Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Unintended consequences of weight loss

Generally, folks tout the benefits of weight loss. Rarely do we hear about the negative consequences.

In the last week I have encountered two such consequences.

1. While trying to board a plane I was selected for additional screening after succumbing to the new scanners. The agent asked me, "Sir, you have items in your back pockets." I told him, "No I don't. In fact these pants don't have back pockets."

Well he didn't believe me so I had to succumb to a cavity search. Afterwards I realized that the skin flaps probably looked like pockets on the scanner...

2. Dallas had a bad ice storm this week. So yesterday, I awoke and decided to walk to the fitness center to use the treadmill. Problem was I slipped on the ice. In years past when I fell on the ice, my well padded derrier was always the first thing to hit the ground. Well yesterday morning I literally fell flat on my back. Hurts a lot, but is better today.

So does anyone else want to share some of the negatives? Its always nice to know where the reefs are located. Good news is my A1C is down to 4.5!

No negatives to share, but congrats on your weight loss!

Generally, folks tout the benefits of weight loss. Rarely do we hear about the negative consequences.

In the last week I have encountered two such consequences.

1. While trying to board a plane I was selected for additional screening after succumbing to the new scanners. The agent asked me, "Sir, you have items in your back pockets." I told him, "No I don't. In fact these pants don't have back pockets."

Well he didn't believe me so I had to succumb to a cavity search. Afterwards I realized that the skin flaps probably looked like pockets on the scanner...

2. Dallas had a bad ice storm this week. So yesterday, I awoke and decided to walk to the fitness center to use the treadmill. Problem was I slipped on the ice. In years past when I fell on the ice, my well padded derrier was always the first thing to hit the ground. Well yesterday morning I literally fell flat on my back. Hurts a lot, but is better today.

So does anyone else want to share some of the negatives? Its always nice to know where the reefs are located. Good news is my A1C is down to 4.5!
This leads to a question that I have intended to ask for some time...

Were you aware that your stretched skin might not shrink back when you lost weight? If you were aware, did it influence your outlook on weight loss -- that is, did it have a negative impact on your progress because inevitably, you would end up with skin pockets that aren't particularly attractive? And, are you considering any sort of surgery to remove the skin?

It's a sensitive area, I know, and that reason is why I have held back on asking. But it seems to be a very releveant set of questions when it comes to maintaing the motivation to keep the weight loss going. And I don't recall reading about the issue much in this forum. It seems to be a negative consequence, and one that can be hidden. But for example, when starting a new relationship, the revelation will need to be made at some point or another.

Fortunately, I have never progressed from just being overweight to mordibly obese, although I suspect I am now at an age where the elasticity of the skin around my stomach means I am less likely to show off well defined abs into the future. So I can sort of identify with the issue...

Buying clothes all the time. I have no fashion sense.

I read the title and somehow knew extra skin would be involved. I can't WAIT to have extra skin! I'm gonna be a veritable flying squirrel! Congrats on your weight loss buddy.

This leads to a question that I have intended to ask for some time...

Were you aware that your stretched skin might not shrink back when you lost weight? If you were aware, did it influence your outlook on weight loss -- that is, did it have a negative impact on your progress because inevitably, you would end up with skin pockets that aren't particularly attractive? And, are you considering any sort of surgery to remove the skin?

It's a sensitive area, I know, and that reason is why I have held back on asking. But it seems to be a very releveant set of questions when it comes to maintaing the motivation to keep the weight loss going. And I don't recall reading about the issue much in this forum. It seems to be a negative consequence, and one that can be hidden. But for example, when starting a new relationship, the revelation will need to be made at some point or another.

Fortunately, I have never progressed from just being overweight to mordibly obese, although I suspect I am now at an age where the elasticity of the skin around my stomach means I am less likely to show off well defined abs into the future. So I can sort of identify with the issue...

I fully expect the skin to recover. From what I have read it can take several years post weight loss for that to happen. The key is your percent body fat. Even after a lot of weight loss, your body may be storing fat in the skin areas, which prevent it from shrinking. Given time and further weight loss, the issue should correct itself.

Frankly, I don't really care about the skin. I just found the scanner issue funny. The falling flat on my back, instead of a well padded derrier was less funny. Though that may change in the future when the pain eases...

Buying clothes all the time. I have no fashion sense.

Yeh, I maintained the same size for 20+ years... Hate buying clothes. And really hate needing new clothes every couple of months. Goodwill has come to love me.

The best I can say is that my tighty whiteys fall down. Don't have enough butt and waist to hold them up. New belts and whitey for Christmas?

I don't think I have ever been big enough to have extra skin but that's totally awesome that you've lost that much weight!

I lost about 300 pounds and had massive amounts of excess skin. It was a serious problem. I actually could not ride the bike in regular short, not because of vanity, but because the skin on my legs would actually flap against the top tube. The folded-over "apron" skin on my abdomen led to serious skin breakdowns and constant irritation.

I ended up having close to $15K worth of plastic surgery to deal with this -- circumferential body lift, double brachioplasty (hanging skin under arms), and thigh-plasties. If anybody who has serious questions about this, send me a PM. I can send you a link to the doctor I used. He actually has anonymous pics of me on his site I just noticed. (I did give permission, so it's cool.)

I was fortunate not to have any loose skin after losing 65 lbs. I think the biggest inconvenience for me was probably replacing my clothes. I am cheap and have no fashion sense so I have to depend on my wife to tell me whether something looks ok.

The thing I'm growing most tired of is people telling me I look too thin, 5'11" 172 lbs is not too thin (too fat for this sport :)). I think people were just used to me being fat.

JimF22003,

"2009 Cervelo R3SL tdf Edition" .....nice!

1. While trying to board a plane I was selected for additional screening after succumbing to the new scanners. The agent asked me, "Sir, you have items in your back pockets." I told him, "No I don't. In fact these pants don't have back pockets."

Well he didn't believe me so I had to succumb to a cavity search. Afterwards I realized that the skin flaps probably looked like pockets on the scanner...


Wait....what? You could be the next poster child for the anti-body scanner crowd! Somebody gets upset because of a pat-down? Holy snickeys, imagine the outcry over a cavity search!

I fully expect the skin to recover.

Not going to happen, consider it a reminder of what once was.

This leads to a question that I have intended to ask for some time...

Were you aware that your stretched skin might not shrink back when you lost weight? If you were aware, did it influence your outlook on weight loss -- that is, did it have a negative impact on your progress because inevitably, you would end up with skin pockets that aren't particularly attractive? And, are you considering any sort of surgery to remove the skin?

It's a sensitive area, I know, and that reason is why I have held back on asking. But it seems to be a very releveant set of questions when it comes to maintaing the motivation to keep the weight loss going. And I don't recall reading about the issue much in this forum. It seems to be a negative consequence, and one that can be hidden. But for example, when starting a new relationship, the revelation will need to be made at some point or another.

Fortunately, I have never progressed from just being overweight to mordibly obese, although I suspect I am now at an age where the elasticity of the skin around my stomach means I am less likely to show off well defined abs into the future. So I can sort of identify with the issue...

I've considered waiting a designated amount of time after I reach my weight goal and if the skin hasn't caught up, I'm considering a surgical procedure to remove he excess skin.

Oh - and my other gripe is that this is my first "under-300" winter and I'm F-ing cold ALL THE TIME!!!

Oh - and my other gripe is that this is my first "under-300" winter and I'm F-ing cold ALL THE TIME!!!

Me too...my first under 200 winter for 10 years.

Oh - and my other gripe is that this is my first "under-300" winter and I'm F-ing cold ALL THE TIME!!!

+1

Not going to happen, consider it a reminder of what once was.

From the research I've done, there is plenty of evidence that the skin will shrink, but it can take a couple of years. The key is to get one's percent body fat down to the 10%-15% range. Anything above that and fat can remain in the skin flaps, keeping them from going away.

If it doesn't, I don't really care. I didn't loose the weight for aesthetic reasons.

Oh - and my other gripe is that this is my first "under-300" winter and I'm F-ing cold ALL THE TIME!!!

+1

I lost about 300 pounds and had massive amounts of excess skin. It was a serious problem. I actually could not ride the bike in regular short, not because of vanity, but because the skin on my legs would actually flap against the top tube. The folded-over "apron" skin on my abdomen led to serious skin breakdowns and constant irritation.

I ended up having close to $15K worth of plastic surgery to deal with this -- circumferential body lift, double brachioplasty (hanging skin under arms), and thigh-plasties. If anybody who has serious questions about this, send me a PM. I can send you a link to the doctor I used. He actually has anonymous pics of me on his site I just noticed. (I did give permission, so it's cool.)

Just curious... what happens if you regain that weight after those procedures? Is your skin back in regular condition or is it stretched/thinner?

An acquaintance of mine lost a lot of weight after a gastric bypass. She was so upset with the loose skin and sagging that she decided her appearance was better when she was obese. She was not motivated to follow instructions and keep the weight off, despite diabetes and other health problems. Last I checked she had regained to her pre-surgery weight plus a few more pounds. Her insurance covered the bariatric surgery but not any cosmetic surgery.

The surgery to remove loose skin is NOT trivial. It's expensive, leaves scars, has risks and a long recovery time. So many people assume it's no big deal -- as if it's similar to getting a haircut.

Loose skin won't always shrink back on its own, even after a few years, especially in aging or sun-damaged skin. Hopefully medical science is improving what they can do. The market for this type of intervention is growing.

A few years back, I lost around 28Kg from cycling and eating better. There are things they don't tell you in the weight loss brochure. The biggest one for me was having to replace my entire wardrobe. I'm still in denial about it. I've replaced one pair of pants and five shirts - enough to see me through a working week. But everything else is still on hold. It's an expensive thing to have to do. The worst part is if your weight loss is still a work in progress, because you're going to have to buy many sets of clothes until you reach your goal weight. In the end, my pants were falling off me (even with a belt) before I had to bite the bullet and replace them. I still wear my "fat" shirts from time to time, because I'm such a cheapskate!

And yes, I'm now cold in winter. Thanks very much, weight loss! Now my clothes are too big AND I'm cold!!! :P

Max

I still wear my "fat" shirts from time to time, because I'm such a cheapskate!


Same here. I couldn't bare to get rid of all my old clothes. I have a lot of stuff that was still in good shape that I put away in case I need them in the future. I did throw out/donate a lot of stuff that I probably should have stopped wearing anyway because it was so worn out.

I've had the same wardrobe issues. And since I'm not at my final goal weight yet, I can't bring myself to buy things that fit me now, unless they're absolute necessities, or they're just incredibly cheap, like one pair of Costco jeans each time I drop a size.

And like the others who complain about the cold, I'm right there, too. I was surprised just how cold I am (that's discounting last night's coldness, which was due to my 101-degree fever).

Craig, AWESOME job on the weight loss man. Keep it up!

As far as loose skin is considered I was really concerned about it until the last month. I've noticed a big improvement with the last 8 lbs I've lost. I read somewhere that one must get really low bodyfat in order for the skin to tighten up. There may be something to this.

Craig, AWESOME job on the weight loss man. Keep it up!

Thanks. I'm on a temporary furlough right now. Between lower back issues many here have already read about, and this crummy crud I picked up last week (feels like the flu, but I already got both shots last fall), I'm on the IR list for the foreseeable future, and I'm sure it will have a deleterious affect on my numbers in the meantime. But you know what? I've decided that's just the way it is, and not lose any sleep over it for now. Unlike this cough and sore throat, which I am losing sleep over.

I've lost 50 pounds since last May. Somebody who knew me and hadn't seen me for a few months asked me if I'd been sick. I told her no and explained how climbing burns calories like crazy.

I can't believe it took 16 posts to get to "cold all the time." Of course, in the Texas summer, that's a huge positive. I look forward to unloading all the weight I've gained back so I can "suffer" along with all of you.

As far as loose skin is considered I was really concerned about it until the last month. I've noticed a big improvement with the last 8 lbs I've lost. I read somewhere that one must get really low bodyfat in order for the skin to tighten up. There may be something to this.

This is what I have garnered from my research. The body stores body fat in different places, depending upon a number of factors. Getting one's body fat percentage down to the < 10-15% range, should cause the skin to retract to a more normal size. That said skin does lose resiliency with age, so it is possible that older folks may not recover fully.

Personally, I don't care if it does or doesn't. I was perfectly happy with my weight as it was. I just wasn't happy being told I was going blind--diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy. The change in lifestyle has managed to get my A1C down to 4.5. The doctor credits the Januvia, I place the lions share of credit on dietary and exercise changes along with weight loss. When I get close to my goal weight, I plan to ween myself off the Januvia and see if my A1C and blood glucose stay in the healthy range.

That said I am still very sore from my fall on Friday. First time I've fell on the ice and not had an ample derrier take the brunt of the impact... Not fun. Just received some strap on ice cleats for my shoes so this doesn't happen again. Maybe in a few days I will be able to sleep in my bed again... I think I am going to try resuming exercise again tomorrow... Even sore it doesn't feel right not to ride/walk...

Being an extreme pear, clothes off the rack never fitted me properly even when I was thin. Now that I'm big, they fit a little better, oddly enough. Pants are finally long enough, shirt cuffs don't end an inch or more above my wrists, I'm not constantly tugging sweaters down. Apparently commercial pattern drafters are a little too fond of the "offset" command in their cad programs. People don't get taller when they gain weight, but sloppy drafting makes the pattern pieces longer.

Just curious... what happens if you regain that weight after those procedures? Is your skin back in regular condition or is it stretched/thinner?

It pops out elsewhere (ask me how I know... :) )

I'll never have a hanging gut in front because of the abdominoplasty, but when I put on a few extra pounds they go to my hips and but and upper thighs. It's like squeezing a balloon I guess.

Things I've noticed. Many are repeats of what's been said here...


Loose skin

Been there, done that. Still doing it, in fact.

At my post-surgery weight loss group meetings, this was a standard topic. I console myself by the knowledge that the skin has been with me a long time; while I don't particularly like it, I like it a lot better empty and loose than when it was full of fat.

It may shrink; it may not. C'est la vie.

Cold

I used to never get cold. My wife called me her heating blanket. Now I'm cold, and she's cold as a result. My heating bill has gone up some. I wear house slippers and robes and in the winter never go out without a hat or coat on.

My dog has gotten used to me suiting up to take her out. I just keep telling myself that I look dashing in a fedora and trench coat.

Clothes

Yeah. Everything's changed sizes. My HEAD is smaller (insert fathead jokes here), so my hats don't fit as well as they used to. This is no big deal for adjustable ball caps, but I have a couple of nice fedoras that ride the top of my ears now, and I hate to replace them when they're in good condition.

I spent the last year buying almost all of my clothes at Goodwill or other second-hand shops. Especially when I was going through rapid post-surgery weight loss, this was a godsend, as replacing your wardrobe can be expensive.

I typically bought 2-3 pair of shorts/pants, 4-6 shirtst, and wore them until they were baggy enough to look bad. Donate back (or pass on to friends and family), and repeat every six-eight weeks.


Here's a tip. If you have one or two articles of clothing that you absolutely love, take them to a tailor. If he says he can't get them to look good on you anymore, then count your blessings that you've lost as much as you have. But a good tailor can work wonders, so don't toss your beloved shirt or pair of pants out without at least seeing what one can do.

Now that I'm basically at my target weight, I'm buying less, but I'm a lot more picky about what I buy, as it'll stay around longer. I'm also having issues finding clothes that fit right. Pants that fit in the thighs (cycling) are too big in the waist. Shirts that fit my chest and shoulders are too baggy around my midsection. Who'd have thought?

I'll probably have to develop a long-lasting relationship with my tailor. There are worse consequences.

Social Issues

"Don't you think you've lost enough?"

"You're getting too thin."

etc...

These comments are like fortune cookies. But instead of adding "... in bed.", add "to make me feel comfortable about myself." It's not about how you look; it's about how looking the way you look makes them feel about themselves.

Most people, when they say this, do so from an unconscious insecurity. See, when you were fat, you were their security blanket that shielded them from their own health issues.

It's easy to feel good about yourself when you have a Fat Friend. After all, you might not be as trim as you were in college, but at least you're not as big as Fat Richard.

People tell themselves this for years. Decades. Your family, your friends. Your coworkers. Your (fat) presence made them feel better about themselves in comparison. And while they're happy that you were losing weight, there comes a point for each of them where your presence is no longer a comfort.

Keep losing weight past this point, and your (thin) presence makes them feel uncomfortable. See, they've been spending so much time thinking of you as their Fat Friend, that when they compare themselves to their Fat Friend, who is now thinner and/or healthier than they are, it makes them feel fat.

At this point, many of them, deep down, want you to fail, and start gaining again, to reassure themselves that it really is too hard (for them) to get healthy. That's a lot easier (for them) than facing uncomfortable realities about themselves and doing something about it. "So can I buy you a donut or twelve? Remember how much fun we had when we went to the all-you-can-eat pizza joint? Let's go back, my treat." Yeah... they'll sabotage you if they can, even if they don't consciously realize that's what they're doing.

WE have to look in the mirror and give our minds time to readjust to the entire concept of not being fat; our friends, loved ones, and coworkers have to go through the same process. Give them time. They may come around; if they don't, that's their problem.

RichardGlover: Excellent post!

RichardGlover: Excellent post!

As they say, quantity has a quality all it's own.

Oh - and my other gripe is that this is my first "under-300" winter and I'm F-ing cold ALL THE TIME!!!

Layers my friends, layers.... :)

Try coupling that with pre-peri-supercalifragilistic menopause... I'm taking clothes on and off so often I need a phone booth! ....ok... perhaps we shouldn't go there....

Excellent thread, and RichardGlover, thanks for the excellent post!

I am both moved and grateful for the relentless support and encouragement coming from these C/A threads! I have been intrigued by the "loose skin" idea and I think I use it ... or its potential to really limit any more progress in the fat loss/weight loss arena. For me it is just an excuse, I'm realizing - a distraction from being/staying disciplined with eating and focused in ritual movement, every day.

Again thanks for all the personal stories and the constant information and inspiration :)

Excellent thread, and RichardGlover, thanks for the excellent post!

I am both moved and grateful for the relentless support and encouragement coming from these C/A threads! I have been intrigued by the "loose skin" idea and I think I use it ... or its potential to really limit any more progress in the fat loss/weight loss arena. For me it is just an excuse, I'm realizing - a distraction from being/staying disciplined with eating and focused in ritual movement, every day.

Again thanks for all the personal stories and the constant information and inspiration :)

An acquaintance of mine lost a lot of weight after a gastric bypass. She was so upset with the loose skin and sagging that she decided her appearance was better when she was obese. She was not motivated to follow instructions and keep the weight off, despite diabetes and other health problems. Last I checked she had regained to her pre-surgery weight plus a few more pounds. Her insurance covered the bariatric surgery but not any cosmetic surgery.

The surgery to remove loose skin is NOT trivial. It's expensive, leaves scars, has risks and a long recovery time. So many people assume it's no big deal -- as if it's similar to getting a haircut.

Loose skin won't always shrink back on its own, even after a few years, especially in aging or sun-damaged skin. Hopefully medical science is improving what they can do. The market for this type of intervention is growing.

Any surgery is a big deal. I'm at least fortunate in that the only area that has a massive amount of baggie skin is just my belly. I know someone who, like me, lost a similar amount of weight naturally and then decided to have that extra skin taken care of surgically. In a perfect world, it wouldn't be necessary. But I'm getting ahead of myself. I still have some more weight to lose first!

A few years back, I lost around 28Kg from cycling and eating better. There are things they don't tell you in the weight loss brochure. The biggest one for me was having to replace my entire wardrobe. I'm still in denial about it. I've replaced one pair of pants and five shirts - enough to see me through a working week. But everything else is still on hold. It's an expensive thing to have to do. The worst part is if your weight loss is still a work in progress, because you're going to have to buy many sets of clothes until you reach your goal weight. In the end, my pants were falling off me (even with a belt) before I had to bite the bullet and replace them. I still wear my "fat" shirts from time to time, because I'm such a cheapskate!

And yes, I'm now cold in winter. Thanks very much, weight loss! Now my clothes are too big AND I'm cold!!! :P

Max

Been there - done that. Happily, the Historian was also shedding pounds and was able to send a few shirts and a pair of jeans my way. It took a little of the sting out of having to replace the entire wardrobe.

It's easy to feel good about yourself when you have a Fat Friend. After all, you might not be as trim as you were in college, but at least you're not as big as Fat Richard.

People tell themselves this for years. Decades. Your family, your friends. Your coworkers. Your (fat) presence made them feel better about themselves in comparison. And while they're happy that you were losing weight, there comes a point for each of them where your presence is no longer a comfort.

Keep losing weight past this point, and your (thin) presence makes them feel uncomfortable. See, they've been spending so much time thinking of you as their Fat Friend, that when they compare themselves to their Fat Friend, who is now thinner and/or healthier than they are, it makes them feel fat.

At this point, many of them, deep down, want you to fail, and start gaining again, to reassure themselves that it really is too hard (for them) to get healthy. That's a lot easier (for them) than facing uncomfortable realities about themselves and doing something about it. "So can I buy you a donut or twelve? Remember how much fun we had when we went to the all-you-can-eat pizza joint? Let's go back, my treat." Yeah... they'll sabotage you if they can, even if they don't consciously realize that's what they're doing.

Yup - learning all about this one.

Any surgery is a big deal. I'm at least fortunate in that the only area that has a massive amount of baggie skin is just my belly. I know someone who, like me, lost a similar amount of weight naturally and then decided to have that extra skin taken care of surgically. In a perfect world, it wouldn't be necessary. But I'm getting ahead of myself. I still have some more weight to lose first!

Oh - and I have to agree with the part about how I like the loose, baggy skin much more now than when it was full of fat. It sounds kind of weird, but I know exactly how you feel.

Hair loss. I was told by a friend that the scalp can shrink with weight loss and the hair in that lost are dies and falls out.

+1 on the feeling colder.

Here's something I've noticed, but only on a smaller scale (I've lost 20lb).

Water Retention
I'm seriously running to have a pee all the time now! :eek:

I always sit at my desk with a water bottle beside me and I've noticed that as I'm slimming down I seem to get 'full' quicker, then the urge to go comes on stronger and faster than usual. I don't think I'm drinking any more.

Question: Is it something to do with having less fat to act as a buffer for storing water (like a camel!) or does something weird happen like my bladder is shrinking?



On the topic of large skin folds, my sister is an ambulance paramedic and has some rather gross stories. Often they have to go and treat morbidly obese patients 'in-situ' because these folks have great mobility problems (ie can't get to hospital or the doctor). Hygiene is very hard to maintain and skin issues are common (as Jim pointed out). She has had to get one paramedic to hold the extra skin out of the way (both hands and pushing) while she performs a procedure - all the while she has to have her face in a stinky cheese smell. She tells these stories over dinner, of course...

She has mentioned the surgery too. Lots of risk of excessive blood loss, so it can be a very dangerous procedure. It's not as simple as a snip and re-join.

Been there - done that. Happily, the Historian was also shedding pounds and was able to send a few shirts and a pair of jeans my way. It took a little of the sting out of having to replace the entire wardrobe.

This is a "pay it forward" on my part. When I lost weight in 2006-2007 the former BF poster Uncadan passed on to me a bunch of clothes HE shrank out of. Uncadan's motivation was a blog posting I made describing my giving away most of my former wardrobe. So when Sayre was at a point where he needed to get rid of the 5x stuff he was wearing, I felt I had to help him out.

As far as loose skin is considered I was really concerned about it until the last month. I've noticed a big improvement with the last 8 lbs I've lost. I read somewhere that one must get really low bodyfat in order for the skin to tighten up. There may be something to this.

When I was 250 something four years ago, I saw a dermatologist about getting moles removed. She said I had so much loose skin I could have them all taken off and they'd not need to do any grafting. They also mentioned I could have my gynecomastia taken care of at the same time because "they're just skin sacs now." I didn't have it done, but I still felt pretty fat at 250 something.

I spent the last year buying almost all of my clothes at Goodwill or other second-hand shops. Especially when I was going through rapid post-surgery weight loss, this was a godsend, as replacing your wardrobe can be expensive.



Seconded. I've been doing the same. If you choose well folks can't tell the difference between new and pre-owned, and that's more money to spend on bike stuff.

Here's a tip. If you have one or two articles of clothing that you absolutely love, take them to a tailor. If he says he can't get them to look good on you anymore, then count your blessings that you've lost as much as you have. But a good tailor can work wonders, so don't toss your beloved shirt or pair of pants out without at least seeing what one can do.



I believe a tailor can take in a suit up to two sizes before the work becomes a problem.

On the topic of large skin folds, my sister is an ambulance paramedic and has some rather gross stories. Often they have to go and treat morbidly obese patients 'in-situ' because these folks have great mobility problems (ie can't get to hospital or the doctor). Hygiene is very hard to maintain and skin issues are common (as Jim pointed out). She has had to get one paramedic to hold the extra skin out of the way (both hands and pushing) while she performs a procedure - all the while she has to have her face in a stinky cheese smell. She tells these stories over dinner, of course...


Not to mention that sometimes you can't perform certain things. My medical charts for my life-changing hospitalization five years ago show that the doctor was unable to hear my lungs properly due to my excess flesh.