LaLaDee

I'm currently on a medication that I take with a subcutaneous injection which I self administer. It's a biologic for autoimmune conditions (not sure if anyone is familiar with Humira). I know some diabetes medications are similarly taken. Basically you stick a needle into that fatty tissue under your skin. I usually take it around my midsection (hips, lower stomach). However, lately I am struggling because I've got more loose skin and the fat isn't packed in tightly anymore. It's been super painful lately. Tonight I really messed up my injection though. I've basically injected it under my skin, I can see a little bubble under the skin. Not sure how it will absorb or what will happen (will see doctor tomorrow). I'm just wondering if anyone has a better solution. My stomach is messed up from weight loss. I'm just wondering if anyone has any tips or suggestions for future injections. Is there some fat grabbing technique I'm not aware of? Should I find another area to stick the needle (I have a flat bum and similar loose skin issues on my thighs). It's not common to have this much loose skin and I'm honestly not sure what to do.

Yeah - expect things to get really weird. Hormones change a lot and it seems to cause a lot of period issues. I can only speak to my own experience, I'm three plus years out, in my thirties. Pre surgery, my periods were moderate and regular - 28 days. Not much cramping, a headache on day 1. Right after, the timing was all over the place. 3 weeks apart for a little while. I was also experiencing painful cramps, massive headaches, bloating etc. I suddenly understood what my sisters had been complaining about for years. My symptoms aren't as bad as the first year. The timing pretty much got back to normal, but my periods are still heavier since surgery. Good luck. Hope things get better for you.

I had a ton of flare ups after my surgery for some of my autoimmune issues. I blamed it on the added stress to my body. Ended up on steroids. Definitely some rocky times after surgery, but it ended up OK. As others have said, it all depends on which autoimmune disease. Make sure your doctors talk to each other if needed. My rheumatologist told me he didn't know much about bariatric surgery (and he's head of his department in a major hospital).

It won't be forever! You can do it. We all get through it. It's worth it in the end. I'm glad you enjoy your popsicles!

I got put on prednisone after my WLS and unfortunately, the prednisone does make you hungrier. Fortunately the sleeve stops you binging too much. But yeah, I did gain some weight. The first year of steroids, I was OK, I was strong mentally, but then I went through some tough times and really struggled with slider food like chocolate and ice cream. At all times, I maintained a loss of over 110lbs so it's not like I returned back to square one.

Yep, it's likely related to your VSG. Your hormones go crazy afterwards. You can also expect weird periods (timing, duration, flow etc). I think the hormones do calm down. I'm three years out and my skin is back to normal. I find that taking my bariatric vitamins helps my skin, as well as drinking a lot of water. Right after my WLS, it was like being a teenager again. I promise it won't last forever!

It looks like I can get these in Australia via Amazon. I'm definitely giving these a try!

It's definitely lifetime if you want the best results for your wright. When you drink while you eat, my understanding is that you can wash the food down so you don't feel the restriction and feel "full". I think it can also affect your digestion. Something about diluting the enzymes. My (uneducated) guess is also that it would expand/stretch your pouch eventually. I'm three years out and I can drink while I eat. I do occasionally sip wine during a meal on very special occasions, but only very small amount. I also have water with some meals to take my medication with food (it helps with nausea triggered by medications), but again only a small amount to gulp down the pills. I do better maintaining my weight when I avoid drinking with meals. If you can, I would definitely aim to stick with this rule for life!

I didn't have a drain for my WLS, but I did for my plastics. It wasn't that bad. You can definitely deal with it!

I'm three years post op, and I aim for about 80grams of protein a day. WLS patients need to prioritise protein, so it's just a way of life for me at this point. You just have to focus on each meal being very high in protein. I find it helpful to learn what foods are high in protein (e.g. lean chicken breast, eggs, almonds, beans, chick peas) and always have them available in your kitchen. Even now, I still supplement with protein powder/protein creamers. I will make a smoothie or stir it into my coffee. I do prioritise protein over anything else. I never, never eat a meal or snack with just empty carbs (other than some dark chocolate for a treat). There always has to be protein in each meal. It helps that I'm a bit of a carnivore though. I like the taste of carbs, but I'll have meat with only a spoon of gluten free pasta or rice. The priority is always protein. Sometimes I think of myself like a player in a video game where the objective is to score extra points by having as much protein as possible. I eat so much chicken, it's ridiculous. High protein milk is good too. You get used to reading the labels on everything to check macros and protein. My other tip would be track your food with MyFitnessPal. Even the free version will keep track of your protein. Right after my surgery, I also had a special bowl and plate which marked out the ratio of how much protein should be on the plate. If I'm low on protein, I'll usually make myself drink a smoothie, that's 20grams of protein right there. If you haven't had your surgery yet, it should be relatively easy to hit the protein goals because you're not dealing with restriction yet.

I think you are on the right track, as long as you are monitoring your symptoms and have a plan, you should be OK. I know what you're going through, there was a period of many months where I couldn't get out of bed for lack of energy and I was sleeping about 14-16 hours a day. I call this my "Koala mode" (as an Aussie). Other times, I will get patches of insomnia. I actually think WLS helped me because it gave me a sense of purpose and hope. For me, mental health and weight are both issues that I will deal with for life. I think you have to accept that and put together a "tool kit" for dealing with both. I try and set daily goals and go easy on myself when I need to, and push myself when I need to. A daily walk, medication and therapy are important components of my treatment plan. For others, it might be quiet time, attending church, self care, a hobby etc. Things can get better, I promise. My symptoms are very light at the moment, but I do work very hard to "look after myself". Losing weight has been great for energy levels. My sleeping is much better. I don't know if it's the sleep apnea getting better or something else. I do have some chronic illnesses, so I will just go and take a nap if I need it, and I try not to be hard on myself. But I've definitely seen improvements in the three years since I had surgery. I really hope that you do too!

In order to have the best chance of success, I tried to ensure that my symptoms of depression and anxiety were well managed before surgery. I also continued to work with my psychologists and psychiatrists. I think it's helpful to remember that WLS or losing weight won't magically solve all your problems. It's quite common to go through relationship issues (divorce rates are statistically higher according to most bariatric studies) and even transference to other addition issues (you can go from food to alcohol or even opiates). I think it's also quite easy to slip into orthorexia (an eating disorder that involves an unhealthy obsession with healthy eating). On the other hand, losing weight can be great for your mental health. You can find self esteem and confidence that you have been missing your whole life. I definitely put myself "out there" more. I think everyone's journey is different. Best of luck!

At only five weeks post op, you can't eat that much due to the restriction. That's why you only have a protein target. You are likely on a very low calorie diet, but it will depend on what you can squeeze in before you feel full. I don't think I would have been able to eat 600 calories in the first few months. I wouldn't worry about calories too much, just your protein targets.

Agreed. I think it's very inappropriate for your colleagues to discuss your personal choices and medical history with your director. It potentially crosses the line, into bullying/harassment in that it could reasonably embarrass or exclude you. Particularly in such a small work place. The surgery is also your sensitive personal medical information. No one has a right to express an opinion (and if your director disclosed the details of your surgery, they may have breached ethical guidelines, or the law). I live in Australia, so the laws might be different, but we don't have any obligation to disclose the precise nature or details of medical leave at law, only provide reasonable evidence of illness. For my WLS and plastics, I simply submitted medical certificates saying that I was having a medical procedure. I even got one from a General Practitioner, rather than my surgeon so that no one could google them and see they were from a clinic bariatric surgeons. However, you must not let these people distract you. I'm sorry this happened. But they are clearly not worth your time. Don't let them steal your joy! You're onto better and more exciting things. I hope your weight loss gives you the confidence and self esteem to expect better from people around you. You can work with these people, but they are clearly not your friends. They have shown their true colours. It sounds like you have a wonderful support network around you. Focus on the good people in your life! There's so much to be excited about!

About a year ago, I got into the habit of snacking at night (OK, chomping on chocolate at night). I've had to work really hard to change my evening ritual, so I don't start mindlessly eating. I now try and have a cup of tea instead, go to sleep earlier or just do something else to prevent me from falling back into that habit. I know how hard it is though. Good on you for sticking to it!

I had a sleeve, but as others noted - everyone's recovery is different. When I asked my surgeon, he said he had one guy have the bypass and return to work the next day!!! Other people need longer. If you're in college and relatively fit from a pre-op diet, I would think 3 days would be reasonable, assuming there are no post op issues and you're willing to grit your teeth and take it slowly.

I went in for a consult with a plastic surgeon last week and we booked in an extended brachioplasty surgery for September. Yesterday I got a call saying there's a free spot next week on Thursday... so I was like, ok, cool, let's get it over with. I don't want to panic about it for months - this is a good opportunity. So now it's happening next week. I'm a bit worried that I'm unprepared. I'm hoping to have it as a day surgery so I can come home, if not, there's a room booked for me - I'll take an overnight bag just in case. I've taken leave from work. My mother and sister are around to look after me. If the drains gross me out, I can call a community nurse to do them (it's about $100 per day). There's a ton of food in the freezer I can eat. I was thinking of downloading audible so I could listen to some audio books (assuming it's too painful to hold my kindle). There's a ton of shows/movies I want to watch on Netflix etc. I've got some old bedding ready in case things are gross from the incisions, so I don't stain my nice sheets. I'm a non-smoker. I exercise every day so hopefully blood pressure will be OK (unlike when I had VSG). I don't have any scar stuff/compression garments but I think I will get that from surgeon. I have some hoodies that zip down the middle. Anyone else have any ideas on how I can prepare? I'm sure that I'm missing something. Any hints or tips would be appreciated... particularly from those who have gone through it. My only previous surgeries are gallbladder and VSG, which were both laparoscopic so I'm pretty freaked out, but I really want this.

Oh, you're so sweet. I really struggled to find helpful information online about brachioplasty, so I'm glad I could help someone else a little bit. Hopefully, I will remember to post photos at 3months and 1 year. I'm only 4 weeks out, so I can't wait to see what they will look like in a few years. According to my plastic surgeon, scars usually fade to white, so people with lighter skin can have more luck with scars and can generally expect good outcomes. Unfortunately, scars can be more visible on darker skin tones. I had assumed the opposite, that the red marks would look worse or more noticeable on pale skin, so this was a huge surprise to me. I've always wanted to be more tanned and less worried about sunburn so it was nice to finally get a benefit from my vampire-like paleness. In terms of sensitivity, I did have some horizontal lines from where the bandages were the first few days, so I'm treating them with vitamin E cream. On the advice of my team, I also introduced silicon tape gradually, building up so that my skin didn't freak out. It's sensitive, I have allergies and psoriasis but so far, I've been OK. A bit of dryness, but it's been OK. Best of luck with your journey!

It so mean and pointless to point out you have loose skin. It's absolutely not your fault, while time, body tightening creams and some exercises may help some people a little bit, for others there's nothing you can do, due to a combination of genetics, age, how many times you have lost and gained weight, skin elasticity etc. It doesn't mean that you didn't exercise! No amount of bicep curls would have gotten rid of loose skin on my arms. I really wish people understood that! About two years ago, I actually went to one of those body sculpting clinics, they do "non-surgical" fat freezing and they said they couldn't help me with my arms. I'm glad I went somewhere reputable and they didn't just take thousands of dollars from me. They basically said, plastic surgery was my only option. I just had my first plastic surgery, and waited 3 years. Honestly, the loose skin is like a trophy and it tells a story of how far you have come! I try to be proud of my stretch marks and skin, it's a lot better than the alternative, having that skin filled with fat! Plastic surgery is a game changer, but it's expensive and not for everyone. While I'm thrilled with my arm lift, I don't take any blame for the loose skin (as my surgeon explained, there was nothing I could have done to improve it on my own), I'm very proud of what I accomplished with weight loss. If the skin bothers you (I had rashes and pain), then you can consider your options. It's no one else's business! And nothing for anyone to comment on!!!

You poor thing! I hope they figure it out. I hope I didn't come across as flippant - as if the results are all up to the individual's commitment. I know there are a range of factors outside your control which can really slow you down. Trust me! Right after my surgery, I got a range of chronic illnesses, one caused painful arthritis so I couldn't move or exercise at all, I was also quite dizzy (which turned out to be a brain lesion) and had some vision issues (uveitis and some other inflammation which was causing migraines). Anyway, while they tried to figure it all out, I was on steroids/prednisone for about 18 months (which is a great way to gain weight quickly) and tried a lot of medications (in and out of hospital for months) for different issues which caused me a ton of side effects. However, there is always hope, I went on a biologic medication last year (took ages to get approved because it's very expensive) and am finally, finally getting on top of symptoms and figuring out my way forward with a healthy lifestyle and trying to get on top of my mental health. Hopefully, your medical team will figure it out and help you. I know that it gets frustrating because some people seem to have their surgery and BAM hit goal within a few months, whilst others get stuck with a bad deal (whether it's a medical issue or something else). Please know that you're not alone! Make sure that you take care of yourself!

Yep, and that's 185 assuming you're totally average from a statistical perspective, so you really never know what is possible. I also think about what my weight would have been if I hadn't had the surgery. Realistically, it's not like my weight would have stayed the same, e.g. at my pre-surgery weight, it would definitely have climbed much higher without some kind of intervention...

I didn't register or log in (I'm can't be bothered, lol), I just completed the form and then clicked the little "save" disk icon on the top left (see pic). I then scrolled down and it showed me a table below, I was doing a comparison based on if I had gotten other types of surgery and it showed me estimates for weight loss for both (noting that I didn't get RYGB or lap band, I was just playing around when I did these screen shots for you).

I haven't seen that outcomes calculator before. It's quite interesting. I'm three years post op, but I put in my data prior to surgery and it predicted that I would be 259lbs in my third year, I'm actually about 210. I think that calculator is pretty conservative, so it's definitely very realistic in what you can achieve. I think a lot of people, e.g. on these forums are doing much better than what would be predicted by that calculator, but it really is up to the individual.

Of course. I appreciate how scary the whole plastics business is, but it's actually been amazing for me so I'm willing to share some of my story. You might be able to see the baggy deposits under my arm pits in my "before" pictures earlier in the thread, they're the reason I needed the extended Brachioplasty. They used to chafe against my bra and made life generally uncomfortable, along with the saggy skin that dropped below my arms, it's all magically gone. The trade off is obviously the scars, but I'm amazed how my whole body looks thinner. Below are some pretty graphic photos (don't look if you're squeamish) at around 2 weeks post surgery. Apologies for my messy bathroom and strange angles. Things seem to be healing pretty nicely, I'm wearing silicon tape and hoping for the best long term outcome but as my surgeon warned me multiple times, it's tough to predict how arm lift scars will heal. Even if the scars don't improve much, my clothes fit so much better. It's amazing! I'm in a similar position to you, in that my BMI is still in the "unhealthy" range, but I definitely dropped a few pounds/kilos from the skin removal (noting that I did have some lipo). I hold most of my weight in my stomach, so that's where my loose skin really bothers me and where there may be a bigger difference in terms of weight loss following removal. I'm pretty keen to get the tummy tuck. I think I would easily go down 2 sizes in jeans if I had a tummy tuck. I also think it would motivate me to maintain weight loss and possibly even lose more. I'm still undecided at this stage if I want to drop anymore weight before more plastics or just go for it. However, I feel so amazing after my Brachioplasty. And I think I look better now than following my surgery a few years back when I was 20lbs lighter. The shape of my body just feels more feminine without my giant arms. I think our happiness with our new bodies/lives is about more than just a number on the scale. Plastics has been so great for my self esteem, but some people seem to lose weight without the loose skin and don't need it. I think it's a really personal decision, dependent on your bodies goals, self esteem and finances.

Yep, I’m three years out. Dealt with some regain, lost about 20lbs in the last two months. I want to lose another 20lbs which seems like it should be easy (Immediately after WLS, I could easily lose 5lbs a week), but it’s so hard and takes a lot more effort! I’m maintaining a 130lb loss so 20 should be nothing, but it’s really hard. I haven’t given up though!