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Next step in finding the real me

ousooner

By ousooner, in Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery

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ousooner    1

ousooner
Posted

Well, its time to start this new aspect to my WLS journey. I had Lap-Band in May 2006. I lost approx 150 pounds in 9 1/2 months and have been maintaining my weight since February of this year. Its been a good ride so for. I thought when I began this WLS journey, that I wouldn't want PS. My goal was to be healthy and not care what I looked like. I have a good life, a supportive wife and family and wanted to loose the weight to spend more time with them. Well here I am a year and a half later and just got put on the books for abdominaplasty on February 11th 2008. It seems so far away, but my job and my wife's job keeps us busy during the end of the year and as a corporate accountant, my wife is busy finishing up the books in January. She wants to take a week off when I have the surgery to help me out, so I don't mind waiting for that. This will probably be the only thing I have worked on. My arms are fine and no real man boobs to speak of. My thighs are bad, but don't effect the way my clothes fit. But, the stomach has to go. Clothes don't look good even when they fit and I am tired of lifting my flap to wash under it. Sounds gross, but I am sure many of you can relate :) I am nervous and excited at the same time.

I have been to 2 consults and have decided on a Dr. She is very good and comes recommended by my Band Dr. That gives me comfort since he was great and I value his opinion. I have financing lined up but am still hopefull that insurance will help out. The first Dr I went to said it would be a waste of time to submit to insurance because I don't get rashes or anything. But the Dr I am going to use said there was significant separation between the stomach muscle ( It hink she said 5 cm, she put 3 fingers between the two muscles). Significant enough that insurance might pay. Not holding my breath, but like the fact that she will try to fight to get insurance on board. And with financing secured, if insurance denies, it won't be a big blow for me.

I don't post here as often as I used to when I first started out, but wanted to update those who remember me :)

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Sue Magoo    71

Sue Magoo
Posted

Please keep us posted.

Best wishes.

Sue

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TheGh0st    9

TheGh0st
Posted

Neal, Thankyou so much for posting your journey here. We need more men posting. Infact there was a couple guys that post on a local yahoo group of bandsters in my area that were recently asking about other men who had or were considering PS. I will have to forward them a link to your thread.

Thanks again and I can so relate to the clothes just not looking right and having to lift that dreaded flap.

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TxArcher    2

TxArcher
Posted

Hey,

TheGhost just directed me to this thread. I was just inquiring about other men on this forum that are considering PS. I am looking forward to following your progress and cheer on your successes! I just got banded a few days ago and can not wait to make it back down to my goal weight. I havn't been there since my freshman year in High School! My Dr. and I agree that it seems like a healthy goal of 210 Lbs. I am hoping I will not have a pannus to deal with, but if I do, I want to have already had my research done for this type of surgery.

Good luck on your surgery!

Craig

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JulieNYC    4

JulieNYC
Posted

You're going to do GREAT with the TT. It's life changing, I swear. WOOHOO! Waiting to have your wife's schedule work out is definitely worth it too. The recovery isn't awful, awful, but having someone really there to support you will make a real difference. I also think you've got a real chance with your insurance company. That's a substantial muscle separation and they respond well (or as well as they ever do) to that. GOOD LUCK on all fronts.

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ousooner    1

ousooner
Posted

Hey,

TheGhost just directed me to this thread. I was just inquiring about other men on this forum that are considering PS. I am looking forward to following your progress and cheer on your successes! I just got banded a few days ago and can not wait to make it back down to my goal weight. I havn't been there since my freshman year in High School! My Dr. and I agree that it seems like a healthy goal of 210 Lbs. I am hoping I will not have a pannus to deal with, but if I do, I want to have already had my research done for this type of surgery.

Good luck on your surgery!

Craig

Thanks Craig. I will try to post more as the time nears. Congrats on getting your band and starting your weight loss journey

Neal, Thankyou so much for posting your journey here. We need more men posting. Infact there was a couple guys that post on a local yahoo group of bandsters in my area that were recently asking about other men who had or were considering PS. I will have to forward them a link to your thread.

Thanks again and I can so relate to the clothes just not looking right and having to lift that dreaded flap.

Thanks Ghost. Thanks for leading the way :(

You're going to do GREAT with the TT. It's life changing, I swear. WOOHOO! Waiting to have your wife's schedule work out is definitely worth it too. The recovery isn't awful, awful, but having someone really there to support you will make a real difference. I also think you've got a real chance with your insurance company. That's a substantial muscle separation and they respond well (or as well as they ever do) to that. GOOD LUCK on all fronts.

THanks Julie! I appreciate the kind words :)

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TracyinKS    7

TracyinKS
Posted

Neal you were the first to reply to one of my posts in 2006... I thank you for continuing to contribute to this site!

Congrats on your upcoming surgery!

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ousooner    1

ousooner
Posted

Neal you were the first to reply to one of my posts in 2006... I thank you for continuing to contribute to this site!

Congrats on your upcoming surgery!

Thanks Tracy. even though I don't post as much as I used to, I still lurk from time to time. I have seen your progression pics and your doing so well. Congrats! :)

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kareyquilts    1

kareyquilts
Posted

Wow! I'm excited to follow you journey. There are a lot of us getting ready for PS. I hope you will post pictures. This will be great!

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Go To Topic Listing Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery

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    • Alisa_S

      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

      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

        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

      CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • KimBaxleyWilson

      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

      bellaamey

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

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