Well I did it. After much searching and studing, I took a deep breath and made the call. I have an appointment for a consultation for a tummy tuck on Feb 9th. I am excited and nervous both at the same time. I am working on my insurance to help pay for a portion at least, we shall see. When I spoke with the PS office they infomed me that they deal with weight loss patients alot, and have worked to get insurance to at least pay some of the cost.

I have been reading the post on all of you who have been where I am at now. THANKS for the info. I will be counting on your further help and wisdom to get me through this process.

Laura

my mom sort of had that saying too. She called them a shanty bath. wash up as far as possible, and wash down as far as possible and then wash the heck out of possible.

Well today is 2 weeks post op for me. My house cleaners come every other Thursday, so I made big plans to be out of the house this morning. I started with coffee at Starbucks, and the paper. Went to Ross and Marshals to try on clothes, has to buy a few. Very happy with the sizes, YEA. Had lunch with one of my best Girl Friends then ran by JC Pennys to buy a new bed spread. BUSY DAY, and I am pooped. So the rest of the day is to be spent on my fanny when my feet up. I almost feel like a movie star or something, LOL. Now I just hope DH will cook supper.

I am so glad that I decided to take off 3 weeks instead of trying to go back to work at 2. I just dont think I could of made it to work today, at least not all day. But, work is an hours drive away, that is why I opted to not do half days. So glad..... I took it real slow today, so I do not think I overdid it, I am not swelling as far as I can tell, but will be pushing the Water the rest of the day.

Take care all,

Laura

Oh, I am going to do some before and after pictures (with clothes on). Got a really cut new dress today....drum roll........size 10 ...OMG...did you hear that....size 10 !!!! I was in size 16 when I started this journey. YEA

can you tell I am happy?

Laura

Wow, Laura, congratulations on your size 10!!!!! I started out at size 24 and hope to make size 10, but size 12 will be OK, if that is where I end up. Good for you buying new clothes and getting all prettied up!!!! Do you have to wear a compression garment?

Mimi

Yay Laura,

Exciting to buy those smaller clothes. I started at a tight 20w and now a 12. Would love to be a 10 or 8. I was wondering how long you took off from work. I plan to only take two weeks off but my third week will be during thanksgiving so will only work 2 1/2 days. I hope I'm up for it though. I am having a TT and BA. I had a breast reduction 11 years ago before I gained a bunch of weight. Now that I lost boobs are flat and skin stretched from weight gain. Need a bit more on top

Did you take Vitamins before the procedure (bromelean, Biotin, arnica (whatever that is)?

Hi Laura and Laura's fan club! :crying: I have been super busy, got layed off and putting the house on the market but dropped in to see how you were doing and girl you look amazing! :frown: What an amazing difference!

I had a quick question, did you have to have an unfill before the ps? Also if not did you have problems keeping food down after ps? I am booked for surgery not until december and am trying to get in the best shape I can for the surgery.

I am so impressed with how you have kept us posted and shared your journey. You are an inspiration! I started out at a size 24/26 and am now wearing 10's comfortably. I can hardly wait to get this kangaroo pouch cut off so I can wear the 8's I bought that are taunting me in my closet

Have a great day!

Wow, Laura, congratulations on your size 10!!!!! I started out at size 24 and hope to make size 10, but size 12 will be OK, if that is where I end up. Good for you buying new clothes and getting all prettied up!!!! Do you have to wear a compression garment?

Mimi

Mimi - Well, before surgery I went on to "Makemeheal.com" and ordered 2 compression garments. A stage one, for the first 2 weeks, and stage two for after that. I should of talke to my PS before I ordered and paid a bunch of money for them. He has me in a binder, and wants me to wear it for a month. I asked him about the compression garment (CG), and he said "Yes, you can wear that, but you have to wear the binder over it". It is hot here.....so I have just worn the binder like he said. I have considered sending the stage one CG back, but tried it on, and well I liked how it fit and felt, so I am keeping it for later. Who know I might want to wear it. And the stage 2, I will wear for sure after the month of the binder.

Yay Laura,

Exciting to buy those smaller clothes. I started at a tight 20w and now a 12. Would love to be a 10 or 8. I was wondering how long you took off from work. I plan to only take two weeks off but my third week will be during thanksgiving so will only work 2 1/2 days. I hope I'm up for it though. I am having a TT and BA. I had a breast reduction 11 years ago before I gained a bunch of weight. Now that I lost boobs are flat and skin stretched from weight gain. Need a bit more on top

Did you take Vitamins before the procedure (bromelean, Biotin, arnica (whatever that is)?

WOW - you have done awsome!!! I took of 3 weeks from work. And I highly recommend doing that. PS said some go back at 2 weeks, but it is hard. I have spoke to some who have, and will it is tuff going, you are very tired and achey by the end of the day. I just paid too much for this to mess it up. I was lucky, I had the time to take off. I am so very glad that I dont have to go to work next week. Do I think I could if I had too? YES. But I am so glad that I have another week to rest and recover. I have read that alot of the problem that pleople have after PS is because they have over done it too soon. I do not plan to be one of them.

Yes I took vitamines before surgery.....a good friend of mine had breast cancer and had to have reconstrution surgery. She gave me this diet she found, and she swears by it. She had very little brusing, no bleading during surgery, almost no swelling and her scar, well you cant hardly see it. What it is is -

2 weeks before surgery -each day take,

One multi Vit,

Vit C - 1500 mg

eat fresh spinich at two meals

Drink at least you 8 glasses of Water

3 days before surgery, same as above but add,

increse Protein to 100 grams

(I used protein shots, one has 45 grams drank one of them each day)

After surgery - Same as above but added,

Bromelain - 2000 mg (4 pills per day, take 2 in am on empty stomack and take 2 at bed time). They are big pill, I broke them in two.

Increase water intake as much as possible. I don't know if it made a diffrence but I drank "Smart Water" with electrolytes. I like the tast of it. I was able to get down almost 100 oz per day.

Be prepared to get up and pee alot, I got up every hour after surgery. My poor DH.... but it flushed everything out and I was supposed to move to keep away blood clots.

In addition to all of this, no vit E, no herbs that begin with G (ex. garlic). I don't know it this made a diffrence, but it has made me feel like I have been apart of my healing, and I am a controll freak. LOL

Laura

Edited July 31, 200917 yr by LauraP

Hi Laura and Laura's fan club! :crying: I have been super busy, got layed off and putting the house on the market but dropped in to see how you were doing and girl you look amazing! :frown: What an amazing difference!

I had a quick question, did you have to have an unfill before the ps? Also if not did you have problems keeping food down after ps? I am booked for surgery not until december and am trying to get in the best shape I can for the surgery.

I am so impressed with how you have kept us posted and shared your journey. You are an inspiration! I started out at a size 24/26 and am now wearing 10's comfortably. I can hardly wait to get this kangaroo pouch cut off so I can wear the 8's I bought that are taunting me in my closet

Have a great day!

Allie,

Fan Club, now that is funny. LOL

Was I unfilled for surgery? Well, I talked to my PS and my Band sugeon both about this very thing. I had went in for a fill back in April, and well lets just say, I was tooooo tight. So I had to have a slight unfill. Doc wanted me to wait 6 weeks before he did another fill. So I have not been very tight anyway. So I just stayed that way, and I had no problems. Just to note, and something I did not put in my post above about my diet. I did stay on liquid for the first 2 days after my TT. I did not feel like eating, and wanted to get in the Protein, so I stayed on liquids, with one exception. I did eat low sodium cracker before taking pain meds. I did not have any problems with my band. I just took it real easy the first week.

WOW, December.....I was like you, I wanted to do all I could to make this surgery a success. Every time I put something in my mouth I would think "Is this going to help me, or hurt me". My band was loose, and I dropped 10 lbs. That was all because of my mind set about having this TT. You will do great!!! And you will love FLATLAND!

I still cant belive I am here, Each morning when I take off my binder it is like unwrapping a present. I get excited to see my flat tummy. I know..... I'm weird. But I think only people like you and I can understand, after you have lived with the "kangaroo pouch" for most of your life, and then it is gone. And you have a belly button that is cute and not one that trolls could live in. And you can look down and see your "kitty" (LOL), without having to lift up flab and look in the mirror. Oh, I could go on and on......but you know what I mean. That is why I love this place. People who know where you are coming from.

I will be watching and looking forward to your journey in December.

Take care,

Laura

Allie,

Fan Club, now that is funny. LOL

Was I unfilled for surgery? Well, I talked to my PS and my Band sugeon both about this very thing. I had went in for a fill back in April, and well lets just say, I was tooooo tight. So I had to have a slight unfill. Doc wanted me to wait 6 weeks before he did another fill. So I have not been very tight anyway. So I just stayed that way, and I had no problems. Just to note, and something I did not put in my post above about my diet. I did stay on liquid for the first 2 days after my TT. I did not feel like eating, and wanted to get in the Protein, so I stayed on liquids, with one exception. I did eat low sodium cracker before taking pain meds. I did not have any problems with my band. I just took it real easy the first week.

WOW, December.....I was like you, I wanted to do all I could to make this surgery a success. Every time I put something in my mouth I would think "Is this going to help me, or hurt me". My band was loose, and I dropped 10 lbs. That was all because of my mind set about having this TT. You will do great!!! And you will love FLATLAND!

I still cant belive I am here, Each morning when I take off my binder it is like unwrapping a present. I get excited to see my flat tummy. I know..... I'm weird. But I think only people like you and I can understand, after you have lived with the "kangaroo pouch" for most of your life, and then it is gone. And you have a belly button that is cute and not one that trolls could live in. And you can look down and see your "kitty" (LOL), without having to lift up flab and look in the mirror. Oh, I could go on and on......but you know what I mean. That is why I love this place. People who know where you are coming from.

I will be watching and looking forward to your journey in December.

Take care,

Laura

I can hardly wait! My kitty looks like an old angry lion lol.. I want a kitty again! :crying:

You cat lovers are hysterically funny, but I soooo get it!!!! My time is coming, too, and I can't wait. Laura, thanks for the binder info, I will wait til I find out what my PS wants before I buy anything. Oh, gosh, I can't wait to get out of these grannie pnties and into something cute and dare I say, sexy?

The nutrition info was great and I printed it out.

Mimi

Mimi - I dont know if you could call me a cat lover or not. The kitty refrence came from a very funny story, well it is funny then anyway. My mom had to have open heart surgery, and they had to do one of those heart caths. Where they go into your groin area. Well she was one blood thinners and brusied very bad, and they had shaved her privates, and she was on heavy pain meds. Well..... my sister and I were helping her to the bathroom, and well, she said "Look Girls I have a purple Kitty". We almost died laughing..... one of those moments I guess.

The week of my surgery I went to Victoria Secrets and bought six pair of sexie panties. I have so enjoyed wearing them, even if it is with my binder on. I have worn them in my pictures. So you need to get you some before surgery so you will have them for you before and after pictures.

Yesterday was a funny day. It started out fine, but early on it was like BAM.... I hit a wall. I had no energy and just wanted to lay around. I was checking with with some others that have had this done and they told me that it was common. To have a great day, with lots of enery, where you feel like you can do anything. Then you will have a bad day, just wiped out. Two steps forward and one step back. I think this has tought me that I am not out of the woods yet. And I am still healing, and I need to take it slow and easy. So today is just going to be that. SLOW AND EASY....

I hate it, DH has all of these projects planned. We are putting our house on the market and there is painting and such to be done. But I will behave. One more week off work, I am going to make the most of it.

Take care all,

Laura

I loved your Mom story and it brought a smile to my face. I will get some cute panties ahead of time like you suggested. I have a question.....when they tightened your muscles and pulled down the skin what was the affect on the port and tubing? I am worried about that.

Mimi

anyone know if bcbs michigan covers tt

I loved your Mom story and it brought a smile to my face. I will get some cute panties ahead of time like you suggested. I have a question.....when they tightened your muscles and pulled down the skin what was the affect on the port and tubing? I am worried about that.

Mimi

Mimi - Like you I was worried about this also. I talked to my PS alot about this. I had heard of a few people who had problmes with their band after having a TT. The tubing had been pulled or kinked during the TT. He had worked on a few other band patients. And actually was very proud of himself, he had developed a way to roll the muscle, working with the tube. I also think it has alot to do with where your port is located. Mine is very high, kinda in the middle of my rib cage to one side. So it only affected the upper muscel tightening. He was very careful about the port when dealing with the skin. If I were you, I would just talke to my PS. Ask him if he has worked with other band patients. Stress to him your concerns. My PS also knew my Band Doc. He said if there were any problems he could call him in. That helped me not to worry as much. You have to trust you PS, that is the biggest thing. And talk to him about your fears.

Take care,

Laura