Hi all- as background I've been MIA for awhile; whenever I struggle, instead of posting and reading more, I find I go away from this site which is insane because this site has been such a great resource for me.

Surgery was in 5/07. From my heaviest weight I'm down close to 150 lbs; some of that was preop weight loss. I really have plateaued and my weight hasn't budged much so I got a consult this summer with the famous Dr J Lo :thumbup:

I was amazed that he told me that my weight was ok where it was- I think we all have a screwed up mental image of what we are like. Shortly after this, I had band problems and had a total unfill. My weight jumped up 10 lbs but then plateaued again and so I kept my surgery date which is coming up this thursday! I'll be all nice and bandaged for halloween!

I'm having a lower body lift and a breast lift/reduction. Reading other's stories has been of tremendous help for me in preparing for this surgery so I hope that my journey through this will help others as well.

any advice or suggestions you flatlands chicks (and guys) might have would be greatly appreciated!

I will take photos but I'm shy so it may be a while before yall see them

Hi Marjorie, I hope you are doing well. I'm sending positive energy your way.

I hope all went well. Let us know when you can.

Jacquie

Just checking in to see how surgery went. I am sure you are doing great. It's probably hard to get computer access staying at the folks house. Best wishes for a speedy recovery!!!!

Hi all- thank you all for your well wishes! I came home (well, to my parents' house) on Saturday. I felt worse that day than I did the day after surgery but wanted to get the heck out of the hospital. I've been sleeping in a lift chair and am doing ok on the whole. Took a shower yesterday and am pleased with how things look even considering how swollen I am. He removed 10-12 lbs; my former floppy F's are now a C/maybe small D's and back up where they belong ; my tummy is flat and my outer thighs/butt no longer are droopy cottage cheese!

Getting in/out of the girdle is a challenge. My mom has bad vision and can't help well and I refuse to let my dad see me naked so I'm relying on friends and co-workers to come and help me out. I think it will be easier once the drains are out.

Its hard to find a comfortable position. The lift chair has made getting up much easier than it was in the hospital. I've really cut down on my pain meds and am trying to use them sparingly. When I get to 1 month out, I will post pictures. :thumbup:

On the whole, I'm pleased with everything but I'm not as enthusiastic about rushing right in to have my arms and inner thighs done. I am a control freak and I hate being helpless. I'm a horrible patient (I work in the medical field) and I know I'm driving my doctor and his team nuts.

thank you all and I'll keep you posted :smile2:

hi marjorie,

hope you are doing well.....i plan to have PS in december....breast lift, tummy tuck and bootie enhancement.

thank you for posting your journey.

Marjorie,

Glad to hear your home and well. Try to get as much rest as possible. Congrats!

Sam

Thanks Sam and Josie! I took a 3 hour nap this afternoon! I'm like a baby

Josie- I'm in houston as well- spivak did my band in 5/07. Dr LoMonaco was my plastic surgeon- he does beautiful work- when you are ready for consults, I highly suggest you make an appointment with him. I'm a big beliver in going to a sub-sub specialist- ie a doctor who focuses on one thing- he does pretty much only post weight loss plastics and I swear if you go to someoene who does a lot of what you are going to have, you get good results :biggrin:

His office staff has been amazing- they are calling me daily to make certain I'm ok; that I have everything I need and answer any/all questions I have re do/don'ts :biggrin:

Marjorie: So glad everything went well. Welcome to the flatlands! The compression garments can be a big pain! I have to plan when to get a shower around when my DH can help me get the blasted thing on! I still can't do it myself. All sense of modesty just flies out the window doesn't it? Oh well! It will be worth it! I love my arms and they really haven't been too bad. The only bad part was the first 3 days when I could hardly bend them and had to have help to eat or drink. I was considering doing my inner thighs, but I've decided that enough is enough. I hate to feel helpless as well and mentally I just don't think I can go through this again. That being said, I'm really happy with everything that I've had done. I hope you're feeling better soon!

Hey Marjorie,

I thought you would be at your parent's home on Saturday. I'm glad to hear your doing well and like the results.

Don't rush out and buy too many new clothes after you get the drains removed. I'm just short of 3 months now and pants I bought one month ago are already baggy.

Keep us posted on how your are doing.

Marjorie,

Glad to hear you're getting some rest and that the doc is taking care of you. Goog info on the doc, too. I'll keep that in mind with my search.

Marjorie: So glad everything went well. Welcome to the flatlands! The compression garments can be a big pain! I have to plan when to get a shower around when my DH can help me get the blasted thing on! I still can't do it myself. All sense of modesty just flies out the window doesn't it? Oh well! It will be worth it! I love my arms and they really haven't been too bad. The only bad part was the first 3 days when I could hardly bend them and had to have help to eat or drink. I was considering doing my inner thighs, but I've decided that enough is enough. I hate to feel helpless as well and mentally I just don't think I can go through this again. That being said, I'm really happy with everything that I've had done. I hope you're feeling better soon!

Hi Karey! I'm even more amazed at what you've been through this year after having gone through just this! Likely I'll talk myself into the arms and inner thighs but just not together. I don't like feeling this helpless! Glad your husband is a great source of support for you! you are right about the modesty. I will give in soon and just let my dad help me- He hasn't seen me naked since I was 5 so things will have changed - ha.

I am feeling better every day. My back is uncomfortable from being in this piked position all the time. I slept in a bed last night with wedges, rather than the lift chair- my back still was sore but it was a different area that bothered me so the other area could rest. I can't wait to be able to lie flat!

my drains are realy dropping off in output- today both were less than 15 cc so hopefully they'll be out this week! I'm trying to get up more today to ensure that when they come out, they are leaving based upon the best estimate of output possible, not just because I've been so sedintary.

Hey Marjorie,

I thought you would be at your parent's home on Saturday. I'm glad to hear your doing well and like the results.

Don't rush out and buy too many new clothes after you get the drains removed. I'm just short of 3 months now and pants I bought one month ago are already baggy.

Keep us posted on how your are doing.

Hi Kelly! I am at their house- came here on Saturday. Thanks for the clothing tips! I don't know how much smaller I will truly be- I started out for this surgery much heavier than many of you who've posted. I'm 5'9' and was around 200 lbs (I'd gained after my lowest weight of 189 after my band was totally unfilled). I was wearing a 14 top and 14/16 bottom. If I end up at a 12- that would be great but I'm thinking I'll be a proportionate size 14. For me, I'm happy- I know most people want to be thinner. I just wanted the extra flab gone and now it is - woo!

Marjorie,

Glad to hear you're getting some rest and that the doc is taking care of you. Goog info on the doc, too. I'll keep that in mind with my search.

thanks! good luck to you as well! I'd encourage you to come to houston to get an opinion - the more people you talk to, the happier you might be with your results!

Hey congrats McGreen! It sounds like you are doing great. I can totally relate to the part about hating to be helpless because you are a control freak. Also - the part about not letting your Dad see you naked made me laugh. You don't need to burden him with THAT mental image for the rest of his life. ;o) I am sure each day will get better and we will all be amazed by the pictures after 30 days!

McGreen: You're doing great. I bet within the week you'll be able to put on the compression garment by yourself, especially when you lose the drains. Sounds like they are almost ready to go. I alternated from bed to recliner too. It's good to give different muscles a rest. Happy healing!

Just got back from seeing my PS. I have some fat necrosis of my right breast- its tender. That's where the blood supply to some of the fatty tissue of the breast becomes compromised for whatever reason and the tissue forms a hard scar. I also have a little bit of skin necrosis where one of my drains was. Have a topical treatment for that. My right nipple is larger than the left but he feels that's a function of swelling/remodeling of the breast itself and should sort itself out.

SO happy drains are out! I can now also sit! 20 minutes 3 times a day! I'm going to head to the store tonight :thumbs_up:

I can begin to drive at the end of next week. Very happy with the increasing freedom!

:frown:

Marjorie, I did not realize you were in Houston and that your lapband doctor was Spivak. That's who did my lap band as well.

How much total weight did you lose? How long after your weight loss did you start the PS process? Did the LBL include TT and muscle tightening? Finally, how much did it cost?