Very few men post their story on here. So lets start with mine, I am a 23 year old 6ft tall male. Currently 215lbs.(pictures are of me 225lbs)
Growing up as a kid I was a stick figure until about 14 years old and started packing on weight. When I hit 20 I was 375 pounds.
I decided I did not want to hide and eat anymore. Through diet and some exercise(Exercise did little, its more of changing my diet up and tricking my body into thinking its full) I went from 380 to 170 pounds in 8 months.
Being fat since I was 14, I had always felt I was a monster. Whenever I went somewhere I always wondered was I the reason someone was laughing. I literally hid inside my house, I never enjoyed highschool or went to the beach to go surfing or even go swimming(I LOVE to swim) due to not wanting to be the fat weirdo with a shirt on at the pool.
So having lost all the weight sounded great, I was finally thin, I was finally going on many dates with plenty of women. I even had folks ask if I ate enough!?!(large frame so at 170lbs and 6foot I looked THIN) Life is great right?.. Not so much.
I still feel like a monster hiding behind a mask. I never go swimming or do anything I thought I would do because of all the excess skin and the fat in areas that just wont go away(Man Boobs/Stomach). After exercise did nothing for my sagging breasts/stomach skin I gave up and reverted to hiding inside and I gained weight again going up to 230(but held steady there).
Dont get me wrong, I love life, Its generally improved. But I still stay hidden, I still wear an over shirt to cover what my body looks like. But I am living a half life, while I am more social and can go out, I feel I can only go out in winter when I can cover everything. Im just not enjoying life.
Fast Forward to 2 weeks ago. I found a doctor in Baltimore who has great references. I sent him an email and that SAME DAY HE CALLED ME. I said "Im in walmart can I give you a call back?" He called me back 20 minutes later.
I was sold right then and there, the fact that he himself took the time to call and spent a good 30 minutes on the phone with me was the main selling point. Even giving me his cell number and "Call anytime you have any questions". It was clear he had respect and cared about his clients.
I had talked to 2 other doctors and while one blew me off saying I needed to lose more weight, another told me I had to pay a $150 consultation fee.. So DO TAKE THE TIME to shop around. Its not just the price and references, also make sure the doctor is someone that has some respect/care.
Lets fast forward to 2 weeks ago. I was 225 pounds, I had told the doctor(Who thankfully believed me when the first doctor that blew me off did not0 I would get down to 200 pounds before the surgery(1 1/2 months from then).
Today I am 215 pounds and a month away from surgery.Thats 10 pounds in less than 2 weeks and ahead of schedule. Did I need to lose the weight? Not really.. But you want to be within 10 pounds of your ideal weight before a tummy tuck or body lift and I would like to be 190-200 before the surgery as my ideal weight is 180-185.
Anxiety..
I get anxious and nervous sometimes. Having not been to a doctor in 12 years and never having had a surgery or so much as a stitch, this is all to much at once. But I am tired of hiding behind clothes, im tired of the best years of my life being stolen from me by this fat that I have waged war against for the past 3 years.
Advice:
My advice to folks also planning this. Dont think, just do. Think positive thoughts, remember what brought you to this point and putting it off is not an option. My problem is I sit up at night thinking about it and I always want to call it off or feel sick to my stomach. DO NOT think about it at night, it WILL depress you. During the morning/day I am Mr.Positive and im sure you will be to.
The past few years have been good to me, I have had more than a few girl friends, I have had nice sports cars, money has not been an issue. But none of it has made me happy with myself which has quickly become apparent is most important.
My goal? I want the fat gone in my breast area, I want my stretched areolas cut down to size, I want my stomach and pubic mound GONE. I dont just want some of the fat gone, I want it all eradicated, exterminated, destroyed. Pick your word. It has ruled my life for far to long and its time it goes.
I am having a body lift, basically all the fat is being removed from my breast area, the extra skin there is being cut away and my areolas are being removed/cut down to size and basically skin grafted back on so that I have a flat chest. I will then have the fat from my stomach/love handles/pubic mound removed and my tummy tuck done.
Its an 8 hour surgery and I am driving from Raleigh NC to Baltimore MD. Staying in the hospital the first night and in a hotel for at least 12-14 nights until my Doctor feels its safe for me to go home. Thankfully my girlfriend and dad will be there to take care of me(This is tougher than it sounds as I believe in doing everything myself and being in a weak position will be new to me)
I am meeting my doctor this coming monday to both go over everything and have my physical/blood work done AND hand over a large amount of money(for me anyhow). My preop is scheduled for the 21st of May and my Operation is early AM 22nd of May.
Cost break down?
$10,200 is going for the doctor/surgery. $5,000 is going to the hospital stay/anesthesia(Thats my main worry.. Anesthesia awareness)
Congrats for getting through that 700 page book I just typed up! I will update with every detail including my doctor when I get back monday night.
Deciding to Get my Life Back - Body Lift at 23 Years Old - Baltimore, MD
Very few men post their story on here. So lets...
Down 15 pounds since posting the picture. I had...
Down 15 pounds since posting the picture.
I had my pre op appointment which went extremely well. My doctor explained I would basically have a body lift. There will be little lipo done. His reasoning is that most of my fat is attached to the skin and that hes going to be removing most of it.
He seemed extremely confident that I would be completely flat post op(of course there will be swelling). My "Man Boobs",stomach,fatty skin on my sides/pubic area will be gone and I will be getting a slight "butt lift" from the excess skin being removed from back. I will keep my belly button.
Being almost 400lbs at one time my skin stretched and with itobviously my areolas. My "Boobs" will basically be removed after my nipples are basically cut off and then skin grafted into the proper position once they are reduced to a normal size.
I will have a total of SIX! drains and he expects to remove 2 at the end of the first week and the other 4 at the end of the second.
I am extremely happy with my choice in going with my doctor. He genuinely seemed excited for me(Im a decent judge between someone throwing a sales pitch and someone who really gives a crap).
Had my blood work and exam done. Even though I basically starved myself to lose all that weight my heart is strong, my blood pressure is great and I have no issues.
Scheduled for surgery on May 22nd. Its an 8 hour surgery.
Am I worried? A bit, I am still not comfortable talking about this as I still see myself as a monster(under my clothes anyhow). But its all going to be gone, im not worried about the recovery, I am not even worried about the operation. I have 100% confidence in my doctor and his staff. I am just worried about when May 22nd rolls around and those first couple hours of questioning/prep/IV needle and keeping the good thoughts/courage going through my first surgery ever.
Thanks again for reading another LONG book of my thoughts. I will update with pictures and what all is going on the day of or likely after the surgery.
I had my pre op appointment which went extremely well. My doctor explained I would basically have a body lift. There will be little lipo done. His reasoning is that most of my fat is attached to the skin and that hes going to be removing most of it.
He seemed extremely confident that I would be completely flat post op(of course there will be swelling). My "Man Boobs",stomach,fatty skin on my sides/pubic area will be gone and I will be getting a slight "butt lift" from the excess skin being removed from back. I will keep my belly button.
Being almost 400lbs at one time my skin stretched and with itobviously my areolas. My "Boobs" will basically be removed after my nipples are basically cut off and then skin grafted into the proper position once they are reduced to a normal size.
I will have a total of SIX! drains and he expects to remove 2 at the end of the first week and the other 4 at the end of the second.
I am extremely happy with my choice in going with my doctor. He genuinely seemed excited for me(Im a decent judge between someone throwing a sales pitch and someone who really gives a crap).
Had my blood work and exam done. Even though I basically starved myself to lose all that weight my heart is strong, my blood pressure is great and I have no issues.
Scheduled for surgery on May 22nd. Its an 8 hour surgery.
Am I worried? A bit, I am still not comfortable talking about this as I still see myself as a monster(under my clothes anyhow). But its all going to be gone, im not worried about the recovery, I am not even worried about the operation. I have 100% confidence in my doctor and his staff. I am just worried about when May 22nd rolls around and those first couple hours of questioning/prep/IV needle and keeping the good thoughts/courage going through my first surgery ever.
Thanks again for reading another LONG book of my thoughts. I will update with pictures and what all is going on the day of or likely after the surgery.
Weight loss update: As of today May 1st I am 3...
Weight loss update:
As of today May 1st I am 3 weeks away from the surgery on the 22nd. Currently at 205lbs. Thats 20 pounds dropped in 3 weeks so far.
My goal is 195-197lbs, I figure with a full stomach/water I will be 200lbs.(That may be overthinking things)
My doctor says I will lose about 8-9lbs of weight from the surgery, but I am expecting(and hoping) for a even 10.
The things I have gotten so far?
Percocet(prescribed by my doctor) and a couple different anti infection prescriptions as well as stool softener and vitamins.
Low Sodium Soup, Jams, Bread, Jelly, Tea
I will post a couple more pictures the day before the surgery just to see what 25lbs lighter looks like. I can currently fit in size 36 jeans and would like to see size 33/34 again(when I was thinnest).
7 pounds to go and 3 weeks to do it in. I imagine I could lose another 15 if I worked hard. But at 180lbs I was close to rail thing. My thinking is 200lbs for surgery, 190lbs after surgery and then that first week another 5-6lbs lost from recovery/lack of appetite the first week.
I am ready for the day to be here!
As of today May 1st I am 3 weeks away from the surgery on the 22nd. Currently at 205lbs. Thats 20 pounds dropped in 3 weeks so far.
My goal is 195-197lbs, I figure with a full stomach/water I will be 200lbs.(That may be overthinking things)
My doctor says I will lose about 8-9lbs of weight from the surgery, but I am expecting(and hoping) for a even 10.
The things I have gotten so far?
Percocet(prescribed by my doctor) and a couple different anti infection prescriptions as well as stool softener and vitamins.
Low Sodium Soup, Jams, Bread, Jelly, Tea
I will post a couple more pictures the day before the surgery just to see what 25lbs lighter looks like. I can currently fit in size 36 jeans and would like to see size 33/34 again(when I was thinnest).
7 pounds to go and 3 weeks to do it in. I imagine I could lose another 15 if I worked hard. But at 180lbs I was close to rail thing. My thinking is 200lbs for surgery, 190lbs after surgery and then that first week another 5-6lbs lost from recovery/lack of appetite the first week.
I am ready for the day to be here!
More good news.. I apparently need a root canal....
More good news.. I apparently need a root canal. And the pain is killing me. The dentist prescribed me antibiotic and pain killers to get rid of most of the infection before the root canal.
The past 2 nights I have been in the worst pain of my life(almost to the point of screaming) from this one little tooth. I have been burnt,cut, fallen 100 yards down a mountain(mountain biking), even 7 hour tattoo sessions yet no pain near this. 9/10 on pain scale.
Anyhow I am being bumped to stronger stuff and having that done tomorrow. An un expected $1000 is gone. However even worse is that the infection HAS to be gone by the time my surgery(2 weeks from now).
Fingers are crossed..
Im down to 200lbs finally. 195lbs is going to be very easily achievable since I am in so much pain I dont care about eating. I JUST WANT TO SLEEP!!
Anyhow I will update once I hit the 195lb mark, which should be shortly before surgery.
The past 2 nights I have been in the worst pain of my life(almost to the point of screaming) from this one little tooth. I have been burnt,cut, fallen 100 yards down a mountain(mountain biking), even 7 hour tattoo sessions yet no pain near this. 9/10 on pain scale.
Anyhow I am being bumped to stronger stuff and having that done tomorrow. An un expected $1000 is gone. However even worse is that the infection HAS to be gone by the time my surgery(2 weeks from now).
Fingers are crossed..
Im down to 200lbs finally. 195lbs is going to be very easily achievable since I am in so much pain I dont care about eating. I JUST WANT TO SLEEP!!
Anyhow I will update once I hit the 195lb mark, which should be shortly before surgery.
Pre Op pictures. I dont think I can get lower thank 200 :/
My operation is May 22nd. Today is May 18th.
I have dieted dieted and dieted some more. Exercise does nothing to help me lose weight but I did that to.(Thats more to help you keep it off than lose it.. kinda hard to tell you losing weight when you gain muscle)
So here are the pictures of me minus about 23 pounds. I got down to 200-203 pounds and its just not going lower. I did crash dieting for a week and still nothing so.. Who knows.
My PS said I didnt even need to diet unless I wanted to. But this makes me feel better. I still look like a monster(just look at all that fat/skin! uhg.. this is not who I am or who I want to be).
Im not worried about may 22nd at all, Im ready for it to be here. Im ready to be NORMAL again, something I have not been able to say about myself for 10 years.
I have dieted dieted and dieted some more. Exercise does nothing to help me lose weight but I did that to.(Thats more to help you keep it off than lose it.. kinda hard to tell you losing weight when you gain muscle)
So here are the pictures of me minus about 23 pounds. I got down to 200-203 pounds and its just not going lower. I did crash dieting for a week and still nothing so.. Who knows.
My PS said I didnt even need to diet unless I wanted to. But this makes me feel better. I still look like a monster(just look at all that fat/skin! uhg.. this is not who I am or who I want to be).
Im not worried about may 22nd at all, Im ready for it to be here. Im ready to be NORMAL again, something I have not been able to say about myself for 10 years.
Tomorrow is the day!
I went to sleep at 2:30 last night and got up at 5, drove the five hours to Maryland. Sat in my car for an hour since the hotel still had not gotten my room ready.
Why so little sleep? Because I know tonight if I am not passed out due to exhaustion, I will instead sit here and panic myself over the surgery.
I am very nervous but keep telling myself tons of people have this done every day and what a great doctor I went with.
I hope to have some pictures/update for you all tomorrow night or the following day. Im a stranger but any prayers/good thoughts sent my way are very welcome. Tomorrow is the big day, I am so glad its happening in the morning when I am still waking up and not getting myself nervous!!
Why so little sleep? Because I know tonight if I am not passed out due to exhaustion, I will instead sit here and panic myself over the surgery.
I am very nervous but keep telling myself tons of people have this done every day and what a great doctor I went with.
I hope to have some pictures/update for you all tomorrow night or the following day. Im a stranger but any prayers/good thoughts sent my way are very welcome. Tomorrow is the big day, I am so glad its happening in the morning when I am still waking up and not getting myself nervous!!
PO day 2 uhg
Surgery was yesterday at 7am. It went very well apparently. Removed 12lbs. Spent night at hospital. 6 out of 10 on pain scale.
Iv fluid made me get up to pee 5 times... hurt much but less each time.
I am hungry but due to compression garment I can hardly breath after eating even a smallllll meal.
Want to sleep but am having a hard time doing so...
Verrrry weak.. so sorry no pictures yet.. i can barely type this.
6 drains!
Iv fluid made me get up to pee 5 times... hurt much but less each time.
I am hungry but due to compression garment I can hardly breath after eating even a smallllll meal.
Want to sleep but am having a hard time doing so...
Verrrry weak.. so sorry no pictures yet.. i can barely type this.
6 drains!
Day 4 Post OP
I have been having ups and downs. Each day I get a little better as far as pain and mentally. But I can only sleep 2 hours at a time, I cant tell if im hungry, I pee a whole lot(Water is best.. I found vitamin water repulsed me.. dont know why).
Today I was almost well enough to pull myself out of bed without help but now I feel like im about to throw up and faint. Any position I lay in hurts..
My drains have about 40 CCs in each a day so lets say over 300CCs a day total.
My compression garment is very tight.. I just want to sleep on my sides, but cant.
I am swollen EVERYWHERE, my feet,butt,sides,legs,arms. Everywhere it seems..
I feel like im seasick right now which is why im all doom and gloom.
Sorry no pictures yet.. Just have not felt up to it and was told not to take binder off. Tuesday I should have some pics for yall as im going in for post op then.
Have not had to go #2 yet either even with lax and stool softener..
Not a good day.. Hopefully im not getting sick.
Today I was almost well enough to pull myself out of bed without help but now I feel like im about to throw up and faint. Any position I lay in hurts..
My drains have about 40 CCs in each a day so lets say over 300CCs a day total.
My compression garment is very tight.. I just want to sleep on my sides, but cant.
I am swollen EVERYWHERE, my feet,butt,sides,legs,arms. Everywhere it seems..
I feel like im seasick right now which is why im all doom and gloom.
Sorry no pictures yet.. Just have not felt up to it and was told not to take binder off. Tuesday I should have some pics for yall as im going in for post op then.
Have not had to go #2 yet either even with lax and stool softener..
Not a good day.. Hopefully im not getting sick.
Tec its post op day #4
Same deal today..
Feel greeat in AM then cold chills then kin sensations and soreness.
I managed to do half a BM. But I am so weak it is hard to uh.. push. Srry thats tmi.
I can walk faster(now half a snils pace) and stand a bit straighter.
I eat MANY small eals throughout the day.
Easier to stand and get back in bed but its still a struggle. Getting comfortable is the hardest.. i feel bad because my awesome gf is litteraly doing everything but wiping for me!!
Go through times of depression and lonliness even though gf is right next to me being a sweetie all day.
dOCS CALLED SEVERaL..oops caps
several times to make sure im ok.
Draining 150-250ccs a day now.
thanks for reading, hope this helps someone
i finally noticed I look thin!!!!
Feel greeat in AM then cold chills then kin sensations and soreness.
I managed to do half a BM. But I am so weak it is hard to uh.. push. Srry thats tmi.
I can walk faster(now half a snils pace) and stand a bit straighter.
I eat MANY small eals throughout the day.
Easier to stand and get back in bed but its still a struggle. Getting comfortable is the hardest.. i feel bad because my awesome gf is litteraly doing everything but wiping for me!!
Go through times of depression and lonliness even though gf is right next to me being a sweetie all day.
dOCS CALLED SEVERaL..oops caps
several times to make sure im ok.
Draining 150-250ccs a day now.
thanks for reading, hope this helps someone
i finally noticed I look thin!!!!
Day 5 post op.
Lost my appetite today?
Finally a full bm!! This may seem stupid, but after a surgery it really hurts/sick feeling.
My drains are 200 ml(cc) each day now(all 6 drains)
A couple are less than 10ml a day!
Today was a small improvement. I dont feel I could drive yet and getting dressed is a struggle. Still very hunched over and I have a lingering pinched nerve pain that goes away when walking but hurts my arm when laying(96% of day)
Cant sleep much. Pain is 4 out of 10.Mostly an annoyance.
Pictures tomorrow!!!
Finally a full bm!! This may seem stupid, but after a surgery it really hurts/sick feeling.
My drains are 200 ml(cc) each day now(all 6 drains)
A couple are less than 10ml a day!
Today was a small improvement. I dont feel I could drive yet and getting dressed is a struggle. Still very hunched over and I have a lingering pinched nerve pain that goes away when walking but hurts my arm when laying(96% of day)
Cant sleep much. Pain is 4 out of 10.Mostly an annoyance.
Pictures tomorrow!!!
Day 6 - Tubes Removed and pics
Went to the doctor this morning. He said I was doing fantastic and removed all but one drain in my stomach. He told me I could sleep on my side if I could handle pain THANK YOU
After he removed everything I was happy but not extatic.. I guess because I still had a small belly there and I had some weird fat pockets on my sides under armpits(see arrow in picture). However I was told this was almost all if not all swelling and would be gone from sight after 6 weeks-2 months and after that continue to shrink over the next year.
He also told me the pinch nerve feeling was from the compression garment and would also go away.
I had almost no bruising.. But these headaches,pressure in arm and after overdoing myself today I feel like crap. Not to mention I am still bent over as far as I can go, so I look like an old man or someone with major back issues..
Anyhow, viewing the pictures and getting over my shock, it appears he did a fantastic job!(as long as the belly and those bumps on side go away grr!!)
Of course I believe I am just being paranoid.. Im a thinker. EVERYTHING I do is calculated with chance or odds and never by what I really think myself. SO what do you think?
I DONT HAVE BOOBS ANYMORE AND I CAN SEE MY MAN PARTS!!!
Also my ass no longer looks like cottage cheese ville..
1-10 happy? 7
1-10 pain? today a 6
Been having a LOT of headaches that have sapped my spirit. Migraine headaches.
I believe in 6 weeks once swelling is gone and I am flat(I sure hope I am) I will look fantastic.
My nipples which I did not get pictures of are SMALL but purple lmao which is why no pictures. He told me this was normal and they will change color/feeling for months.
The drains coming out did NOT hurt.. But prepare yourself for a very very weird feeling and whatever you do.. Dont think "Giant Tape Worm" like I did :/
What do you think? I am happy.. but I will reserve my judgement for 6 weeks from now.
After he removed everything I was happy but not extatic.. I guess because I still had a small belly there and I had some weird fat pockets on my sides under armpits(see arrow in picture). However I was told this was almost all if not all swelling and would be gone from sight after 6 weeks-2 months and after that continue to shrink over the next year.
He also told me the pinch nerve feeling was from the compression garment and would also go away.
I had almost no bruising.. But these headaches,pressure in arm and after overdoing myself today I feel like crap. Not to mention I am still bent over as far as I can go, so I look like an old man or someone with major back issues..
Anyhow, viewing the pictures and getting over my shock, it appears he did a fantastic job!(as long as the belly and those bumps on side go away grr!!)
Of course I believe I am just being paranoid.. Im a thinker. EVERYTHING I do is calculated with chance or odds and never by what I really think myself. SO what do you think?
I DONT HAVE BOOBS ANYMORE AND I CAN SEE MY MAN PARTS!!!
Also my ass no longer looks like cottage cheese ville..
1-10 happy? 7
1-10 pain? today a 6
Been having a LOT of headaches that have sapped my spirit. Migraine headaches.
I believe in 6 weeks once swelling is gone and I am flat(I sure hope I am) I will look fantastic.
My nipples which I did not get pictures of are SMALL but purple lmao which is why no pictures. He told me this was normal and they will change color/feeling for months.
The drains coming out did NOT hurt.. But prepare yourself for a very very weird feeling and whatever you do.. Dont think "Giant Tape Worm" like I did :/
What do you think? I am happy.. but I will reserve my judgement for 6 weeks from now.
more pics
I will be posting more and better pics next week once I get the last drain removed. That will be on the 4th!
Sorry I just was not thinking today and the shock/excitement/happiness/pain were to much as is without removing those bandages a second time to shows everything!
Sorry I just was not thinking today and the shock/excitement/happiness/pain were to much as is without removing those bandages a second time to shows everything!
Day 7 update. Massive swelling but pain going down.
For the past 4 days I am getting 2-3 hours a sleep a night. Each time waking up with nightmares(of people getting cut up or just weird crap going on..) I also wake up with cold sweats and go from being hot to cold quite a bit.
However for the first day I am taking regular BMs! I am able to get out of bed by myself with small pain!! And in general the pain is a 1 out of 10 unless im moving then it can be a 4.
I am paranoid and still worried about my tummy.. I posted terrible pictures(blocked by those gauze taped on) but just above the insicion it overhangs.. if im sitting down its worse. Its as bad as the large things under my armpits I points out.. My doctor says its swelling and he got me VERY flat.. But im worried that even if its swelling that I will be left with a belly overhang/loose skin..
Is this normal? Anyone else goes through this?
I just dont see 6 weeks or even 3 months getting rid of the small overhang. I expected swelling but not fat wings under my armpits or a overhang of belly.. I see few other folks with post op pictures like that.
So thats what im worried about mostly. I feel very comfortable and I go through bouts of depression over this but I remind myself its normal.. I am still bent over but am slowly getting straighter and I estimate in 3 days I will be prepared to go to walmart/out to eat fresh foods.
My nipples are PURPLE and that scares the crap out of me. But the Doc says its totally normal.. Eek
Anyhow I will not update/spam my thoughts again until Tuesday when the last drain is removed. My doc is an artist and in my opinion the best in baltimore.. so if he says its normal then I need to accept it.
Thanks for all the kind comments, it really does help get me out of doom n gloom mode.. I hope these next 6 months are the road to being thin again. I will cheat tonight and have a thin crust small cheese pizza. I know thats wrong but I earned it.. I also had a crabcrake I earned but I am never in baltimore so.. When in rome eh?
However for the first day I am taking regular BMs! I am able to get out of bed by myself with small pain!! And in general the pain is a 1 out of 10 unless im moving then it can be a 4.
I am paranoid and still worried about my tummy.. I posted terrible pictures(blocked by those gauze taped on) but just above the insicion it overhangs.. if im sitting down its worse. Its as bad as the large things under my armpits I points out.. My doctor says its swelling and he got me VERY flat.. But im worried that even if its swelling that I will be left with a belly overhang/loose skin..
Is this normal? Anyone else goes through this?
I just dont see 6 weeks or even 3 months getting rid of the small overhang. I expected swelling but not fat wings under my armpits or a overhang of belly.. I see few other folks with post op pictures like that.
So thats what im worried about mostly. I feel very comfortable and I go through bouts of depression over this but I remind myself its normal.. I am still bent over but am slowly getting straighter and I estimate in 3 days I will be prepared to go to walmart/out to eat fresh foods.
My nipples are PURPLE and that scares the crap out of me. But the Doc says its totally normal.. Eek
Anyhow I will not update/spam my thoughts again until Tuesday when the last drain is removed. My doc is an artist and in my opinion the best in baltimore.. so if he says its normal then I need to accept it.
Thanks for all the kind comments, it really does help get me out of doom n gloom mode.. I hope these next 6 months are the road to being thin again. I will cheat tonight and have a thin crust small cheese pizza. I know thats wrong but I earned it.. I also had a crabcrake I earned but I am never in baltimore so.. When in rome eh?
Day 11
So I did not want to mention this as it freaked me out but..(ehhh) when they reduced then skin grafted my nipples they became purple and stiched and FREAKY to look at(ever seen a dead persons skin? picture that).
I was told dont worry the color will return eventually once the blood flow is going.
So finally the skin color is returning to them.. Parts of the nipple are falling/rubbing off though, like the skin is peeling which I guess is normal. Just sickening to think about.. SO if you ever have purple nipples after a body lift.. DONT WORRY haha
Past 2 nights I was capable of getting more than 6 hours of sleep so I am happy. I wake up very sore though so its not a "refreshed" feeling. Still waiting to sleep on my side as its still to painful due to swelling.
I am taking tylonol now for the pain which is really not that bad.. Pain can be a 4 out of 10 but is normally non existant unless its the end of the day and I have done a little walking.
Still bent over a little but I found this morning I was capable of almost standing 100% straight.
The "cuts" are healing well.. In another 3 days I should be able to get out of bed completely by myself. The struggle right now is just sitting up, once thats done its easy to get out of bed without help.(I guess from my abdnominal muscles being stitched?)
I will have photos for you all Tuesday.
I was told dont worry the color will return eventually once the blood flow is going.
So finally the skin color is returning to them.. Parts of the nipple are falling/rubbing off though, like the skin is peeling which I guess is normal. Just sickening to think about.. SO if you ever have purple nipples after a body lift.. DONT WORRY haha
Past 2 nights I was capable of getting more than 6 hours of sleep so I am happy. I wake up very sore though so its not a "refreshed" feeling. Still waiting to sleep on my side as its still to painful due to swelling.
I am taking tylonol now for the pain which is really not that bad.. Pain can be a 4 out of 10 but is normally non existant unless its the end of the day and I have done a little walking.
Still bent over a little but I found this morning I was capable of almost standing 100% straight.
The "cuts" are healing well.. In another 3 days I should be able to get out of bed completely by myself. The struggle right now is just sitting up, once thats done its easy to get out of bed without help.(I guess from my abdnominal muscles being stitched?)
I will have photos for you all Tuesday.
Post Op day 13
So for a couple days I was going through a bit of depression. I blame this totally on myself and sitting in a dark hotel room in pain on a bed 5 hours from home and letting my thoughts getting the worst of me.
Oddly the next day I was in an amazing mood(go figure.. feel like a woman on her time of month!!) and have been in a great mood ever since.
It may have been trying on clothes and they all fit! No more man boobs!!.. one more time. NO MORE MAN BOOBS.
I still have a little bit of a belly but its nothing compared with what I had left over from the massive weight loss. Once the swelling goes down(Today the PS told me my bat wings were almost all swelling and much of my stomach puff was aswell, however I would still have some remaining fat in the upper belly due to the surgery not reaching there). My plan is to stop the drastic dieting I have been doing but continue to eat healthy, maybe join a gym and turn it into something better.
I feel a lot better with myself and can say it was worth it. I wont really enjoy this until I get home and stop "hiding" inside.
Its a really terrible thing to constantly starve yourself and drop 200 pounds only to still hate yourself. I am glad thats over and will never starve myself again, its just not living.
The scars are healing well, the drain was down to 50cc's a day so he removed it.(That thing was over a foot long in me and is a odd feeling coming out). I used some A&D.
Very itchy.. Mostly from the compression garments im wearing.
I took some tylonol but at this point I dont need it as I feel nothing(just taking IN CASE). Its still hard to sleep on my side, my butt cheeks and sides still feel like sand bags from being swollen. Still get sore by end of every day. Im finally standing almost completely straight.
In 4 weeks the garment will come off and I will post again, hopefully by then most of the swelling will be gone. The PS said if I wanted to do anything else I need to wait at least a year as I am going to continue to improve between now and then. I go back to see him in december.
Im heading home now happily.
This was painful, not easy physically or mentally. But well worth it.
Heres some pics and I will update around the fourth of July. I was standing at an odd angle so my nipples do not look aligned but they are(lol)
Thanks for reading and the constant encouragement/kind words.
PS
Bat wings are quickly going away :)
Oddly the next day I was in an amazing mood(go figure.. feel like a woman on her time of month!!) and have been in a great mood ever since.
It may have been trying on clothes and they all fit! No more man boobs!!.. one more time. NO MORE MAN BOOBS.
I still have a little bit of a belly but its nothing compared with what I had left over from the massive weight loss. Once the swelling goes down(Today the PS told me my bat wings were almost all swelling and much of my stomach puff was aswell, however I would still have some remaining fat in the upper belly due to the surgery not reaching there). My plan is to stop the drastic dieting I have been doing but continue to eat healthy, maybe join a gym and turn it into something better.
I feel a lot better with myself and can say it was worth it. I wont really enjoy this until I get home and stop "hiding" inside.
Its a really terrible thing to constantly starve yourself and drop 200 pounds only to still hate yourself. I am glad thats over and will never starve myself again, its just not living.
The scars are healing well, the drain was down to 50cc's a day so he removed it.(That thing was over a foot long in me and is a odd feeling coming out). I used some A&D.
Very itchy.. Mostly from the compression garments im wearing.
I took some tylonol but at this point I dont need it as I feel nothing(just taking IN CASE). Its still hard to sleep on my side, my butt cheeks and sides still feel like sand bags from being swollen. Still get sore by end of every day. Im finally standing almost completely straight.
In 4 weeks the garment will come off and I will post again, hopefully by then most of the swelling will be gone. The PS said if I wanted to do anything else I need to wait at least a year as I am going to continue to improve between now and then. I go back to see him in december.
Im heading home now happily.
This was painful, not easy physically or mentally. But well worth it.
Heres some pics and I will update around the fourth of July. I was standing at an odd angle so my nipples do not look aligned but they are(lol)
Thanks for reading and the constant encouragement/kind words.
PS
Bat wings are quickly going away :)
gaining weight quickly
Should add that I went into surgery weighing just under 200lbs. 13 days PO I weigh 210lbs.
The PS removed 12lbs of skin..
It is phsically impossible for someone to gain 22lbs in 2 weeks. I have been eating very well(to much), but thats what I was instructed to do. "Eat until you are full, eat healthy things and dont deny yourself food, you dont want to diet while your body is trying to heal".
I asked the doc about the dramatic weight gain and he said it was mostly fluid/swelling that has built up and to not get on scale for another 4-5 weeks, and I still wont weigh what I actually would without any swelling.
So dont weigh yourselves.. Normally I would freak about a weight gain like that but its not my fault, its not fat and I look awesome in my Medium/Large shirts(ok well the mediums are a bit tight but still I FIT IN THEM!!)
The PS removed 12lbs of skin..
It is phsically impossible for someone to gain 22lbs in 2 weeks. I have been eating very well(to much), but thats what I was instructed to do. "Eat until you are full, eat healthy things and dont deny yourself food, you dont want to diet while your body is trying to heal".
I asked the doc about the dramatic weight gain and he said it was mostly fluid/swelling that has built up and to not get on scale for another 4-5 weeks, and I still wont weigh what I actually would without any swelling.
So dont weigh yourselves.. Normally I would freak about a weight gain like that but its not my fault, its not fat and I look awesome in my Medium/Large shirts(ok well the mediums are a bit tight but still I FIT IN THEM!!)
Good things
When I got on the scale 2 weeks after surgery and saw that I was 10lbs heavier than I was before surgery I was shocked.
My doctor said not to worry that it was swelling weight and would be mostly gone within 3-4 months.
Today is just shy of a month post op and I have dropped 10 pounds. Currently at my pre op weight and the swelling is finally noticeably going down. I do not notice being swollen/sore at end of day unlike most people.
I still can only fit in a size 36 pair of jeans but I am LOVING wearing just a tshirt and not having a belly overhang my jeans as I force myself to squeeze into them(at 180bs I was in size 33 jeans which is my goal).
Scars are healing great, sleeping on my side fine. Only real discomfort I have is in the morning when I wake up and its likely from our bed.(soft bed, cant stand em, maybe I should sleep on the floor?)
The "bat wings" are slowly going down.
Things are going great. On fourth of July I can both take off my compression garments and exercise/go swimming. At this rate I have been dropping 4lbs a week.
I do not have the appetite I did and I find myself making the right choices on food(lies I did gorge on sugar coated dates earlier). A body finally worth taking care of.
Will post pictures and an update on the 4th, by then maybe another 8-10 pounds down? Thanks for reading.
My doctor said not to worry that it was swelling weight and would be mostly gone within 3-4 months.
Today is just shy of a month post op and I have dropped 10 pounds. Currently at my pre op weight and the swelling is finally noticeably going down. I do not notice being swollen/sore at end of day unlike most people.
I still can only fit in a size 36 pair of jeans but I am LOVING wearing just a tshirt and not having a belly overhang my jeans as I force myself to squeeze into them(at 180bs I was in size 33 jeans which is my goal).
Scars are healing great, sleeping on my side fine. Only real discomfort I have is in the morning when I wake up and its likely from our bed.(soft bed, cant stand em, maybe I should sleep on the floor?)
The "bat wings" are slowly going down.
Things are going great. On fourth of July I can both take off my compression garments and exercise/go swimming. At this rate I have been dropping 4lbs a week.
I do not have the appetite I did and I find myself making the right choices on food(lies I did gorge on sugar coated dates earlier). A body finally worth taking care of.
Will post pictures and an update on the 4th, by then maybe another 8-10 pounds down? Thanks for reading.
At 195.
Currently at 195lbs. My goal(although I have no control over it) is 190lbs by July 3rd at which time I will be updating with week 6 post op pictures.
My goal weight is around 180lbs.
Pictures coming in less than a week!
My goal weight is around 180lbs.
Pictures coming in less than a week!
6 week post op
Last update until 3 month and 6 month marks.
I took my compression stuff off finally a few days ago. Yes I cut it short by 3 days.. I felt very odd for the first couple days and now starting to feel normal.
My scars are healing extremely well. Under the tape(what you are seeing in picture) they are thin and fading fast.
I am still swollen(areas with the most swelling I have arrows pointing to in one of the pictues) and still have those mini protruding areas of skin under either armpit but they have gone down 50% or more and I expect in another 2 months they will be gone.
Still extremely swollen on my upper ass, sides and stomach. My chest seems to be losing the swelling fast.
Stuck at 195-196lbs. I do not know if its because I gained 6-8 pounds or what.. But I am eating little and eating healthy, my activity level is up 200% so I am guessing it is just a lull in my swelling loss.
Anyhow, enjoy the pictures, I think so far it is going very well. In another 2 months I should be able to see what the final result will be.
My nipples are much better than they were,before they were bright purple then changed to red. Once again I am standing at a slant, I dont know why I do this but I never did before.
I apologize about the tape but its a real pain in the ass to replace and I did not want to take it off just for pictures.
Updating again in a month and a half with my 3 month results.
I took my compression stuff off finally a few days ago. Yes I cut it short by 3 days.. I felt very odd for the first couple days and now starting to feel normal.
My scars are healing extremely well. Under the tape(what you are seeing in picture) they are thin and fading fast.
I am still swollen(areas with the most swelling I have arrows pointing to in one of the pictues) and still have those mini protruding areas of skin under either armpit but they have gone down 50% or more and I expect in another 2 months they will be gone.
Still extremely swollen on my upper ass, sides and stomach. My chest seems to be losing the swelling fast.
Stuck at 195-196lbs. I do not know if its because I gained 6-8 pounds or what.. But I am eating little and eating healthy, my activity level is up 200% so I am guessing it is just a lull in my swelling loss.
Anyhow, enjoy the pictures, I think so far it is going very well. In another 2 months I should be able to see what the final result will be.
My nipples are much better than they were,before they were bright purple then changed to red. Once again I am standing at a slant, I dont know why I do this but I never did before.
I apologize about the tape but its a real pain in the ass to replace and I did not want to take it off just for pictures.
Updating again in a month and a half with my 3 month results.
3 month Post Op pictures. Likely my last update.
Its been 3 months but it feels like 6 since I had the surgery done. Wow did I really type all that up? Congrats to anyone who read through all the above.
Swelling has gone down quite a bit. I have been going to a gym 3-5 times a week for generally an hour to an hour and a half a day. I jog about 4 miles each time I go and do weight lifting, however it hurts to run still. My upper butt stiffens up and the "scar" area starts to tingle heat up and sting so I must fast walk for now.
The swelling has gone down considerably and I hope it continues to go down. The "bumps" on my side seem to be going down but I will consider ANY left there as unacceptable(they just look weird).
Nipples have healed wonderfully.
I went swimming for the first time without my shirt on in about 13 years, granted it was around family but if anyone asks I got in a terrible car wreck and had major surgery heh.(who wants to admit they used to be a fatty and had surgery for leftover skin?). Maybe a shark attack or something.. Something interesting as the story for the scars until they start to fade.
Scars have stayed about the same, not really fading any further.
I hope with my new life style(I eat much less), my continued efforts at the gym and the continue of swelling loss, that I will be even thinner by years end. I am currently holding steady at 195-197lbs. I would like to get down to my idea weight of 180lbs before mid October.
This will likely be my last update on here.
In the end this was worth it, 100%. And was likely one of the best choices I have made so far in my life. You cant really put a price on freedom, and I havnt for a single second regretted the price I paid, in either losing the weight or monetary, for having this done.
Going to see my Doctor again in december for a check up. Its a 5 hour drive, but he did such a wonderful job I owe that much to him to drive up for some "after" pictures since he already has the before.
Thanks for reading!
Swelling has gone down quite a bit. I have been going to a gym 3-5 times a week for generally an hour to an hour and a half a day. I jog about 4 miles each time I go and do weight lifting, however it hurts to run still. My upper butt stiffens up and the "scar" area starts to tingle heat up and sting so I must fast walk for now.
The swelling has gone down considerably and I hope it continues to go down. The "bumps" on my side seem to be going down but I will consider ANY left there as unacceptable(they just look weird).
Nipples have healed wonderfully.
I went swimming for the first time without my shirt on in about 13 years, granted it was around family but if anyone asks I got in a terrible car wreck and had major surgery heh.(who wants to admit they used to be a fatty and had surgery for leftover skin?). Maybe a shark attack or something.. Something interesting as the story for the scars until they start to fade.
Scars have stayed about the same, not really fading any further.
I hope with my new life style(I eat much less), my continued efforts at the gym and the continue of swelling loss, that I will be even thinner by years end. I am currently holding steady at 195-197lbs. I would like to get down to my idea weight of 180lbs before mid October.
This will likely be my last update on here.
In the end this was worth it, 100%. And was likely one of the best choices I have made so far in my life. You cant really put a price on freedom, and I havnt for a single second regretted the price I paid, in either losing the weight or monetary, for having this done.
Going to see my Doctor again in december for a check up. Its a 5 hour drive, but he did such a wonderful job I owe that much to him to drive up for some "after" pictures since he already has the before.
Thanks for reading!
Took the time to call me the same day and genuinely seems to cared about what I want.
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