potatie

Hi Mimi, Thank you for your support. I really appreciate it. Hi Nazzy- The insurance that I have is Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield National accounts. They paid for my lap band and I checked to prior to lap band to see if they would cover the skin removal. They are covering the panniculectomy and the mons lift, but I am paying out of pocket for the upper adominalplastey. That will cost $4750. Thank goodness my dad is helping out with some of the cost. The way that I had the procedure approved was the documentation of skin rashes and issues ever since surgery with lap band. I even have a powder perscription for the rashes. Then I also had over a 100 lb weight loss and pictures to prove. I also had doctor documentation that my life was limited due to the over hanging skin, such as I am unable to run without getting nausous and I am unable to do a lot of yoga poses. Hi Josie, I am not sure if I am having any lipo, we did not discuss it at the first appointment. I am going to ask at the pre-op. He told me that I will look good after, but not like a super model. I am fine with that. :cool2: Thank you for being excited with me. I need all of the support I can get. My husband just had lap band surgery, but does not really understand the PS side of the journey. So we will see how everything goes. I can not believe it is September already. That means that November 6, 2009 will be here in no time. :tt1: I can not wait. Katie

Hi Josie, I have actually been following your journey. You are one of my inspiration people. :frown: Thank you for all of your thoughts. I kept that if Josie could do this then I can do this. Thanks for the tips about the chair. I do have a recliner down stairs. So if I do not have to rent another one that would be great. I am also lucky to have a rest room down stairs as well. How long did you end up sleeping in the recliner? Katie

Hi Sue, Thank you for the tips. I did check with my payroll person and I would qualify for short term disability. So that way I can actually take 5 weeks off instead of four. I am going to check into taking an intermittant leave when I come back. So that I can work my way back up to the time. Katie

Hi Jen, I am one of the people who can not eat in the morning. This is because I am just not hungry until about 11:00am to noon. So in the morning I will have my non-fat sugar free coffee and call it good. I am also one of the people that can not tolerate ANY cold drinks. I now have to drink warm water, soda, juice and nothing with ice, if I do I will PB all day long. I think the cold shocks the band closed. I asked my doctor about this and they said that it was common in lap band people for that to happen. So I had to learn to drink warm drinks. Good luck.

Hi Lynn and Special, The procedures that I am having done are the panniculectomy, mons lift and upper abdominalplasty. The insurance will cover the panni and mons lift and I am paying for the upper. That will cost me $4750. My dad has offered to pay $2000 so I am taking him up on his offer. I was surprised that the insurance did not cause any road blocks. My pictures must have been dramatic enough. They must have felt sorry for me. So I am scheduled for surgery on November 6, 2009. My pre-op will be on October 20, 2009. I scheduled so late because of work reasons. I am the only person in my store that does my job. So I should be done with holiday hiring by then. This will be the first day after Thanksgiving sale that I will be off in 7 years. :biggrin: I usually have to serve donuts and coffee to all of the early morning shoppers.

Hi Everyone, I am soooo excited. My insurance just approved my ps. I am now on hold with the doctor's group to set up the schedule. I can not believe that this happening. Thank you to my fellow shamrocks for being a source of support, comfort and knowledge. I do not know what I would have done without all of you.

aJoneen.........................-080 pounds lost! Andrew6........................ 119 lbs lost Bandana....................... 0 92 lbs lost BrandNewLisa............0 97 pounds LOST forever!!! evelas5000...................0 50 pounds Lost -- PS coming up! Desdemona...................0 67 pounds lost -- PS already! Fenton...........................0 102 POUNDS LOST !! -- MIA! HarleyGirl....................0 90 pounds LOST! Hopeinapril................. 0 69.3 pounds lost Kpodski......................... Lynnt1215.....................+1 64 lbs lost -- post PS! NurseNiki......................0 -119 lb lost Nycm00........................ 0 -66 lbs lost Potatie............................-4 150 POUNDS LOST!! Scrappy_Friend........ - 1 182 POUNDS LOST!!!! - post PS! SpecialK........................-1 120 lbs GONE forever! Sugarbean....................0 117 POUNDS LOST !!! Sharona.........................0 -70 lbs lost stellabella......................0 75 POUNDS LOST! Tess415..........................0 -80 lbs lost Thin2bme...................- .8 100 POUNDS LOST!! WestCoastMom............0 Wishin4...........................-2 86 pounds gone Thank goodness for my last fill I am finally down again. I was playing the yo-yo game.

Good Luck Lynn!!! Please let us know how you are doing. I will be sending painfree thoughts to you. :crying:

Hi Scrappy, Thank for your thought about your surgery. I just saw the PS on Tuesday and he said it was my option to have the muscles tightened or not. I am thinking that I am going to go that way. I want it all done at once. So he is submitting for the Panni and the mons lift. I do not think the mons lift will go, but he said that he has had great success getting it approved so we will see. He is the head of falculty for the hospital that I am going to. Also he works with a lot of weight loss people. So we will see. :biggrin: Thanks again for all of your insights. I appreciate it. Katie K.

Hi Scrappy, I am glad to see that you are feeling better. :bored: I am back from Las Vegas with some funny stories. We saw people from my home town of Forks WA and some of them thought that my husband had brought another lady with my parents being there and thought that my husband was REALLY rude for doing so, because here is the kicker THEY did NOT recognize me. :thumbup: Then there was another lady who has known me since I was born, because we went to the same church, did not recognize me both my mom and I speaking to her together. My mom had to point me out. :scared2: The funny thing is that I still think I look the same at least in the face, just 150lbs lighter. :tongue2: Katie K.

Scrappy you are in my thoughts. Let us know how you are doing. When are we going to see some pictures. I get to have my first plastics consult on 7/21/09. I am excited. I am leaving for Las Vegas on Friday. I am now one pound away from losing 150 by the time I left for Las Vegas. It still amazes me that I was able to lose 150 pounds in since my surgery date of 3/27/08.

Hi Scrappy, My doctor also told me to start checking into the "Panni" surgery as well. So I am going for my consult on 7/21/09 after my vacation. My surgen is really busy. The scarry thing is that my husband is having lap band surgery on Friday. :thumbup: We just found out last Friday that he was going in. So he is in his pre-op appointment right now. Katie K.

Amanda, You and your family will be included in my prayers. I am sorry for your loss. Hang in there and know that we are all here to support you. Katie K.

June 5, 2009 aJoneen.........................-080 pounds lost! Bandana....................... 0 92 lbs lost BrandNewLisa............0 80pounds LOST forever!!! evelas5000...................0 50 pounds Lost Desdemona...................0 Fenton...........................0 100 POUNDS LOST !! HarleyGirl....................0 85 pounds LOST! Hopeinapril................. 0 55 pounds lost Kpodski......................... Lynnt1215.....................0 NurseNiki......................0 Nycm00........................ Potatie............................-3 140 POUNDS LOST!! Scrappy_Friend........ -3 160 POUNDS LOST!!!! SpecialK........................-0 110 lbs GONE forever! Sugarbean....................0 117 POUNDS LOST !!! Sharona.........................0 stellabella......................0 75 POUNDS LOST! Tess415..........................0 Thin2bme...................0 100 POUNDS LOST!! WestCoastMom............0 Wishin4...........................0 84 pounds gone!! Yeah!!! I am finally losing again. I had have an unfill about 3 weeks ago. Then I went in on Monday had a little fill put in and now I am losing again.

I was banded on March 27, 2008. I have currently 140lbs in 14 months. Dr. Hunter and his staff are great especially Kat and Karen. I like the fact that they really listen to your concerns and when you need a fill they do not automatically give a tiny fill. You are given fills based upon your eatting and hunger habits. Also whenever I have needed an unfill I was able to get in that day.

Hi Lapbandgirl2009, My typical day is usually a 12oz or tall double shot, Non-fat milk with sugar free vanilla. I am really tight in the morning and I have a hard time eatting. Then for lunch I will have 3 pieces of deli lunch meat such as turkey or ham with a piece of cheese. Then for dinner I will usually have chicken or fish. Then for night time snack sometimes I have air popped popcorn, a skinny cow ice cream or even some dry Cereal. I really try to limit my snacking at night otherwise I would eat all night long. When I am restricted I do not search for food. When I start looking for food I know I need a fill. Just be honest with Kat. Also I remember being disappointed in myself at the second month, because I thought I would have lost more. I did not really start losing until about the 4th month. Then the weight started to fall off. So do not get down on yourself. You just have not found the "sweet spot" yet. The sweet spot is when you have the perfect restriction, you are not too tight or too loose. Keep to your fill schedule and you will do great. :thumbup: Katie K.

Hi Everyone, I was wondering if anyone has any expirence to share about their spouse now going to be banded? My husband just was approved today. I am very excited for him and I was wondering if anyone would be willing to share the type of support I should offer or more important what not to do. Thank you Katie K.

Hi thin2bme, Thank you for sharing your expirence. I am hoping that I do not frustrate him too much. I am worried that I will try to be bossy, not to be mean, but so that he would not have to go through some of the struggles that I had gone through. So I think I am going to practice keeping my mouth shut and only offering advise if he asks. I am going to have to pray a lot to be able to keep my mouth shut. :frown: Thank you again Katie K.

Hi Everyone, Everyone has been a such inspiration that I thought I would post my pictures. The picture that I am in the green sweater is me at 120lbs at my one year mark. I am now down 140lbs, but I will take more pictures later.

Hi Lapbandgirl2009. I really did not start to lose weight until my 3rd fill. After that it was like everything kicked in and the weight started to drop off. Then in the beginning of March I joined a gym and now I am toning up. So do not get discouraged. Everyone loses weight at different times and speeds. The important thing to remember is that this is a journey. We all did not gain all of our weight over night and we are not going to lose our weight over night. Also how is your diet? Are you eatting your Protein first? I found that when I did not eat my protein first that I did not lose any weight. Also if I did not eat the calories that I was supposed to eat I would not lose weight. So I recommend following the guidelines for fills. That is the form that Kat gives you at the end of the fill. The paper that says that if you can eat more than a 1/2 cup of food, if you can tolearate bread, Pasta, steak and chicken and if you are not losing 1 to 2 pounds a week then you may need a fill. So you may need a fill. Call Karen, she is really good at getting you in. Good luck and if you have any more questions just let me know.

5/15 aJoneen.........................1 75 pounds lost! Bandana....................... 0 92 lbs lost BrandNewLisa............0 80pounds LOST forever!!! evelas5000...................0 50 pounds Lost Desdemona...................0 Fenton...........................0 100 POUNDS LOST !! HarleyGirl....................0 85 pounds LOST! Hopeinapril................. -.4 55 pounds lost Kpodski......................... Lynnt1215.....................0 NurseNiki......................0 Nycm00........................ Potatie............................-3 140 POUNDS LOST!! Scrappy_Friend........ +2 160 POUNDS LOST!!!! SpecialK........................0 102 GONE forever! Sugarbean....................0 117 POUNDS LOST !!! Sharona.........................0 stellabella......................0 75 POUNDS LOST! Tess415..........................0 Thin2bme................... 100 POUNDS LOST!! WestCoastMom............0 Wishin4........................... 82 pounds gone!! I have only 10 more pounds until my own mini goal of being down 150 pounds when I go to vegas. So I will be off to the gym later on tonight. __________________

Hi Rhonda, Your prictures look AWESOME!!! I need to take some updated pretty pictures of myself. Did you go to a professional? I do not know if I want the pictures now or wait until I am at goal. I have about another 54lbs to go. :glare: Who would have thought I would make it this far. I really thought that I was going to fail and be fat forever. This thin thing is definately different. People keep asking me if I feel better and I feel that I almost have to lie because my head has not caught up to the rest of me yet. I know that can take some time, but it is weird to have people tell me I am getting too thin. They seem to get upset when I tell them I have another 54lbs to go. Oh well I am doing this for me and not them. I am going to do what makes ME happy for once and forget about everyone else. :eek: Katie K.

Hi, Welcome. I have started my journey 13 months ago. I am now down 136lbs. So good luck and you will do awesome. :thumbup:

April 24 aJoneen..........................0 75 pounds lost! Bandana....................... 0 92 lbs lost BrandNewLisa............0 80pounds LOST forever!!! evelas5000...................0 50 pounds Lost Desdemona...................0 Fenton...........................0 100 POUNDS LOST !! HarleyGirl....................0 85 pounds LOST! Hopeinapril................. .0 55 pounds lost! Kpodski..........................0 Lynnt1215.....................0 NurseNiki......................0 Nycm00........................ +6 OUCH Potatie............................-3 132 POUNDS LOST!! Scrappy_Friend..........0 160 POUNDS LOST!!!! SpecialK........................0 100 lost forever! Sugarbean....................0 114 POUNDS LOST !!! Sharona.........................0 stellabella......................0 75 POUNDS LOST! Tess415..........................0 Thin2bme....................-4.4 100 POUNDS LOST !! WestCoastMom............0 Wishin4...........................0 75 pounds gone!! YEAH!!! Down 3 this week.

Thank you for posting the article. The article spoke about what I am feeling right now with my weight loss. I am having a hard time dealing with people and the way that I am treated now vs. then. So this article really spoke to me. It is so nice to know that I am not the only person who feels this way.