AmiLou

Wow - you've made some incredible changes!  70 lbs. is a lot!  I'm 55 and seeing a surgeon this week and nervous!  The whole prospect of this surgery has me freaked out.  I guess because it means an enormous change to my lifestyle and at 55 I'm pretty used to who I am and how I live, etc.  Not that change isn't a good thing - I'm open to that - but surgery!  That's a BIG step for me.  I struggle with having elective surgery when I have no pre-existing conditions due to weight.  But I know that it's only a matter of time, and likely not much more time, before those conditions will be present.  I need to abort that!  I have a young daughter to raise still - I need to be healthy for her, and me.  The stretched out skin is making me worried too!  But weighing less is so much healthier. Congrats on your achievement  :-)

@TracyBar You sound just like me! I have not had surgeries to speak of but was pre-diabetic and a genetically inclined to have heart problems. My cholesterol was through the roof. Aging is difficult on it's own! I have been going to the gym regularly, however, there is a good possibility that your skin will get a little saggy. I had a pretty good double chin so the excess skin on my neck is not especially pretty but not all that bad. I love the loose skin in comparison to the fat! Good luck with your surgery. You won't regret it!

Thanks AmiLou - the appt with the surgeon went fine.  Long wait until surgery - 8-12 months from now.  I did find out that I can get plastics on my belly at no cost to me which is great.  I'd have to lose 80-100 lbs. to qualify for that free surgery.  I'm in Canada, so neither surgery costs me anything at all.  There are far, far more people wanting this surgery than there are surgeons or operating room availability, so thus the long wait.  Most of the surgeons have other specialities.  The surgeon I saw specializes in upper GI surgeries but he's done many VSG surgeries as well;  his cancer surgeries trump any elective surgeries and this is completely understandable to me.  He wants me to have an endoscopy as I have had some episodes of acid reflux (very minor).  That procedure has to be done in a hospital south of the city as they tend to have lower wait times.  Still, it'll be 3-4 months before that happens.  No rush!  I'll be quite sedated and will be there about 3 hours so husband will need to take me - always fun trying to figure out these things with a child in elementary school  :-)

All in all, I feel more positive now I've seen the surgeon and actually signed the papers!  That was weird... :-O    Looking forward to being on the losers bench!