LMarie_MD2b

I'm currently a second-year medical student here in STL MO; almost halfway done!! :party: I'm hoping to take a year between classroom science classes and my clinical years to do a fellowship with the Pathology department. I'm hoping to do an Anatomical/Clinical Pathology residency once I (finally) finish my MD in 2011 or 2012.

I was given the all clear for sexual activity at my 2 week follow up appointment (I believe my surgeon said, "Just wait til you leave my office"), so 9 weeks should definitely be fine. My fiance was a little freaked out by the scars' appearance, but he got over it when I told him it was ok. We had to stick to me-on-top, non-missionary positions until he was convinced he wouldn't squish my guts out. :biggrin: He's a silly guy like that. As far as gag reflex during oral, I'd be careful--vomiting, particularly right after surgery, is really dangerous for your band's position. You might take it extra easy in that respect, but I don't think you can really hurt yourself unless you actually do upchuck. Have fun! Burn some calories with your military man! :biggrin:

1) Sophomore year in college jeans!!! 4 years ago... wow. So stoked! :thumbup: Then, three days later... 2) I don't have any jeans that fit! These are too stretchy and loose... I guess it's time to go to the consignment shop. Wait, I'll try Old Navy first, since I'm here. 3) SIZE 12?!?!?!!? AMAZING! :cool2:

I had my consult at 229--I'm just under 5' 7"--and surgery morning I was 225. I have also always been a strongly built girl, so I was able to carry a lot more extra weight than most of my peers.... but not *that* much extra. It was definitely time to do something. My muscles (the ones I had in high school!) are coming back! I haven't lost enough to know about loose skin, but I didn't have a ton of fat in my belly area. It was pretty much equal opportunity in distribution. :-P Anyway, those are my two cents; best of luck to you as you start your journey. Come back with any questions! Let us know how it goes...

For those of you who are looking for a long-term (~5 years) option for birth control that is more cost effective, convenient, and more awesome than the pill overall, I'd suggest that you look into the newest version of the IUD--Mirena. Mirena It's more costly initially, even with insurance, but it can save you tons of money over the course of 5 years. It's a lower dose of progestin (with NO estrogen, so fewer terrifying side effects, like bloot clot/stroke, certain cancers, etc) so that's better than most of the versions of the Pill, too. The manufacturer suggests that you have 1 or more children before insertion, but I don't have kids, and mine works just peachy! If you don't like that idea, the Nuva Ring is another great option for lower dose convenient birth control. The patch is the same timeline, but it has higher hormone levels, and thus higher risks for blood clot and stroke, particularly in smokers (like all hormonal birth control). It has also been shown to be less effective in women with BMIs over 30, simply because of the diffuse delivery through the cutaneous circulation. Anyway--that's what you get when a future OB/GYN frequents the boards! Best of luck to all of you researching methods. :thumbup:

These are so inspiring! It's so very important to keep in mind that the number on the scale isn't the only reason we're doing this... I'm sharing a couple of my first 'significant' NSVs. --The shorts I wore in my "before" photo (which were tight everywhere, and looked like 1980s coaching shorts) are now loose all the way around my thighs, and the waistband actually slips down to my hips! I've never had to tie the drawstring before... --On my way to a conference this past weekend, I flew for the first time since my surgery. On BOTH trips, I had to TIGHTEN the seatbelt after buckling it! :hurray: I've always had to let the stupid thing out a few inches... --On the flights mentioned above, my stomach was 4-5 inches away from the tray table when I let it down! :wink2: I didn't have to "suck it in" just to write down my notes. --My thighs/hips stayed between the armrests in my seat; no more overhang for me!

I had my 6-week follow up appointment today, and we were supposed to be scheduling my first fill, but my surgeon decided to go ahead and do the first fill right there in the office! So... today was my first fill. :confused_smile: Best of luck to you, lady77, and to all the other Jazzy Junes!

:party:Jazzy Junes First Fill Lineup:party: :confused_smile: 7-14 Huggie Bear, Long2bThin, greyhoundmom, eagerbandi, LMarie_MD2b :smile2: 7-15 ginas, Insky67, Irish Ladybug, Da Gramma :crying: 7-16 kristiebandy, Doobee 7-17 Navywife Jenn,nannypants, mamamarie :huh2: 7-18 LIZZARD 7-21 Sassy V :drool: 7-22 livn4jesus, mimieg, livn4jesus :drool: 7-23 kkarryall, vzghj3, Cadets71 :drool: 7-24 rjtrimmer :drool: 7-25 brownbear, lessme :drool: 7-28 kiki220, CarrieD :drool: 7-29 Phoenix, Greythope :drool: 7-31 Jules K, iteachurkid :drool: 8-4 snuffy65 :drool: 8-5 Kathystrick :drool: 8-7 Nuali :drool: 8-26 Phoenix :drool: 8-29 kerryconner :drool: 9-17 TX Diva Jazzy Junes SECOND Fill Lineup :drool: 7-18 cathychatts :drool: 8-8 Whiskypie Jazzy Junes THIRD Fill Lineup :w00t: 7-31 Strikeuptheband :party:FILLED Jazzy Junes :party: :w00t: 7-1 Strikeuptheband :w00t: 7-2 Cathychatts :w00t: 7-7 TxJuneBug08 :w00t: 7-9 Amisha, Kizzie, whiskypie, rames767 :w00t: 7-10 gardengrl :w00t: 7-11 ajpink, MUSIC MOM :party:Filled AGAIN Jazzy Junes :party: :w00t: 7-10 Strikeuptheband

I'm Lacey. :tt1: I'm 23, and I live in St. Louis, MO. I'm a second-year medical student, so I basically have no life. :party: In my "free time," I'm planning a wedding for March 21 of next year--so I'd love to be at/around goal by the first of the year so I can get my wedding dress altered to fit beautifully and show off my new body!

I stepped on the scale today, and saw that I was down 28 pounds from my highest weight. I was pleased. :tt1: I logged on and updated my ticker. I saw that I have 56 pounds left to goal. That is definitely smaller than the 84 at which I started. (Even though the nurse at the surgeon's office said I could lose 98 and still be within my healthy weight range!!) I was pleased. :tt2: I realized that I was exactly one-third of the way to my goal weight (which I haven't seen since I was approximately 10.5 years old)... and I FLIPPED OUT!!!! :drool::party::drool: Happy dance, happy dance, happy dance! :tt1::drool: I'm 5.5 weeks out; I have two stinkin' pounds until I'm back under 200 pounds--and I haven't even had my first fill yet! I go in on Monday to schedule the adjustment. :drool::tt1: I LOVE MY BAND!! :drool::tt1:

I don't know about his policies for patients with existing Nissens, but Dr. Darin Minkin at Des Peres Hospital in St. Louis is another surgeon who will repair hiatal hernias and/or perform fundoplications during Lap Band surgery. I know a lot of the previous posters were from KC, but since it's so difficult to find surgeons who will do combination or revision surgeries, I figured I'd share my $.02.

Hey, guy--I was banded at 23 after my first year in medical school. I knew I would never make it through my clinical years with all the extra weight (let alone your shifts as a paramedic!), and I knew I wanted to be healthy for my husband and children. 23 is definitely not too young, if you're making the decision for yourself and for your health!

Larinshine: those are questions your OB/GYN should be able to answer, but your band surgeon should have an idea of how pregnancies plus the Band work. You want to make sure the incisions from the Band surgery have healed before straining them with the increased pressure of an expanding uterus and growing baby. You said you'd have to have a C-section, but if you were to have a vaginal birth, that would also require a strongly healed set of incisions. Fairy: I have no idea what's going on there. There isn't any way you would have enough endometrium to menstruate for 1 month...let alone 3. Ovulation, I would guess, would occur the standard ~2 weeks before your period started; it gives the rest of your girl-parts the signal to get ready for implantation. What you're describing sounds like a hormone problem--not necessarily PCOS, especially given your amazing weight loss. Ask your primary care doctor, or your OB/GYN, if you can get a hormone panel to figure that out. There's no good reason to have that type of cycle.