Skin Removal Surgery Posts

Taking my bra off while behind the wheel.

by Jen, a priorfatgirl on February 16, 2012

Do you remember when I talked about the extra skin I have under my arm post-surgery?

It wasn’t really just post-surgery because it was there before surgery too. But before surgery, there was just so much excess skin under my arm, it all flowed together.

Now that the arm pit and arm skin is gone, there is nothing left for the skin in the above picture to do except fold over my bra band. It is horribly uncomfortable and often time pinches. It pinches so much that multiple times throughout the day, I’m tugging at my bra and trying to reposition my skin.

Some days, it’s all I can do to not run to the bathroom and rip my bra off!

Yesterday was one of those days. By 3pm, I was completely distracted at work,wondering if the top I had worn would support me enough if I took my bra off. I made the executive decision not to take my bra off but I struggled the last few hours at work with my decision.

After work, I jumped in my car and made my way to an after work appointment. As I hopped on the highway, my bra started to bother me. I tugged a little. Then a lot. Within a few moments, I was pulling hard at the bra. I realized there was no way I was going to make it any longer with the bra on – it had to come off.

Luckily, by this time, I had pulled off the highway and was at a stop light. So I did what I needed to do.

I took my jacket off.
Then my shirt.

 Then, while leaving my tank on, I slipped
my bra strap off & over one shoulder.


Unfortunately, just as I got one arm free, the light turned green.
I drove a couple more blocks down and thankfully pulled up
to another red light. So off the other side went.


Just as the light turned green, my bra slipped out from
under my tank and I threw it onto the passenger seat.
I was free, thank the LORD I WAS FREE!

Nothing like a little taking my bra off while in behind the wheel!

On a serious note, I had an appointment with Dr. Gervais to talk about going back in and he explained that it would be an easy procedure but that I’d have to go under again. Dr. Gervais said the incision line would go from right under the outter, lower edge of my breast to about 3-4 inches on my back and that the incision itself would be under my bra band so it would rarely ever be visual. It being visual is the least of my worries – I’m not planning on doing a bikini spread in a magazine or anything. Dr. Gervais said I could have it on a Thursday and be back to work early the next week assuming everything goes well.

Money is an issue because we are trying to pay for a wedding. I have an account I’ve been putting a little bit from every pay check to for awhile so have a small little savings account. Our wedding budget is planned out with the intent on not dipping into the small savings account I have but the small savings account was my “just-in-case” funds… just in case.

I’m leaning toward the procedure but want to think about it for a couple more weeks. Physically, it is too uncomfortable to ignore for any extended length of time.

More to come in the next couple weeks.

{ 31 comments }

Two month post surgery check-up & pictures!

by Jen, a priorfatgirl on January 18, 2012

Can you believe it has been TWO MONTHS since my skin removal surgery? I am so amazed by how quickly these past 60 days went and by how much of a difference I can tell in my recovery. I’m moving almost to full capacity but still do get some soreness when I use my arms too much. My stomach continues to not be a problem at all.

Here are the two month photos:

My stomach looks flat and while it is fairly flat compared to what it was, there is still a lot of swelling around the incision. It’s very hard and swollen. But… it does look much better  so by no means am I complaining!

Just for the fun of it, here’s my stomach pre-surgery:

I do have a problem area and I am not yet ready to decide how to handle it. My arm incision went from my elbow to about 3 inches below my armpit. Right below the end of the incision, at my bra line, excess skin bunches up and now hangs over my bra strap and even slightly hangs when I’m not wearing a bra (on both sides):


The picture actually makes it look a little better, I think because my arm is slighty extended – when my arm is down by my side, it really hangs over. I spoke with Dr. Gervais and he explained that this wasn’t something caused by the surgery but just that because we removed the excess skin up to that point, that now the remaining excess skin in that area is amplified. (You can actually see a little bit of the bulge in the “before” photo above.) Dr. Gervais told me in order to remove it, I’d have to have another incision made horizontal, along the bra strap from right under my breast around to my back. He said it could be done on a Thursday and I’d be back to work on Monday. The scare would be completely under my bra.

I didn’t get a price estimate because, while I’m pretty sure I do want to go back in, I just don’t know on the timing. Planning and paying for a wedding is taking priority on all other expenses. My wedding dress is strapless so it would be nice to have it done before but I’m not sure it’d be possible.

In other, more exciting news, I hit the gym yesterday AND RAN! It was much better than a few weeks ago when I tried running. In fact, this time, my stomach didn’t bother me at all but by the time I was done, my arms were starting to get pretty sore. I did 10 minutes on the elliptical and heard the treadmill calling my name. I ran at a somewhat slow pace for 20 minutes doing 5:1′s (run 5 minutes, walk 1 minute).

Not bad for the first time running in 8 weeks, huh?! And, not bad for treadmill running! Jen would be proud I lasted that long on a treadmill, ha! Speaking of gyms, come back tomorrow because I have a question for ya’ll and would like your input!

{ 17 comments }

Waiting on the weights.

by Jen, a priorfatgirl on January 10, 2012

I hit the gym last night, a little over 8 weeks after my surgery.

I’ve been doing cardio now for about a week and it’s gone well. I’ve done the elliptical and stair stepper, both proved to be a workout but not pushing myself too much. I tried running but it is too much bounce for my stomach. I wore somewhat loose pants so I’m gong to try later this week with some much tighter workout pants.

Last night when I went to the gym, I tried to lift some light weights. Dr. Gervais had told me 2 weeks ago that I could start working out, including weights, as long as I slowly worked back into things and didn’t just jump right back in. So for yesterday, I did 20 minutes of elliptical and then headed to the weights. I grabbed the 10lb dumbbells to do curls and made it 3 reps in. I decided they were too heavy so grabbed the 8lb dumbbells and just couldn’t do it.

It wasn’t that the dumbbells were too heavy but that my arms were to uncomfortable. When I straighten my arms and put them down by my side, they touch my torso. The proper way to do a curl is to bend at the elbow which, by default, adds a slight movement in the upper arms. It creates a slight rub between the inside of my arm and my side. The incision rubbing is awkward and uncomfortable. Now I know it isn’t proper form for the upper arms to move a lot but there is a *small* movement that is still awkward.

I tried to keep my arms a little out from my side but it made the curl motion even more uncomfortable.

SO I STOPPED.

I think I’ll wait a couple weeks before trying again. I went back to the cardio area and did another 20 minutes on the recumbent bike.

I wanted to share a picture of me from behind, when my arms are down.

When my arms are up, the incision is a straight line but when my arms are down, the incision shows at an angle. The incisions will get a little lighter but they’ll probably always be visible. I’ve been asked by multiple different people if I regret my decision and my answer is always

NO

I am happy with my decision and would do it all over again. Everything tat I’ve experienced, the pain and the scars and I’ll have forever, and yes, even the frustration of havin to sit for 3 weeks, it’s all totally worth it. I don’t regret my decison one bit.

{ 16 comments }

4 week check-up

December 26, 2011

I’m a week late in posting but wanted to share the good news from my 4 week check-up on my surgery! Things are going well – Dr. Gervias said I’m healing very very well and he’s very impressed with all my incisions. He said I could stop wearing the compression garment and move to a [...]

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