18 years old, lost 85 pounds, 65 to go, surgery questions
 

Hey, guys. I've been on atkins for just under one year (extended induction). Like.. three or four months with Atkins alone, no exercise, I lost 30 pounds. Since then, I started exercising a LOT (like 1000 calories a day burnt a lot) and cutting my diet in half. I'm under the supervision of a doctor, and I'm taking a popular prescription diet pill (This forum wouldn't let me post the name... starts with a P http://www.lowcarbsite.com/images/sm...icon_smile.gif )It sounds like I'm overdoing it, but like I said I'm under the supervision of a doctor, and although i'm losing about 10 pounds a month (reliably, although sometimes more. Most ever was 16), I feel fine and realistically expect to be at my goal weight in six months, at which point I'll top taking pills, eat normally and lift weights (but keep doing cardio... just not 1000 calories a day lmao). Since then, I've lost an additional 55 pounds. By late august, I expect to be at 230 pounds. Exactly 100 pounds lost http://www.lowcarbsite.com/images/sm...icon_smile.gif At that point, my plans are to continue to lose weight until I'm down to 180. I'm five feet, eleven inches tall. I'd like to get down to a size 30, and I hope that 180 lbs. for someone my height will be a size 30. I used to be a 44!


But. The issue with excess skin. I already have a bunch of skin on my torso and down (although my butt doesn't bother me. No problems there, YET) that I want removed once I'm at my goal weight. It's just GROSS. I REFUSE to have my fat haunt me, and I REFUSE to look like a deflated bagpipe. I had always failed at dieting because I wanted to look good for other people. I believe I succeeded (and am) this time because I stopped that and wanted to do it for MYSELF and to not just look good, but to be healthy. This skin is undoubtedly going to cause relationship problems for an 18 year old (not that a 330 lb. teenager had many relationships to begin with) and so I'm GOING to have this done. Even if I'm in debt up to my eyeballs for the next decade. I THINK I can afford it now in one large payment, assuming it's not more than I though.

Here's the deal. I have 20 grand of inheritance doing nothing but drawing interest. I wanted to use it as a down payment for a house in four years (or so), and my mother is firmly against me doing this, but the truth is that it's my money, I'm an adult, and I can do what I want with it. I'd much rather look like a normal person (no offense) than have my own house, anyway. I refuse to be haunted by my weight. Is this enough money for a lower body lift? All I really want done is my torso, pubic area and thighs. I never had real breasts anyway, and my arms are a little flabby but if I gain muscle that won't matter anyway. Is 20 grand enough for the total cost of what I want to do? Of course you can't tell me EXACTLY, but I would be interested in a rough estimate. I'm hoping there will be a little left over after total expenses. But if not, then not. I think it's worth it and would be the best purchase I've ever made. I'm going to college, so the most I can make is like three grand a year (before taxes) via my job. It's just for spending money, but if that means I have to do without to look the way I feel on the inside, then so be it. It could also subsidize whatever excess of 20 grand I'm left in debt with, it that happens. I'd RATHER not spend my inheritance.. but on the other hand if I'm in debt, I'd still have the same amount of money to pay at the end of the day, and I'd still be making the same amount via my job, so it really wouldn't matter if you think about it.


So anyway, do you think 20 grand is enough for what I want to do? EDIT: I'd also like the skin under my chin tightened. I'm going to look like an iguana, and am starting to now. I could live with it if I couldn't afford it, but if I'm having surgery done I may as well go all out and get this done, too. How much would this cost?

No, phen fen was two drugs in one pill. Fenfluramine caused heart defects and was taken off the market. I'm taking the other drug that was found in phen fen. It's safe. I was on 30 mg. time release for like 3 months, not on the 37.5 mg. instant release for almost one month. Eventually I'll become tolerant to it in two months. Three max, and have to switch to a different drug.

You can call diet pills poison if you want. I'm not going to argue with you because we all have our own opinions.I'm also not going to argue with fat melting off of me like butter http://www.lowcarbsite.com/images/sm...icon_smile.gif The diet pills just kill my appetite. I do the rest. It's not a magic pill, and I have no intentions of gaining anything other than muscle back. If I only eat a thousand calories a day, and burn off the same amount, there's no way I can continue that without an appetite suppressant. I mean that's pretty hardcore lol. Mental changes in the way you think of food are just as important, if not more, than physical changes :P I disagree with what you said, though. You said it WILL cause a yo-yo effect. It may. It not necessarily will. After I stop the pills, it's up to me.

I wonder where the line between committing insurance fraud and reasoning your way into a half-truth starts lmao. I'm sure it would cause me discomfort when I ran eventually http://www.lowcarbsite.com/images/sm...icon_smile.gif

To answer your question I went to my local plastic surgeon's website (he reconstructed my mom's face after melanoma surgery). Here is a list of what he does and the general cost. Depending on where you live, you should have enough money for the surgery you want.

"Cost includes 24 hour hospital stay, anesthesia and Dr.’s fee. We have found this information to be helpful to patients in their consideration of cosmetic surgery."

$14,000- $12, 000
Circumferential Abdominoplasty
Body Lift

$11,000 - $7,100
Breast Augmentation with Mastopexy (Breast lift)
Full Abdominoplasty
Facelift

$7,000 - $5,500
Breast reduction
Browlift
Rhinoplasty
Mastopexy
Mini Abdominoplasty

$5,500 - $3,000
Abdominoplasty
Blepharoplasty
Brachioplasty
Breast Augmentation
Gynecomastia Surgery
Lip Enhancement
LipoSelection
Otoplasty

$100 - $250
BOTOX®
Restylane and Radiesse Injections

Look up a surgeon in your area and see if they list the procedures and estimated costs.

Tril

1) You mention going back to eating normally - please work through all 4 stages of Atkins - if you go back to "normal" eating you will go back to your old "normal" size. If Atkins works for you , then you are carb sensitive and need to remain on a low (compared to others) carb diet - not induction, but not what others call normal either.

2) You are young. Once you reach your goal I would suggest waiting a year before having major surgery. Because your young, your skin may surprise you. But you have to give it time.

Good luck and congrats on your success

Hi, Atkinsnewb,

Congratulations on your great weight loss! I'm glad you are working with a doctor. I made sure to see a doctor before starting my weight loss program also, although I'm going a different route than you (just Atkins and exercise).

I sympathize with you about the excess skin. I've lost 75 lbs and have excess skin on my underarms, thighs and stomach. I've been considering plastic surgery also.

In my opinion, you should definitely wait until you have lost the weight and you are at a stable weight for at least six months (a year would be better) before getting the surgery. Since you are young, your body has a pretty amazing ability to adapt.

One idea, in the meantime, would be to wear the kind of supportive garments that people use after plastic surgery to encourage the skin to adhere to your muscles. The parts of your body where excess skin hangs tend to be where gravity forces the skin down and away from the muscle. Also, building muscle in those areas couldn't hurt, but it sounds like you're already doing that.

I'm glad you've joined us here. Let us know how it goes.

Hi there. I can sort of somewhat sympathize with your situation. I made an apt with a local board certified plastic surgeon (and make sure, without question, that the surgeon you speak with and choose if you decide to go through with a procedure is board certified). I did end up cancelling it because i want to truly see how i will look once i reach my goal weight before i do anything else.

Some surgeons, as he does, offer a free consultation. Try to find a good, reputable board certified surgeon who does. In the meeting I was to attend, with the advancement of technology, they would be able to take 3 pictures of me from the side, front and back and be able to digitially alter me to show me how I would realistically expect to look after a particular procedure. I saw some pictures of before and after's on his site and full body liposuction did wonders for some people. I would maybe suggest also finding a site that does provide real-life before and afters of people and try to find a body that resembles yours and see what their "after" results looked like. For External Ultrasound Assisted Liposuction (EUAL) - the type I was considering (some surgeons prefer the internal method) the total cost would have come to $7,000-10,000 ( the nurse on the phone told me that would cover the areas such as arms, inner and outer thighs, abdomen, hips and mid-back area where the bra line normally sits)

Using EUAL, the surgeon partially liquefies the fatty tissue just prior to its suctioning, therefore allowing them to achieve smoother results with less tissue trauma than was possible with other liposuction techniques. External Ultrasound Assisted Liposuction technique produces smooth, subtle, natural-looking contours, ultimately resulting in a more symmetrical and balanced figure.

Before I was pregnant I was 145 - I had gained a steady 35 lbs throughout the pregnancy but got hit with gestational hypertension in the last month and gained a whopping 35 extra lbs - leaving me with a total gain of 70 lbs. Gaining that 35 lbs in the last month is what caused the great change in my body. After I had lost some weight I had noticed I had a great deal of excess skin, especially in my stomach area, that created a rather unattractive overhang (sorry don't know what else to call it). Now that I have got down to 145 again with the help of atkins - it has almost vanished! I still have a gut lol but when i turn sideways it no longer causes an overhang.

So i would DEFINITELY wait until you get down to your goal weight because you might be surprised. http://www.lowcarbsite.com/images/sm..._surprised.gif)

Good luck, as I am not an advocate for cosmetic surgeries, I do believe in doing things for yourself, that are completely for yourself, that you feel will truly make you happy http://www.lowcarbsite.com/images/sm..._surprised.gif)

What to call it??? I always called it my "apron". It's the last thing I lose and the first thing I gain. Very frustrating. lol

Tril

Great! Exactly what I was looking for! And BTW, yes I have blood work done regularly and I'm A-OK.

When I meant normally, I meant not eating 1,000 calories a day. Sorry if I gave the wrong impression by that. I plan on continuing through atkins. I was going to wait 12 months after I reach my goal weight, but there's no way I'll look normal. It won't tighten up on it's own that much no matter how long I wait. It will tighten up "some" but not enough to be normal. Wearing support garments is a GREAT idea (and maybe it'll make me look thinner in the mean time hehe)

I don't really think it's cosmetic. I view it more as re constructive :P

ha ha i feel the same way too - i bought the brand "spanx" to wear under my clothes a few times and it works wonders its the kind the celebs use - i've tried like 6 others in the past and all different styles and this one i got by far puts all the others to shame http://www.lowcarbsite.com/images/sm...icon_smile.gif

Was it hard to pick the size you need for the spanx?? I've heard stories of not being able to get it right easily. What style did you get? I WANT SOME!!! http://www.lowcarbsite.com/images/sm...icon_smile.gif

The "overhang", or "apron", is called the pannus. Yeah, anyone at my BMI has one, I would think. At 45, I aint as self-conscious. I can talk about it. LOL.

the one that i got was the one that comes up to under the bra line and goes all the way down mid thigh - it was like $72 at bloomingdales - i went up to the sales lady and asked her if she was familiar w/ it and she said she was she showed me some diff. styles but said that this particular one was the one everyone raved about. she said you normally want to start out with the smallest size (it goes sm, med, lg) and if you can fit in the small one (which looks like it could fit a 10 year old lol). you won't believe how much this baby stretches - and i swear it made me instantly lose a pant size and smoothed out all the lumps and bumps. i got the one in n.ude - this is the one that also comes w/ a little baggie attached that has 4 straps that can actually hook the spanx to your own bra to prevent it from slipping down. im telling you its amazing http://www.lowcarbsite.com/images/sm...icon_smile.gif

on the spanx site its called "Slim Cognito Seamless Mid-Thigh Bodysuit"
Here is the description from their site

"Go undercover with the SPANX Slim Cognito Mid-Thigh Bodysuit! This shaper comfortably shapes problem areas, accentuates your waistline, minimizes your tummy and thighs, lifts your rear, and makes inches seem to disappear! The detachable straps attach to your bra to keep the bodysuit in place and allow you to wear the bra that's best for you - and your outfit! And to avoid the flat, uni-butt look that many shapers give your backside, Slim-Cognito offers "The Great Divide." You won't feel the subtle butt separator, but the natural perky shape won't be lost on those in your wake!"

Now that's a great testimonial! http://www.lowcarbsite.com/images/sm...icon_smile.gif I love the thin knit dresses that are all the rage now... but they don't hide much, IFKWIM. I was thinking they'd look a lot better if I was "smoother" underneath. http://www.lowcarbsite.com/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif

Daff... pannus? I looked it up. Found some interesting pictures... http://www.lowcarbsite.com/images/smilies/icon_eek.gif

Tril

ahh i looked up panniculus too and lets just say i got some interesting pics too http://www.lowcarbsite.com/images/smilies/icon_eek.gif