Hello all, I am cha, of course. I am a 30 yr old mother of 5 stair steppers!! They are 7, 6, 4, 4, and 1. As you can already guess, I have a lot of excess skin hanging around from all of my pgs. I went from a whopping 228lbs at 4'11 to a leaner 145lbs. Losing all of that weight has really helped me feel better about myself, but it has bad side effects. My skin. It's everywhere!! Hanging all over my legs, arms, thighs, and especially my tummy!!! I can lay on the floor and pull my tummy out about 8 inches!! My kids call it floam!! If anyone knows what that is, you can imagine how bad I feel when they call it floam!! My one yr old loves to play with it like play dough!! I am very disgusted by my skin. Makes me feel yucky on the outside. I mean, I have gotten much much smaller in clothes sizes. But that, to me hasnt made much of a difference. I can still see whats underneath the clothes, and it so gross!! So, last yr, I told myself I was going to make an appointment for a consultation with a plastic surgeon. Had it all ready to go too. But I scheduled the appt. for March. Well, by Feb. I had already talked myself out of it from fear. So, I cancelled the appt. Then for the last few months, I have beating myself up about chickening out. So, once again, I called and made another appt. Only this time, I put my down payment for it, so that would help me want to keep the appt. The appt. is scheduled for April 28th!!!!! I am so scared!!! I dont even know what to think about it. Totally mixed emotions!! I am freaking out!!! I was wondering if anyone else has had this type of experience??? How do I get myself through this?? I havent told anyone about it because thats what screwed me up the first time. They all gave me horror stories bout death and bad surgeries, so I chickened out. But going through this alone is killing me now!! I have no one to relate to or talk to about it. I want very badly to do it this time, but I am so scared. Please, can anyone give me some advice or a good ending story that will help me get through this?? I have been poking around here, but sadly, I am also new at computers too!! I dont know where to look or what to click on to find the answeres I am seeking. Please, can anyone help me??? Thanks!
I wish I could help you with plastic surgery questions, but I'm not to that point yet. There are some women on the this site though who have had successful skin removal surgeries. I went to the maintainters forum at this site and found this post for you. I think it should be helpful.
cha - i read your post several times, and i could picture you sitting in front of me, drinking tea and waving your hands in a panic!!!! read the thread that the divine chickadeedeedear, and BREATHE. take this one step at a time.
there are ALWAYS horror stories. and tehre are ALWAYS success stories. your task is to talk to your doctor - maybe even a second or third opinion - ask ALL the questions you can think of - write them down before you go in - write the answers down in the doc's office.
talk about your own risk, your own medical conditions, and weigh all the information carefully. do your research. talk it over with people you trust - even around here!
just take your time - ya gotta be comfortable with your decision, whatever it may be.
there are always horror stories to everything it seems,,,and some of those are just one ups, think about the time when you were first pregnant,,,didn't everyone around you have to tell you their story?
Thanks so much for the kind words, as well as the link!! It has been a very long journey for me. I started my diet in Aug. 2004. I actually got down to 138 lbs at one point, but it has come back since then. It took me about 3 months to go from 138 to 145 though. So, I am not too concerned with te slight gain. I know I will be able to take it back off. After all, I came this far!! That was a wonderful couple of stories about surgery. I am glad you helped me out. I made a list of questions, about a week ago, to ask the doctor. Plus, I plan to put more questions on it, then print it out before the big day. I know all of you may consider the "big day" the actual surgery, but for me, it is just getting to the consult!! hehehehe My main concern is this......I am a smoker. And I have heard as well as read so many bad things about smokers and recovery!! I plan to quit smoking 2 weeks before the actual sugery date, if I go through with it. But will that be enough? I have smoked for so many yrs. Maybe quitting now will not be good enough for the healing process. There's a gal here in my town that had her breasts done. And she smokes. I dont know if she quit or not, but her new breasts are lovely!! No scarring, no bruises, nothing!! But then I have seen other pics. of bad bruising and dead tissue from smokers after surgery. UGH!! Keep telling myself that the bad wont happen to me, but what if it does??? Then I will spend all that money for nothing!! Maybe I am just thinking too ard. Is anyone here a smoker, and had the surgery???
cha - darlin - honey - sweetheart. there's no easy way to say this, so i'll just come right out and hit you over the head with it!
STOP SMOKING NOW!!!!
two weeks won't be enough for you to detox. smoking interferes with healing, and, as you've seen, some people will heal better than others regardless of the smoking. frankly, though, there are just so many OTHER reasons to stop, including the $$$!!!!
Ummmm Okie dokie here it is........I TRIED!!! Oh golly I tried, yesterday even!! I went almost 37 minutes without a smoke. Almost!! I went into a frenzy at 36 min. and grabbed a smoke!! Yup yup, gonna be VERY hard to quit!! I think ya'll are right, gonna need a patch or some gum, or BOTH!!! Jinkies shaggy!! This will take more will power than my diet as taken!! UGH!! :-(
cha - congratulations! i'm so proud of you for taking this major huge big step!! please be kind to yourself. you've got a physical addiction going here, and you'll need all the help you can get to stop this cycle, WITHOUT TURNING TO FOOD!
if you think group support would help, go find some. online support? there are support groups online. buddy system? you can find someone. professional help? your doc will be only too happy to recommend someone or some system.
one step at a time, sometimes it's a minute-by-minute thing... but you can do this. you can TOTALLY do this.
Thanks a bunch jiffy!!!! OMG 15 days to go!!!!!! I am so freakin out!!! I know it is only a consult but man oh man am I freakin out!!! The thought of being so close to an actual surgery date!!! Geez!!!!!Not to mention getting totally naked for a man that is not my hubby!!! UGH!!! I am a very healthy person, other than my smoking. And I have never had any broken bones, or been in the hospital for anything other than having babies!!! My one and only surgery ever done on me was the tubal I had after my son was born. Nervesssssssss, oh my the nerves!!!! What if he tells me I dont qualify??? I mean, like I said, Im very healthy, but what if he thinks Im not?? OMG!!!!! I cant do this!!!! Im gonna have a nervous break down!!! Its been 28 min. since my last cigarette. Tryin ta push for 28 more min. but I am weak!! DAHHHH!!! So many "what ifs", I dunno if I am gonna make it to the 28th!!!!
Hi, Im new
