Question:
Did anyone pre-op worry about their skin hanging down a lot or how they will look?
I find out this week when my surgery date will be... I am worried (I am slightly on the anxious side) that after the surgery I will look 'worse' than I do now because my skin will hang or sag! I know this might sound obsurd but it is really something I am worrying about... I also worry that I am going to have massive stretch marks too. I understand everyone is different but does most skin bounce back eventually? Is there something I can do now to help it? I want and need the surgery for health reasons. I guess I am vain because when I see commercials or see something in a magazine, I think "I am going to be losing weight so fast that my skin will sag, my breasts will sag". I feel kind of scared of what I will look like. I have been to the local support meetings and all that are there post op look great! I just feel like I will be the one that will have the HUGE stretch marks or skin hanging to the ground...! It really has been a long time since I was below 200 pounds (I weigh about 250 pounds now and wear an 18/20) that I can't even imagine what I will look like once I start losing and especially when it gets down to my 'goal weight'- and that scares me!!! Did anyone feel this way? If so, can you share you experience with me? Was there something you did that calmed your nerves? Should I try to walk more (my ankles, knees, and feet hurt so bad but I walk 2 to 4 miles at night with my son) to get fitness more? Thanks for this website. I tried to talk about this with my family/friends (no weight issues) and they said "what do you mean you can't 'picture' yourself?! Just be grateful you are getting the surgery!" Smiles- JENNA — jstatkus (posted on July 3, 2005)
July 3, 2005
Right now you need to put all of your energy into the WLS. I know it is
hard to wait, but you need to slow down and take one step at a time, or you
will drive yourself NUTS!!
Most people will have to have some type of plastic surgery, you can
excersise your brains out and loose skin will only tightning so much.
After your WLS, when you are at home getting better, start doing research
on plastic surgery, go to the plastic surgery message board and start
reading posts. While you are recovering, look at your insurance companies
policies and see what kind of reconstructive surgery they approve, document
all of your rashes with pictures and visits to your doctor, let me tell
you, once the hanging skin increases, so will your rashes. Let the doctor
get all of your rashes, back pain, etc. noted in your medical records. You
have a full journey ahead of you, embrases the journey, think, work, and
learn everyday.
— cindy
July 3, 2005
Jenna:
Wow! I can relate in part to your anxiety. However, my anxiety prior to wls
was not based on my appearance afterwards, but, would I make it through
surgery?! But if something concerns you, then I will respect it just as I
would expect you to respect my concerns. (You seem to be a genuine person)
Ive lost 140 pounds in 9 months and YES I SAG in several places, but since
I had WLS due to extreme health problems and most of them have since
resolved, IM HAPPY with my results SAGGY skin and all. Ive gone from a size
32 tall to a 14/16. Most of my sag can be covered, even in a bathing suit.
MY ADVICE TO YOU IS: Get fitted (professionally) for bras and underwear
once you get most of your weight off. A well fitting bra goes a long way to
keep mother nature in her place. Also, a good slim and lift body stocking
helps. Exercise helps but isnt the end all answer. Plastic surgery IS in my
future as soon as I can save up for it! Best of luck to you. Congrats on
your wls date.
Leslie
312/174/170?
— leslee4567
July 3, 2005
Hi Jenna, Yes I too had issues with sagging skin before WLS. I mulled it
over a lot. In the end, as someone told me, don't worry about the sagging
skin they said. Have the surgery and worry about the skin problems later.
It's loosing the weight what is important. I just hope in the end my
insurance will cover some of plastic surgery for me. I don't know. Right
now there is no way I can afford to pay for plastic surgery on my own. I
have a year and a half to go yet before PS is done. I almost cancelled my
surgery because of the skin issues. I am sure glad I didn't. I feel so
much better only 3 months out.
Karen Waters
— KRWaters
July 3, 2005
You probably won't have anything to worry about. I have lost 150 lbs and am
not really that saggy, however if you have stretch marks they don't usually
go away, if you have them before you will probably have them after.
— LuAnn B.
July 3, 2005
I had my surgery 6 weeks ago. I went in at 255.5 and have already lost
43.5. My only area of concern is my lower stomach. My face, arms, bust,
waist, butt and legs are all looking great, so much smaller already. I am
wearing 16's and loving it. I will be 40 this Sept. and had 2 kids 21
& 18 years ago. I had some stretch marks on my lower stomach and they
are still there. If I ever get a tummy tuck, they will probibly be removed
then. Good luck. Get excited, because seeing yourself emerge from within
an overweight body is exciting!
— Gina T.
July 3, 2005
Everyone at the support meetings looked great??? Bet they had their clothes
on! ;) All kidding aside it's natural to worry about how we will look. But
keep in mind the main thing is to "be healthy". Yes I look pretty
good with my clothes on but like a sharpei when I dress. Oh well. A
deflated ballon look in private is better than a blimp anyday. Try to
remember health is more imporant than looks. And again, you may get lucky
with BOTH. ;)
— Danmark
July 4, 2005
Jenna, I know exactly how you feel. I have many of the same concerns. I
am having my wls in 10 days, I thought about doing it for the last 2 years,
but haven't partly because of the saggy skin issues/fears. Now I feel like
"who cares", I will look damn good in my clothes! I'm sorry I
don't have any answers for you, but I know exactly how you feel. Good
luck!
Erin
— Erin S.
July 4, 2005
Hi Jenna,
I saw on your profile that you have Tricare. I also have Tricare. I had a
hernia develop just 3 months after WLS. I waited until I was closer to my
goal and had leveled out loosing weight before looking into having a Panni
and hernia repair. Tricare did approve both but after surgery they only
paid the surgeon for the hernia repair. He didn't charge me beyond my copay
but there are surgeons out there that do. There are several people on the
plastic board on here that also have Tricare and have wonderful advise.
Good luck on your WLS. And like all the other advise make sure that rashes
and pain is documented that will help with approval later.
Jen Layman
— jenafwife
July 5, 2005
Most post-ops do not have skin that bounces back. Some are lucky and do
but most do not, so dont expect miracles. Be realistic.. It's a combination
of age (young skin bounces back better), have you had kids (none is best),
how long you have been overweight (less is best), do you smoke (not smoking
is best), your genes and luck. No amount of exercise will help prevent
sagging. Exercise is good for your heart, overall health and weight
control. I started at the same weight as you are, do not smoke, never had
kids, but in my mid 40's not everything bounced back. Some day I may do
the breast lift and a tummy tuck...I agree with Daniel that in clothes, we
all look better and can camoflage well, but without them, well, most of us
will end up with some sag. However, look at it this way, would you rather
stay obese and risk an early death, or get healthy and have some skin
sag..besides, you can always save for surgery, it may take a while, but
start saving now!
— Cindy R.
July 5, 2005
Gentle reminder: That's stuff's gonna sag eventually, if you're lucky
enough to get old enough to start complaining about it. ;-) (To be honest
. . .hasn't it all begun to do so already? Does it look fabulous
now?).<P>Aging stinks, but don't confuse the costs of aging with
weight loss. Yeah, the weight loss will produce some interesting results,
but there's no comparison between the benefits and the costs . . .
especially when the costs were gonna come due for payment someday anyhoo!
;-)
— Suzy C.
July 5, 2005
I learned a lot from these posts...and much has to do with each
individual's body image. There are strong advocates who love themselves
"as is" and others who think platsics was the most painful and
also most wonderful thing they've done ! As a plastic surgeon, my question
is whether or not the expected skin changes need to be addressed BEFORE the
WLS. As a resident surgeon in training, we used to NEVER offer women
breast reconstruction, now its the standard of care...and the law in terms
of insurance coverage! I think patients do better...whether they end up
doing plastics or not...learning and being given options up front, as we do
for breast cancer patients. Some may decline, happy to be alive and
healthy. Others may feel the postop changes are a reminder of their
"old self" (or the cancer, in breast patients) and want to change
things. So I advocate an early meeting with the PS, even though sugery may
be many months away if at all. You may be given a sense of more control if
you understand what plastics is all about, and if it's for you.
— DrL
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