CowgirlJane

I started it but alot of the questions didn't make sense to someone further out from the loss phase. for example, I already had plastics so when I got to that section I had no idea how to complete it so I quit. It's a pretty long survey too... what will this be used for?

I am glad you did it... as a mom... we need to know these things. {{{{HUGS}}}}

this was taken a few days ago. Not a very good photo and I will put together a collage someday..haha. Anyway, I used to weigh 332# (lifetime high) and my presleeve weight was 308 and this photo is me in a swimsuit from the juniors section at the store. My thighs are still jiggly because I did not get the "long" thigh lift which would have given me tight thighs that don't touch. I am okay with my results though - easier healing and no long scar. Not bad for 50 is how I view it.

As it relates to steven I really could live with a great deal of the "negatives" but there is one fundamental that will drive us both crazy which is how our social needs are fullfilled. He wheels and deals all day long and at the end of the day is allergic to people. ..haha. even me, he just gets burned out on people and often doesn't have the emotional energy to "be there" for people he loves. I am opposite. I am out going but do not enjoy or thrive on interactions with strangers. It drains me BUT people I love I want alot of contact with. My little dog suzy is like this. .wants to check in with the pack regularly. So what this difference does is make me feel lonely and him feel crowded. I know much of this is baggage from a 10 year marriage to his second wife who was a harpie. He has told me I am not like that and he wants to be less hermit like (in fact his counselor thinks I am good for him because I push him to interact with someone he loves frequently). However this is a set up for fail on both our sides. It doesn't change that we both feel love, affection and attraction. We have that ever elusive chemistry which is like a drug.. tricks you into believing the impossible. And there is an element of wanting what is unreachable I suppose. It has always been safe because I knew it was short term. He is I think experimenting with changing his mind but in spite of his intentions and love... I don't believe he can change.

My test results are back. Doctor was shocked my nutritional analysis results are excellent. So the conclusion for me really is that I lost appetite due to being lonely.. triggered after my return from my mexico vacation. I am eating again, weight is stable. I am going to start working out again next week I hope this is behind me now.

I paid around 16,000 for arms, breast lift and implants, lower body lift and small thigh lift. I LOVE my results. I was so scared of the scars on the arms but I am not bothered at all. I LOVE my arms and get alot of compliments. It changed my profile even in long sleeves.

I got the results...good news is my blood work remains outstanding good. My PCP says she wishes hers were so good. To me the only clue was my glucose....79 and I was not fasting. One random reading means nothing but that is pretty low for non fasting.

My opinion the factors that make someone a "poor candidate" for WLS are things like: -unwillingness to listen and adopt surgeon/NUT eating plan, including the liquid, soft foods etc transition -know it all attitude - like I don't need to drink no stinking Protein drinks. My cousins ex wife's boyfriend lost weight just fine without it... so what do these "so called" experts know anyway? -over dependance on food for emotional comfort and reasons and lack of willingness to get help to face and work toward changes -lack of willingness to break away from unhealthy habits suck as soda, eating too fast, eating junky/carby food etc. I have seen on these forums a number of people who really don't accept this major shift. -mental health issues so severe that a person won't be able to handle the emotional rollercoaster that can happen post op/massive weight loss -secret thoughts (or maybe not so secret) that this is just another diet with a beginning and an end. No, it is not a diet, it is a complete change to your body and should come with a significant lifestyle change. If you don't buy into that early, your chances of successful maintenance aren't so hot. -unrealistic expectations like how you will look, or how thin you will be, how long it will take or whatever. The goal should be weight loss to get you in the ballpark of a healthy weight. We are all individuals and if you think you are guaranteed to look like a super model after 6 months... well... you are in for a surprise I personally think that it is the job of the surgeon and NUT to teach you how to get enough protein in for example, it is YOUR job to do your very best to comply. Protein Drinks aren't my favorite food either BUT my life is alot better having them daily and not ice cream. That psych eval missed the point, in my opinion. It isn't about you being educated on how to eat post op, it is about you being really really ready to make the changes to be successful, with their guidance and with the tool of the WLS to help you.

For me, all the care, airfare, ground transport, hotel etc was included. All I had to pay for was food once I left the clinic. Bottom line - pick the surgeon you like and trust, the costs are quite reasonable among all the choices!

Oh Sarsar, i know, I know. He WAS great for me, I want more now and I don't believe he can deliver it. I think he is fooling himself thinking that he can - a leopard and his spots you know. He still loves me too... so it is all part of that hanging on to these "dreams". The funny part is me not even realizing I had even been talked into not being broken up... like WTF??? He wasn't even obviously persuading me. it was weird and amusing. Luckily for me I am becoming more grounded in my own needs and I am absolutely sure what my minimum requirements are. It was nuts, so i am just sharing this as the joke on Sheryl.

I have my doc appoint to review my detailed nutritional analysis. I am pissed that it wasn't mailed to me like I was told would happen. I wanted to study them in advance so I could make sure all my questions were answered. Okay, we are not off to a good start... but i will find out more today. I just had the weirdest damn thing ever. I broke up with Steven awhile ago. He is catching an airplane for a trip to Germany - a trip i would have LOVED to go on but of course he does everything last minute that doesn't work in a responsible adults life and I couldn't have gone even if he had invited me or we weren't broke up - but I was still sorta miffed by it I guess. Irrational. Okay, he called me last night to sorta talk and to explain about the trip and to make nice (we were supposed to have dinner so we could I guess really talk things through and now it is postponed another 2 weeks.) NEVER EVER get involved with a salesman. I am pretty sure by the end of the call he had talked me into seeing him again, giving him another chance. I hung up the phone, was feeling all good about things and then I realized... what the f*ck just happened? Anyway, I have 2 weeks to reorganize my thoughts and try again. It doesn't help that I am still in love with him does it??? I am sorta laughing about it because it is amazing how some people talk you into things and you don't even realize it. I have been told that I do that to other people and now I have had a taste of my own medicine I guess... you have to see the humor in these situations. Like, someone I have hardly seen in MONTHS can influence me like that in a 30 minute phone call. I am learning alot these days.

I had multiple procedures at once (so more restrictions) and followed doctors orders exactly. I didn't drive for 3 weeks post op, I wore compression garments, my arm drains came out a few days post op, but my lower body lift drains stayed in longer. Drains are your friend, help keep swelling down so dont fear them. I needed help with the compression garments and the drains - tricky - but, I had many procedures at once so had a lot going on.

I agree with what has been said. No pain, easy recovery, don't reach or lift. A weird thing I did have is about 6-8 weeks out I got a lot of weird nerve tingling. It went away though. I am 8 months out and pleased as punch about my plastics, including the arms. The scars are not noticable in day to day life as they lay against your body. I put sunscreen on - heavy and regular - unless I am wearing a full coverage shirt. I am also aware to keep my inside of my arms away from the sun, even with the suncreen and shirt on.

Ghost of Twinkies past....Haha I have this weird vest I wear for ours a day that is supposed to remind me of good posture.....this kinda sucks but I feel like it is part of the penance for my ghosts of the past too. I remain optimistic even though I still have some physical problems. My doc said to me....you are a young 49, but you are NOT 19. I asked my girlfriend..what is he trying to tell me exactly? That I am getting old???? That maybe I should ease up on the cowgirl gig? Naw.....

Girl I am happy to share updated scar photos. I will get some new ones soon and post. Here is what I will say... I don't even notice them anymore. If they were twice as bad I'd still be happy. Plastics were life changing!!! I did mederma and silicone strips. I am not convinced that made a lick of difference and was a royal pain. I still think you should because then you know you did everything possible....peace of mind. I am so excited for you!!! Does your doc have before and after photos on real self?

years and years of caring for and dealing with sick and elderly relatives (both sides of family) was one of the contributors to mine and Riley (my ex live in boyfriend of 15 years) to split. It is like it took me FOREVER to get over the trauma and move on and I am not sure he EVER did.

I love skinny ankle pants. Lots of ladies over 40 wear them - the key is to not have a muffin top or a huge ass.... in my opinion. I am trying to attach a photo. When is the plastic surgery? I am pretty jazzed for you! Ya know what I remind myself about Steven - when he is in a calm reflective mood he is by far the most intelligent, intuitive, verbal and amazing man EVER. When he is in his normal mood, he can be squirrely, literally ping ponging around and bitching & ranting about the world. He can't handle serious news, didn't want details of my plastics for example. When I first met him, that spazzy behavior kinda scared me a little actually. When he is in a really bad mood, he is New Jersey awful (only saw that once). Really. I remind myself that my fond feelings are the 20% not about the 80%. He tended to control my access to him so I saw more of the good... so in reality this trip to Germany would have probably been pretty stressful with him since he has to almost be grounded by me (or others) to be that calm reflective man. I think i did that for him, I used techniques i use with animals and wild children which is to bring my calm and relaxed side out until they meet me in the middle. I learned this with horses and apply it to people when needed. (ie, when riding horseback the more nervous the horse is, the more relaxed, quiet and confident the rider must be). That is freaking exhausting with a man especially when I am suffering from anxiety. In the end, that is why i ended it... well, there were specific things that happened which were largely misunderstandings - but the awful truth is he gives me stress. My ending it gave us both stress and I am still trying to break free but I KNOW it was all an illusion. I have always known that my idealized version of him is not the majority of him. What I am trying to take away is the good feeling and the learnings. That 20% of him - that always told me the truth about me, but in ways that were loving and caring. That person who always told me how beautiful, pretty and hot I am - even when i was 20# heavier. That man who helped me find my "womanhood" again. I insist on that in future relationships - if I could get half of those good things with a man who is more reliable and lower stress, I will be in business! It's still sad though - I have never in my life been with someone that I feel such chemistry with and I want to bottle it up and keep it like a cologne I can apply to future lovers..haha. I wonder if his somewhat volitale personality is part of that chemistry - know what I mean? Anyway, sad, but it is OVER. Tino has 3 daughters - the 13 year old is the only one I met. Sweetie pie, really like her. She has a 17 year old sis - and they apparently fight like cats and dogs. It's high drama stuff and stupid stuff, mostly over the younger stealing clothes and things from the older. Then, there is a 27 year old daughter who he had very young, never married the mother. She has some kind of illnesses and I think is depressed and likely has drug issues. He keeps trying to pull her back into his life, but truth is it is primarily the 13 year old and somewhat the 17 year old. Those younger two call on him for everything. Last night when I was over for dinner his phone was ringing off the hook, from both of them, but he didn't answer. He was sure they were fighting and were calling to complain about each other but he really doesn't take calls from them when we are together. The bigger issue is that they dominate his weekends but then are unreliable about it. I have started the gentle conversation which included... hey, now that summer is here, any chance Gabby can stay every OTHER weekend plus midweek visits so we can have every other weekend? Silence. I feel like he is a little scared to miss out on her. Next alternative is.... do we do stuff as the 3 of us. He has plans how I can bring my horses out to his place for the weekends - he has more land and grass than I do so my horses would love it. Frankly, I would love having a 13 year old girl to bake cookies with, ride horses and do all that but we all know that must be treaded lightly as she does have a full time mother already and I am not looking for a daughter either.

Look at studies. At about 3-6 years out around 30%, maybe more, of people with sleeves have reflux problems. for people who had reflux to start with, probably should consider RNY. I personally had reflux when my band was too tight, but no serious problem since being sleeved. Eat small helps.

Not everyone has massive excess skin. However, I reckon anyone who is my age (just turned 50) has lost and regained weight many times AND lost over 160# will definately have excess skin issues! However, i had plastics and excess skin is good except my thighs are still jiggly (I didn't get the long thigh lift) and I do have side boobs so I need to be careful how I dress. This is me taken 2 days ago. That is a juniors sized swimsuit because I had issues in the "misses" department. Boobs are too big and I am too old for the string bikinis and they don't make the more modest styles to fit a 36-37" hip (skinny ass)... so I went to the juniors section.

Okay, maybe I said this already. I have restriction BECAUSE of behavior. So, they are interrelated and indivisible. I have restriction due to a pattern of "eating small" and being used to small portions and being used to absence of hunger rather than being stuffed. I also have it from the pattern of eating dense Proteins and veggies. Like most, I could probably eat a whole box of crackers or other sliders... I don't want to find out.

Okay, I saw a local doctor and he mentioned that he could make an amazing difference on my face doing fat injections in my upper cheek. I have that "lost alot of weight" sorta drawn look. I don't have wrinkles or really feel I need a face lift but this would be amazing. I asked him about the other injectables (botox etc etc) and he said your own fat gives much more natural results AND is less risky in terms of complications. What say all of you that have had anything like this done? Did you get bruising on your face and how long did that last?

It was my experience that Mexican surgeons are about 1/3 the cost of USA surgeons - and that includes the travel, the extended after care, garments etc. The USA surgeons that I consulted with sent you home same day and you were on your own as far as nursing care or whatever. In Mexico, I had 3 days in a clinic and another 8 in a hotel with daily visits by a nurse (she helped with shower, garment, bandages) and daily visit by surgeon. Excellent pain and recovery management so i felt way more for my money so to speak. I agree with Sweet Pee, pick one you feel confident in, the money is so much less than the USA and isn't that different between the various Mexican options so go with the results and so forth that you like and admire.

May I ask the source of your "facts"? for example, there is actually very little pouch stretching and that is pretty well documented. You can lose some of that feeling of restriction, but that is largely controlled by behavior. You mention that the sleeve is plagued by reflux (true, I don't have it but clearly many do) and a host of other issues. What other issues? What percentage of people? You as your questions to a very biased group. I HATED the lapband, it made my life hell and I was still obese. I love my sleeve and have had amazing success (lost over 160# and in maintenance - bought a bikini the other day!) anyway, I feel that from us you are going to get a one sided view too, but I think you should really take a look at ACTUAL stats of how many people have various issues longer term. BTW, when I was banded, I had to sign a form that I knew that the band was temporary and would likely need to be removed and I would likely have weight regain. Funny that they knew that back in 2001 but don't seem to mention it anymore. Of course, i thought "that will never happen to me" - HA

You know, I think normal, never obese people have similiar struggles. They key is they get in front of it while it is a few pounds...not 100. Kudos to you for your success and I am sure you will get back to your ideal weight very soon!

MichiganChic I would like to watch that show if you can recall the name of it...