Barbara278

I recently heard about a hair product that is used for chemo patients to help reduce hair loss and keep your hair healthy. I was wondering if anyone has ever heard of it or used it? I'm trying to be proactive with my hair since it's very thin to begin with. Supposedly this company guarantees satisfaction or your money back. It's very expensive though so I thought I'd find out if anyone else has tried it. Here's the web link: www.ovationhair.com :001_unsure:

Tomorrow will be my two year anniversary of my VSG. I'm still doing very well but have gained a few pounds back from snacking on candy. I'm working on getting that under control. I will be having Plastic surgery on Feb 1st. I'm pretty nervous but excited too. I'll be having a tummy tuck, arm lift and breast lift with augmentation. I'll post before and after pictures once I've recovered some. Best wishing to all on this journey! Barb

That's a great idea!!! I need a new bathing suit anyway. I'll buy one soon and post pics with it.

Ok, it's been over 2 months now. I'm just starting to feel back to normal. Things have all calmed down for me now. I still do have slight pain if I over due but for the most part am healed up. I have pictures to post, but I can't figure out how to post them without them showing up on the main board. They are my before and after plastics (hubbby took them). I want to post them and make them private but available to those that want to see them. Not sure how to do that. I will try to figure it out. I'm just in panties, so don't want them to show up on the main page. I think their might be a way to have the album private, but available with a code or something. If anyone knows how to do that please let me know. I'm so pleased with the results. I have gone down a size in pants and definitely wearing smaller shirts. My bra size is the same, they just aren't hanging like tube socks anymore. hehehe Barb

My doctor was Dr. Steven Vath! He's got two offices in the Denver Metro area. Very very pleased with him. As I mentioned in previous posts, he was quite a bit more expensive than others, but I was so impressed with the drain free surgery and with him that it didn't matter to me. I will be posting the docs before and after pictures soon. He wants to wait till the incisions and the swelling are better before doing the afters. I should be posting those the 2nd week of May. I'll just have to put little flowers on private parts. lol I'm so impressed already with the difference, especially in my arms. The scars from arm lifts are pretty bad, but I didn't care. Just not having the 4 inch wings is worth it.

Alot of us have been exactly where you are now! I was sleeved 2 years ago by Dr. Aceves. THE BEST THING I'VE EVER DONE FOR MYSELF!!! I saved my life by making the decision to get my surgery done. I was a self pay as well. I was scared and unsure about everything, but knew I had to do something. I didn't tell anyone what I was doing. I scheduled vacation time for a Mexico trip. That's all anyone needed to know. Just tell work you have the opportunity to go on a Mexico vacation and you are jumping on it. I didn't even tell my Family doc about it until I got back. I figured if she didn't like what I did, I would change docs then, but she was and is totally supportive. You can find another family doc no problem, you can't replace your life. Best wishes to you. ps: I get so angry when I hear a doc tell someone you just need some will power. How ignorant is that?

It has been an adventure to say the least. It'll be 5 weeks out tomorrow from the plastics. I've been planning on posting an update but was kinda waiting till I felt better. The combo of the meds they gave me after surgery really threw me for a loop. I was Prescribed Oxycodone and valium. I hired a RN to stay with me at the beginning per my surgeons request. I don't remember any of the first week at all. I did end up back in the ER and a 3 day hospital stay, but not from complications from the plastics. I'm a real light weight (no pun intended lol) when it comes to meds. So the combo of meds just put me in a daze. I spent 3 days in the hospital until I felt alert enough to go back home. The surgeries all went so well. I'm not going to try to candy coat it. It has been very hard. The tummy tuck which was the largest surgery was a breeze. No real issues, not even much pain at all. My breasts still hurt and are extremely sensitive. It hurts to wear the special bra they gave me, but each day is getting better and better. I have to say the arm lift was the most brutal and painful of all and it is the least obtrusive of the 3 procedures. The incision for the arm lift starts right above my bra and goes straight up through my arm pit and down to my elbow. For some reason the incision in my arms is super sensitive, so shirts, reaching or just bumping them is painful. I went back to work after 2 1/2 weeks. The first week I worked 5 - 7 hours each day as my stamina wasn't there. The next week I went back to 8 hours a day, but by the end of the day I was exhausted and basically couldn't do anything else. Each day is getting easier and easier and I'm feeling better and better. Doc says everything looks great. The surgeon I used doesn't use drains so I didn't have to worry about going back to get drains removed or having those yucking things poking out of me. It's a newer form or surgery where they don't use any drains for the tummy tuck. He's been doing it this way for about 5 years now. That's one of the reasons I picked this Doc. No drains is definitely the way to go in my opinion as everyone I talked to before said the drains were one of the worst parts of the surgery. I'm getting more energy each day and feeling better and better. I have my 2nd follow up the beginning of May and will post before and after pictures then. I was down 10lbs after the surgery. That's a lot of skin gone. I actually have a waist now. I'm thrilled. Will post more later. Barb

My plastic surgeon did explain what I can expect and not expect. There is only so much they can do. Age has a lot to do with your skin condition as well. Being I'm older, my skin has already lost elasticity. If you don't feel totally comfortable with the surgeon you spoke to, I would not use them. Do lots of research. Look at pictures of their patients so that you can see what kind of work they do. He assured me that my stomach will be very firm and flat. I will definitely post pictures of before and after so maybe that will help some. Best wishes to you on your journey.

Some areas did bounce back a little, but it really varies from person to person. It depends on your age (I'm 54) and your genetics. My arms are terrible. I have about 4 inches of hanging skin under my arms. If you look at my pictures you will see that my arms were really huge before my vsg, so I think it would have been impossible for it to bounce back.

Hi Mini!!!! Wow, so good to see one of my old time sleeve buddies. Looks like you are doing great!

None of the plastic are covered by insurance either. bummer

I had my VSG in Mexico with Dr. Aceves (Fanstastic doc) I'm having my plastics In Denver. I considered having plastics in Mexico, but was uncomfortable with having to remove my own drains and such. I prefer to have a plastic surgeon closer.

Not rude to ask at all. I had two different consults with two different docs. If you do more than one procedure, they will ususally give discounts. My first consult was: Breast Augmentation $4500. (would give 15% off with multiple surgeries) $3825. inplants $1750. Tummy Tuck $6750 Arm Lift $3750. (would give 15% off with multiple surgeries) $3187. This included Anesthesa and surgery room. So first consult total was $ 15,512 Second consult (This is the doc I chose) Tummy Tuck $5600. Breast lift with Augmentation $ 5500 (would give 20% disc w/multiple) $ 4400. Breast Inplants $ 1850. Arm Lift $ 4300. (would give 20% disc w/multiple) $3440. Anesthesa Fees $ 1650.00 Operating room fee: $ 3735.00 Total for all my surgery will be $ 20, 835.00 It's not cheap.

Well hard to believe that it's been 2 years since my VSG. Life really does become normal again. I've done fairly well, but have developed a few bad habits since surgery. I snack on candy which I never used to do prior to surgery. I am working on doing better at it. I've gained a few pounds as a result and really have to watch closely. I can pretty much still eat anything I want without problems. I am able to consume more than I could right after surgery but still not able to eat large quantities of anything. Which is great! I no longer have to sip my water. I can take regular drinks like I used to. I remember right after surgery and for a few months I really had to take baby sips of my drinks. In two weeks I will be having plastic surgery. YAH!!! I'm having a breast lift with Augmentation. A tummy tuck and arm lift. They will be doing all 3 surgeries at once. I knew eventually I would need to have plastics. I have lots of hanging skin that never bounced back. Partially due to my age and just my genetics. I'll try to post before and after pictures once I've recovered. This journey has been so worth it. It saved my life!

JohnnyBoy, congrats on the beginning of a new life! It's never to late to change your life. I'm 53 and just celebrated my 1 year surgery anniversary. I struggled with obesity most of my life, well from age 20 on. So 30 years of being fat took its toll on my body. This surgery changed my life. No more meds for High cholestrol, high blood pressure, joint pain, and no more cpap for breathing at night. It is well worth the journey. I wish you much success and a speedy recovery from surgery. Barb

Congrats on a year Mini! Hard to believe isn't it? This past year was a trying one but one of the best I've ever had. And I, like you, would do it over in a heart beat. Best wishes to your second year. Barb