willowcat

I got melasma (brown patches on my face--also called the "mask of pregnancy" because some pregnant women get them) about two years ago. I'm a faithful sunscreen user (spf 85) because the brown patches are sun-sensitive, and I've tried bleaching cream from the dermatologist, but all to no avail. I hate those brown patches. My doctor said that they are related to PCOS (which I haven't been officially diagnosed with--I just have the symptoms--my doctor says that I "probably" have PCOS). Next to wanting to be thin/normal weight, I really want to get rid of the melasma. I've been banded since June 4th and am full of hope. Has anyone had melasma improve or go away after losing weight? It's good to read on other threads here that the facial hair improves in color and texture. Now, if only the brown patches go away, things will definitely be looking up! :biggrin:

Take your band away?! And how does he propose to do that?! You'd have to go through everything for surgery to remove the band just like you did in order to get the band--not to mention pre-approval from your insurance company (like that would happen just because you gained 2 lbs.)--AND it's YOUR body--he can't make you go through surgery! What a bully (and an A**Hole)! Bad man, very bad man. Christy, I'm glad to hear you're getting another doctor. Give him hell at that "exit interview!"

Kristine, What a nice, gentle, supportive, and upbeat response--thanks for your post! Have you been to the June Journeys social group yet? Hope to see you there.

I live in Colorado Springs and was banded by Dr. Scott Fisher with the Colorado Springs Surgical Associates. Colorado Springs Surgical Associates is part of the Penrose-St. Frances Hospital system. They have two locations: Colorado Springs Surgical Associates 2222 North Nevada Ave Suite 5017 Colorado Springs, CO 80907 719-635 -2501 St. Francis Medical Center Office Location 6011 E. Woodmen Road Suite 345 Colorado Springs, CO 80923 Located in the Sisters Grove Pavilion Medical Office Building (719) 635-2501 I really, really like Dr. Fisher!

Yesterday was my 8th day post-op. I was finally not feeling much pain, and I was able to feel very satisfied on the "mushies" food. So last night with my mind free from thinking about pain and/or hunger, I think I was finally able to pause and look my new life in the face--and I got scared! All my past diet failures came rushing at me. I was overwhelmed with fear that this would just be the next link in what is already a very long chain of high hopes and determination followed by eventual failure--and to top it off, look what I did to my body this time! I've gone as far as having surgery and having something placed inside my body! I've gone through all this and what a fool I've been to think that somehow this time would be any different than all the other times. The psychatrist at my psych eval had told me that eventually everyone has thoughts along those lines--I just didn't realize that it would be so soon for me. I cried and cried as I felt the cumulative pain of my lifetime of diet failures. It was so overwhelming. I think, though, that I needed to feel the pain of all of those disappointments--and not just the self-disgust I always felt when a diet failed--but the real saddness at the loss of each of those dreams. My husband helped remind me of all the people on here who have taken the weight off and kept the weight off--there really is hope and a chance for a real recovery. Still, I'm feeling cautiously optomistic right now...like I'm afraid to really, really hope for success.

My psychiatrist at my psych eval told me that I was going to have to treat exercise like I treat my job (where honestly I'm a bit of a workaholic)--I would never wait to "feel" like going to work--I may not feel like it, but I go because I have to. Work gets all of my energy. Now, having said that, I'm with you--I saved exercising for last and never had the energy for it--I really was truly exhausted from work. Now, what I'm trying to do is "pay myself first"--get up, get on the exercise bike in my pjs, do my exercise, and then start my day. That was pretty much working for me before surgery--I'm waiting for the inscissions to heal to start back up again. The real test will come in the fall when I go back to teaching--my goal this summer is to get the habit in place so it's not such a god-awful effort. Good luck.

oops! Lucky you--I'd kill to have an hourglass shape! Still, sorry you're not liking what you're seeing the mirror. Hang in there--you're half-way to your goal!

Blackcherry2002, You're "pear shaped"--you have narrow shoulders, smallish breasts, a small waist, and a large bum and thighs--right? One thing I've learned is that every body shape (except for maybe the "hour-glass" body) has it's own dressing challenges. You're quite young and who knows, after you've finished losing weight, you might find that your next step is liposuction and a lower-body resculpturing surgery. If surgery isn't an option, then you'll eventually have to make peace with the body shape you were given. Good luck and hang in there--you're half-way to goal!

Just another thought: are you getting enough water/liquids? Being dehydrated can make you feel very weak. My dr. says 64 oz. of fluid every day. I don't usually make it to 64 oz. but if I keep trying to, I at least get closer than if I didn't try. I was told to cut fruit juice (like white grape juice) in half with water--so it's not so sweet--lots of carbs and empty calories in juice! Also, when they say "clear liquids" right after surgey, I don't think it literally means "clear"--protien drinks are hardly "clear." It just means to stick to liquids until your stomach gets over the shock of banding. It's time to call your doctor if you don't start feeling better soon!

"Cellulite is caused by irregular patterns of connective tissue beneath the skin, and as the adipose (fatty) tissue, which forms in compartments of little honeycombs, pushes into the skin, it causes the dimpling of cellulite. It has been shown that people who have cellulite have different patterns of connective tissue than people who don't, and men tend to have this pattern much less than women. Cellulite is not directly a function of excess weight, but a genetic difference in the way adipose tissue and connective tissue form. In fact, cellulite affects people whether they are overweight or not. " Cellulite (like sh**) happens! Thank your great-great-great grandmother for her genes, and like the Serenity prayer says: Grant me the serenity to accept the things that I cannot change; the courage to change the things that I can; and the wisdom to know the difference. Cellulite happens.

ColoradoChick, Thanks for adding to this thread as you went along. What a change you've made in 13 months! I'm 5'2" and was banded just three days ago on June 4th. My highest weight was 285, and I am looking to lose 150 lbs. I'm a few years older than you (46). I know you're not me and I'm not you, but with so many variables being similar, your story gives me a tremendous amount of hope (even your post in November when things weren't going so well--I will remember you when I go through my own version of November). I haven't been 135 lbs in 19 years! Good god but I hope my skin mostly snaps back.

Funny, I was thinking almost exactly the same thing just yesterday--thanks for saying it so well.

I really like Dr. Fisher and trusted him 100%. His bedside manner was warm and friendly. He came to see me before the surgery and also a few hours later. He's very easy-going and easy to talk to. I look forward to working with him for my fills. His office staff is also friendly and professional.

Thank you Jachut and Cleo's Mom--I will make sure that I talk to me surgeon about my concerns over my sensitive stomach, and if he's not concerned, then I won't be either. Thank you for your replies.

I posted this on the complications board but thought I'd also appreciate feedback from people who haven't had lapband complications: For the past several years now, I've had what I call a sensitive stomach--if something doesn't set quite right and if it makes me feel sick, up it comes. I'm not "scarf and barf"-ing. It's just that sometimes when I get anxious or nervous or I'm in a big hurry (like right before running off to work), I'll feel yucky and I throw up. It's quick, painless, and I always feel better right away. Also, certain foods seem to calm my stomach while others agitate it and just don't seem to agree with me (for example, every protien drink with whey in it has had to come back up). Since lapband changes the configuration of the stomach, I've been worrying lately about my prognosis for success. Frankly, to ease my mind, I'd love to hear from anyone who's doing just fine--sensitive stomach and all! Thanks for your reply.

Years ago, when I was at my thinnest (after nearly starving myself and losing 30 lbs in 6 weeks), I bought a denim mini skirt. That mini skirt attracted male attention--attention that I was not comfortable with! I unconsciously put on 5lbs--just enough that the mini skirt no longer fit--and then I felt a wierd sense of relief that I didn't have to wear that skirt again! Fat has some benefits that we often don't want to admit we're ok with: fat lets us be in the background; fat says I don't have to compete fashion-wise, sex-wise, friends-wise, work-wise; fat says I'm off the market sexually and will be a faithful wife; fat says I can get by with just being the funny one; fat says I'm motherly and nurturing; fat says I'll be the one that survives a famine; fat can make me feel larger that life; fat can make me feel protected and shielded...! Fat can bury so many emotions and protect us from ourselves and/or our pasts. As the weight comes off, we begin the excavation of our past selves, and that can be very uncomfortable. Yes, if you have access to affordable therapy, by all means do so! If you get help from reading, I would recommend anything by Geneen Roth (I might not have spelled her first name exactly right), The Dance of Anger (don't remember the author), and a book that I think is called, The Fat is in Your Head. We are all so much more than just our bodies. Good luck!

For the past several years now, I've had what I call a sensitive stomach--if something doesn't set quite right and if it makes me feel sick, up it comes. I'm not "scarf and barf"-ing. It's just that sometimes when I get anxious or nervous or I'm in a big hurry (like right before running off to work), I'll feel yucky and I throw up. It's quick, painless, and I always feel better right away. Also, certain foods seem to calm my stomach while others agitate it and just don't seem to agree with me (for example, every protien drink with whey in it has had to come back up). Since lapband changes the configuration of the stomach, I've been worrying lately about my prognosis for success. I thought I'd ask on this board if anyone who's been having problems/complications also had what they'd call a sensitive stomach? I guess I'm hoping that there isn't a connection but if there is I want to know now rather than later. Thanks for your reply.

Thank you for sharing. Even though I haven't had my surgery yet, I want to be prepared for some of the complications that are possible--so that I can be prepared to handle them physically and emotionally. Thank you so much for sharing your story.

the whey in those protien drinks may not be agreeing with you (it's not agreeing with me)--call your nutritionist and see if there's something else you can have (i've been cutting my protien drink with half skim milk and that's seeming to help)

My journey started back in late October 2008, and now I finally have my surgery date: June 4th. It's odd how having a date has made getting the band feel really real now. I have a 10-day "shrink the liver" pre-op diet--Day One already sucks! But I just keep telling myself that I can do anything for 10 days. I can be such a pessimist, and I keep thinking that someone has to be the statistic--but I sure don't want it to be me! I've never had any kind of surgery before, so the unknown is scary. I'll sure be glad when I wake up post-op--phew! I like the name "June Journeys" because this entire process has already been such a journey, and I see myself taking this one step at a time and one day at a time. Right now...shrink the liver...I can do this.

i like jubilee

I'm asking because I met with my nutritionist about two weeks ago and she told me that short people like me have a harder time losing weight than do taller people--even with wls. I'm 5'2". Honestly, I'm a little discouraged (though I know she was just trying to help me have realistic expectations). I'm wondering if there is any sort of anecdotal correlation between one's height and one's satisfaction with the band or other wls. How tall are you and how would you rate the success of your weight loss since wls--how happy are you with your band?

Start with you pcp and get a referral for wls from him/her. Your health record more than likely shows your weight history--the up and downs and ups. Also, the more you read on this site, the more you realize how very different every insurance company's requirements are for wls. You'll need to contact your insurance company to find out what "proof" they need of your weight-loss efforts.

Hrtgoeson, While nobody has begged me to get the bypass, I have gotten a weird vibe from some of the staff at the bariatric center. Like somehow the lapband is the poor stepsister to bypass, and if I was really serious about losing weight I'd go with the "winner" (bypass). The center does do more bypasses, and they have a longer history of doing bypass as compared to lapband, so that might account for the vibe I'm getting. But it doesn't matter; I'm still getting the lapband there (they are a center of excellence and the only place my insurance will pay for). If lapband weren't an option, I would rather stay fat than have bypass surgery.

When people ask how much, often if they are the ones who only engage me in weight loss conversations, I say, it's just a number and I don't share it. But if you are a friend, and chat me up about my life in general, I'll tell you. Weird, I wonder what kind of power dynamic I'm playing there... I don't think that there's any "power dynamic" that you're "playing." It just sounds like good, healthy boundaries! I love it and plan on tucking it away for the inevitable day--if all you want to talk about is my weight, then sorry. I'm way more than my weight. It really isn't important and is actually none of your business. Thanks so much for sharing!