Candle

Congrats on the marathon! I hope your ankle is feeling better. HAPPY (belated) BIRTHDAY!! :Banane30: I'll be thinking about you tomorrow. I hope things go smoothly.

Thanks again everyone!! I hope we all have continued success!

I had my surgery with Dr Geiss. I've been very successful with my band and all my interaction with Dr Geiss and his staff has been very positive. From insurance approval to post op follow up care. Dr Powers seems to get rave reviews as well. Good luck to you! [PS- Visit the Long Island thread in the NY forum. Quite a few patients of Dr Geiss have post there.]

I don't know if it makes me work out "harder" but I run 2-3 miles per day with my dog and I definitely smoke before each run. Along with my ipod, it puts me in my own little world and actually makes me ENJOY *gasp* working out. (kinda :redface: )

I did 2 weeks before surgery and lost 14lbs and 2 weeks after and lost about another 14lbs!! I hated every minute of it but was a great jump start to my weight loss!!! Good luck.

Karri - I am so excited for you!!! I'm also personally very interested in your results as my tummy looks EXACTLY like yours!!! Dr. Schulman just posted in his thread recently about the bra line incision to address the muffin top.

Thank you! I plan to start consultations for PS soon and I've been researching the upper body lift. I hope to meet with you, Dr Schulman. (I'm on Long Island) Would you commonly do an upper body lift and a breast lift at the same time?

You girls do not need to apologize for anything you are saying or feeling!! Karey really has offered some great insight and advice. I'm so proud of both of you and only hope I can be as brave and inspiring when my time comes! Frangi - are you traveling home alone or is your hubby going to return to FL again, before you leave? Becky - OMG!!!! Your thighs might be causing you the most pain but OMG! they look amazing!!! (I'd never be able to wear a bathing suit next to you in Vegas! :biggrin: )

Oh Becky ... :sad: ... I feel for you! Just take it one day at a time.

Congrats!!! I'm now in size 12 and a L-XL. I find myself not really knowing where to shop. I've had to shop in Plus size for so long I don't even know what stores have the best deals and my style. What is my style? :smile: I'm still losing and hoping for PS within the year so I don't want to start a whole new wardrobe yet either. I got a bunch of cute things for the summer at Target that were cheap but the quality doesn't seem to be that great. Such a new world - :crying:

Becky - I am so glad to hear things went well. Jody- keep us posted on Frangi! I'm so proud of you girls and will be thinking about you this weekend!

Thanks guys I hope to see more and more of us Crazy Ate's getting to goal in the coming months!! Can you believe we are quickly closing in on the 1 year mark!?!!

Glad to hear you are doing well and I am jealous about the PS stuff. How exciting!!!<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> Is it going to be difficult to GAIN weight now that you have the sleeve though? Especially in the beginning. How does that work? <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p>

Great thread!!! Reading your post - it could have easily been my own!! Here's a little more inspiration for everyone - this is a cut & paste from the Aug '07 forum that I made today: I made it to my [original] goal today! I still want to lose another 15-20lbs so the work continues but I am beyond thrilled with my Lap Band experience! I started by pre-op diet on 8/16/07 - never did I think I would be able to lose 120lbs in less than 10 months! If *I* can do it – anyone can!! I run 2 miles per day and I eat a balanced, healthy diet. I TRY to stick with whole foods, staying away from pre-packaged stuff and going out to eat. (my BIG weakness!) I've been very lucky with the band. I've only had one fill of 2cc's in a 10cc APS band. I've never felt my band or any sense of restriction or had to change my physical eating style. Since I haven't really had any issues with hunger and I've lost very steadily, I agree with my doctor's policy not to fill my band. Maybe there is something to the theory that the band placement alone is enough for some people? The "easy" part is over, now for the real work. Maintaining ... Next stop – plastic surgery. I’m starting consults this summer. I’m going to jump thru the insurance hoops and hopefully they will cover part of my tummy tuck, which I would qualify for at 18 months out from WLS. Thanks for all the support, great information and advice that this forum has to offer.

The girls in Dr Geiss's office are very on top of things but they are also a VERY busy office. If I was you, I would call just to be sure they got everything and submit it in a timely manner. I had my cardiac tests done months before my 6-month pre-op insurance required diet was over. I called Dr Geiss's office 1 week after my 6-month diet was over, just to be sure they had everything and the dip shit Cardiologist I saw had never sent my clearance over. Then it took them another full week to send it. Very frustrating! Dr Geiss's office did call me once they had everything and set a surgery date BEFORE submitting to the insurance company. They said they do it that way to rush the insurance co along and kind of give them a deadline to approve or deny. (I'm not sure if that's how they always do it or just with my insurance - they seemed to be very versed with my carrier, GHI) Good luck

:thumbup::party: I made it to my [original] goal today! I still want to lose another 15-20lbs so the work continues but I am beyond thrilled with my Lap Band experience! I started by pre-op diet on 8/16/07 - never did I think I would be able to lose 120lbs in less than 10 months! If *I* can do it – anyone can!! I run 2 miles per day and I eat a balanced, healthy diet. I TRY to stick with whole foods, staying away from pre-packaged stuff and going out to eat. (my BIG weakness!) I've been very lucky with the band. I've only had one fill of 2cc's in a 10cc APS band. I've never felt my band or any sense of restriction or had to change my physical eating style. Since I haven't really had any issues with hunger and I've lost very steadily, I agree with my doctor's policy not fill my band. Maybe there is something to the theory that the band placement alone is enough for some people? The "easy" part is over, now for the real work. Maintaining ... Next stop – plastic surgery. I’m starting consults this summer. I’m going to jump thru the insurance hoops and hopefully they will cover part of my tummy tuck, which I would qualify for at 18 months out from WLS. I’m going to post my current before and after pics later today. Thanks for all the support, great information and advice that this forum has to offer.

I agree - we all have those days. Yesterday was a bad one for me too. I think I was just bored - head hunger is an evil mistress!! Dust your self off and get right back on the wagon.

PS. Nuts are a great source of protein and "good" fats - just watch the calories.

Laughing Cow Light also comes in Garlic & Herb and French Onion. 35 calories per wedge. Yummy!! I eat it almost daily .... on a few crackers or an apple.

I saw someone get one of those the other day - it was frozen. I'm so tempted but I heard they are high in everything - fat, calories, and sugar.

Mmm!!!! Skinny Hazelnut or Vanilla Latte! Hot or iced.

Whoa! I hope she's having an easy recovery. I had no idea she was having a revision. Did something happen?! She's mentioned many times (as recent as just last week) that if she had it to do all over again she'd go with the sleeve.

I'm so glad we don't have Sonic in NY! I see commercials all the time for yummy ice cream things. Sonic frequently appears on list(s) of the highest calorie and fat, fast food items. (Specially the ice cream things I :thumbup: over)

It really is a completely different journey for everyone. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> I've only had one fill, at 10 weeks out. 2cc's in a 10cc AP band. I think I got a fill just to experience the fill process. I was never swollen or tight after surgery. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> I can't even tell I have a band. Although, I don't have issues with hunger any more. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> I also work out and eat right. Getting close to goal :thumbup:<o:p></o:p>

elisa - Good luck!! We have almost the same surgery date, one year apart. Mine was 8/27/07 with Dr Geiss! Sooverit - I'm sorry that you are having a hard time with insurance stuff. I know how frustrating it is. I spent quite a bit in co-pays, out of pocket shrink & nutritionist, etc ... BUT look at where I am now!! I had to buy a self pay plan with GHI to cover my band because my insurance thru work had a WLS exclusion. GHI is an option for anyone in NY. The plan was $415 per month. Let me know if you need any info or help. I don't know anything about their policy on lower BMI's though.