pandagirl

I'm not near needing a surgeon yet, but drooping skin has prompted me to start my research on which Dr. to choose. So, I was wondering if anyone has thier plastic surgery in the Sacramento Area? Did you self-pay? Did your insurance cover any of it? What procedures did you have done? How was the recovery...and goodness, all those millions of questions that go with it. How, what, when, where and how much? That's only a short essay right? *laughing at myself* I think I'm already nervous about having the surgery. Too many med shows scaring the hell out of me. I'd like to thank everyone in advance for any info. Thanks, panda.

Hi, I know there are a couple of Sacramento threads going on, but I was wondering if there were those who had thier band done by Dr. Laura Machado or who are planning to go through her?

Hi, I'm going through Dr. Machado as well. Still in progress. Hope all has gone well with yours!!

Ummmm, off and on. I went in for the band and it didn't get placed.I went through a rough month because of that. I had trouble with continuing the liquid diet and dealing with some anger issues. ( I didn't for a part of the month.) Then I started dealing with the emotions of not getting the band and am back on track. Hopefully, if I can stick to the diet I will be banded sometime in July. How's your journey been?

My surgeon is Dr. Machado. I went in on March 6th for my band and came out with some holes. They say the way I carry my fat prevented them from sewing the band on properly. So they ended surgery. They've asked me to lost 30 more pounds. I've got 12 more to go. I haven't been banded yet and won't be until I hit 300 pounds and am re-evaluated. I'm an apple shape and I guess the way I carry my fat isn't common. She,Dr. Machado, said there isn't much fat around the organs, but there's a lot to get through. I dunno...I'm "skinny" under the ribs then huge from the waist down. I'm on a all liquid diet now, trying anyway. It's been rough, but I'm losing on average a pound a day ( When I stick to it completely. If not, I don't lose for a couple of days then is drops off.) Ah well, I'll get through it one way or the other. At least the insurance side of things has been a breeze. (I have Blue Shield.)

I'm in Sacramento going through Dr. Machado using Blue Shield insurance. So far it's been great on both counts. Much, much easier then when I tried getting the bypass/band through Kaiser.

I had my gall bladder out in January and the incisions are completely healed on the surface. They have gone through phases of being puffy to flat, but are looking better and better. The incisions from my Non-Lap Band are mostly healed. 3 of the five look like nothing, but the other two still have a whitish center. Not white exactly, almost gray and haven't fully healed and the upper one near my solar plexus hurts sometimes when I bend. I'm hoping that this won't be worsened when I actually have the band. As far as should you be done yet? I dunno. I think it would be different for everyone. I've been told that getting a large amount of Protein speeds up the healing process.(I've been having about 72 grams a day.) And I've also been putting Vitamin e oil on the scars. It's supposed to help lessen the look of them, not sure if this is true, but it sure helped the falking skin aroud the incisions.

I like unjury alot, but my most favorite is "Elite" by Dymatize. You can get it at GNC, it comes in a box filled with pouches. You can get it in vanilla or Chocoalte or the chocolate Lover's variety pack that includes, Mocha, chocolate mint and chocolate fudge. It's about $17 for 14 servings. If you join their Gold club ($25 a year) you get 20% off your purchases the first week of every month; that makes it about $14 for the box.

Unjury makes an unflavored one and a chicken soup flavored protein powder. Welcome to the UNJURY Homepage

That's very true. The ones I bought look really good and fit well. I've been wearing a cup size too big and this feels better. And the underwire is nice, too. I don't normally wear underwire bras, but these are more comfortable than I'd imagined.

My problem is mine are flattening big time. I think by the time I hit goal weight they're gonna look super wierd. I've been thinking about plastic surgery already, but I don't want implants. I just want them to yank them up and look perky, even if it means they are knocking me in the chin. :smile:

I used to wear a 48DD What I bought were 42D's. The cups fit much, much better and the band is just about an inch, too small. The extender takes care of that.

G's??? I'm not sure my back can handle that. They're probably pretty though. Is it hard to find bras?

Sorry to hear that. My band wasn't put in last March as well. Mine wasn't do to hernia though. They told me I had to lose more weight, but I'm still in the running for a band. The bypass isn't a bad choice especially if they are concerned about slippage. The dieting and so forth is basically the same. There are some differences as you know and those differences are probably what made you choose the band. But in the end, you'll get the same results. I dunno, my gut reaction is to get a second opinion. Also, I wonder if after healing from the hernia issue if it will even be an issue. Also, maybe you can see if they have the other bands available? There's more than one on the market, so maybe one of those would be better suited to you? It's hard though to go in for the band and not come out with it. I totally, totally know how you feel. *gentle smile*

I have lost a cup size already. I was a DD, now a D. I'm hoping that I don't get smaller than a C. But I'm so large now I don't know what's going to happen to the twins.

YESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm happy that this is still a possibility. Thanks!!!

Hey there, just a tip for the girls. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Yesterday I was at Big Lots (Yes, Big Lots) looking for a few inexpensive bras. I normally pay about 6 dollars for brands like Vasserette, Delta Burke, and others there. I’ve been lucky in the past to find some exactly in my size, but this time I didn’t. I was looking at a few sizes smaller than what I’m wearing now. I told myself I will need these as I lose weight, but it’d be a waste to buy them now. But then….they were so cute and there are no guarantees that they will be here when I need them. Then it hit me. <o:p> </o:p> BRA EXTENDERS. <o:p> </o:p> It’s so simple really. I’ve done it before for this super awesome bra that was perfect for an outfit. I don’t know why it never occurred to me again until now. <o:p> </o:p> So, I walked out of Big Lots with three frilly bras normally priced at $28.00. I spent $18 there and $.088 a piece for extenders at Wal-Mart. So, I spent a total of $20.64 for three bras when I would have normally paid $28-36 for a single bra at Lane Bryant. When you get down to it, it was even cheaper than buying three JMS bras at Wal-Mart ($11.00 each). Anywho, I figure as I lose weight I can remove the extenders when the bras I just bought fit right. I can then reuse the extenders for the next size down and so forth. <o:p> </o:p> Hey, if you’ve got the cash to pay 28 bucks for a bra you’re only going to wear for a short while then have at it, but if you’re like me, this is the way to go. ~Panda

Excellent idea!!!!!!!!! I saw some long handled (longer than normal, anyway) measuring cups at Ross. I'm gonna nab them if they're still there!!

Cool, I guess if I only have room for one thing it will be a blender. Maybe I'll get one of those snazzy colored ones.

Yes, it's going to get harder and harder to stay on the diet I am and lose the wieght I need to. I get that. I even tell myself over and over again what I need to do. Deep down I know what needs to be done and I know how much further I have to go. I will do it. I will smile big and make it through, but all this adamancy is tinged with a bit of "what if..." Smiles, thanks for support, I need it.

You're right. I've lost weight before and have been unable to keep it off for more than a year. It always starts creeping back. I know I've changed so much in regards to my relationship with food, but I don't want to have gone through all of this and find my self pushing 400 again. I'm 36. I don't want to wake up 20 years from now wishing I'd done this surgery back then when I had the chance. Thanks, Panda

I went into thier office weighing 385. They originally wanted me to lose 55 pounds. 330 was my goal and I made it. I went into surgery and they couldn't place the band. My fat was thickest towards the core of my body and they had trouble with the sewing instrument. They decided to stop the surgery and have me lose at least 30 more pounds. Basically, she thinks 30 will be good enough, but they want to reevaluate when I make that goal. Maybe I walk into the office and they'll want me to lose 10 more or 20 more. All of this has been frustrating because I've had some difficulty losing it as quickly as some others. I've been doing this for soooo long and it got to a point of severe frustration. I only lost 6 pounds in March and 4 pounds in April becuase of this. Also, they took me from a 2 shakes/1 salad meal plan to 3 shakes a day. The latter has been difficult for me becuase of the length of time I've been on the original meal plan. Sorry, rambling. I'll end it here.

I'm doing it. I've been going back and forth internally about it, but last night someone basically told me that I shouldn't do it and I got into a debate over why I should do it, right there I realized I was going to do it and all this flip flopping is just worry. It's simple. I have the will power and the courage to do this. The lapband is a tool. I need both for ongoing, continued success. Because like so many have said, we all have lost weight and it doesn't to be a matter of losing, it's a matter of keeping that loss off. Good luck to you. And you're right the obese don't live past 70 often. You can do something about it now, just like me.

I had a friend who would suddenly want pizza for lunch or say things like " We can't do that because she can't eat it." She was very passive aggressive about her sabatoge, but you know what? I'm losing weight. I was bigger than her for a long time. Soon, I'm going to pass her up and even be smaller. So she can sit at her desk and munch on her chips. And you know, she's been very, very quiet lately. I suppose results speak louder than words.

I bought a new bike last month and I love it. It's not like the bikes I remembered having as a kid. I actually thought I broke it when I sat down on it. I had no idea that it had a suspension system!!!! Since I've owned I've been out about 4x. I do other things like Pilates, Bellydance, Yoga and Weight Bands for exercise, but haven't worked up to exercising more than twice a week. You sound like you're doing way better!!!