nothereanymore

1. I realize that alcohol contains "empty calories" and carbonation isn't the greatest thing for the band but is the alcohol itself going to harm the band? I am by no means an alcoholic, in fact for my age group (college student) I don't drink as much as my peers (MAYBE once every two weeks and even that would be a lot). Will I be able to go out for drinks with friends and have a drink or two? Possibly something with juice? (I realize this will be long after my surgery:) ) Carbonation can cause the band to slip during the first six months, so we drink nothing that is carbonated. Most of us get out of the habit and it’s not great for the band. Alcohol, love my glass of red wine - its a good antioxidant and low calorie so I drink a couple of them a week and count them in my calories. If you drink too much you will not loose weight and we tend to be affected more by alcohol than others since our caloric intake is low – you need to be careful with it!! 2. I realize there are men on here as well but I have to ask this: Will I be able to continue using birth control? Yes, you haven't changed your body, you can still get pregnant….. 3. I've read that you can still become pregnant after getting banded - has anyone become pregnant after? Is there anything different from a 'normal' pregnancy? Many have, most have their fills removed - I have never heard of an issue but know many who have gotten pregnant, seems to happen more when we loose the weight. 4. This is a totally random question: What is pb? I've read it in a couple posts and have yet to figure it out :S PB'ing: productive burping This is what happens if something cannot get past the band. It comes up, like a burp, with food in it, (and often lots of saliva since you create saliva when something is stuck, we call this sliming). 5. What happens if food gets stuck? What does it feel like? See 4.

Great job Stormy, that's the way to do it - I use to chew my broth to make it through. Julie, I have gone on warm liquids for 3 days and my tight fill eased up - but you have to be careful - I do not PB, and nothing comes up - that's the rule - if it does its too tight and time for an unfill. (to date I still have not had one and my guess is I never will since I've had most of my fill removed and pretty much eat just smaller than normal now) I know some that they think part of the band is to PB, throw up - its not, if you have a good fill it means you eat small amounts and learn portain control. Best of luck!

What's going on - we all think we slip too so if you're thinking that its normal. Based on what I've heard you really know if you slip - I saw someone who had, and she waited to come it - it was not pretty. You can't eat or drink - nothing stays down: http://www.thinnertimes.com/weight-loss-su.../all-pages.html "From time to time the stomach wall can slip up through the band. Slippage causes an hourglass effect with a bulge above the band and extra stomach tissue with in the band. Slippage may be mild and intermittent, or it may be severe and may not resolve. Symptoms are nausea and vomiting and a decrease in the ability to take foods or liquids. Slippage requiring reoperation or removal of the band occurs in less than 5 percent of patients when the currently accepted surgical technique known as the pars flacida technique is used to implant the band. Care is taken as well to make the pouch above the band very small." You will get swollen if you PB big time and you should go on liquids if that happens - more info please so we can help - if you really can't get anything down, liquids or food - call the Center ASAP. Lisa

I’m not a star, I’m a woman who got fat and didn’t live life to the fullest for years because I was obese, messed up my body, got it back and now I’m liven it and haven fun! (Thank goodness for TT, breast lifts, and a little bit of lippo....) Microdermabrasion, its pretty minor for my skin. I have it done after a facial and go to work the next day with no problems. I might be red – but its not really noticeable after you put a little bit of foundation on. With Vitalize Peels you get it, you’re tight the next day and then start peeling a little bit on day two, by day 3 you look like crap and skin is flaking off, its pretty gross. I would have mine Wednesday night, so by Saturday and Sunday I’d stay closed up in my house so I wouldn’t frighten small children. All the rest I have done and can hit work the next day. (Most you have to avoid the sun with, some for weeks so be careful little sun bunny)! Lisa

Hello Suzanna, I didn’t have my services done at Cosmo, but I know some who have and all say good things. I personally have received: Laser skin resurfacing on age spots Botox on forehead and 11’s JUVÉDERM™ in my nasolabial folds)… And used it to increase lip volume (Just a little - don't want it overdone....) The Vitalize Peel® by SkinMedica - Chemical Peel (Series of 6) I have Microdermabrasion and facials every 6 weeks. Here’s the deal, I have (had…) not heavy but wrinkles I think mainly due to my weight loss and sun. I decided when I was loosing weight to really focus on my face as well – I’d seen some women my age that lost a lot of weight come out looking older and haggard. I went to my local spa, and found the deals (when they come up – many will sell packages). If I was closer to Cosmo as you are I’d be there monthly….. Having the procedures really made a difference in how I look. Lisa

Anyone who has the band has been there, and its hard - but its doable. Most of us have jobs and kids as well - we just deal with it in different ways. Expect someone to jump and yap at you if you talk about cheating, you’d rather we do than Dr. Ortiz, he most likely wouldn’t be as nice as we are. He has very little tolerance for those who can’t make it past the 3 weeks. It doesn't mean we don't love you, it means we care and we don't want you to hurt yourself and we want to succeed. And I totally respect Suzanna for showen her tough love. Its much easier to be the nice person than to say - hey you don't want to do that. Take care - you'll make it though, if we did it - you can too! Lisa

Congrats, you are looken so good, no one would ever believe you had 6 kids, let alone just lost 75 lbs!! Congrats! Lisa

That is so cool, I was telling my friend about you and we were trying to search you. She use to be involved in pageants and isn't anymore since her weight gain. I'd love her to get the band and work on loosing the weight and get back into the pageants. Could you put a link to your pageant information for us - we'd love to see it and I'd love to get it to her! Its awesome to see someone who lost the weight with the band win this! Thanks so much and congratulations! Lisa (We most likely have been looking in the wrong place - here's the 2008 Mrs. United States) I'm sure there's another one as well. I see your bannner is noted 50's you are looken awesome) http://www.mrsunitedstates.com/states.asp I found you, you're Mrs. Puerto Rico!! Congrats you are beautiful!! http://mrstennesseeamerica.com/ http://mrstennesseeamerica.com/galleryofwinners.html

Rub it in Pammie, rub it in..... There’s a reason he took over a foot of skin and my scar goes around and practically meets on my back!

OK, I'm sorry I held off before - but the body fat guy.... Come on now - we're pretty smart people, that's why we researched, choose Dr. Ortiz and got our lap bands. A primary healthcare practitioner?????? with a background as a Registered Massage Therapist, is telling us about the Myth of Loose Skin...... If you are an obese person, have been for a while and want to spend money on this - go for it. Before you do, have a true consultation with a doctor. Many young people have elastic in their skin, they do - its what we have when we're younger, and if you haven't stretched it out too much for too long, you might be able to bring it back in. However if you are obese and older and you've been there a while - most likely not. (If your not obese - you might still have hope - wait, exersize and see). I believe in long term studies, and backing by science - this is a slick website with a lot of shiny shit – the kind I hate because it generally takes good peoples money and gives them nothing in return. Do your homework first – consults cost nothing, and sorry to vent but its annoyed me for too long. I work for Doctors who do a lot of good in the world and are involved in the studies to help people (no not about loose skin) but the kind that makes a difference. This aint one of them. But if you like shiny shit - go for it.

I am so happy for you!! Congrats, you're really moven down the road and you'll be done and hit all of your goals before you know it. Enjoys these moments, you don’t have many milestones left before you’re done with this journey if you really think about it! I can't believe I'm already done with mine - it went so fast!! And honestly – I king of miss the journey and all of my goals, it was such a big part of my life for so long – setting goals, hitting them, missing them and stressing about missing them – then the “whatever happens, happens” moment hits you – you know you’re going to get there, its almost impossible not too with this band if you work it. Wait till your next 50 - that's when the next really big changes happen - you start looking different in the face more - no one recognizes me - which can be a little bit odd! I'm so excited to see what happens to you next - I'm liven vicariously with you - maintenance can get a little bit boring.... Love ya! Lisa

I tend to keloid so I just started having cortisone shots on my scars. They have already become less noticeable and it flattens in three to six month's time. So if you end up with bigger scars you can always treat them - and don't get me wrong - mine aren't that big (and you can't see the small ones so I'm not hitting them) - I just don't like them period so I'm doing what I can to get rid of them.

You look like one of the movie stars from the new shows they have on TV! Congrats!!

You look beautiful!! Congrats hot mamma!!

Since we both had our surgery here near home I just went home the same day (on all surgeries - I've had 3 to date) On the extended tummy tuck I needed someone to stay with me to care for 3 days - for a normal tummy tuck its 24 hours, but the extended is close to a body lift and you need extended care. You could stay in a hotel as long as someone was there to care for you - also Dr Nyte does not want you flying for 10 days. It can cause bleeding. That's one of the reasons I decided to stick close to home. I had a business trip scheduled for day 10 after one of my surgeries, went and was fine. I looked into Mexico and they do have you spend the night in the hospital and then stay in a hotel or an after care home – those costs are separate from your surgery fee so you need to add that in if you decide on Cosmo. If you come up here and have it done let Pammie or I know, I’m sure we could work it out to help. Make it a vacation, we’ll take care of you for the 24 hours and help you find a hotel with room service! I think the hardest part is you don't want to fly for 10 days and would need to stay here. But then by the time you get back no one will most likely know you had surgery!

For those of you contemplating getting a tummy tuck my guess is the higher the port the better. Just based on my conversation with the PS - the further out of the way the port is from the surgery marks the easier, he was very careful about working around it and I’m glad it wasn’t down by my belly button – theres a bit of work takes place in that area. Mine is 3 to 4 inches below my left breast as well.

Have you ever noticed that when you chew gum you produce more saliva? This could be why you aren’t having as much problems. It may be making things easier now, however it also could be defeating the purpose of the band. You need to find out why you are suffering, are you eating too much, are you chewing too less, or is your band too tight, are you not eating in the right process (protein, veggies, fruits - carbs)? You need to try to work to make your band work for you and with you, not find work arounds. (I'm not trying to be mean, just honest). Good luck, Lisa

Congrats Cara! (That's is so awesome, keep it up you're doing great)!!

What's really amazing is how differently you are treated as a thin person than as a fat one. I wrote this on one of my blogs: “OK, lets be real here and it's not pretty. I was a big person, fine deal with it. I'm now a much smaller person, (if you didn't like me as a big person, why would you like me better as a small person) and I'm noticing a change in how people treat me and I'm not liking it as much as I should...... I went from a size 22 to a size 6 (pants only, tops I'm bigger which isn't too bad...) ((I'm a size 4 now in most pants, with my new size D tops, not so much - size 8 or 10, but I'm perfectly fine with that) Why do you think people are nicer to smaller people than big people? I'm not sure, but I can tell you doors are opened for me more than before, waiters are nicer, sales girls are much more helpful, it's amazing. If I had knowledge of the difference in how people would treat me I would have done this a long time ago. (OK I tried and failed – but I may have tried harder) Here's the kicker, I was out in my yard working on my flowers, (yes I'm one of those – I love my yard to be perfect and the best in the neighborhood) and a lady I know walk by, she said "oh my goodness, I never knew how pretty you are, you're beautiful"! And my husband looked at my face, he knows I think I'm pretty if I'm 300 or 150 pounds and he does too, (he better) She said why would someone like me ever get to that point and aren't I happy to be thin and beautiful again. She's older, I held myself back, and thanked her for the compliment... I am beautiful, no matter what I weigh, however I wasn't healthy when I was obese, but I was still beautiful. (I really always thought I was pretty no matter what I weighed and it did hurt to have someone who was trying to pay me a compliment thinks I wasn't...) But I digress, in the USA a very large part of our population is large, and we are getting larger. We should lose weight if it affects our health in a negative way, and let's be honest, its killing many of us. However, let's not treat people any different whether they are thin or big, they are all beautiful and let’s love and support us all!” I started my journey by thinking myself as thin, and it really did help. I dressed thin, changed my hair - bought a smaller car and totally changed who I was. I can’t help how people think of me, good or bad, but I think all people are beautiful, big or little – there’s always something so special and unique to each of us that makes us stand out – we just have to be looking for it to see it.

Wowzer!! You are looking amazing!! Congrats, (it does slow down but it continues so don't worry about it)! You are doing great!!

Hey october2 - thanks for the compliment - I'm done with my journey and it feels great! Congrats on your decision to get the band - it’s a great tool! I also agree that you're fine with eating the gravy’d out mashed potatoes, however you do want to be careful - from time to time we do know of those who slip their band when they "slip" off the liquid diet program. You'd know it if you slipped - so stop worrying and just get back on the "band" wagon!

I went the posts we have down below on plastic surgery. I had my tummy tuck done on a Thursday and was back to work 10 days later on the following Monday. Right now the cost is $3950 for a tummy tuck; I used credit care which is no interest for one year I was able to pay it off monthly before the interest kicked in. If you qualify for credit care the payments would be $329 per month for a tummy tuck. Locate a Doc is a great way to find doctors in your area and read reviews, I checked mine out on here before I made my decision and then checked on all of his credentials: http://www.locateadoc.com/doctors/cosmetic...aplevalley.html Good luck!

We don't use a straw - its just an example to use.