SpecialK

Sue and Niki - I bought a 38C and a 38B bra (Warner brand - very lightly padded and no wire) and took both home to give them a try with my sister helping. The B was too small and we tried the C on and it was fine. I think with what swelling I'll have when that goes down, it will end up a small C and I'm very happy with that.

Interesting turn of things here post BR surgery -- feeling more restriction on my eating - some PBing after eating a much smaller quantity of food than I could eat just a week ago. I'd say there is some swelling in the chest area that is affecting things. Anyway, good to cut back quantity of eating in any way I can. Haven't gotten on the scale yet to get weighed because I figured the body will do some ups and downs with fluids for a couple days post op.

Hi ladies. I'm home and day 3 now and got to take a shower and wash off the gooey bandages and put on a clean compression garment. Felt much better after that. I would say I'm a full B or small C but with swelling right now and soreness, a little hard to tell. I had more drainage and pain on the left side than right. I guess I'm more of a whimp on pain than Niki-- you are amazing how you did. Just taking it easy and enjoying some pampering from my sister.

Home from my Breast Reduction surgery yesterday. They removed about 1000 grams which is about 2.5 lbs so it will be fun to update my weight ticker in a few days. Anyway, pain is very manageable for now with pills. I have my sister from Arizona here taking good care of me so the TLC I feel from here helps as much as the pain meds. P.S. Had a great Non-Scale Victory yesterday - they gave me an ordinary normal size gown to wear at the hospital - no super size gown anymore!

Hi there to my Shrinking Shamrock buddies out there. Well I did another "shrinking" thing yesterday - had about 1000 grams removed during Breast Reduction surgery. I think the pain is definitely tolerable here in the first 24 hrs with some pain meds and can't tell you yet if the results look okay with all the bandages but I had alot of confidence in my surgeon. Anyway, it will be fun to update my Ticker to put another -2 lbs down! P.S. Great NSV to share --- no super size gown needed at the hospital - just the ordinary size they'd give to anyone to wear.

Hi Niki - I'm 3 days now until BR surgery - hoping to be a B or small C also -- we'll see. I am anxious to be able to buy a pretty bra in a store post op. Not sure how long until I can get out of the compression bra thing they had me buy.

Ms Cathy - this is one of the benefits to continue to stay in touch with other March Bandsters - to see what happens as time goes along. I haven't had a fill in awhile and hoping to do that in late May. I kind of test my pouch and restriction with different food density things that I think should fill me up and keep me going without any problems. This week found that 2 hard boiled eggs is right between enough and too much - hard Protein and low calorie value - and the eggs seem to keep me filled well for awhile. Whereas a cup or Pasta or a cup of softer foods seem to be going down too easy and not keeping me satisfied very long. For now, I had to just tough it out on restriction needing adjusted because I didn't want to be tight going into my Breast Reduction surgery this coming Thursday. After that, I hope to get to a higher level of exercise and intensity, maybe even jogging, and then go a little tighter on fill restriction but we'll see. I'd like to be at about another -5 but end of May/June to stay on track with my own personal weight loss goals for this year. After May/June, I think I should be able to be back to full level of exercise to keep upping my intensity of things.

I am up for a good cause of helping MS disease research so I'll be up and out at the Zoo walking in the a.m.! Hope others get out too.

Giggle - I'm having surgery on a Thursday - hoping to go home same day unless something is holding me back. I figured I'd take off Friday thru the following week - so I'm taking a total of 7 work days off. I might have been able to work from home on my computer after less days but I decided to give myself the chance to heal and rest.

Sue - I'm going from a G down to a small C or B - she said she'd see what size I ended up once she removes 1000 grams total that the insurance requires in my situation. My best friend is an RN and saw many of this surgeon's patients post op and really felt highly of her work compared to other surgeons work. I really liked her professional and friendly approach. In my case she is going to have to do side liposuction under my arms or the side of my breast so that I don't end up with a bump there when the breasts are done.

This is my 2 year Easter picture - I loved this dress and had kept it from way back in 1997 the last time I could wear it. I felt so pretty on Easter morning in this dress. To be honest, I don't get too many chances to wear a dress anymore, but it feels good to think you look good. Bottom line, I love my lapband and I'd never want to go back to where I was 2 years ago in March before my band.

I am now 1 week out from my Breast Reduction surgery and I have to confess I have not been as focused on my eating as I should these last few weeks. Still hanging in there bouncing up and down on the same 3-5 lbs which is frustrating. Hoping once I get past the BR surgery, I can get back into exercising and really commit to things. I am thinking I need a fill adjustment because even when I eat solid Protein and get full quick, it doesn't stay with me very long, I'm still out in the kitchen looking for a little something else, then another few minutes, looking and thinking what else can I get, etc. That isn't right and I didn't want to get tightened on my band before my BR surgery so I will call and get a fill appt for May. Wishing you all well.

Hi there to Mimi and Niki - how are you both doing? I am 1 week out from my Breast Reduction surgery. I am wondering about lifting constraints you had for your surgery -- I have a laptop and carrying case, power cord, etc. that probably weighs close to 10-15 lbs and I have to haul it back and forth to work for my job. I have two sets of steps to get up with that case, about 6-8 steps each so using my roller suitcase for the laptop will help but not sure how to get that thing up steps. I hired someone to do my riding mower and push lawn mower for the month of May and then also hired them to keep doing the ditch hand mowing for June. I hated to spend the money for help but couldn't see my jerking around on a riding mower for 2 hours or more in May and definitely couldn't see me pulling a mower up and down a steep ditch that runs about 300 feet across the front of my yard. Well I am getting a little nervous at the idea of having things cut down to smaller size when all you ladies had increases but each of us has to get to what is best for us.

Okay - when they inject fat back into your buttocks area, are you saying it feels like golf balls in the areas they did it until it flatens out or smooshes in with the rest of the fat and muscle in the buttocks? I still have a long way to go in my journey but all my fat is on my upper buttocks and I have none left down by my tailbone - I can feel my bones when I'm sitting on a hard surface -- that is so weird feeling or seeing your bones sticking out after years of being hidden under excess weight.

I have a new challenge to report and ask for support for -- doing so much physical work outside for the spring and its apparent to me that I am burning alot of calories doing all this heavy lifting and walking for hours at a time days back to back but then I get this stupid sense of entitlement when I come inside and then feel like I deserve to splurge and eat a bunch of calories because I know I have burned them off -- stupid mindset -- I could be losing instead of maintaining if I would take that calorie deficit and leave it alone. I am going to make an appointment for a fill after I have my BR surgery at end of April so I just have to tough it out with restriction not being optimal for now because I don't want to get tightened up before surgery. Look out May.... I will be kicking butt with losing more weight!

Lisa - that is fabulous to be in a size 10 -- I'm the little caboose for us -- still a ways to go, you're doing great!

I'm bouncing up right now and I think it is due to the amount of heavy yard work so maybe my sore muscles are retaining some water weight? I really haven't been eating badly so that is all I can figure. Just keep working it one day at a time. Still on track for my BR surgery April 22. I'm trying to get as much exercise and yard work in before that because I know I'm going to be limited for most of May and maybe into June for any major lifting stuff.

From LadyRoz from Mt Carmel Bandsters -- I would like for the banders' of Columbus or anyone who wants to come to walk in the MS walk on April 17, 2010 at 7:30am it will be at the Columbus Zoo It is a 1.5 mile walk through the Zoo cost is 25.00 for any one over 10 years old and 10.00 for 10 and under My oldest daughter has MS and finally she is going to be able to get the band she will be band hopefully before the walk Dr.Choban is going to do her band. She goes in Monday to see the Dr. and get her band date pray for her she needs the band to help her deal with MS if she gets the weight off. Hope the Columbus bander can come a walk http://walkoha.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR?fr_id=12180&pg=entry

Niki - that is fabulous about the size 11 Capri's and jeans in the Juniors Department!!! You've come a long way baby! I'm wearing one of your pretty blouses you shared with me that are more fitted Lane Bryant long sleeve shirts that are a 18/20 or 18 and I'm so proud of being at that number for the top at this point and can't wait until I can see the next size down. I can get into size 18 pants and size 20 jeans - seems like jeans are always a size bigger than pants. My size 20 pants are falling off me but I keep using them to get through the winter and into spring clothes. I need to splurge on myself with some new clothes shopping. Maybe I'll get out when my sister is hear for my BR surgery and we'll pick up some new spring/summer things. So happy to hear that the removal of the drain was just a funny feeling and not painful. Thanks for the honesty and openness you've shared on this board with all who will follow you.

Hope everyone is doing well and enjoying life. I got a load of topsoil delivered yesterday and began shoveling it to get it moved to where I need it. I lasted a good solid 2 hours of very physically intense work -- never could have done that 2 years ago without major pain afterward in my hips and knees. I have decided to work at it gradually so I don't injure myself like I did 5 years ago - I hurt my shoulder shoveling topsoil when I moved into a new house and tried to get flower beds and things established from scratch. Interestingly enough, my weight has been fluctuating up for the past week or so and I'm not sure why. Gotta get back to careful food tracking on mydailyplate.

Mimi- how are you doing?

I checked Aetna and they will pay for my panniculectomy but not abdominoplasty - tummy tuck - and so if I want the better surgery, I will have to pay the difference between the two and I definitely plan to do that. They absolutely rule out arm lift and thigh lift as cosmetic and cover nothing.

Niki -- that's good that you recognized right away to call your surgeon and take his advice - to let things dry out and rest. I always wonder when I see things posted on different boards like this where someone clearly should be either calling their doctor and getting to the E.R. if they are in crisis why they first ask for advice from the internet. I know we get alot of good info from each other but in the immediate time frame, nothing beats talking to your own doctor you can trust.

One more for my Shrinking Shamrock friends -- I got this link in an email and I've always wanted to go to see Ireland and this has some beautiful video of the Emerald Isle and also some positive thoughts. It is a little long but I enjoyed it and thought I'd pass it along. This Blessing Is For You

Niki, so glad to hear you are doing so well. I ordered my breast compression garment - ordered 2 since I think I have to wear it for quite a few weeks which will take me into the summer and if I can start jogging again after 2 months (?maybe) I might wear it to keep everything held in place well.