Hey there...

[Guest guest]

I'm new to this group and I am flirting with the idea of surgery. The

reason I say flirting is because it scares me. I have a ton of

questions and don't know who to ask. What are the risks? Will my skin

sag badly and will I look worse than I do now? Does tons of exercise

after the surgery help with the sagging? How long was it between

asking for the surgery and actually having it done? See...I have a

ton. Does anyone regret having it? I guess that is my main question.

Need help here in Modesto. I have tried everything and now I'm

thinking of approaching my doctor with this...

[Guest guest]

Hi there,

First off, what's your name? All I know now is " natralblond " and I'm

afraid you'll have to prove it before I call you that! ; )

Regarding your concerns about surgery...you're not alone. Most

everyone has questions and concerns. I am still a pre-op...vainly

working on my 10%. But there are folks at all stages in here. It

will help you to go to a support group - as well as hang out here.

Look at the Calendar to find one open near you.

Skin sag is something we all have to deal with to a certain extent.

Where is sags and how much is up to each individual and is determined

by how much weight is lost, how much exercising is done and how

elastic your skin is. Each case is unique. I went to the Elk Grove

support Group meeting last night and there is a postie there with

flaps on her upper arms. She can still flap them and laugh at this

point because the rest of her feels so good she doesn't care.

Speaking for myself, I resisted at first because I didn't want to look

like a California Raisin. I finally decided that a living raisin is

better than a dead chubby faced dreamboat! : )

Timeline between when you start and when you are operated in depends

on two things: you and how many other patients are being processed.

They won't operate untill you lose 10% of your weight...so that is the

largest of the many hurdles you will have to jump over to make it to

surgery. Then it depends on how many other patients complete their

hurdle jumping at the same time as you...basically it seems like a

year for most people...some as few as 10 months others I have heard

weel over a year.

At my meeting there was a woman last night - 10 months post-op - who

regretted having surgery for the first three months afterwards. Now

she is very happy. She can cross her legs for the first time in such

a long time, and she did a little country line dancing at the Fair

this year. This coming from a woman who spent the last 15 years

driving around in an electric scooter, or using a walker.

That's one of the lovely things about this process...the little things

that you don't even think about now...all of a sudden pop up

afterwards and let you know it was the right thing to do. I have seen

enough happy faces to know this is a good thing. There was another

postie last night who was afraid of the surgery. She had kept

sabotaging her weight loss so she wouldn't have to face getting cut

open. She finally made it...and is happy she did.

One thing about your doctor...do your research beforehand. When I

first broached the subject with mine...he brushed me off. He is a

skinny twig and I figured he was against it. I came back a year later

and had more information and he was all for it. When I questioned him

bout his change of attitude he said it was because when I asked the

first time, I was unsure and unaware. He didn't want to be my

deciding factor. The second time, I was sure AND aware of more (but

still not all) of the consequences. So it reccomended me and now it

is all up to me.

We have a lot of information in here. Look to members, and the files

section for information. Also, try the following websites:

www.obesityhelp.com

www.vitalady.com

www.bariatricadvantage.com

Hope this helps you...

> I'm new to this group and I am flirting with the idea of surgery.

The

> reason I say flirting is because it scares me. I have a ton of

> questions and don't know who to ask. What are the risks? Will my

skin

> sag badly and will I look worse than I do now? Does tons of exercise

> after the surgery help with the sagging? How long was it between

> asking for the surgery and actually having it done? See...I have a

> ton. Does anyone regret having it? I guess that is my main question.

> Need help here in Modesto. I have tried everything and now I'm

> thinking of approaching my doctor with this...

[Guest guest]

Thank you so much for your response. By the way, my name is Tabitha. Please to meet you ... wrote:

Hi there,First off, what's your name? All I know now is "natralblond" and I'm afraid you'll have to prove it before I call you that! ; )Regarding your concerns about surgery...you're not alone. Most everyone has questions and concerns. I am still a pre-op...vainly working on my 10%. But there are folks at all stages in here. It will help you to go to a support group - as well as hang out here. Look at the Calendar to find one open near you.Skin sag is something we all have to deal with to a certain extent. Where is sags and how much is up to each individual and is determined by how much weight is lost, how much exercising is done and how elastic your skin is. Each case is unique. I went to the Elk Grove support Group meeting last night and there is a postie

there with flaps on her upper arms. She can still flap them and laugh at this point because the rest of her feels so good she doesn't care. Speaking for myself, I resisted at first because I didn't want to look like a California Raisin. I finally decided that a living raisin is better than a dead chubby faced dreamboat! : )Timeline between when you start and when you are operated in depends on two things: you and how many other patients are being processed. They won't operate untill you lose 10% of your weight...so that is the largest of the many hurdles you will have to jump over to make it to surgery. Then it depends on how many other patients complete their hurdle jumping at the same time as you...basically it seems like a year for most people...some as few as 10 months others I have heard weel over a year.At my meeting there was a woman last night - 10 months post-op - who regretted

having surgery for the first three months afterwards. Now she is very happy. She can cross her legs for the first time in such a long time, and she did a little country line dancing at the Fair this year. This coming from a woman who spent the last 15 years driving around in an electric scooter, or using a walker. That's one of the lovely things about this process...the little things that you don't even think about now...all of a sudden pop up afterwards and let you know it was the right thing to do. I have seen enough happy faces to know this is a good thing. There was another postie last night who was afraid of the surgery. She had kept sabotaging her weight loss so she wouldn't have to face getting cut open. She finally made it...and is happy she did.One thing about your doctor...do your research beforehand. When I first broached the subject with mine...he brushed me

off. He is a skinny twig and I figured he was against it. I came back a year later and had more information and he was all for it. When I questioned him bout his change of attitude he said it was because when I asked the first time, I was unsure and unaware. He didn't want to be my deciding factor. The second time, I was sure AND aware of more (but still not all) of the consequences. So it reccomended me and now it is all up to me.We have a lot of information in here. Look to members, and the files section for information. Also, try the following websites:www.obesityhelp.comwww.vitalady.comwww.bariatricadvantage.comHope this helps you... > I'm new to this group and I am flirting with the idea of surgery. The

> reason I say flirting is because it scares me. I have a ton of > questions and don't know who to ask. What are the risks? Will my skin > sag badly and will I look worse than I do now? Does tons of exercise > after the surgery help with the sagging? How long was it between > asking for the surgery and actually having it done? See...I have a > ton. Does anyone regret having it? I guess that is my main question. > Need help here in Modesto. I have tried everything and now I'm > thinking of approaching my doctor with this...