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Hey everybody, I was just wondering something, for those of you who had any type of weight loss surgery and that live in california did you guy get skin removal along and or along with a body lift after your surgery? If so did your insurance cover it? And if they did what type of insurance do you have that'll cover everything? And does anybody know what health insurances cover the skin removal and or body lift, that's in California?

Hello Melly and welcome in here. To fill in your profile, Go to the top of the page, By your name is a little down arrow. Click on it and scroll down to My surgery. You can then fill it in. On the top left of this page you will see surgeon and below ' progress' This you can update every time you loose weight, which I find very satisfying

I have been using Libra for years for my weight. It gives me all the stats in the world when it comes to my weight, bmi, Rate of lost, goal... Etc. For food, I've been using fitday online (not the app, it sucks lol).

Yes, I use the Baritastic app. I use it to track my water, food and weight loss. You should check it out.

Do anyone use an WL tracker journal to tracker their weight lost Sent from my SM-G998U using BariatricPal mobile app

I am experiencing my first stall and heading into week 3 of it. Very frustrating! As a fellow Bipolar I can't emphasize enough how important your meds are especially with the stress of a stall AND moving. Do you have a therapist you can vent this all out to that can help you gain some perspective and air out your fears? I don't know where I would be without mine. I hope this helped! Melly

Hi everyone!😁 I'm Melly. I'm married with a teenager and a preteen. I've had trouble losing weight since my mid 20's, I'm in my 40's now. Just couldn't keep it off. Each time I failed a little more would stay on. I have PCOS, Diabetes, COPD and Asthma among other things but my weight made those worse. Climbing over 300lbs and have no quality of life was my line in the sand. I had my RNY surgery on June 7th (I can't figure out how to put that in my profile). I started my pre-op liquid diet on May 27th. I've lost 50lbs since then and I can't believe my mobility and energy. My goal is 160lbs. I have 100lbs to go. I know it's a journey and that RNY is just a tool but for the first time in a long time I feel like I have a chance. Right now I am in the middle of my first stall. I was really down on myself at first but continue eating correctly,in the past I would've gone for junk to self soothe but won't because I'm afraid of dumping. I finally called my doctors office and they explained that I stalled and it was natural and would happen 3-4 more times over the year. It started on July 3rd. I'm staying the course but it is a little frustrating that it hasn't broken yet. So thats me in a nutshell. I'm excited to get to know everyone and already appreciate the answers this board has given. Thanks! Later! Melly💋

a lot of people (most, actually) have a 10-20 lb rebound gain during year 2 or 3 - so if you haven't had that yet, it may help with the drawn look. Also, things sort of shift around after your body settles in at your new weight, so that also helps. Although I also lost over 200 lbs and looked older (well, probably more my age, since I looked younger than I was when I was fat). But I ended up having a face/neck lift, esp since I didn't like my turkey neck. it sounds like you're overly obsessed with your weight and eating. I've been accused of that as well, and I've backed off a bit - although since doing that, it's been harder to keep my weight in check. It's gone up a bit more, but it's still acceptable (well, at least to my PCP and my surgeon - personally, I'd rather be 10 lbs lighter than I am now). But I think I'm in a better place stress-wise since I'm not so obsessed with my weight and eating. I agree with some of the posters above that maybe it would help to work with a dietitian and therapist...

First, congratulations on your successes. It was a huge change to your life choosing Gastric Bypass and making the commitment to 'do it right.' Perhaps it's time for another dramatic change in your life. @Recidivist said most of what I was going to suggest. Weight control does not need to be the center of your life. There are zillions of people that maintain a healthy lifestyle without making it the only thing in their life. You can do it to. The issue is you can't just decide not to focus on healthy living. Focusing on NOT doing something still makes it the center of your life. If nothing else changes healthy living will fill your life again. No, you need to fill your life with something else. Work doesn't seem to be it. What is it? This will get you away from where you are quicker that anything else. You are capable. Pretty is skin deep. Beauty is to the bone. Good luck, Tek

Hi, Sue. I can relate to most of the things in your post. I was particularly shocked at how much older I looked after surgery with all of the loose skin on my face and neck. One thing struck me in your post, which is all the time and energy you spend ensuring that you eat the right things and focusing on your weight. I did that in the beginning of maintenance, but I've really lightened up and don't pay much attention to either at this point. By now I know instinctively what I can and can't eat and approximately portions, but I don't obsess about it. I eat more or less normally (but differently than before), don't weigh myself, and don't freak out if I gain a bit. I'm wondering whether you could try doing the same thing, perhaps with the help of a nutritionist and/or therapist.

I’m having an awful time with hair loss too. I posted a plea for suggestions to hear from others coping also. I already had very thin hair and loss to begin with and I didn’t expect the loss to be so profound. It might just come with the territory, like the loose skin. A kid I know calls them angel wings. That makes it sound better. I can empathize with the lumps and saggy skin. It crept up on me overnight and now I can’t stop poking at the spare tire of flab. All I see now is the muffin top and there’s nothing I can do on my own to make it go away. It helps to focus on the things I can do now and all the possibilities we have. There’s so much more we can do in our healthier bodies and you’re fortunate to start this weight loss journey so early in life. Take care.

Better appetite control. It's never easy, of course, it always takes effort from all of us to eat the right things...Etc, but for some reason it's easier to say I will wait till tomorrow when my calories reset... etc. No digestive issues except mild constipation now and then. My blood tests are way better this time around (vitamin/mineral and all my vitals). No more UTIs. Some reason I had tons during the sleeve, but once I got the RNY, they went away. Maybe the additional weight loss helped my bladder. Not sure. It's been totally worth it. I wish I wasn't such a chicken back then and just had the bypass when suggested. Sent from my SM-S908U using BariatricPal mobile app

Up to you! No one’s business unless you want them to know. I said I was having surgery, and when I returned to work, basically said I was eating differently when asked about the weight loss. (Which makes me uncomfortable to have people ask about my body) I had tried and failed so many years that I didn’t have confidence WLS would work. If I didn’t lose weight, I figured people would say that I was such a glutton that even surgery wouldn’t help. If I lost weight, people would say I took the easy way out. I did tell my husband and two family members who protect my privacy.

So sorry you have been going through this, Sue. You’re not alone. I also have less energy then I did before. The energy drops come from low blood pressure & low heart rate like you. I’ve wondered if I could have bradycardia too or be close to it. Plus throw in some random hypoglycaemic episodes & it can make for an interesting day. My BP usually sits around high 50s - 70s over low 40s - high 50s. My heart rate is usually in the 60s but can be lower. When I had the skin graft on my thumb last year, the nurses were very concerned with how low my BP was & my pulse. They even asked if I was an athlete which made me, my friends & family laugh. Nope, just seems to be me I told them. A difference may be that I used to experience this whenever I was at a lower weight (60-65kg) too but not as severely or as frequently as now. My friends used to laugh back then when I said I don’t exercise much because I could have these drops where I’d almost collapse. They thought it was just a joke excuse until they were with me when it happened. Boy did they panic. So I believe this is really a pre existing condition for me & I experience it all the time now because I weigh less. (A tendency towards low blood pressure & pressure drops does run in my family.) If I put on 10kg it would probably improve but I don’t want to put on weight. I too was always that person at work before others & still there after most left, taking on additional work, helping others do their work, working on weekends & rostered days off, …. And yes I was very happy with how I worked & my commitment to my job & employer. So I get you feel you’re letting people down now. But I look back & realise how many actually took advantage of my work ethic: colleagues & bosses. I also realised I gave up a lot of my free time, turned down social events & sacrificed my personal life for work & for nothing. Didn’t get the promotions, the pay rises or even acknowledgement. It was like they just expected I would do it. At least your commitment & efforts are recognised. I get a bit angry & sad about it when I look back can’t you tell. It contributed to my decision not to work anymore last year at 56. I’ve learnt how to manage the low energy, BP, etc. easier because I don’t work though. I pace myself during the day & I’ll take breaks if out. I’m careful when I stand & make sure I have something close by I can grab if my vision goes. If I am doing anything more active, I take hydralyte with me for an energy boost. I don’t always remember & sometimes my day works against me but I do the best I can in the situation. But like you, I don’t regret my surgery at all. I’m so very happy I did it & wouldn’t change a thing.

I never thought about losing weight on my fingers during the process which was a bit odd because I knew my fingers had got fatter with the rest of me. As a tip, I had a couple of rings I couldn’t get resized down enough to fit my smaller fingers because of the detailed work on the shoulders & how the ring was set. I got them reduced to as small as they could go & then bought some of those clear spiral ring resizers from Amazon. That way I can still wear the rings without fear of them slipping off. Also helpful while waiting to get your rings resized too.

I am approaching 1 year of my sleeve to RNY revision. Although I am not as far out as you are, I wanted to post that I am SO happy about my revision and love that you posted about it. To live free of severe gerd is wonderful as well as the additional weight loss. As you noted, it is incredible to feel so normal, even before I had any WLS surgery.

Trust yourself. No one has walked in your shoes but you. You are the one that will have to follow through on your decisions. Everyone has an opinion and most are crap. I can tell you my opinion: This was the best decision I ever made. Well, perhaps second next to my spouse. I know WLS helped my back and knee issues, enough to allow me to run for a couple years and accomplish things that I never thought I could. My blood pressure was an issue but no longer. Were these things worth having a life changing surgery? For me no doubt about it. But I also had about 1/4 ton of excess weight. Do I think you should have surgery? My opinion is next to worthless as I don't have to live with my opinion for you. Here you will generally find cheerleaders for WLS. The people that would tell you not to have WLS aren't really around here anymore. Good luck, Tek

Today is my 2-year surgiversary. I've lost 200 pounds from my highest weight -- a staggering amount when you think about it. I'm literally (less than) half the person I used to be. I should be on top of the world, right?! I don't want to dismiss the many scale and non-scale victories I've had, but it's not all rainbows and butterflies. When I catch a glimpse of myself in a mirror, I'm taken aback by two things: how small I am, and how freaking ugly. I was certainly never beautiful -- not even "pretty for a fat chick" or "would be cute if I lost some weight" -- but now, I look downright scary. I probably look 10 years older than when I was fat. My hair was already fine and flat before surgery, and now I've lost a lot of it and it hasn't grown back and it's a mess no matter what I do. Ironically, people often tell me I look great, which is obviously code for "not fat anymore." Sometimes, before saying I look great, they ask me if I'm sick or if I lost weight on purpose. I don't know what the point of that is; if I said I lost weight because I'm sick, would they instead say, "You look like $h!t"? When I imagined my life after surgery, I thought I would be the same person, but smaller. The same person, but able to wear non-plus sized clothes, fit into an airplane seat without a seatbelt extender, not have to check the weight limit on furniture and ladders. The same person, but without hypertension and diabetes. I guess, deep down, I knew that wouldn't be the case, because that's a big part of what held me back from having the surgery for so many years. I didn't want my life to revolve around my pouch. I didn't want to give up my favorite foods and think so hard about everything I eat. I definitely didn't want to turn into one of those boring a-holes who never shut up about their diet and exercise regimen. But here I am, and I feel like weight loss has taken over my life. I spend so much time and energy preparing and eating healthy foods, working out, keeping up with my supplements, that I don't have room for anything else. There was a period of time after my surgery when I felt great and full of energy, but now I'm tired all the time, and despite being in the best shape of my life, I feel weak because I no longer have 300+ pounds to throw around. People used to be surprised by my strength, but now I struggle to open pickle jars and heavy doors. (Yes, I've had my bloodwork checked and everything is great; the working theory is that the bradycardia due to rapid, massive weight loss is what's causing these problems.) I used to be incredibly devoted to my job, and most people would describe me as the hardest worker they knew (maybe a workaholic), and now I just don't have the same drive that I used to because I'm so focused on my weight. I feel like I'm letting everyone down because I'm no longer up for spending all my free time working. I think I was a better human being when I was fat. If I -- with the benefit of the hindsight I have now -- could go back in time to two years ago, when my morbidly obese self arrived at the hospital, and still had time to change my mind, would I still go through with having the surgery? 100% yes, without hesitation.

Fitting into a booth is the best, isn't it! We could no longer sit in a booth at my highest weight and I am so happy to sit there again with so much room! Dropping a clothing size is awesome!!! Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

I know exercise should be part of the routine but everytime I tried to incorporate more intense workout, I used to stall. So I kinda gave it a rest and relied mostly on my 45 mins of daily walk for exercise purposes. So may be, go easy on the workout routine especially this early in the weight loss phase. Once you're more settled with a certain number you can always build your physique as long as your mindset is on point. For me personally, stalls pressured into negative thinking of *what if this is it* and I won't lose anymore. Or that I'll lose slowly and then bam done losing at a weight I am uncomfortable with. This fear always hovered about and I didn't want to work against my sanity. So I decided to take lose with intense workouts. And focused mostly on eating and losing. I am at a happy place for now. And once I have reached about 120, my mindset will be so much better to form a good workout routine even if I had to up my calories. Bottom line is, try easing your workout routine.

stalls are very common during weight loss. You'll likely hit several of them along the way. Make sure you're sticking to your program and try to stay off the scale when you hit them. They'll eventually break and you'll be on your way again. Keto "works" right away because carbs hold on to water, so those big drops are water weight (and over time it works because you're taking in fewer calories overall). You're taking in fewer calories NOW, too. The only thing Keto would do would be to let go of water, causing a temporary drop in weight. Water weight doesn't count. Just stick to your clinic's plan.

No, I'm scheduled for sleeve in September, the 55lbs is total loss from my highest weight over the last 4 years with the last 10lbs being since my first meeting with the surgeon in April and trying to eat in a more "bariatric style" mindset, therapy, and more exercise.

I was sleeved in Dec. 2016 and did very very well at first - dropped about 120 lbs total in about 6 months or so. Then had some personal and professional problems and stopped taking care of myself, and slowly started gaining weight. I ended up gaining almost all of it back and I had the revision to bypass in Nov. 2021. Doctor told me I could be re-sleeved if I wanted, but I had GERD both before and after sleeve so he strongly recommended bypass which I agreed with. It's going very well again, albeit a little slower than with the sleeve. I'm down nearly 100 lbs and very pleased with the results.

Get rid of your scales then, ( I too am a daily weigher but I don't class anything as a stall until it's been 4 weeks without any movement. ) the further out you get the slower the movement in the scales I only record my weight once a month now and even though on the daily I don't see much difference I am still loosing a tiny bit each month.

My ring size is a 6 now, which seems so tiny to me! I was a 10.5 at my highest weight, which is bigger than my husband's fingers and he is 6'10"!. My wedding rings need to be resized but I'm waiting until I'm sure this will be my final size. I can't wait to see how my rings look on my "tiny" fingers! Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app