I have my first appointment for a consult on June 19th, 2009. That is one day before my one year bandiversary! What an amazing year it has been! I can't believe I lost the 135 pounds in less than a year and now I am heading to flatlands!

I am hoping to get a lower body lift with a breast lift/ possible implants. I will post pictures along my journey. Please keep me in your prayers and any advice or tips would be greatly appreciated!

I could not have lost this weight without the help of my fellow lap banders, so many of you have inspired me!

Thanks, Allie, I am taking notes!!!!

Mimi

Wow I feel so awesome today~ Last night I actually went out for like a 1/2 hour. It was great to get out. Today I am planning on showering then going shopping. I don't plan on being out for long but enough to start to feel normal lol. I need to find a bra. My hubby tried finding one yesterday while he was out black friday shopping. I guess a 36DD without underwire is hard to find. My doc says no underwire for at least 6 months. It's because of the scar below the breast. I still can't wear underwear until I get my drains out which is so frustrating. I want to take pics!!! Oh another hint for those getting ps. Pickup some sensitive baby wipes. You won't be able to shower daily and they are great to freshen up!

I am glad you are getting your strength back. You are doing so well. Good luck finding that underwireless bra!!!! And your husband is a keeper!!!!

Mimi

I have been gone for a week and I came in to check on you, and it sounds like you are doing amazing. Congratulations! I would love to be able to have ps in about a year, and you have given some wonderful advice that I will be sure to remember. Oh, and a 6-pack! AMAZING!!:Yawn:

Happy Sunday! So yesterday was a great day, I ended up going shopping for a bit and then went out to dinner. I sat on the couch for a couple hours and chatted with friends. It was awesome. I woke up today feeling great and cleaned the kitchen and bathroom and exhausted myself. No going out today. My hubby has been shampooing our basement carpets today so I have been watching TV for the past couple of hours. Well my body is feeling awesome but so very weird. I have alot of the creepy crawly feelings which my hubby thinks is nerves reawakening. My scars are all really looking great. On my tummy scar though on the farthest spot on my right the skin is puckered alot. When I get my thigh lift I will get a revision there. My breast are still extremely swollen and hard. They kind of feel like when I had my babies and my milk came in. REALLY ENGORGED. We tried to find a bra but to no avail. I couldn't find anything without underwire in my size. I haven't taken pain meds, not even tylenol in 2 days. I know for sure when the drains come out I will be my old self. I can hardly wait for the rest of the swelling to go down so I can shop! I have lost weight every single day since surgery. I am glad I got that little bit of an unfill but not a total unfill. I can eat but still have restriction. My hubby is getting worried about my weight so he made me drink an eggnog shake today lol. I know it will all work out in the end. I can hardly wait to start excercizing. I have so much motivation right now. I want to tone my legs as much as possible before my thigh lift to get optimal results. I will be taking pics friday when I can put on some panties. I will post as soon as they upload lol. I have been putting up pics in my private album. Well, I am off to check on my hubby. Have a great Sunday evening!

Great post, Allie!!!! I am thrilled that you are doing so well and haven't needed pain meds in 2 days......AND cleaned house!!!!! You are a marvel.

Mimi

I've been lurking around here for a couple of weeks. Congrats on your successful surgery. It's been exciting reading about your journey.

I haven't read every single post, so if this has already been mentioned forgive me. Here's something that future plastics patients might find useful. In June 2008, my DH had his "tummy tuck" after losing 170 lbs. and most of that in the stomach area. We attended an informational session at a lab-band support group. One of the people who had had surgery suggested renting an electric recliner/lift chair. We checked into it and found we could rent one for $125 per month, delivered. That was money well spent! I believe you can use your medical flex spend money for this (we didn't probably because it was already spent on deductables, etc.). DH slept in it until able to lay in bed. The place we rented from couldn't pick it up on time, so he got a free week or more. We would gladly have rented it longer if he'd needed it.

I keep lerking in the plastics posts b/c I've lost nearly 100 lbs and most of that in hips and legs. Unfortunately insurance doesn't cover plastics for that area, that I' aware of... but I keep hoping someone will post that insurance will cover those of us with dragging "mud flaps" that are as difficult to deal with as hanging tummies. LOL

Allie,

Glad you are feeling so well. Still take it easy though. Don't do too much. Still healing.

BALI carries non-underwire in 36DD. My mom wears 36DDD and she buys non wire BALI. Do you have to wear sports bra for anytime? I'm in one for 3 months.

I have the same type puckering on my right side. don't like it. Will talk with PS next visit. Can't wait for all swelling go down too.

are you able to stand upright yet? when i get tired end up hunching some. Still feel stretching when stand upright. when does it end?

Good Morning! Skinny.. Thanks for the bali idea. I think I need to wait till the swelling goes down a bit. I am able to stand almost straight but hunch a little to keep from stretching my scar. I am healing so fast it's crazy. I do get tired easily and my back kills me after a while. I think I did something to my right breast. The other night while getting out of bed to pee I used my right arm to help get me out of bed and I felt a popping in my breast. It felt like I busted all the stitches around my nipple. I didn't think anything of it till last night my hubby said holy moly. My left breast is sooo bruised! It is black in some areas. I hope I didn't do anything bad to it. The bruising is not around the nipple but under it and all the way to base of my body. Crazy! I found myself so hungry yesterday! I ate more for dinner than I usually do in a day lol. That 1cc taken out really opened up my hunger. I have a fill appt on Dec 7 and plan on getting at least half of the fill put back in. I promised hubby I wouldn't get it all put back. I hope you have a great day!

Allie, I've been out of town for Thanksgiving. Just saw your photos and you look amazing. Looks like no swelling so if there is, you are goign to be so tiny when it's gone! Did they say how many pounds they removed? I bet you go down a couple sizes in clothes. Shucks, more shopping!

Thanks great!!! They said they didn't have a scale big enough to weight the stomache. but I weigh so much less than day of surgery. NONE of my clothes fit. I can only wearing comfy pants now and I have mediums and they literally are falling off of me!!! I am guessing I am a size 6 now. I can hardly wait to go try clothes on. Thursday drains come out and Friday I will be shopping!!!!!! Soo excited. I told hubby that's all I want is new clothes. He said there was no way my clothes pre ps surgery would fit me. He keeps calling me his itty bitty wife lol. I LOVE IT! I feel really tiny too. I am so happy with the way my body has turned out. My surgeon did a great job. Once I can put some clothes on I will be posting pics. And yes I am really swollen in all those pics. I still have tons of stuff draining which tells me lots of swelling still left. Did you meet with Apples???

Way to go Allie! Ive been lurking here on the PS thread for a while and am glad to here you are recovering well. Thanks for all of us who are watching your progress and hoping to be next. Hopefully this time next year I will be in the flat lands as well.

Hey there! Ok I'm hanging my head in shame, I have to admit that yesterday I did something I never thought I would do. I realized that since I was so loose with my fill I could eat. I went and bought a cheeseburger from wendy's and I ate it gahhh I haven't had a cheeseburger in 18 months! I realize that I am not in control. Without my band I would gain all the damn weight back. GRRRR. Thank goodness for my band. I called and changed my fill from dec 7 to dec 3. I know I need that control. Ok so unfortunately I am going to go get another cheeseburger today gahh. It was so delicious.. there I said it. Ok I'm moving on now.

I feel awesome! I took my first alone shower this morning. My hubby has been taking them with me in fear I would fall. I woke up and felt so great but wanted to feel clean lol. He's probably gonna kill me but it was glorious. I am healing really great. I even did my hair and put makeup on. I am so looking forward to these drains coming out. They are still filling every day which tells me I still have lots of swelling. I love how flat my tummy is! My boobs are black and green.. the bruising is terrible. lol. Good new the stool softeners are working like a charm and I recommend popping those alot after surgery. I should have been taken at least 3 a day and would have felt better alot sooner.

I did alot of my christmas shopping last night online. I used my "reward" points from my credit cards to purchase gift cards and presents and finished everyone except 2 step neices and my hubby and kids (they are half done). Not to bad. I got $620 bucks free from those reward points.. we always save them all year for christmas.. really helps take pressure off. :smile:

Have a terrific day!

Allie, you cracked me up!!!!! My vice when unfilled will be thick crust cheese pizza with extra cheese!!!!! Gotta admire you for going for it, knowing you won't be able to enjoy it so much or at all later on!!!!

Thanks for the heads up on the stool softeners, I will stock up on them. Sorry for your technicolor bewbies, I hope they don't hurt. I am happy for you that you felt so good this morning. Excellent progress.

And shopping online with points was a great thing.

Mimi

Allie,

So sorry about boob popping. Does it hurt bad still? Did you call the Dr. Are you taking any Arnica for brusing?

I'm so with you. With my un-fill, I've had cheeseburger, pizza, oreos, bread, movie popcorn. Too much. Haven't gained but don't know what I should weigh with what was cut-off and added w/implant. I still havent' called for fill. My port area hurts still. It's super tender. Plus I'm still taking my super potent vitamins and the pills are huge. Cutting them down they tasted awful and would get stuck in my throat.

Happy you got a good shower. It is amazing how much better we can feel afterwards. I'm coming down with a cold and feel yucky again today. Left work early. Gunna take a nap now.