Lost 280 pounds-time to remove excess skin!

Hi Everyone I have been on Realself for the past 2 years looking at all the various people who have had excess skin removal surgeries. I have yet to see anyone who has done as much damage to their body as I have to mine. I have include before and after weight loss plus all the before and after plastic surgery pictures. I am sure just a description would not be enough to truly understand how bad my body looks without clothing. I am ashamed and embarrassed to post these pictures but if it helps just one person, it will be worth it. They say a picture speaks a thousand words. Here is a bit about my life and how I got to the point I am at in my life.

I was 34 years old when I was injuried by a drunk young man who used my back to stop them from falling over a tent stake. He had been running like a bat out of hell and used both his hands to stop himself from falling. I went over the top of the metal chair I had been carrying. I had gone to a band competition and chili cookoff in a community park and we needed to bring our own chairs. I didn't feel any pain at the time but on the drive home I was in a lot of pain and my friend took me to her chiropractor. Turns out this drunk man caused me to have 4 herniated disc, and spinal stenosis. During all these testings it was discovered I also had a birth defect of only half a right hip bone.

Over the next 4 years the Doctors tried all sorts of treatments but nothing worked. I was miserable and couldn't do the activities I loved to do like: ball room and belly dancing, bowling, miniature golf and volleyball. Due to the medicines and depression I gained all the way up to 497 pounds. At that time I could hardly get myself out of bed much less walk. With in less than 5 minutes I had horrible back pain, which took my breath away and caused tears to stream down my face. It took four year but finally when I was 38 years old the Doctors and I convinced my insurance to pay for an electric mobility device.

I am now 61 years old and still have to use the mobility device to go shopping. If I can park close enough to the front door, I am finally able to walk with a cane into the Doctors offices or a restaurant.
In 2005 I weighed 497 and over the next 11 years I managed on my own through diet and exercise to get down to 315. Once I got to that weight I was approved and had a gastric sleeve as well as my gallbladder removed and a hernia repaired on Jan 26 2016.

At my highest weight my breast band measured a 70 and I wear an I cup. Thank God my Mother taught me how to sew as I couldn't find a 70 I bra so I would buy 2 Magic Lift Plus® Front Hook Posture Bra by Glamorise size 58 I and cut 6 inches out of each side of the second bra and sew it into the first bra. I would take two 5X blouses and cut out about 10 inches on each side of one and sew it into the other 5X blouse to make it into a 10X. Thank Goodness I was able to fit into 5X pants and didn't need to add an additional material to them. So now you see how huge.

However over the past year I have managed to get down to 217. That is a total loss of 280 pounds from my highest weight. I am still not to my goal weight of 180 but the Plastic Surgeon said I am low enough now that I can have a breast reduction with free nipple graft. It is hoped that this reduction will help my back pain and all the other pains associated with having all this excess skin hanging. This is just 1 of the 4 surgeries I need to have done. Insurance is paying for this one and I hopefully all the others as well.

My surgery is scheduled for June 26th. I was suppose to have this surgery in March but the mammogram and ultrasounds showed that I had microcalcification and had to have a biopsy done. Thank the Lord the biopsy was benign. My next posting will probably be the day of or after the breast reduction. My surgery is scheduled to start at 1: 30 and I will have two Doctors from the Plastic surgery staff. Both of these Doctors have done numerous weight loss excess skin removal surgeries. I
I am excited and really looking forward to having all the surgeries so I can be the one I have dreamed to be.

Went for the one week follow up. Dr took off the nipple bandages and said nipple graft looked good and the other incisions looked good too. As he was removing the bandages I had some sensation in the nipple area and he said this was good. He was very gentle and explained everything was going well and what I needed to do over the next week. Now I need to use the cream, petroleum bandage, gauze and tape each day and back into the surgical bra. I tried to take pictures myself during the followup exam but they weren't good. I feel good but had some pain during the week and was taking meds 4 times a day. Also had terrible itching but no redness and rash. Used itch cream and pills and iced the upper chest 3 or 4 times this week.
Started reducing pain and anti itch pills to 2 times a day. Took some measurements tonight. Despite the swelling I believe I will turn out to be a B cup, the band now is 46. I am still swollen and have 34 pounds till I get to my goal weight. But I see a huge difference from what I was at my highest weight and I like what I see. Unfortunately now my tummy and excess skin there is showing more because the boobs are gone. The Dr said tummy would be the next surgery we will try to get approved when I am closer to goal.
Today's trip to and from the Dr plus the trip to the drugstore was for about 3 hours and I fell asleep for about 4 hours after I got home. My community is having a 4th of July celebration tomorrow and I am feeling well enough to attend. I will go for about 2 hours as I don't feel any need for longer than that. My next appointment is scheduled July 10th.

Got about 3 or 4 of the blue stitches removed from each breast today. Not really sure where the blue stitches were as I do not look as the nurse is removing them. One of the right ones was in pretty deep as it hurt a little bit coming out but nothing major. I think the rest of the stitches are the dissolvable kind. Was finally given the go ahead to shower and wash my hair. Just need to be sure to avoid a hard spray and not directly on the breasts. It will be great to finally be able to wash this grease head of mine.
I finally got to ask Dr P about the surgery and who did what. He said he did the nipple removal first than the cuttings and pulling and reattached the nipples. Dr N did all the stitching. They started with my right side first. I did comment that the left side had more under arm pain and swelling and was causing me more pain than the right one. I found that to be odd as my right boob was bigger. They did have some issues with getting under the armpit because of all the excess skin on my arms so I think the cutting there was difficult. Considering all they were faced with I feel they did a great job. I was a very difficult case and the FNG is hardly done any more but in my case he had to do it. Still need to keep icing down that left side and taking the tylenol when I am hurting too much. This healing process is going to take time as a huge amount of skin was taken off and I have a lot of healing to do. The left nipple is healing but has a vertical cave in a bit. The right nipple is flush no cave in. Still need to cleanse each one with the cream and the dressings and report back to the Doctor next Monday for the 5th follow up. Some days I feel better than others. Yesterday was a good day but today I am sore, tired and just not feeling that well. I thought I was going to take that shower and wash my hair but not sure if I am physically able to do so.

As for the 4th of July celebration in our community, I didn't go. When 4:00 pm came around I was just too tired and sore to go. Glad I didn't as my roommate said the clubhouse was crowded and very hot. He did bring me back a small plate of food and dessert. I haven't gone anywhere this week but now that I am allowed to shower and wash my hair I would like to go play my usual cards with the ladies on Wednesday night provided I am not tired.

I had several ladies from the community visiting me and everyone is surprised by how much smaller my boobs look. The thing that is bothering me most now is my tummy. That is the next procedure to be done once I am fully recovered and if insurance approves it. I am assuming this may be done sometime in the Fall. Right now I am pretty self-conscious that my tummy is bigger than my boobs and even though my tops are still very big, my tummy excess skin is noticeable to me. I know once all that excess skin is off I will feel and look so much better. However will still have 2 more surgeries to go. I will be staying with these Doctors as they specialize in excess skin removal from weight loss and I am happy with the results and the way they are caring for me.

Next appointment is July 17th. I also need to get some blood work done this week as on the 31st I have to report back to the Weight Loss Surgeon for my 1 1/2 year follow up. I sure hope he will notice the change in my top half and will understand that due to this surgery I haven't been able to exercise much thus resulting in me not getting to goal yet. But I am closer than I was in January and I will get there. Maybe not on his time schedule, but getting these boobs done was very important to me. I know in the long run it will help me to be able to better exercise and do more physical things. Hope everyone reading this has a great week. Will update again after the 17th.