MamaMichelle

Thanks for all the replies, I have been lurking and it so great to see so many people still working hard to keep the weight off. I thought I should post a quick update- I am 24weeks today and have gained about 8lbs with a small 1.1cc fill in a 4 cc band. Baby is healthy and growing great, even measuring a little ahead of her due date! For some reason over the last 2 weeks I've been Pb'ing and having a hard time keeping food down, after talking to the doctor I found out that because I have always had problems with allergies and have recently developed pregnancy congestion basically my nose is draining snot down my throat into my stomach all day which is irritating my band and causing tightness. Over the weekend I couldn't keep anything thicker than tomato soup down so I went in today and had all the fill removed. Luckily my belly is still pretty small and my port is pretty high so there wasn't much risk in getting unfilled this late in the game for me... I am of course worried about being totally unfilled for the first time since being banded and since I've got 3.5 months till this little one is due I know that I have to keep eating healthy and not give into the temptation of things like rolls, pasta and burgers since I am now technically able to eat them (never could before with the band without getting sick). I'm not so worried about gaining the weight- I know I need to for the baby's health- it is more about starting down that slippery road of eating all the supersized portions (and junk) that caused me to need a lap band in the first place! For example I just ate a medium sized ceasar salad and because I don't feel that familiar "fullness" I want to go back to the fridge and get another entire helping- but I must resist- I am not hungry- I just like to eat. Grrr Guess we will see what happens! Here's a belly pic from last weekend (24 weeks preggo) Hope everyone has a great week!

Well howdy again bandsters, it's been at least 1.5 years since I've checked in here...bad me I know but after reaching my goal of losing 100lbs in my first year of being banded so many great life changes came to me I haven't been online much. Just in browsing it seems like so many of my fellow 2008 bandsters are still here and doing Amazing which is so great to see!! An update on me, my wonderful husband and I are expecting a baby in July!! So I thought I'd stop in, pick up some Optifast for those tight mornings and see what kind of info is out there about the band and being preggo! Looks like a few of you have recently had babies so I would love to hear any tips or issues you came across... My band is pretty loose right now so I think I will be fine all through the pregnancy and I am happy to say that after 11 weeks, I have only gained 1 lb from my starting weight of 154!! I'll include a pic from New years for those veterans who know me well and want an update!! Guess that's all for now, I will be sure to check back on a more regular basis!!

I know it has been forever since I have posted... Like so many others I was so gung-ho prior to banding and during the major part of my weight loss that I was reading and posting all of the time... I started my journey at 247lbs at a size 22 and now I am 145lbs and a size 6. After losing 90lb in 11months I hit a plateau and a lot of personal turmoil (divorce) and have spent most of 2009 trying to lose those last 10 lbs, we actually more since I gained about 8lbs after having some of my fill taken out (for a total of 2.0ccs). I got back on the wagon around Aug of this year, had more fill added (for a total of 2.4ccs) and finally managed to get to my goal weight in mid-October. For some reason over the past 2weeks I have been extra tight Pbing at least once a day. Bad Michelle I know but just ignored it thinking it was stress or that time of the month (2 things that cause me to tighten up) well for the past 24hrs I haven't been able to even keep water down, I have a fill appointment first thing in the morning not sure if my fill doctor will take out all of my fill (I hope not as without a good fill I KNOW that I will start gaining again) or maybe just enough so I am not PBing and can get rehydrated! All and all I couldn't be happier with my band, I have met a great new guy who told me today that he would rather me be 215lbs than to see me throwing up water which makes me feel good but I know I don't want to go back to that place ever again. The worse part for me is the loose skin, I haven't been going to the gym like I was before and I can say that I can really tell that the skin looks better when I am working out than when I am not! So I guess that's all for now, I will update you guys on how things go tomorrow with the unfill...

Congrats on all your progress, can you believe it has been a year? I too am stuck on those last 10lbs but I really haven't been trying too hard lately... My body has settled here and right now I'm not worrying about that and I don't think you should either... YOU LOOK GREAT!!

Congrats sweetie!! I can't wait to see the results..

I think I mentioned that on Jan 16th I went back to the OCC so that my mom could be banded... (she is doing great by the way down 30lbs since christmas which includes weight lost on her preop) anyways I saw Dr. Ortiz and he was so impressed with my progress he asked me to do an interview with him for his series of You Tube videos. I am pretty private about being banded (I didn't even tell my mom till 8 months after getting the band when she knew I wouldn't have been able to lose the weight on my own since so many other attempts always failed) but I decided to do the video anyway- I figured that if seeing my results would help anyone choose to take the steps to better their health by getting the band then it was worth being up front about it! So the link is below... I look terrible, the lighting is too bright and I had only had like 4hrs of sleep before getting on the plane for my mom's surgery but here you go:

I think it is probably all a personal opinion, basically in clothes I feel that I look great... But when I look at myself naked it's kind of icky, now for me I never lost the weight I put on when I had my son 6 years ago (I gained about 70lbs) so I was only overweight for those 6 years but it's possible that this is what I would have looked like if I had lost that weight right after he was born (but I seriously doubt it). I guess if I was still married my husband (who has only known me as overweight) would have had zero qualms about the loose skin and hanging breasts but now that I am dating and potentially will be nude for the first time with someone who doesn't know I was ever fat I do feel more self concious and am leaning towards getting a body lift and breast lift! So it is going to be a personal choice that only you can make when you reach (or get close to) your goal!

Glad things went so well, I think I will be doing a consult at Cosmed when my mom goes back for her 1st fill in late Feb! Let us know what you decide!!

Just had my 4 month checkin with my trainer and thought I'd post the results: Total Weight (on 9/10/08): 172 Total Weight (on 1/10/09): 157 For a total of 15lbs lost and 11 inches all over my body in the 4months of working with her!! Total Lean Mass (9/10): 134 lbs Total Lean Mass (1/10): 132 lbs (Lean Mass= Muscles, Bones, Organs and Water. An adult woman should have 90 to 110lbs of lean mass if inactive, more if she works out) Total Fat Mass (9/10): 38 lbs Total Fat Mass (1/10): 28 lbs (Fat Mass= pounds of fat you are currently carrying) Total Body Fat Percentage (9/10): 22% Total Body Fat Percentage (1/10): 17% (A reccomended body fat range for general fitness is 20%-30% for women, athletic fitness can be enhanced by by maintaining lower body fat levels about 17%-25%... Health can be compromised if a woman's body fat % drops under 14%. She is supposed to email me the before and after pictures that she took so I will post those when she gets them to me!! Overall I am happy that I have been able to work with her and have seen some great results!! Here are the "AFTER" working with her pics, still waiting on the befores...

I will be doing the total body lift with Dr. Hurwitz in Pittsburgh because he seems to be the best of the best when it comes to this type of procedure... From his website http://www.hurwitzcenter.com Superior Skill in Body Contouring Body contouring requires a plastic surgeon to determine which combination of procedures will best enhance the body. Dr. Hurwitz practices primarily in Pittsburgh, but also has offices in Brandywine (Philadelphia), Pennsylvania and Beverly Hills and Newport Beach, California to serve patients nationwide. He is not only fluent in existing procedures and techniques, but he also has a well-earned reputation for innovation in the field. Dr. Hurwitz has been a consistent leader in developing newer and better techniques that open up new possibilities in what can be achieved through plastic surgery. He created the Total Body Lift, a procedure in which multiple techniques, including abdominoplasty, liposuction, breast lift, thighplasty, and brachioplasty are combined and customized to treat the entire body in as few stages as possible. This extraordinary development marked a new era in body contouring surgery, forever raising the bar of excellence for surgeons worldwide. Dr. Hurwitz has helped thousands of patients reshape their bodies in a way that many believed was not possible. By opening new offices across the United States, Dr. Hurwitz will have the opportunity to transform even more lives through his revolutionary vision for body contouring surgery. According to the last email I exchanged with his coordinator they can do an internet consult: The internet consultation. We use the website to provide an initial consultation and evaluate your candidacy for surgery. This service is for international and non -local patients who desire this life changing surgery. Please use the forms provided on the website to submit your candidacy form and submit photos through the website. There is a $100 fee for this service. If Dr. Hurwitz thinks you will be a good candidate, we will contact you with an estimated price for your procedure. Each patient is different and the price can vary widely from patient to patient. If you are not a good candidate your fee will be refunded. As for recovery they said they have home care nurses that can stay with you at your hotel or because having a medical bed helps so much after the TT they can suggest a aftercare nurses center that has 24care for others recovering from surgery.

Hey all, my wonderful mom is being banded on Jan 16th... we are flying in that morning, having her tests and such done that morning and her band put in that afternoon! She has done some research but I guess seeing me lose 90lbs in 2008 was motivation enough for her to want to get banded too... so I hope to meet some of you guys and that you can help support her as she starts her journey!! So if you are having surgery or a fill on the 16th look for us!!

Always happy to help, been going through som personal stuff here on my end as well but can do whatever is needed!