PB & PS

[jhawkchick75]

Figure I will save time and knock out both my questions in the same thread!!

So, first one PB - do you all ever PB but hardly anything comes out but slime? Lately i've been doing this where (sorry TMI) but it looks like mostly slime and maybe one bite of food. Did I maybe just eat just one bite too many and that is all that came up? I've PB'ed plenty, but usually it is more than that so I was just curious if anyone else had this happen.

OK now plastic surgery. I am getting to the point where I need to make a decision on getting a brachioplasty (arm lift). For those that have had any kind of PS and you struggled with it i'd like your input. I am balancing the loose skin vs. the scarring on my arms. Also, i'd like to do it over the holidays so i'm in long sleeves and I have some extra time off, but to do it that soon means pulling from my retirement most likely so i've gotta weigh the pros and cons of that too. Any advice on what made you finally decide to go for it? I guess my biggest obstacle is balancing the sagging skin vs. scarring issue.

Any advice is appreciated!!

[ValleyGirl]

Shelby, since you seem to be on an exercise kick (good on ya) I would think that the arms could be salvaged with the right exercises. The arm lift is the one thing I, personally, would hesitate to do because of the scars. But then I have never seen any in person. I have a friend who had so much botox she can hardly move her face but she thinks breast implants are crazy and said she would never "put a foriegn object in her body"...her words, hahaha. It's funny how we are all so different. I would love a breast lift, tummy tuck, and might even consider doing something with my upper thighs but the arms scare me too.

When she was alive, my grandma always used to say, "if you don't know what to do, don't do anything at all". It might sound like procrastination but that always stuck with me and has held me back from making some hasty decisions in the past that, looking back, I may very well have regretted later. It is my nature to be impulsive, so I heed her advice when I am struggling with a decision and eventually I decide on waht's right for me. Take your time to think about this one. There is always next Xmas.

Sabrina:)

[MyNewLife]

Hi Shelby~

For me I will have this done, just want to take care of some other things first. I HATE my arms and its very hard to find shirts that dont have that little sleeve. I dont wear sleeveless or the little sleeve. I have ALWAYS had big arms and now the arm flab is so bad. I think for my self, I would rather have the scar. I have heard from several different people that the scar becomes not that noticable, almost like a silver line???...hmm not sure. I have also heard of a new procedure, sorry but I dont know what it is call, but it is wear the can remove fat and tighten the skin through laser??? That would be GREAT, no scares.

Carrie

[nothereanymore]

Hey Shelby,

Well you know I've had PS, and I really thought long and hard about the arms. Pammie had hers done - but she heals up great and you can barely see her scars - me on the other hand – I’m not so lucky. Since the arm scars are so noticeable I decided to wait. I'm coming up on my three years and decided to have some professional pictures taken. The photographer was great, a beautiful lady who used to be a photographer with the marines. She was very impressed with how I was able to build them up to decrease the need for PS. They still bug me a bit – (I can see wrinkles when I bend them up – so I try to avoid that…..)

I think you should wait and see what happens – I’ll put my pictures up as soon as I have them so you can take a look and I know Pammie is really good about documenting her progress – so you’ll be able to take a look at her surgery as well to help you decide. You have plenty of time.

The part about PBing – I do that now and then – I think instead of PBing the entire meal our body now knows to just get rid of what it cannot handle – I could be wrong but that’s what it feels like to me.

Best,

Lisa

[PAMMIE]

Hey Shelby,

Pammie had hers done - but she heals up great and you can barely see her scars - me on the other hand – I’m not so lucky.

THE ARMS WERE A HARD DECISION FOR ME BECAUSE OF THE SCARRING ISSUE. I DO HEAL WELL SO I THINK THAT PUSHED ME MORE TOWARDS GETTING THEM DONE. BUT NOW THAT THEY'RE DONE, THE SCAR IS PRETTY WELL HIDDEN UNTIL I LIFT MY ARMS. WHEN DOING WHATEVER, THE SCARS ARE TUCKED AWAY PRETTY GOOD, NOT TO FAR FORWARD OR BACK TO FAR. BY EARLY SPRING THE SCARRING SHOULD JUST ABOUT BE NON EXISTENT, I CAN HOPE LOL.

[jhawkchick75]

Thank you all sooo much for your feedback it helps a lot! I've always had big arms and in my family the ladies all have the "bat wings" as I like to call them, so mine are pretty bad. I find myself staring at them all the time in the mirror. I need to quit that and not obsess so much, but it is hard. I have pics i'll post them when I get a chance.

I'm working hard on doing specific exercises to tone them up before I jump to a decision, but I know many folks say that loose skin on your arms is almost impossible to get rid of. But damnit i'm gonna try! I just got a 2nd job at the YMCA near my house which means free membership! So i'm gonna take advantage of that and try to use their machines since at home all I have is the treadmill and some measley 5 lbs weights. I did some new arm exercises last night and my arms are really sore today, so hopefully my new plan will help.

Thanks so much!!!!

[PAMMIE]

I'M NOT WINNING THE "BAT WING" CONTEST WE SISSYS HAVE AT THANKSGIVING THIS YEAR LOL WE TRY AND GET THEM BABIES REALLY SWINGIN LOL OK GROSS BUT IT KEEPS US AMUSED

I'LL SEE IF I CAN'T BUG THE OLD MAN TO SNAP A PHOTO HERE TONIGHT AND POST IT. IT'S ONLY BEEN 6 WEEKS NOW SO...

[dawns]

Hi Shelby,

I have really bad bat wings also. I would be interested in knowing where and who you might go to if you decide to stay in KC. I had a PS consult last week in Salina for TT, arms and breast reduction and lift. The cost was far more than I can afford.

Good luck

dawn

[Smiley]

Hi Shelby,

I have really bad bat wings also. I would be interested in knowing where and who you might go to if you decide to stay in KC. I had a PS consult last week in Salina for TT, arms and breast reduction and lift. The cost was far more than I can afford.

Good luck

dawn

I am a KC girl as well and went to Dr. Barnthouse - he is the best. My scars, his time spent in consultation with me and his follow-up care prove it. I had a consult with a surgeon that was cheaper, but he had an assembly line/cattle call going and I didn't like being a part of that. The difference in the $ occurred because Dr. B. required an over night hospital stay and the other doctor would have done the surgery in his surgery center, so in the end the money went to the hospital, not the doctor. I had a TT and Arm Lift at the same time. Phase 2 will be about a year from now and that will be a breast reduction/lift and inner thigh lift. Insurance should cover most of those fees because of the breast reduction, but I will still be responsible for the inner thigh lift portion of the surgery. If you can combine one insurance covered procedure with one non-insurance covered procedure it will help with the costs. Insurance usually covers breast reductions, it is getting them to cover a TT that may or may not happen.

[Smiley]

I know I need to post pictures, just haven't got it done yet. My decision came when I kept looking to see who was walking up behind me when I was on the eliptical. No one was ever walking up behind me, it was my arms flapping against my side that was making that noise. My arms have always been an issue for me and I have always wanted to do something with them. This is why they were the number one thing I wanted to have surgery on with my thighs being second, then my tummy and finally the girls.

I am not bothered by the arm scars at all as they are so much better than the yuck that used to waive a people every time I lifted my arms. I have been wearing sleeveless, cap and short sleeves all summer. Last summer you would not have caught me in anything sleeveless. My mom said something about the scars this weekend but she is always kind of critical where I am concerned and she knows I had the surgery so I don't give her opinion much thought. I did spread my arms out wide at church last week and the nine 4 year olds sitting in front of my about popped their eyes out of their head. They wanted to know how I got those owies, but that is to be expected from 4 year olds.

Saw my doctor on Thursday and he said the scars will continue to heal, which is true as it takes about a year for scars to heal. My port scar looked worse than arms do now 4 months after the lap band was placed and now it is flat and just slightly red so I am not worried at all.

If you want, PM me when you are working and I'll pop in and flash my arms at ya - I might even get it together and use the eliptical while I am there.

[dawns]

I am a KC girl as well and went to Dr. Barnthouse - he is the best. My scars, his time spent in consultation with me and his follow-up care prove it. I had a consult with a surgeon that was cheaper, but he had an assembly line/cattle call going and I didn't like being a part of that. The difference in the $ occurred because Dr. B. required an over night hospital stay and the other doctor would have done the surgery in his surgery center, so in the end the money went to the hospital, not the doctor. I had a TT and Arm Lift at the same time. Phase 2 will be about a year from now and that will be a breast reduction/lift and inner thigh lift. Insurance should cover most of those fees because of the breast reduction, but I will still be responsible for the inner thigh lift portion of the surgery. If you can combine one insurance covered procedure with one non-insurance covered procedure it will help with the costs. Insurance usually covers breast reductions, it is getting them to cover a TT that may or may not happen.

Hi Smiley,

Thanks for your insight. I actually had the appt. because my PC doc thought I would qualify for a breast reduction covered by insurance. When I went to see the PS in Salina he told me that I would not qualify because they would have to take at least 500 grams of breast tissue for it to be covered by insurance. He showed me what that would amount to and said in the end I would not have any breast left and would be a small A cup which I find really hard to believe since I am now a triple D, which is down from an H. I was very disappointed in what he was telling me. He pretty much acted as if it was not worth the time to try and get insurance to cover it. I may call your PS and see what he tells me. Would you be willing to PM me and tell me what your costs were for the TT and arm lift? I am curious to see if this guy was a money sucker or he was being up front and honest with me and comparable in costs.

Thanks again,

dawn

[jhawkchick75]

I know I need to post pictures, just haven't got it done yet. My decision came when I kept looking to see who was walking up behind me when I was on the eliptical. No one was ever walking up behind me, it was my arms flapping against my side that was making that noise. My arms have always been an issue for me and I have always wanted to do something with them. This is why they were the number one thing I wanted to have surgery on with my thighs being second, then my tummy and finally the girls.

I am not bothered by the arm scars at all as they are so much better than the yuck that used to waive a people every time I lifted my arms. I have been wearing sleeveless, cap and short sleeves all summer. Last summer you would not have caught me in anything sleeveless. My mom said something about the scars this weekend but she is always kind of critical where I am concerned and she knows I had the surgery so I don't give her opinion much thought. I did spread my arms out wide at church last week and the nine 4 year olds sitting in front of my about popped their eyes out of their head. They wanted to know how I got those owies, but that is to be expected from 4 year olds.

Saw my doctor on Thursday and he said the scars will continue to heal, which is true as it takes about a year for scars to heal. My port scar looked worse than arms do now 4 months after the lap band was placed and now it is flat and just slightly red so I am not worried at all.

If you want, PM me when you are working and I'll pop in and flash my arms at ya - I might even get it together and use the eliptical while I am there.

Awesome!!! I'll let you know once I have my schedule and hopefully you can sneak in. I am so excited to have a membership hopefully I can take some classes!

Thank you all for your feedback! I'm checking into Dr. Barnhouse as well as another doctor, Dr. Hall that I found online. I took pics but i'm still hesitant to put them online b/c they are terrible. If I get brave i'll put them up.

[Smiley]

Dr. Hall was on my final list as well. I e-mailed him and was told that I would have to be at my final weight for at least 6 months before he would do my surgery. A lot of doctor's have this policy, but in the end I am glad I didn't go with a doctor who had this policy because I would be looking rather sickly if I had tried to get to 150 before the PS. I am at 160 after the PS and perfectly content. Dr. Jerome Lamb has his prices posted on his web-site and a friend's OB/GYN told her he was one of the best as well based on the TT and Breast Lift/Reduction scars she had seen.

[jhawkchick75]

Dr. Hall was on my final list as well. I e-mailed him and was told that I would have to be at my final weight for at least 6 months before he would do my surgery. A lot of doctor's have this policy, but in the end I am glad I didn't go with a doctor who had this policy because I would be looking rather sickly if I had tried to get to 150 before the PS. I am at 160 after the PS and perfectly content. Dr. Jerome Lamb has his prices posted on his web-site and a friend's OB/GYN told her he was one of the best as well based on the TT and Breast Lift/Reduction scars she had seen.

Small world! My mom had PS through Dr. Lamb and he was a great guy! I met him when I was caring for her and I was able to call him whenever it was great! He didn't have a lot about brachioplasty on his site that is the only reason I didn't short list him, but now that I think of it I might give him a ring and see. I agree that whole 6 months thing would be hard. I'm probably 15 lbs from goal and I think having this would help me get that last bit down.

[PAMMIE]

I FINALLY GOT THE OLD MAN OUT OF THE MANCAVE FOR TWO MINUTES TO GET A PHOTO

SCARRING AT 6 WEEKS

[AngieB]

I FINALLY GOT THE OLD MAN OUT OF THE MANCAVE FOR TWO MINUTES TO GET A PHOTO

SCARRING AT 6 WEEKS

Damn! First thought that came to mind was.......JEALOUS. You do heal fast....are you human...? Just kidding around with ya Pammie - but dang! Looking fantastic!