cori in wa

TMKey, my doctor also said I had a fatty liver prior to surgery. I was on a skim milk diet (as much skim milk as I wanted over a 10 minute period, 4x a day for the two weeks before surgery) and he said my liver looked "great" by the time I went in. The shrunken liver makes band placement smoother. It wasn't a lot of fun, but it wasn't impossible either. In fact, after a few days, I got used to it. I only lost 10 pounds in those two weeks, but my liver shrunk enough to make surgery safer, which was the main goal. Just an FYI. Good luck!

Congratulations... you made it through!!! Sending pain free and quick healing vibes your way. Remember to move and BREATHE!!!!! Take care of yourself and enjoy the entire process.

Thank you again for your posts and updates.... they are such a delight to read! Frangi, you are amazing! To be so energetic and upbeat after all that you have been through... just wow. I hope you continue to heal at this amazing rate and that your drains come out soon. Becky, like everyone else has said... holy moly! Those are some seriously incredible thighs!!! ha cha cha!!! (I think that is a Texas saying too). I'm sorry they are so painful but dang, if I get to vote I say they were totally worth it! Keep getting well ladies :redface:

WOO HOO!!! Go Salsa! Thank you very much for sharing your info and before pics. You are right, most seem to go with the lateral incision only so your procedure is fairly new to most of us. I've no doubt you are going to love the ease of movement and a wonderful flat belly when all is said and done. soon.... very, very soon!

Hey Kat... we are ready for some pictures, pretty please! It sounds like you are doing wonderfully well (yeah for that!!!) and healing beautifully. Such good news! So pictures, please oh please.

Another who loves reading all the details and tidbits found in your updates. The "realness" of your posts makes your surgeries and experiences come alive and lets the rest of us really know and allows us to plan for what to expect. Thank you very much for that! So glad you are both doing so very well :drool:

For what it's worth.... You have done amazingly, incredibly well and you should be PROUD of all you have accomplished. You had the PS for YOU. You worked hard, you earned the right for a change and now you're left with results that don't please you. You are young and you are going to live with those results (God willing) for a VERY long time. Yes, your PS is a major putz. And yes, it would suck to incur the cost of getting your breasts fixed so they look like they should have looked had the putz done it right the first time. But really, do you honestly want that guy working on you any more? I know it's more money and it stinks to absorb additional costs, but in the long run won't you be much more happy with a surgeon who cares enough to do it right? I'd seriously consider chalking the money up as a loss and talking with Dr. Schulman or Nurse Amy's doc about doing the needed repairs. It's only money and you are worth the best care you can get. Best of luck with your tough decision.

I'm almost there too and I. CAN. NOT. WAIT!!!!! I'm hoping that I'll be there by the 4th of July....

Kelly, best of luck to you! I've found that everyone is slightly different in what they can and can't eat at different stages post op. I know some who can eat anything and others who have very strict restrictions. You will find what does and does not work for you.... and that too will probably change as you progress. I'm just over 2 months post-op and more than what I can and can't eat I've found my eating preferences have changed. I used to love bread and now I'm not even interested after a bite or two. Before surgery I'd drink Crystal Light by the gallon and now I don't care for any of the flavors.I've been a huge fan of steak, all steak, my whole life and now only prime rib hits the spot. I LOVE salads, but after a bite or two it just doesn't appeal any more. I feel like I am eating simply to eat. So, pay attention to your belly and you will find what works best for you!

I hear your frustration Carol!!! It's been over 2 weeks and I've not lost a thing. My exercise is good (30 mins or more most days), my calorie level is good (700-900 most of the time), my Protein is where it should be (60ish grams per day) and I'm not eating the "bad" stuff. Folks keep saying they can see the changes in my face, and truthfully, I can too, but I'd sure love to see the scale drop below 200. We'll get there, just maybe not quite as quickly as we'd like

Hello ladies! SO glad to hear that you are both doing well (or as well as can be expected at this point!) and that you are experiencing daily improvement. I've no doubt you both loook fantastic and I'm looking forward to seeing your results. Please, continue to take it easy and take good care of yourselves!

Congratulations Steph! And so soon.... lucky you! Remember though, you will be swollen post surg so don't be disapoointed if you're not perfect right off the bat.... you soon will be :rolleyes2: I've been saving my $$ too so I can have my TT and breast lift at the one year mark. How ownderful to have that extra $4000 for fun on the new you

Congratulations on a successful surgery Becky! I hope you are doing and feeling well. A big old "thank you!" to your sis for posting that all is good. Hope the meds do their job and you heal quickly. Frangi.... very best wishes for complete success tomorrow!

Hello ladies and congratulations on your success! Carol OH, I'm sorry about your loss. Sheesh, what I mean to say is I'm glad you've lost weight, just sad for you that you lost your father. This loss stuff can get tricky! 37 pounds? That is amazing! Hope the stress eases soon, as well as the pain. Carol Il, sounds like you are doing great! 16 pounds is pretty darn awesome as well! Livn, good to hear from you too. I'm not sure of my total loss (haven't been watching the scale... it was making me nutso! I plan to weigh again on the 8th... and on the 8th of each month. At least for now) but I've given away just about all my clothes and I'm having to shop for more, so I know I'm making progress. My best to you all!

Congrats on all the successes Kat! Glad you are feeling so well and are able to do fun things... bet you look great in your new capris. Very much looking forward to seeing your pics.... bet you look fantastic!

Congratulations and the very best of luck to both of you! Not much longer to wait now... bet you are both getting anxious and excited :laugh:

BTDT. I think most of us do at some point. OK, EVERYONE I've talked to or known or met who has been through WLS has gone through this. Plateau's.... many times lasting a week or so, sometimes lasting as long as 3 weeks. But they do END. Some say add some calories, others say drop your calorie level (though the doc's I've talked to ALL caution against going too low with your calories.... to many side effects and negative ramifications). Some say increase your Water or Protein or exercise. Any of those may or may not work for you. I've found if I just stick with the plan, make minor changes as needed and ignore the days/weeks the scale doesn't move then I'm in a much better place mentally. Good luck!

Good luck with your new fill Tracy. Hopefully your restriction will be just right :confused_smile:

Congratulations Tracy.... that is a HUGE victory!!! Thanks for sharing all your stories.... you all made me smile and laugh :confused_smile: 6 weeks out today for all of us April 8 ladies.... how are you all doing? Happy b-day tomorrow Carol... enjoy that crown!

Hi Carol, Carol and Ami (fellow 4/08 surgery date). Congrats to EVERYONE on your success! No matter the number it is great to be going DOWN! I'm down 25 pounds since surgery, with 10 from pre-op for a 35 pound total. Like many others I went through a week+ long stall at 3 weeks, then lost sseveral pounds. I've heard repeatedly that stalls are just the way of things and the best way to get through them is to mix things up a bit (increase or decrease calories, add or decrease exercise, depending on what you are currently doing). But, they are NORMAL and to be expected. I go on and off the hungry thing. Sometimes yes, sometimes no. When I am hungry I'm careful to portion out my food and eat only the recommended amount. I also find I do WAY better if I don't eat starch (no rice or pasta) and if I limit the amount of sugar I eat. I can't do fats to any degree nor fried food, so that helps. Good to hear from everyone and keep up the great work!

Not only did my surgeon's group NOT introduce the possibility of PS post weight loss, the response I received when I asked about it in the open group forum was "most people don't require plastic surgery after their weight loss so we tend not to discuss it". I didn't undertsand then, nor do I now, how someone can lose well over 100 pounds and not need a bit of nipping and tucking. I asked simply because I was already interested in a TT, knowing that the skin over my c-section incisions was never going to melt away on it's own. Later, in the private session, I asked again about plastic surgery and was told I wouldn't need it. Due to my age (43) and the amount I wanted to lose (80 pounds) there wouldn't be much of a skin issue. I was disappointed as I already have an excess skin issue, PRIOR to losing any of the weight. I would have loved to have a PS available for a Q & A session either at or after the initial information session.

I've seen that many folks eat these often (myself included) and I find I get tired of the meat-only flavor. I've added pesto or skinny cream cheese, but today I found some sauces that are fantastic! Terrapin Ridge. I got the Hickory Honey, the Ceasar Mustard and the Orange Cranberry and all of them were GREAT as a "spread" for my roll-ups. One tsp is 15 cals and that was plenty for two slices of meat. No fat (trans or saturated), no cholesterol and 3 carbs. I found them at Tuesday Morning (I was looking for a house warming gift.... talk about a lucky find!) for $4.oo each. They are in bottles much like honey, with the pour tip at top. Hope someone else finds and enjoys them as well. PS, website (haven't checked it out, I would imagine it has more info) Welcome to Terrapin Ridge

down 20 pounds since start of pre-op and post band... yeah!

If you look at this with 4 days plus 2 liquid it IS tough.... so take a note out of the SEAL book and don't look ahead. Look at now, today. In hours, minutes, seconds, whatever you need to get through this. And you can and will do this! Six days is a lot, one day can be tough.... but an hour? Make it through for an hour. Then another. They will end and you will get there. Bless you!

I know a lot seem to prefer low carb, others Protein drinks, and some don't require anything! (Can that really be true?!) My doc seems to be the only one who requires a fat-free milk diet, two weeks before surgery. Yep, that's it. Fat-free milk (or 1%, PTL), all you can drink in 10 minutes, three times a day, then a glass at bed time. He's convinced that is the best way to shrink the liver as much as possible, which decreases surgery time and allows for smoother placement. What do all of your doctors require, and did they say why?