I know I've been pretty scarce around these parts...there have been a plethora of reasons but the main one is pretty major...I have been thinking of the proper way to say this to you all but I'm just going to come right out and say it.
On Monday, 10 February, after thinking about it for months, I had liposuction of my thighs, hips and flanks...I wanted to have a tummy tuck as well but finances kept me from having both procedures.
Most of you know my history (for those who don't, just check my website and read my past posts here at 3FC) and know that this has been a lifelong journey for me. Bottom line is that even when I was on a comp diet last year (Camp Pam B) I still had pockets of fat on my thighs and hips. Y'all probably know this but fat cells - once they develop - are there to stay unless you have 'em sucked out. Last year when I went to a personal trainer and she tried to take my bodyfat percentage, she had a tough time getting a read on me - because (according to her) I had too much loose skin on my tummy (the 'pooch'). The plastic surgeon I went to for consult (as I stated at L&S) and who did the actual surgery, I trust implicitly - she is a Board-certified, Harvard and Stanford-trained surgeon with over 15 years of experience in plastic surgery. She also did my mother's breast reconstruction as well as my sister's breast lift five years ago - and my sister has NO visible scars now and is still quite happy with her results.
I really started thinking about this during the thread that started last summer here called "Questions about extra skin" (you can find it at http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/show...ght=Loose+Skin ).
Anyway, my doctor told me that those pockets of fat on my thighs - saddlebags and just over the knees, etc - might get smaller with diet and exercise but would never go away. I've also done quite a lot of research on my own of course - since I had never had "real" surgery before I wanted to make sure I was doing the right thing and understood everything that I was getting into.
So for now, I'm not training - just resting and eating as healthy as I can. As soon as my doctor gives me the OK, I'm going to start my program again - I'm considering just doing a 12-week by the book BFL cycle just to get back in the swing of things. Surprisingly, I have felt very little pain - nothing that a Vicodin couldn't handle The worst thing about this has been having to sleep on my back (I'm a side and tummy sleeper!) and sitting on the toilet. Oh, and no horseback riding! But most of the horses are in Scottsdale for the big Arabian Horse Show anyway (and doing quite well according to the results). Oh, and I do miss the gym but my legs are still pretty bruised but I can see them getting better looking each day
I do want to say this: Plastic surgery is not a way to lose weight - and I would recommend that you get to your goal weight (or as close as you possibly can) and STAY at that weight for awhile before you consider having any kind of plastic surgery. Also, something I've learned over the past year - not everyone is going to have results like Pam B's. In fact, my surgeon says that she is VERY much the exception to the rule - most people who have lost a great deal of fat - especially if they've been battling fat most of their lives like I have - are going to have loose skin and deposits of fat cells.
On the Success forum, Meg (who had a lower body lift - which my surgeon said was not necessary in my case) wrote:
Quote:
I saw a plastic surgeon last September, who told me that what I thought was stubborn celluite was really just "an enormous amount" of skin that would not go away on its own, regardless of how long I waited. The consensus seems to be that the degree to which skin will tighten up after massive weight loss (that's what they call us) depends on 1. your age, 2. your genes 3. how much you have lost, and 4. how long you were overweight (recent obesity vs. lifelong). It is an individual thing and time will tell for you.
(oh the above thread is at: http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/show...threadid=24374 )I saw a plastic surgeon last September, who told me that what I thought was stubborn celluite was really just "an enormous amount" of skin that would not go away on its own, regardless of how long I waited. The consensus seems to be that the degree to which skin will tighten up after massive weight loss (that's what they call us) depends on 1. your age, 2. your genes 3. how much you have lost, and 4. how long you were overweight (recent obesity vs. lifelong). It is an individual thing and time will tell for you.
Whew! I just wrote a book didn't I?
I'll check in a bit later - need to catch up on some posts...and have something to eat...feed the kitties...