summer08

I had my TT May 22. My lap band Dr recommended to pull out 2cc. I'm glad I did, as I have had no episodes of vomitting, which I am very thankful for, as it hurts to cough. I think The decision to have fluid removed prior to surgery or not depends on how you were doing prior to surgery. I was vomitting occasionally prior to surgery and needed to make sure that didn't happen while I was healing. I don't think there's a definitive right or wrong to have fluid removed or not, just depends on the person and how they have been doing.

I am going to ask for an unfill prior to my panniculectomy. I still have problems with vomitting and do not want to take ANY chance of busting out any stitches or anything to mess up my healing.

I have a second appointment with the surgeon tomorrow. First time to talk about only doing panniculectomy. I think my biggest hold up now is going to be when i can get off of work for 2-3 weeks. It is a busy time now. Keeping my fingers crossed! I am ready NOW!

another question....did your pant size go down?

I have never blogged before I started my lap band journey in 2008. i weighed 235 and am 5'7. i was in a size 18. it's been a while but i'm pretty sure i lost my weight within the first year, i think even a little less. i did have quite a bit of vomitting. i had complications; again, it's been a while, but i think the first problem was that my wound was open and had to be packed. i think that was within a month after my band was placed. besides the vomitting, the other problem i had was that i had to have my port repositioned. i think that was about the second year after initial placement. i think initially the placement was fine, but when i lost weight, the skin/port dropped to my waistline and my clothes basically rubbed an opening and i could see my port through a hole in my skin. i would cover it and it would heal, but as soon as i uncovered it, the same thing would happen, so he replaced the port and brought it up higher. even with my complications i am so glad i got the lap band. i lost 75 lbs and am in a size 12. i have recently seen a plastic surgeon and my insurance has approved a panniculectomy. i wanted to have a tummy tuck as well but just can't swing the extra $6000. i am impatient and also fear my authorization may expire before i could save up the money for tt, so i'm going to go ahead and meet with him again and schedule it. i would love to hear feedback on the panni.

My insurance has approved my panni. I wanted to have the tummy tuck in conjunction but just don't have the extra $6000. Please reply if you have only had the panni. Are you glad you did it? Does it look weird still having the "top part". What have been the pros and cons?

Good Afternoon, all! I am interested in finding a thread that people are posting who are much further out than us. We are almost at a year, but I want to read of long term results. I am probably looking right past it, but haven't seen anything. Anyone know where to find that on here?

Hi, Allie! We have only cruised on Carnival and Royal Carribean. I like them equally as well. I think they are probably the Chevrolets of cruises, but we've never been on a Cadillac cruise line, so we don't know the difference, and we love it! Thanks for your suggestions! I hope you get to go on a cruise soon. I remember after we took the first one, I was HOOKED on cruising! I would dream about it frequently!

we are going to the carribean...cozumel, jamaica, cayman islands wow!!...italy! what an experience! i hope you have a blast!

me, me!!! i'm a cruiser! my first one since the band, too. i've been on 5 pre-band. i think this one is going to be so different! my husband has also been banded, so at least we're on the same page. when are you going? ours leaves april 5. less than 2 weeks, baby!!!

hello everyone! wow..it's been soooo long! i am so happy to see how everyone is doing! i am doing good. i am down 55 lbs since my surgery june 5. the biggest size i had in my closet was a 22...today i am wearing a size 10-14, depending on the brand, i guess:) i really can relate to you, love2lose. if it weren't for people saying something everyday, i don't know how i'd feel??? obviously, i have lost weight...it shows in my clothes, the scale, and my measurements....but my eyes and my head tell me different. when i look down, i feel just as "fat" as i always did. alot of times i even tell myself people are just being nice by saying things. i even tell myself, they are going overboard with the comments sometimes. (i think...they would never be saying these things if they saw how i looked without clothes on) my scale still says 180, and that number sounds way too high to me (i am 5'7"). the goal i had in my head is 160, and that is even higher than what a chart would say. i can say i'm so happy that i'm only 20 lbs away from my goal weight...that sounds so crazy to me! i never would've thought i'd finally be there. it is very much a psychological thing, though. i feel like i can now understand how those skelton looking anorexics think they're fat. my husband and i are going on a anniversary cruise in 2 weeks. this will be our 6th cruise...1st since the band. this is going to be very different. eating has always been a huge part of the cruising experience. there is so much food, like just about all the time. i won't physically be able to overeat anymore, so i'm not worried about that i am more worried that i'll get stuck and have to pb, and that can ruin the whole day of eating for me. that's not the end of the world, but it could be embarassing at dinner with a table of people i'll be meeting for the 1st time on this cruise. o...i forgot to mention...my husband was also banded in may 08. bless his heart, it hasn't come off for him as easy as it has for me, but he has enough restriction now that he gets stuck sometimes too. i think he'll be freaking out if he gets stuck at dinner. i could almost see us staying out of the dining room if that were to happen? anyone had any experiences to share?

my doctor has always recommended liquids for me the rest of the day after a fill. once, i was "over-filled", and this last time, he recommended 2 days of liquids.

Hi, fellow June Bandsters! I have lost 27lbs so far. I have had 3 fills and 1 unfill. I am so happy that I was banded! I feel like the band has done exactly what I needed....food is not what it used to be for me. It is not a main focus in my life. Sometimes the weight loss seems really slow going, but I am glad I am not gaining! And I figure if I keep it up at the same rate, that would be great! I can totally sympathize with a previous writer about the weight loss coming in spurts. I tend to hang around the same number for a while, too. I weigh every morning, which some may not agree with, but I guess I need to know. I'm glad everyone is doing so well....keep up the good work!:smile:

Am I understanding correctly that you had a fill in May, and are just now in August having problems with vomitting? I would think if you are just having these problems after this long you definately should call the Dr. I had a fill 2 weeks ago, and ever since my fill, have had many times that I felt like my food gets stuck after just a few bites, then the sliming starts and I have to "throw up" to clear what is stuck out of my esophagus. Is it not different to "throw up"...food out of your stomach, or to "throw up", just clearing the food that hasn't made it to your stomach yet? I haven't called my doc yet, I just thought it's my first real restriction and I'm still needing to break old habits of eating too fast, not chewing enough, and taking too big of bites. Any thoughts?

The same people also did Flywheel. Even a little more amateur in the acting, but a great message!