TheGh0st

Well I think I'm officially out of it. Hubby still won't budge and it's a bit hard to argue that I think we can afford Vegas while I'm also telling him he can't spend $200 on a camel colored cashmere suit jacket he wants that I think is ugly.

Oh well. Maybe this summer.

Hey there Tracy. It was GREAT to finally meet you as well. She had two she showed as I remember. Do you mean the one that came with the built in bra? I'm so confused right now.

But I'm leaning towards one that covers my arms (at least to the elbows) and the annoying back fat bulge that I have around the bra line area. Actually my back doesn't look that bad without clothing but once I put on a bra and the dreaded Spanx girdle then I feel all lumpy in the back.

Opinions Please!!!

I need help! I braved an ice storm and went to a local band-support group this weekend. They had a guest speaker in to talk about compression garments and I really wanted to see what she had to say. Low and behold I won the door prize which was that I could pick any one item out of their catalog for free. No matter what the price.

Now my dillema. I only have the one girdle like Spanx that I've been hand washing several times a week so having a second garment would be great right now while I'm having to wear one 24/7. BUT my MIL has probably bought me one for Christmas and I don't really need 3. So here are links to the 2 I've narrowed it down to.

Full body suit arms, legs, the whole works: I like this as it can be custom made to my size and it would cover my stomach and inner thigh as needed by surgery as well as help with my upper back fat issues I have from my large chest. But I worry it might be overkill and difficult to get in and out of to do things like go to the bathroom with out fully undressing each time.

Style 28S - Mid Calf Body Shaper with Sleeves by Silhouette

I'm sort of leaning towards this one as it would address the back fat and flabby arms and could be worn in addition to the Spanx girdle I already have for my stomach. That might make it a bit easier to go to the bathroom.

Style 24VS - Vest with Sleeves by Silhouette

I really would like some input.

PS - if by some chance anyone sees these links and thinks they are interested in buying something for themselves. I'm told there is suppose to be a link thru from another site that will give you access to a 20%-25% discount on most items. I can track down that link if anyone needs me to, but I don't know it off hand.

Approximately 9 weeks since your TT. I am curious to know how you are feeling and if you are back to your normal daily activities?

Thanks in advance.

:giggle: I just phoned my local ps and am waiting for a consult date. Thank you for being one of my inspirations.....

I'm feeling pretty normal now, or at least I think so. I came down with something the week before Thanksgiving along with the rest of my extended family, and am still a little tired from that but so is the rest of the family so I can't really blame it on the PS.

Really I do feel back to 100% and the doc has technically cleared me of all weight restrictions, but I still feel more comfortable asking for help on is lifting some of the heavier items like the 40 pound bags of cat litter I bought over the weekend or asking my 45 pound son to crawl over my stomach when he climbs in bed with us.

The doc still has me wearing a compression garment 24/7 (except while showering) for another two months. And he wants me to massage the scar line twice a day with Vitamin E lotion. I've been trying to follow these rules but I have to admit once or twice this last week I've slept without the compression garment and I'm really only massaging the scar once a day now. My shoulder hurts so bad right now that I just can't bear massaging my stomach twice. Not to mention who am I rubbing this scar for? For my bikini line? *HA!* unless I win the lottery and have an inner thigh lift that is just not in the pictures. For my husband? If he wan't it so bad he can offer to help with the massage at least once in a while! So far he's done it once in 9 weeks and under protest. And for now I can't feel any scar tissue forming under the incision line. I'm not going to stop massaging it at least 2 out of 3 days as I feel it has really helped keep the scar tissue from building, but I just can't see getting worked up about doing it more often unless I start to feel some scar tissue forming.

OK I think that last paragraph didn't make much sense but I'm at work and don't have time to reread and edit. Hope you can make sense of it.

My goodness Ghost, if anyone needs to be jealous its me. You are dong fantastic. I am so proud of you! I have been following your PS thread. I can't wait to get close enough to get my legs done.

I know it sounds twisted for me to feel jealous but who says I have to be rational over this whole weight loss path? My jealousy (all in good spirit mind you) is in the speed of your scale moving downwards. It all good and well to say the closer to goal you get the slower it moves but it is a whole different form of hell to actually live it. Even worse when you keep thinking who the *bleep* am I to be complaining about the scale not moving when I'm as far as I am. But I still do. All different levels of guilt. So many years of being messed up when it comes to food and dieting not sure I know how to stop the rollercoaster of emotions just yet. But I'll get there someday.

I'm afraid I hate lemons with my cold Water. But I like the idea of adding honey & lemon to some warm tea that might just taste pretty good. I'll give it a try tonight. I also haven't been drinking near enough water lately. So far today I've had 2 diet cokes & 1 slimfast drink. NO WATER. Work ran out of bottled water a week ago and no one (including myself) has got around to replacing it yet. But that is no excuse I know.

Actually I'm leaning towards trying to get into my regular doc and seeing if I can't talk to her about the whole menstrual connection and also see if she won't prescribe me the diuretics.

Does anyone have any recommendations for a good over the counter diuretic?

No I haven't made an appointment. Don't know if I should. The swelling is not just limited to my stomach area it is over my whole body. I noticed yesterday that even my face is just a bit puffy. When I push on my forehead with something hard like the cap of a pen, it makes a little dent that stays for several minutes. My rings are also more snug than usual.

OK I realize all of this makes it sound like a no brainer to call the doc but he had prescribed me a diuretic (Lasiks?) before only giving me 2 pills. He says he doesn't like to prescribe them but didn't really explain why. So I'm not sure what the point would be in seeing him. If the swelling isn't localized so he can drain it and he won't prescribe more diuretics what reason is there to go? The swelling isn't uncomfortable just depressing as I have crept up to 175 which is about 6 pounds more than I was pre-surgery and 10 pounds more than I was not long after surgery. It makes me worry that it is not all Water weight and that I am somehow gaining back some fat.

One other factor I haven't mentioned is at 39 I'm starting to wonder if I'm going through the early stages of menopause as over the last year my periods have slowed drastically. My cycle has always been a bit long running every 5-6 weeks but this last year it has streched out to once every 3 months. (I am not on any birth control pills) The reason I mention this in conjunction with the swelling is that I just started a new period on Teusday night after not having one since September 3rd. So maybe some of this swelling is just a case of severe pre-menstrual bloating combined with the surgery swelling? Lord knows I hope so. I'd hate to have over 10 pounds removed from surgery then end up gaining enough weight that I weigh more than before surgery. Even if I do look "better".

Uhghhh!!!

I was banded on Oct 1...I have only lost about 36# total.

I have not had a fill yet due to my mom being very ill and me not being able to get to my Dr.

I hope to start doing better!!!

Don't be so hard on yourself. You are losing OVER 1/2 pound per day! I'm not sure how that could warrant the need to "start doing better". You should be proud of what you have accomplished in so short a time. Even more so as you have not yet had your first fill. Many people find until they have had several fills they are losing weight almost solely on "will-power" as opposed to with the assistance of "band-power".

Either way I repeat you should be proud of your weightloss to date. Congratulations:clap2:

Great Job Nume. It is so good to watch people like yourself who have been active and posting since before they were banded succeeding on this band-journey. I am so happy for how much you have accomplished in such a short time.

Am I allowed to be jealous? No? OK, how about inspired to get my own head back into the game?

I know what you mean. I can pull my pants down without undoing them. I really need new pants but hate to buy any until absolutely necessary.

I believe that being able to pull your pants down without undoing them constitues absolutely necessary . Go, Shop, Enjoy! I can't begin to tell you how much more fun it is to shop for clothes when you are losing weight instead of gaining.

Sorry no advice as I live in the US now but still wanted to wish you all the luck.

Try to keep in mind this phase is not really a "DIET" as much as it is a necessary evil to help give your body the best opportunity to recover smoothly from surgery. This might not help much but it did help me a little. It was always so easy to cheat on myself when it was just pounds but when I reminded myself that this was for my recovery it made it just slightly more bearable.

You are already half way thru the clear liquid stage. YOU CAN DO THIS!! You won't believe just how good mushies taste after 2 weeks of liquids.

Is your doc allowing Jello or sugar free (SF) popsicles on the clear liquid phase? If the doc is allowing Jello there are a variety of things you can do with it to change things up a bit. One is to run it thru a blender after it has started to get thick but is not yet set. Gives it more of a mousse like texture.

Amazing!! They are going to be SO SWEET once youv'e healed up. Do I see a little black dress in the future?

FSC YOU'RE BACK!!! WOOH HOO! Give us an update. How are you doing? Life treating you OK?

My stats are very similar to yours. 5'2" 170ish. I'm only 7 weeks out from PS and thinking that once the swelling goes down I'm going to call whatever my weight then is goal. I'm curious despite your stats I think you look 10 times better than me and still dream of looking as good as you some day. Don't know if it is all in my head and others would say I'm closer to that reality or what. But my question is, are you happy with how you are looking and satisfied with this being goal for you? Or is your mind playing tricks on you as well?

Amazing! I am so HAPPY For you! Those drains were a real pain coming out for me on my TT but at least it is over quickly. (Small comfort I know) How long will you have to wear the compression garments? And when will we be seing some unwrapped pics?

Congratulations Mimin I'm so excited for you. I can't wait to see your after pics.

ousooner started a thread recently on the beginning of his PS journey. It's called "Next step in finding the real me"

Breathe Karey, Breathe :girl_hug:

Isn't it crazy? I think I was more nervous about the PS than the band as well. (OK I'm assuming you're more nervous/anxious/excited about the PS from the tone of your message) It's like it was finally hitting me this might really be it. The big IT! Where I'm finally someone society would call "Normal". It is SCARY, my brain just hadn't caught up with that idea pre-PS (heck, even now I keep staring at myself in the mirror trying to size myself up) I was and still am to a lesser degree trying to wrap my head around the whole idea that this weight loss can be permanent and that some proverbial piano isn't going to come crashing down on my head (slippage, personal stupidity, etc..) causing me to gain it all back.

OK down to your questions. Am I happy I did it before I got to my goal weight. Heck yes! I know there are people out there who say you shouldn't do it until you reach your goal. But I trusted my doc when he said that looking at my skin and distribution of fat that after the surgery I would be able to lose another 30+ pounds if I chose to without it negatively affecting the appearance of the Tummy Tuck. My arms & legs that weren't operated yet will be a different story I'm sure but it was the tummy tuck I really wanted now to look more like the size 10 without the clothes that I was with them on.

I'm no longer in any kind of pain or discomfort, if you don't count my love/hate relationship with the Spanx binder they want me to wear 24 hours a day for the next 2 months. The swelling is still there. In fact I should probably call the doc on Monday but am one of those people that aren't always good about calling. My stomach isn't swollen much and I don't see any seromas (Fluid pockets) but a few years ago when I had my son I developed pitting edema in my legs. If you don't know what that is, it is swelling in the lower legs that when you press on it your legs look like they are made of memory foam as the dent just stays there for 10-15 minutes. My pitting edema didn't go away until I had lost around 50 pounds post band. But after my PS it has come back though not as bad. Some days I haven't noticed it but other days I can make 1/2-3/4" dents in my legs. I've been cleared for full activities and would say my energy levels are back to 90 if not 100%, but my legs swelling are probably a sign I'm doing too much.

Billie is back - That is GREAT News! I will have to try to get in to say hi before the holidays.

I don't know who's going to win. And I tell you even though I realize it is all just a game I just hope that it isn't Neil. I'd love to see one of the girls win.

Don't know about anyone elses but I went back and checked my notes. My arms were 17" the night before I got the band. Then 15-1/2" when I started the massage efforts. The left arm got down to 12-3/4". I apologize but I guess I over-exagerated when I said I had lost 3-4" just from the massaging, it was more like 2-3". I wrote that without looking at my notes. Still if you think about it thats pretty impressive. 2 years and 90 pounds down, my arms had only lost 1-1/2" then within a month of rubbing my arms they lost another 2+". I've heard that your skin can take up to a year to "shrink" as much as it might after weight loss so the rubbing may not have given me any improvements I wouldn't have eventually gotten to with patience. But then again I'm not very patient.

Change of subject. I have to give a shout out to Holly if she is reading this. I just got my hair cut by her last night for the first time. I heard of her through a contact at work who knew we both had been banded. I have never had so much fun getting a hair cut! We chatted, drank wine, exchanged band stories and compared stomachs. Oh and my hair is also pretty darn cute if I do say so myself. I'll have to post an updated avatar as soon as I can get a pic. If any of you other KC gals are reading this out there I HIGHLY recommend her.

I hate my arms but honestly they could be much worse even without the rubbing. So unless I win the lottery I highly doubt I will ever seriously consider having P.S. on them. But it is fun to dream.

Breathe in, Breath out.

We are all thinking of you. Even if you don't start another thread make sure to let us know you are doing OK as soon as you are up to it.

You go girl!

Never stop Raving!!!

I got the idea from a show on TV as well. It was called "Ten Years Younger" Not the weekly 1/2 or maybe 1 hour series but a 10-week mini-documentary that followed the journey of a group of people in Miami Florida trying to look 10-years younger. One of the women had some thin, loose skin albiet nothing like mine on her stomach. After 8 weeks of aggressive massages the stomach looked completely flat. They didn't explain how frequently or how long the massage sessions lasted only that it spanned 8 weeks and was intense enough to almost be painful at times. I still thought it looked a bit too good to be true so I only did one arm to start hoping to make it easier to see a difference. within a month the arm I was working was 3-4" smaller than the other arm. I say that shows some effectiveness. The next question I have which I have no answer for is do I need to keep this up now for the rest of my life to maintain the tone? or now that I've regained some tone is it here to stay?