More Poop Talk

[CaraOC]

I am 4 weeks post op and introducing new foods one at a time. I'm sticking to all proteins for a bit after my painful cauliflower incident. So far my pooping pattern has evolved into a morning thing only. Usually after a cup of tea I may make 2-3 trips and it starts out copious amounts of yellow fluffyish and by the third trip more liquid in nature. ( am I seriously having this conversation publicly?). Today it's been a longer drawn out ritual and in between bouts I've had horrific cramps requiring a lay down to regroup with my heating pad. Just wondering if this was common or if anyone had tips on speeding this ritual up. I'm trying to eat the upper end of the protein intake recommendations. I really don't think it's great to be losing upwards of 5 lbs per week. Among my many fears I'm trying to not end up looking like a fat person who's been deflated. I see the look and I'd like to avoid the baldy deflated look with lots of skin swags. Am I just destined for this look? Do most DSers end up needing skin removal? I think I might want first a neck surgery because when my chins go I'm going to look like a turkey. I know, I will have cured HTN and reversed pre diabetes and slowed down osteoporosis on my screaming joints. This was my goal, and I do not want to appear shallow. What can I do to avert the fears I have about how I may look after weight loss?? I know I'm jumping the gun here, but these are genuine thoughts and concerns I have.

 

[Clematis]

5# a week a month out is fine. That may slow to 1-2# very soon. (Again, everyone is different.)

I don't think it matters how slow or fast one loses weight regarding skin shrinkage, rather the length of time one was MO. Everybody's skin elasticity is different. The young may shrink up better. (I won't be that lucky. I already look like dimpled dough.) Net net: It couldn't hurt to start that plastic surgery fund.

 

[hilary1617]

I think it is pretty common to look a bit strange (gaunt in spots, fluffy in others) while in the process losing significant amounts of weight. My experience and that of others has been for redistribution and more normalcy a while after the weight loss period ends.

For a number of reasons, including wanting to fit well in my skin suit, I prefer to be a bit more curvy than I was when I initially lost, so I added a bit more carbs to my diet. I am now at a size and shape where I feel reasonably confident with my appearance.

 

[CaraOC]

5# a week a month out is fine. That may slow to 1-2# very soon. (Again, everyone is different.)

I don't think it matters how slow or fast one loses weight regarding skin shrinkage, rather the length of time one was MO. Everybody's skin elasticity is different. The young may shrink up better. (I won't be that lucky. I already look like dimpled dough.) Net net: It couldn't hurt to start that plastic surgery fund.

Oh yeah, I already thought about the surgical fund!! I guess there's no way I can get my useless insurance to pay for anything. They have an exclusionary clause refusing all WLS so I doubt they'd pay a dime in restoration of my body. A friend of mine on the east coast had the RNY and has lost a lot of weight and just had the abdominoplasty, boob lift with implants and her bat wings removed. She does look much better now, but back when she was fat she had an amazing head of curly hair and a big pretty smile. Although she is now thin she looks pretty unhealthy, very thinning hair and a gaunt looking face. When I look at the pics on the vitalady site she looks amazing!! Wonder what surgery post weight loss she had. I'll stick with her vitamin schedule and maybe I'll get that lucky!!!!!

 

[Clematis]

Phrasing this as delicately as I can, many who lose significant weight age at least 10 years from sagging skin. I think a lot of the gauntness is related to this, not because they are too thin. Face lift will fix that.

Your friend's thinning hair should go back to normal in time.

The best that insurance companies do is hack off excess skin without regard to aesthetics or muscle tightening. (If they even pay for that.) Some around here have managed to get a real abdominoplasty as a treatment for hernias. Others have gotten their insurance companies to pay for "breast reduction" when most of that is really a breast lift. No one pays for a face lift. Again, net net: start that plastic surgery fund.

 

[southernlady]

I think I might want first a neck surgery because when my chins go I'm going to look like a turkey. I know, I will have cured HTN and reversed pre diabetes and slowed down osteoporosis on my screaming joints. This was my goal, and I do not want to appear shallow. What can I do to avert the fears I have about how I may look after weight loss?? I know I'm jumping the gun here, but these are genuine thoughts and concerns I have.

Well, before going for plastics...be sure you have lost all your excess and are stable for about 6 months.

I lost weight in my face first...began to look gaunt VERY early out...seems I melted from the top down and the bottom up. Now, things have adjusted. Only if I am slack on my fat intake does my skin look old. And I wear my turkey neck proudly...I earned it...

 

[BebeZed]

I really don't think it's great to be losing upwards of 5 lbs per week. Among my many fears I'm trying to not end up looking like a fat person who's been deflated. I see the look and I'd like to avoid the baldy deflated look with lots of skin swags. Am I just destined for this look? Do most DSers end up needing skin removal? I think I might want first a neck surgery because when my chins go I'm going to look like a turkey. I know, I will have cured HTN and reversed pre diabetes and slowed down osteoporosis on my screaming joints. This was my goal, and I do not want to appear shallow. What can I do to avert the fears I have about how I may look after weight loss?? I know I'm jumping the gun here, but these are genuine thoughts and concerns I have.

5 pounds a week isn't excessive, IMO. You may well settle down into a couple pounds a week but then again it really varies a lot.

As for disappearing chins and turkey neck, I've been very fortunate in that respect. The rest of me may resemble a Shar Pei puppy (I'm only 5 months out, mind you, and almost halfway to goal), but the loss of all the face fat and extra chins did not produce turkey neck. I feel great about that since I'm pushing 60 and my skin elasticity probably isn't great...

I was told that you won't really know how you'll look until a couple of years after the weight loss stops. I would believe that - I lost about 110 pounds when I was in my late 20's and my skin tightened up over about 18 months... (and then I got pregnant *sigh*)

I've decided that I do not want to go through all the pain of a LBL so that's kind of off the table. However, I think I may want a boob job...that's always been on the wish list anyway

 

[CaraOC]

5 pounds a week isn't excessive, IMO. You may well settle down into a couple pounds a week but then again it really varies a lot.

As for disappearing chins and turkey neck, I've been very fortunate in that respect. The rest of me may resemble a Shar Pei puppy (I'm only 5 months out, mind you, and almost halfway to goal), but the loss of all the face fat and extra chins did not produce turkey neck. I feel great about that since I'm pushing 60 and my skin elasticity probably isn't great...

I was told that you won't really know how you'll look until a couple of years after the weight loss stops. I would believe that - I lost about 110 pounds when I was in my late 20's and my skin tightened up over about 18 months... (and then I got pregnant *sigh*)

I've decided that I do not want to go through all the pain of a LBL so that's kind of off the table. However, I think I may want a boob job...that's always been on the wish list anyway

I was just checking out lots of amazing pics of before and after plastic surgery for people having lost major amounts of weight. Some of them looked really really good. I'm not sure which I would want first. I'm not there yet so I shall wait and see how I feel. I can hide with clothes my jiggly wrinkled flap like belly and hoist the boobs up high in a good bra, but a turkey neck cannot be concealed so it might be first for the knife! I really would prefer to keep my multiple chubby chins than wear the turkey though.