Having been inspired by JulieNYC, Puddin, and TheGhost, I decided to start a thread to chronicle the brachioplasty I will hopefully be having soon. I started at 218 lbs and had my lap-band surgery on 1/17/07 by Dr. Spivak in Houston. As of today, I'm at 144 lbs. I still have 26 more to lose.

On Friday, Oct 26th, I went to see Dr. Lior Heller about having a brachioplasty (my weight was 148 on that day). My plan was to see him for the consultation and schedule the surgery for late December. I figured I'd be within 10-15 lbs of my goal weight by then. Well, Dr. Heller is doing a TV show for a local news channel and told me if I could lose 10 lbs in 2 weeks, he would waive his surgical fee and use me for the TV show. I've lost 3.5 lbs since last Friday. I'm eating between 400-500 calories and walking 4-6 miles every day. Keep your fingers crossed that I meet the goal.

If I don't make it on the TV show, the brachioplasty will cost me a little over $5,000. If I'm on the TV show, I only have to pay $3,000 for the OR and anesthesiologist. I'm also planning to have a breast lift, tummy tuck, and thigh lift next year, so I need to save as much money as I can. I planned to do the brachioplasty soon because I don't think much more fat will come off my arms. All the excess weight seems to be in my stomach, hips, and thighs now. Although I'm not at goal yet, I wanted to have the brachioplasty this winter in order to be healed enough to wear sleeveless tops in the summer. And in Houston, summer starts in March.

These are my most recent before and after pics. I take some pictures of my naked arms soon.

Tonights the plan for the pics. My DH's aunt flew in from France last night. She married a Frenchman nearly 20 years younger than her about 18 years ago and has been living there since.

Good for her! That sounds like the life to have.

I drove past a Long John Silver's yesterday and had the worst craving. I haven't eaten there in over 10 years.

Now, I have some bad news. The doctor's office called me about 10 minutes ago and had to reschedule my appointment for next Friday. AAARRGGHHH!!!! If I had known that I had 3 weeks instead of 2 to get 10 pounds off, I would not have had to kill myself doing this. On the positive side, now I can get a few more off and be even closer to my goal weight. On the negative side, I'm really not sure I can keep this pace up for another week. All this exercise is absolute torture. I hurt all over and my feet are covered in blisters.

Now, I have some bad news. The doctor's office called me about 10 minutes ago and had to reschedule my appointment for next Friday. AAARRGGHHH!!!! If I had known that I had 3 weeks instead of 2 to get 10 pounds off, I would not have had to kill myself doing this. On the positive side, now I can get a few more off and be even closer to my goal weight. On the negative side, I'm really not sure I can keep this pace up for another week. All this exercise is absolute torture. I hurt all over and my feet are covered in blisters.

Oh, I feel for you. After all the hard you have gone through only to have the apppointment postponed is awful.

However, I am so proud of you for losing all this weight in such a short time. My first response to our surgeons request was "hey , this ain't gastric bypass, this is the slower lapband". Even so, you have exceeded mine and surely the doctor's expections. You should be in like flint.

On a side note, are you planning to attend the doctor's Ball? I haven't decided yet. Is it to late.

I am a bit shy (as is my DH) but I think I could benefit from the interaction from my fellow lapbanders.

Terry

On a side note, are you planning to attend the doctor's Ball? I haven't decided yet. Is it to late.

I am a bit shy (as is my DH) but I think I could benefit from the interaction from my fellow lapbanders.

Yes, I am attending the ball. I'd love to meet you. To be eligible for the grand prize, you have to submit an application by Nov. 15th. Go to Dr. Spivak's website HS Laparoscopy-Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery to find the application and the address to send it to. Also 2 other prizes are being donated by Dr. Heller. I think he's giving away a free breast lift and a free tummy tuck.

Even if you don't want to do the application, please go ahead and email Wanda Chase and tell her you plan to attend. You can email her at spivakbandmd@yahoo.com. We need 70 Spivak patients to attend the ball, so please, please, please come. You'd be crazy to pass up an opportunity to win some free plastic surgery.

Back to the brachioplasty, at least I can lose more weight by next Friday and impress Dr. Heller even more with my dedication. Let's hope that counts for something. It would be so cruel if he turned me down.

Enterprise- You are doing wonderful!!! I can't wait to hear more about the outcome. I too, am experiencing the bat wings. I hope to get rid of them in the next year or so.

Keep up the great work!

Eclipse

Banded by Dr. Spivak 3/20/07

Yes, I am attending the ball. I'd love to meet you.

Even if you don't want to do the application, please go ahead and email Wanda Chase and tell her you plan to attend. You can email her at spivakbandmd@yahoo.com. We need 70 Spivak patients to attend the ball, so please, please, please come. You'd be crazy to pass up an opportunity to win some free plastic surgery.

quote]

I realized that my hubby and I have a conflict on the same day as the ball. Drats. I would like to meet you too. If you plan to go to one of the support meetings on a Tuesday, send me a PM and let me know. It is a bit of a drive for me, but I might could swing it.

Here are the most recent pics of me. Weight is 136 lbs.

Here are the arms from the back and the sides. And I'm wearing a sports bra that is now too big. You can see it's riding up in the back.

Here they are in close-up. Yuck, yuck, yuck.

This is the last of the photos. You can see the scrotum-like effect in these.

You look really good and you seem to have really good skin elasticity. I think I have the same bra. You look so much better than I do, I don't think I would have the surgery if I looked as good as you do. Then again, you should do what you feel most comfortable with. You have made such good progress that you are allowed that choice.

Enterprise - you do look great!!

I was shocked to see these are your before pics...I would love for those arms to be my after pics! I know we each feel differently about our own issues, and some have more to lose..etc. You are beautiful, and I am quite frankly- envious -of how great your arms look now!!! If that can be improved, I am impressed already! Good luck and great health to you!

You look fanfriggintastic!!!!! I hope that your arms turn out to be all you want them to. Your belly and back look fantastic. No flab and nice and flat. You must feel like a million bucks....minus of course the surgery costs....LOL. Best to you always:whoo:

Thanks, everyone. Yes, I know my arms are not nearly as bad as others, and some people would be happy to have my arms just as they are. I've just always been so dissatisfied with my body (even when I was thin), and I now I feel like I've ruined my skin by letting myself get so fat. I really want to wear a bikini again some day. Yes, that's really vain. I admit it.

By the way, I recently bought a Bowflex machine. I haven't assembled it yet, though. I'm hoping that I can firm up my stomach and thighs some and maybe I'll only need some minimal plastic surgery done in those areas. I don't have a pannus, but that general area is sagging somewhat, as are the inner thighs. I'm hoping to avoid any more major scars. Now, you might be wondering, why don't I just try to firm up my arms, too. Well, even at my thinnest, the arms were always big. I've never been able to get rid of the fat along the triceps. It's been there since I was 14.

enterprise,

i think its a very personal decision to have PS, if YOU are unhappy with your arms and want to do something about it, i feel you shouldnt have to justify it...

you meet with the surgeon next week? you'll do fabulously and i'm sure he will be impressed with the amount of weight you've lost!