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Barbara278

LAP-BAND Patients
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Posts posted by Barbara278


  1. Ok, it's been over 2 months now. I'm just starting to feel back to normal. Things have all calmed down for me now. I still do have slight pain if I over due but for the most part am healed up. I have pictures to post, but I can't figure out how to post them without them showing up on the main board. They are my before and after plastics (hubbby took them). I want to post them and make them private but available to those that want to see them. Not sure how to do that. I will try to figure it out. I'm just in panties, so don't want them to show up on the main page. I think their might be a way to have the album private, but available with a code or something. If anyone knows how to do that please let me know.

    I'm so pleased with the results. I have gone down a size in pants and definitely wearing smaller shirts. My bra size is the same, they just aren't hanging like tube socks anymore. hehehe

    Barb


  2. Thanks for the update. I'm deciding on what all to get and who to do what right now. I'd love to know who your Dr is and if you have any before and afters especially of your arms/tummy I'd love to see. Thanks for the info!

    My doctor was Dr. Steven Vath! He's got two offices in the Denver Metro area. Very very pleased with him. As I mentioned in previous posts, he was quite a bit more expensive than others, but I was so impressed with the drain free surgery and with him that it didn't matter to me. I will be posting the docs before and after pictures soon. He wants to wait till the incisions and the swelling are better before doing the afters. I should be posting those the 2nd week of May. I'll just have to put little flowers on private parts. lol I'm so impressed already with the difference, especially in my arms. The scars from arm lifts are pretty bad, but I didn't care. Just not having the 4 inch wings is worth it.


  3. Alot of us have been exactly where you are now! I was sleeved 2 years ago by Dr. Aceves. THE BEST THING I'VE EVER DONE FOR MYSELF!!! I saved my life by making the decision to get my surgery done. I was a self pay as well. I was scared and unsure about everything, but knew I had to do something. I didn't tell anyone what I was doing. I scheduled vacation time for a Mexico trip. That's all anyone needed to know. Just tell work you have the opportunity to go on a Mexico vacation and you are jumping on it. I didn't even tell my Family doc about it until I got back. I figured if she didn't like what I did, I would change docs then, but she was and is totally supportive. You can find another family doc no problem, you can't replace your life. Best wishes to you.

    ps: I get so angry when I hear a doc tell someone you just need some will power. How ignorant is that?


  4. It has been an adventure to say the least.

    It'll be 5 weeks out tomorrow from the plastics. I've been planning on posting an update but was kinda waiting till I felt better. The combo of the meds they gave me after surgery really threw me for a loop. I was Prescribed Oxycodone and valium. I hired a RN to stay with me at the beginning per my surgeons request. I don't remember any of the first week at all. I did end up back in the ER and a 3 day hospital stay, but not from complications from the plastics. I'm a real light weight (no pun intended lol) when it comes to meds. So the combo of meds just put me in a daze. I spent 3 days in the hospital until I felt alert enough to go back home.

    The surgeries all went so well. I'm not going to try to candy coat it. It has been very hard. The Tummy Tuck which was the largest surgery was a breeze. No real issues, not even much pain at all. My breasts still hurt and are extremely sensitive. It hurts to wear the special bra they gave me, but each day is getting better and better.

    I have to say the arm lift was the most brutal and painful of all and it is the least obtrusive of the 3 procedures. The incision for the arm lift starts right above my bra and goes straight up through my arm pit and down to my elbow. For some reason the incision in my arms is super sensitive, so shirts, reaching or just bumping them is painful.

    I went back to work after 2 1/2 weeks. The first week I worked 5 - 7 hours each day as my stamina wasn't there. The next week I went back to 8 hours a day, but by the end of the day I was exhausted and basically couldn't do anything else. Each day is getting easier and easier and I'm feeling better and better. Doc says everything looks great.

    The surgeon I used doesn't use drains so I didn't have to worry about going back to get drains removed or having those yucking things poking out of me. It's a newer form or surgery where they don't use any drains for the tummy tuck. He's been doing it this way for about 5 years now. That's one of the reasons I picked this Doc. No drains is definitely the way to go in my opinion as everyone I talked to before said the drains were one of the worst parts of the surgery.

    I'm getting more energy each day and feeling better and better. I have my 2nd follow up the beginning of May and will post before and after pictures then. I was down 10lbs after the surgery. That's a lot of skin gone. I actually have a waist now. I'm thrilled. Will post more later.

    Barb


  5. Thank you so much for sharing that information. I'm getting close to goal, but money isn't there even if I wanted to do plastics now. I also know I should wait awhile to be sure my weight has stabilized before doing plastics.

    I do have a question though for you. I have seen one Plastics Dr. and asked her what I could expect in terms of things being firm or taunt say from a breast lift (don't need augmentation) or a Tummy Tuck. Her answer was rather vague and said she wouldn't really know until after she got in there to do the surgery. That didn't seem like a good answer to me. If I'm going to be spending thousands of dollars, I want to know what I can expect. It's great to see pics of other people, but I want to knwo what I can expect for my body. I'm not after trying to be some beauty queen, far from it- but I have a friend who had a tummy tuck and I wasn't overly impressed with the results. Yes, her tummy was flatter, but had pretty good muffin roles going on. She had gotten to goal, but don't know if she could have lost a little more weight if that would have helped.

    I've noticed that my belly "overhang" gets a little less the closer I get to my final goal but I know I will still have some or maybe a lot- just don't know yet. I'm just curious if your surgery doc was able to tell you what to expect in terms of firmness of the skin where he or she is doing the surgery.

    My plastic surgeon did explain what I can expect and not expect. There is only so much they can do. Age has a lot to do with your skin condition as well. Being I'm older, my skin has already lost elasticity. If you don't feel totally comfortable with the surgeon you spoke to, I would not use them. Do lots of research. Look at pictures of their patients so that you can see what kind of work they do. He assured me that my stomach will be very firm and flat. I will definitely post pictures of before and after so maybe that will help some. Best wishes to you on your journey.


  6. How exciting!!!! OK so let me ask you, did you notice the skin rebounding back somewhat on it's own??? I'm 17 months out and notice some skin is getting better, on it's own...can't wait to see your pics :smile1:

    Some areas did bounce back a little, but it really varies from person to person. It depends on your age (I'm 54) and your genetics. My arms are terrible. I have about 4 inches of hanging skin under my arms. If you look at my pictures you will see that my arms were really huge before my vsg, so I think it would have been impossible for it to bounce back.


  7. Not rude to ask at all. I had two different consults with two different docs.

    If you do more than one procedure, they will ususally give discounts.

    My first consult was:

    Breast Augmentation $4500. (would give 15% off with multiple surgeries) $3825.

    inplants $1750.

    Tummy Tuck $6750

    Arm Lift $3750. (would give 15% off with multiple surgeries) $3187.

    This included Anesthesa and surgery room. So first consult total was $ 15,512

    Second consult (This is the doc I chose)

    Tummy Tuck $5600.

    Breast lift with Augmentation $ 5500 (would give 20% disc w/multiple) $ 4400.

    Breast Inplants $ 1850.

    Arm Lift $ 4300. (would give 20% disc w/multiple) $3440.

    Anesthesa Fees $ 1650.00

    Operating room fee: $ 3735.00

    Total for all my surgery will be $ 20, 835.00

    It's not cheap.


  8. Tomorrow will be my two year anniversary of my VSG. I'm still doing very well but have gained a few pounds back from snacking on candy. I'm working on getting that under control.

    I will be having Plastic surgery on Feb 1st. I'm pretty nervous but excited too.

    I'll be having a Tummy Tuck, arm lift and breast lift with augmentation.

    I'll post before and after pictures once I've recovered some.

    Best wishing to all on this journey!

    Barb


  9. JohnnyBoy, congrats on the beginning of a new life! It's never to late to change your life. I'm 53 and just celebrated my 1 year surgery anniversary. I struggled with obesity most of my life, well from age 20 on. So 30 years of being fat took its toll on my body. This surgery changed my life. No more meds for High cholestrol, high blood pressure, joint pain, and no more cpap for breathing at night. It is well worth the journey. I wish you much success and a speedy recovery from surgery.

    Barb


  10. That's awesome, Barbara! I must say, I've actually been able to use my major change in appearance to my advantage too... someone I never liked and who was always mean to me back in the day ran in to me at a local store, they looked right at me, and they were trying to place who I was... by the time they were able to figure it out, I had looked right back in their face and walked off. It was priceless... I heard through the grapevine that they told some people they swear they saw me, but weren't sure, I was too skinny. LOL... if 150 lbs is too skinny, I'll take it! ;) hehe

    hehehehe...that is priceless!!! Love it!:lol0:


  11. I saw an acquaintance that I hadn't seen in months today and said "Hi Jerry" as I walked past him. About 15 mins later he walked up to me and said "Where do I know you from?" He actually didn't even recoginze me at all. We both had a good chuckle after I told him who I was. lol


  12. Highest Weight: 335 lbs

    Surgery Weight: 322 lbs

    Last Week: 265lbs

    This Week: 260lbs

    After a stall for the last 4 weeks the scale finally move down 2 lbs. I hate the dreaded stall and hope the scales keep going down for awhile.

    Brenda

    You are doing great. It always cheers me up to see one of my sleeve bandits doing so well. Keep up the great work. I hate the stalls too, and seem to have them periodically. Hope all is great your way. :001_tongue:


  13. 1) How long have you been sleeved?6 months

    2) Who was your surgeon?Dr. Aceves

    3) What were your experiences with your surgeon?Fantastic

    4) Would you recommend your surgeon?Absolutely

    5) How much weight have you lost since your sleeve date?72 lbs

    6) What type of sleeve do you have?36 oversewn, so more like a 34 according to doc

    7) Would you recommend the type of sleeve you have?yes

    8) Do you find you still have the necessary level of energy to sustain a good workout?much much more energy than I had pre surgery.

    9) Do you find it difficult to keep the weight off once you have lost it?Still going down.

    10) Do you have trouble eating, such as getting “stuck”?Never

    11) What is the one things about getting the surgery that you regret?Not getting it sooner

    12) Would you do this surgery again, or would you have made another choice?absolutely

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