AlienBandit

It depends on where you are/ where you get the surgery. I live in Korea so far from others but a tummy tuck is 5,000 US here and a lift ( no implants) is 3or 4,000 US ( I cant remember). Places in North America are usually more so sometimes people go to Mexico where it is cheaper ( Less than 10,000 US). The best advice I can give is wait ATLEAST a year before doing anything. I only waited 6 months before my tuck and kind of regret it because I see how much my body has changed since then and now I am not considering as many surgeries as I was before ( my boobs were terrible and now not so bad they have changed so much!)

I always eat after my work out. I used to eat before my workout but found i would be hungry again after and would eat a little. If I wait until after I would still eat the same amount so to me it makes sense only to eat after.

During surgery they put a tube down your throat. After my surgery I had a really annoying lump in my throat feeling and sometimes a choking feeling that lasted up to 6 weeks post op I think. Maybe that is what you are feeling. I would talk to your doctor and hopefully it goes away soon.

i think sometimes you just drain a lot after surgery. With my mini tummy tuck I didnt need drains however when I changed it to a full tummy tuck and then an extended tummy tuck I did need drains. Right now I am 16 days post op my last surgery and still have a drain and it drains about 100cc a day. The amount increases with the more activity I do. So maybe rest lost and try not to be too active even if you feel ok and hopefully things will heal fast and you'll get rid of your drain soon. I am really starting to hate my drain. It's hard to come up with an outfit every day to hid it at work :S

I am 20ish lbs from goal and I still feel fat. Actually I had more "I feel skinny" days when I was 40 lbs from goal then I do now. Now I look at myself and think I look fat but then I have to remind myself that those really tiny jeans I never thought I could fit into ever again are now too big so that means I am small. It is hard to overcome that and feel thin. Good luck!

I have not had this procedure done but I have talked to my doctor about it and he has shown me books written on this matter and before and after shots. How I have seen it done is they kind of cut a stretched out m or w shape just under your boobs and pull the skin up. The incision goes from your one side to the other and looks quite small. The results photos I have seen look good. Maybe if I have time I'll steal his book and snap a shot of what I have seen. I will also ask what it is called exactly ( maybe he knows it by a different name).

After surgery our stomachs are very swollen so filling the band would be a terrible idea for most people. I know people who could barely eat for more than 6 weeks because their stomachs were so swollen with the band empty. My first band I came out of surgery empty but my second band I got 4cc put in my band during surgery and could still eat a horse. All doctors are different on this matter. It is best not to get a fill during surgery for most people because your stomach needs time to heal. If you get a fill too fast that can cause problems ( ie not being able to eat, or even erosion). Good luck on your journey

I used to have the SAG band ( swedish band similar to the realize band). For my restriction I need 10cc in the 11cc band and could still eat things without getting stuck ( but restriction was still good). Sometimes people need fills like that. I know two others with the same band who have 11cc in their band and even 11.5cc for restriction. The bands are all different and so are our stomachs. Now I have the lapband AP s and have a fill of 5.5 cc and am almost at my sweet spot so strange how the bands are different.

When I am full I get the hiccups and get burpy. If I onl get the hiccups it means I am eating too fast. If I hiccup and then burp it means I am done. Everyone is different. Burping is such a pain and I think really gross but if that is how my body wants to tell me I am done, then thats ok.

I prefer morning work outs. I have so much more motivation and last longer then if I were to go at night. I get up, walk my dogs, get dressed, work out and then go home and eat breaky and get ready for work. It gives me so much more energy for the day if I work out in the a.m

Swelling after surgery can cause some restriction. But maybe also your doctor gave you a fill during surgery? This sometimes happens. Enjoy the restriction while it lasts. This is a great way to jump start your weight loss journey

This is a problem I have and it drives me nuts. I take benefiber every morning and it usually helps me out. After any surgery though I find the meds must clog me up because it takes days before I am regular again. Be careful about taking too much fiber etc. You don't want to over do it and then have the opposite problem.

Do you know if he takes on patients not banded in the country?

that sounds like beginning of bandster hell. The band is not a magic wand it is a tool. If you dont follow the rules ( ie no more then one cup of food per meal) it wont work for you. Until you get a fill you might be able to eat lots but it doesnt mean you should. Try to stick to the rules and dont worry your not alone. We've all been there.

I had a low bmi so when my doc looked at my liver, he said it wasn't too fatty and I'd be fine for no pre op diet. Some doctors require you do it, some dont.

I live half way across the world from my family and getting the band freaked me out so much because I was afraid if something went wrong i'd be alone etc. Eating was also an issue because in Korea it is hard to communicate that you cant eat certain things etc. You will be able to eat out, eat normally etc but in smaller portions. Don't worry this is a great thing your doing for your self

I live in Korea where all food is spicy and it doesnt bother me. I also enjoy cinnamon allllll the time. I love cinnamon gum. tooth paste, on my pancakes, on my toast etc. It is a great flavour!

I fly every 1-2 months sometimes 10-12 hours one way and never had any big issues with my band. I find it is best to request low calorie meals to eat ( they usually serve fish, eggs or softer kind of foods) and if I eat slow the food never gets stuck. I always prepare a just in case plan and bring yogurt or a soft kind of food to eat in case my band disagrees with the food served during the long flights.

The 5 day pouch test is amazing. I use it to help me get back on track and see if I need a fill or not. Good luck

Where I am language is a great barrier between doctors and patients, so when I met with one out of the two doctors I had appointments with, I was sold because he was fluent in English. He is also a plastics doc so I dont have to worry about problems with plastics and my band which is a bonus

Maybe you are not chewing your food enough? Sometimes if I eat bread that is too soft it makes me so nauseous but not the normal bandster food stuck feeling. Perhaps watch what it is that you are eating that is causing this feeling and avoid that food. Soft breads cause my stomach to go crazy and convulse it isnt fun at all.

Here are some recipe ideas. I tried to keep up with it all but fell behind a long time ago. http://alienbanditinkorea.wordpress.com/?s=recipe Good luck

Many people ask me if they should consider the band or not ( as they talk to my doc who gives them my info) and the question I always ask them is, is it better to wait until your fatter to get banded or get banded before you get to the point where insurance would cover you? I was banded at a bmi of 33 but I wish i had gotten banded sooner. I knew my weight was going up and I should not have dragged my feet. Why wait till your bigger? That means your body changes more, stretches more and it means you have more to lose. I paid out of pocket and never regretted it. I have had weight issues for years and all the money I put into Dr Berstein diet, weight watchers etc equals to half of what I paid for my surgery!

Sometimes I get off track and recently I got wayyy of track. It happened after I was overfilled for almost a month after that I declared a month off of being a bandster. But then the month after that I traveled South Africa, had a few surgeries and before I knew it the scale was going up. Then I went to Canada for a visit and then had surgery again. I am now about 10-15 pounds up from my lowest weight ( which wasnt even my goal weight). This has all happened in only 3 months. My solution for this problem? I am starting the 5 day pouch test to get back on the right eating track and I am going for a fill hopefully next weekend. There I will talk out my food issues with my doc and see what he says. Dont let this get you down. Take it as a learning experience and get back on that horse. It will always be there waiting

each persons stomach looks different with the port. My stomach really showed the port even though I am not at my goal weight yet. Here is what it looked like a few months ago http://alienbanditinkorea.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/dsc_1302.jpg I have since had the port moved (it was even a low profile one) and the bump is now gone.