MaggiesMom1999

www.myfitnesspal.com I LOVE it! Have used it for nearly 3 years now. they have an app for the android, iphone and blackberry. Best part, it is totally free! Leigh Alabama

I am at day 5 post-op and feeling better every day. My biggest problem right now is ITCHING! Some time Saturday I began to experience itching under the binder and it is getting worse every day. I am almost crazy right now with trying to scratch an itch that can't be reached under the binder and bandages. I am going to call the surgeon's office and see if I can take some Benadryl or something to try to help before I go completely insane.:thumbup: Otherwise, I am moving around well with little discomfort and sleeping on my side now (I just cannot sleep flat on my back).

No, just the panniculectomy. No money right now for anything extra so just went with what the insurance would cover. He wanted nearly $6000 cash to do a full tummy tuck beyond what the ins would pay for the panni. No money and don't want anymore credit bills right now.

Had my panni surgery yesterday. surgery about 8 a.m. and left the hospital heading home at 3 p.m. The doctor did not order any pain meds while I was still at the hospital so I was pretty uncomfortable but not really in pain. I have been taking the pain pills at home simply to ease things along so that getting up and down doesn't wipe me out. All in all, I would call it discomfort not pain. My doc says no showers/baths until the binder comes off and I am not to remove it until I see him in a week. My incision is completely hip to hip and a little around the sides because a large part of the "apron" was on my hips. A lot of drainage still and it makes me kind of queasy dealing with that but nothing horrible, just my weak stomach. I can't wait to be able to see the results. I still weigh exactly what I did before the surgery so don't know how that will work out after all the swelling goes down. Just taking it one day at a time right now.

My panni is scheduled for 10/13/10! Only a week to go! I am very interested in any info, too. Excited and nervous, ready to get it behind me. Leigh

Hi, Win! So glad you are up and about after your surgery! All details are appreciated. My panni is scheduled for 10/13/10 and I am excited / scared. Only one drain? How much did he remove? Did they take pictures? Is the compression garment difficult to on and off? When do you go back for your first check-up? Too many questions, I know.:rolleyes2: But I am dying for information! Thanks! And hope you have an easy recovery!:thumbdown:

I have been approved by ins for the panniculectomy. The PS told me it would be $6000 out of pocket above what the ins is paying for the panni for a TT. I just don't have it and can't afford the payments so it will just be the panni for now. I think even if I had the cash I would rather have my arms done than a TT because the arms are so visible and my muffin top is not too big and more easily disguised (and will ALWAYS be covered:blushing:). I would love to hear from any who have had the panniculectomy only as I have found very little to no info or pictures on the 'net, but a lot about the TT.

I have Tricare Prime and they immediately approved me for a panniculectomy; the doctor's office told me that I would have to pay the difference for a tummy tuck which is about $6000 out of pocket in addition to what the insurance pays for the panni. I just don't have the money or the ability to make payments on it right now so I am just going for the panni. I have my scheduling appt on the 21st and will find out then when I'll have it done. So excited!:smile: Leigh

I have the 10cc allergan band and am currently at 12.5cc. The first of June will 23 months since surgery; I lost 100 pounds in the first 9 months and about 25 pounds since then. Still need to lose about 30 to be what the charts call "normal" but another 10 would be great to me, although I can be happy where I am as long as I can maintain the loss.

Hey, I'm in South Alabama, Baldwin County, Robertsdale, to be exact, about 30 miles north of the Gulf. Had my surgery 7/1/2008 at Mobile Infirmary, Dr. Snow. You? :scared2:

I love www.myfitnesspal.com! Has an app for your iphone if you have one. Tracks food and exercise. Great tool, has been VERY helpful to me.

No, the band does not "stop" you from eating (unfortunately!). I wanted/hoped that it would, also. It does help with the hunger -- the true, physical hunger, not "head" hunger. I still fight the cravings night and day. MOST of the time, the band limits what I can eat by simply not allowing it to go down, the "stuck" issues, and I burp it back out. Except, of course, cookies and ice cream, which just go on down! I have 12cc in a 10cc band, had my surgery 7/1/2008 and have lost about 125 pounds. I am off all BP and diabetes meds so I am happy with where I am. I have lost weight many times in the past but have never been able to maintain the loss for this long a period of time. So far I am still losing just VERRRRRRRRRRRY slowly. So, all in all, I am content. I just keep working at it every day. I have a "bad" day every now and then but try to get back on the wagon the next day and keep working. I walk 30 minutes 2 or 3 times a week but that is my only exercise. Good luck and keep trying! :redface:

What did you have to do to get Tricare to cover the procedure? I have Tricare Prime (south region). I have lost 120 pounds in about 18 months, still need to lose 40 more to be what the charts call "normal". I may never make that but I'm pretty happy where I am, size 16. Lots --- LOTS! -- of loose skin! Turkey neck, bat wings, horrible saggy thighs and a huge tummy "apron". I do have issues with the rashes and such and have told every doctor that will listen about them (everyone says "document, document, document"). Anything else I can do to be on the right track? Thanks.

I am nearly 2 years out and just had a fill a couple weeks ago. Paid the copay only. I just have to check to be sure there is still an active referral on file each time or get a new referral from my PCM.

Yes, it does, but you have to have an active referral from your PCM. I only pay the copay each time. (South Region)

My expectation was that this surgery would "stop" me from overeating, that it would physically not allow me to overeat. That, of course, is far from the case. There is still a very great deal of willpower involved. Unfortunately, willpower has always been my problem. If I could follow "eating rules" I wouldn't have been overweight in the first place. I eat because I like to eat or am bored or something, rarely because I am hungry. The elimination of the hunger element has made it easier for me to keep my mind off of food for greater periods of time, however, and I have lost almost 120 pounds in 21 months. I still overeat, I still often eat the wrong things, just not as often as before and not in as great a quantity as before. I still have issues with stopping when I am enjoying something, knowing when to call it quits. I am a true food addict and recovery is far from easy. But this is the longest I have ever maintained a weight loss. Before when I lost a large amount of weight, I kept it off for less than a year. Here I am almost two years out and still losing---verrrrrrry slowly, but still losing.

For some time now I have been experiencing pain in the port area whenever I eat to fullness. I mean serious "fullness" not just satisfaction. Perhaps even "over-full". The pain is almost like a gas pain but only right in that area and only after eating. Weird. :confused: I have an appointment with my surgeon (or his Nurse Practitioner) on the 11th of March but just wondering if anyone else has experienced anything like this. I have 11.5cc in a 10cc band, last fill was in November.

Yep. I'm at 11.5cc in a 10cc band. Just a few nights ago I ate an entire hamburger, bun and all, with some potatoes and baked beans and a large brownie. I had to eat it slowly but I got it all down without getting stuck. Then again, last night I had an 8oz hamburger steak, could only finish about 3/4 of it, threw up about a 1/4 of what I ate, and only had a couple of fried green beans with it. So go figure. :confused: But I do feel that I can eat more than I should be able to so I have a fill scheduled on 3/11. I have been told, informally, that the band can probably hold up to about 14cc.

I am a TOTAL food addict. I guess I always will be. But I am finding that if I can restrict the portions in front of me, or immediately available to me, a bite or two of the "forbidden" food will mostly satisfy me. For instance, if I just have a bite or two from my husband or my daughter's plate but don't have it sitting on the table or a full serving on my plate, I can be okay with it. It if is available on the table or on my plate, I will eat all I can get of it. My dessert of choice lately has been graham crackers. Whatever number of crackers are laid out is how many I eat so I try to only put out 2 or 3 at a time and "hide" the rest of them for another day. Just trying to psych myself out and it usually works. I also have thus far (19+ months) been able to not go back for seconds on anything, even when I could eat more. So it is still a mind game even this far out.

I use myfitnesspal.com to journal EVERYTHING I eat, as was said, "even a tic tac". Great tool and I would be lost without it.

Yes, I have discovered that a "ml" does equal a "cc". I had 4cc installed during surgery (07/01/08) so I also got off to a running start with pretty decent restriction. I am now at 11.5cc in a 10cc band (they tell me it will hold up to 14cc with the tubing and all). Plan on another fill in about 2 weeks. Last fill was in November 1cc. Lost about 6-7 pounds since then but now I'm yo-yo-ing the same 3-4 pounds so I'm going in for an adjustment. Still need to lose 30-40 pounds to make my "ideal" weight but I'm so happy to be off my insulin and BP meds that I will be satisfied to maintain, if that's all I can get. Good luck to all.

Wow!! And --- WOW! I, too, lost over 100 pounds my first year. And everything you said hit home with me, almost exactly. My primary exercise has been walking. I MISS MISS MISS my diet Sunkist! :tongue: I am now just over 18 months out and have lost 118 pounds. I have not lost much in the last few months, but.....I haven't gained anything back, either! And in the past I certainly would have, with extra friends. You are a very interesting and entertaining writer. Keep up the good work! :smile2: Leigh Alabama

Same deal here! And my periods are MUCH heavier, like they used to be when I was a teenager. I just thought it was my age (I'm now 47) and that I was probably entering peri-menopause or something. But maybe there's something about the weight loss causing some hormonal issues of some kind. Maybe??? Still, interesting...... Leigh Alabama

Yeah, exercise is where I fail. I try to walk a lot but not every day and not much of any other exercise. I know I would do even better if I could just commit to some regular exercise. Right now, I'm just excited I'm maintaining. That's something I've never done before no matter how much or how little I lost. And no meds is a great thing! Thanks for the encouragement. Leigh

I seem to be on the opposite end of the spectrum from most of you. I have some restriction but never seem to get to my "sweet spot". I have had six fills (seven if you count the 4cc he put in during the surgery) and am still not there. I have 11.5cc in a 10cc band. Last fill was 1cc on Friday the 13th and I thought it was the ONE but not so. Still can eat anything, including bread, and can eat quite a large amount at a time. I do get "stuck" every now and then but nothing extreme. I have lost 114 pounds but still need to lose another 30 or so. I have been at a standstill for a couple of months now and want to get things going again. I can be happy if I can just maintain but really want to lose more. Leigh Alabama