeks ago and she is doing really well and has been signed off by the cosmetic nurses already. Take care all of you. Claire

Hi Deanna, Hoiw wonderful, it is such a nice surprise isn't it! I still have a lot of Fluid underneath mine but I can still see how good the results will be. Unfortunately the fluid is still coming out through my belly button much like an alien and the discomfort has returned like a stitch on my right hand side near the wound. I have no idea what that is but I am going back to the hospital again today for another dressing appt so we will see. On the upside I went to a 3 day country music festival, a lot of big names and emerging talent from Nashville and all over the States, as well as quite a lot from the UK. We had a fantastic time and I managed to cope with it all despite the exploding abdomen and the extreme knackeredness, so that was a real bonus too. You are doing so well Deanna. Thanks for letting us know. Claire

Hi Deanna, Yes lying flat made all the difference to me. I am really happy with how I will look in the end but right now is not a good indication of that because I have a lot of fluid build up, both generally and a large amount of fluid under part of the wound. There is an area which is deep and seems like something the alien might come out of! It leaks serous fluid at times quite fast. It just needs to heal but I shouldn't need any more surgery and it just needs to heal from the bottom of the wound upwards towards the skin. I have a friend who had the surgery 10 days ago and she has her recliner almost flat now. Unless you have been told differently perhaps give it a go after 10 days. Our Consultant might be saying something different to yours though. I agree that this group has been wonderful both immediately after the bypass and the months after that, and now some of us are going through the second surgery. The support has been fantastic. I hope that all continues to go well Deanna and do ask us anything, I know how helpful that is. Take care Claire x

Hi Deanna, Way to go! I found standing up straight gt better after about a week. I am now just over 4 weeks later and have had some challenges but nothing that is totally unexpected. aS you know i had 22lbs removed plus a hernia repair so I think it is not surprising. I have a deep wound and a lot of fluid that has been aspirated once (500mls on Weds) and probably will again this week. However much of the wound is looking great and although I can't see the end result in all irts glory yet, I know that it will be wonderful. So I am not despondent at all. I hope that you don't have some of my issues though and it is all plain sailing for you. I big turning point was when I could lie flat, and even on my side which I did after about 10 days, that made a huge difference I found. Take care Deanna and do keep posting, I have been thinking of you Claire x

I think that all surgeons are different but the more that is done at once the more difficult it can be to heal and the blood supply to areas can be compromised. It isn't always about money, sometimes it is is about the best results. So it might be better to have them done separately. She says while still coping with the aftereffects of a larger than normal abdominoplasty with liposuction....! Hope it goes really well Deanna. Take care Claire

Hi, I paid for mine and it was about $11,500 dollars for a pretty extensive abdominoplasty with liposuction. I could have had this one done under the NHS because it had caused such a problem, which could be justified on medical grounds. I wanted to plan it round my work etc so I didn't want to have any changes in date, or cancellations so I paid for it myself. However, I think that the important thing is to get a package which covers everything, including aftercare. At the private hospital where I had my surgery this happened but in the private ward of the NHS hospital it would just have been an estimate. That worried me in case anything happened and as I have had lots of additional appointments with lots of dressings and an emergency admission with IV antibiotics and blood transfusions I am so glad that I did. I would not have been covered for any of that. I know someone else who has had this done on the NHS, and he has also had his moobs and legs done in three separate operations. However, he has lost such a lot of weight and has been quite unable to be as mobile as he could be because of all the large amount of skin. It has to be a medical issue and then a case can be made, at least in some areas of the country. That doesn't help any of you over there though! Do keep in touch about how your surgeries go. This is the second stage of our support network and we are all celebrating our 2 year oppiversary this month too.Something that I hadn't remembered until someone pointed it out to me. Take care Claire x

Hi Kim and Deanna, The photos are really impressive Kim and the after ones look like I do if I didn't have the swelling at the moment. It really is miraculous, thanks so much for sharing them. You are clearly so pleased to have fulfilled everything you wanted to in getting the surgery done and I think that that is the important thing. Keep the long goal in sight as you are going through the recovery process. It isn't an easy operation to have but it so worth it. Not long to go now Deanna, and I know someone elsse who is having hers on the 18th, which is even closer. I will be thinking of you both and do let us all know how you are doing. Take care Claire

Hi Deanna and everyone else, Sorry I haven't been on here since my surgery. The laptop is rather heavy and writing long things on the iPad can be difficult too. I am also trying to steer away from the work on my computer. It is all being covered but I still see it. I know someone else who is having hers done on Thurs 19th and it is very exciting. I had my surgery 11 days ago on the afternoon of Thurs 28th and the surgery went really well and I was really pleased with how I was doing and I was discharged home on the Sunday. I did have a very big version of the abdominoplasty (with the umbilical repair carried out at the same time. They removed 22pounds of skin and fat and there was a lot of liposuction over a large area. I am only saying this because I think it is the reason for what has happened since. I am not typical of people who have this done and recovery is therefore more straightforward. I developed a high temperature last Thursday night which they took very seriously because they were concerned about sepsis. I was readmitted to hospital and given IV antibiotics and I am still on oral ones. However that is really only to cover all eventualities because the problem is viral not bacterial. Which is just unlucky. My temp is still high now so my body clearly has no reserve to fight back at the moment but it will do. Also I was draining a lot of blood afterwards, so much so that my haemoglobin dropped a lot and while I was in hospital they gave me 2 units of blood. I must admit that I do feel knackered so that's the reason for that. The third thing is that I seem to have responded to the large invasive nature of the surgery by swelling up everywhere. So much so that I had to remove the corsets because they were doing more harm then good. I am wearing Spanx type things which are working really well though. None of these things should happen to you Deanna so please don't worry about it. My Consultant said that for my particularly operation something would go wrong and hopefully this is it, and i can cope with that. My body just needs to start fighting back. If I didn't have these things I think that I would be really much much better by now. You do need help around for the first week or so in my experience because just washing and taking the corsets on and off is really difficult on your own. Apparently some people manage and maybe you might have different bindings from those used for me, but that is what I would suggest. Do ask anything that you want to and I will answer as honestly as I can. The devil is the detail and things like the large amount of pubic swelling seem to be very typical and buying the most helpful sort of foundation garment seems to be important. I am feeling fine about having it done and before the swelling started i got a glimpse of how impressive the surgery is. In fact the suture line itself is the one part of me that isn't swollen because it is total muscle. Who knew I even had any muscle there?! It really is awesome. I hope that helps and that your surgery goes really well Deanna. I will be thinking of you. Love Claire

Hiya to you all, Well in a week's time I will have had the surgery and starting the long recovery. It would be good to see some pictures KIm, my email address is clairechambersx@gmail.com. I think sleeping in a recliner might help me too. The problem is that with my spinal issues being at that angle's is so uncomfortable, and that's without the surgery! So good that you are fine now and that you are so pleased with your result. I can't imagine myself without a tummy and it will be so good to get the hernia dealt with too. I will let you know Deanna how it goes before your surgery but do contact me either here on my email if you want to ask anything particular of if I forget to do it quickly enough. Sorry about your bounce back Janette but I think that it happens to most people. My dietitian said that it was totally normal and that she wasn't worried at all by my gain. So the next week will go fast I am sure, but think of me next week. Take care all of you. Claire

Hi Kim, It sounds like you are doing so well. I will be glad to have my surgery at the end of January. I will be in touch if I need to know anything. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all. Take care Claire

Hi Deanna, I am having the hernia that they found at the bypass sorted out when I have the apronectomy on 28th Jan so I will let you all know how it goes. Has anyone found that their weight has had a bit of a bounce back, because mine has? My dietician seems to think it is predictable and normal and I am not over stressing about it, I just want it to stabilise.It would be good to know whether it has happened to any of you though. Have a lovely Christmas Deanna and everyone else. Janette how are you doing? How is Kim doing after her surgery. How are you Erin? Sounds like everyone is great if they are not posting here and this has been such a great group and a massive support when we all needed it. It's a positive sign that we are all thriving. Have a lovely Christmas and Happy New Year Claire

Hi Kim, You look so wonderful, you must be thrilled! I really hope that you are healing well now and feeling better. Thanks for posting this picture, it is such an inspiration for us all. Take care Claire x

Hi Kim, I think it depends where the loose skin goes as to what should need doing. My public area definitely needs sorting out but my back doesn't. So at least I won't be uncomfortable back and front like you are. I am expecting it to take a long time to heal though and being worse than the bypass and painful. It sounds really sore for you and I do hope that you get back into bed again soon. I think the fact that he drive manual cars over here is what can make a difference, lots of lifting both feet when driving. Also there is the concern from insurance companies that we could have to break hard and they base everything on that. As you say even a C Section is 6 weeks for most insurance companies here. My surgery I think should take about 4 hours and probably will cost about a half of what yours did. You have had different areas sorted out, a longer operation, and maybe the costs are higher in the US, I don't know. I do hope that you feel better soon, it sounds as if you are on the mend. Do take care and we will al celebrate the new you. How fantastic. Claire

Hi Kim, I am so very pleased to hear from you. I have been really worried because I thought that you would post something as soon as you were able to. So I thought you must be in a lot of pain/discomfort etc. It sounds as if it is a real success and you are obviously really pleased with it all already. Getting comfortable must be a real issue though anbd you have done really well to get back to work so quickly. My surgery is booked for the end of January and I saw the consultant again this week. He is really lovely and he said mine will take about 4.5 hours. I don't need my back area doing, which means turning you over mid surgery I think, so that is good. I have a large umbilical hernia so another consultant will be there to do that, which is an added issue. Mine is an apronectomy which includes the public area which also has major slippage. There is still quite a lot of fat as well as skin to remove there because my weight has plateaued and won't budge any further. I was warned that it would because of my hormonal and mobility issues and because I had lost quite a lot before that, so I am ok with my current weight. It will go down again with the surgery, but more to the point it will be much easier to manage and might stop the pressure on my back being even greater. He said that something always develops as a result, infections, small adhesions, clots, gathering of fluid in strange places etc but they know what to look out for and how to deal with these things so that is good. I am not having the bit done under my boobs which is also there because it would affect the healing further down. Also no boobs, legs, arms etc but if the bit under my boobs looks completely strange I might have to have that done at a later stage. I have been told that I need to go off off work for 6 weeks though to give it all a chance to heal. How long were you in hospital for. It is great that you could drive after such a short time. I have been told 4 weeks for driving and swimming. I was wondering about sleeping lying down and you have been in your recliner at night for a long time. It sounds like you are thrilled though with it all. So really enjoy it, you so deserve it. I hope your husband enjoys his affair with you too! Do post some pictures of the new you as soon as you want to. We would love to see how you are looking now, looking absolutely gorgeous I am sure. Do keep in touch Kim and I will be asking more I know. Take care, and you go girl! Claire x

Hi Kim and Deanna, I am thinking about you KIm, like Deanna mine will be in January too hopefully. So you are thre first and will be a role model for us. Do let us know how you are doing as soon as you are able to. Thinking of you Claire

You look absolutely great. I don't like where you are in your first photo, it looks really scary! Well done on looking so great. Claire

Hi Erin, Oh my goodness don't you look absolutely great! I do hope that you are totally recovered from your dreadful time a few weeks ago. It sounds so frightening. Take care and thanks for sharing the photos. Claire

Oh Erin, You poor poor thing, how terrible. I thought from your own facebook page that you had not been at all well and had needed emergency surgery, but this sounds so very dangerous. Why don't people listen when you tell them how you can't keep anything down because tablets won't work? Why don't they listen when you say how ill you are? You shouldn't have had to cope with all that on top of being so ill. I wonder why the blockage happened. We are so out of control when things like this happen. As you say it is good for us all to know in case, God forbid,that it happens to any of us too. It sounds like you are recovering now and the cruise sounds fantastic. I really hope that you have a fantastic time. Thanks for posting the level of detail that you have, it is so helpful. It sounds so frightening, so dreadful and so worrying. Thanks goodness you are now recovering. Tou must be exhausted though, with or without the anaemia. Take care and have a lovely holiday and do keep in touch. I am not brilliant at looking at facebook, except at certain alerts I get. Claire

Wow haven't you done so incredibly well. My heaviest weight was only 30 pounds under yours at 429. I did lose some weight before the surgery but it was going up again despite my best efforts and following Slimming World eating plan to the letter. So I was 379 in Feb 2014 when we all had surgery. I am now at 274 pounds but the weight loss has stopped really and I am not expecting any more really. So again I am only about 14 pounds less than you. Are you still losing at the moment? You certainly do have a lot to think about with thinking about a baby as well. However, you have done so very well. I hope that you are delighted with all that you have achieved. Take care Claire

Hi again, We all seem to be doing well. I am buying different sorts of clothes, still bright colours but shorter and more fitted. Take are all of you. Claire

Hi Deanna, I think that they would have dealt with the hernia if they thought that it was going to cause any immediate problems. I do sometimes have painful bursts of problems and it only goes away if I can lie down and stretch out, which is not always possible when you are out and about. It is almost as if everything has got into a twist, so maybe it has. So dealing with it at the same time as the skin situation makes sense I suppose. He said I would have 6 or more drains and I might go home with a couple. I don't know anyone over here going home the same day, but a couple of nights seems to be normal. He wanted to do mine in a large hospital so that everything would be there in case I needed it, whereas my friend is being done in the smaller hospital. I think that my scar line will be more extensive and deeper, although I don't need anything to be sorted out around my back, which I think some people do. He said that involves turning people over in the operation. It will be good to swop notes after your surgery in August. I know what you mean about it being the final step. I am paying for mine because I don't want the surgery to keep being cancelled as it can be when you have it done on the NHS. That makes it difficult for work. Also i need an ensuite bathroom so that i can remain as independent as possible. With my back problem I would need taking to the loo each time because it would probably be too far to walk. He said though that doing it on the NHS would be possible because it is a medical issue when you have lost this much, not a cosmetic one. The skin slippage has also made my back a lot worse so it needs sorting out for that reason too. My weight loss has stopped and my weight is higher than most people but they warned me about that and I am ok with that. If I do lose any more by Feb it gives me time to do so, but I am not expecting to. I saw on Erin's facebook page that she has had an intestinal blockage due to scar tissue from the wls. I have sent her love and maybe she will come on here to say how she is etc. So do keep in contact Deanna and let me know how it goes. I am sure that you will look just great. Take care Claire

Hi Deanna and Kim, I am having this sort of thing done late January. When I went for the appointment he said to choose a 3 month gap in my diary. Not that I would be off work or anything all that time but really between long haul flights etc just to be sure. Flying after one month might be ok and probably definitely after 2 months but to reduce the stress and worry if there were problems 3 months might be better. So that is why I have chosen February because we are flying to Hawaii in January, and there is a symmetry to it because of course it will be 2 years after the bypass. Mine is more major than other people who I know who have had wls and are only staying a couple of nights. I think because my weight loss is more and the surgery is more extensive, also I need the umbilical hernia dealt with that they found at the bypass. I will be in 4-5 nights and it will be a 3.5-4 hour op. He described it as having 100% morbidity (not mortality!) because something will always go wrong. Infections -urinary, chest, wound etc, clots, hemorrhages etc, but they are looking for them and can sort them. I found that strangely reassuring. My friend who had her bypass at the same time as us was told she would be out after a couple of days and less about all that though and her operation is less extensive. So don't see that as what most people have been told. I know someone else who has had it done and his was more extensive too and he was in for 4 nights, had odd problems but is fine and delighted. I didn't think the costs were too bad, £8,000 (not dollars )including 2 surgeons (one for the hernia) and an anaesthetist, and everything covered for a year, including a longish hospital stay. I thought it would be worse than that. So Kim you are having it done in August, when do you think yours will be Deanna. Do stay in touch and we can support each other, as always!! Claire x

Hi, I miss our chats too! Have a great time Janette and Deanna you look magnificent. It sounds like we are all doing really well, it is just that sometimes we can expect too much of ourselves and therefore get disappointed. We should all be really proud of ourselves, do stay in touch. Take care Claire