Elode

@@jbrooks_rn I hear yA! My pre-op was two weeks and I could only have 3-4 Protein Shakes a day, sugar free Jello, sugar free popsicles, and broth. That's it. I never ever cheated but it took a LOT of willpower at times. Good thing about it is once it's over you will forget about it! Just keep the ultimate goal in mind. Good luck!

@@jbrooks_rn Well that sounds miserable! There where times in my pre-op I just had to take some zzzzquil to sleep, it also kept me from being up all hours of the night hungry!

3 week update and pictures of healing! Everything is basically the same. Same swelling, starts off flat in the morning and swells more as the day goes on. I'm wearing a tight Spanx now instead of the binder. I went to my PS yesterday because I was developing a small seroma (fluid under the skin causing more swelling) she aspirated it with a needle but nothing came out. It's not big enough to really do anything about so we are just leaving it alone and waiting for the body to reabsorb it. The incisions are healing beautifully for three weeks. I have been applying EMU oil to them 3x a day. Since EMU is the most absorptive oil on the planet! It seems to be working wonderfully. The incisions are staying soft. I also massage them 3x a day as well using scar massage techniques (thanks YouTube) My BB is red still. My breast lift is just the greatest thing ever! I wish I could show you but I think that would be some kind of violation. Anyway all is great and progressing better than expected. I took a picture of my hip so you can see how the scar curved down rather than upward. Another one of my "demands" I've seen a lot of scars that curve up. That makes them harder to hide in clothing.

I got unwired early!! Thursday. I was 3 weeks and a day. He surprised me. One of the best days of my life. I can open my mouth (that far) which is really good! I can eat soft foods! I'm so happy wiht the progress. Now I just have to wear these two bands for awhile. I can take them off to eat and brush. Everyone kept asking me what I was going to eat first. Eat?! My top priority was to brush my teeth!!! Ewww! I couldn't brush behind my teeth for 3 weeks. My poor tounge was just gross. Everything's cleaned up now though. Next step, getting back to the ortho and fine tuning everything. One happy girl here!!

I got unwired early!! Thursday. I was 3 weeks and a day. He surprised me. One of the best days of my life. I can open my mouth (that far) which is really good! I can eat soft foods! I'm so happy wiht the progress. Now I just have to wear these two bands for awhile. I can take them off to eat and brush. Everyone kept asking me what I was going to eat first. Eat?! My top priority was to brush my teeth!!! Ewww! I couldn't brush behind my teeth for 3 weeks. My poor tounge was just gross. Everything's cleaned up now though. Next step, getting back to the ortho and fine tuning everything. One happy girl here!!

@@Julie norton Thanks for the tip! I watched a YouTube video of a woman showing a way to get out of bed and another said she tied a sheet to her lower bed frame so she could pull herself up with it. I've been given so ridiculously sting narcotics for after. I'm curious as to how that's going to go. Ugh! I just want it all over with!

I got unwired early!! Thursday. I was 3 weeks and a day. He surprised me. One of the best days of my life. I can open my mouth (that far) which is really good! I can eat soft foods! I'm so happy wiht the progress. Now I just have to wear these two bands for awhile. I can take them off to eat and brush. Everyone kept asking me what I was going to eat first. Eat?! My top priority was to brush my teeth!!! Ewww! I couldn't brush behind my teeth for 3 weeks. My poor tounge was just gross. Everything's cleaned up now though. Next step, getting back to the ortho and fine tuning everything. One happy girl here!!

I got unwired early!! Thursday. I was 3 weeks and a day. He surprised me. One of the best days of my life. I can open my mouth (that far) which is really good! I can eat soft foods! I'm so happy wiht the progress. Now I just have to wear these two bands for awhile. I can take them off to eat and brush. Everyone kept asking me what I was going to eat first. Eat?! My top priority was to brush my teeth!!! Ewww! I couldn't brush behind my teeth for 3 weeks. My poor tounge was just gross. Everything's cleaned up now though. Next step, getting back to the ortho and fine tuning everything. One happy girl here!!

It's all done! I'm in recovery! Day 6 right now. It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. It wasn't fun and the swelling is insane but I'm on the good end now. All I have left to do is get this swelling gone. They said my changes would be subtle. Ummm No. My whole face has changed. My whole face! I don't look anything like I did. The more the swelling goes down the more excited I am. I already love it! My long face is gone. My open bite and underbite are gone. I still look a bit chipmunk and my mouth is wired but you can see an amazing difference. I'm in awe. This is the second best thing I've done. Oh and I have zero numbness in my face which is unheard of. My surgeon is even shocked. That means he avoided any damage to my nerves . He's just incredible. I'm attaching some before and afters. All are within a week. Don't mind the yellow that's just bruising and no makeup.

Thank you! Yes I am extremely happy to have it all over with and even more thankful that it has gone so smoothly! I've read so may story's from other people and they just sounded so miserable. I'm post op day 9 today and I feel like I'm back to normal only with a new face. The only thing I really can't stand now is my mouth being wired shut. There's only so many liquid dinners you can have. Mainly all blended up Soup. There aren't many options for strict liquids. I can't even cheat! It's literally impossible. Little less than 3 weeks left (hopefully). My swelling is coming down tremendously. I just took this picture and it's a difference between 6 days! I can't wait to open my big mouth again!

Congrats for being on the other side of this. I bet it was a bit scary beforehand. The pictures look great.... I always thought so anyway , but glad you are aligned right!!

Hello everyone! I know I've been MIA for awhile but I haven't really had any updating to do. I'm still managing the same weight. I'm trying not to lose at this point since my PS said not to. What I have been doing is obsessing over my cosmetic surgeries coming up. I'm having a Tummy Tuck with muscle repair and some breast stuff. Its consumed my entire life for the last month and now it's almost here. I'm not going to lie I'm terrified and just now starting to get a slight bit excited. Most people seem to be ecstatic about it. I hate the thought of the pain and whole long recovery period. The results are going to be worth it right? I've paid, I'm going. I woke up on the "losers side" last time and now I'm waking up on the "flat" side. If anyone has any before and after TT pictures they would like to share I would appreciate it! The hardest part of all of the research I've done is finding pictures of weight loss patients before and afters. I'm trying to find a belly that looks similar to mine. Ugh! Wish me luck! I need it.

I am so glad!!! Great picks! Enjoy

It's all done! I'm in recovery! Day 6 right now. It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. It wasn't fun and the swelling is insane but I'm on the good end now. All I have left to do is get this swelling gone. They said my changes would be subtle. Ummm No. My whole face has changed. My whole face! I don't look anything like I did. The more the swelling goes down the more excited I am. I already love it! My long face is gone. My open bite and underbite are gone. I still look a bit chipmunk and my mouth is wired but you can see an amazing difference. I'm in awe. This is the second best thing I've done. Oh and I have zero numbness in my face which is unheard of. My surgeon is even shocked. That means he avoided any damage to my nerves . He's just incredible. I'm attaching some before and afters. All are within a week. Don't mind the yellow that's just bruising and no makeup.

It's all done! I'm in recovery! Day 6 right now. It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. It wasn't fun and the swelling is insane but I'm on the good end now. All I have left to do is get this swelling gone. They said my changes would be subtle. Ummm No. My whole face has changed. My whole face! I don't look anything like I did. The more the swelling goes down the more excited I am. I already love it! My long face is gone. My open bite and underbite are gone. I still look a bit chipmunk and my mouth is wired but you can see an amazing difference. I'm in awe. This is the second best thing I've done. Oh and I have zero numbness in my face which is unheard of. My surgeon is even shocked. That means he avoided any damage to my nerves . He's just incredible. I'm attaching some before and afters. All are within a week. Don't mind the yellow that's just bruising and no makeup.

Pure willpower. I stayed away from food. I drank my shakes in my room away from my family. I had my husband make all their meals so I didn't have to be around food. I stayed away from TV since more than half of the commercials involve food ads. Mainly I just stayed focused on the prize. Two straight weeks of shakes, SF Jello/popcicles and low sodium broth. Never cheated not even once. I'm still proud of that almost two years later.

Read this full conversation I think. It has some good tips. Getting in and out of bed/ recliner was the most difficult for me for days.
Best of luck. I'm very pleased

I have about 10 days to my Tummy Tuck. I was more nervous for this surgery than the sleeve. But now that I'm getting things done around the house.. Money paid ---I'm so ready to go.
I've had shingles, flu and bad headaches from the combo - so I've gotten practice toward the pain. The flu has me at my lowest weight so they should a great base, I've back off exercise because of being ill and now so I don't pull anything.
Hubby has been told the worst of how the recovery could go and all the work/help he may have on his hands. If anything I like being alone while ill and he worries and hovers. (But he has seen me seriously I'll before so he does have reasons).
I'm old but looking a lot younger and from everything I've experienced on everything is do it younger, feel better for many many years of your life.
Send me any great suggestions on the tummy tuck, I learned a lot from the groups before my sleeve.

Here ya go:
TT & BL on November 21!
http://BariatricPal.com/index.php?/topic/381966-TT-%26-BL-on-November-21%21
HW 290+/SW 261/GW 160/CW 159

@TheRealMeIsHere! Oh thank you!! Are those the newest pictures? How long ago did you have it done? Did they do muscle repair? I bought a Fajae (think that's how it's spelled? Anyway I got the smallest size they have and it isn't too tight. It's tight but I'm wondering it it's going to be tight enough? It's the smallest size they have so if not I guess I'm SOL? Sexy little number no? I actually like the way it feels. Not sure how it will be after though.

Hello everyone! I know I've been MIA for awhile but I haven't really had any updating to do. I'm still managing the same weight. I'm trying not to lose at this point since my PS said not to. What I have been doing is obsessing over my cosmetic surgeries coming up. I'm having a Tummy Tuck with muscle repair and some breast stuff. Its consumed my entire life for the last month and now it's almost here. I'm not going to lie I'm terrified and just now starting to get a slight bit excited. Most people seem to be ecstatic about it. I hate the thought of the pain and whole long recovery period. The results are going to be worth it right? I've paid, I'm going. I woke up on the "losers side" last time and now I'm waking up on the "flat" side. If anyone has any before and after TT pictures they would like to share I would appreciate it! The hardest part of all of the research I've done is finding pictures of weight loss patients before and afters. I'm trying to find a belly that looks similar to mine. Ugh! Wish me luck! I need it.

@@BackToBeautiful I finally found a few horrible before pictures on the left. And new me on right And my daughter and I before a midnight run , we're pretty much twins now lol!!!! And yes I cut my hair off last week.

Day 5. I'm counting surgery day as day 1.
So today I thought for shits n giggles I'd try on this tiny swim suit. Shocking!
Remember I'm still swollen but holy crap! Is that really mine??? It's hard to get it to sink in.
I'm also including some photos of just how loose my skin was. Not flattering but I don't care it's where I started. Before all of this. PS I still have tape on my boobs and that line is my JP drain.

And as promised here is a before and after. One day difference. It's amazing!!! I can't wait for my 6 months when all the swelling is gone and I'm healed.