I'm a sponge...

[Guest xinemae]

Hello y'all :thumbup:

I'm 32... weigh 275 at 5'4" ... I think that puts my BMI around 46 or so. My weight has gone up yet again after trying to control it with diet alone. Admittedly I wasn't exercising as I should have been, although that has changed. I ride a recumbent bike 5 times a week for about 30 minutes. I only recently started that routine to see if it will work for me... in the meantime I'm brushing up on the lapband procedure and the benefits. My husband wants to see how I'm doing in 3 months and go from there.

I started learning about the lap band and the gastric bypass 2 years ago... then put it on the back burner until now.

Having said all that, I've decided that the bypass isn't what I'm interested in, there are far too many risks.

I do have a few questions about the lap band... well not about the band itself. My questions are more about the people and their bodies after the surgery.

I know with gastric bypass patients often have the "saggy baggy elephant" syndrome. Has anyone found that to be the case using the band? Are tummy tucks or skin reduction surgeries a common thing with the band as it is with bypass?

Thanks so much in advance for your replies.

Cecilia

Edited February 1, 2009 by xinemae
spelling

[MissBS 3]

Hi Cecilia. Welcome to LBT!! I've read about lots of people who have had skin reduction surgery after losing their weight. I think it kinda depends on your age, your genes, where you carry your weight, etc. I was the exact height and weight that you are when I began my weight loss journey in August 2008. I've lost 64 pounds and I feel GREAT!!! I had my blood pressure medication cut in half and I have so much more energy now. But....... I can tell that I will have some excess skin when I get to my goal. Not sure if I will be able to afford plastic surgery, but I've decided that the empty baggy skin is better than the tight fat filled skin was. Guess I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. This is a great place to come with your questions. Lots of very nice people here who can answer your questions, address your concerns, and give you support. People who know exactly what you've been through, what you are going through, and can help you know what to expect. I've made some very good friends here. Keep reading and asking. Good luck in your journey and if there is anything I can do to help you, let me know. Take care. Becky

[RestlessMonkey 7]

Whether or not a person has saggy skin and wants plastic surgery is very individual and caused by many many variables...how old you are, how fat you were, how LONG you were fat, your genetics, your sun/skin damage at younger age, your skin type, your diet, and so on. Skin is an organ; it will tighten up some but if stretched out too far, won't ever be as it was before the stretching. Some people exercise like crazy to "tighten" the skin and all that does, frankly, is tighten the muscles UNDER the skin, not the skin. Being toned is good but it won't take care of serious sagging, if you're one prone to that.

Some people think if they lose weight really slowly then the skin will magically "adapt" and that is fallacious, too. If that were true, you could lose really fast but then over 2-3 years your skin firm up. And it does, some, and that "some" is enough for a lot of people. But again, if you were severely overweight, whether you lose SLOOOW or quick, your skin will not be like it was pre-obesity.

I don't mean to be negative! I honestly (especially at my age) am fairly sure I'll have saggy skin; you may not, depending! I figure that I'd rather have a Tummy Tuck than open heart surgery. So hope for the best, get good nutrition, ample Protein, take Vitamins, exercise (it is good for you) and see what "shakes down"!

AND are you okay with waiting for the surgery? It kind of sounds to me like your husband may be putting unfair pressure on you, but there are a (very) few who can control morbid obesity through weight and exercise...just not all of us can. I don't mean to put my nose where it doesn't belong; just make sure that whatever you do, you do for you. I wanted my DH on board with my surgery because we're a team, but I ultimately am doing it for me.

Good luck to you, whichever way you go!

[Guest xinemae]

Hi Cecilia. Welcome to LBT!! I've read about lots of people who have had skin reduction surgery after losing their weight. I think it kinda depends on your age, your genes, where you carry your weight, etc. I was the exact height and weight that you are when I began my weight loss journey in August 2008. I've lost 64 pounds and I feel GREAT!!! I had my blood pressure medication cut in half and I have so much more energy now. But....... I can tell that I will have some excess skin when I get to my goal. Not sure if I will be able to afford plastic surgery, but I've decided that the empty baggy skin is better than the tight fat filled skin was. Guess I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. This is a great place to come with your questions. Lots of very nice people here who can answer your questions, address your concerns, and give you support. People who know exactly what you've been through, what you are going through, and can help you know what to expect. I've made some very good friends here. Keep reading and asking. Good luck in your journey and if there is anything I can do to help you, let me know. Take care. Becky

Becky,

Thank you for the warm welcome! Congrats on your achievements! That's really awesome! Knowing you started exactly where I stand today gives me hope of leading a semi-normal life!

Yeah I'm of the same mind set, I'd rather be baggy than obese. I'm lucky at this point as I don't really have any other co-morbidities. I'm also not sure if my body shape is a blessing or a curse... I carry my weight all over, not mostly in one spot.

Whether or not a person has saggy skin and wants plastic surgery is very individual and caused by many many variables...how old you are, how fat you were, how LONG you were fat, your genetics, your sun/skin damage at younger age, your skin type, your diet, and so on. Skin is an organ; it will tighten up some but if stretched out too far, won't ever be as it was before the stretching. Some people exercise like crazy to "tighten" the skin and all that does, frankly, is tighten the muscles UNDER the skin, not the skin. Being toned is good but it won't take care of serious sagging, if you're one prone to that.

Some people think if they lose weight really slowly then the skin will magically "adapt" and that is fallacious, too. If that were true, you could lose really fast but then over 2-3 years your skin firm up. And it does, some, and that "some" is enough for a lot of people. But again, if you were severely overweight, whether you lose SLOOOW or quick, your skin will not be like it was pre-obesity.

I don't mean to be negative! I honestly (especially at my age) am fairly sure I'll have saggy skin; you may not, depending! I figure that I'd rather have a Tummy Tuck than open heart surgery. So hope for the best, get good nutrition, ample Protein, take Vitamins, exercise (it is good for you) and see what "shakes down"!

AND are you okay with waiting for the surgery? It kind of sounds to me like your husband may be putting unfair pressure on you, but there are a (very) few who can control morbid obesity through weight and exercise...just not all of us can. I don't mean to put my nose where it doesn't belong; just make sure that whatever you do, you do for you. I wanted my DH on board with my surgery because we're a team, but I ultimately am doing it for me.

Good luck to you, whichever way you go!

Thank you as well for the warm welcome and the well wishes! Congrats on your successes too :tongue:

I'm ok with waiting for the surgery. I don't think it is something I could have done next week anyways. My husband really is just making sure this is something I truly. He takes his time with every decision he makes... it's why I do the shopping for the house *laughs*

I am doing this for me, as I want to be around for a long time and enjoy life, rather than just survive it :thumbup:

Thank you both again for the warm welcome!