question for people losing more than 100 lbs

[Serendipity]

I would be interested in hearing what your DR has to say re: recovery time, pain, positive results vs. so-so, etc. Do tell?

[Grayson]

I certainly will. Those questions are all on my list, as well as the most important one, cost.

[bikipatra]

TLC has a lot of shows on people having excess skin removed after bariatric surgery. Next time I see it listed I will let you guys know.

[Mike]

Please do Biki. Grayson, I am eager to hear what your Dr. says also.

I plan on having this done when I am at my gola. I've lost 185 so far and I have a large gut overhang of flabby skin that will not tighten up (many, many years worth).

The estimate on my skin is between 15-20 lbs, so will definitely be having some cosmetic surgery (eventually).

[Grayson]

bikipatra, you're probably referring to "Big Medicine." I've watched several, and that show is one of the reasons I decided I really need to get this done.

It's been airing on Mondays, I believe, but it wasn't on this past Monday.

[Serendipity]

I looked that show up and it's about bariatric surgery, but it does mention that cosmetic surgery is profiled at times.

Here's a quote from the site:

[bikipatra]

[bikipatra]

[SharonR]

Great job on your weight loss, that's pretty incredible!

There are a ton of shows on TLC and Discovery Health Channel regarding removal of lose skin. It seems everytime I turn to one of those its on. It's the norm to get it taken care of these days.

Let us know how it all goes!

[Grayson]

Had a great visit!

Just to give you my background, I'm 29 years old, and my medifast results were 125 lost in 10 months (kept off for last 2). I stand 5'9", and I'm currently weighing between 177-183.

I am going to end up having a belt lipectomy, which is basically where they cut you all the way around and remove skin from front and back. In my case, I'll be losing my gut (YES!!!!), some skin along my sides and lower back, and some loose skin on my butt. I was pretty sure going in that that's the surgery I'd be having, based on my appearance, and the dr. confirmed it.

The great news is that he told me that, based on my age, overall health condition (thanks MF!), and muscle condition, I have a chance for excellent results. Basically my problem areas (mentioned above) are all skin, no fat, so MF did indeed help me lose all the fat I could. The bottom line, he said, is that there's no way the unpleasant areas are going to disappear without surgery because they are in fact all skin. Apparently muscle tightening is a common "side procedure" during one of these surgeries, but he thinks my abs are in pretty good shape and that he might not have to do anything to them. Man, I can't wait until my stomach is thinner than my chest!

As far as recovery time, he says I should be able to schedule it on a Thursday and get back to work by a week from that Monday--so about 10 days to get back to work. He has a surgery center in his office, so I'll do it there, followed by 2-3 nights at a local nursing home-type place (charges $500/night, versus $5,000/night at the hospital), and then maybe a week at my parents' house. I'll probably have some drain tubes that I may even have to take to work with me, but I should be up and moving around within a day. I'd have to hold off on the weightlifting for a while, longer if they tighten any muscles, but should be able to get back on the exercise bike w/in a few weeks.

Unfortunately, he said I only probably have 3-4 lbs. of skin to remove, so this won't be much of a weight-loss windfall, but I sure am going to look better. As far as cost, it looks like it will be somewhere between 10,000 and 12,000. That's about what I figured. It's basically double the cost of an abdominoplasty. We'll check into insurance, but I seriously doubt it'll be covered. This is purely cosmetic from my standpoint, and it didn't sound like he found any medical reasons for me to have it done.

Hope I addressed everything. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have.

[Mike]

Thanks Grayson. Helped alot.

[Lauren]

Morning, gang! Grayson, I too have been researching all the surgery options, and had three complete consultations with plastic surgeons in NYC, and I scheduled my surgery date for January 7th - a special New Years gift to myself!

I have lost, formally, 165 pounds, but generally around 167-169 pounds, on any given day. I run almost daily (a lot, now at around 7-8 miles), and do strength training and other core exercises. Like you, there's nothing else to go anywhere, it's just excess skin. In fact, the surgeon who I am using even said that it's amazing how just beneath the excess skin is this really muscular frame - can't wait to actually see it! :-)

I am a chick, so surgery includes breasts, so I am having a breast lift and the excess skin on the belly (abdominoplasty) removed. I opted not to get that circumferential job (all around the body) that you are getting, mostly because I tend to have some healing problems, and that surgery is more invasive because during your healing time, you are always laying on at least one area that has stitches. And, well, my tush can for now remain hidden, so if I choose to do a back and butt surgery later, that option is available.

I will have maintained my weight loss for a little over a year at that point, which is really what I wanted, as I wanted to get my body totally adjusted and in it's best possible position prior to the surgery, so the least amount of cutting is necessary, and to really know that I can maintain the weight loss successfully.

Grayson, I completely understand your eagerness to get it all lopped off right away, I was totally in that boat the second I lost the weight, but I would recommend you get as comfortable as possible in the maintenance game before you have the surgery. A friend of mine who lost a ton of weight on MF had the surgery soon after her loss, and then started putting back on the pounds - not because of the surgery, but because, well, I think she got a bit complacent, saw a body that looked good, and didn't feel like she had to work as hard. One good thing about the excess skin is that it is a daily reminder to get me off my butt and exercise. Yes, it does make us look heavier than we are, which sucks, but sometimes that is what we need to keep us motivated. Just make sure you feel REALLY solid in your diet and exercise habits. Just my recommendation!

But, with all of that being said, I am thrilled for you as I am for me! I've been calling this period of time where I am thin but I have all this skin as "purgatory," that I don't consider this my true body, it's just a holding place for the new one to come on and replace it. Well, it will be an exciting day when that happens, and we can finally see staring back at us what we have worked so hard to achieve!

Yay!

Lauren

[Signladytf]

I have had several friends who have had bariatric surgery (all covered by insurance) and a few of those cases had an "apron" to be removed, which was also covered by insurance (minus applicable co-pays of course). If a doctor says that the excess skin will cause other conditions -- involving moisture or even back pain from the weight pulling in the front, it is very possible that insurance could cover it and it would not be "cosmetic." There's a lady at my church who has lost a tremendous amount of weight and will soon be having the "mid-body lift" done -- not an easy procedure to recover from -- and If I'm not mistaken, medicaid will actually be paying for it, due to the health implications involved if she doesn't have it removed.

I have a total of 277 pounds to lose and I've had 2 babies, both by c-section -- I hope that my skin is as forgiving as possible! I don't want to have any more surgeries, because they're a bear to recover from. I'm going to try massage and exercise for several months after maintenance to see if that will promote some of the elasticity in the skin. We'll have to wait and see.

[Grayson]

Well, I'm scheduled for Nov. 15th!

[Mike]

Cool Grayson, let us know how it goes.