Paulax

Well, don't quote me on that, but he IS in his mid/late 70s in age, he will surely be retiring some time in the next few years. Lol! But I love me some Dr Leung, he is a fine surgeon and has always been very respectful to me... and besides....he make me skinny!

I am glad to hear you have a few sizes in your closet. I did too and I used them all on the way down, so I am not sorry I kept them around. Now, however, 6 pounds from goal, I am finding myself having to buy a completly new wardrobe. Congratulations on your date, what a great gift to yourself.

I am glad to hear of someone using Dr Woodhead. I think you are the first I have seen post. I used Leung in Surrey. Perfectly happy I did, but he will be retiring in the next few years so unless he has a successor, I will go to Woodhead for my continued monitoring. Sad, our lack of choice in the West isn't it?

:faint: Who said horizontal stripes aren't flattering? That is an awesome outfit. Those are all awesome outfits. Who hoo! You look positively perfect. You inspire me to work harder on my last 6 pounds. Hey, my new hobby has been shopping too. It's actually fun at/near goal Hugs and congratulations to you my dear.

I just bought some new makeup today. I feel beautiful!

And BTW, thanks for that information. Good to know our rights while travelling.

I am in shock. Follow us up on your complaint. I am hoping to go to Edmonton in the next year. I just flew to Vancouver last weekend, my new BOOTS beeped the wand, my band was fine even at 6 pounds from goal. I guess I was just lucky not to get tasered.

Ya, Vancouver really needs a VLBC! I hope one is in the works. Were I smart enough, I'd go back to school and open one up myself. :glasses

I also think that some of what I am experiencing is that I am almost at goal. I have focused hard on losing this weight , essentially it has been my 'job' this past year. Perhaps I am wondering 'what next?' I am not plannig a list of plastic surgeries. Just a TT. I am just starting to feel what I felt as a teacher in the summer time. What now? When you work so hard, then your done, .......then what..... Perhaps I will become a gym rat, or learn to run, or take a painting class, or, or, or.... I don't think I will find maintenance difficult, so I guess, I need to put my energies into something else.

I wanted to pass on some links Ghost posted for me in another thread. They have been invaluable to me in my research. They should be in a sticky at the top of this page.

Chickie, I am not talking about fixing all my flaws with PS, I'll be happy wtih a TT. I am talking about picking just not being satisfied enough with where I am weight wise more than anything. There is a pocket of fat here and another pocket there. I guess there is a wide gap between the top of the BMI and the bottom BMI. I'll get to my top and then have a look from there. Wasa, word on the skin. Still, I am 1000% happy with where I am today.

As I get close to goal, 6 pounds, I am finding myself being hypercritical of my poor old body. 98 pounds ago, I'd have just been happy to be below 200, then at 190, I would have just been happy to be in the 80s. Now I am close I am being hypercritical of each and every flaw. My head knows I will never be perfect. I am not striving for perfection, but I don't want to be like this. This beautiful body has gone through a lot to get here and I am hoping that when I get to goal and perhaps have a TT, that I will be happy enough to let it go. Am I alone here? Are you self-hypercritical? (and is that a word?)

On the other hand, I love knowing the number. I know where to 'dial'. I am 6 pounds from goal. Currently, at 3.2. I am thinking I can maintain at 2.8 and will ask for a defill to 2.8 when I reach goal.

Today, my 'skinny' jeans are too big.:clap2:

I don't think I ever saw your before. Julie, you look like a million bucks! You beautiful woman you. Congratulations, and thank you for being such an inspiration Hugs

I am staying on plan today because... I. AM. SO. CLOSE. 6 pounds to goal.:whoo:

Beautiful! I am curious as near goal, I am now a deflated D cup. Would you mind telling me how they feel? Do they feel different? Do they feel like you have something under there? Did you regain full sensation? Thanks in advance for any feedback .

I hear ya man, I hear ya! I will go for a consult for a TT next summer. I am way excited, and inspite of being under the knife several times in my life VERY nervous too.

I am 44 and the only place I am considering plastic surgery is my abdomen. Most of my damage, is due to 3 pregnancies and having skin without good elasticity. Therefore, I have stretch marks, and stretched skin. My 95 pound weight loss has exagerated that problem and now I would like a TT. I see you are only 19. You know, you might just be fine after you lose your weight. You are young and you may have been blessed with 'good' skin. Let us know how it goes.

This is an oldie, but since dialit bumped it, I will update. I got a fill. I had lost .2 of my old fill, due to osmosis. That was the only way my surgeon explained it. It has happened before, I am not worried about a leak or anything. So anyway, I got a fill and I started losing again. I am within 7 pounds of my goal. Dialit, I am the very same way, 3 things make my band tighten. Stress, travel, which could also be stress, and my 'time o the month'. This week I have all 3, so I was tight. But I know, this is a fickle friend and in a day or 3, I will be OK. HOpe things are going well for you too. Cheers

I believe it was another online and wise friend, eddieparks, who basically said, never mind....YOU will get the last laugh.

GOOD FOR YOU OUSOONER!

Thank you, thank you, thank you for your helpful responses. Ghost, I am going to be spending the next few hours of every day pouring over the excellent links you provided. Julie, thanks for your response. I can see that although it may be more risky than some, it is still worth my while. I went to Vancouver to see some dear friends of mine, girls weekend kind of thing, TWO of my former colleagues have had TTs. I am inspired and determined. The last 10 pounds I lost really loosened up my abdomen area and my skin is now droopy over my belly button. I am going to try to decide WHEN is a good time to heal and go for a consult this next summer. Thanks all. Hugs Chickie, I loved the black cat looking at the Christmas ball, where did she/he go?

7 Sneaking down there. 182 this morning. Wow, the 70s. I don't even remember the 70s.

Shrinking, that is hilarious. I have yet to name my band. I hear ya on the 'mind of her own' though. Mine does too! Never worry about losing too slow, I know easy to say, hard to do. I just think consistent weight loss will take us FAR each day, each week and each year. Personally, I can NOT believe I have been banded 16 months now. I am so grateful I was courageous enough to go through with the banding. I am 16 months out and 95 pounds down. Yes, I probably could have done it faster, but this felt healthy. Averaged out it is about 1.5 pounds per week. But it was consistent. Continued success my dear. I could care less what the number is either, as long as I am at my sweet spot and I am losing. If I am not losing, then I care about the numbers because they have to go up. And I like to monitor it. I also like this thread because I keep track of my progress and yes the numbers on my fill. I know that my sweet spot at the moment is 3.2. The last time I went in for a fill to break my 6 month plateau, I had lost .2 of my fill. So then I care about the numbers too. Some bandsters keep track of their calories, I don't, I figure as long as I am losing, and I am eating healthy foods, my calories are where they should be. Someone on this board has a surgeon that won't tell her the fill number. That would make me nuts. I want to know, perhaps it is because I like to control and monitor it.