Question for the losers

momhappe1 · May 8, 2004

For all of those who have lost a lot of weight. I am wondering how your body looks now? I am so worried about my extra skin after I lose weight. I am waiting for the letter from my insurance company and hope to be banded before the end of the year. Are there any exercises you can do that helps with the extra skin??

I want to be able to wear sexy clothes again when I get thin, but I am worried I will not be looking to sexy in them.

Any thoughts or suggestions on how to tighten then skin as you lose??

GeezerSue · May 8, 2004

Originally posted by momhappe1
For all of those who have lost a lot of weight. I am wondering how your body looks now?

Sloppy and I'm only half-way to goal and I'm having plastic surgery.

I am so worried about my extra skin after I lose weight. I am waiting for the letter from my insurance company and hope to be banded before the end of the year. Are there any exercises you can do that helps with the extra skin??

Extra skin will be there or it won't. It often relates to your age, how obese you are, and how long you were obese and how fast you lose the weight...but even with that factored in, it's very subjective and there are no exercises which make excess skin go away.

I want to be able to wear sexy clothes again when I get thin, but I am worried I will not be looking to sexy in them.

Don't run away if this sounds harsh, but if you are thinking that the band is a fast or easy way to lose 80 pounds to get thin and look sexy in clothes, you might want to rethink having surgery to accomplish that.

Morbid obesity is called "morbid" because it is pathological. People die from it. Smaller clothes are a nice side benefit, but I think (I think!?!) most patients would tell you that being able to breathe and walk and fit into chairs are what they were going for.

Any thoughts or suggestions on how to tighten then skin as you lose??

No.

Are you morbidly obese? I'd guess that you might be close, but only if you are 5'4" or less. Most insurance companies pay for surgery for those who have a BMI of 40 or a BMI of 35 with comorbidities.

I don't mean to be cruel (it seems to come naturally) but your post gives me the impression that you want to have surgery to LOOK better. If that's the case, you need to know that the AVERAGE 220 pound person who needs to weigh 140 and has ANY weight loss surgery will, after two years, weigh about 170 pounds.

Maybe a less grumpy, non pre-op person will answer better?

Sue

momhappe1 · May 9, 2004

Thank you for the reply. It seems that I did not type my question very well.

I am almost 5'6, my weight goes back and forth between 200 and 235 lbs. I have been over weight for the last 9 years.

The reasons for my surgery are health ( I have sleep apnea). I am also doing it as I am 33 and have not been on a date for the last 9 years. I am an attractive single mother and I would love nothing more then to run around the yard with my daughter, take her to the pool and not be embarresed of myself.

I get very depressed about my weight and the more depressed I get the more I gain. I am doing this surgery for me - My health and mental health. I want to start living life again. Not sitting home all of the time with no life.

I believe that I am doing this surgery for all of the right reasons and I hope that I did not offend anyone. I know that I do not have as much to lose as some, however I have the same feelings about myself as everyone on this site does.

Regards to sexy clothes, I know that there is not one person on this site that does not want to feel sexy again. (Not that some of you do not now) I just want to get that sexy feeling again, want to go out and meet people and most of all hopefully meet someone to spend my life with for my daughter and myself.

My goal will be 150. I know that it will take time and hard work. I just also know that I cannot do it on my own. I have been working towards the band for the last year. Just waiting for the insurance letter to come now.

I do not think you are grumpy, just honest. Just know I am doing this for the right reason. Just hoping my body after 5 surgeries on my tummy and stretch marks all over - might shrink along with the fat.

Thanks again

GeezerSue · May 9, 2004

Okay, sleep apnea is one comorbidity. Your BMI right now is about 35.6. My guess--but I don't know much because I was self-pay--is that you are very close to the lowest border for approval. That is, they could say, "Well, you're not MO and if you lose ten pounds you won't even have a BMI of 35 and you only have one comorbidity, so before we pay for this we need to see documentation of one year of medically supervised diets. Don't think that this is what they WILL say. But be prepared in case it is what they DO say, because some people have received responses like that.

And other insurance companies have approved people with your stats right away.

Why you have the surgery is your business, not mine. It's just that I've seen several financially comfortable women who were 50-60 pounds overweight who were banded and/or who were thinking of it. In a way, I get it, to stop them from becoming MO. On the other hand, I'm only half-way to where I want to be and am learning how very difficult the "head work" is. If I had had only 80 pounds to lose and got only half way, I'd be pissed. I guess it's not fair, but from this perspective it's like, "there's SO much learning and rethinking we have to do EVEN WITH THE BAND, that if there's a chance you could do the learning and rethinking without the surgery, it would be a better thing." Does that make sense?

I'll be thinking positive thoughts about your insurance,

Sue

momhappe1 · May 9, 2004

I was denied once already. So, I had to go through all of the sleep study stuff and now have a CPAP to prove my comorbidity. My family doctor just sent in the new information to my insurance company. So I am hoping to now get approved. I hear you about the head thing. I will have to find something besides food to turn to when I am down. I am hoping I can make that exercise. If I am denied again from my insurance then I will know this is not something that I am suppose to do.

I just get so upset with myself that I do not have the will power to do this on my own.

Thanks for the good thoughts. I need all I can get.