TUMMY TUCK

Sep 20, 2011

Well, I had my tummy tuck on Aug 24th.  To me that sounds like something minor but believe me, it was more than a little tummy and more than a  little tuck.   They wacked off 9 pounds of skin and fat, tightened the underlying muscles, did a little lipo on the hips, upper stomach and pubic area, stretched what was left down,  and sewed it up.  I have a bikini line scar that stretches out to both hips.   Oh, and they made me a new belly button and it is sooo cute!!  I've never had a belly button before.   I AM SOOOOOOO HAPPPYYYYYYY!!!!  This is a dream come true and has been a long time coming!!!!!!     I can't believe that big growth that was my belly is GONE!!!!!    I can look down and actually see my pubic mound sticking out.  WOOWWWWWW!!!!!  
The recovery process wasn't bad.  I was in pain for about 5 days and took the prescribed percoset.  I had real bad muscle spasms so they gave me muscle relaxers which helped alot.   After 5 days I didn't have to take anything but ibuprofen and the muscle spasms stopped.  I was off work for three weeks.  Went back mid-week for half days and today is my first full day at work.  
The surgery cost $7,900 total   $4,300 for the surgeon,  $2,000 for the operating room and one night stay in the hospital,
and $1,600 for the anesthesiologist.  It was worth every penny to me.   I was able to pay for it through my flex spend (HSA)  because they have a clause that says if you had Weight Loss Surgery, they will cover the tummy tuck.  WHAT A BLESSING!!!!!  
I just wanted to share this part of my journey because it is bittersweet and I hope it gives others something to look forward to.   This is all a result of having WLS, another positive to add to the list.  Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Good luck on your journey......
Queen Deneen
1 comment

9 years out, and still small.......

Aug 02, 2011

Wow!!  It's been 9 years since my original gastric bybass in 2002.  I started gaining weight back so had a lap band revision in 2007.   It's been a struggle, but I have managed to get to 175 and holding.   Of course we're never satisfied with where we are and always want to reach that magic number,  but 9 years ago I was 328 lbs!! 

I feel great!!!  I look magnificent!!!  I'm healthier than I've ever been!!!  I'll be 50 this year, but don't look it at all.   I get a kick out of seeing people I knew in my fat days.   They can't believe it 's me!  I get compliments all the time from men and women.   It's kind of embarrassing!!  Some people are haters.   They always have something negative to say.  I think they are just jealous so I brush off their comments and don't hang around them.   

I am finally having my tummy tuck Aug 24.  This has been a dream of mine for years.   I am sooooo  excited!!!!   No more wearing girdles, no more having to lift it up to wipe, no more wetness and rashes, no more jiggling when I run.  No more, no more, no more!!!!   Please say a prayer for my surgery to be safe and successful.......  

I've posted some pictures so be sure to check them out.  I'll definitely post before and after tummy tuck pictures.....

I am truly grateful for weigh loss surgery.  It has changed my life tremendously for the better.  When I see super obese people, I can relate to their struggle, and I say a little prayer for them that they find a way to be healthy. That's what it's all about.  Being healthy and quality of life.   Your quality of life improves greatly with weight loss.  I can do so much more and I don't take it for granted.  

God Bless,
Deneen
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3rd YEAR OUT

Jul 02, 2010

Hi everybody,
It's my third anniversary since getting the lap band so I wanted to update you on my journey.  Since last year, I've maintained my weight.  I haven't lost nor have I gained.  All year I fluctuated 5 to 7 lbs.   I still consider this a success because before my WLS I would have gained most of it back by now. 
I still want to lose 30 lbs and I will do it.  I still see the lap band doctor and get fills about every 3 months.  I drink alcohol so that slows my weight loss efforts.  I've been exercising sporadically, not faithfully like I did last year.  
I still am healthy.  I'm on no meds, all my numbers are normal.  (blood pressure, sugar, liver enzymes, triglicerides, etc)
I just have knee pain when walking up steps.   I got that checked out and they say I'm fine so I figure if I lose a few more pounds and step up the exercise, the pain will get better. 

I'm going to Obesity Helps conference in Cincinnati in August.  I'm so looking forward to it.  I'm going to model a swimsuit!!!
That should be fun!!!  

I finally got the money to have my adominoplasty done.  I plan to have it in November.  I can't wait!!!

To all of you  new comers, just keep the faith, believe in yourself, and the weight will come off.  See my last year's post for more details......

thanks everybody and good luck in your weight loss journey

Queen Deneen
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SPRING HAS SPRUNG

Mar 30, 2009

Hey everybody,
I don't visit this site much , but I have a cousin going through this journey and she added me to her friends list which sparked me to log on.  I realize that I miss this site.  It's a wealth of motivation and encouragement.  I love reading about other's journeys and being inspired by them.  
Just to fill you in, this is actually part 2 of my weight loss journey.  In June of 2002, I had the gastric bypass and lost 130 lbs.  After 3 years, I started gaining weight back.  I gained 40 lbs and decided to see If I could get the lap band to help me stop gaining, lose what I had gained back and more.  After jumping through many hoops I got the lap band.  I've had it almost two years now and have lost 40 lbs.  My posts reflect my journey with the band. 
It's been 7 months since I last posted.  I have still been struggling with complying with the rules of the band, but slowly but surely, the weight is coming off.   I've lost 15 more pounds since my last post.  I'm exercising regularly, and I joined Weight Watchers.  That has really helped me to focus on what I'm eating.   I'm more aware of what I put in my mouth and I make better choices most days.  I'M FINALLY UNDER 200 LBS.  I carry my weight well, so Iook alot smaller than what the scales say.  I feel great physically!!!  I'm not on any medication, my joints still hurt sometimes, but the exercise helps tremendously to keep that at bay .   I can see bones everywhere!!!  In my feet, hands, my wrists are tiny, my shoulder blades, my collar bones, my rib cage.  It's amazing!!!    I wear a size 14/16.  (I started out 7 years ago at a 26/28)  I'd be all the way in a size 14 if it weren't for my huge panni getting in the way.  (A panni is that skin and fat on my belly, that hangs down over my pubic area)  I plan to have a panniculectomy once I reach my goal weight .  It's cosmetic surgery to remove that layer of skin.)  Most insurances cover it because it's a medical necessity. 
I have the fat hanging off the bottom of my arms, but I don't worry about that.  My arms are toned from exercise and I know how to "camoflauge" that part.  I have extra fat on my inner thighs and hips but body shapers take care of that.  It's this gut, that has got to go!!!    I love the way my body looks in my clothes.
I get compliments everyday!!!   Men take notice.  It's kind of embarrasing.  I should be used to it by now, but I'm not. 
When I see a man looking at me, I'm wondering, "why is he staring at me?"  Then he'll smile and speak and sometimes make conversation.  Then I realize, Hey, I must look pretty good!!!!!   I'm still amazed!!  I don't see my self like that.  I still see the fat girl . I have a closet full of clothes and shoes.  I work in an office and love to dress up everyday.  I have many sexy outfits to wear out clubbin' on the weekends.  And I love sexy lingerie.....  I wore it when I was bigger, but I really love wearing it now . 
These are some of the positives of losing a large amount of weight.  Since I began this journey 7 years ago, the initial hooplah has faded, but I am still on this journey and forever will be.   Weight loss surgery is not a magic cure.  You still have to work at it.  You will still have the same struggles with food you did before.  But it's oh so worth the struggle.  For the most part, I have maintained a 130 lb weight loss all these years.  Yes, I gained some back and had the lap band to keep from gaining the rest back,  but I wouldn't have been able to keep the weight off this long without the help of WLS.  
Good luck to all you newbies on this journey.  Everybody's story is different so don't compare yourself to others. 
Just stay positive and believe that you will be successful and you will...........
Until next time.........Keep the faith.....Queen Deneen
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ONE YEAR LATER..............

Aug 13, 2008

Hi Everybody,
I got a one year reminder from the website so decided to fill you in on my journey.   First of all, I hate to admit that the lap band has not worked very well for me.  Or more truthfully, I haven't worked the band.   I have lost 25 lbs since I got the band in June of 2007.  That's right, 25 lbs.  I'm tempted to say, is that all? or I'm a failure... but I won't.  I choose to look at it as, "that's 25 lbs less than I was last year at this time....Now!!   I don't have high blood pressure, diabetes, and all my other lab work is normal, however, I have been having a time with arthritis flare ups.  Not all the time, but enough to get on my nerves.  
The lap band stops me from eating too much at one time, but, I can eat alot over a period of time and that's what I've been doing.  It doesn't mentally stop me from overeating.  It doesn't force me to make healthy food choices.  I also drink alcoholic beverages which keeps the weight on.  At one point, I had 8 cc in a 10 cc band and I was losing good.  Problem was, I had GERD and couldn't sleep lying down because my food would come up.  Even if I stopped eating early in the day, something would still come up.  Dr Geller gave me the barium swallow test and discovered that my stomach has bubbled over the band because it was too tight so he took a whole cc out.  I was instantly relieved but needless to say, I could eat more and did.   Right now, I'm at about 7 cc and I can eat quite a bit.  For example, I can eat a whole sandwich at one sitting.  It may take me 45 minutes but I get it down.  I'm just not making good food choices.  I eat any and everything I want, and more than I should.  I've gotten food stuck and thrown up too many times to count, but even that hasn't stopped me.
I was exercising faithfully, which was really helping me lose inches,  but the arthritis slowed that down.  I can't blame anyone but myself.  I've seen the band work for hundreds of people, so I know it works.  I'm just not doing my part and it's a shame that I went through all that to get it, and now am not taking advantage of it.  I refuse to beat myself up though. 
Food is my drug a choice.  I'm an addict. And addiction is a sickness, so I know, it's not my fault.  It's the sickness.   However, I want to get well,  mentally and physically.  Through this journey I've come to realize that I need to do alot of work on the inside in order for it to show on the outside.  No surgery, diets, or Drs, is going to fix what's wrong on the inside.   So I say to all you OAers out there, don't be discouraged by my story.  It's not over yet........I still have hope and faith that I will get well.
Don't compare yourself to me.  Your journey will be different.   Just keep the faith and love yourself unconditionally, fat, failure and all.  YOU ARE WORTH IT!!!!!  UNTIL NEXT TIME,  CARPE DIEM!!!
QUEEN DENEEN

I GOT MY FIRST FILL!!!!

Aug 22, 2007

I GOT MY FIRST FILL!!!! YAY!!!  Where do I start???? I got a 4 cc fill in my 10cc band.  Yeah he put the granddaddy of bands on me.  He said because of the scar tissue from my previous surgery.  I feel some restriction but it's not too tight.   I can still eat fairly normal, but I am taking smaller bites, chewing more and waiting for it to go down.  I have felt a little discomfort if I swallow three or four bites back to back, but nothing has gotten stuck yet.  By eating this slowly, I find myself getting full before I finish what's on my plate.  
I"m using saucers to get used to seeing a smaller portion size. 
My Dr. knows what he's doing, weening us off of food gradually instead of all at once, which would have been a shocker!! That's what I thought was going to happen.   I'm making better choices too, and I'm exercising on the regular.  I haven't lost many pounds, but I have lost plenty of inches because I'm getting back into clothes from last summer that I had outgrown.  
I will get another 3cc fill September 24 which will make my band 2/3 full.  Then the weight should really start falling off. In the meantime, I'm going to practice, practice, practice, eating the right way with the band so I'll be used to it by my next fill.   I don't want to experience the food getting stuck. I've heard it's very painful and lasts a long time, until the food passes.    
Good luck to everybody on this journey and I wish you much success!!
Until next time...........................Queen Deneen 

EATING MORE!! OH NO!!!

Jul 24, 2007

Hey everybody, I went to Chicago this weekend to see The Color Purple play and it was awesome!!  Everybody should have a chance to see it!!  The whole weekend was fun.  I was on one of those bus trips so the hotel and everything was paid for in advance.  We stopped at an outlet mall on the way home to shop.  What fun!!!!
The only bad thing is that I can eat more and more!!  I feel some restriction but not that much.  I haven't gotten anything stuck but I ate a whole whopper Jr, (it took me 45 minutes but I got it down).  I've also been eating chips, (they go down too easy), chicken tenders, a half of a 6 in subway sandwich, minus the top bread, crackers, a white castle hamburer, and homemade pizza (mostly the toppings).  I tried to eat some fries, but they were dry and didn't go down well.  It's like once I got a taste of fast food, I wanted more.
I think the best thing to do is stay away altogether, but it's not easy.  It calls me.  Like drugs or alcohol to an addict.  And I willingly succumb to its soothing voice.  I'm lured by it.  I wallow in it's comfort.  I'm in a trance.  I'm not myself.  I'm in another world and I like it........
Until I'm through that is, and my stomach is way past full, and I can  hardly breathe, and I'm stuffed and miserable, and I get diarhea, and I feel sick, and I ask myself, "why did I do that?"  "Why do I keep doing it over and over?"  But there's no answer, just remorse, and then sleep.  Blessed sleep takes over and all is forgotten.......Until tomorrow.............Can you relate???
I CAN'T WAIT TO GET MY FILL!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Back to work!!

Jul 16, 2007

I'm almost 3 weeks out and feeling fine.  I'm back to work today so that's the last step in getting back to normal.  Ive lost 21 lbs mostly from eating liquids for two weeks.  Now that the swelling has gone down I can eat more.  Not as much as I could before but more than I want to be able to.  My first fill is scheduled for Aug 27 and I can't wait!!!!!    I"m following a plan of five 200-300 calorie meals a day, my protein and water,  and of course, exercise.  I'm also writing everything down.  It's not easy, I still want to eat my favorites, but I don't want to get sick or get something stuck. 
I went out dancing on July 7 with my sister and cousin.  We danced all night and closed the club down at 4:00am.  I had the best time!!  I wore a blue jean dress that I had grown out of but now fits my form just fine.  I felt great and guys were trying to hit on me all night!!  Too bad fellas... I'm taken!!! :o) 
I was a little depressed last week and just laid around the house for a few days and only went out when I had to.  I don't know what brought that on, but I figure it's normal.  Maybe my serotonin is low or the fact that I couldn't eat that much or the foods that I wanted.   I felt better by the weekend and got out of the house.  Hubby and I went to see the Transformers. Great movie!! For adults as well as the kids!!!  I'm also able to get in my pool now and that definitely made me feel better!!
To everybody on this weight loss journey, no matter what path you choose, 
know that it's the best thing you can do for yourself!!  Losing 100+ lbs improves your life in so many ways.  YOU ARE WORTH IT!!  Keep the faith,
Queen Deneen

5 days out and feeling fine!!

Jul 02, 2007

Hey everybody, I'm 5 days out and feeling fine!!  I'm eating clear liquids and getting around quite well.  I hardly have any pain at all.  I was well enough to go the the Monique comedy show last night.  She was "off the chain!!"  I love her, she is a big sexy PHAT girl and proud of it!!!  I felt really good in my fuschia sequined dress!!  I'll post pictures soon.  
I am sooooo happy to finally get my lap band.  Now I have a chance to finally be in a "normal" weight range.  I'm already getting the "'you're going to be too skinny" speeches but I don't care what they say!!!  When you've been fat all your life, a normal weight is not "too skinny"!!!!!!!  It's just right!!!  I'm already marveling at the fact that since the surgery, my ankles and feet have not been swollen at all.  Before, they looked like little sausages all the time.  I'm sure you can relate.  So, I'll keep you posted on my progress.  Good luck to all of you on this weight loss journey!!!  Queen Deneen

I'm home!!!

Jun 28, 2007

Well, I'm officially banded!!!  It was an overnight experience and it wasn't that bad.   The anesthesia gave me a headache and nausea but that wore off with time.  They had some awesome pain meds!!  The staff was attentive and cared for my every need.  MY friend Kim had surgery the same day so we were right down the hall from each other.  Thanks to all who prayed for me and wished me well.  I felt you!!!   I AM SOOOOO  HAPPPPYYYYYY!!!!!!!
I am so ready to start losing.  I lost 8 lbs on the preop diet and am looking forward to this journey again.   For two weeks my Dr has me eating clear liquids. Then full liquids for two more weeks, then soft solids after that.
 Right now I can only take a few sips of something before I have to stop and let it go down.  I can definitely feel a tightness.  We don't get our first fill for 6 weeks, I should lose quite a bit by then.  I'm up and walking to prevent blood clots and  I'm going to follow the Dr.s rules to the letter.   I'll keep you posted.  Peace and Blessings to all!!!      

About Me
LOUISVILLE, KY
Location
28.2
BMI
Surgery
06/27/2007
Surgery Date
May 06, 2007
Member Since

Before & After
rollover to see after photo
So tired......my heaviest
330lbs
She's a Brick....House...!!
175lbs

Friends 8

Latest Blog 15
ONE YEAR LATER..............
I GOT MY FIRST FILL!!!!
EATING MORE!! OH NO!!!
Back to work!!
5 days out and feeling fine!!
I'm home!!!

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