MichiganChic

I am not sure yet. I need to make sure I've totally healed, and I want the swelling in my left foot to be resolved. Some days it seems like it's getting better, then other days, not so much. I am anxious to have both legs be the same size, and I'm anxious to get rid of the excess fat on my lower hips, but not at the cost of my health. So, right now, it's a wait and see. How does the doc know it's not encapsulated? Now that I think of it I'm not sure how they knew mine was, but she absolutely removed a capsule. And then another....ugh, glad that's behind me! I think mine was also difficult to find a big enough pocket for the drain to be effective. They called it loculated, meaning it was a series of pockets. I think some were connected and some were not, so a drain was never going to work for me, either. Can you feel the seroma? I could always feel pressure and a vague sense of irritation/burning which was relieved by draining it. I live an hour away from my doc, and it's a horrendous drive either through or around Detroit traffic always during rush hour, so that made matters more difficult for me. I do hope you have a spontaneous resolution soon so that you can be over it, too. September is a long time to deal with this. I have been feeling like a perpetual patient, and I don't like that.

@@Oregondaisy I have that same recording. I can control it until about 9 pm, then I think I am just tired, and it gets harder. I go to bed at 9 most nights, and I always say nothing good happens for my diet after 9 pm! Most days I succeed in beating that ridiculous cycle of thinking, but once in a while it gets the best of me. I've been drinking Water lately, and it does seem to help.

I hear you. It's hard. Just curious - how much do you eat during a "binge"? I will usually indulge a little on weekends, but count those calories, and I know I can easily consume 2500 calories in a day. I am sure I consumed more on Easter because I ate candy and high calorie foods, and did not count them. I think I'm like you in that it comes on way easier than it goes off. I think I gain a pound with every 2000 additional calories eaten, and lose a pound for every 5000 calories burned. I know all the scientists will say I'm nuts and don't know what I'm actually consuming, but I really think it does work like that for some of us.

Only you can decide if it's worth the risk. I had GERD before surgery, and now I rarely have it - and even then, it's if I eat too much. As for hunger, I do have it now, but nothing like before surgery. And as for your concern about benefit vs. risk, I think that's a good question. I always encourage people to think about that, and I am usually the one trying to dissuade people with small amounts of weight to lose from having surgery. However, in your case, I assume your weight is lower because of a band. If you were to remove it and get a sleeve, you might be pleasantly surprised at how effective the sleeve is on a volume eater. I was both a volume eater and a grazer, and the sleeve cured me of the volume eating. I have to really work on that grazing habit. Regarding weight loss and pain, I've found a proportionate amount of pain to weight. The more I lose, the better I feel. I had generalized pain all over, and my joints ached all the time. As I lost weight, the majority of it went away. I have a knee that needs to be replaced, and just a few pounds - like less than 10 - really makes a difference for me. I can tell that I'm going in the wrong direction based on that knee. My point is, that last 45 pounds you have to lose could make more of a difference than you realize. I was a little surprised that a few pounds when you are at a normal weight could make that big of an impact. One other thing - I can eat pretty much anything. Have never vomited or slimed, and can eat more than a couple bites at a time. I live a totally normal life when it comes to food and eating - including having to watch what I eat to stay thin.

Lookin' good, sister!

I am 2 1/2 years out, and I still think about that, too. I've lost about 140 pounds and kept it off, and I KNOW that if I am not careful, I'll gain it all back. In the early days, it is a little shocking that yes, you do get full on a few bites. And that is a literal statement. food loses its appeal for a while, and eating doesn't seem worth the effort. Hunger is gone, or at least different. It is really such a relief from the relentless hunger and drive to eat that most of experienced pre-op. It's important to know that over time, things loosen up, and you will likely be able to eat more. Food becomes appealing again. You really have to work at the continued loss or maintenance. However, the hunger is either gone or greatly decreased, and the capacity is still much smaller, so it's doable. My point is this: It does and will work for the vast majority, but you also have to do your part. It's not a miracle. You have to decide every day, all day, how you will take advantage of this gift.

Your friend sounds she genuinely cares about you - enough to talk you off what she thinks is the ledge. She is obviously basing her opinion on what she thinks are facts. In her small world of knowledge about WLS, I'm sure it's enough for her to "know" this is a bad idea. I would try to talk to (not text) her. Tell her what you told us - that you need some support. Give her some facts and statistics. Have her come here and get opinions from the thousands of people who have actually succeeded. I don't know your friend, but she might be willing to reserve judgment since she cares about you. If she can't do that, then find support elsewhere. Eventually, you will prove her wrong.

Hey, good to see you poke your head back in. Glad you continue to do well! I too eat what I think are small, normal portions. I am so thankful for my normal life, every day. Sometimes I wish I had more restriction, but as long as I can continue on like I am, I'll be happy. However, I never forget I have a sleeve, or that I've made a permanent change in lifestyle. My weight and dietary habits are pretty much lurking in my thoughts. From the time I get up in the morning and thank God that I'm of a normal weight and get on the scale to confirm that it's still true, through every meal when I'm forced to think about what I'm putting in my mouth. I have not succeeded in changing my habits to the point that they are a natural part of who I am. I think it will always be forced for me. I don't care, though. I think there are people who have never been obese who prevented it by using the same behavior. But I bet they are never as grateful for the opportunity to be thin as I am!! Congrats on your continued success!

Love that show! I also had to binge watch it, too. That's my favorite way!

Yeah, my fitbit and myfitness pal and other such calculators say I should be able to eat around 1400 calories, but I can't. Life is not fair It explains why I was never able to lose weight, most certainly. I was not dealing in truths.

I don't go around preaching to strangers and acquaintances, either. If someone would have done that to me, I would have been offended. And it would not have done any good because none of can lose weight without the right mindset. No one can give that to us. The man the OP referred to clearly knows what he wants to do. People get bad health diagnoses every day, and they have choices. Depending on the disease, they can make lifestyle changes, they can have surgery, or they can take medication. Or they can do nothing. I know plenty of people who have been diagnosed with cancer and CHOSE no treatment. They decide to let the disease run its course, because for them, the treatment isn't worth the emotional/physical cost to them. They died, and they did so satisfied with their decision. It's a personal decision. Choosing to lose weight really isn't that different. It requires a drastic and permanent change in lifestyle. Some people CHOOSE to not make the changes required, and it's their right to do so. I think for us to judge them for is a bit righteous. Sharing your experience with someone seeking information is helpful. Trying to enlighten total strangers is probably not. I applaud the OP for her insight. She saw an opportunity that probably seemed like this person was presenting, and then as soon as she realized that wasn't the case, she backed off. Slightly different for me, is the case of my brother. He is morbidly obese and is now diabetic. I worry about him, and I know he will never be able to lose the weight without surgery. He is cut from the same genetic mold as me, and now has a disease that makes losing weight even more difficult. I do encourage him to think about WLS, but he is afraid of surgery, and I think he is not ready to change his lifestyle. That is his decision, and I respect it, but his decision also impacts us, his family. So, I'll no doubt continue to gently push on this with him. If he had a cancer diagnosis, I would also want to weigh in on those treatment choices. I probably sound hypocritical, but I see how approach strangers vs.loved ones as a different animal.

Yeah, it is always on my mind, too. Wish I wasn't that way, but after years of bad habits combined with bad genes and a propensity to gain, I know it's just going to be this way. But I'd rather struggle to stay thin than struggle and stay fat any day. It is much better life, for sure.

Then that's what works for you! Did you ever think you'd be 115 pounds!?

@@CowgirlJane Thank you for that story. I have a similar story and I'm arriving at the same conclusion. After this issue with the seroma and subsequent wound and now this crazy swelling, it does cause you to have a little Come to Jesus moment with yourself. I also have that loose skin on my upper posterior thighs, and terrible cellulite on my thighs. My thighs were better right after surgery, but have started to droop a little, and the laxity at my lower butt is enough to warrant a butt lift if I never had one. However, my before pictures were just hideous, and by comparison, it is still so much better. I have saddlebags on my outer thighs that I think look a little freakish, and I do think I'm going to get lipo. I also need a minor revision because my right thigh is bigger than the left at the knee. It was much bigger before surgery, but I'd like them to be more even so clothing fits better. As for the repeat butt lift.....not sure I want to go through all of that again and put myself at risk. Obviously, I'm prone to issues, so I need to really think about how much is enough. At what point is the risk no longer with it? My thighs are never going to be great, or even good. I am never going to look great in a bathing suit from the thighs down.So, in thinking about that risk/benefit comparison, I think the deciding factor is going to be the minimum needed for clothing to fit right. What I had done so far makes my clothing look and fit so much better, I'm thrilled with it. My arms and torso look great, too, and far exceed my expectations. My upper looks like a 25 year old, but my lower half looks like a 52 year old. It's important to really think about when is it good enough - and just move on and enjoy the fruits of our labor. Thanks again for sharing.

Hopefully this won't scare anyone, but thought I'd share what the seroma looked like before and how the wound was. All I can say is that it was a good thing I had years of experience as a Homecare nurse, because it might have upset me a little having to manage that wound if I didn't how. So much better now!

@@BethinPA Wow, that's a long time to deal with that! I had doxycycline injected into mine, but it didn't help. I would think a drain would help you. Honestly, that's hardly even a problem to deal with. Because the seroma I had wasn't just one big cavity, that didn't work for me. It didn't help that it was at the bend of my knee, so the cannula bent and stopped working. Do you have a capsule? Mine did, which is why it had to be opened up and excised. It is such a bummer to go through all of this, only to have a less than optimal outcome. Like now I have a bigger scar in that area than I would have had. Also, I still need some liposuction in my outer thighs, and I'm going to need a revision of my butt lift because that skin drooped, too. And you'll need a revision for stretched skin....ugh for us! But I still would do it again, and I do think it was worth it. I just think that my skin has NO elasticity, so I have to be realistic with my expectations. Some parts of me fared better than others. You just can't be 52 with a 30 year history of morbid obesity and expect to have no visible signs of it.

@@LipstickLady I'm so impressed! What did you publish? Let's see! Oh, we probably hate it when people hi jack threads, too.

My kids are older, in their early 20s and late teens. They have watched me struggle with weight all their lives. I have exercised on and off, been good and bad role model on and off, and really, really tried to just focus on 'healthy". They all have the propensity to gain weight, and my oldest daughter had a sleeve 6 months ago. So, while I think I'm a pretty phenomenal mother in spite of my failure to really teach healthy habits, you might not actually want advice from me! But I'm going to give you advice, anyway! I do think it is fine to weigh and measure food in front of your kids and read labels. I don't see how that is damaging to anyone. It's just a reality for some of us. It's not anything to hide or be ashamed of. By the nature of their genetic makeup, most of our children are probably predisposed to weight gain. Giving them some solid tools and actions they can mimic to control intake and weight is good. Portion control is critical to success in maintaining a healthy weight. I think making your time with your children active is a no brainer. Also, I think talking about and modeling weight management can only help your kids. Contrary to what so many people seem to think, they actually do listen to us. I suppose the trick is to not beat them over the head with it ad nauseum. Kind of like I do now.....talking about "I just want to lose 10 more pounds" over and over and over. Do as I say, not as I do

Can't believe I read this whole thread! That's 20 minutes of my life I'll never get back, and what's left of my stomach is in a knot! I have to say I am notorious for leaving out words. It drives me nut and pisses me off, and I do it a lot, even though I proof read. Sorry to anyone who is offended. Also, I have a crazy key board that skips around, so sometimes things are out of order and I don't realize it. I have a hard time reading run-on sentences, so I just skip those. If I glance at post and it's more than 2 lines with no punctuation, I just skip it (unless it was addressed to me). It doesn't drive me crazy and no one knows I'm ignoring them! And that, my friends, is the beauty of online communication!!

@@AvaFern how does your butt look now? Edit: LOL - just saw your response. Glad you have a good butt

@@BethinPA I am about healed, thanks for asking. I have a small open area the size of a Q-tip (cotton part) and the seroma is totally gone. I'm so relieved. I actually had tunneling that was nearly a foot in length, and a very large capsule. I don't think it would have ever healed without opening it up like that. I am now dealing with some swelling in my lower leg and foot that I didn't have before the last surgery, but I saw her yesterday, and she said she doesn't think it's anything to worry about. Surprisingly, the scar is not much worse than the original one, at least so far, so it might not even need revision. How is your seroma?Are you healed? I read somewhere on another thread that it stretched your skin?? Maybe it will shrink back down. Hope you are feeling better.

@@IcanMakeit good choice. However, there is no comparison between a tummy tuck and breast surgery. Cutting the skin hurts either place and that part is similar, but the surface area is much larger with the tummy tuck, and your entire abdominal skin is separated from the underlying tissue. The manipulation and sewing of the muscles is what causes the most discomfort. Everyone responds differently, and I've heard some people say they had little pain, so maybe you'll be one of them. If not, it doesn't hurt to know that pain is normal - and so totally worth it!! I would absolutely do that again.

You can start now. I'd get several opinions, and have that discussion with the surgeons. My doc told me there was really no more weight to lose. I was about 20 months post op and lost 140 pound, and had been at that weight about 6 months. There are guidelines about how close to goal you should be, so I'd ask the different doctors their opinions.

I would most definitely go to the hospital. I had my lower body lift at the hospital and stayed over night. I wasn't ready for my 40 mile car ride home then either. I don't think I could have done it the day before. I also had my arms done, and it was a 6 hour surgery, so the anesthesia really knocked me out. I had my thighs and breasts done at a surgery center, and that also ended up being about 6 hours. My surgery was later in the day and I had a hard time waking up, and didn't leave till about 10 pm. I kept trying to, but just couldn't stay upright. They should have probably sent me to the hospital, because my blood pressure was too low. I passed out at home in the bathroom, and the only reason I wasn't hurt is because my daughter caught me. So, if you have an option, go with the higher level of care. This is a major surgery, and the pain management will be much better in the hospital.

@TheRealMeIsHere! Is 115 a realistic weight for you? I would also have to net about 500 calories a day to get to a comparable BMI. I'm 52 and not about that life