Renewedhope is Headed for the Flatlands

[renewedhope 4]

I am so sorry that I am jsut now responding. I am doing great. I kida fell off the wagon after my surgery. I found it VERY difficult to get back into any kind of exercise or eating plan. TO be honest, it was very scary to me. I am so happy with my flat tummy, and learning to love my body I lost the motivation to continue to improve upon it and work to get to goal. My weight inched up almost 10 pounds and I truly felt out of control. Well, I seem to be back at it. I have started running again. I have runwalked 30 miles this week. I am again watching what I eat. It is so hard to find a healthy balance. I must except that I will never be able to do nothing and maintain what I have worked so hard to achieve. Even with a flat tummy I still must work very hard to maintain. BUT.....that's ok. I would rather work to keep improving my body than to EVER go back to where I have been. So, today I am thankful for choices and thankful that somehow I have gotten my head screwed back on. THis truly is a process, and I still have a long way to go. The end of January will be 3 months out. I will plan to take some new pics and post them then. I am really very happy with my PS.

Shalee, So glad to see that you are doing better and finally starting to see some improvement on wour wound. What a long journey this has been for you. I wish you lots of fast healing for the new year!!

[kareyquilts 1]

Renewed: I had a similar experience. Between having to be in bed for 3 weeks with my lower body work, knee surgery where I was on a machine for 10 days and Christmas goodies, I also crept up on my weight 9 pounds. I started at a diet center last week, something I never wanted to do again, but I would rather nip it in the bud, than allow myself to gain another pound. I have already lost 7 pounds, but tonight I had a sugar attack and ate some left over Christmas candy. I have come to realize that I am always going to have to watch it. However, my thin, beautiful 27 year old daughter reminds me that thin women have to watch what they eat too. That's how they stay thin! I've started back to exercise, but I'm very limited right now because of the knee. So enjoy your legs that work and your wonderful body. Life can be a struggle, GRRR, but it's worth it! Can't wait to see your pictures!

[renewedhope 4]

Sorry I haven't updated in awhile. I had a small revision of my tt on Monday. She removed a little pooch on my left hip and some excess skin on both sides. In all I have 33 new staples. Everything is healing fine. I will have my staples taken out on Tuesday. I wasn't expecting this surgery to make a big difference, but it really has. My flat belly is now a really flat belly.

I have really been struggling with diet since my PS in October. This week I have consistently eaten well. Since surgery I have been 2 days on, one week off, etc. Just having a hard time sticking with it. I am really working on being more consistent. I am so glad to have a good week behind me. It gives me something to build on. I am looking forward to my Monday weigh in. Hoping for a loss!

[Donna113 2]

Do you have any updated pics? It really helps motivate me.

[Shalee04 7]

Hey Renewed, Glad to hear all is/went well with your revision. I will be having my revision in April sometime. I still have 1 tiny hole that is being stubborn and not wanting to close up.

Did you have to have drains with your revision, was it done in the office or did you have to be put under completly??

I finally had a fill 2 weeks ago to help me with my eating, as I wasn't losing anything and was always hungry.

Glad your happy with your revisions, I can't wait to have mine so I can be totally happy with my TT

[renewedhope 4]

She did my revision at the hospital where she has access to cautery. I was awake. She just deadened locally. I got a fill a couple of weeks ago and it has really helped me get back on track with my eating. I don't have any drains. My revision was very minor. I do have some swelling and am wearing my lovely compression garment again.

I am so glad you are healing (that stubborn spot will get better too). This has been a really difficult journey for you. You look great!!

[renewedhope 4]

It is so much easier to take pics when the scles aer dropping, but when I was gaining I just couldn't bring myself to take pics. After the holidays I was up 9 pounds. I have lost 5 of those, so I am back in the right direction. I will post some pics soon. If I think about it I will have DH take some of my revision incisions tonight after my shower.

[jjsmiles 3]

Thanks for posting Renewed. It was great to hear an update and I needed to hear your positive messages. I too have been stuggling a bit. December was difficult in that I hit goal (160) for about 1 day and then my weight has been bouncing between 163 and 169 since then (literally bouncing - one day I will be 163 and then 2 days later I will be 168, etc).

I had a bit of a disaterous fill in December (should have left well enough alone), so ended up getting a bit of a de-fill. Now I don't feel any restriction and I seem to have the by-product of never feeling full either. I kind of liken it to the ship in the bottle - once food gets past my band, if I don't have restriction, I also don't get the full feeling either. I have been working pretty hard at exercising, but my diet has just been ok - not great, which for me means not losing weight, and apparently bouncing around on the scales.< /p>

I don't dare get a fill right now as you may remember that I had a panniculectomy in September of 08. In December I developed a small hole in my abdominal incision (about the size of my pinky finger nail) and a rather large "cavern" of space underneath it. After 2 months it isn't getting better (I pack it and dress it every day), so I am now booked for exploratory abdominal surgery on February 18 to see if the ps can figure out what is going on and fix it. On the good news note, I am trying to convince him to do a mons lift at the same time (he is reluctant, but I am persistant :cursing:), since he is going to be cutting me open in the right area.

He has told me that it will be under general anasthesia and I will have about a 4-6 inch cut. He has said it may be day surgery, but count on being in hospital overnight, and if he decides to use a wound vac on me (been there and done that before), I may be in hospital for up to a week. Bummer.

I appreciate hearing from you and the others posting here, that we all seem to struggle with the same issues (ok maybe not the ps stuff although Shalee can relate I am sure). It is good to know that I am not the only one who is frustrated by my lack of motivation and my eating issues that still continue despite all my success. It is also good to know that we can get back on track.

Good luck everyone!!!!

Jacquie

[renewedhope 4]

JJsmiles, I can't imagine going through what you and Shalee have. YALL are the inspiration. It is good to see that we all struggle with similiar things. It's kinda like you have to set new goals after PS because suddenly you are happier with your body than you can remember. Too look good was one of my motivating goals, and now I look pretty good. I can't believe I even typed that. I was looking at old pictures today and WOW I have come a long way. Now I must persevere to finish!! I am rambling. All that to say that I love the support here!!

[cori in wa 0]

Hi renewed :thumbup: So glad you are doing better and that you are back on track. I'm within 10 pounds of goal and have been struggling with whether or not I should have PS. I totally want/need to have the ladies lifted (poor things sag horribly) but figure when I do I should have a Tummy Tuck as well. I'm lucky and I know it. I do have some saggy, hanging skin, but it really is minimal...more the c-section sag than anything else. Anyway, it's good to hear from you and I hope you heal quickly this time around as well. Best of luck with those last few pounds!

[kareyquilts 1]

Great to hear from you! Very exciting stuff! I bet you do look awesome! After my LBL and having to stay in bed for almost a month and then knee surgery, I too gained 10 pounds. I am happy to say that I have lost the weight, but it really is an eye opener. I put it on so easily! I am having problems with my lapband again. It looks like a slip, but doc isn't totally sure. I have a lot of nausea. I may have to have my band removed. I'm trying to decide if this happens whether to get a gastric sleeve. Does anyone know about this? Anyway, I'm having a few problems with my knee and am working hard at physical therapy. I need to healthy and strong before I can deal with the band. Anyway, keep us posted! You're doing great!

[renewedhope 4]

Karey, I am so sorry to hear you are having trouble. DH and I were talking about this very thing yesterday. My weight gain was eye opening fo rme too. It is sooo easy to put it back on. I told him that if I ever have to have my band removed I think I will do a sleeve. I am so fearful of gaining the weight back. I used to wish that fear would go away, but after the holidays I think it is probably necessary to keep the weight off. In one of your posts you said that someone told you (your daughter I think) that skinny people are skinny because they watch what they eat. That has really stuck with me. To be healthy we must watch what we put in our mouths, and that is for everyone, not jsut us banded people. Anyway, hope things get better for you real soon!! Keep me posted!

[jbflorida 1]

Hi--just started thinking about some PS. I am within 15 lbs of goal (Christmas, etc. didn't help). I want to get my arms lifted--brachioplasty. But I am debating whether long scars or some bat wings are preferable! I only had to lose 65-75 lbs. so I am not in too bad of shape. I work out daily, but no amount of weightlifting is going to take the flab away.

Any thoughts by someone who has been there? What kind of recovery was it? Would you do it again? And, if you don't mind me asking, what was the cost?

Y'all are so brave! Take me with you!

[kareyquilts 1]

Renewed: So you think the sleeve is a good alternative? My doc says I have to get built up better before we consider anything. I'm thinking that the sleeve would be better than going solo. I am watching what I eat, but still have too many hang ups about food.< /p>

jbFlorida: I had my arms done in October, you can see pictures on my thread, Kareyquilts arms, butt and thighs, etc. The arms aren't too bad to have done. They are heavy and tightly wrapped at first and for a few days you won't even be able to feed yourself. It gets better after that. Not too much pain. I'm still trying to get use to the scars. I would do it over, because I really do look better in clothes. I wasn't able to wear a lot of mediums because my arms wouldn't fit. Now I can wear mediums and a lot of smalls. It's a big decision. Good luck!

[renewedhope 4]

Karey, I haven't researched the sleeve a lot, but what little research I have done, I think that is what I would pick. I just don't think I can do it on my own. My track record is pretty poor. I hope my band lasts forwever, but I am not so nieve as to think that is a guarantee. I do think I will always need some sort of "partner" in keeping the weight off.