Extreme measures - a moral dilemma?

randisaucier

if i had loads of excess skin left over, id get surgery for sure if i could afford it.

i dont see where morals come into it?

I agree! It's not about morals it's about being able to feel comfortable in your own skin. I plan to have a tummy tuck once I reach my goal weight and I don't feel I am being immoral or vain....I have lost 120 pounds in the past, had two babies over 9 pounds each and am on my way (49 pounds lost to date) to losing 115 pounds again. NO the skin will not tighten up over time to fit my body shape.....it does get better but it will never be where I feel comfortable about the appearance and comfortable with my own body until it is removed.

helenoftroy1

If you think surgery is a quick fix, you would be incorrect! I am banded and I have to follow the same rules that everyone else does. I keep in 1200 cals per day, eating healthy, workout 4-5 days per week 45 mins to 1 hour at a time! My goal is to lose 2 lbs per week. Even if you lose the weigh without surgery, you can still have loose skin!

I am working on toning and giving my skin time to shrink. I think surgery of any kind is extreme, but you have to weigh the risks against the possible benefit of feeling better about yourself! With larger people, there is always the problem of excess skin rubbing, getting infected and not healing properly. Most people get skin reduction surgery for cosmetic purposes, but there are medical reasons too!

To each, his own, but KNOW THE RISKS before you go under the knife!

I didn't mean to offend, I don't know if you have seen the programme it seems a lot of people who have gastric bands lose a lot of weight really quickly and I guess we were all a little worried about getting loose skin and how that occurs. From the programme it seemed it was because of large losses. Mind you there was one who did a massive loss in a short time through almost starving herself and she had loose skin. Basically I was worried about the same as OP, loose skin. But I also am enjoying my long journey and I was weighing ('scuse the pun) the pros and cons against being able to lose weight quickly either by drastic calorie deficiency or surgery. to losing gradually and enjoying the journey. I am curious, do you not feel like ready to pop with 1200 calories and being banded?

hmm33502

If you think surgery is a quick fix, you would be incorrect! I am banded and I have to follow the same rules that everyone else does. I keep in 1200 cals per day, eating healthy, workout 4-5 days per week 45 mins to 1 hour at a time! My goal is to lose 2 lbs per week. Even if you lose the weigh without surgery, you can still have loose skin!

I am working on toning and giving my skin time to shrink. I think surgery of any kind is extreme, but you have to weigh the risks against the possible benefit of feeling better about yourself! With larger people, there is always the problem of excess skin rubbing, getting infected and not healing properly. Most people get skin reduction surgery for cosmetic purposes, but there are medical reasons too!

To each, his own, but KNOW THE RISKS before you go under the knife!

I didn't mean to offend, I don't know if you have seen the programme it seems a lot of people who have gastric bands lose a lot of weight really quickly and I guess we were all a little worried about getting loose skin and how that occurs. From the programme it seemed it was because of large losses. Mind you there was one who did a massive loss in a short time through almost starving herself and she had loose skin. Basically I was worried about the same as OP, loose skin. But I also am enjoying my long journey and I was weighing ('scuse the pun) the pros and cons against being able to lose weight quickly either by drastic calorie deficiency or surgery. to losing gradually and enjoying the journey. I am curious, do you not feel like ready to pop with 1200 calories and being banded?

No offense taken! It is awfully hard to get to 1200 cals per day while trying to eat the proper foods and being banded. If I ate icecream and cake all day, then I could make it easily, but lean meats, veggies, some whole grains (can't really eat breads or processed starches....they won't go down) don't have super high calorie content! I try to fill in calories with protein shakes made with milk instead of water. If it is liquid, it will go down, no problem. That is why soups, icecream and other liquid high calorie foods aren't a good option. They defeat the purpose of the band.

Even people who go through weight loss surgery don't fully understand the amount of work that it takes. I am all for surgery, but not in the place of putting forth the effort and not without the proper facts. I don't think it is a moral dilemma, but surgery is often rushed into.

Sorry to linger on the banding! It is a great tool and is helpful for someone like me who has gone so far off track that I needed an exra push to get back on. I recommend not gaining all of the weight in the first place, but hindsight is always 20/20...isn't it!