Hi all, I've been reading here for quite a while, right up until I had my surgery on Wednesday. In all honesty, after reading the vast majority of these reviews, I was left SCARED TO DEATH for my surgery. What I expected for pain and what I have actually experienced are two different things. So, if you are thinking about having this surgery, just remember everyone's body is different,and everyone's pain is different. What you experience may not be all that bad. So, my story is, in January of 2009 I had self pay vertical sleeve gastrectomy, I weighed around 280 pounds at that point. Over a year period, I lost 120 pounds and have hovered in the 160 neighborhood since. Most of my body looks, ok, but my stomach has been a mess of hanging skin. I attempted to get insurance to approve correcting my stomach a few years back, they denied it. This year, I started having skin irritation and by some miracle, they approved it. I paid to have the upper part of my stomach, they paid for the bottom part... But paying half is better than paying all. :) I had my surgery on Wednesday, March 4 with Doctor Flaherty at Maine Plastic and Hand. The whole staff was great. I was the first surgery of the day. I had to be there at 0630 am, and they took me in at 0730. I was back out in recovery by 0930, about an hour and a half ahead of schedule. They had removed 4.5 pounds of skin they told me. I was released at 130 in the afternoon, and aside from some nausea, and some bleeding around my drain sites I had no problems. I never took my full dose of pain meds. I've been functioning on my own since Wednesday night, emptying my own drains and taking care of myself. The nausea went away after getting sick once, I think it was the anesthesia. I took my last pain pill early Friday morning, and have just been taking Tylenol since. Aside from these stupid drains, I have no complaints. They come out in 24 hours and I am counting the minutes.... Every move I make I'm afraid im going to pull them! I was scheduled not to go back to work until 3/15, but I think I'll go back this Thursday, 3/12, which happens to be my next scheduled day after they are taken out. Were it not for the drains, I probably would have gone back already. I'll post again after I am freed from drain purgatory! :) Updated on 15 Mar 2015: So, the drains came out last Monday. That hurt, or stung, I won't lie. But I'm still doing really well. I sit all day at work, so I got cleared to return to work on Thursday, one week after surgery. I've had no trouble, but I am making sure that outside of work I am resting as much as possible. I go back on 3/17 to have my steristrips removed and as annoying as it is in some ways, that binder is my new best friend. They told me to plan on 6 weeks total with that, or I may be able to switch to spanx after my appointment Tuesday. We shall see. Updated on 30 Mar 2015: So, the steristrips came off on 3/17 and my incision is healing really well. I feel good, so I have to be careful to not overdo it. I go back for a follow up with the surgeon on 4/1 and hope I'll be cleared for some exercise then. They said 6 weeks total of wearing this binder thing, or spanx... so I have until 4/15. As much as it's annoying, I have gone for an hour or so with out it twice now just to give my skin a break and I end up wanting to put it back on. My muscles feel better with it right now, so it's obviously there for a reason. :) Most of all, I'm pleased with how I look - it's weird to look down and see no excess me anymore! I've never had a flat stomach in my life, but I love it! :)

Satisfaction - North Fort Myers, FL

I've been thinking about this for years now but it is a intimidating procedure, my surgery date is coming up and as it gets closer I'm more nervous about it but excited to. Next Wednesday is my preop appointment, h hope that goes well. I'm a size M in bra size I'd like to be a C or A D when I'm done. Updated on 26 Jan 2015: So my surgery is supposed to be Wednesday the 28th. But we are waiting for a winter Blizzard to arrive tomorrow. It is to be the biggest snow storm of the year, so far it's still on will let you all know what happens. Updated on 27 Jan 2015: Do to the storm my surgery will be postponed until Friday. A little disappointed but it's not to far to wait. Updated on 29 Jan 2015: Surgery is tomorrow and we're going to be getting a snow storm again. we will be leaving for Portland early in the morning. The surgery won't get started until noon time. But with the snow we are going to get there and wait. I have so many thoughts in my head to night. I don't think I'll sleep much.