dancinglamb

Girlie, I don't know if you want to add one more to the mix, but Joseph Fodero just did my girlfriend's tummy tuck. Coincidently, he did a presentation at my surgeon's monthly support group a few weeks ago, and I was pretty impressed with what he had to say. It was also pretty interesting to learn that a lot of his staff are WLS people like us and have had PS as well. -m

Aubrie, do share about the bra! Which one is it?! And have you tried any of the stuff like Philosophy's The Present or Smashbox's Photofinish? It's stuff you put on under your makeup and it somehow deflects light so it kind of hides your pores and minimises your wrinkles. I just started using the Philosophy one a couple days ago and I'm really loving it. I got it at Sephora for about $25. I know that we're supposed to love ourselves no matter what, but you know, sometimes I think it might be, well, a little easier if we liked what we saw just a bit more. :thumbup: If nothing else, I guess there are always dark sunglasses and some good lipstick, right?:crying: -m

I am 4w out of surgery (I have the Realize Band) and had 4cc put in today. Talk about hoopla - it was done at a surgical care center, so the surgeon could use their fluoroscopy equipment. It actually took longer to go through all their 'pre-admit procedures' than it did to do the actual fill. I was told to do a full liquid diet through Friday, then soft foods Sat/Sun, and back to 'people food' on Monday. Well, I am *hungry*. How is this even possible? I saw the fill with my own eyes on the screen and saw the restriction. I thought that there would be all this irritation and swelling in association with the fill. I had a packet of liquefied oatmeal and a big mug of broth, along with 20oz of Crystal Lite in the past seven hours. He wants to see me in four weeks. Am I some sort of anomaly of nature? -m

Oh my. So now I have to worry about doing a Gila Monster imitation if I eat too fast (I've not had the pleasure of experiencing this sliming/PB thing yet)? Wow. If I play my cards right, I just might end up on Letterman!! Stupid Human Tricks!! Woo hooo! (Laurinda, your DH sounds way cooler than mine. I think Jonathan would've just stood there and either laughed or have been paralysed with uncertainty.) Hey, at least it wasn't the windshield of the car, right?:confused_smile: -m

Kate- Have you tried wearing medical grade hosiery? I mean, they're anything but sexy, but if they help, they'd be worth it. I know they're not cheap, but if you have a FSA plan, they're covered under that. I would also absolutely talk to your PCP about it, and possibly try a course of Lasix to see if that might help. You might also want to have your thyroid levels checked just for the hell of it to make sure that all is good in hormone land. That might also explain (obviously other than the 100+lb loss) why you're always cold. Are you also experiencing any pins/needles-type sensations in your ankles or feet? Is it affecting your range of motion? Those sorts of things may have to be addressed with a foot/ankle doctor. I know it sounds like overkill, but after having two consecutive ankle surgeries, I have come to love my foot doctor. They really are much better versed in this sort of thing than GPs and do actually deal with more than just ingrown toenails. :confused_smile: (oh, and I'm totally jealous of your thighs, btw) -m

I probably would have given that nutritionist a few suggestions of my own if s/he came at me with that idea.:confused_smile: I do have to admit that I feel better knowing that I'm not the only one feeling more than slightly betrayed by my sack o'skin. I sometimes wish that we could all just sit around and laugh about it in person, though. If for no other reason than it would be a hell of a lot easier to stop having explain the snorts to my husband while reading.:tt2: Legster, have you seen the pants that they sell on the Spanx site? Spendy, but they have Spanx already IN them (and I think they probably go pretty far down the leg, but have a looser 'pantlike' covering). If I wasn't so freaking short, I'd be all over those babies. I saw something almost identical on the Lands End Overstocks site last night. I'm almost intrigued enough to order them. I'm just kind of holding off on buying any clothes for as long as I can. Considering that I have a full wardrobe from roughly 22/24 all the way onto 12 in some stuff. *sigh* Kinda brings to mind that old song "High Hopes", huh? Except I get stuck on the line with the goat. No. Wait, it's a ram, isn't it. Christ, I can't remember which kid I'm yelling at, but I remember Frank Sinatra lyrics. You know, I definitely need more calories.:tt1: Anyway... Long2BFree, yes, when I saw the 3 Hour Nut Class, the very first thing that came to mind was that you couldn't *possibly* be spending an afternoon with my in laws. They never would be in a classroom together.:tt1: :tt1: hugs to all of ya, Girlies! -m

Kate- On Gossamer is another company that makes somewhat high-end lingerie. There's another spendy manufacturer that was making stuff secretly under Target's name, but I can't remember who it was (I got pretty friendly with the Nordy's manager for a while and she'd give me good dirt ). I'm honestly afraid to look at anymore body parts after yesterday's escapade in the dressing room at the Gap. I got out of the shower last night and was drying off with thoughts of doom in my head. I just kept thinking to myself that if I could do it fast enough, and get my jammies on, the flab might not catch on that it was out in incandescent 'daylight'.:eek: You should definitely go get fitted at Nordy's and THEN go to Nordstrom Rack at King of Prussia. Can I just tell you how freaking jealous I am that you have one near you?!! That's actually the closest one to *me* and it's two hours away.:sneaky: Perhaps once I'm closer to my goal, I'll have to plan a roadtrip and we can meet up for a non-lunch lunch!:sleep: BTW, Jonathan is also a writer. No wonder I like you! Oh, and congrats on the 100+lbs. You're kicking ass and then some!!! Go Kate!! -m

Sue- I did the bathing suit with the shorts thing last year, too (actually it was a tankini top with shorts). I don't think they will fit me this year, so I'll have to size down, but I'll definitely go that route again. The only thing that I don't like about it is the 'aftermath' of coming out of the Water. I half expect fish to come riding out on a mini water tobbagin from the bottom of the shorts anytime I exit a pool.:wink2:

I actually squirrelled away all my bras as they no longer fit and finally unearthed them a few weeks ago. I'm damn glad I did it, because the $70 ones now fit properly once again. And wow, do they really make a difference. I had resorted to the cheapo versions from Lane Bryant for so long, I forgot what it was like to actually have a bra does what it's supposed to do, kwim? God knows I could actually hide Jimmy Hoffa under my boobs without a bra on, so going without one is *not* an option unless I want to be arrested. Lately, I've been wearing the Le Mystere Dream Tisha ones. Even though I'm still wearing a 40G (yes, as in 'Gadzooks'), and I'm only 5'2", it's more a function of rolling them up and sticking them in there than anything else. They're lightly lined, but not so much that they add any, uh, girth. It's just enough so that everything kinda, um, evens out under t-shirts. I got them at Nordstrom, which is seriously one of the best places EVER to go get fitted for bras. No commission, so no pushy attitude. Besides, you can go there, try stuff out and then go find the stuff cheaper online.:wink2: Lane Bryant does have their own knockoff version of the Le Mystere one, but I found that it only lasted me about a month before the wires started popping through. I think they ran me about $30. I'd rather spend twice the money and get a bra that lasts me three or six times as long (assuming that you're not spiraling down in weight and losing girth off the girls...). Oh, and about the ones at Target that look like the spendy ones at the mall. On Gossamer is the manufacturer. The regional manager at Nordy's told me that. Shhhhh! -m

Nope, nothing like c/s. I had two of them, as well. With the c/s, remember how you couldn't stand up straight and had a hard time walking? Not the case with the lap band surgery. Yes, you might have a hard time initially getting in and out of bed, and standing up from the couch because of your ab muscles being tweaked from where they attach the port, but that's about it. (We have one of those super deep Pottery Barn couches, and boy, that hurt like a mother...) Truly, the only area that will hurt after the first 24-48 hrs is the port incision, which is dissected more than the other puncture areas (which is really what they are; they're not really even incisions). I was able to sleep on my side by day 5/6 and on my stomach by the following week. Granted, I wasn't flipping around like I just jumped out of Cirque du Soleil, but I could do it.:cursing: HTH -m

**WARNING, THIS IS A KIND OF A GIRLIE THREAD!! ** I was in the Gap today trying stuff on (well, just to see if I could!) and suddenly realised how horrifying my thighs looked. Three weeks...even TWO weeks... ago, they looked nothing like they did today. :cryin: Today's thighs belonged on an old elephant. You know. Deflated, sad and pathetic. There were these, well, inner flattened pancakes attached to the rest of my thighs. I have no idea what they are or where they came from. But they creep me out and disgust me to no end. Almost as if my thighs have their OWN thighs!!! HTF did that happen??! Is it going to get better? I mean, yeah, they were fat before (and of course there was a major case of chub rub going on), but I was just simply beside myself. I actually got almost to the point of tears and definitely reached a point where all the potential joy of having clothes in a 'regular store' *almost* fitting me (I could zip 'em but not fit for public consumption yet) was completely taken out of the experimental shopping trip. There's clearly a damn good reason why I don't have any mirrors that go below hip length in my house. I am all over the prospect of future plastic surgery (in fact, I cruise the PS forum regularly for inspiration :sad:), but realistically, it's a long way off. Hell, I just got on this roller coaster (my first fill is tomorrow; woo hoo!). How do you deal with this? Just suck it up ~ literally and figuratively? Spanx should just probably take a second mortgage on our house. *sigh*:cursing: -m

Cool! I'm glad you like it :smile:. I'm easily there 4-6 times a day. :party: I keep mulling over that Body Bugg thing.( bodybugg.com )It actually will calculate your caloric intake/output automatically for you WITHOUT tracking your foods. It's not cheap, though, and it currently doesn't support a Mac platform (which means we have to get Windows software). I'm sooooo tempted, though! -m

I put Kelo-Cote on them once or twice a day, depending on whether it's worn off. Somebody else here posted before/after pics using it, and I was motivated to use it after my own surgery. The stuff is pretty spendy, but I was able to find it a little cheaper on eBay. It really does seem to make a significant difference; not only in appearance, but in the itch factor. -m

I had surgery on a Monday, came home on Tuesday and drove on Wednesday. I had to get the kids to preschool - there was no WAY I was keeping them home with me!! I think it depends on how you react to pain killers, and whether or not you feel you will be able to quickly hit the brakes if you have to. I've had several surgeries on both ankles and hands, and have become very adept at working around surgery and meds, so the mild stuff that was given to me really didn't affect my reflexes or cognitive abilities. So, to answer your question, I'd keep the appt. Just absolutely, positively DO NOT lift the kids. Don't even think about it. (I taught my 3yo how to climb in and out of her car seat a couple weeks before my surgery so all I had to do was buckle her in. It made all the difference.) ETA - the biggest trick that worked for me was to fold a really soft baby blanket (I had a nice polar fleece one) into about a 10" square and put it between the port incision and the seat belt (it happened to fit nicely just above where the buckle goes at the right angle at your right hip when sitting). It made driving 300% easier. I drove that way for about 2w. -m

I have the Realize band and was told that the first fill (mine will be next week on 5/21) will be 4cc, as that is the standard for the first one with this band. The surgeon said that it should be sufficient for the most part and that if, at all, I should only need 2, maybe 3 more slight fills for my lifetime afterward. <shrug> I know, right now, I have little - if any - restriction. I can eat 1c of Cereal without a problem. I've not tried eating more, simply from a caloric standpoint. I also suspect that my stomach as shrunk in size from eating smaller portions, so a comparison to what it was like before the surgery isn't a fair comparison. -m

Hi Jetti- I'm also in Essex County. My surgeon (Muhammad Feteiha) has his support group the first Monday of every month at Overlook Hospital in Summit. I don't know, however, whether it's specific to his patients or not. His meeting is a mix of lap band and bypass patients, btw. If you want to call his office and ask about his meetings, his number is 973-232-2300. St. Barnabas has a support group according to their website: Obesity Treatment, Gastric Bypass Surgery, Livingston, NJ HTH -m

Sounds good. Don't get down on yourself. There's a pretty huge learning curve on all of this stuff, and we're all new to it at some point or another. :smile2: Just remember that if you think that whatever you're trying to eat (even if it's something you don't need to chew) is going to stay in its original state... say thick pudding... you can thin it out with milk or whatever. Don't forget to try and get in as many fluids as possible. I'm still having a hard time remembering to do that. My surgeon has me on a limit of nothing 15min before and nothing 30-60min after meals. I've found that I'm much more likely to drink Water if I've put Crystal Lite in it (iced tea at the moment). And I've also noticed that if I use those 20oz squeezy sports bottles and visually *see* it, I'll be more inclined to drink it. (Previously, I was being a good Earth person and using my very cool-gift from my husband-Sigg bottle... you know, good for the Earth, no recycling, etc. etc. I just found that if I couldn't SEE how much was in there, I wasn't drinking nearly enough. I know. Sounds stupid, but I'm a very visual person. :mad: ) Anyway... You're doing great. Just try and plan ahead when you can. You can also try and let some Cheerios melt in your mouth and then chew the hell out of them. They're a good source of Vitamins, believe it or not, and they taste good. Before you know it, you'll be a pro!! hugs -m

Hey Cindy- Congrats on the band! It does seem really quite early to be doing solids. It was about 10 days before I did anything with 'texture'. To lend some perspective, I tried scrambled eggs with cheese this morning (I'll be 3w out tomorrow) and couldn't do them. I took one bite and just knew it would be a bad adventure if I went any further. Kinda sucks, since I love scrambled eggs.:welldoneclap: About 5 days post-op, I was able to do really watered down oatmeal (the ones that come in the individual packs) with no problem. The first time out, I did put it through the food processor and 'drank' it. Looked gross, but tasted fine. After that , I let it sit with extra hot Water, then threw in some milk for the extra Protein. The first 2-3w, the prime concern is getting nutrition, and not so much about keeping things low fat/low cal (it's helpful, of course, if you can, but not top priority). I also was pretty hooked on those Campbells Soup at Hand things. I know, you probably are saying you're sick of soup. But for some reason (maybe because of the teeny tiny Pasta in it?), I was loving this stuff. It was just the right amount, and 1min in the microwave, it was ready. I also liked that I was able to get it at Target and didn't have to subject myself to the lure of the grocery store.:Banane53: chicken and Stars is my fave! Ricotta cheese with a little spoon of pasta sauce is also good. You can warm it up and it's pretty close to eating lasagna or ziti. :Banane44: It's also *full* of protein. (If necessary, you can thin it with some milk.) Basically, a good rule of thumb is, if you can put it through a straw, you can have it. At least for the first 10 days or so. HTH. Good luck! -m

I was banded 2w ago and don't have much of a restriction at all. I'm scheduled for my first fill on 5/21. I personally kind of can't wait. On one hand, I'm looking forward to not feeling hungry. On the other, I'm not looking forward to actually having trouble eating things (for lunch today, I was able to eat 3oz of turkey, with a piece of muenster cheese on an English muffin). My surgeon is aware that I don't really have any restriction and isn't surprised. He also knows that I've been losing weight be being careful what I eat (mostly Protein, staying to a really low calorie limit, etc.). I've been pretty consistent about staying below 1000 calories/day, but since I've been sticking to high protein/kinda low carb, I've not been hungry (for the most part). I've not been doing the Protein shake thing mostly, well, because I'm sick of them. I've been trying to be good about keeping Protein Bars with me in the car because I've noticed that is when I tend to get myself in trouble. I can't eat whole nuts (I've never been able to digest them, and I definitely can't do them only 2w out from surgery), so it's been a bit of a challenge to find ones that not only taste good, but don't have their protein from nuts. So far, I've found a few that are actually pretty tasty. I had a chocolate Clif Builder one yesterday that I actually was unable to finish b/c I was full! And I found it at Target, so I didn't even have to go to a GNC, etc. to find it. So, there is hope. I think it really comes from planning in advance (I always have my SIGG bottle a/k/a trough of Crystal Lite iced tea with me), try and have some sort of snack, etc. so that I can fall back on something to eat. I've also found that I can get some turkey to eat from just about anywhere. Yesterday, I had to meet my accountant for lunch and we ended up at a greek place. I had chicken gyro without the lettuce/tomato/onion. So it was basically the really super-thinly sliced chicken (I was able to eat it no problem!), on a pita (which has protein!) with tzatziki (nom nom nom!). I ate about 1/3-1/2 of the sandwich and brought the rest home for dinner. That was the majority of my food for the day (I had Cheerios with 2% milk before leaving the house, and had the ever-present Crystal Lite in the car with that part of the Clif Bar on the ride there). I was pretty stuffed for the day. Have you tried stuff like chicken salad made with Fage 2% yogurt and a dab of mayo? That Fage stuff really tastes pretty damn close to sour cream and is almost exclusively protein. Try mixing two of the small containers with a pack of Knorr veggie soup mix. Let it sit in the fridge for an hour and then you have a rockin' spread for small pieces of pita. I also spread it on a piece of turkey and then roll it up. It's unbelievably good. Be brave, we're all here with you! hugs -m

Yep, that would be it. And then it takes you to your list of foods that you eat on a regular basis, where you can click off the list of them (and adjust the serving amts). For instance, I put in that I regularly eat: 1c. Cheerios 1/2c. 2% milk 1-1/2tsp Trader Joe's evaporated cane juice sugar (I know... too much ) And then I named it 'Cheerios Breakfast'. This morning, I just went to that little box below the pie chart and clicked on Cheerios Breakfast and it appeared on my list, and I entered '1' and it was all there, all done. Cool, huh? -m

Awesome!!!!!! Do you have a date yet? I'm so happy for you, Kathy! :angry_smile: Woooo hoooooooo! (I just realised that I'm going to have a harder time 'recognising' you if you change your picture in your sigline!! You will have to just take pics showing more ocean in the background ) -m

The first week post op was pretty bad in terms of diarrhea. And um, so was the gas. So let's just say it was a surprise as to which you'd end up with. Then everything has kind of progressed toward the other end of the spectrum. Yes, it can be anywhere from 4-6 days. Not especially pleasant, but not awful. Since I'm technically not supposed to be having fruits/veggies yet, I'm kind of limited in what I can have to, er, uh, *encourage* things. For now, I'm trying to go with Cheerios and oatmeal. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. I picked up a thing of Miralax but I'm kind of afraid to use it (especially after that whole bowel cleansing adventure the night before surgery!). As far as the bladder thing goes, I've never had huge incontinence issues (only minor ones), but I since I've not noticed any need to change underwear after laughing/sneezing/coughing fits, I suspect it might be improving! HTH -m

I was told 15-30min before a meal and 30-60min after eating. I also find that I just *need* to take a couple small sips when I'm done eating to rinse my mouth of the food I've just consumed. Of course, this all might change once I'm restricted in a couple weeks, but for now, this is what's working for me. As it is, I'm having a particularly difficult time getting in 48-64oz of fluids in a day... -m

I LOVE that site! It's one of my latest addictions (I started using it when I went on the pre-op diet, so it's been about a month). I track my foods, weight, calories, exercise, etc. I also totally love that you can enter in a recipe and it breaks it down for you. This morning I figured out how you can enter in something that you eat on a regular basis (for instance I tend to eat the same combination of foods for Breakfast, so I don't have to manually enter in the same sequence. It's kind of like a macro with everything grouped together now and labeled how I want it). I have the Realize band and have been completely spoiled by dailyplate.com. The Realize site is pretty pathetic in comparison. I just can't see switching over! -m

It's a shot of heparin (blood thinner) and it's subcutaneous (only skin). So though some people may get it in their stomach fat area, I actually got mine on my flank toward the side of my waist. It doesn't hurt nearly as much as an arm or butt or thigh shot (those are intramuscular), and it's a significantly smaller needle. Really, it just takes about two seconds, and it's a LOT better than the alternative of a potential blood clot! If you'd rather not see it, ask the nurse to do it on your flank, or another fat roll out of eye range and I'm sure s/he'd be happy to comply. Word of warning, this will probably be your largest bruise just by the exact nature of the drug. (It thins your blood and prevents clotting; bruises are a collection of blood under your skin.) So, it will be a brown/yellow/purple bruise long after your scars are looking good. It won't hurt, though. HTH -m