SkinnyKathy

Yes, his message to me was very kind and I thanked him for pointing out my error.

Thanks for all the positive comments, folks. I've been pointed out that a ton is 2000 pounds, not 1000, so I've only lost an eight of a ton LOL!

Hi bandsters, I haven't checked in here in a long time, but I just wanted to let you all know that as of today I have lost 246 pounds on my lap band journey. I was banded in late 2008, and lost about 200 pounds in two years. Then I plateaued for about a year, thinking that perhaps that was as low as I could go. Then when getting another fill my port tubing got struck and my band was slowly leaking. Only we didn't know that at first. I had a bunch of tests done to rule out band slipping, etc. I had lost most of my restriction and I gained back 30 pounds. I had port and tube replacement surgery a little over a year ago, and ever since then, my weight loss has gotten back on track and more. I've lost over 60 pounds in the last year for a total weight loss of 246 pounds. In the last year to get past this long plateau, I've had to get really serious about diet and exercise. Now I'm on a Paleo diet, and I drink my own fresh pressed green vegetable juice every day. I use fresh green veggies like celery, cucumber, mint, brocolli, lettuce, kale, sugar snap peas, plus an apple or some grapes, and a lemon for acidity (helps alkalinize the body) and to keep it from oxidizing longer if I don't drink it all immediately. My body loves it! It's vitality in a glass. I use an Omega vegetable juicer. I also do regular yoga. In the month of January as part of a challenge my yoga class is doing yoga every single day, and yesterday we went to an all-day yoga workshop! Honestly, if even a year ago anyone told me that I would be doing daily exercise and going to an all-day exercise class I would have LAUGHED IN THEIR FACE! But now I'm really loving it. Yoga is great because it focuses on the mind as well as the body. I think most of us, whether morbidly obese or not, need to rewrite our "stories" about ourselves. And yoga really gives you tools to do that. It's more than just exercise. So I just wanted to let people know that YOU CAN DO ANYTHING! Really, when you change your thoughts you change everything. So just start thinking about how you are living a healthy lifestyle, and you have the power to overcome any challenge, and you will be surprised how the results add up over time! What's next for me? Well, I've already surpassed my first (249 lbs) and second (199 lbs) weight loss goals. My next goal is 180 lbs, and at 187.2 this morning I'm getting pretty close to it. I may or may not set a lower goal after that. Even at 5' 8.5" height that still puts me in the obese category according to BMI so I may go lower still before plastic surgery. I definitely need plastic surgery. I have a LOT of loose hanging skin, folds in my skin both horizontally AND vertically. I know the surgeries will take some additional weight off, too. I have met with a local plastic surgeon who recommends three surgeries: (1) a lower body lift with anchor incision, (2) breast reconstruction, arm lift, and lipo on the thighs, and (3) medial thigh lift. It's quite expensive here in the SF Bay Area though. Soon I have a consultation at Cosmed in Tiajuana to see what they would charge. The challenge is both finding the time as well as the money. Well, I hope this is helpful to some of you all. Good luck and keep up the faith! Kathy

Amy, I've done quite a lot of different things with regard to my eating plan over the 4+ years since I've been banded. To be honest, at first I didn't really follow a specific eating plan. I just ate what I could with the band, made some sensible choices, and the weight came off. I've always been of the opinion that if I have to follow a "diet" it is going to set me up for failure. Lately I have been following Paleo, more as a healthy eating plan than a diet, and more as a guideline which I allow myself to vary from occasionally and/or in moderation. For example, today when eating out at lunchtime (green salad, edamame, and grilled marinated beef for me) I allowed my son to get ice cream for dessert as a treat. And I allowed myself (and fortunately, he allowed me LOL) to have one spoonful of his ice cream. So I'm not totally denying myself, but I'm not going crazy either. That helps keep me sane, because really I have to eat this way for the rest of my life.

Hi all, I've lost 213 pounds so far on the lap band. Started at 433 in Sept of 2008, lost most of this weight in the first 2 years. After a long plateau and a port replacement due to a leak, I'm back on track and losing again. I'm determined to get from my current weight of 220 to my goal of 180 (I'm 5' 9"). My reward to myself will be a lower body left with anchor incision. I had a panniculectomy after losing 80 pounds because my pannus was so bad. That was great but I definitely need the lower body lift. All my loose skin has pooled around my hips and I have folds vertically as well as horizontally (hence the anchor incision). I'm two sizes larger on bottom than on top! I'm looking for any advice and encouragement I can get as I push the last mile on my weight loss and decide where to get the surgery done. My insurance covered the panni but definitely won't cover this. I've consulted with the surgeon who did my panni but it would cost me approx $16k here in the San Francisco bay area. I'm considering going out of the country to get this done but wary because I know it is a complex surgery. Not your average tummy tuck. Any insight or advice would be appreciated! Kathy

I had a panni after losing only 80 pounds, only about 1/3 of the way to my goal. But I am probably the exception. I started out at 433 pounds with a very pronounced pannus. As I lost weight my pannus only got worse, hanging lower, rashes impossible to manage. It made exercising quite difficult. My insurance coved the panni. It made it much easier to exercise, dramatically improved my appearance and eliminated the rash problem. But I knew all along that I would still need major cosmetic surgery as I get close to goal weight. Now I'm about 40 pounds from my revised-revised goal, and I am planning for a lower body lift with lipo. That will be out of pocket. I would say wait until you are at or nearly at your goal weight unless your pannus is causing you health problems or interfering with exercise.

Wow! Does that price of $4000 include the 15 days in the recovery boutique? Can't wait to hear how your surgery goes! Kathy

Thanks for the reply, danielle b! Can you tell me, did you investigate a lot of other plastic surgeons before selecting Dr. Quiroz? Kathy

Fellow bandsters, This week I have hit the 200 pounds lost milestone. Yay me! I have 34 more to go to meet my current goal, but I really see the end in sight now. I am starting to think of and see myself as an almost-normal weight person. Well, at least not morbidly obese any longer! I am really happy with my decision to get the lap band. It was truly the best decision I have ever made. As my reward for hitting this milestone, I am treating myself to permanent makeup: eyebrow and upper/lower eyeliner. Basically it's tattooing on the face. I think I'm almost as scared of this as I was of the lap band surgery! But I am looking forward to it. AlmostSkinnyKathy (wonder if I need to change my id on this site...)

Hello folks, I can hardly believe that I am on the home stretch here. I started out at 433 pounds nearly three years ago and have lost 220, make that 215 as my weight has been creeping up a few pounds lately due to stress. Most of that I lost in the first two years, as I have been on a plateau for most of 2011. On the one hand, I am really, really pleased for the weight I have lost. I am literally HALF the woman I used to be! I have gone from being defined by my limitations (energy, size, fitting in chairs - everything) to having essentially no limitations in life. I used to have to buy all my clothes mail order because even Avenue didn't carry big enough clothes (size 36). Now I am right in between shopping in the Misses and Women's departments (size 14-16 on top, size 18 on bottom). Although one of my goals is to be out of Women's sizes completely. My family and I went on a vacation to Mexico and I sunned myself on the beach and slid down the water slides with my kids. When we went to Washington DC I walked all around the Capitol Mall visiting the various Smithsonian museums without getting tired and without my feet or legs getting sore. I even got our friends to babysit so my husband and I could make a special trip out at night, walking from our hotel to the Washington monument, just to see it at night. That's a lot of walking and it was no big deal for me, whereas before I would have never considered walking so far just for the sake of seeing a monument at night. We were travelling with some friends who are quite a bit heavier than I am currently, although not as heavy as I was before my lapband surgery, and they were not able to do the things I was able to do. It reminded me of how far I've come, and I'm really grateful for the progress I've made. (And I was able to be compassionate for their state of energy, since I have been there and worse) On the other hand, I have been stuck at more or less this weight for most of 2011. It's like my body does not want to drop those last 25 pounds to my goal weight. Now I know that by most measures of "success" for bariatric surgery (losing 50-70% of your excess weight) I am already successful. But I want to get down to the one hundreds! Actually, 170 would be an even healthier weight for me, but I'll settle for 199 (I'm tall). So I am frustrated by this long plateau and my seeming inability to get all the way down to my goal weight. Now I know that I have developed some bad habits (liquid calories sneaking back into my diet) and also that I have to get more serious about exercise in order to get to the next step. I am thinking of trying to hire a personal trainer to keep me on track and motivated. Just going out walking as exercise - which worked great when I was first getting going - is not going to be enough anymore. So anyway that's my story. I'm really glad I did the lap band. I honestly never thought I would get my weight this far down ever again. So I am really grateful for that.

Ladies, I am seriously interested in getting a breast lift as the girls really need it, but one thing I am concerned about is losing sensation in the nipples. I don't really care too much about sensation in the rest of the breast, just the nipples. Hubby and I enjoy that! So my question, for those of you who have had a breast lift or similar invasive breast surgery, how has it affected your nipple sensitivity?

I have lost 200 pounds with the lap band, 34 more to go to get to my current goal weight. I am starting to look into plastic surgery options. I had a panniculectomy after I lost 80 pounds because I had such a severe pannus. This helped quite a lot as I had constant rashes and exercise was difficult. I am pretty sure that I will need a full lower-body lift with a T-incision, probably a inner-thigh lift, maybe brachioplasty although I can probably live with my arms. But probably the procedure I need more than anything is a breast lift. My boobs are in very sorry shape, ladies. They were pretty saggy when I was at 433 pounds, and now that I have lost weight I have gone from a G or H cup to barely a D, sometimes a C cup. And they hang down almost to my waist. My nipples point straight down. It is not a pretty sight! And a lot of that C/D cup is skin. I literally have skin on skin inside my bra, as I practically fold my boobs into my bra. So I am trying to figure out if there is any chance of getting insurance to cover a breast lift. I might also want implants, which I figure there is no chance of insurance covering, but I wonder if I can make any argument that this is reconstructive surgery rather than cosmetic surgery? I have Anthem Blue Cross PPO for insurance. Any insight or advice would be most appreciated.

I'm going to provide a partial answer to my own question. I found this link Post Weight Loss Surgery in Sacramento: Fees, financing & Insurance which says: "Some insurance companies will cover breast reduction surgery for women if the nipple sags at or below the bend in the elbow" Ding ding ding! We have a possible winner here! It doesn't say whether the criteria is the inner bend or the outer bend in the elbow, but in my case, my nipples hang at least a full inch below the bottom of my elbow when I bend my arms up. If I put on my pants before my bra I sometimes get my nipples caught inside my waistband, no kidding! Anyway, I have a consultation with my plastic surgeon scheduled for next week, but I wanted to see if any of you ladies had any information. Kathy

I had a panniculectomy when I had lost about 80 pounds out of the 210 I have lost so far. My pannus was so bad, even before I lost weight, and then as I was losing weight it got worse and worse. At 80 pounds lost my pannus was halfway down my thighs! It was making it extremely difficult to exercise and I was constantly battling rashes. So I had the panniculectomy at about 350 lb, fully knowing that I would need more plastic surgery when I get down to my goal weight. In my case, because I had not gotten down to anything approaching a goal weight, I did get pushback from my insurance company. My primary doctor had to intervene and wrote a letter and called the insurance company and I wrote an appeal and -poof- denial overturned and I was approved. But I think for most people, if you are at goal weight and have a large overhanging pannus (it doesn't have to be halfway down your thighs to qualify!) it is just a matter of getting a plastic surgeon to apply to your insurance company. I also submitted photos of my pannus and the rashes underneath (not pretty), also records from my regular doctor showing that he had been treating me with prescription-strength anti-fungals to no avail. By the way, on the subject of pain, for me, learning to pronounce panniculectomy was much more painful than recovery from the surgery itself, LOL! Seriously, it wasn't that bad, even with a scar from hip to hip. My problem was swelling. I developed a pretty severe seroma and had to be drained manually (syringe stuck in my belly 18 times), the doctor was taking out a quart of Fluid every few days! Finally I had to have a drain re-inserted. I actually gained 10 pounds after my surgery, even though he cut 14 pounds of skin and fat off me, so you can get an idea of how severe my swelling was. But eventually with anti-biotics and a new drain and rest the swelling went back down and I have since enjoyed a much more normal-shaped body, relatively speaking. Now at 210 pounds lost I am quite a mess under my clothes. I have developed another pannus of sorts. Unfortunately it is probably not low enough to qualify for another surgery pain for by insurance. I am looking into getting a lower body lift and a breast lift. Oh, and one more thing. In my case at least, having the panniculectomy early was not a lost opportunity, because my doctor told me that even if I lost all my weight and then went in for surgery he couldn't do a lower body lift all at once because my pannus would have been so bad, he would have had to stage the surgeries anyway. So in my case I'm very glad I had the panni early. But I wouldn't advise that for everyone, only more severe cases. Kathy

Plateaus come and go, but just keep on keeping on and you'll get past it. My experience throughout the entire 210 pounds I have lost so far is that I plateau for a few weeks and then all of a sudden drop 5 pounds at once, LOL. I have learned to take it all in stride. I know this is why lots of people advise you not to weigh yourself more than once a week, but I like the discipline of weighing myself daily. However, I don't get frustrated or upset with the daily ups and downs and weeks-long plateaus, because I know that sometime soon I will drop another 5 pounds, LOL. It's funny to me. More weirdness in my body, but as long as the trend continues downward, I don't care! I'm down to a size 18 jeans now, 16 in tops! And those fit welll or are somewhat loose! I can hardly believe it! When I had my surgery, my size 36 jeans were tight!

Hi everyone, I wanted to shout to the rooftops that as of today, I have met my original (although not my current) weight loss goal! My starting weight was 433 lbs. And as of today I am at 249 lbs, for a cumulative weight loss of 184 lbs. Actually, my original weight loss goal was more nebulous than this. Originally I could only vaguely visualize a conceptual goal of maybe, possibly, someday, if I'm lucky, getting into the low 200's. Later, as I started losing weight, believing that I might be able to do this, and realizing that I needed a more concrete goal to work towards, I decreed that goal to be 249 pounds, as that is the first number I could hit that would round down to 200 rather than round up to 300, LOL. However, quite some time ago I modified my goal to be 199 pounds. That is my current goal. But if I get down that far I may try to reach my next goal, which is 179 pounds. My lowest weight as an adult is 169 pounds, and that is my fantasy goal. But 179 pounds will get me into the top of the normal, healthy weight range for my height and age. But for now I just wanted to say yay me! And thank you to my LAP-BAND® which has made it all possible. Oh, I should mention that I was banded September 9, 2008, so it has been almost 2 years. I know I won't win any medals for fastest weight loss, but a steady weight loss of about 2 pounds a week is most healthy anyway. For me, the most important success factor has been actively managing the band - specifically getting to and maintaining that "sweet spot" where hunger and cravings are much more manageable but I can still get plenty of liquids down. I find that if I am too loose or too tight, even by a small margin, my weight loss slows down dramatically. Well, I think I am going to take myself shopping and buy myself some new sexy underthings to celebrate! Kathy

I have an entry in the success stories section with pictures. Here's the link: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f286/kathys-first-goal-reached-low-200s-184-pounds-lost-23-months-119596/ Kathy

Update: As of this week I have lost 200 pounds! Only 34 more to go to get to my goal weight! YAY!

ME!!!!! I've lost 200 pounds, in fact. Best decision I ever made was to get my lap band. For the first time since I was 7 years old, I can imagine myself as a (near-)normal weight person. YEAH!!! Kathy

I was banded a little over two years ago and have lost 200 pounds. At least in my case, for the first 50 pounds, I was wearing nominally the same size. This was principally because I was in denial about what size I actually wore. My clothes were all too tight, plus I had clothes in my closet that no longer fit but that I considered part of my wardrobe, that I was wearing 50 pounds later. Well, that was the case with me and certainly may not be for anyone else. But the other thing I have noticed as I have lost weight is that certain sizes seem to be "sticky" for me. I'm not sure if its a psychological issue or a body size issue or a combination of both but it is at least partly psychological. But there have been certain sizes that I stick with for a lot longer than others. And I'm not just talking about a weight loss plateau. I did hit a stubborn weight loss plateau about 25 pounds ago, but I seemed to be stuck on that size for a lot longer. I recently let go of that size and bought jeans a size smaller, and they are already too big. Recently, I got out a skirt given to me by my sister two sizes smaller, and it is too big. Just last week I bought a new skirt, three sizes smaller. All of this in a short period of time. Was I really stuck at the same size for three months and then lost three sizes in a month? No. But looking at somewhat recently pictures of me there is a noticeable change recently. The truth is somewhere in between. I'm not sure and since it's all going in the same direction, I'm not sure it matters. The main point I wanted to make in the ramble above is that there are many ways to measure progress in our journey. Losing pounds on the scale is one way, a different feel and fit to our clothes is another way. And they may not always go together, and that's still progress. Keep it up! Kathy

I say BS. I have lost 200 pounds with the lap band. Started at almost the same BMI as you. It can be done. Your doctor is right that you have to stay away from liquid calories. The thing about the lap band vs. bypass is that you do have to manage the band in order for it to work, whereas once you have the bypass surgery that's it. I like the adjustability of the band. But I think there is an assumption on the part of some (but not all) doctors that anyone who is morbidly obese, who has 200+ pounds to lose, cannot possibly be capable of actively managing their band, and therefore must have the more idiot-proof bypass surgery. And to that, I say: BS! I'm proof that you can lose 200 or more pounds from the lap band. As long as you are willing to actively manage the band and follow the eating rules, it is a wonderful tool and has given me my life back. Kathy

Hi everyone, I wanted to shout to the rooftops that as of today, I have met my original (although not my current) weight loss goal! My starting weight was 433 lbs. And as of today I am at 249 lbs, for a cumulative weight loss of 184 lbs. Actually, my original weight loss goal was more nebulous than this. Originally I could only vaguely visualize a conceptual goal of maybe, possibly, someday, if I'm lucky, getting into the low 200's. Later, as I started losing weight, believing that I might be able to do this, and realizing that I needed a more concrete goal to work towards, I decreed that goal to be 249 pounds, as that is the first number I could hit that would round down to 200 rather than round up to 300, LOL. However, quite some time ago I modified my goal to be 199 pounds. That is my current goal. But if I get down that far I may try to reach my next goal, which is 179 pounds. My lowest weight as an adult is 169 pounds, and that is my fantasy goal. But 179 pounds will get me into the top of the normal, healthy weight range for my height and age. But for now I just wanted to say yay me! And thank you to my lap band which has made it all possible. Oh, I should mention that I was banded September 9, 2008, so it has been almost 2 years. I know I won't win any medals for fastest weight loss, but a steady weight loss of about 2 pounds a week is most healthy anyway. For me, the most important success factor has been actively managing the band - specifically getting to and maintaining that "sweet spot" where hunger and cravings are much more manageable but I can still get plenty of liquids down. I find that if I am too loose or too tight, even by a small margin, my weight loss slows down dramatically. Well, I think I am going to take myself shopping and buy myself some new sexy underthings to celebrate! Kathy

It sounds to me that you are not at your sweet spot. Do you still have restrictions? Are you thinking about food all the time? To me, those are key signals that it's time for another fill. Best of luck! Kathy

You've only had two fills ever? It took me 3 or 4 fills before I got to the "sweet spot" for the first time. Then for a while I needed fills every month or so to stay at the sweet spot. I once went 6 months between fills but that was the longest. The trickiest thing is getting to and staying at that sweet spot. It sounds from your description that you have never gotten to your sweet spot. Keep at it! The band only works for you if you work to manage it. But since you had the band put in you should follow-through with the rest of your investment and get the fills you need to get to the sweet spot. The feeling of something stuck in the throat can happen at various times but for me at least, it is always associated with eating too fast. Slow down, take small bites, chew well, and check in with your body frequently as you eat. The real signal you are looking for is a feeling of fullness and the cessation of hunger. I won't say I NEVER drink when I'm eating, but really I can't take more than a single sip of liquids when I'm eating or there just isn't any room for food. If you're not feeling that way, if you're able to eat and drink at the same time, is another strong indication that you haven't even reached the sweet spot yet. It also sounds like you are struggling with head hunger quite a lot. That's the other thing I love about the band, when it's adjusted right, head hunger gets cut way back. The band pinches the vegas (sp?) nerve, which sends hunger signals to your brain. That's one way I can tell that it's time for another fill - when my head hunger starts to resume. (Slowed weight loss would be another sure-fire indicator.) Please do get another fill and let me know how it goes! Yes, fills can get pricey but if you don't get fills then you are not getting the value out of the band, the investment you have made in the surgery and recover time to actually lose the weight you set out to lose. Good luck! Kathy