JosieK

neither my PS or lapband surgeon thought i needed to take any fill out of my band i will tell you i did not feel like eating after surgery. this was for about 10 days....so i was worried about the opposite-getting enough nutrition in good luck

laura....you dont look bad. we all have that extra skin. but just think....a week from now it will be POOF!!!! gone!!!! mine looked very similar and after the operation....much better you are going to look great. we are all getting excited for you

hi lilmissdiva, i just found this thread and read your initial email. i smiled when you kept saying for people to not be "mightier then thou'" i didnt post for a year because people were exactly like that way...some downright mean...even ones who needed advice themselves. i will say in the past 6 mos...i find people to be alot more caring/encouraging on this site. the know-it-alls have seemed to disappear. i had an experience like yours. this past christmas i gained 17 lbs. i must say most of it is due to blue bell ice cream (it's the best in the world down here in texas). i was getting insane....the more i gained, the more i hated myself and the more i ate. my jeans were getting sooooo tight....it reminded me of the prebanded josie. i think this is where the compulsion of mine hadnt been dealt with. things i've done to get it under control: 1. started to journal my food each day. i use netdiary because it is iphone/computer compatible. in past i used sparkpeople.com and it was great. 2. i really had to work hard to just live 1 day at a time. i was getting way ahead of myself. my fiance's daughter's wedding was july 25th. i was putting so much pressure to lose the weight for then....and i ate more. the end of this story...the wedding was just called off so i didnt need to worry at all. 3. i just had a tummy tuck and boob lift so i had to stop exercising. i was just cleared to start again and need to get my butt to the gym. this definitely helps... 4. i actually pray for the strength to stay on track. this helps alot one thing you mentioned that i have an issue with is being tight. i am tight even without fill. it is easier for me to eat junk then good food. i am starting to force myself to stop junk and take the time to eat good food. this has been the hardest struggle the upside my jeans are feeling better....so it is giving me some positive NSV's so i am and will always be in the "process". i still have 8 lbs of the 17 on and still working on it. thank you for the great thread topic.

sue...you are so right....rest, rest , rest is key even tho' we all want to be super women. my body knocked me down when i did too much

hi laura, i did not have a pain pump. i was very concerned about this however i was fine with the "cocktail" he gave me. i had percoset (only for 7 days with no refills.) he also gave me hydrocodone and valium. the key for me was the promethazine for nausea because normally pain meds make me very nauseous. i didnt throw up once this time. i didnt take every med at once. my sister in law managed the meds (she's an RN) to keep me steady out of pain. so she alternated based on time of day etc. i had less pain and nausea with this surgery then the lapband. (relatively speaking) i was a mess with lapband throwing up, etc. i was only on pain meds for 5 days..then went onto tylenol because i was so depressed. i thought the pain meds caused some of it. anyway hope this helps. joanne

anavrin...you made me laugh...nothing like the ex-wife to help with motivation. i'm meeting my fiance's ex end of july and i must say...it got my butt moving. good luck with yours...

Let me say this first....the band has helped me get my life back. after losing weight that i couldnt lose for over 20 years.....i feel like a normal member of the human race. i am no longer the fatest person in the room. i will say while i was losing the weight.....i was thrilled with the band despite issues i had. i have had issues that my doctor has never heard of...ie. i cant eat sitting down, i have trouble eating on/off even without having a fill. recently...i am starting to feel like i cant live like this forever. however i know if i take the band out....i will gain the weight back. before the band i thought about food 24/7. i think physiologically i couldnt stop eating. the band definitely helped me in this area...as i dont think about food alot. so....i was looking into the sleeve. a few gals have switched over to that and seem happy. however i dont like the idea of my stomach being cut. for now...the band will continue to be my friend. i have to say when i wanted the band initially...no amount of info about the "issues" of being banded would have stopped me. i think i just needed to go through this process. patricia, i thought your post was very thoughtful. from the way you kept mentioning that this was your opinion... i'm guessing you may have experienced people going after you after you post your experience. i have as well. for a long time i wouldnt post because i feared getting attacked on here...but i've gotten over it. as long as we share our experience how can people do this....thanks for your input josie

hi laura, i went to kohls and bought a few (very loose) zip front mou-mou type dresses. they were a god send and i wore that home from the hospital. i dont even remember coming home from hospital. my sister in law brought a blanket and pillow for my ride home. i also slept in a recliner at night for the first few days and that was helpful too. 2 things i was glad i had in the house post-op: saltines (for nausea plus it was a staple of what i ate for a few days) sherbert (my mom always gave me this when i was sick...it felt good the first 2 days) i also drank alot of Water and juice. i think the operation made me thirsty. getting excited about you operation...

in addition to the "mynetdiary.com"....i used Free Diet Plans at SparkPeople tehy are both very easy to use and lots of info on it

hi tinytina re: your scars i just had plastic surgery and based on my lapband surgery...i had a pretty dark pigment on my scars. my plastic surgeon gave me a product called "Scar-guard". he said it is better then mederma, etc. i'm not an expert on scars but mine are coming along really well. i put it on 2X a day. my scars originally were pretty big and they are really fading. i'm only 7-8 weeks out of surgery. i'm sure you can buy it online or at pharmacy. hope this helps josie

hi roxy, first and foremost...you can do this! you already have taken a great first step by reaching out for help. (i appreciate your comment about not getting beat up...i find some holier then thou' people on here and stay clear of them.)' i did have "pitfalls" within my weightloss journey. i will share some of my experience and maybe you can get some ideas for yourself when i would fall off the wagon and wanted to get on track....the first thing i would do is to start journalling my food. i used sparkpeople. but there are many sites that calculate what you eat. i found i was fooling myself into thinking i wasnt eating alot. when in fact every little snack...added up. the second thing i did was to start drinking Water again. it helped me to feel full plus it just made me feel like i was "working my program" then i started moving. i would start slow like walking. then i got to the gym. that helped me to think twice before picking up junk after i just busted my butt working out. i also made myself only focus on "one day at a time". in the past i would think of all i had to lose and it would frustrate me. lastly and this seems to be hardest for alot of people but i think it helped me the most. i got rid of all my scales and i only weighed 1 time a month. i also measured myself because i was losing inches faster then weight. eventually the weight followed. the scale was my "god" and whatever it said put me in a good or bad mood. also i read post of people that had a positive lapband program. they gave me strength that it could be done. i used Protein shakes and protein bullets to insure i got enough in. otherwise i would start to lose hair. anyway good luck and keep us posted. josie anyway you definitely can do this. __________________

ocotillo brings up another good point...i also thought to myself "why the heck would i pay all this $$$ and go through such an operation and not be successful." it wasnt like starting another weight watcher program which i did 1,0000000000000 times before...i had alot more "skin" in the game both financially and physically. these are just some of the things that motivated me

hi crystal, i did experience "pitfalls" within my weightloss journey. first and foremost...you can do this.... my experience has been... when i would fall off the wagon and wanted to get on track....the first thing i would do is to start journalling my food. i used sparkpeople. but there are many sites that calculate what you eat. i found i was fooling myself into thinking i wasnt eating alot. when in fact every little snack...added up. the second thing i did was to start drinking Water again. it helped me to feel full plus it just made me feel like i was "working my program" then i started moving. i would start slow like walking. then i got to the gym. that helped me to think twice before picking up junk after i just busted my butt working out. i also made myself only focus on "one day at a time". in the past i would think of all i had to lose and it would frustrate me. lastly and this seems to be hardest for alot of people but i think it helped me the most. i got rid of all my scales and i only weighed 1 time a month. i also measured myself because i was losing inches faster then weight. eventually the weight followed. the scale was my "god" and whatever it said put me in a good or bad mood. also i read post of people that had a positive lapband program. they gave me strength that it could be done. anyway good luck and keep us posted. josie anyway you definitely can do this.

hi spidey, i found whenever my hair started falling out, i wasn't taking in enough Protein. the Biotin didnt help me (altho' i have heard others where it did help them.) whenever my hair started falling out i started taking Protein shakes and/or the protein bullets. it stopped the hair issue immediately. hope this helps josie

hi laura, i could not drive myself to the first appointment after the operation. i wasn't cleared to drive till the 2nd post-op appointment. re: boob lift. Before the operation....the TT was the most important part for me and the boob part was very secondary. however after the operation...i am most thrilled with the boob part. i didnt realize how much my boobs hung before. my doctor wasnt a fan of doing both at once. i knew i wouldnt go back for a second operation and had him do it anyway. he feels recovery is easier if you do them separately. i'm glad i did them at once. it really wasnt too much of an issue. i'm excited that you are going ahead with it. keep your questions coming girl....i found the people on this site that had the operation before me to help alot... josie

girls....this will be the best day of your life! good luck bandarama and emmylou on your band surgery.

hi laura, i am so sorry about your dad.... re:operation....i dont normally give advice. i usually only share my experiences to help someone make their own decision. however if i were you and having gone through this myself...i would definitely proceed with the surgery. i am so happy i did it. my clothes fit better, i am not thinking about my extra skin 24/7. also re: the surgery....i really only needed physical help for 3 days after the surgery. after that, i had my cousin here more for the moral support. i know everyone's experience is different....but afterwards i know everyone i saw on this site and "make-me-heal" were happy they proceeded with it. i am 7 weeks out and my doctor just said "no restrictions". so the time leading up to the surgery was actually more worrisome then the actual surgery and aftercare. if you decide not to proceed now...when would you be able to do it? anyway whatever you decide...we are here for you. and again...very sorry about your dad

hey tapshoes, that sounds like a good plan. i actually took my time with this as well. i waited till i got to goal. in fact i was underweight when i went to see the PS May '08 and they asked me to put on 10 lbs. (i wanted to put fat into my bootie) 1 year later i had the surgery and i actually switched surgeon's about 4 mos before i did the surgery. i didnt think the skin around my waist bothered me as much as it did. i only realize it now that it is gone how much better my clothes fit. i also did my boob lift as a secondary operation (TT was main priority) my biggest thrill are my boobs. i can actually go without a bra (i dont do it but i can) for the first time in my life. i love having perky ones. so i say do your research but dont let age stop you. i feel better now then i did in my 30's or 40's keep us posted and let us know if you need any help josie p.s. i will post my before/after pics soon. i dont know how to do it and need my nephew to help me

hi tapshoes my opinion...."absolutely NOT too old. the new fifties are the old forties or even thirties" actually i am 51 and just had a TT and boob lift. besides the lapband to take off over 100 lbs...it has done more for me feeling good about myself. i would have done it even if it was 10 years later. the extra skin i had really bothered me...and now it's gone...i feel so much better both in and OUT of clothes ...and the "girls" are perkier then they have ever been! good luck in whatever you decide to do

hi laura great news about your dad.... re: people saying you dont need it. that happened to me as well. my fiance' also said i didnt need it. i appreciated their comments. however what's most important is how you feel. in the end i am very glad i did it and it was all worth it. everyday the results get better. when people were negative to me about the operation...i focused on the people on this site that had their surgeries and were tickled pink about it. so you are all set and ready to go. just try to keep busy till the date....you will be happy on the other side.... keep us posted josie

hi scrappy, glad you are doing well with your TT. i also had an easier time with this surgery then the lapband. best of luck

hey laura one of the most important things i used i forgot on my original list....a shower chair. i needed that for awhile since i would get dizzy in the shower. the good thing about this item i am using it now to wash my dogs etc so it has an "after life" ha! re: toilet seat....i'm 5'8" and the toilet seat made it easier for me to get up/down. i'm glad i got it altho' the wedge and toilet seat....dont really have an afterlife for me. i love my TT and breast lift... and of course my band josie

hi sue sounds like you are doing great. my doctor said it takes 4 weeks to "feel like yourself". and i'll be darned...4 weeks to the day i felt like my ole self. re: exercise...i guess it's time for us to get started again....it's so hard to start. it's much easier when i'm in a routine... so i guess we need a routine again ha! thanks for the update. glad you are doing well josie

mynetdiary.com it's great. it hooks up with my iphone so i have access 24/7 i used sparkpeople.com which i also liked in past

CONGRATULATIONS workingmom!!!! when i read your post it made me feel good. i'm so happy for you. it makes this all worth it. doesnt it? the chains we tied around ourselves before hand with the weight. kudo's for running the 10K keep up the great work!!!! josie