threedoghouhome

Hi, I'd like to add my 2 cents worth! I did both together last year and Celebrate the results but you didn't give enough information for others to make valuable suggestions. Re the breast surgery, a lot depends on what you need done. I'm old (77 now) and my boobs were droopy and fairly large (38 C). I hadn't seen my nipples since I was a kid and I hated that. I also suffer from migraines and had been on many different meds as well as regular botox injections. My neurologist wrote a letter for the surgeon to submit with his request to have the breast reduction covered by medical insurance and it was actually accepted. If you have anything similar, you could try to have this covered. My daughter in law got hers covered because of neck and back pain as she was substantial! My surgery tightened up the breasts and moved the nipples to the front. Since I didn't require having the 'C' cut under the breast, the surgery was relatively pain free, believe it or not. If you need the 'C' cut under, the amount of pain definitely increases. By the way I have full sensitivity even though the nipples were moved. The tummy tuck sounds so cute but it really is a major surgery. Your stomach muscles are cut and that hurts ... a lot. Some folks can manage post op on a recliner. I sat on a recliner during the day but couldn't even lean over to shift the chair to neutral when I had to use the bathroom without help. I rented a hospital bed and a potty chair plus a walker for the nights and believe it's what made the whole experience possible. I put a liner on the floor between my bed and the potty because it takes time to maneuver yourself out of the bed onto the potty. I used the walker to help pull myself up from the bed. The floor cover gave me a sense of security if I didn't make it to the potty in time. I bought an inexpensive painter's drop cloth and taped it to the carpet. I never needed the walker to walk. The hospital bed comes with an automatic lifter and gets you almost to a sitting position with gentle lifting of the upper section of the mattress. I couldn't have done this by myself without strong arms to help as I had no strength from my stomach muscles to get myself up. Remember, I'm fairly old. My husband slept in another room as there wasn't enough space for the hospital bed in our bedroom so we picked up a baby monitor at a garage sale and used it at night in case I needed help. Never did need help but it gave us the ability to communicate as we were upstairs and downstairs. Now, to your decision. If your breast surgery is major, have it separately. If yours is not much more than mine, tack it on and get it all over with at once. I had very low blood pressure for several days following my surgery so they kept me in the extra few days. No big deal. The staff is kind and the service if needed is there. The Salvation Army lends things like potty chairs and walkers but you'll have to rent a bed. My feelings are that you will bless the bed and it's ability to lift you upright. Hope all this helps. Just want to share one more thing. The first time the nurses were changing my breast dressings and I saw my nipples facing up, I really shrieked with delight. Everything else, all the discomfort to have a flat stomach was livable ... my boobs are beautiful and I really love my flat stomach. I'm a size 12, still have places that should be trimmer but I can live with that. My doctor says that if I get sick, the extra 20 lbs I still carry will be there for me to fall back on. Can you imagine a doctor saying "Don't lose any more weight. You're fine!!!!!!"

Hi Alison, I'm in the muddy waters between surgery and first fill. At first, while everything was swollen I ate so lightly that I lost 16 lbs without even trying. Now, the swelling has gone down and I'm eating more to reach satiation but trying to not gain weight until I get filled. I exercize 40 minutes a day. Dr. Amson doesn't put any fill in at surgery and requires us to wait a full 8 weeks before the first one. So, here I am, trying to drink as much Water as I can between meals and watching the clock for mealtime. Actually, the morning is really easy -- it's the afternoon. I have a late lunch, wait an hour and then start drinking. By 4, I'm getting very antsy. By 5, absolutely starving. I make dinner at 6 and start nibbling what I'm preparing, I just can't wait. This is the hardest time of the day. We've been told to eat three meals a day of 1/2 cup food, starting with the Protein and NO GRAZING!!! Please, have you any suggestions? Thanks, Marilyn188

Hi Alison, I'm not struggling ... yet. It has been a bit less than a month since my banding and I've lost 16 lbs. Sure, I know the first few weeks are the easiest since everything is swollen and the band works well. My surgeon, Dr. Brad Amson in Victoria, BC, Canada doesn't use any fill during surgery but, so far, so good. There is, however, one time of the day: 5sh when I start getting hungry and no matter how much Water I drink, it doesn't help. The plan I've been given is to only eat 1/2 cup of food, Protein first, three times a day and no snacking!!! Any hints?? Brief background: I'm 73 (yes, Dr. Amson accepted me because I was so healthy) I have another 74 lbs to lose, my husband supports me in this new way of life, I ride my exercise bike daily plus another fifteen minutes of physio stretches for a bad back, I'm a retired elem. teacher turned full time artist. I'm a happy soul who is even happier now! If you have enough time to be a buddy throughout my working towards goal, I would be delighted. Please let me know, Alison, if you can add one more buddy. Thanks so much. Marilyn188