Tightening up my stomach after the surgery

[mid20sgirl86]

For the longest time I thought that I had a fat gut but a small body frame. I've lost a lot of weight. However, a few weeks ago I found out that my fat pot belly isn't actually a fat pot belly. I am growing a huge ovarian cyst. The doctor estimated it is about six pounds. There are a few pictures of my belly in my body space, and you will be able to see why I thought I was fat. I look extremely overweight in those photos. A lot of people who know me are confused about why I would think I am fat, and not suspect that it is something else. Well you can see by the photos that it looks like fat. I just wanted to add that part, because I'm sick of people asking why I thought it was fat. So I didn't want people who respond to this thread to ask that, I figure if you have a visual you'll understand why. I've lost weight since those photos were taken too. I've gone down ten pounds since I took pictures. Those are of me at 136. And I don't think the body fat percentage is accurate, I'm not sure how to measure it now when the cyst is probably making me 10 pounds bigger than I really am. Plus my stomach measurement won't be right. I'm planning on adding more body space photos in a bit.

Anyway, I went to the doctor because I thought I had a hernia or something. Turned out that it's the cyst and none of that is fat. The doctor was feeling it and he said he didn't feel fat at all. So the problem is, I am going to have to have surgery. They are going to take out the cyst, which will take care of the pot belly problem. The problem is, if none of that is fat, and all of that is coming out in one day when I do surgery I am likely going to have extra skin. I'm worried it's going to even be saggy from how huge it is. So my question is, how can I tighten all of that up once I recover enough from the surgery? Or am I actually going to have to go and get another surgery to fix all the loose skin? I felt better when I thought it was fat because with fat you can lose it slowly and the worst that will happen is stretch marks. I have some on my thighs and my hips. I don't really care about stretch marks. But I want to be able to actually wear a bikini this summer but I won't be able to if I have a extra sagging skin on my stomach.

Edit: I just finished putting up new photos. There are photos of back, side and stomach

[flyfreefit]

Doesn't look like there will be much loose skin, if any. Talk to your doctor about trimming it during surgery if that's a concern of yours. It shouldn't be that big of a deviation from the surgery he'll be doing already. Once you go through it all and you still are having issues, come back and address it then, when you actually have an update on your situation.

Good luck with everything.

[kdiamond55]

Wow that's crazy! You actually don't look fat at all, you look 5 months pregnant! Glad they finally caught that, I can't imagine you had to walk around like that, how uncomfortable for you!

I don't think you'll have loose skin either, I had 2 8-lb babies within 2 years and was HUGELY pregnant (gained 50+ pounds each time) and I have very minimal loose skin. Good luck with the surgery! It might take a few months to spring back (like it would with a pregnancy) but just stay the course and you should be fine.

[mid20sgirl86]

Wow that's crazy! You actually don't look fat at all, you look 5 months pregnant! Glad they finally caught that, I can't imagine you had to walk around like that, how uncomfortable for you!

Yes it is, and it's getting worse. I had to go on short term disability on Tuesday because of the pain alone. Thankfully I only have to deal with this for three more weeks. And my doctor thought I was pregnant at first, and I had to explain I wasn't. It explains why I couldn't lose my stomach though. I've been working out a lot and it wouldn't go anywhere. I'm just surprised it only started to hurt because they think it's been there for a while. The pain has definitely developed quickly though. It started with a little bit pain, to intense pain where I'm pretty much in tears.

But thanks for the comments. My goal this summer is to wear a bikini. So I am hoping my stomach won't prevent that.