kareyquilts

Julie: You're welcome to join in! What's your plan to lose the weight?

Well it's been a while since I checked in. Been on vacation and wore a bathing suit without too much trauma. Still need to get the backside done and the legs taken care of and would like to get my arms done too. I will post pictures soon. Feel bloated from my trip. I'm starting the push to get off the final 20 pounds. They just didn't come off after my surgeries. I'm back to exercising full strength and feeling much much better. Some of my fellow September bandsters are in the same boat and we've started a thread to challenge ourselves. If you can give us some encouragement, then please visit our new thread: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f109/kareyquilts-mimin-ghost-bjean-final-push-67785/#post904326 I really will post some pictures soon. Have a great July!

Okay, I'm going to be in a shameless plug for a new thread that my fellow September bandsters and I am starting for our final 20 pound weight loss countdown. We (I) need support, thoughts, well wishes etc. I'm starting a very strict program so I can get the last of the weight off. If you think you can cheer us on please visit us at: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f109/kareyquilts-mimin-ghost-bjean-final-push-67785/#post904326 Thanks!

Mimin: Sounds like you've got some serious swelling going on! Glad you're still on board. Well I went to a special diet center and decided to do the HCG diet for my last 20 pounds. The doctor said I was a good candidate. I gave myself my first injection today. For the first two days you fat load and then the third day starts a 500 calorie a day diet. Supposedly the HCG ( a pregnancy hormone) decreases your appetite and gives you a sense of well being. In a thirty day course most women average 20-22 pounds off and men lose 30 pounds. We will see. I'm hopeful and skeptical at the same time. Of course I will give you all the scoop on how I feel and do. Ghost and BJean, how are you doing?

Good to hear from you Neal. I was thinking just the other day that everyone in the Feb/March plastics group should check in with each other. I hope you'll post some pictures soon. Glad it wasn't too painful. I'm sure you'll be happy with the results! Congratulations on your public viewing. It is a moment of truth!

Salsa: Happy Birthday!

Dr. Schulman: If Smartlipo doesn't work for tightening the skin, are there any non-surgical procedures that help with loose skin?

LadyBug: My heart goes out to you and your brother. Sometimes life really does suck! My son is in his last year of medical school, I know there are ways to find surgeons who specialize in this kind of thing. If he can help in your search or we can do anything please pm and we'll help in anyway we can. I wish you the best.

Thanks for sharing your story. Great website. Makes me want to go to Mexico to get the rest of my stuff done! Looking forward to your new pictures. How are your arm scars doing? I want to have my arms done. Were they painful?

Karen: I'm told that the average amount of skin weight for a tummy tuck is 4 1/2 pounds, not sure what it would be for a lower body lift. Definetly don't get an unfill, but do it your meds in liquid form. I had a lot of swelling on my upper ab which put pressure on my band and got a pill stuck. I had to get an emergency unfill. If I get my back side done, I will not get an unfill, but I will get my meds in liquid form. Good luck!

Frangi: Love the breasts! You're results are amazing! It's totally normal to feel good one moment and rotten the next. I had lots of little pangs and twitches and at one point thought I might have pulled a muscle too. You probably need to slow down, just a mite! This was a major change and insult to your body and it needs to recover. Enjoy the excuse and the new body!

Salsa: Congratulations on your half marathon! Maybe you should have your leg looked at before your surgery? Don't want to rain on your parade, but it might be a good idea. You are truly mentally and physically tough! Way to go!

I know you'll do great on the marathon. I wouldn't have minded the extra scar either. You're going to look marvelous, darling, simply, marvelous!

Salsa: I'm so excited for you. I hope you also purchased a toliet seat riser? You are going to need it. I wish my doctor had done the ancho incision. I still have fat on my upper abs and I don't like it at all! My ps is going to do some lipo on it when I get to goal. Thanks for sharing the pictures! You will have a good recovery because of the great shape you're in. I think you should be in the hospital over night too, but you'll probably rest better in your own bed. Good luck with the marathon!

I lost 5 pounds of skin and 3 pounds of fat from lipo. That being said, I have only kept off a couple pounds. My ps said that is common. I had a unfill, because of some complications and decided that was a good time to have a hamburger and a rueben sandwich, since it had been so long since I could eat any of that stuff! Not a good plan. Oh well, I'm back on track now!

Okay, I've started a new thread on the At or Near Goal section. Here is the link: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f109/kareyquilts-mimin-ghost-bjean-final-push-67785/#post899279. On Monday, I'm going to start a new ticker with a weight loss countdown of some sort on it. I think we should all devise some sort of plan on how we plan on accomplishing our goals! I'm very excited about this. Looking in the mirror has me convinced that this what needs to happen. I'm tired of being so close!

Greetings: Mimin, Ghost, BJean and I (Kareyquilts) are all September 2006 bandsters. We are all around 20 pounds to goal and we want to get there as close to our 2nd band anniversary as possible! Thus, the new thread. We are putting out to the universerve and you that we want to lose that last little bit that has been tripping all of us up for a while now! We would love your support, suggestions and help. I believe that all of us (not sure about BJean) have had some plastic surgery to get rid of excess skin, etc. We are of various ages and stages, but through it all we have supported one another. In fact, of all the September bandsters that started with us, in our thread, we are the last ones to keep up the chatter. I guess we will all state how we're going to try and lose the last 20 pounds. The challenge starts on July 1st. Hope you'll join us for the ride!

HCG is a pregnancy hormone. I talked with my internist (not the weight loss doctor), who is very conservative and he didn't think it would hurt me for such a short time. I'm not sure I'm going to do it, but I am going to learn more and be evaluated. They figure out what percent fat you are, etc. We'll see. I'll do it the good old fashioned way if I get the hebegeebees at the meeting. I'll keep you posted. I just talked to my trainer and of course, he wasn't to keen on it. Said it wouldn't be enough calories for working out. I'll bring all this up at the meeting on Monday.

Dr. Schulman: Glad you had an opinion on SmartLipo! Thanks for your honesty and forthrightness. I do appreciate it. I will wait till I lose the last 20 and decide if I'll do the back side and maybe get some lipo or revision then if I need it. I've got an appointment with a doc to perhaps do the HCG diet, so I'll let you know my experience with it at any rate. Thanks again, what an asset you are to this forum!

Bjean: I'm so excited to have you join us. I always love your insights! I will add you to the thread and send a link, so be watching! September Bandsters: I am considering a very radical diet. I see a doctor (or quack) on Monday. It is the HCG diet. You get an injection of the HCG hormone every day and only eat 500 calories a day (all organic). I don't know a lot more about it until after I meet with the doctor on Monday. I kow that MD Diet is also promoting this diet. At first I thought, well anyone could loose one pound a day (that is the diet's claim) if they only eat 500 calories a day. Supposedly the HCG hormone does 2 things, curbs your appetite and burns Type 3 fat. Type 3 fat is the fat of obesity. The fat that enlarges and stays on the stomach, buttocks, hips and thighs. Type 1 fat is the fat around the body organs and Type 2 fat is a small store of fat that the body uses for instant energy. I had heard about the diet a while ago, but then I read about it in David Hurwitz's book, The Total Body Lift. He is a pioneer in bariatric surgery and body lifts. He said that he uses this diet in his clinic to get rapid weight loss for patients before lipo and some other procedures. Dr. Hurwitz said that the rapid weight loss and the targeting of the Type 3 fat helps to have less loose skin. The loose skin in weight loss is caused by a break down of the collagen and elastin and that this diet prevents that. I'm not sure if I can stick to this diet, they only let you do it for 30 to 45 day cycle and then maintance and then you can do another cycle. I'm going to find out more on Monday. Do you think I'm crazy to consider this? I won't stop exercising and I called and asked the doctor's nurse if I could still do this and do weight training, etc. She said I could. Anyway, I'll let you know what I decide. I talked to my son who is in his last year of medical school. He did some research on it and concluded that it is probably safe, but not sure if I have enough Type 3 fat anymore. He didn't think I should be on it longer than one round. Your thoughts would be appreciated. Not much longer and the weight loss challenge will begin!

Dr. Schulman: I believe in one of your posts you made a negative statement about laser lipo. I'm wondering why? I believe I read something to the effect that the body does not absorb the melted fat, as previously thought and so the procedure is not very effective. If a plastic surgeon uses smart lipo and sucks the fat out (can't remember the term, brain cramp), can the procedure be effective? I just ask, because I have some upper abodmen fat that I would like to have lipoed and the hype is that the smart lipo also tightens this skin. My tummy tuck is great, but I still have loose skin and a little fat on the upper abdomen. I am starting to loose weight again and hitting my exercise and diet hard. After I loose the last 20 pounds I know that the loose skin will be a little looser, the upper ab fat might be gone (who knows!), I really hate this area of my body always have. I suggested an anchor incision when I had my tt, but the doc didn't think it was necessary. Not sure how to proceed. Also, in David Hurwitz book on The Total Body Lift, he mentions that he puts his patients on the HCG diet before surgery to lose 20 to 50 pounds quickly, because it targets Type 3 fat and the rapid weight loss of this system does not cause as much loose skin. Have you heard of this? Do you think it is safe? Love your comments and insights.

Okay, I will start a thread on July 1st and send you both the links! It's going to be tough, there is the 4th of July and my birthday in July, but oh well. It's time!

Becky: Yeah to the size 10's! Glad the ice helped!

Stephanie: I'm even more impressed. You had a lot of surgery, girl! It is really hard to be patient. I know! You will love it. I'm sure!

Frangi: I think you were reallly wise to keep your uterus. Life is much better with it! I had a hysterectomy at 35 with my ovaries removed and it was the worst decision of my life. I got really bad advice. You were wise to fight for that procedure! I didn't know you are a red head?! So am I am! Redheads have to stick together! LOL! Becky: I didn't pay that much for lyphamtic massage. That is a lot! When I had them at the docs office. The first one was $120 and then they were $80. I found some one that my regular massage therapist knew and she charged $65 an hour. I think I had about 6 of them, but my doctor never said that I needed a certain amount. Not sure how to find one, yellow pages, massage school? I don't know that I would wear myself out with a 45 minute drive either. I do think it would help with all the swelling your experiencing, but maybe even call some plastic surgeon offices or medical spas in your area and book something with one of them. Glad to be back from my trip. It was awesome to see our son do his thing in the cirque. He was great and I think he appreciated the attention. Never can tell totally with boys! I'm about to start a big push to get up the last 20 pounds. Am really trying to decide if I should do my back side and thighs. I want to, but my family (older children and DH), had a "come to Jesus" meeting with me and think I look fine and they don't want to see me go through another surgery. Seems my pain was hard on them. Oh brother! I will do what I want about this, since it's my body, but I'm just not sure if the results will be worth the pain. I'm very interested in seeing everyone's before and afters. Was really impressed with your pictures Becky! My saddle bags and thighs look horrible. My butt really isn't that bad. I'm not sure what to do. Anyway, glad we can talk about these things without judgement.