Chickie

I am finding that I am still losing, despite adding extra calories, and may need an unfill. I still exercise, I still watch what I eat (no fast food, little chocolate, and lots of good food and water). So in many ways (for me) maintaining is a lot like losing. It was a lifestyle change, and one I am glad I made, and am happy to have adopted for life

Well, I am at (and under) my goal. I had my tummy tuck in August. After that I brought myself a beautiful new spring/summer wardrobe, and plan on doing the same for autumn/winter (featuring a pair of black knee high leather boots, and a leather jacket,she says drooling) But by far my biggest reward? Normality.

I do not find the idea appealing. In fact I find it appalling. You are not (I assume) a medical professional. Therefore you should not be performing medical services on yourself or anyone else. The risk of screwing things up is too high. For me it is not an insurance issue, nor is it the risk of upsetting my doctor, it is simply that I have the common sense to *not* perform a medical procedure on myself. I would not let anyone but my surgeon do my fills, to be honest. And to the whole process being cheap. Well it is cheap enough here too, but I am certain that if I were to need a replacement band / port / whatever, the risk of another surgery would be on my mind, along with the cost. Cheap or not. I have thought about the idea of filling myself, and discounted it straight away. I feel it is a risk I would rather not take. And if after-care is such an issue where you live, perhaps the band was not the best choice for you due to the amount of follow up required?

This is exactly what happened to me. I got to about 150 lbs / 68kg, and thought "This is pretty good, and better than I ever expected" and sort of gave up on the idea of ever being smaller. For a whole week. I realised just how far I had come, and how little I had left to go, and I went for it. I got down to 132lbs / 60kg. I am now at 118.8lbs / 54kg because I am still trying to find the right fill to maintain (and I was too chicken to have too much fill taken out over Christmas). With work, and determination, nothing is impossible.

I do not recommend that anyone perform their own fills. If only for the fact that the surgeon who banded you may not want to "fix" what you have done, should you puncture your tubing. As well as this, they have their own fill protocol for a reason. It is usually what they have seen work the best. Filing yourself is a very bad idea. Doctors go to medical school for years to learn how to do things like this, as do nurses (nursing school). I think that this information is something interesting to know, but should not be used as a "how to fill yourself" guide.

I honestly don't know what to think. You say you are "wide open", then that you "feel full quickly". Maybe you are expecting a bit much from your band? I wish you the best of luck.

This stood out to me. You are still losing weight. Why are you filling your own band if you are losing?

Hiya Anna! Glad you had a good holiday.

When? 22 Feb 2005 (almost 23 months ago) Why? 297lbs! Who? A local banding surgeon. Insurance or Not? It works a little differently in Australia, but my health cover paid a fair % of the total. How it felt? I have very few bad memories of the early days, but I do recall I was in very little pain. What has changed? Well, I am 178lbs lighter for a start! :nervous I am a million times more active, my whole family has felt the benefit of my (and our) lifestyle change. Pictures! Before; September 2005 And December 2006 in the pants I am wearing above.

I had my tummy tuck about 6 weeks after getting to goal. My tummy was the only thing I had done (no lipo, no boobs ect). My tummy was the only thing I needed done to be truthful. I was really lucky. My doctors agreed that there was little point in waiting to have the TT, because of the amount of skin involved. There was just no way that the apron I had was going to shrink. So we just went ahead and did it. Was it worth it? Oh, boy! It was soo worth it! I am so happy. Delighted in fact. I lost another 20lbs following my surgery, and I am now an Aussie size 6 (according to http://www.onlineconversion.com/clothing_womens.htm that is a US size 2)

I think you mean Abdominoplasty (an Angio is something else all together). As for the backside... I found that my "bum" looked far more shapely after my weight loss and abdominoplasty. Don't know why, it just does!

I have has this happen. When I was at my highest weight I had a group of friends I was tight with. They were all far thinner than me, but not skinny. They were thrilled for me when I started losing, sort of ho-hum when I got to their weight, and now that I am much thinner than they are, they only talk to me if they have to (although they were happy to pick through the clothes that no longer fit me) I was their token "fat friend" and when I no longer fit that role, there was no place for me in that circle. I have since made a lot of new friends, and renewed old friendships. I believe some things are for the best.

Hiya Fleur (And Anna :wave:) I had my TT mid August, and could not be happier with the results. I went with a doc who works out of The Wesley. If you want his name drop me a PM, and I will give you all his details.

I can feel mine, but not see it when standing up and wearing clothes.

I have PCOS, but have found all of my symptoms have resolved with the weight loss. It is a miricle. I have a perfect 28 day cycle, my acne cleared up, the hair stopped growing, my moods got better, and well, I am no longer morbidly obese! I still get the odd cyst, they burst on their own, but it's not as bad as it was before, and really not that bothersome at all.

I was banded 7 years after the birth of my baby, and am in Queensland... So I am of no help at all, but I just wanted to say "Hiya" to the newest Aussie on the board! :welcome:

297 to 123lbs I am a happy camper.

Not Telly, but I have had a TT. I waited a whopping 6 days for sex (the day after the drains came out)

To the OP; No regrets 20 months later and 174lbs lighter (under goal weight at 123lbs with a BMI of 21) Like any WLS or diet, the band is work, but well worth the effort.

If you get a referral from your GP to a reconstructive surgeon (not plastic), and it has been deemed necessary for you to have a tummy tuck (they don't call it that, they don't even call it an abdominoplasty, a re constructive job is billed for Medicare, and health funds as a radical lipoectomy. Not sure if that is the correct spelling, I don't have my bills in front of me) If you jump through the correct hoops, and really it is not that hard, you can indeed have a good portion of you surgery covered. My hospital stay was covered 100%, I got back $1400 of the $2700 I paid the surgeon, and all of the the $800 I paid to the anet. If you go to a plastic surgeon, without a referral, chances are that you will not get a cent back through Medicare, or your health fund.

I had my TT about 5 weeks ago. Provided there is a medical need for the surgery (lose skin causing rashes and sores) it is given an item number, and is covered by Medicare, and your private fund. All up, my surgery cost about $1,400 (I had to pay everything up front, and was given refunds by my fund, and medicare). Best thing I ever did (aside from the band, lol)

I don't really think about food the way I did before. I enjoys quality foods, rather than quantity (I would rather have 1 piece of quality salmon, than 75 fish fingers, if you get what I mean) But really, I guess, I just worked out the deeper issues I had in life, and as a result, I was able to get control of my eating.

2.4cc. But, I am well under goal weight, and am considering an unfill of .4 if I don't stop losing. ETA; Banded for 19 months.

Congrats! You look fantastic!!

I don't think I told anyone to do anything. I asked.