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I had my surgery on Tuesday and was back to work on Monday. I worked from home the week of surgery, even Tuesday. Everyone is different, but for me getting into clothes was the big issue. You are swollen after surgery so you want to wear loose pants and tops. That was a challenge for me working downtown. I just got some over blouses and shells to wear.

Yesterday was my day, I was on point with my inner skinny girl. I found a dress that did not cling to all of my rolls, it just fell across the body. Not to brag but I looked good, I even rocked my 4 inch sandals! I received so many complements, all the while I as thinking, "Wait til ya see m 100 pounds lighter". To have been successful in keeping the 25 pounds I lost off and working successfully to have more off with weekly excerise classes has been a blessing. Mind you I have no desire to wear skinny girl jeans, but I am looking forward to adjusting my wardrobe. I striveto have a day like yesterday once a week, especially since my clothes are fitting better it should work. Continued success to everyone on this journey. Karen

Definitely take your inches. It took until after I hit the green zone that I started loosing much quicker. I work out doing all kinds of exercise, I get bored easily. This takes time, it will really be worth it!!

did you go to Mexico? - if so is it easier to get approved there? My daughter has about 65 lbs to loose.- she is only 5'1 and weighs 180. but with her height or lack of do you think she she could be approved? just asking for an opinion? thanx kathy

My weight loss is in a major stall. A little discouraging! I know that us starting out under 200 lbs dont have nearly as much to loose as others. I am thinking that this may be why its going slower? I was sleeved 3 months ago and have only lost 34 lbs. Given I only need to loose a total of 65 lbs, so this is actually more than half way there. Not sure what to make of this slow loosing. Can any post oppers who were in the same boat chime in?

The first time I put on a bikini, I felt like I was on the beach naked, it was excruciating. I feel self conscious about my body though - my size is perfect, exactly what I wanted, I am tall and slim and I dont need to worry about a fat bum on display or huge boobs hanging out of a bikini top, everything tucks in nicely. I dont have a hanging stomach. BUT - bit but, I do look a bit loose and I guess I look my age. I cant compete with a 20 year old in a bathing suit and i guess I'm a prime example of less being more in terms of women in their 40's and bikinis. For starters I would never wear a tiny bikini, I spend up big on very high quality suits, with undewire, and coverage and such. My shape is such that I actually look better in two pieces, it elongates my body a bit and makes me look less scrawny up top and less hippy below. But this season I have a stoma due to having bowel cancer, and for the time being until that is reversed I'm obviously not goign to wear a bikini with an ileostomy bag on display! I've bought two one pieces and a tankini and thank goodness they're back in this year becuase i felt like I was wearing my grandmother's bathing suit at the start, but in truth, I feel more comfortable more covered up. But my experience is this - if you pick up a bathing suit and its $250 and you go "no way, i could get this in target for $39", try it on. No matter WHAT shape you're in, a really high quality suit is going to look loads better on you than a cheap one.

I have a surgeon that did my arm lift, tummy tuck, and panni. She is who I had a recent consult with, and am strongly considering going with her. She has a lot of experience with WLS patients and I've been pleased with my experiences so far. A lift won't work for me, I really have no fat tissue (you can see ribs through my boobs, ugh). My skin is pretty thin, and she has concerns about the implant showing through. However - because my nipples are a little low, she's worried about slippage which makes me a better candidate for over the muscle. We could do under (which is how I am leaning), and see if I'm happy with how it looks. I'm going to do an extended mini thigh lift and belt lift later this year (if all goes according to plan). Adjustments can be made then if necessary during the same surgery.

Hi all! I was banded 11/12/12. -45 lbs. no complications thus far but right around my port my skin is making a circular indent in my skin. Its not apparent lying down just when standing or sitting. Please! Does anyone know what this could mean!?

Hi there Marion! Well, we kiwis also term ourselves downunderers, after all we are even more downunderer than our Aussie neighbours! LOL..Next stop Antarctica! I am glad you are doing so well...and enjoying your mushie time. I guess I will enjoy it also- when I get to it.But, 5 weeks on liquids has been good for me. :sad: Yeah, I don't think I will be trying those eggs anytime soon- I had heard they are pretty difficult.I keep getting this mental flash of that leetle leetle passage thru the band...and what happens when a lump of food blocks it!or a skin from a tomato or apple.CRIPES! I'll try baby food first I think, like Farex and purreed dinners, just add extra protein powder to them. Did you have shoulder tip pain? I still have it, even 16 days afterwards. It isn't as bad as it was, but it still is mighty unpleasant.:w00t: Thanks for answering, and giving me some ideas for mushies. :smile2:

My brain still says "You look fat in that, put on a looser shirt" everytime I look in the mirror. I went from wearing a tight size 26 jeans to a size 14 jeans and still look at myself with the same disgust when I look in the mirror. I used to think that a size 14 wasnt that big. Now that I fit into it I think its huge. However I am smaller on the bottom than the top. I wear a 1x shirt with loose pants or a 2x shirt with tight jeans. I have PCOS so I hold most of my weight in my upper stomach. I have that inner tube look even when I'm naked. I always feel that people see me and think "her pants are way too tight, thats why she has that roll." but gods honest truth I have the same roll when i'm naked. I hate it and would love to have lipo done on that one area. It would make sucha difference in my self esteem. oh well, you all know how much I hate my looks now. Maybe if I ever make it below 200lbs I will like my looks better. :wink2:

Hey, you are doing great. I was banded 6-15 and down only 55 pounds, but that's better than a year ago. dont worry about your skin at 18 you will be fine....just remember how great you will feel

I'm worried. I got banded on 6/11/09 and it has been 8 months since then. I have only lost 56 pounds and I'm losing determination quickly. I don't want to give up and I'm not but I feel like everything I'm doing isn't right. I need to get a fill but every time I do, I get over filled and it hurts like hell. I'm getting back into working out, I was sick for a week and had to stop. I'm trying to create healthy meal plans for the week but even when I do..they end up falling through. I'm scared that my skin isn't going to snap back and I think that's why I'm sub-consciously keeping myself from doing the right thing. I know that being healthy is more important than vanity but I'm 18! I've been made fun of for being overweight for as long as I can remember...I don't want to be made fun of for having loose skin too. I just need to get my head on straight. That's why I came back to lapbandtalk, at least here I can get good advice and support. Not even my doctors and nurses help me anymore. I feel abandoned. :thumbup:

Hi, new here, but had to put in my 2 cents. Have had PTC for about 10 years now, diamox, LPs and (unfortunately) loosing weight to within 15 pounds of normal/goal did not help,I have been shunted with multiple revisions. I have also unfortunately regained most of the weight lost, leading to my decision to get banded. After 3 attempts to be approved for the band I was successful in getting approved and was banded on June 1 so am still early in my band journey. Honestly my hopes are to improve my overall health, if my PTC were to stabilize that would be a bonus, but I am not optomistic. I am really curious to hear other peoples experience and outcomes. Good luck to all who suffer the PTC beast.

I wore flowy, loose skirts to work the first week I was back with cotton, soft leggings underneath. I didn't like my stomach being totally free, and the soft leggings over my incisions made me feel better. The skirt made me look like a professional, lol, and no one could see the leggings underneath. I wore flowy, loose skirts to work the first week I was back with cotton, soft leggings underneath. I didn't like my stomach being totally free, and the soft leggings over my incisions made me feel better. The skirt made me look like a professional, lol, and no one could see the leggings underneath.

Figured the title would draw attention and confuse, haha. Here goes though. I always wear one of those Kimora shapers or spanx and a pair of tummy flattening underwear wherever i go because of all the loose skin. Still have 50 pds to go before the surgeon who did my sleeve will consider removing loose skin. Getting to the point, when my fiance and I get into it at his place I always leave my top and spanx on just in case someone comes in. He is always trying to get to me underneath them. Any suggestions about other garments that I could wear or any kind of suggestions.

Yep, same guy. Though it looks like we'll be getting married next spring (money, uhh). He doesn't care about the loose skin but it still bugs the crap outta me and he doesn't complain about the body shapper, it's just kinda funny. He kinda looks like a cat at a scratching post.

I'm not nervous about the surgery it's self. I've been under the knife several times. It's all the other stuff that is the big unknown for me. Recovery, pre and post diet, post weight loss. The most nerve wracking part is the thought of doing all this and STILL not permanently loosing the weight.

something soul crushing comes along. I am waiting for my husband to tell me to "curse God and die." *sigh* I had the total hysterectomy 5/25 and all of the carcinosarcoma was contained in the uterus (nothing had matastised, nothing in the lymph nodes). Alas, the oncologist wants me to do chemo because this is a very aggressive and quick moving type of cancer. Yesterday I had the portacath installed near my right clavicle (sore, but nothing horrible) and today I spent the entire day getting "infused" with various highly toxic substances that kill off fast growing cells (like the lining of my mouth and my hair oh, and cancer). I am doing 6 treatments, 1 every 3 weeks and they are highly intense doses. By the 2nd dose my hair will be gone. The thing that is bothering me is that I am doing this horrible thing to my body "just in case". And even then, there is no garauntee that it will find and kill any free roaming cancer cells. I'm not as scared as I was, now I'm just ticked. Anyhow, I just want to keep track of what reactions/problems I have due to the chemo. It has been 4 hours and nothing yet. 24 hours, nothin' (although I was horribly constipated from the anesthesia from the portacath installation) ...and yes, I am mad as hell at cancer and I am kicking it OUT ! 7/22: for the past 24 hours I feel like I have been run over by a train - every muscle, every joint just aches horribly like a toothache; I take Tramadol 50mg but it's not relieving this pain. This is not pleasant. 7/23: I didn't make it to work today. I still feel horrible. I did lose 17 lbs in 2 days. good grief. 8/6: the 1 chemo treatment knocked my white blood cell count so low that I succumbed to a strep A infection in my portacath; had to get 3 shots of neuphronim (?) to boost my marrow's ability to make wbc's and just finished a week of daily IV antibiotics (thank God the port doesn't have to be removed and the infection is under control); btw, my hair started coming out in clumps this morning in the shower :-( 8/18: had to postpone the 2nd chemo until this past Thursday due to the infection (which is all better now); today is Saturday and I am feeling fatigued but no horrible bone aches yet; I will be dosing myself with Tramadol; my hair is mostly gone - Friday was "Hat Day" in my work group to show support for me (nice people) 9/4: I spoke too soon... again, I wasn't able to make it to work the following Monday. Didn't start feeling better until the Thursday after "chemo Thursday". The neuphronim shot is doing a good job of keeping my wbc stable. Due to the IV antibiotics and 20 days of amoxycillin I ended up with a horribly painful yeast infection. Dr. Cottrill prescribed fluconazole pills but it didn't touch it - bought some acidophilus pills and monistat 3 day treatment. It's all better now. I was putting neosporin on myself to ease the pain and then realized that it was an ANTI-BIOTIC ointment !! I am an idiot ! Went to see Dr. Cottrill again today and she said after the 3rd chemo (this Thursday) she wants me to consult with the radioligist. I don't want to, but I told her I would. She thinks I am handling the chemo really well. I guess I am just used to suffering. This past weekend was hellish. I just don't have a solution for the Jamie problem. No one does. I don't know what to do but I really can't take it anymore. I even threatened to get a motel room on the weekends. Dr. Cottrill wants to give me an anti-depressant. um... right. 9/12: had 3rd chemo on 9/6 - reactions not as severe this time; except right now I am having a hard time seeing, which is really weird. Great... now I'm going to be struck blind. I met with the radiologist yesterday (she was wearing snow-leopard print high heels so I liked her immediately). I am going to do the radiation therapy - starting in a couple of weeks for 5 weeks, 5 days a week. All the way to Lexington. She said I shouldn't have any really bad side effects but that everyone is different. Yesterday afternoon it was like I had been abducted by aliens - barium enima, had to drink floor polish, laid on a CT scan table for 30 minutes perfectly still while they drew on my body with permanent blue marker... it was crazy. That was to map out my insides so that when they radiate me they miss my bladder and most of my intestines and other important stuff. Anyhow, the reason I finally said "yes" to the radiation treatments is because of the little voice in my head that told me 6 months from now if the cancer comes back I want to be able to say that I have done absolutely everything I could to stop it. Stupid little voice :-( Atleast I will get a rest from the chemo for a couple of months. 9/27: I had my first experience on the x-ray/radiation machine Tuesday morning - I had to lay flat on my back on a plank with my pants around my knees and my feet tied together for 30 minutes. Oh, and hold perfectly still. I had a hard time sitting up let alone walking after that. I asked her if it's going to be like this every time - "well, yes, but only this long 2 times a week. It should be only 20 minutes the other 3 times. See you tomorrow !" I have to figure out how to cope with this. Actually, Wed. & Thu. treatments only took 10 minutes. Much better. No reaction yet, as far as I can tell. My brain is getting a little foggier, but that may just be me :-) I haven't lost any weight in a few weeks. The defeatist jewish mother that lives in my head KNEW that something would happen and that the VSG would fail for me. The kind christian friend that lives in my heart tells me that everything will be ok. Me ? I'm not so sure, but I keep on doing the things that have to be done, come hell or high water or cancer. I should probably start exercising... 11/2: I finished the 5 weeks of full abdomen radiation on Tuesday. I have had diarrhea for the past 4 weeks (stayed home 4 days because I was in the bathroom more than I was working). The flesh under my "granny apron" on the right side is black (yes, black!) and the skin is kind of rotting off. I've been easing the pain by applying neosporin twice a day. The radioligy doctor looked at it and said I should be ok. There has been some pain on urination but nothing intolerable. I am tired. I think I have forgotten what it feels like to feel strong & healthy. On 11/15 I start the 3 internal radiations. Then after that I have to finish the 3 more chemo treatments. I think I need a vacation. A REAL vacation. 1/14: happy new year! I finished all of the radiation 11/21 (serious alien technology) and had a wonderful holiday season. A big thank you to my son's in-laws for hosting ALL of the family get togethers. I hope I can carry my fair share this year. The diarrhea from the radiation lasted 6 weeks altogether. I now have a lump behind my belly button. Dr. Cottrill ordered a CT scan, gave me a hug, and told me, "This is the kind of thing that makes my sphincter clamp down." oh boy. The CT scan results show that it is just a lump in the fat under the skin. She tried to withdraw some fluid thinking it was an abscess but only got a little blood. She says we're going to leave it alone for now and if it continues to grow and it becomes uncomfortable she will remove it. I said,"But if it's not cancer, it's not your responsibility." And she said,"YOU are my responsibility." wow, I really like her. I had my 4th chemo this past Thursday and the neuphronin shot on Friday. Once again my bones ached and I lost 8 lbs. I can do this. Okaaay... just got a call from the oncologist - the blood she took from the lump behind my belly button showed cancer cells. She is scheduling a PET scan to see if it has spread through my body. If it has, surgery is unnecessary. If it hasn't, she'll remove the tumor. I really hate doing this to my family. 1/29: the 4th chemo resulted in boils... in my crotch. The largest one (about the size of a deck of cards) had to be lanced. I cried like a baby and then Dr. Donaldson packed it. That's when I started swearing like a sailor. Extremely painful. They gave me a script for percocet and sent me to the Infectious Disease folks again - 11 days on IV antibiotics (oh, and it was a MRSA staph infection too) and 10 more on sulpha by mouth and daily repacking of the boil (the 1st time was swearingly-awful again, but each time after was ok). I have started myself on the Monistat 3 anti-yeast stuff and acidophilus pills because I don't want to go through THAT again. And the PET scan? That showed that I do NOT have cancer anywhere else except in that lump behind my belly button. Praise God! I am getting that, along with my belly button, removed on Feb. 11 and then Dr. Cottrill wants me to do 3 more chemos. I don't know if I can. This is all so scary. Oh, and that 5 weeks of radiation with 6 weeks of diarrhea? What a waste of time, money, pain, and suffering that was! All it did was tick off the cancer. sheesh! 2/15: I had my belly button removed on Feb. 11 - there's a 4 inch vertical incision where it used to be. Dr. Cottrill was very happy with the tumor - it was very self contained, no outshoots, about the size of a hockey puck, and she removed it and the surrounding fat (omentum) and the belly button. It's closed up really well (she just used that glue stuff to cover it), She's still talking about me doing 3 more chemo infusions. I think at this point I am more afraid of what the chemo might do to me than any stupid cancer. 2/28: I am back at work! whoo hoo! I spoke with Dr. Cottrill on 2/26 and she wanted me to start a different chemo regimen: 3 days of infusion every 3 weeks of ifosfamide. This chemo has very serious side effects for 50% of patients: hemorrhagic cystitis (could bleed to death from bladder, but there is a drug to counteract that) and neurotoxicity (dementia & psychosis up to coma & death). After talking with my husband and praying, I have decided to not do this chemo "just in case" I have cancer. I will be doing CT scans every 3 months to look for any cancer and if it comes back, I will reevaluate that decision. In the meantime, I am going to get busy living!! God has been my comfort and strength through all of this and I thank Him for loving me.

My husband had stage 4 bladder cancer. It went to his lymph nodes and he was put thru much chemo. He slept a lot He took the medicine that keeps you from getting sick(vomit).This went on for 6 months and he has been cancer free for 6 years. Do what they say, eat no time to diet (he was 100 lbs overweight and nobody knew how sick he was). I cooked everything for him in cast iron with a tomato in it to leach the iron out of the pot. Not the tastiest but it helped to keep his blood counts up. He did not loose his hair. Everyone doesn't. You don't believe them at first, then you get very angry, then you accept it and fight like he*#$. Best of luck and you are in my prayers.

bill, hang in there, I have had my port replaced because it flipped, then about a year later I got a heital hernia, and the doctor had to go in and adjust my band so I have had a lot of issues but I must say i am happy about my weight loss, I have lost 105lbs, still need to loose 40.. But i am at a stand still now..

@Taty thanks for replying, you have to let me know how the Spanx does for you. They have never helped me much, but I'd love to know how the newer ones are. I heard they did some redesigns a few years back so I'm interested in hearing how it goes. @Cowgirl wow 123#! That is great!!! Okay so you didn't wear any. That's I guess my confusion because I wear girdles now, they aren't that uncomfy for me (probably because I've worn them so long) but I do wonder if they help with pain/saggy skin.

See that where I wanted it. To start from my ankle bone and go up. My legs were like the first real noticable thing that shrunk. And I do have a little bit of sagging skin in my stomach, my arms and my thighs. Not too bad that it won't eventually tighten. Still makes me cry though lol But my surgeon has reassured me several times that it will tighten with the exercise that I am doing. He just said drink A LOT of water. Now the hard part is finding the right artist I want to do it. This tattoo is super personal and i don't want just anyone working on it. So any good suggestions in San Diego?

Oh no... my shoes im a shoe hoe..lol if I loose a lot of weight I will go down n sizes..ugh my boot collection. Hmm I guess ebay here I come..lol

I was banded in March 09, I didn't loose as much as I would have liked but I found myself happy. My problem is that I don't get hungry. In the morning I am a little tight, protein drink/slimfast got me going. I have become a coffee junkie so that's my start point. now. I am a late nighter and a late riser(10), my DH is usually fussing because 3 p.m. comes and goes and I still haven't eaten. I do about 4 cups of coffee and water, but I just don't feel a need for food. HELP!

I've had my band for just over 4 years now and at one point was down nearly 150lbs from my starting weight. About a year ago I had a problem with my band being too full and I was unable to eat for several days, I ended up taking some fluid out (for the first time in over a year) and ever since then anytime I try and have more fluid put back into my band even if I add less than what was initally taken out my band tightens up to the point where I can't eat/drink. For this past year I have kept my band on the loose side and just tried to maintain my weight with diet and exercise, but I recently stepped on the scale and realized that I've gained back nearly 60lbs! I just had more fluid put back into my band because clearly I was needing some restriction but now yet again my band is too tight and I haven't been able to eat or drink anything for the past several days. I'm getting exteramly frustrated now because it's either I can just leave my band loose and gain back weight OR I can fill my band and be unable to eat... I don't know what to do, and really dont have anyone to give me any advice on this but it really is getting to the point where I almost regret getting my lapband all together. I've gotten a taste of success and what its like to be at a healthy body weight and now it seems that my body is just completely rejecting my lapband all together. I've gotten several xray's to see if I had any sort of complication at all as recent as last week and nothing is abnormal about my band and so far my doctor has no idea why I am having so much difficulty with it.Any advice at all would be extreamly helpful at this point, or even just someone out there to talk with about whats going on, I really am starting to get discouraged.