Chickie

Over the 18 months it took for me to lose all my weight, I averaged 9.94lbs / 4.5kg (that is just dividing the total weight lost by 18, some months I lost more, some less)

I have been at goal for some months now, and have had my reconstructive surgery. I was banded at 135kg / 297lbs, and over the course of 18 months lost about 165lbs. After my abdominoplasty, I lost a further 14lbs (not due to the abdominoplasty, but actual weight loss, I only lost about a pound or there about during the skin removal) After losing the weight, my goals changed. I am no longer focused on losing weight, but on living the healthiest lifestyle I can, that includes exercise, and a balanced diet. I am not really sure what else to say. Losing weight, and getting to goal is fantastic. But, it's not what I want to be be remembered for. I want my life to be so much more, and I am well on my way to doing that. Losing weight was just phase 1.

Yayy! Congratulations Cleo! Let the losing begin (or continue, lol) To answer your questions (sorry I didn't get to them before now) My Tummy Tuck was billed as reconstructive surgery, and was covered by my health fund and Medicare, so I was roughly $1800 out of pocket. I had my surgery at The Wesley in Brisbane. Congratulations again!

Mine did. And I no longer wear out the inner thighs of my pants.

Yup, from an 8.5 to a 6 (Aussie sizes)

I think a question far more important than "How much weight will I lose, doc?" is "How long have you been in practice? Can I see before and afters of people like me? How long will I have to wear a compression garment? How long will I have my drains in? How long will you keep me in hospital? How long till I can resume exercise? Will you need me to have an unfill? How long till I feel like my old self again? What can I realistically expect from my surgeries?" Just off the top of my head. Good luck with your consult Kristen!

Uhh, yeah, you can stretch to accommodate a babe after a tummy tuck. You may not be as flat as you were before pregnancy, but you can indeed stretch enough. It is recommended that one waits till after they are finished with having babies to have a tummy tuck, but that is only because you are going to the effort of having surgery to look all pretty and flat, and you don't want to ruin it by stretching the skin and muscles.

Thank you both. I am pretty happy with the way I look now.

Yes. A million times yes.

I love that I am now "Normal" thanks to my band.

The thing with getting Medicare to cover a tummy tuck is, you have to see the right type of surgeon, and have the right code and all that jazz. They don't call it a tummy tuck or even an abdominoplasty, its a (I am drawing from memory here..) a radical lipocectomy (I think, I would have to check my paperwork) It is for all intents and purposes, a tummy tuck, but it is renamed for Medicare. Another point is, if your case is not deemed "Medically Necessary" by your GP, surgeon, or your health fund, you may be out of luck. I know a few of the other Aussie girls here have had TT's and boob jobs and paid for them 100% out of pocket (Pav and Kell, I think) They may be able to give you a better idea of what you would be charged by a cosmetic surgeon (my surgeon was a re constructive surgeon, and I think that there is a big difference in the prices of re constructive work, and cosmetic)

Congrats on the 4kg loss! How up front was I with my family? Err... I don't think I could keep my mouth shut about it! I was lucky and the majority were very supportive, but the few who had doubts now tell me they were just worried that I had my hopes up for nothing. They had my best interest at heart I guess. Post op pain? I don't remember a whole lot of pain, but I am good with pain so I may not be the best person to answer that one (and my surgery was more than two years ago now, so the old memory is a wee bit fuzzy) I waited a week before I drove, but I am sure I could have done so by about day two if I really had to. Good luck!

All up after Medicare and private health refunds I paid about $1800 for my tummy tuck. Get referrals from your GP, and go to a Plastic and Re constructive Surgeon (Medicare will not pay if you go to a Plastic / Cosmetic surgeon, or if you go to any surgeon without a referral from your GP) If Medicare and my health fund had not paid anything towards my surgery, I would have been out about 7 or 8 thousand dollars. I would have to check all of my documents to be sure, about that roughly. Best of luck.

Hello everyone. Friday night I went out for dinner with the family. Everything was ok with dinner, got back to MIL's place, and I got a stitch in my side. Quite a nasty one too. This lasted for the rest of the night. I woke up with a sore stomach the following morning, and though "Oh, ok, I over did it at dinner..." and had really runny (almost liquid) bowl of oats for Breakfast (the thinking behind that was to give my stomach a break). By lunch my stomach was really bugging me, so I went onto liquids. I have had a fairly constant, but not overly painful burning sensation to the left, just below my ribs. And now I have had pain, and belching every single time I have tried to eat. Add to that an odd gurgling sound that is pretty much my soundtrack. I do have an appointment with my surgeon for the 23rd, and I also have an appointment with my GP for tomorrow. So I will be seeking medical advice, and care very shortly. I am not dehydrated, and am not weak or suffering, apart from not being able to eat without pain (to be honest, I have only tried to heat a handful of times over the last 24 hours, and it has me worried that I haven't eaten anything solid since Friday night, and here it is Wednesday midday, and I am still in trouble) So to my question. If I am feeling ok, apart from the (not overly painful, more annoying than anything) pain, and the annoyance of not being able to eat, should I be running to the ER? DH is beside himself, and wants to take me in. I keep insisting I am ok.... Would you go? Keep in mind I do have appointments with my GP in the morning, and my 2 year follow up on the 23 rd. I don't think I am being blaze about it, if there is a problem, the GP will tell me to get my ass to the surgeon (in fact, she would ring him herself, and get me in to see him that day, she is a gem) Thanks guys.

Thanks guys. The funny thing is I am not all that worried. What will be will be, if you know what I mean. My main concern is... Get this - That should I need to go into hospital, that I will not be here to oversee the renovations we have going on right now.

I always took the studied EWL % to be everyone's EWL added together, then divided by the number of people. Example; Jane has 99% EWL Dick has 45% EWL Mary has 76% EWL Frank has 25% EWL 99 + 45 + 76 + 25 = 245 / 4 = 61.25 % average EWL So while some do really, really well (Jane's 99%) the lower numbers in the study bring the average down. I might be wrong.

Precautions are only useful if you intend to heed them.

Sorry. I will not share the information. I am not all that comfortable sharing every single detail on line. As for the information being significant? I do not agree. One thing I have learned is that every band is different, every stomach is different, every weight loss journey is different. So when I had fills and how many cc's is irrelevant to anyone but me. And why am I mean? Because I don't agree with your opinions? I don't agree that self fills are a superb idea, that anyone (even children) should be able to see anything on the net that they like? That stalker ish behaviour is kinda creepy? But no matter what you say, filling yourself, simply because you find the travel to the doctor a hassle, and the doctor arrogant is not very intelligent.

Fills can be a big deal if you lay there with them poking around for too long. My second was done under fluro, I remember being really upset that I had to have it under xray (why I don't know, but anyway). So three days later, I got there, and It was so quick and easy, I wanted to have all my fills under xray! lol. My third, a month later doc says lets try this blind, and it was even quicker than the xray! I was thrilled. I had all my fills after that blind (I had an unfill under xray, but that is a long story) So no, one fill under xray does not mean you will have to have every fill under xray.

Wow! What an ordeal! I bet your fill under xray will go super smooth. If you have a VG band, no, a 3cc fill is not huge. If you have a 10cm, 4cc or 9.75cm 4cc band, yes super huge fill. I suspect you have either the VG band or the new AP band (I am unsure of the total volume of the AP band, I must look that up) Good luck!

Oh really? This research you speak of is a new thing is it? You never tried to find a fill doctor or nurse before you were banded? Any one considering banding outside their home country takes this into account pre banding. Or at least they should. Fine do your own fills. But please DO NOT advocate self fills like you have been. By saying that it is a risk you would take makes it appear as though it really is an option. It is not. There are some very young bandsters on this board. Take them into account when you type. As an adult you have a responsibility to set an example for them. To show them the way things are done. And I have to admit, it is more than a little creepy, the way you search out post of people you disagree with. I guess you are trying to find something on me.. Some dirt? Something you can throw in my face? The way you did to Efeka (I hope I spelt that correctly) Is that why you do it?

I had a really long detailed reply typed out. Simply; I like to keep some things private. As for the technical stuff? I am very well informed, thank you. I know exactly what the band is about, and how fills are performed (both under fluro, and blind), after all, I have had more than one. I know what brand I have, what size, how many cc's I have, when my last fill was, how many cc's that fill was. Hell, I even know the hour and minute my band was placed. I could go on forever. My doctor has taken very good care of me, but he is the first to say that I am responsible for my weight loss. I have at several points in my journey been 100% unfilled for various reasons, and my weight loss simply slowed down. It did not stop. That was because of the way I eat, and my exercise. And yes, I am on my doctors front page. So what? He is prouder than a new father of me, and what I have done with my band. You cannot make me feel bad about losing all the weight I have, or about the care I get from my doctors. You elected to have the band knowing that aftercare would be an issue. Wear it.

Congratulations! My TT was the best thing I did besides banding. Enjoy your "new" bod.

Hi! I am in Queensland, and I think there are a couple of others from the SouthEast around too.

I had my tummy tuck August '05, and my port was not touched. It is still just above my belly button (my BB is just way cuter now) No problems, no ill effects, and thrilled with the result.