spldgrl

I have only had 1 fill too tight. I got a fill, fought with hubby big fight, then flew to see very ill family member. STRESS I was so tight and the stress always makes the band seem tighter. I had a .5cc unfill and have very little change if any from when I got the fill. I am within 10lbs from where I want to be so I dont really want to spen 200 bucks for another fill and then a possible 100 for an unfill. Your stomi can be swollen give it a few days and I always to liquid only the day of fill then see how you feel. If still too much a small unfill helps you dont realize how even the slightest makes a difference. How close to goal are you? Have you felt this way before?

Puddin Have another appt. on the 21st and we'll see then. I am missing exercise and think I am ready for it as I have been very good to myself and done everything the dr. said. I will be 6 weeks post surgery by the 21st. My trainer cant start me until March 11th so I will be on my own till then anyway but atleast some cardio would be nice! My scabs are almost gone. Only 1 on large breast incision. I LOVE MY BOOBS!!! first time in my life I cans say that. the incisions around the nipple and the line down are so fine that cant be seen in the mirror unless I unse the 5x's magnifier. the under cresent ones are there but a pencil line. Hey, how is your scar from the front? mine is very thin on the sides but at the pubic area where it will be hidden from hair (if I let it grow out that much) it is thicker. dr says the skin texture is different there. I just wonder if it will fade much of if I have to grow the pubs over it? any ideas? Are you using vit. E oil? I have been it works great I think. Today is the day for love Uh. Oh my sweeting got me a great digital camera last weekend, then called today cause he needs to use it at work. He forgot to say anything. I got him a bottle of extra rare crown royal. it is only made once a year and each store can only purchase 1- that what the crown royal site said anyway. $200 bucks it better be damn good stuff! I agree, men dont have much to say- short sweet and to the point. Isnt that the way we like it so we have more time to talk!! I'd text back... any plans??? good luck with that boy stuff.

ok my new fav' with the ball... put hard chair back against wall so it wont move. sit on chair, legs on ball about at your knees roll forward towards ball so your butt is hanging off end of chair and your arms are holding you up. fingers towards legs on end of chair. pull yourself up and down and balance. This works the crap out of your flabby back arms- triceps I believe- results very fast!! good luck!

Great thread. I think it is important to remember we have pasts that predict how we respond to our current. Like exercise, I could never exercise, if I worked out treadmill max 30 min. I thought I was doing good but never saw results. Now, I work out (yeah, prior to tt & bl) 3x's weekly with a trainer one on one and the results ARE addicting. I have never seen my arm muscles or my calves so defines so it inspires me to work harder and my desire to feel the increase heartrate when I run or my cardio is up feels great and I miss the feeling on working out. Maybe because it is new to us and we see stregnth where once was fat we are inspired. For calories, I sorta count them. more compare, and if coice a is 100cal and choice 2 is 300 cal, I opt for choice a. Other day was at KFC with kids and wanted a "bowl thing" 780cal so I took bits off daughters. I find it great to know the cal count so I can make choices that fit into my perscribed 1200 cal a day. When I am excersising regularly I find I ned more cal to survive. its all what I need to fuel my body now and it differs from how active I am. I have not hooked up to threads I found obsessive, I just know that majority of over weight people have an addiction, food, and when that addiction changes we often move to another food of addiction. exercise, shopping, you name it.

Great falls montana- Dr. Santin His surgical center is attached to his offices he also has an apartment I stayed at for 3 days as I live 120 miles away. It was great! recommend in a heart beat! He is very busy so the wait list just for consult is about 6 months then another4 until surgery. The total cost for both was $8500.

The breast lift is cake- actually, I'd do them together again if needed. Get it overwith and the discount $$$. The drain on my r breast was very painful so the first week sucked. once it was removed everything went faster recovery wise. My dr. says 8 weeks then well talk. Everyone is different so my ability to exercise is different. I had 3lbs from stomach removed and a total of 2.7 excess breast skin removed, I guess thats alot. I feel good and walk upright and the outer stitches are gone and healed beautifully. its the internal stuff that takes the time. I had a 2" gap in the ab muscles that was pulled together and stitched so it will take awhile before I can lift weights or do the arm stregthening I was doing. I will know more in another 3 weeks, each dr is different too so it depends on your doc when you can get in the gym.

I feel for you, hang in there! Do some soal searching for your answers. If you were to hold on, how long do you approximate until surgery? How long have you been married? Is this a jealousy thing, on his part? Best of luck to you, contact an attorney in your area for their professional advice??

wow girls you make me feel like a whimp! spinning class, running,themage, I thought I was hot shit cause I can drive now! lol Lianna- second opinion and tell them what you want, and let them know you want tight abs. My understanding is that your abs seperate towards your side with weight gain too, not just child birth, and with the tummy tuck the muscles are brought to center and stitched together to get the six pack look. ask the surgeons if the consult fee is applied to surgery if you go with them, mine was. For the breast life qustion, yes, they do get smaller. I was a Victoria secrets 40 dd/e before surgery, and bringing the girls to about face and removing excess skin I am now (yes I went shopping already) a Victoria IPEX as it has no wires, cant wear wires, ready..... 36C, yep cant believe it, I got hot, sweaty and thought I would pass out when the bra fit in the cup and then in the middle hooks around. I was crying in the middle of the mall. Havnt been that size since Jr. High. So yes they are smaller and purky. Husband told me they look fake he is so used to the saggy ones! Joestta: You have to remember Georgia is SUPERWOMAN!! I am 4 weeks out and today is the first day I have driven and if I worked at a desk it would start today dont rush things. wait till you have time to recover. Georgia; YOUR MY HERO!!! Keep me informed on the arm therm--- anything to shrink the fat!!! where do I sign up!

wow, thanks! Is it crazy or what, I only see a difference in my face and neck. In the first photo, I weighed 266, that was 10 days post op I flew to Seattle. Add another 18-20 for heighest weight. I now weigh 169 ish lots of swelling in ab area still. I have always been a size girl. the lbs seem so high so I go for size pants and shirts. I started in a tight 22 or 2-3x- bra was 40 dd/E. Shopped this weekend and got- 10 pants, med/lg shirts and Victoria Secrets IPEX bra size 36c my boobs havn't been this size since JR. high! I love it I feel smaller just having the boobs done. I think once the swelling is gone the 8's will be perfect about 1" too small now and that was end of day and traveling 6 hrs. I accept the daughter comment, as my daughter is beautiful, she is 17 dad isnt ready for her to gradute and move away too hard to protect. Anyway, thanks for the comments.

I've had 1 fill and 1 unfill- 200/100 yep $100 bucks for unfill. I was also told by Dr. Hennessey that insurance wont support filling of mx bands. Hennessey was doing them at first then was told to stop. He now has left MT. Dont know if you heard rumors about him but he did leave quickly some "accident" in surgery but I could figure, stuff does happen, however, I learned from very good friend of family that his step son Andrew- 22 yrs old just graduated from nursing school died suddenly in Washington and thta is where they are. My prayers go to the family the pain they must feel. anyway, snow has stopped for now so I'm going outside to soak up the sun!

I am so glad to see this thread. I too live in Montana actually close to shawn. I live in Lewistown. frequent flyer to Great falls. I had surgery at the Great Falls Surgical Center with Dr. Hennessey, he is now gone and I see Dr. Rohrer. He is only doc in great falls that does the band. People come from Billings which surprises me theres not a dr. there. I am starting a support group here in Lewistown our first mtg is Feb 14th I know of only 5 poeple here I knows theres other but I dont know them by name. can you suggest how I can get the word out? Not sure if Rohrer does followup care but is # is 406 771 8411 Good luck glad to hear you found this site.

OMG- you all crack me up! I am laughing because your all so right. TracyinKS you know most men well. Happy to get it!! your all so funny. It's nice for someone else to bring up topics so you can sit back and agree and laugh at yourself too. For surgery you can have a tummy tuck. I did 3 weeks ago, however, no sex for 6 weeks so make sure the noise really bothers!! haha

lapband4menow, I gotta tell ya, you wont feel like the "old self again" wasnt that the purpose for seeking out the band? I'm almost 2 years out and your life changes. you dont center enjoyment around food, start now looking for other ways to celebrate and socialize. that was my greatest feat. I shop now for cute size 8-10 (when swelling goes down) jeans in stores I never thought I could shop in. I have felt the same way, now only right after but thru out too. I was very open about being banded almost spokesperson for my Dr. I live in a very small town and only 1 person, a checker at the grocery store said," you cheated" well, then the food monster inside came out I wanted to eat eat eat and felt like a failure because i couldnt succeed without the band. well, screw her I am skinnier than her now!! lol every thing changes so be prepared to change too. I mean more the food types, portions, and drinking and eating. Your perspective will also change as you loose weight and realize the increase in self esteem you have. at 277lbs I would never face that cashier again I would agree that I was a failure and overweight, now with the confidence I have I let her know in a friendly, in your face type way that I am skinner than her, I even offered her my larger pants cause they were "too big" Keep positive you are almost done with the hardest physical part, ok aside from the damn exercise. Good luck keep me posted!

I've been banded for almost 2 years and dont "feel" anything internal other than restriction. I can see and feel my port it is very obvious now. My surgeon does not replace with a smaller port so I will go at a later date and get a smaller one by another surgeon after healing from tummy tuck if it really bothers. Exercise does make the restriction more for some reason especially doing ab work. Good luck, dont worry you'll be great!

YEP 100lbs. kinda amazing still. I started the same way all the above bandsters did. sore, heck I am trying to remember how long it hurt. I can honestly say, the banding was worse than the tummy tuck and breast lift I did 3 weeks ago. Remember your insides your liver muscles ect have been moved around, it will be sore HOWEVER once you begin to see and feel the difference with the weight loss you will forget the pain. like having a baby, during delivery thats it no more children, then your pregnant again! It will get better. Travelgirl, do you sit at your job? bring a small back pillow to lean on in your chair if so. work ok, I just remeber being tired a lot more than the pain. Do you have staples? or stitches? Good luck rest up Monday is a monumental day for us both. My first day of "freedom" no kids, no pain, I can drive, now if it would just stop snowing!!

Hey Puddin can you help with the pics? my email is bbuckentin@hotmail.com

ok, have the pics taken- digital broken so used camera- now need the courage to post. why is it I look so much better until the damn camera snaps a shot?

great advice Yvonne, walking is great those first couple weeks. It sucks at first but it helps a lot. Your feeling is very normal and will happen at different times on your journey of weight loss. Keep your head up, it gets better. The best advice given to me was to take my measurements because some months your wont loose pounds, but you will loose inches. It was great advice for me so I pass it on! I hope you feel better soon!!!!

Dr. Santin did my tt & bl Jan 18th. 3 weeks yesterday, he said I could walk, but not to increase blood pressure as it makes blood flow too fast for the vessels and nerves cut during surgery. he kept telling me "your held together by stitches" I have next appt on Feb 21st and depending on healing rate maybe then I can do cardio but no weight training for 8-10 weeks. he maybe over cautious, but I'm listening to him as everyone I've spoken too who's been to him has great results he is a "master at his profession" according to 3 Dr.'s that referred me. I waited 6 months for consult and 4 addl months for surgery so whats another few weeks. I also spoke to trainer as I thought I could do lunges for leg stregnth didnt think I'd use abs.she said NO NO NO! You wont realize your using the muscles until its too late... With a LBL do you have your ab muscles tightened? I dont really know much about the LBL how different is it form just a tt? Oh dont get me wrong, I feel for you with the guy thing. It is hard enough to accept ourselves and our changes in this journey without asking the quetions you mentioned above. It's just looking back 21 years, 3 kids, later I wish I would have been a better friend, daughter, sister and not worried so much about guys. that's my personal story. I just want you to have fun and it sounds like you have plenty of that too. are you still sky diving? As for me working, I am at a great spot in my life. I left my job as an Employment Counselor to foster my nephew last Feb. I am "finding myself" My husband owns 2 businesses and is very busy so I find myself with alot of time on my hands. I realized yesterday I have become a "dinker" I used to get up shower and leave for work, now I "dink" boy I need to get a life. 10:30-11 is my shower time now!! LOL I am planing on getting realestate lisc. in March and possible open a business called " A Womans Place" which would have a hair sylist, Massage Therapist, Personal Trainer, and Anasthician (sp) in one location. But thats in the air for now! I also just started a lapband support group we meet the first time Feb. 14th -any ideas there? Have a great day!

Havn't replied much latly crazy times in MT not to mention married soo long dont remember dating. OH, to be 25 and single, live it up girls and guys! Puddin, your pics are great, I too am very excited about the changes, it took 2-3 weeks and the stitches out to really see the difference. It makes me excited to excersize and get the rest back to toned. I feel flabby it has been 3 weeks since I worked out. My trainer says its ok and to enjoy time off cuz she's gonna work my butt off (hope so) when I start back. Dr. said Wed. not for another 3-4 weeks. Daughter is home, she had surgery Monday so shes out of school maybe we can figure the pic's out (ok she can) and I'll post them. Puddin, What is it you do for a living? web disigner?

I just had both done and was within 10lbs from ultimate goal. I weighed 174 at time of consult and Dr. said as long as I was happy and within 10lbs he was good with that. I am very glad with results and timing for my weightloss was good for me also. Good luck

Ryan- I find myself shaking my head agreeing with all the above people who reponded so wonderfully! You emotions are normal, we all went thru the what the heck have I done, is THIS gonna work? Missing food, it is somehting that has never gone away for me, but I look at myself and the 100+ lbs Ive lost and it's worth it. now, while going thru it, it sucked! I actually went to my doc and told him I was sick of not being able to "pig out" I think he wanted to slap me. But its the feeling of being deprived. The most important thing is to keep yourself surrounded by people who support you and NO, I repeat NO sabatures (sp??) You will find as I did yesterday, that people who are "sabaturers" always talk about food, what your missing how good things like pizza taste things I personally cant have. I tried them and pb'd so I wont try again. As much as I miss pizza and tamales I dont miss that fat, being out of breath all the time, achey back ect. A great idea I got on this board was to list NSV- NON scale VICTORIES take note of how you feel at 4pm, your energy levels after doing things, how tight your clothes fit... then in a month ask yourself those same questions, see the difference? sometimes the scale is our worst enemy. NSV and body measurements have saved me lots of tears. Sounds like you are doing great 13lbs in 2 weeks- WOW stack up 13 lbs of butter at the store, that off your "BUTTer" lol Keep going, keep us informed. Hey, look at the tickers of the people above look at the 100+ lb loosers, your on your way.

since you inspire me I went upstairs and tried on my jeans. This are Maidsons from Abercrombie size 12 and they fit loose, so then went to my EZRA from Abercrombie size 10 and about 1/2 inch to even button. cant do the suck it in thing cuz the stitches hurt. I could wear those 10's, ok fat hung over the sides, but they were on before surgery. Am I being too good to myself in these recovery days? How long is this fin swelling supposed to stay literally "on my hips" How is it possible to remove 3 lbs of skin from my tummy and the jeans dont fit? OOH now I am getting the why the heck have I gone thru 2 weeks of --- and my jeans are tight I wanted to be in those 8's Im saving!! Abercrombie regualr styles go to a 12 or 14 and the Ezra & Fitch go to a 12. as my daughter told me " its a feel good store" the sizes according to her run alittle larger than say American EAgle. I dont care 6-8 at Abercrombie I'll pay $100 for those sizes. At American Eagle I wear a 10 also 12 depending on the style and cut. It's a good thing I live 150 miles from the nearest mall, I'd be there now trying on jeans!

WOW you look great, hips and everything!! HAve you shopped at Abercrombie? Their jeans are great!

Just did tt and bl, would do it again in a heart beat. Even day after surgery my husband asked if I'd do it agian. YEP!!! the girls are where they've never been before and the skin saggen from my stomach and sides is gone. I got into the band for medical reasons, mom stroked 8 times due to weight issues and didnt want to be in that position. the weight loss was great, but after the tt & bl I have no "only if's" only if the skin was gone... Only if my boobs didnt hit the floor... The final touches made the 2 year journey of weight loss and struggles worth it. have all feeling now in breasts, only alittle numb at tummy around and under belly button.