LuckOtheIrish

I've only done face lasering, but I've never had any redness that lasted more than a couple of hours, if that. It sounds to me like the laser burned you, which is NOT ok.

If you're having breathing problems, I'd go to an ear/nose/throat doctor before a cosmetic surgeon. There could be different reasons for your problems. When I got tonsillitis for the umpteenth time several years ago, the ENT doctor decided to do a head CT while I was there, and discovered I had a deviated septum (which was not only making it hard for me to breathe through my nose, it was causing all kinds of respiratory infections). They removed my tonsils and did a septoplasty at the same time, and I'm soooooo much happier now. I can finally breathe through my nose like a normal person!

I am really picky about Protein bars. I can't stand most of them. However, I love - and my nutritionist recommends - Think Thin and Quest bars. She recommends Atkins bars, too, but I haven't tried them.

I have a kind of Bariatric Advantage chewable, and they are awful. And HUGE. Thankfully I only have a one-month supply, because I don't plan on taking these for long. I'll either find a different brand, or I'll switch to the Bariatric Advantage capsules (not chewables).

I really love Soma bras. Great support and smoothing!

It's not just the insurance company - it's your specific plan. Coverage and exclusions vary greatly from plan to plan.

The only way I was able to keep all the weight off after I had the fill taken out of my band was by hitting the gym hard and often. 6-7 days/week. Did that for five months and was able to keep all the weight off. Hard, because I definitely had no restriction and could eat whatever and however much I wanted.

I was advised not to start my vitamins until 30 days post-surgery.

I get tired pretty fast after I exert myself post-surgery (I'm 11 days out now). It's because I'm not getting in enough calories to offset what I'm burning. So I'm following my exercise physiologist's recommendations and taking it easy until I at least get on soft foods. I also was a gym rat the past 6 months, so it has been tough for me to stay away from the gym; I went back today and just walked on the treadmill for a half-hour, and I was a little winded just at my traditional warm-up speed. So, give it a little time and see how your body starts to respond once you're back eating food!

Fage is awesome (I get 2% because I find it satisfies me more...some fat is good for us!), and it's real Greek yogurt. It's what the Greeks actually eat. Once I'm able to, I'll add Kashi or granola to it to make it "stick" in my tummy a little longer. I also love Nancy's Organic Greek with honey, if you can find it. Note: I like thick Greek yogurt, and I enjoy the tart much more than the sweet. So YMMV.

I was in and out (of surgery) in 1.5 hours, for Band removal and revision to sleeve. Very fortunate to have not had much scar tissue, and no hernia to repair.

My first three days (plus day of surgery) I was on clear liquids only, and that was fine because I was not hungry at all. I sipped on flavored water and apple juice, that's it. No protein. My dr. and NUT actually didn't mention protein at all for those first few days - all they cared about was me keeping myself hydrated. After a few days the swelling went down and I was able to get more water in. I started on protein drinks with the full liquid phase, and I've been having 2-3 per day, plus my water. Every once in a while I'll have some chicken broth, Greek yogurt or jello to vary things.

Hello, all! I originally signed up on this website a couple of years ago prior to my Lap-Band surgery, but I'll be darned if I can remember any of my login info! That's alright, I don't think I was super active anyway, so I figured I'd just start fresh. Like I said, a couple of years ago I had the Lap Band put in. Initially I was fairly successful - lost slowly, but eventually was able to lose about 40 lbs over the course of a year. Then for some reason, I stalled. It was as if I needed another fill in my band, but so much food was getting "stuck" on my band that another fill didn't seem the best course, either. I started to throw up a lot of my food, to the point where I never knew what I would be able to eat. Of course, I could eat the slippery and soft foods that we're not really supposed to eat, but the Proteins like moist chicken, fish and scrambled eggs I was having problems with. I never felt that much restriction with the Band...it just wasn't what I expected it to be. Slowly some of the weight - but only about 10 lbs - started to creep back on, so I said enough was enough and went back to see my surgeon. In a nutshell, everything on film looked OK with my band, but it seems that the band just wasn't working for me. We took all of the fill out in January, and now my revision to sleeve is scheduled for a couple of weeks from now. I'm really excited, and hopeful that the sleeve will give me the restriction I was seeking with the Band. But a part of me is also worried that I'll be the exception - the person that doesn't lose all the weight with the sleeve for some reason. Still, I know I can do it, as I've been able to keep the weight off after my un-fill thanks to my diligent work at the gym (I go 5-7 days per week). Looking forward to being a little more engaged on this board moving forward!

Time for an update! My band was removed and I was sleeved on May 12. I lost 12 lbs during the 2-week pre-surgery diet. Everything apparently went just fine with the surgery - not too much scar tissue, no hernia, no nausea or vomiting thus far. I got through my 3-day post surgery Clear liquids diet with no problem. I drank just Water and apple juice and couldn't believe I wasn't hungry at all. My tummy must have been really swollen! By yesterday I was able to get about 60 oz of water in, so I'm feeling well, I think. Today was my first day of the full liquids diet, and I was able to drink three Protein shakes. Still some gas pain, but it's considerably better today, which makes it easier to get fluids in. I'm not really hungry. I'm sure I'm going to get bored with 10 more days of the liquid diet, but if I continue to not really be hungry that will make it easier I think. I think my scale is broken - when I weighed in on surgery day I discovered I had actually lost 5 lbs more than what my home scale said - so it's hard to know if I'm still losing. But I'm not really focused on the scale at this point - I know I'm swollen and probably retaining water, and anyway the first 30 days is about healing, not weight loss. All in all, feeling really good at this point!

My surgeon explained to me that if possible he tries to do the removal and sleeve in one procedure, but if the scar tissue is too severe, he does it in two. Complications (leaks) arise more frequently when there is scar tissue, so he doesn't take the risk. That being said, he never knows what the scar tissue situation will be until he actually cuts into the patient; even people with no Band complications can still have scar tissue that should be allowed to heal before sleeve. When I asked him which people most commonly had to have their surgeries done separately, he said often they were the ones with complications like erosion, band slips and the like that had given them lots of pain and distress.

Your story sounds so much like mine. Was even born a big baby, and overweight as a child, but not obese until I got into college (which also happens to be when they finally tested me for hypothyroidism and reluctantly started to treat me for it). I was really active in high school - lettered in two sports - and as much as I walked in college, the cafeteria food did me no favors! Bad eating, a decrease in intense physical activity, the alcohol that frequently accompanies college days, and hypothyroidism led to a 50 lbs weight gain in less than two years. I just had my endoscopy today, no abnormalities found, so I'm excited for my sleeve date of May 12. I, too, had some initial good results with the Band, but slowly gained back a bit over time and then it just seemed to be rejected by my body.

I'm also getting sleeved (from Lap Band) on May 12!

Products I'm willing to spend more for: foundation, powder, blush, eye shadows. I use Laura Mercier foundation and eye shadow; Trish McEvoy powder and eye shadow; Bobbi Brown eye shadow, eyeliner and lipstick; Nars blush. Products I buy at the drug store: mascara and lipstick. I'm lucky to have long, thick eyelashes, so I can get away with cheap-o mascara. I like L'oreal mascaras the most. I used to really like MAC eye shadow, but then I developed an allergy to it. I have super sensitive skin and break out in hives with lots of brands (Estee Lauder and Clinique, too). What's really important to me, in addition to good makeup, is a great moisturizer as a base. Some can be very greasy, and others aren't moisturizing enough. Without it, the foundation doesn't go on smoothly.