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Wow Fordgal! You look awesome! Your pre pictures look very similar to myself. What great results!!!! I am scheduled for a TT and arm lifts on September 27th!!! I am really pysched! Congrats on your new look! Are you willing to share where you went for PS and how much it all cost? I would be curious to compare my costs. Also, did they have to empty your lapband for the surgery?

DRP

Yes I am very happy with the results and they keep getting better and better as the swelling goes down!! I would love to get my arms done, but right now there is no way I can afford it. I had my surgery done via University of Alabama Birmingham. My surgeon was Jorge De la torre. He was great. Insurance paid for mine so I am only responsible for the co-pay which is $75 (I get a discount because I work for UAB).

I am loving wearing all the popular styles now and not worrying about hiding all that skin. Which I must have done a good job with because everyone was surprised when I had the surgery.

Good luck! Be prepared! It is a rough first few days, but it does get better and is soooo worth it!!!!

=)

Shawna

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Awesome!! You did good and it looks great!

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Damn that really is a huge difference. Looking at your before pics, My first assumption is that most of it was fat. Now I'm hoping that when it comes down to it, if I'll be able to tell the difference between excess skin and fat on my own stomach.

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I am sure it was a lot of fat too, but I was completely relaxed when I took this picture so I could really see the difference. You don't realize how much we hold our guts in. Most people didn't realize that I had so much hanging "flesh". I kept it hidden with long shirts and lose clothes. The good thing about being a band patient is we are a lot "healthier" and do not have all of the absorbtion issues that some of the other bariatric surgery patients have. So the surgeons have a lot more to work with because our skin is healthy. =)

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GO HEAD ON GIRLFRIEND!!!!!!:)

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Thank you so much for posting the pics!!! I can't believe you look that good at 4 weeks. I'm excited and nervous, my tt is scheduled for 9/1.

I hope all went well! I had my TT with MR on 9/2. We're practically TT twins! LOL

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For it to be medically nescessity for insurance to pay what were the guidlines u had to meet if u don't mind me asking? Did they tighten your muscles cause it looked like it? I am having a full Tummy Tuck muscle tighten new belly button along with a huge hernia fixed in Dec. I go speek to the ps agian at the end of october he is gonna put me on schedule for 2nd week in Dec. He is going to submit it to my insurance to see if they pay for it. I have contacted them and they don't actually have guidlines to meet they just decided if its medically nesaserry and tell u yes no and tell u why if not. But I am preparied to pay for it. Did u come home with a pain pump? I know some have. any info on how your dr stated it was needed would be great. My skin doesnt hang as long as your because my hernia sticks out so much it kinda holds it up making me look like a basketball.

Your pictures look awsome. U done such a great job on losing the weight.

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How did you get your insurance to pay? Was it a long process?

Insurance did pay for the procedure. I know that there was fat, but it didn't seem to be an issue with any of the surgeons I consulted. They removed 7lbs of tissue plus they did Lipo too. I had my post-op appt today and he said I should flatten out some more and I go back in 4 months.

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Another Birminghamian here and your pictures are amazing. I will be hanging onto that doctor's name if and when my time comes for a tt.

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Looks great! Thanks for sharing.

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These are pictures from the night before my surgery 7/13/2011 and tonight 8/10/2011 (4 weeks) I put the links in case the pictures dont work.

Before Front

Before Side

After Front

After Side

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<a%20href=Panni_2011003-1.jpg">

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You look amazing Congrats..I can't wait until my surgery I'm so looking forward to it and starting my new journey in life. Keep up the good work you look great!

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You look great!

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That is amazing. I had heard that the TT is one of the most painfull plastic surgery procedures. I have and Aunt that did it and she says it wasn't too bad. Another friend did it and she said it was the worst pain she ever had. Wondering what you think. You really look great.

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That is amazing. I had heard that the TT is one of the most painfull plastic surgery procedures. I have and Aunt that did it and she says it wasn't too bad. Another friend did it and she said it was the worst pain she ever had. Wondering what you think. You really look great.

I have had several surgeries, including a rib resection.... They were all a breeze compared to the TT. I have a pretty high tolerence for pain, but I have never had a surgery that actually put me out of commission. I really was totally dependent on others for the first few days. I chose to stay with my grandmother the first few days after surgery, so that my husband would not have to worry about me while he was at work. I suggest to have someone that can assist you for at least 72 hours after you come home. The worst part was coughing. I would start and couldn't stop. It was rough. But the good thing is after the 3rd day the pain starts to decrease by half every day. By week 2, I was pretty much back to normal (with limitations). After that my core would be tired (like I had a really hard ab workout). The drain was more of an annoyance than anything. It was inserted in the back side of my incision and I was always catching it on something.

So I guess to sum everything up - it is kinda like having a baby - you are so happy with the results - that the pain is easy to overlook. =)

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
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    • KimBaxleyWilson

      Three months and four days ago... I was in Costa Rica having a life changing surgery! Yesterday we had a followup visit with Dr. Esmeral via video chat and this morning my middle number changed.  I'm down 47lbs and two pants sizes. I can wear a Large tshirt for the first time in like... 14 years! Woot!! Everything is going great. I have zero regrets. I went down to the riverwalk with a friend and walked 2 miles on Monday without even getting fatigued. And no more snoring or chugging pickle juice for crazy leg cramps! I need to go to the gym more... I'm making new shirts next week so that will motivate me. LOL But I'm also just not as TIRED all the time! I have a LONG way to go...but seeing the progress on the scales and in the mirror is a huge motivator!! Thank you all for cheering me on and supporting me!!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • bellaamey

      https://alluniqueguide.com/java-burn-coffee-reviews/
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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