Excess skin and Exercise

[wobbles]

Hi everyone, hope you're all well.

I got my surgery date when i saw Mr Pollard last Monday. He's given me October 21st. 7 weeks away! The pre op diet looks great, and i'm really looking forward to it, but also very nervous. Not nervous about the risks of the op, more nervous because i'll be changing and losing the weight that i've held onto for so many years, did anyone else feel like that?

When i asked Mr Pollard about excess skin, he said that 30% of his patients go on to require cosmetic surgery, and that despite what i had been told, the NHS does NOT do this surgery, under the current government.

WHich leaves me really worried. I know i'm going to have left over saggy skin by the time i've lost the weight, what am i going to do about it? I can't afford cosmetic surgery, and i'm really really worried, unless the government changes, i won't be able to have further surgery.

So that leads me to exercise. What has everyone else done in regards to exercise?
I realise walking is great, but that won't tone muscles in my arms and tummy. Does anyone have any ideas on what i can do to reduce the amount of left over skin?
I can't afford gym membership so it would have to be stuff i can either do at home, or that's free.

I'm hoping someone can offer some advice and hope in this department.

Thank you in advance

PS. i've not been around much because we've been burgled twice in the last 4 weeks and they took the laptop and car both times, i'm currently using my husbands work laptop.

 

[charliegirl]

Hi Wobbles dont know the answer as still waiting for approval for banding/bypass but had to write to say what a good post this is. I will be interested to read the replies.....Linda x

 

[callysplace]

Hi wobble, first of all I hope they catch the s***s that burgled you.
As for surgery after weight loss I was informed by my doctors practice nurse that I would be entitled to it if I could prove that the excess skin was affecting my quality of life. I suffer from boils near my waist line and sores at the top of my thighs, this has improved as I have lost weight but if they remain then I should be able to get the surgery I am a long way off before I can have it though!
Fully agree that walking is the best exercise to start off with, as for your arms how about putting some weighted arm bands on when you are out and about or in the house? I have a couple of horses so the grooming helps me tone up my bat wings along with the poo picking!!

 

[e.green69]

hi wobbles glad to hear you have been given a date!
if you excersise in the process of loosing the weight you will be toning up all the way through.
you could walk, then jog, cycling,and for your arms weights are brill but if you havnt got weights then a tin of beans does just as well.maybe fitness videos in the house.
have you got any equipment at the house?
hope this helps
emma(2wks post band)

 

[Frosty]

Hiya

My doctor who did the operation told me that he arranges the skin removal aswell. He even told me he is very good freinds with the doctor that does it.
And has done for many of his patients and talk about the results often with very good outcomes.

He mentioned that it comes under a health issue with saggy skin as it can cause skin infections etc . but they only normally do this operation after 4/5 years
As that the point where someone can put on more weight or has lost the full amount thats going to go.

My doctor is called Mr jain from Luton and Dunstable obesity research center.

Maybe if you ask they will be able to give you more information if your doctors cant

Mark

 

[j.u.s.t.l.i.z.]

hi i was nhs banded, ive also had a tummy tuck on the nhs and they said i can have further plastic surgery on the nhs when the time comes.
lizxx

 

[tammy]

Hi i too have been told that my PCT will not fund further surgery to remove excess skin. My argument will be that i have worked so hard to lose the weight that my quality of life would be better with skin removed too! also having depression and self esteem issues needs to make them look at it!

I have joined a gym but also enjoy walking and cycling with my kids. The beans idea is fab for toning arms (might just be tempted to eat them though !!!!) only kidding will def give that one a go.

xx

 

[serenitylove]

hi i was also told that my ptc wont fund skin removal so will cross that bridge when i come to it , but if you visit your gp they can prescrib the gym it gives you something like 6mnths free membership and you get a person that helps you with the right stuff to do ask them about it x and good luck

 

[wobbles]

Serenitylove..... really? The GP can prescribe the gym? I'm definitely going to have to look into that one....thank you.

Thanks everyone else, i think i'll buy a gym ball that i can do tummy crunches and stuff on, and use cans, and there's always my son i can lift up and down a heap of time lol. Mr Pollard at Jimmy's is rather annoyed that the PCT won't fund skin removal, he said that it's even really difficult to get them to do reconstructive surgery after a mastectomy but he's hoping the government will change. I hate that it's different everywhere you go.

Anyway, thnks again.

 

[Cowgirl]

Hi me darlin's

Yep, The NHS frown upon fnding for purely cosmetic reasons, but if this is effecting your quality of life, depression, infection etc then there's only one thing to do......

PLAY ON IT!!!!!!

Go docs every other day if needed, thats what I plan on doing!

I have a friend who is a personal trainer and I was asking him what the best thing was to improve my tummy as much as I can whilst losing weight and although crunches are good, they tone but don't burn the fat on top. He said swimming is the best thing for tummies and the for the rest of you all in one go. There's no other that uses as many muscles as swimming. Although if you cant swim, then fast walking/jogging is fantastic!

Congratulations on your op date hun, I'm in a week after you on the 28th October so we'll go through this together and fight the NHS for the tummies we deserve after we've achieved our goals! I'll send a letter once a day and drive the doc mad if I have to, he'll probably remove me from his books! LOL. If I'm not getting any joy, I'll keep writing to my local MP too! The more fuss you make and the more people that hear you, the more they have to take notice!

Sod it! It needs to be done!

The government complains about obease people having medical treatment when they're fat, but they then shut their eyes to it when we've been brave enough to do something about it. We're not criminals, drugies or terrorists, we just want a better quality of life for ourselves and families. I don't know why they have to make it such a struggle!

Good luck for next month babe, so excited!xxxx

 

[wobbles]

Thanks cowgirl, i apprecate that. It's so nice to have someone to talk to about it, who's having surgery around the same time.

How are you feeling about it all?

 

[Thaialina]

Hi,
I previously did the whole tin of beans thing and it seems to work. I've lost 3st 9 so far and am developing what seems to be like bat wings already. I plan to do all I can to get rid of them and everything else that goes saggy..

 

[Cowgirl]

Thanks cowgirl, i apprecate that. It's so nice to have someone to talk to about it, who's having surgery around the same time.

How are you feeling about it all?

Hi Wobbles

I must admit I am very very excited!
6 weeks seems a long time to wait, but I have a week until I go on holiday for 2 weeks, then Im back for 4 days and then I start the 2 week pre-op diet and in those 2 weeks I have an appointment at the hospital to see the nutritionist and then the next week I have an appointment for my pre-op obs so I'm sure that will all go very quick!

I just can't wait to start! I'm a little nervous, but then I was saying to my mum today, I've always been fat or chubby and this is all I've ever know, this fat body is my comfort zone and change is difficult for anyone no matter what way you do it! So, I'm gonna have to get to know myself again with a slim persons mind and not hold onto my fat insecurities, otherwise I'm gonna be one of those slim people who thinks they're fat and Im not going there! LOL

I've always had shorter hair throughout my life, shoulder length at longest, so I've just been looking at hair extentions and Im gonna ask my mum and dad for them for Christmas. I want to look like that picture in my head! Not a barbie, far from it, but I want to look completely different as a slim person and leave fat Gina in the photo's and memories as her own person as she is great and great fun but I can't be her any longer in my life!

That might sound weird but I know what I mean. I wouldn't take down pics of me when I was fat, it's still me and has been for 28 years of my life! Its just a new era, just like being a pre-mum and post mum or single and then married. This next year or 2 I'm gonna be really selfish and consentrate fully on me!

Phew, that got some **** off my chest! Lol

How do you feel about it hun? May I ask how old you are?

Ginaxxxxx