TheGh0st

This site is a great resource for support. You should also see if there are any local support groups as well. Its always good to try to meet people in person as well if you can.

It really depends. I'd say for most of us yes PS is inevitable, or at least the desire for it. Things that my doc says works against you are your age, existing stretch marks, fair skin and if you already have a pannis hanging down. Being younger and of darker complexion though is NO guarantee that you won't need PS. There is mixed advice out there about exercises and lotions. But the prevalent medical opinion seems to be that it really won't help shrink the skin. Exercises work muscle not skin. They can help a little in making the skin hang over nice muscles instead of flab but it won't really shrink the skin. I have heard unsubstantiated rumors that lotions or wraps with seaweed extract are being found to help promote better skin elasticity and therefore "shrinkage" but haven't been able to commit adequate time to using it to see if it really works. The information I had said it worked best if applied with heat for 15+ minutes once a day. I have the lotion but not a good way to apply heat or the time it would take to slather myself up, heat and rinse with a full time job and a toddler running around. The other non-scientific method I've heard of involves intense massage. This one sounded as lame as the other to me but I had seen some promising before/afters on a TV show so I gave it a try on just one arm. If you do a search for a thread marked "excess skin issues" you will find some photos of my arms. I actually managed to lose 3" in my left arm just from massaging it. Now I'm working to get my other arm to catch up. I don't know if i will have to continue to massage my arms to maintain the loss or if the change is permanent. But even if I have to do it once or twice a week for the rest of my life I think I could manage.

I agree, Don't beat yourself up. Celebrate that the band allowed you this "honeymoon" time off and just get back on the horse again. (And if you figure out how let me know.)

Hey there Pam - I was just getting on line to bump this thread when I found your post. I've been wondering how everyone's been. I'm just now at 90 pounds down though I started a bit lower than you. I've been beating myself up a bit as well. I lost the first 85 pounds in about 14 months then have struggled to get and keep off these last 5 pounds. And I still want to lose another 25-35. I just haven't been able to get motivated either. I love my band in that it's helped me keep off what I lost but darn I wish I would get off my backside and start eating healthier on a regular basis again. I'm actually scheduled for a bit of an unfill in the hopes that I'm too tight causing me to make some of the poor soft food choices I've been making for the last 10+ months. That said I know I really shouldn't complain considering how far I've come but darn it I really would like to reach my goals and not just "settle".

I'm a supporter of our rights to bear arms and do not support laws banning certain weapons, for one the only people it stops are the law abiding citizens anyways. That said, I would be all for a requirement for a person to be required to take a gun safety class in order to recieve some sort of government issued photo card which would be required to buy the weapon. These cards could be made to expire on a reaccuring basis and be used to also prove that a person does not have a felony that would prevent them from purchasing a weapon. Similar to how we need to show a Drivers License to buy alcohol or tobacco. What I'm suggesting is just an ID card that shows we are eligible to purchase not a tracking method for government to keep tabs on what we have purchased. Again just like the example of the alcohol & tobacco, if you walk in and pay cash the store keepers check your ID but DON'T log it for government record. I will agree that again that the criminals could still find ways around these laws but the point would be to educate as many people as possible in the safe use of guns as opposed to stopping their purchase.

Doesn't have to be the Turkey Pepperoni, But the Turkey version is much lower in fat/calories than the regular variety. I learned this "trick" from a local band support group. They are a great snack when you are craving salty potato chips. I have a couple of male diabetic co-workers I've also turned onto these chips. Serving Size: 17 Slices Calories: 80 (35-Fat Calories) Carbs: 0 Protein: 9g Sodium: 600mg They even taste good with sour cream style chip dips. If you really want to push it you can make a home made dip with one of those powdered mixes and substitute half of the sour cream with cottage cheese that you've run through the blender. It boosts up the Protein to carb ratio without affecting the taste.

Kitty - I'm so excited for you!!!:Banane20: I'm not sure I'll be able to make it either. The TT is really putting a dent in our budget and hubby is not thrilled with me hanging with the girls in Vegas (Just a wee bit of the green eyed monster starting to resurface me thinks.:heh:) But wouldn't it be fun for some of us "near" goal gals to get together and go chlothes shopping and dancing? :whoo:

MarieCarmen - Here's the link. The site will give you your "ideal" goal weight based on your Peers or "People's Choice", BMI, Met Life Tables, as well as 4 other methods for calculating your IBW (Ideal Body Weight). It also has links to articles that point out some flaws in these different methods that are well worth the read. For example the Met life tables assume a women is wearing 3 pounds of clothes and 1" heels. So for that chart you actually have to add 1" to your height and 3 pounds to your weight if you weigh without clothing like I do. One insightfull but potentially depressing thing about the site is that for my height 5'2", every time I lose weight the "People's Choice" IBW weight keeps getting lower and lower. It isn't until I get down to 111 that my peers finally think I don't need to lose a few pounds!!! :faint:I really want to believe I will be happy with my weight LONG before that weight. Dear Me, if I'm a size 10 at 165 and am looking at maybe being a size 6 after plastic surgery which probably will only bring me down to 150ish. I'd have to be down to a size 0 (or less?) if I managed to get down to 111. That sounds plain stupid, vain and greedy to me. Though I will admit with my sister being 5'10" and a size 1 a little part of me probably will always feel like the "fat" girl in my family. Better Ideal Weight Body Calculations

I know exactly what you mean BooBoo, But Darn those Butt-heads! Don't they realize a few compliments just make most of us girls want to work even harder for more compliments? So frustrating.

One more "good" snack to add here - Try microwaving some Hormel Turkey Pepperoni slices on some paper towels until crisp. Time varies by machine and quantity of slices. I believe there are about 80 calories in 20 slices and nearly no carbs. OK it is high in salt but that can be a blessing as it stops me from craving too many.

Boo Boo, just had to post I love your new signature line! You look FANTASTIC! Any chance you are considering going to Vegas in January with some of the other bandster? I'm hoping to but still unsure of finances and hubby.

I'm still changing my goals daily, if not more often than that. I really want to be happy with the 150's or 140's but am seriously worried I won't be happy until I hit the 120's/110's for my height. There is an interesting website (can get you the link if you want) that shows various methods for calculating your ideal or goal body weight. One of the methods it uses, which it calls a more realistic goal weight is one that tells you what your average peer (age, sex & current weight) would say was an appropriate goal weight. I hadn't realized at first that last bit about the goal being set by a group of peers at your current weight, and it took me a while to notice the goal kept changing as I lost weight since I didn't go back to the sight often. But it was eerily accurate in "guessing" what my own ever changing thoughts of a goal weight would be as I've lost the weight.

I am SO HAPPY it all turned out well. I (we) weren't trying to scare you but it is always the best thing to contact your doc whenever there is blood, especially so soon after surgery. Take care, baby your band and yourself for a while and be carefull to chew even more carefully when the doc gives you the go ahead for more solid foods. I would shoot for chewing anything until it is the consistency of runny mash potatoes before swallowing it. Even months down the road that is the best way I've found to eat in my band journey.

If you refuse to go. At least call the band doc's service. Let them know what happened and let them decide if they want to see you on Sunday or if you can wait till next week. If you don't call I'm tempted to call my band doc for you. The band has very few complications and very few that are serious but any symptom like vomiting blood so soon after surger is very SERIOUS. I'm worried for you. Understand this is all being said by someone who won't normally go to the doc unless a drug there under extreme duress.

I agree - But would add you should call your band doc's office on the way. They should have a 24 hour pager service to get hold of someone and it is important to let them know you are headed to the ER so they can assist the ER docs in any way necessary. please, Please PLEASE!!! Go to the hospital. Hopefully it isn't anything serious but the longer you wait the greater the chance you could be doing yourself more harm than good. I'm not trying to scare you more but just GO!!!

DH - D... Husband - Where D can be anything from Darling to D@m~ depending on the situation.

I hope you have called your doc's on call pager service at a minimum by now. Please update us when you get a chance. Did you go to the ER? Are you alright?

There were a lot fewer people than usual. Only 3/4 full instead of overflowing. I think Jen & I talked more than the rest of the room combined. But it was still worth the trip. I'm going to try for next month but as it is just 4 days after my PS it may be doubtfull I can make it.

We just switched to Humana in the last few weeks from BCBS. Both insurances had a written exclusion for weight loss surgeries or any complications arising from them. I might have pushed for the good old back pain & rash problems as the cause for a panni but the results of that surgery are not as optimal as with a full tummy tuck & lipo. Plus the 3 different PS' I contacted all said they wouldn't take insurance for my stomach even if I could get insurance to approve it as they said the insurance companies negotiated rates weren't enough to even cover their overhead. (Hmmm...??) My Breasts will be covered by insurance when/if I get them done next year. The only thing holding me back on them is that the surgeon won't do them now and sacrificing all my vacation time for recovery from major surgery is not my family's idea of fun. Still this time next year you will probably find another thread showing the progress on that one. PS - I never heard - did you make it to Malley's last week and I just didn't recognize you? A couple of us went out for lunch afterwards it was fun.

I know Tracy - I'm getting so excited and nervous at the same time. Not so much nervous about the pain as I am about the results as well as the mundane problems that an extended recovery time will occur. Such as household chores, taking care of son, getting back to work.

Thanks, and now the countdown begins for PS. . . http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f12/thegh0sts-extended-tummy-tuck-w-lipo-40316/

GO GO GO FOR IT !!! The Sooner the BETTER!!! Today is my 2 year bandversary - I have my sister, my, my nephew, brother-in-law, mother & toddler-son's birthday's all coming up in the next 3-4 weeks not to mention there is Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. I too was tempted to stall but decided to go ahead as soon as they could schedule me. By my son's B-Day I was 3 weeks out from surgery and the doc said I could eat things like cheese by then so I nibbled on the cheese toppings of one slice of pizza at his birthday party, had about 1 tablespoons worth of icecream and a mere lick of frosting off my fingers and was competely satisfied. I think I actually enjoyed the holidays better knowing that the band was in control of my hunger instead of the hunger being in control of me. I still ate nearly every type of food I would have ate before (with the exception of the bread rolls) just in drastically smaller portions. Even the 2 slices pumpkin pie which slid right through the band oh so easily (over a 2 day period) was a big reduction from the 1/2 to entire pie's worth I would have found a way to eat in secret pre-band. And OH HOW WONDERFUL it felt to be down over 30 pounds by Christmas!!! Instead of the 10-20 pounds higher I'm sure I would have been if I had instead waited until the new year. As it was I had to have gained at least 5 if not more than 10 in the last meal syndrome that lasted everyday for the month running up to the surgery. And you know what, considering I can eat pretty much anything except the breads those "last" meals really weren't necessary, oh well.

Julie - Thank you for your advice. I have set an appointment for an unfill but am still unsure if I will go through with it. I think I might but also in part because I have friends that have been trying to convince me for months that I might already be too tight right now. I have acid reflux something fierce if I eat or drink anything after 6 pm (and that is with me going to bed at nearly midnight most days!) I know the arguments for why being to tight can reduce your weight loss but I've been too scared to pay for an unfill just to find out I wasn't too tight then have to pay for a refill. On the other hand I'm sick and tired of sleeping practically in a seated position and want to be able to sleep while I recover with out waking up with vomit in my mouth.

Today is my two year bandversary!! :whoo: I thought it would be a good time to look back and reflect on my progress so far. START – 254 BMI 45.2 1ST YR – 183 BMI 32.4 (66% EWL since start) 2ND YR – 165 BMI 29.2 (*82 % EWL since start) *OR 49% EWL of remaining excess weight during second year. GOAL? – 146 BMI 25.9?? Determining the percentages of weight loss is a bit tricky as my goal is constantly changing even while typing this e-mail I can't decide on a true final goal. I would really like to think I'll be happy with whatever my weight is after I have my extended tummy tuck in a few weeks which I'm thinking will put me somewhere in the 150's but I really wish I could get down to a healthy BMI of 25 which is how I set the above goal. I am terrible about beating myself up over what I consider to be a big failure in weightloss this 2nd year but one thing we all keep forgetting is that the medical establishment considers anyone that loses over 50% of their excess body weight with this method to be a success, which I exceeded easily my first year. Even looking at the percentage of excess I've lost during this second year I was within 1% of reaching that 50% goal a second time, and yet self defeatists that most of us are, we don't seem to be happy unless we are able to beat even the odds for the band and lose ALL our excess weight. I worry that attitude actually contributes to some of us regaining weight when we finally realize we aren't going to lose it all and then start eating through the depression that ensues rather than being happy with our successes. One last note. Below is an interesting link showing various methods of calculating your ideal body weight. One of which is a calculation of what other people your age, sex, height & current weight would say an ideal weight would be for you. I've looked at this site several times over the last few years and yet I just figured out that the "peer" figure is constantly changing as you lose weight. I use to think it was a weight that the population as a whole thought someone your height, sex & age should weigh, not what others the same height, sex, age & CURRENT weight thought they ought to weigh. But it is still an interesting and surprisingly accurate figure. I remember when I started out in the 250's I thought the 170's would be good then when I got to the 200's I thought that it should be more like 150's now that I'm in the 160's I'm thinking more like the 140's. Sadly, for my height, the website says that until I get down to 115 my peers will still think I need to lose weight. OMG!!!:car: Does that mean that even if I do get to the 130's I'll still feel like a failure that needs to lose more weight? $#!t I sure hope NOT! PLEASE, someone B!#@# slap me around a bit if I do!:heh: http://www.halls.md/ideal-weight/body.htm

A friend of my use to always complain why they hadn't just banded her head instead of her stomach. I agree with El1 - Don't beat yourself up about what you ate. As well as with Tracy & Terri - The band just helps your body not yo-yo up as you battle with your head.