JulieNYC

I can see mine after my PS and I wish I'd had it changed out when I had my TT. I had the chance to and I didn't take it. In hindsight, it was the wrong choice. I was worried about messing with my fill level, which would happen as they have to take the fill out when they change the port. I'd read that even if they put the fill right back in, it's never exactly the same and that scared me. Now though, I wish I'd had it done because I'm probably going to have it done in a separate procedure because it's really bothering me and it's visible to the eye both naked and if I have on a tighter t-shirt (most people don't see it but I do). Plus I hit it a lot and it's just bothersome. It even bothers me when someone hugs me. I think everyone's anatomy is different so it's hard to say if yours will bother you or not. For what it's worth, I wish I'd changed mine out during my TT.

Karey, I did hit a major plateau. Until last week, my weight hadn't changed at all since about 2 weeks after my PS -- i.e. 6 weeks or so. It was 100% my "fault" in that I really was eating whatever I wanted. My band and exercise were helping me to maintain, but I wasn't putting any effort into losing. As you know, once we're smaller, it takes real effort to lose. Anyway, yes, I do exercise quite a bit. I don't do long sessions, but I do exercise most every day -- usually about 40 minutes, 5-6 times a week. And about 3 or 4 times a week, my exercise is a 4 mile run, which burns a lot of cals. When I'm not running, I meet with my strength trainer once a week and then I do something else once or twice a week, like the bike or the elliptical machine. How do you do with challenges Karey? I am motivated by them. Let's try this: You're at 182. I'll send you a present from NYC (ooh, I wonder what it'll be....) once you've consistently maintained 175 or less for 5 days. By that point, you'll only have 25 lbs to GOAL. What you do think?

My Dad came up to visit last weekend and to do kind of a post-op exam to make sure everything was healing as expected. There were a couple of small places where scabs kept forming instead of the suture line completely healing and, as it turns out, in both places there was a stitch that he'd missed when he clipped the rest of them. Now that those are clipped, both places have healed over perfectly. Yea! His view was that the tummy came out wonderfully but that he was surprised how much more weight I've lost out of the breasts. I've lost about 20 lbs since my surgery. He's right on that, in that I was a D and now I'm a middle of the road C. He said to add a silicone implant later will be simple if it comes to that. He also said there's a good chance my body will naturally rebuild some breast tissue after I have the thighplasty. Apparently massive WL patients who undergo total body lifts (whether in one procedure or multiple) often gain breast tissue. The thought is that since the fat cells from the stomach, hips and thighs have been removed, the body gains weight more easily in the breasts and some patients see a cup size or more in increase in post-op year one. May I be so lucky.... As for the next surgery, we're doing a thighplasty and arm lift in December. He said, medically, he could do it today. Unfortuantely, I can't get 3 weeks off until December. Plus, it'll be an easier surgery if he doesn't have to do much lipo, so I'm to try and lose 30 lbs between now and then. Either way, I'll be at goal in December, which is cool. If I'm successful at losing that last chunk of weight, he thinks he'll do both the thighs and the arms on the same day. If I can't lose much more on my own, he'll do the thighs with lipo on one day, then a week later go back and do the arms. The arms don't have to be done under general anesthesia, so he can do them in his office OR once the big healing on the thighs is behind me. For those of you who are new to the thighplasty, it's essentially a continuation of the circumferential abdominoplasty. This time, instead of undermining above the incision (to cut out the tummy and side rolls) he'll undermine below the incision to lift the outer thigh and buttocks. It's still only an incision that goes around your middle like a low slung belt. All this time, I thought the incisions went around the top of each leg, like pulling up each leg of imaginary pantyhose -- that's not the case -- it's more like pulling up the waistband of the pantyhose instead of the individual legs, if that makes sense. I asked him if I could get away without having the arms done through strength training. He said my arms were just too far gone and he thinks I'd really be happier with an arm lift. I thought that was going to be the case but was actually kind of relieved to have that knowledge and to not be expecting miracles.

My BMI was 68 when I was banded. I was not interested in the bypass as a first course of surgical action. I'm not saying that I'm anti-bypass -- if the band hadn't worked for me (or if, God forbid, I ever lose my band), I might have had it. That said, I don't think for someone in their 30s who wants to have a child (like you and, maybe, me), any doctor should be pushing you into the bypass. The band lets you absorb the nutrition you need to carry a child to term. My view is a doctor who puts weight limits on the band might not really believe in the band, which is a red flag on that practice for me. My advice is to continue your research. You need a practice that fully supports your long term goals. Follow up care with the band is paramount. There's no medical reason to go bypass with BMI>60 that I know of unless you've got a pressing co-morbidity that could take your life if you don't lose the first chunk with incredible speed (something like uncontrolled BP). Don't give up on the band. Find the right doctor.

Katie, I didn't lose at all between going on solid foods and my third fill, then all at once the weight started coming off. Hopefully, your second fill will be the magic one, but if it isn't, don't be discouraged. You're going to get there. And with your phenomenal attitude about exercise, you're sure to be dropping like crazy in no time!

Dawn, You're being hard on yourself when, really, you've done something great. 1:18 is a perfectly respectable time and walking gets you to the finish line just as running does. You finished. You completed a race that was over 6 miles long. Fourteen months ago you weighed nearly 200 lbs more than you do now. As hard as the race was, just look at what you've accomplished! I bet the heat got to you. I have days like that too, definitely. Some days are good runs and some days aren't. I think the best solution might be to go on and sign up for another one. Did you get a medal? They gave out medals at my race. I love it. I almost wore it to the office today. Wink.

I LOOOVVVEEE the Wii! A boxing game sounds like great exercise. Maybe I need to get a Wii. They're so fun. I love the tennis too -- it's another alternative hig energy game. I finished my 10K in 1:08. I was really happy with that!

Good luck on your race tomorrow, Dawn! We're going to do great. Can't wait to hear how it went for you and to tell you about mine. Take care, Julie

It's unlikely that you'll be overfilled on your first fill. I'd go ahead with it if I were in your shoes. Your goal is to get to the proper restriction level as quickly as possible so you'll get as much assistance from your band as possible, whether you're at home, at work, on vacation, etc. Since fill #3 is often the "magic" fill, I'd definitely go on and get it, even if I was going to be out of range from the doctor for a few days. If it were fill #2 it would be a harder call, though I'd probably go ahead with that one too! Have fun on vacation.

Banded 14 months, down 180+ lbs, looking to lose 30 or so more. No complications whatsoever -- just control over my food for the first time in my life. I think this is the poll you're looking for. Keep in mind it's located on a complications forum -- all forums have a high percent of problem cases (on the theory that happy bandsters need less support about band problems). http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f79/bands-eroded-slipped-still-successful-bands-25889/

Congratulations, Julie! Here's to all the Julies reaching goal in year 2!

Derbygirl, I saw this thread this morning and thought of you: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f17/october-bandsters-23737/ Have fun, Julie

Can we all just pause for a minute and discuss how FABULOUS TracyinKS is looking?? WOW -- what a difference in your progressive face shots, Tracy! You look wonderful! You must be feeling like a million bucks.

Faithmd, At about the 8 week mark, I felt completely healed. My energy is 100% back and I have no more muscular soreness. I'm like the old me except no pannus and no feeling for about a 2 inch stretch across my lower stomach. I'm told the loss of feeling is normal and likely permanent. I have no loss of sensation in the breasts, which is also the norm. I'm back to working out regularly, which really helps my mood and, in turn, my eating (not wanting to eat crap). I dropped another clothing size sometime in the last couple of weeks, even though I've not lost that much in actual weight (maybe 5 lbs last month). No better dates yet. I'm still keeping my eyes open.... That's about it!

I took "Slimquick: the Female Fat Burner" that I purchased at Walmart. it's essentially a caffiene pill. I found that I couldn't tolerate the final recomended dose, which was 2 pills twice a day. I could do 2 in the morning and 1 in the early afternoon, but if I had one after about 3, I couldn't sleep and got jittery. I do think the pills helped me to exercise harder and longer, which helped with a few extra lbs. Overall, I'd say maybe the bottle helped me to lose 2 extra lbs in a month of taking the pills. I didn't buy a second bottle for a couple of reasons (mostly I didn't like feeling slightly jittery), though I'd consider it again if I were to hit a stubborn plateau.

Ask your surgeon. Mine would say you're close enough. Within 20 lbs is a safe zone and that the PS will take you there.

I'm in the fortunate position of having a plastic surgeon for a father, so cost wasn't a factor for me. Believe me, I know how lucky I am. Insurance wouldn't have covered me at all. I had no medical complications from my pannus and breast lifts are almost never covered.

My doctor only recommends 45 g of Protein for me a day (I'm 5'2). I have a Starbucks FF cafe au lait (12 g), 1/2 cup of cottage cheese (12 g), and either a piece of fish or a high protein yogurt (either 16 g) almost every day. Total calories for these 3 items = 250 cals, for 37 g of protein. Then I can eat almost anything else I want for the other 750 cals and I'm going to meet my protein goals. If I were a taller person, I'd eat a little more fish or cottage cheese and I'd still meet my goals on very low calories. Try a strained yogurt like Fage Total and/or a "whipped" cottage cheese like Friendship 1%. I loathe normal cottage cheese, but whip it (or blend it at home) and it's one of my favorite foods. Good luck!

I was in exactly your position a few months ago. I was taking zantac every night and really watching the timing of my eating, which MOSTLY kept things under control, but if I'm honest, I was still sleeping on 3 pillows and feeling very burpy when I woke up most days. Not full blown reflux, but my pouch wasn't empty when I woke up, as it should be. I didn't say a word because I was losing so well and didn't want to chance feeling that crazy pre-band hunger. I went along like that for about 6 months. Then I went for my annual exam and they did a barium swallow, just as ordinary course for 1 year out. My doctor, who is known to be very aggressive with fills, forced me to take out just a tiny bit based on the esophogram (I'd still never mentioned a word about POSSIBLY being too tight). I went from 10 to 9.5 in my VG, which is akin to going from like 3.3 to maybe 3.1 in a small band. All this is to say that I was really concerned over nothing. A month later and I can tell you the only difference in my very slight unfill is that I sleep like a baby on one pillow now. The same amount of food fills me up and I stay full just as long. I had a little head hunger for about 2 weeks, but even that seems to have gone away now. Being too tight is dangerous for our long-term band health. I totally understand where you're coming from -- I was there -- but having been forced to unfill just a little, I have to tell you, it's better. Good luck!

Flying does affect the band for many people, me included. If I triage (which for me means not eating at all on the plane, then taking it easy in quantity and texture for about 2 meals off the plane), I'm totally fine. If I pretend like the band isn't affected by the flight (i.e. eat challenging foods/quantities within 24 housr), I get in trouble. In other words, I treat flying as if I've had a PB -- I go easy for a day and things return to normal. I'd get the fill. 1 more cc is going to be fine for you (I bet that's what he'll give you) and you can't let life (here, vacation) get in the way of your WL progress. Something will always get in the way. Have a great time on vacation!

6 miles is awesome, Boo. Way to go. Speaking of timing, I've had to back off on my timing a little bit. I was trying to run 10 minute miles and I just wasn't able to sustain them for more than about 2, or on a great day, 3, miles. I need to run a little further than that on most days, and a lot further than that on training days, so I had to go back to my 11 min pace. Running at 11 min is reasonably enjoyable and sustainable for me, where the 10 minute pace was becoming something I dreaded. Strangely, I can't seem to get my heart rate above the 140s at an 11 min pace (ideally I'd keep it in the 150s, which is where it is at the 10 min pace), but I've decided that's just what it'll have to be for now. The scale moved to the magic number -- 39 (i.e. thirty-something) lbs to go!

I guess I'm in the opposite camp. I'm pro-banding for teens. I think an obese teen is stastically certain to be an obese adult (there are exceptions from statistics, but the numbers are so small). It's probably relevant that I was banded at a practice that is part of the FDA trials on teens too, so I see a lot of them and their successes, which has influenced me. Basically, I would never encourage surgery for a teen who hadn't brought it up first. But if a teen came to ME asking for advice about banding, I'd support it 100%. I believe banding is the most logical tool to combat obesity and that obesity is emotionally harder than being banded is. I believe that, for the obese, years unbanded are partially wasted in that they could have been better years with the band.

Derbygirl, I'd actually had the same thought and think it's a great suggestion that would benefit all (including those on group chat trying to find their threads). Would you feel like raising the point to a moderator?

You ROCK Libra! I'm so excited for you. Way to go!! That's awesome news. I remember when you joined the Twoterville thread and here you are, having rounded the corner of an equally impressive milestone. You're such a success. Keep up the good work.

Susie, yes, please join us. Welcome! Tell us more about what kind of exercise you plan to do to meet your "going for the gold" challenge? We're always looking for new ideas on this thread. Molly, what if you don't aim for actually getting to the GYM during this transition phase (i.e. your new job) and you just aim to go for a walk after dinner with your hubby? I think you're in GA, which means it's probably really hot and muggy, but that's all the better for weight loss, right? The scale moved 1.6 this morning -- WOOHOO! I can't believe in another TWO TENTHS of a pound, I'll have only 30-something pounds to lose to have a NORMAL BMI. How crazy is that?? My Dad's coming to town this weekend and I'm looking forward to his views on my next (and possibly final) PS.... Have a great day all.