stressing over a tummy tuck
 

this morning i had a consultation with a laser lipo center and to my surprise, i was told the excess 'fat' hanging from my arms, thighs and stomach wasn't fat at all, but excess skin. that's relieving in a way because i've been working myself sick to get rid of the excess to no avail
but she informed me that the only other option was a tummy tuck. i've been trying to avoid surgery as i find it incredibly scary - i never go to the doctor's for anything, so even the simplest things like having blood drawn or a physical is enough for me to lose sleep over

all in all i'd need to have my thighs, upper arms and stomach done and i'm really upset and scared. i absolutely can't avoid it anymore because it's time i move on and start enjoying life again but i'm scared and it feels selfish in a way because this sort of thing is "optional"

i've yet to call the referral for a consultation, and the sooner the better, but i'm just so scared and the idea of looking up reviews and stories just seems counter productive. as curious as i am, the negative reactions and horror stories are just going to make me feel worse even if it's important to understand every facet of the surgery...

do any of you ladies have positive experiences to share? i'd love to hear 'em...

Look at RonisWeigh blog. It might be renamed JustRoni. She had a tummy tuck. She has photos and posts about it. She actually had it redone, I think.
You don't have to have it all done. A good doctor won't try to rush you into anything, and the thigh and arm surgeries are tough to recover from and leave a lot of scarring.

Hard work pays off
 

It is a wonderful thing to hear that you are not fat any more. It feels soo good to have a MD tell you that your hanging skin is not fat. I know how you feel. I worked my butt off to lose my arms and to flatten my tummy. I had a tummy tuck, Breast Aug with a lift, arm tuck, and lipo on my lower back. I was lucky to have found a good MD. It was the best thing i have ever done. The only complication i ever had was constipation. You work every hard to lose the weight therefore you should feel good about yourself. So, if you can aford it... do it. Do your reach before you do it.
Good luck

I haven't had a tummy tuck but I certainly would if I didn't have other health issues.

I had a full 360 circumferential body lift done in April. Other then losing the weight, it is the best thing that I have ever done - totally life changing.

I documented it almost day by day in my blog - jenhudsonmosher.blogspot.com.

There is pain, but it wasn't nearly as bad as I anticipated. I was walking on the treadmill 5 days post-surgery. I am now 11 weeks out and almost completely back to normal. I'm running, lifting weights, no restrictions.

My thighs really need lifting and my arms aren't great, but those are more cosmetic whereas the stomach actually interfered in my life.

Please read my blog and feel free to ask me any questions!!

I have loose skin in the same places- arms, thighs, stomach. I feel lucky that it is minor enough not to interfere with life. I won't be wearing a bikini any time soon, but I'm alright with that.

I decided to go the self-acceptance route rather than the surgery route. I'm sure I'd feel differently if the loose skin actually interfered with my life, but I am opposed to cosmetic surgery for myself. Not willing to risk my life, spend that kind of money, and suffer that kind of pain in the name of vanity. I'm healthy, I feel sexy with my boyfriend, and beyond that, I'm not going to spend any more time worrying about it.

Nobody *has* to have cosmetic surgery, so don't let anyone pressure you into something you aren't comfortable doing.

I am in the same boat as you. I didn't go to a center, but my ob/gyn and my family doctor both said I need to have surgery if I want to get rid of it. I'm going to be sterilized before I seek a referral for it, but I've been so torn of trying to decide if and when I want to do it. I took pictures of my stomach yesterday morning and that has pretty much made my decision for me. It's absolutley repulsive to me. I am 135 at 5'4" and I have a fat roll even when standing. I tuck my apron into my underwear or bathing suit, but it's just gross!

If I could afford it, I would have tummy tuck, flabby arm surgery and breast reduction.

Don't let anyone coerce you into having anything done (or not). Do your homework, visit more than one doctor (I had 5 consults for a tummy tuck). After serious weight training for the last 16 months, I have tightened my arms considerably, as well as my upper abs. My butt is getting there, my legs are growing but the skin hangs and my tummy is a train wreck. I have decided to get the TT and have it scheduled or 10/4. I have tried to accommodate it,get used to it and "live with it." My NEW BF is fine with it-I am not and really, it's only YOUR opinion that matters. Wait until you have lost all you weight as I have seen some women get it with 40-50 lbs to go and honestly, the end result is not the best. If you have worked that hard to lose weight and work out hard, then for me anyway, I think one would want the best possible result given the $$, pain and recovery involved. Good Luck!

I had a tummy tuck in 2004 after loosing almost 60 lbs. I would do it all over again in a minute. Even thought I have gained weight back, my tummy stays flat. It is a long road to recovery, but they also suture your abdominal muscles. I got a perk with my surgery. I had an old tattoo removed that was laden with stretch marks and my belly button is cuter. The only downfall......you do loose some sensation in your lower abdomen, just as you do with a c-section. Good luck with your decision.

I am not there yet, but my current plan is to wait a year or two at maintenance to see how much my skin rebounds on its own first before deciding. That is how long it can take from the doctors I have heard from.

Unless my skin rebounds miraculously I will probably be looking at getting a tummy tuck and arms along with a boob job (i want to go a tad bigger and take care of sagginess)

As other say take your time and talk to many different surgeons. And DO NOT let any doctors pressure you into anything you are not 110% sure you want. If they are even trying then they are more concerned with their fee then your comfort and that is a BAD sign