blondegal_

14 months 110 lbs (Have lapband also but feel plication really helped in the beginning)

Well my hands are "high school skinny". Saw my senior ring in the jewelry box today and tried it on. It slid right on.

I'm a Texas gal Dr Pepper 'nuf said

I am totally loving being able to shop in store at Victoria's Secret. Was very happy when it was time to buy new undies.

Egg beaters with fat free cheddar cheese English breakfast tea Almonds Beef Jerky Tuna Cottage cheese Greek yogurt These are things I buy at the store pretty much every single time.

A few of me from this week

Hoping those that have had skin removal can help me out. I've lost over 100 lbs and need to lose 30 more lbs. And now I'm wondering how much fat I still have on my lower stomach and thighs and how much is skin? When I was at my maximum weight I was all "filled in". Now I can grab my stomach. I can push my thighs around so to speak. Just trying to figure out this out. Wondering when I should start consulting a surgeon.

Thanks for the link. And you are brave to post pics. So when you "bunched" up your stomach was that mainly skin or there was still a good sized layer of fat? I can do that with my stomach so I feel like its mainly skin but not my butt which I feel still has a good layer of fat. And I don't even wanna talk about my thighs. Lol.

Ok. Just checking. I see posts about can't eating and I want to encourage newbies that they can eat most things.

Sorry to hear this. It is fun to have someone new in your life. I actually took about four months after surgery until I started dating again. Just wanted to focus on myself. And once I started again I found relationships go better when I use restraint. I don't text much, no social media, and still go out on my own. I don't like to play games but more often than not guys like a little chase and don't want to be your only focus. As far as telling about the Lapband I think you'll know when it do it. It will develop naturally in the conversation. My current guy knows as we were talking about using myfitnesspal to help lose weight and the conversation just lead to me telling him. And we had been intimate before that and he had never mentioned my scars which are very visible. And his reply - I think that's what my sister got done a few years ago. And that was it. Best if luck on your journey

Why are you positive you can't eat them? I'm over a yr out from surgery and have lost over 100 lbs and I can eat anything as long as I chew chew chew. I still eat all types of things but in much much smaller amounts. Now I do try to eat healthy and count calories. So sometimes I don't eat something cuz it's just not healthy or the calories aren't worth it but its never cuz I CAN'T eat it. Lapband restriction is about satiety not about inability to eat. I know it's hard in the beginning. Just remember you are no longer on a diet. It's a life style change. Think of people you know that are thin. Do they never have To Go food or birthday cake? No, they just have it in moderation. And that's what the band does. Sends signals to the brain that you've eaten enough food and helps you eat in moderation. Breathe and have fun with your husband. It's about time with him not the food. Best wishes!

Well surgery was over a year ago so I'm all good now. I had muscle spasms where the port is stitched in. Could actually see my skin quiver when one was happening. And then there was just pain in the abdominal area from the hernia repair and plication. I was swollen for weeks. Never felt the need to rush through the post op diet and just not hungry. Also I have a 30 mile commute in traffic and drive a manual transmission. The thought of shifting gears in traffic made me glad I was off work for two weeks.

I feel like my port is in the same spot but that my skin has moved. Not so much fat under there now.

Are you just getting the Lapband? I ask as it seems those that do have it easier. I got the Lapband with plication and had a good sized hernia repaired. I needed two full weeks. The antibiotics made me sick and I developed a side effect from the anti-nausea patch. My sight began to blur and even after taking the patch off it took two full days to return to normal. I took my pain meds but I was in pain and not just from the gas. But that's just me and my two cents. Best wishes on your surgery and recovery.

Anyone want to describe what their body looked like before surgery? Was your skin thin and hung down perhaps like the skin of an old person? Or did have a layer of fat with it so that you could still "pinch an inch"? And if you're having skin removed do you get lipo or is it considered different and fat is removed with the skin? And thanks to all who have replied to this thread. I'm just looking for a little info now. I still have weight to lose and the earliest I could have surgery would be July 2015 so I'm not ready to do full fledge research.

What do you consider very long? Your comment seems unfounded. Have you researched plication?

Greek yogurt Cottage cheese Beef jerky Almonds

If I could just tell my stomach to go outside and play like mom did when we were kids. LOL.

Under medical expenses. Off the top of my head I think you can only deduct the amount over and above 7% of your AIG. So using round numbers - your AIG is 50K and your surgery is 10K. 7% of the 50K is 3500. So you can deduct as medical expense 6500. But of course please consult a tax professional.

Thanks! Will you get to know the results of the study? I would have been willing to be part of one especially if it had lowered the cost.

I'll be 40 this year but have always looked younger. But now I've been having ppl tell me I look 25-27 and some are family members that know my real age. For me I think I'm healthier so my skin looks better. I'm also wearing make-up more often and even wearing more for "fun" instead of covering up circles under my eyes. As for my hair, it's dry and brittle from hypothyroidism but I do try to style it more often than just pulling it back in a lackluster pony tail. And for a third possible reason, the clothes I'm buying are trendier. Not cuz I'm trying to be trendy but cuz I'm finally shopping in "normal" sizes. I think we will all agree that plus size clothes can just be ugh. There's often a bounce in my step and a smile on my face so I know those help too. So I'm all for looking younger :-)

My favorite is twig and berries. When a guy says that you know he doesn't have size issues. He knows what he has. Lol

I have Lapband with plication and thought it was past clinical trial stage even though it's still "new". Was wondering if you would share some "rules" for having plication as all I've pretty much been given are Lapband rules. Thanks!

Call the doctor and get all the details so that you can make an informed decision. I've had all my fills done under fluro. My surgeon has the equipment in his office. I get "checked" before and after a fill. There have been times when I didn't get a fill because the "before" indicated I was tight enough but at the next visit I got a fill. Others on the forum have never had fluro. So there's not a wrong/right. But don't let $$ be the only deciding factor.

That sounds good to me.