Posts by Kevin Turner7

Thickened, cracked, or darkened skin on your elbows—or even dark patches on the folds of your neck—can be an early red flag for diabetes. Most doctors don't bother mentioning it to their patients. I found out because Professor Koršić at Rebro told me directly. Go see your doctor!!!

The scars haven't spread at all; they're actually fading. There aren't any keloids here—just some lines with slightly pigmented skin around them, but even that is clearing up. Honestly, I'd be thrilled if I could just wash it all off with water. But hey, whatever gets covered looks amazing, so listen up everyone: what stays visible still looks like a great result!!!!

I think it would be hard to sell that news to my own brothers and sister, but I could probably hawk it to the neighbor's kids. Honestly, though, it's not worth it. But when some outsider asks, "Does V. have a new wife?" or "Who is that woman with him?"—now *that* is something worth talking about! I really ought to pester them, specifically the kids, and tell them they need to post before-and-after photos immediately!!! And you tell me, is it actually a rule that after our surgeries—like how Jelica says—WE ARE NEW PEOPLE?!

Dog ears? That’s just where the incision ends or begins; the skin looks a bit bunched up, but that gets smoothed out nicely later on. It's nothing special.

Well, if anyone were actually asking me—which they aren't—I’d probably go for a few more things. Maybe touch up the hands, then the feet, then a little tummy liposuction, maybe something in the back... but... that gets complicated. There's truth to the idea that once you start with plastic surgery, it's hard to stop. You always feel like there's something else to fix, especially if you don't have to spend a fortune on it! Personally, I didn't have any issues at the hospital in Cleveland, except for my main sister telling me that if I ever come back, she's setting me up with a GPS. I don't know how to explain it, but the post-op pain wasn't anything special. I was mobile—too mobile, actually. Such a lovely group, Lelica, Alni, Dee-Dee, and Jelica. Every time I stayed at the hospital in Cleveland, it felt like a vacation, especially Friday through Sunday. The main thing was making sure I made it back for the discharge on Sunday evening. Sure, Tuesday and Wednesday were a bit rough, but who can keep track of that kind of stuff? Honestly, with my friends in Cleveland, I can only visit during my vacation, and I try my best to avoid the Cleveland University Hospital whenever possible!

I had a chat with the Jurist about whether I'm happy with the results. I told him I’d like to tighten things up a bit more, but he mentioned it would mean less arm mobility. He said if I really want to go through with it, he could do a little more, maybe even under local anesthesia. On top of that, he fixed my "dog ears" on my stomach using local anesthesia too. It left a scar about 12 cm long on each side—honestly, a pretty unpleasant procedure. You're wide awake watching an electric scalpel cut through your own skin; it doesn't hurt, but the smell of burning meat is intense. That scar is almost invisible now, just a thin line, though the middle part is still somewhat noticeable. But hey, any tiny bikini covers it up. And when you wrap it all together in a cute little dress with some nice high-heeled sandals, you can hide quite a few years—provided there aren't any kids around you. I'm talking about my kids, since they're already huge!

http://img685.imageshack.us/gal.php?g=p6190881.jpg

Alright, girl greetings, finally my photos are up. But honestly, Jelica was right—for some reason, the scars look terrible in the picture, but on me, they don't look bad at all. They're barely even noticeable.

I had my gastric band put in on February 15, 2008. I dropped the most weight in those first six months—about 30 pounds—and then lost another 13 pounds over the next six months despite various setbacks. The band had to come out because it had fused too tightly to my stomach, causing blockages where even liquids wouldn't pass, let alone food. At the time, I weighed 140 lbs. So, in 11 months, I lost about 95 lbs. My first visit to the plastic surgeon, Dr. Jurist in Cleveland, happened around month 4 or 5 of 2009, thanks to our Jelica paving the way. By early month 6 of 2009, I was getting excess skin removed from my abdomen, muscle repair, and liposuction, plus getting a new belly button (didn't wait for summer to arrive). In early month 9, I did skin tightening and lipo on my arms, and by month 12, it was lipo and tightening for my thighs. Basically, in less than two years from the start of my weight loss journey, I pretty much fixed everything. And nobody—not even Dr. Jurist—mentioned that I needed to wait a year or two after reaching my goal weight before doing these procedures. It’s been a year since my tummy tuck; some areas are still a bit numb to the touch, and my belly button is in an unusual spot because it used to be almost at my knee level before the surgery, so I'm still adjusting to it being much higher up. When I lie down or lift things, I can still feel the abdominal muscles where they were repaired, though there's much less tension than at the start. Everything is settling into place. So, girls, if I had to do it all over again—I would, without a second thought. I'm 48, and quietgull62, I was actually surprised to see someone else my age here; I somehow missed that while reading, and only Annika stuck in my mind regarding age. The best part of this whole "weight loss and skin" ordeal was the friendships I made with such wonderful women, and of course, one little boy.
I have photos of my current stomach and arms, so I hope I'll be able to share them with you all, along with some old versus new shots. Kitty hehehe

Ladies, once you've had an abdominoplasty, just be careful not to reach for things that require stretching and don't lift anything heavy. Beyond that, everything else is up to you—you decide your own limits and how much effort you want to put in. Two months after my surgery, I danced until I was completely exhausted for two days straight; I was bursting with energy. Nobody even knew where I was, and honestly, I heard nothing but compliments. What can I say? It felt like I’d been rejuvenated. And during those first two months, it wasn't just about hanging laundry outside or being told I couldn't do yard work—which, man, was the hardest part for me—but I handled all the other housework right up to the limits Dr. Jurišić warned me about.

Look, Taylor Garcia66, it’s actually easier for me to just drive into Washington, D.C., get stripped down, and show off my scars than it is to take photos and post them online!!!!

As for the pros and cons, I am definitely FOR it!!!!! When you lose 40, 50, or even 70 or 80—some people drop 100 pounds—you forget all about the fear and the pain because you simply have to do this. There are people who have had "two square meters of skin" removed; those quotes are just for the skeptics, but trust me, it’s true!!!! Any determined person who loses weight through surgery can't hide behind fear when it comes to removing excess skin. It isn't just an aesthetic issue anymore; it’s a necessity. Imagine dropping from 275 lbs to 145 lbs but still having to wear clothes meant for someone weighing 275. That is just unthinkable!!!!

Preparation—I'm not sure what you meant. Are you talking about consulting with the Jurist, hospital prep, tests, or drawing the lines the night before surgery? Just ask specifically; it's much easier that way, and there's a ton of info out there!!!

Pain—it's like childbirth. You spend the whole pregnancy terrified, praying to God that everything goes smoothly and ends quickly. Once you're up and walking, you laugh at yourself for being so irrationally stressed. My pain tolerance is pretty high, and honestly, it wasn't even that bad—mostly just tightness and tension in the new abdominal wall. Even a year later, it’s still tight, my god, but that's just the feeling of new tissue. Because some nerve endings were cut, there are parts that feel numb, almost like they don't belong to you, but I am extremely happy with the result!!!

Cost—if you have supplemental insurance or can work out a financing plan, you might even cover travel expenses. I couldn't manage to pull that off; I just can't seem to win those battles. But I've dealt with stuff like this before. What everyone else can do, I can't, and what I can do, hardly anyone else can!!!

And look, honey, as for before-and-after photos? Please. Like I tell Jelica, it’s all "give and take," and my kids don't have the "time" for that!!!!
So, if someone happens to snap a photo of my arms, legs, or my new belly and belly button, they can post it here, but as for me? NOPE!!!

Way to go, quietgull62, on starting this new thread!!!!! I’ve thought about doing this a few times, but since nobody seemed interested, I figured it would be pointless!!! But hey, kudos—it’s never too late, and this place will be packed in no time.

Hey Angie, I was so happy to hear you finally got your tummy sorted out. It wasn't too bad, right?!!!!

I actually hit my one-year anniversary for my abdominal skin removal earlier this month, so I’m speaking from firsthand experience. After that, back in September, I had skin removal on my upper arms—goodbye, bat wings! Then in December, I did my thighs, but only with an incision in the groin area. Basically, the cut goes from halfway through the fold on the front of the leg, across the groin, to the center part under the butt. No vertical incision running from the groin down the inner thigh to the knee.
Now, here’s my take on how satisfied I am with the results—just my opinion, obviously!!!! On my arms, I think they could have taken a bit more skin, but the doctor argued that while it's theoretically possible, it would limit my range of motion when lifting my arms. Plus, there's always that risk of tissue death or necrosis if you pull too much. As for my stomach, I had liposuction, muscle tightening, a new belly button, and a massive amount of skin removed because there was plenty to deal with (Lord, I had four kids). Before the surgery, I can't quite recall his exact words, but I was in the hands of a truly wonderful... well, you can imagine what other "attributes" might be tucked away in those dots... Davor Jurišić at Rijeka University Hospital. He did warn me that making part of the incision under the old scars might cause some healing issues. There were indeed some problems, but we can discuss that later if anyone is actually interested.

Writing everything all at once would make this post way too long, and it's lunch time anyway. My daughter is cooking and I'm already running behind on the salad!!

Talk later, and in the meantime, Kitty hehehe from my Cleveland sirens!!!

I can honestly say I’m loving life right now. I don't spend any time dwelling on the fallout from my oophorectomy. My drive is exactly the same—I’m still out in the garden, working around the house, and walking just as much as I did 14 months ago, before the surgery. Sure, I’m a bit more mindful of certain things, but that just means I focus more on eating healthy and staying active through physical work and long walks. The only crazy thing I’m considering is getting back on rollerblades, mostly just to test my willpower. The problem is, I got a size 38 from them when I actually need a 41. So yeah, I’m terrified of breaking a leg or an arm—seriously, I am! But I haven't lost my spirit. As for sex, it’s better than ever. My husband even worries about me "seeking satisfaction" elsewhere if I don't get enough, which frankly hasn't even crossed my mind, but hey, I love enjoying life to the fullest! And you, ruggedscout91, just enjoy whatever it is you enjoy. That’s what desires are for—to satisfy them and live. Good luck, and just enjoy it; these are all just small things in the grand scheme of things.

Thanks so much for sharing your experiences, everyone. I’m honestly relieved someone actually spoke up; I was starting to think this thread was a ghost town, even though it’s clearly been getting some views. Thanks again! I’m going to do some digging into red clover phytohormones—that sounds pretty fascinating. To be honest, I was worried about the heat making me lose the patch, but we'll see how things go once summer really hits. In the meantime, I’ve started using the Estraderm TTS 25 patches since apparently the 50mg version is being phased out, along with the 25mg ones too. And, surprisingly enough, I’ve already dropped 4 pounds without cutting back on food—not that I could, since I’m already eating as little as possible. Professor Koršić mentioned that if you lose even a single pound, it means we’ve hit the right therapy.

If you get a chance, please drop by and comment again. It would mean a lot! Cheers.

Since having my ovaries removed, I’ve been on hormone replacement therapy using Femoston Conti tablets. Ever since I started them, my cholesterol and lipid levels have spiked. Professor Koršić at Mayo Clinic suggested switching things up because he’s convinced the Femoston Conti is the culprit. He thinks moving to hormone patches should get my numbers back to normal. Up until now, I’ve actually handled HRT incredibly well—no side effects, and I felt great, aside from some weight gain. Since I managed to lose 43 lbs through a gastric band and hit 64 kg, I am terrified of any more weight issues. Has anyone else made the switch to patches? I’d love to hear your experiences.

wiredangler13, since dustymarlin10 already pointed out you're running late, you’re probably feeling pretty discouraged. Let's see if we can actually fix this while there's still a glimmer of hope left.

I'm not sure where you're located, but there's a surgeon at the Mayo Clinic who performs these kinds of procedures via insurance referrals. If you have a waiver for your co-pays, the surgery won't cost you a dime. I'm not just talking nonsense here—I personally had excess skin removal on my upper arms with liposuction, a tummy tuck with lipo, and thigh tightening done through my insurance after losing a ton of weight and going through four pregnancies. I also know several other women who had breast reductions covered by their plans. If you want the details, shoot me a DM.

Hey electricangler16, I’m not sure exactly how much you're looking to lose, but if it's a significant amount, you should really check out the forum threads on gastric bands, sleeve resections, or gastric bypass. There are plenty of guys and girls there who started with massive amounts of weight to lose—I'm talking 110, 130, or even 150 pounds. The record holder is David, who dropped 235 pounds and hit his goal weight perfectly. Personally, I lost 100 pounds in 8 months after getting a band, and I feel amazing—just like everyone else in those groups. Take a look at those topics; it might give you the motivation to go the surgical route. It's a healthy way to drop the weight, and more importantly, it's the easiest way because you're under a doctor's supervision the whole time. Good luck, and let me know how it goes!

Just so you know, my fibroids showed up while I was still using a Mirena coil. Between one stubborn fibroid measuring 73x42 and a clear cyst on my ovary at 21x22x32, I was 46 years old when two different doctors gave me the same recommendation: just take out the whole works—uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes.

Is there any way to get my hands on a tea mushroom here in the States? Thanks in advance.