TamifromAL

Bad news from the plastic surgeon. He can't seem to obtain a low-profile port. He said that the manufacturer will only sell the port to a bariatric doc, and when the ps called my bariatric surgeon, he said he won't order one for another doctor. I have a call in to my bariatric doc to try to persuade him otherwise. He told me himself that any surgeon would be qualified to replace a port. Dang it, this just pisses me off. :smile: I don't want to go through all this surgery, just to have this big bulge still sticking out, and then have to go through another surgery later, and add yet another scar (since the existing port scar will be moved during the lower body lift). I am sorely tempted to just tell him to just take the port out, and clamp off the end of the tubing. I wonder if he'd do that? I haven't needed an adjustment since May. Tami

I do NOT like that list. No almonds? Give up my glass of red wine in the evening, and my breakfast cereal? NO PEANUT BUTTER?? Uh uh. Nope. Not gonna do it. Thanks for sharing, that, Karey, but I'll stick with my doc's list! :smile: Nina, Lasix is surgery to correct vision, so you don't have to wear glasses (but I'm not really going to get it, at least not any time soon!) I might get contacts, though! I haven't had my blood work done yet, but will see the doc and get the labs done Tuesday of next week. I'm going out of town for the weekend, and have a ton to do today to get ready. So, I'm outta here for the next several days! Hope ya'll have a great weekend! Tami

I'm not sure exactly what you're asking, but I have donated blood since being banded, with no problem. Tami

Howdy, neighbor! So, if I'm a bettin' person, I'd say you're going to the seminar at St. Vincent's East (formerly Medical Center East) for the seminar by Drs. Miles and Schmitt? Awesome docs, and I highly recommend them! I usually attend the Lap Band support group meeting that follows the seminar, but I'll miss that one because I'll be one day out from plastic surgery. I've done phentermine, along with nearly every other diet aide and program there is. This is the first time in my life that I've maintained my weight for more than 5 minutes. I've had an awesome weight loss experience with the band. I've blogged a lot of my experiences, along with my food/activity journals at Obesity Help. Here's a link to my profile there: ObesityHelp - Gastric Bypass, LAP-BAND® System, DS and Other Surgical and Non-Surgical Weight Loss Options. - Profiles - TamiFromAL's Profile But, only *you* know whether you are ready to make the changes necessary to make this work. The Lap Band is simply an aide. You have to not only be willing to jump through the insurance hoops, you have to be willing to change what you did in the past that did NOT work. That means you might have to eat different foods, in different amounts, find other sources of entertainment besides food/drink, and you gotta move your body. You are so young, and if you can get a handle on this now, I truly believe your life will be richer for it. Tami

Just curious, do you *ask* if you can work in between sets? I usually sit at the equipment, if I'm resting between sets, but I don't mind *at all* if someone wants to work in. But, I shouldn't have to ask the frustrated-looking dude, "Hey, do you want to work in?" For all I know, he's pissy about something totally different. I'm not a mind reader. Tami

:frown: OK, that *might* qualify for overkill, but I ain't sayin' it! My daughter works at a tanning parlor. She cleans up the beds after people tan. eeewwww. I bought a HUGE pump bottle of antiseptic gel for the staff. Tami

I've heard that, too, Neal. And, those of us with surgery within the next two weeks really need to be extra cautious about our hygiene in general. We sure don't want to catch something that ends up postponing surgery. So, wash those hands, wipe down the equipment at the gym before you use it (after, too), and carry around a bottle of antiseptic gel, and use it often! Tami

Is UAL (Ultrasonic Assisted Lipoplasty) the same as SmartLipo? That's the type of lipo (followed by suction) that my surgeon does. Tami

Connie, you're one day ahead of me. Let us know how it goes! I'm confident that my labs will be fine, but ya just never know, ya know? And I'd rather not lose a $500 deposit because of a technicality! Yep. That's a requirement from the surgeon. I had to get clearance for the lap band surgery, too. Sounds like a grand plan, Karey, especially with a sore jaw! Hope it feels better tomorrow. You're just getting the whole "extreme makeover" treatment, huh? I've actually been thinking about Lasix next, :tt1: , when we can afford it! Love, love, love hearing your experiences! I also read the Plastics forum at Obesity Help, and way too many are about the problem cases. But that's usually the way it goes...people with positive experiences often don't post! So, thank you so much for sharing! However, I don't plan to find out whether or not I can do without the pain med, at least for the first few days. I plan to set an alarm, and take it on schedule! I fell asleep when I got home from the Lap Band surgery, and the nap overshot my next med dose by a few hours. When I woke up, I was in extreme pain, and had to get up to pee! Not a good combination. Then, it took like 45" for the meds to kick in. So, I learned my lesson. I *will* take my pain meds on time. Glad you're a little in love with the new tummy, Harley! :tongue: Tami

Hi Tracy (and others who visit us), thanks for popping in! I just got off the phone with the surgical coordinator at my ps' office. I faxed in a letter yesterday with all my questions, and she called with the answers. They still don't have the low-profile port, so I'm glad I nudged them on it! She said that the saline level in my band will not be changed, but recommended that I check with the bariatric doc. (I'm not gonna. Call me a rebel. I know I have a very moderate fill level, and I wanna keep it!) I asked them to mail my scripts (incl. pain meds, Zofran for nausea, and Valium for sleep, all in liquid form) to me, because I want to get them filled in advance. She said no problem, they'll get them in the mail. (This was something I learned after the Lap Band surgery. I *seriously* did not want to make a side trip to the pharmacy on the way home from the hospital, but had no choice!) Karey, I'm so sorry to hear about your sleeping problems and anxiety. As I was typing the paragraph above, I just wondered about whether you might want to consider asking for a script for Valium yourself! You need your sleep to be in the best health before surgery. I told him that I prefer no staples *if possible* (although my first priority is no open incisions!), and he said he would try to avoid using them. I asked whether he plans to tighten my rectus muscle, and he said that it will be tightened if needed. He said I don't need to worry about caffeine, before or after surgery. I told him my dilemma regarding getting surgical clearance/blood work (pcp won't clear me until I get blood work done, but I have to get blood work within 2 weeks of surgery, which is past the deadline for refunding my $500 deposit). He said that if I'm not cleared for surgery for health reasons, I'll get a full refund. So, based on that, I went ahead and paid in full!! Gulp. It's a done deal. 15 days for me! Tami

Lynn, I almost hate to admit it, but I'm going for my second go 'round with plastics on the 15th. The first time around was 12-1/2 years ago, and I had a bi-lateral thigh/buttock lift with mini tummy tuck, and breast lift/augmentation. This time I'm getting a full lower body lift, the breasts lifted and implants replaced, replacement of my lap band port to the low-profile port, and a medial thigh lift (if surgery runs too long, he may postpone the thighs). It will only be "worth it" if I keep the dang weight off this time! Tami

War Eagle!

Hey, I've got to *pay* for my surgery by Friday. Now *that* makes it real! Ouch! At least we'll get that part of the pain over with. Tami

Congrats LJM & Karey! It's tough to stay committed with the anxiety of surgery ahead. I'm doing much better, too, just trying to eat healthy and less of it, and keeping up with the exercise. LJM, I've had really good results in the past from Atkins (or other low-carb programs). It really goes along well with the band, since we're supposed to eat that protein first, anyway! I like to take a slice of ham, sprinkle on some shredded low-fat cheese, and micro until the cheese is melted, then roll up and enjoy! Yummy. Tami

Why thank you, kind sir!:biggrin2: Good luck with your upcoming surgery, and let us know how everything goes. Andy, I'm gonna be recovering from surgery right along with you, but I have a feeling I'll be in a LOT more pain than you! I'm getting plastic surgery on 2/15. And, before anyone who has seen me at support group says, "Oh, but you don't look like you need plastic surgery!", I gotta say, "Thanks, but you haven't seen me naked!" :Dancing_chief: Or, even in a bathing suit for that matter. But, hey, maybe I'll wear one to the April or May support group meeting!! (Oh, wait, don't hold me to that. I don't want to have to slip on stripper hose like Kirstie Alley on the Oprah show.) :rolleyes2: Tami

Oh, no, it was *my* bad! I totally misread what you wrote. I think I need to slow down my speed reading, because sometimes there's a speed bump that trips me up. :rolleyes2: I finally watched that episode of Big Medicine last night that I had TiVo'd, where the girl was talking about her "no touch zone", and having to make love with the lights out. She was so adorable, and absolutely gorgeous! She made me tear up a bit! Tami

I just checked my pre-op info, and there's nothing there about caffeine. Here's my list of stuff to avoid for 2 weeks before surgery: Aspirin (incuding any medications that contain aspirin) Certain medications (which he listed) Nicotine Diet medications The following nutritional supplements: Vit E, ginger, garlic, cayenne, bilberry, ginkgo biloba, ginseng, St. John's wort, echinacea, ma huang or ephedra, kava kava, valerian, yohimbine and licorice root, and melantonin. But, he also gave me a list of nutritional supplements that he recommends taking for two weeks before and two weeks after surgery, including: Arnica Montana 30X, biofavonoids, bromelain, copper, selenium, vit a, vit c, vit k, and zinc. Harley, I wasn't told anything about massaging the lipo's areas, but I put it on the list to ask before surgery! I was watching an episode of Big Medicine last night that I had TiVo'd. It wasn't the most recent one, but the one before that. One woman on it was getting a tummy tuck by Dr. JLo, and she had the lap band. Pretty cool to watch the port get cut out! Tami

Neal, I am the queen of anti-oxidants these days! I've researched "super foods", and really try to incorporate as many of them each day as possible. They are: Whole grains, especially oats Fresh fruit, especially citrus and dark purple fruit like blueberries Raw nuts, especially walnuts Red wine (Chilean wine is best) Dark chocolate (1 oz/day) Olive or canola oil Fish (salmon is best, but I *hate* it!), and other lean Proteins Low-fat dairy, especially yogurt (I love Greek yogurt) Green tea (I do cold-infusion, and re-use the bags, which reduces the caffeine!) Beans and other legumes Fresh veggies, especially dark, leafy greens like spinach, as well as broccoli, carrots and tomatoes (tomato sauce is even better for the lycopene) I also take certain supplements everyday, including a Centrum multi; Calcium +D, Zinc, and Coromega (Omega 3). For the two weeks before and after surgery, I'm adding the Arnica, Bromelein, and Vitamin C. I know, I'm a bit of a health freak these days. :tt1: My doc doesn't do a standard pre-op meeting either. I sent a fax in a couple of weeks ago with a bunch of questions, and one was "is there a pre-op meeting?". His nurse called me back with his answers to all my questions, and said that if *I* want a pre-op meeting (or more than one), that I'm more than welcome to schedule one, but that he usually just meets with patients the morning of surgery. I do have a few more questions that I've thought of since then, and I'll probably just fax them in again. I don't know that there's actually any reason to see him in person prior to surgery. Thanks for mentioning that about the green tea, Karey. For some reason, I was under the impression that green tea doesn't have caffeine, but it does. But, in researching it a bit just now, I found that the way I make it reduces the caffeine. Regardless, I'll double check my pre-op instructions about caffeine. I'm bound and determined to follow the instructions *to the letter*! I'm glad my ps is willing to do the port, because I don't want to be cut again if I can avoid it, especially since my band doc said that even with the port replacement, I will still see the port. He said it would be *better*, but still visible (which is what JulieNYC said, too). Tami

Hi Buffie, I was curious about this too. I actually tried to research a bit online, and all I could find was reference to calf reduction by shaving the muscle , which is apparently done more often in Japan. Hmm...I'd rather keep searching out "wide calf" boots than to have my calf muscles shaved! Tami

I'd a slapped him...hard. How rude. Tami

You should buy him this book: She Comes First, by Ian Kerner [ame=http://www.amazon.com/She-Comes-First/dp/B000FC1PRK/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1201553153&sr=8-2]Amazon.com: She Comes First: The Kindle Store: Ian Kerner[/ame] I haven't actually read it, but I've read several raving reviews! Tami

Karey, when I talked to my band doc last summer when I first stared ps consultations, he told me that he generally recommends an unfill for *any* surgery. But, I have a very moderate fill level (can eat just about anything), and my preferance is to do as you mentioned...get the new port, and have it refilled to the same level as before. I'll spend the night in the hospital, and I figure that if I was going to have any serious problems with swelling, it would probably occur before going home, so I could always get an adjustment before I leave. As for the nausea, I discussed that with the ps, and he's going to give me a prescription for Zofran, which is supposed to be a great post-surgical anti-emetic. I still have some Phenergan from my lap band surgery, but never needed it. I didn't have a problem with nausea the first time around with ps(that I can remember, anyway), but I had major shakes in the recovery room. I couldn't even talk, because my whole body was shaking. That's a weird feeling. My ps is also a general surgeon, and he didn't seem to think that replacing the port is any big deal at all. I was relieved, because the other three surgeons I talked to wouldn't do the port replacement, and said I'd have to have my bariatric doc do that separately. But, even my bariatric doc said port replacement is something that any surgeon should be able to do very easily. But, now that you reminded me, I'm gonna call my ps and make sure he's got the new port ordered! Tami

I really, really hated the staples that I had during my lap band surgery. I had little spots of inflammation at each point where the metal touched the skin. I think I might actually have a slight allergy to metal (or at least some kinds of metals), because I get a reaction when I wear certain rings. So, I was disappointed to learn from a nurse at my ps's office that he plans to use some staples on my incisions (she said that they would only be used at "high tension" areas for the lower body lift and medial thigh lift). Is that a fairly standard procedure? Or should I request sutures only? What method(s) of reconnecting tissues/skin did your surgeon use? Tami

I have one implant that sort of moved off-center, towards the armpit, which makes my cleavage uneven, even if I'm wearing a good bra. And, when I gained and lost weight with the implants, the implants (which are under the muscle) basically stayed where they were, while my remaining natural breast tissue drifted a bit south. Not pretty. He says he's going to fix all my problems (lift and replacement of implants) and give me the titties of a twenty year old. (Actually he didn't say that...I might have put those words in his mouth. :cursing: ) Of course, you may not have these kinds of issues if you lose more weight after getting implants, they may have been from *gaining* and then losing, which stretched out the skin.

Thanks, LA & Nina. I'll at least talk to him about it. I'd rather have itchy staples and "railroad" track scars than to have the incisions pull open, but on the other hand, I don't want him using staples as a convenience (because they are quicker/easier than sutures). If *that's* the case, hey, I'm paying enough money for you to embroider the darn incisions if necessary, :cursing: Tami