hungry4help

Went to get a fill last week and it was a bit of an adventure. Doc said I needed an UGI before he'd add more. The reason: concern that my lack of feeling full meant that I'd dilated my pouch. Luckily radiology could see me right away and I got tested and went back to my doc within the hour. Sweet. The good news: Very minor dilation and nothing to be concerned about. Still, he'd only give me small fill since the UGI showed that I was restricted. He added just .4. Not sure if it's in my head, but I feel it. For example, I used to easily have a large cup of chunky Soup. Now, barely a medium and I'm full. Sounds small, but makes a big diff in the long term. The challenge for me now is to remember what portions should make me full, then stop and visualize the size of my pouch. I don't want to enlarge it, so being mindful of its size is helpful with portion control. Exercise is obviously key. I try to get 12k to 15k steps in a day, plus working out and playing tennis helps. It ain't easy tho and I feel blessed that the band has been more friend than foe. The longer I have this thing, the more I realize that it's less about a specific target weight that I'm trying to hit. Being 170.2 lbs isn't necessarily going to make me happy. What will make me happy in a sustainable way? Keeping active, making a higher number of good choices rather than bad ones, and learning to listen to my body. It's a struggle. But I just keep reminding myself that I'm worth it. The better I take care of myself, the better I can take care of my family.

I guess different docs have different guidelines, but I do remember that liquids for 48 hours was helpful during the last fill. I'm sure there's a physiological reason, but it also refocused me on "good band behavior." Actually, my doc called today and moved up my appointment for tomorrow at noon. hopeinapril... congrats on taking up walking again. Don't know if you're interested, but I recently got a Nike Fuel Band (http://nikeplus.nike.com/plus/products/fuelband). I'm kind of a gadget girl, so it helps me to monitor how much I'm moving each day. It's a little pricey, but I'm finding it was worth the expense.

Hi all... It's been a long time since I've posted, but have been monitoring the thread over the last few months. Thanks to all of you for providing inspiration to lurkers like me. In some small way, i hope i can return the favor. As others have already noted, the last four years have flown by. I've lost more than 100lbs since being banded. I've always loved being active and now play competitive tennis 2-3 times a week, work out with a trainer once a week and walk home from work each day (about 1 mile). For the most part, that level of activity and my level of restriction has helped me keep the weight off. That's been true for the better part of the last year. But things have started to change. Slowly, but surely, the weight is creeping back up. I'm still working out and eating most of the same things, but I'm beginning to think my metabolism is starting to slow down. Has anyone else experienced this? It's disheartening. When I allow myself to, I start to feel frightened that a few slip ups will lead to a massive slide. I don't want to go backwards and I know how easy it could be to pack on the pounds. I've scheduled a fill for this Thursday -- my first in over a year. Maybe it will jump start the next phase of weight loss, at least I hope it will. Like many of you, I'm tight in the morning and through lunchtime. The only "real meal" I can eat is dinner--the later the better. Getting a fill will mean liquids for 48 hours, mushies for a couple of days and even smaller meals for a couple of weeks after that. Anyone out there have tricks to fire up your metabolism? Am already lifting weights and doing plyometrics. What do you all do? My band has given me my life back and I want to make it as useful as I can for the rest of my life. I'm beginning to realize tho, that I may have to adapt how I use it over the long term.

Jenna: just checking to see how your dealings with Oxford have gone. Any luck? Have they stated what your out of pocket expenses will be? What's the cost of your surgery? Anyone else out there, please feel free to chime in. I had my first consult earlier this week and the plastic surgeon suggested a full lower body lift. Total fees will be in the neighborhood of $17k; i live in Manhattan and his office is on Park Ave. Yikes. Will need to see a dermatologist to verify rashes etc, a medical photographer to document the sorry state of my skin, and get letters from my primary care physician and bariatric surgeon. All seems doable and I'm hoping to have the procedure done in late November.

if any of you who have oxford freedom, i thought this link might be of interest. looks like they will cover an abdominoplasty. https://www.oxhp.com/secure/policy/abdominoplasty_1008.html

glad to hear it went well. please keep us posted. have they calculated what your out of pocket expenses will be?

hey des... i hear you on the belly fat thing. it's where i carry much of my weight and it's the last thing to go. well, there's also my inner thighs, but that's another issue. i'm hoping to address both problem areas with an abdominoplasty and inner thigh lift later this fall. luckily, i think my insurer will cover the tummy tuck and i'll have to handle the thigh lift as out of pocket expense. as for exercise reducing belly fat. for the first year and a half, i saw a personal trainer 2x a week. it about killed me financially, but i really wanted to commit to the process. exercise helps too, but genetics and luck have the most to do with minimizing belly fat. core strengthening and crunches have helped a lot, but the 20+ years that i was morbidly obese have pretty much ruined the skin around my lower body. it's just not going to bounce back, sigh. nyc: so glad to hear you're getting a puppy. apart from being warm and cuddly, my little pup really helps keep me on track. she gets me up in the morning makes me get up of the couch each and every night for a stroll around the neighborhood. have that structure has been a real help for me.

hi all... i've been lurking too. actually, i hadn't logged in for several months but recently had a fill and thought i'd check back in on this thread. glad to see that so many from our cohort are doing so well. so much has changed for me in the last couple of years. a relationship has come and gone, i adopted a puppy, and i met the person i think i'm going to marry. i've also a had to have a port revision (too many failed fill attempts led to a leaky port). but more importantly, i'm done more than 100 pounds. i've got a little more to go, but i'm close enough that i'm thinking about a tummy tuck and an inner thigh lift. it's been a long strange trip. my food choices aren't always ideal, but my portions are under control and i've been seeing a trainer once a week and playing competitive tennis. next goal: a mini triathlon. hey, a girl's gotta try! since i got a fill last week, i've been thinking a lot about my food choices. to be honest, i still eat chocolate chip Cookies and fries with regularity -- just far fewer of them. i'm not a veggie person, but know that to maintain my weight and get really healthy i'm going to have to make better food choices on a more consistent basis. at any rate, thanks to everyone who posts here with regularity. i've never met any of you, but your stories have comforted me, made me laugh and kept me going.

Hi Jenna... just checking to see how your consult went. I hope it was all good news.

That's great, Jenna. Good luck with your appointment. Would love to hear how it goes. BTW: am sure you've already seen this, but thought it might be useful to anyone else out there who has Oxford Freedom. https://www.oxhp.com/secure/policy/abdominoplasty_1008.html

Did Oxford approve your procedure? I've got Oxford Freedom too and getting approved for my band took just a couple of weeks. Since then, I've checked and it looks like they cover abdominoplasty pretty readily. Am curious to know what your experience has been. Thanks in advance for sharing your story.

Hi all... Can anyone recommend a plastic surgeon in Manhattan? After nearly 2 years and plenty of hard work, I'm down a little more than 100 pounds and thinking it's time to consider an abdominoplasty and perhaps an inner thigh lift. For better or worse, there are plenty of plastic surgeons to choose from in New York City. The problem: which one to choose. I'm aware of local surgeons like Dr. Schulman who specialize in treating weight loss patients. But I do think it's important to consult with multiple doctors and compare their techniques and patients' outcomes. If you've had a procedure done and have a recommendation, please let me know. Thanks in advance for your help.

hubba hubba! you look great juli. once an inspiration, always an inspiration. thanks for posting the pic. now you've got me thinking about my own tummy tuck plans