February/March 08 plastics

[kareyquilts 1]

Drkel: Would love to see before and after pictures. Hope you'll stick around and offer advise since you are a veteran at this. Several of our group are having surgeries this week, so it may be quite for a while, but it will pick back up. Read the back pages and get to know us.

Eugenia: So glad you found us. Good luck with your surgery this week. If you get nervous before than, post some more and we'll talk it through!

[drkel 0]

Drkel: Would love to see before and after pictures. Hope you'll stick around and offer advise since you are a veteran at this. Several of our group are having surgeries this week, so it may be quite for a while, but it will pick back up. Read the back pages and get to know us.

Eugenia: So glad you found us. Good luck with your surgery this week. If you get nervous before than, post some more and we'll talk it through!

Can't wait to get to know you all! I'm so thrilled/impressed with everyone's success! I've had my lap band for almost 5 years and wouldn't live without it! I need to have it replaced (Feb 27) b/c of slippage. I somehow got food poisoning that landed me in the hospital for 5 days--my band wasn't too happy. :thumbdown:

I'll try to find some before/after pics of my arm lift. I had about 4 inches of excess skin removed from each arm, and the PS also did quite a bit of Lipo to sculpt the arms. I was able to go from a size 14 shirt to a small petite afterwards! I don't like the scars--don't ask me why, but the surgeon placed the scars on the back/outside, and not the inner arm. Grrr...The upside is, the scars are fading. I'd rather have the scars than all of the excess skin.

Best to you all in your upcoming procedures...I'll be thinking of you!!

[HarleyNana 10]

drkel, so sorry you're having to have your band replaced, that's one of my biggest fears, losing my band :thumbdown:.

Welcome to LBT.

[drkel 0]

drkel, so sorry you're having to have your band replaced, that's one of my biggest fears, losing my band :thumbdown:.

Welcome to LBT.

Aw, it's nothing to worry about, really. I've had "my best friend" for 5 years. If I hadn't been so sick with all the vomiting from the food poisoning, the band wouldn't have slipped. I'm kind of excited to get a new band, actually. Mine is only a 4 cc band, and I have a high-profile port that shows through my clothing. I'm ready for my new, improved model! :thumbup:

[kareyquilts 1]

Drkel: Keep us posted. I think that Tami is getting a low profile port soon. I'm getting one with my TT on March 4. When are you getting your new band and port?

[HarleyNana 10]

Drkl, you've got such a great disposition. I too consider my band my "best friend".

Karey have you purchased any compression garments? I still use the one I got from my surgeon, but I also got the "tight" fitting panties to wear during the day. I still wear the "sports bra" type garment at night, I can't see where it helps very much, but it's more comfortable with it on than off. I've started sleeping on my side, actually, I started that the first week, which of course my little post op info pack says not to do. My doctor said it was more important that I get sleep than worry about sleeping on my side.

I've still got a lot of swelling from the Lipo area, and the girls are still going to be DD's and that's a over flowing DD. I was surely hoping for a large C or small D .

Have a great day gang!

[losingjusme 12]

LJM - You ready?

NOPE!!! yeah, i guess i am ... just want it to be over with. bet you are just going nuts right about now. about 26 hours from now you will be snooooooozing away!

Hi,

I am Eugenia and fairly new to LBT, I would like to join in. I am having brachioplasty on Feb 14, yep Valentines day. This is my gift to myself.

Eugenia

you are the first brachioplasty here ... i will update the 'roster'... welcome!!

Can't wait to get to know you all! I'm so thrilled/impressed with everyone's success! I've had my lap band for almost 5 years and wouldn't live without it! I need to have it replaced (Feb 27) b/c of slippage. I somehow got food poisoning that landed me in the hospital for 5 days--my band wasn't too happy. :rose:

I'll try to find some before/after pics of my arm lift. I had about 4 inches of excess skin removed from each arm, and the PS also did quite a bit of Lipo to sculpt the arms. I was able to go from a size 14 shirt to a small petite afterwards! I don't like the scars--don't ask me why, but the surgeon placed the scars on the back/outside, and not the inner arm. Grrr...The upside is, the scars are fading. I'd rather have the scars than all of the excess skin.

Best to you all in your upcoming procedures...I'll be thinking of you!!

drkel - welcome to our thread! so sorry to hear the news about your band. sounds like you have done a fabulous job with it though!!

all is well with me. i went home for the weekend and just spending time with my family (still sleeping - must be nice :crying: - not an easy thing to do with a 4 year old!!)

i am so ready for this surgery. i just want it to happen tomorrow! but of course, i am in no way prepared for it. i was initially going to get a hospital bed for my house for 2 weeks, but after trying out a wedge pillow, i decided against it. just an added expense i didnt really need.

take care everyone

[drkel 0]

Drkel: Keep us posted. I think that Tami is getting a low profile port soon. I'm getting one with my TT on March 4. When are you getting your new band and port?

My surgery is Feb 27. It's kind of funny---you know how the first time around it takes months and months to get in to your appt, get insurance approval, go to the psych eval, get your surgery date, etc? B/c of the slippage it took less than 2 weeks to get approved and get a surgery date! Awesome!

I''m also having them put my port lower this time around. This first port is placed in my upper abdomen...my doctor told me to just mark and "X" on my tummy where I want my new port! LOL :thumbup:

Looking forward to getting it fixed and getting back to normal!

[TamifromAL 1]

Hi everybody! I haven't been in touch, because I'm totally jealous of all of you who are still scheduled for surgery! :thumbup: Just kidding. I've actually kinda come to peace with it. I've just decided to worry about it another day!

Just wanted to pop in to say Best Wishes to Nina and Neal. Heal quick!

Tami

[losingjusme 12]

nina should be finished by now (5pm in France) and Neal should be at the hospital. his surgery is at 12 central.

how exciting!!! its getting here guys!!

[kareyquilts 1]

Nana: I'm blissfully ignorant about the compression garment stuff. I guess I'll get fitted next week at my 2 week pre-surgery appointment. Wear did you get the tight fitting panties?

Neal and Nina: You have been in my thoughts all day. I know you're going to do awesome.

LJM: Breath deeply!

Tami: When are you getting the low profile port?

[HarleyNana 10]

Karey, I bought a few pairs from JCP and some from Walmart and also Target. The best ones were from JCP, they were more firm.

Tami, I'm so glad I had the TT done :smile2:

[TamifromAL 1]

Tami: When are you getting the low profile port?

Don't know, Karey. I've just put things on hold for right now. We have a plastic surgeon who will be speaking at our lap band support group meeting this Saturday, and I'm going to ask him about the possibility of doing a port replacement during plastic surgery. I'm glad you were able to work that out for your surgery.

I post over at Obesity Help, too, and really got slammed because of my port bump. There was a group of people who had the Duodenal Switch surgery who were claiming that lap banders don't get to goal. So, I switched my avatar to my "torso" pic in the pink bathing suit so I could kinda shove it in their faces that, yes, lapbanders can and *do* get to goal weight. One of the DS guys said my pic makes him want to vomit because of the port! As a matter of fact, he said it several times. I got overwhelming support from others on the boards and dozens of PMs. It was all kinda funny, and an awesome opportunity to spread word of the band, and the potential for success without modifying the stomach and intestines, or the life-long potential for nutritional deficiencies that can come from other types of wls.

I also got an email from OH asking if I'd be interested in being featured in their magazine. I don't know how that will pan out, but it was an honor to be approached.

Looking forward to hearing from Nina and Neal!

Tami

[TamifromAL 1]

Tami, I'm so glad I had the TT done :smile2:

Nana, no wonder, you look mahvelous! Personally, I think the results from a Tummy Tuck or breast work seem to produce the greatest patient satisfaction. Unfortunately, the lower body lift and the medial thigh lift have limitations for what they can do for the legs. The improvements are more significant in the areas closest to the incision line. If someone (like me) has loose skin further down the legs, you either accept limited results or go with the lateral thigh lift, which comes with significant scarring and an extremely painful and difficult recovery.

Tami

[HarleyNana 10]

Unfortunately, I do have signs of weight loss in the inner thigh area, I had hoped the TT would snug that up a tad, but it didn't seem to help much. I mentioned somewhere before, the TT was not on my original visit to the PS, it was pretty much an after thought on my preop visit.

Thanks for the compliments :smile2: