Well, got the 'bad' news back from insurance company -- none of the plastic surgery will be covered. Oh well, still going to go ahead with it though. Going to get the girls fixed and the arms done. After my daughter gets married, I will look at getting the tummy done. I don't want to put too much on our finances right now. It is expensive, but I have read that the PS I am going to is noted for his excellent work on breasts! Now just have to make up my mind on saline or gel (leaning toward the gel), and the big one of what size to go for! Will let you know as things progress. Have a History and Physical appointment on 5 October and preliminary surgery date of 19 October. Eileen

Some of you may have seen my blogs over the past year or so and my struggles with alcohol abuse since about 6 months or so after my WLS. I managed to get sober on my own Dec. 29 of last year but by March I had started 'socially' drinking again. After a string of events in my life that seemed to be going from bad to worse, I had every excuse I needed to crawl into a bottle and sit there. There WAS no excuse, but I used everything that was happening in my life and around me as one. Slowly but surely I started seeing just how far gone I was. By the end of July I was opening up to my husband about how bad my drinking was and how much I'd been hiding it from him (he knew it was BAD but it was worse than he realized). After getting up my nerve and calling a crisis line, I was directed to call and see a general practitioner to begin getting help. The doctor I saw was understanding and compassionate. I was sent to a counselor and then followed up with a therapist. The therapist I saw wasn't for me, we didn't 'click' at all. My doctor found me a new therapist. During all of this my blood work the doctor did came back with serious liver damage already in the process, low white blood cells, etc. I was given under 5 years to live at the rate I was going. Last Wednesday I met with my new therapist *****commended inpatient detox. I called my doctor who agreed. The next day my husband and I went to the local ER, had more blood work done and waited all afternoon for the crisis coordinator to find a bed for me in a detox facility. I had been told there at the ER that alcoholics take priority for detox over any kind of drug user because alcohol withdrawal can kill a person, however coming off heroine or cocaine will not. (Yes, this scared this HELL out of me.) That evening I was admitted to detox 2 1/2 hours from my home, in a lock down facility. I was rushed through the admittance fairly quickly because I blew a 0 on the breathalizer when I got there, and the nurses were worried about how long I had until the DT's started hitting me. I was already shaking and a bit disoriented at that point. The first 24 hours were spent with plenty of valium in me to keep my body from reacting too harshly to the withdrawal. I'm fairly certain this was in itself a life saver. The next two days I was wiened back off the valium and on my third day I was discharged. So now the hard work begins, I'll be seeing my therapist regularly and going to group sessions 2 to 3 times a week. In detox I was told about 2 different drugs that can be prescribed to help keep the cravings for alcohol way down, and I plan to speak to both my therapist and my doctor about them this week when I see them. I am terrified. Both of relapse and of destroying my weight loss. I regained to 163 through the alcohol & the crap I had began eating. Today I weighed in at 160, I've been drinking a ton of water since I went to detox and it's now flushing my system. I've been eating a bunch of fruit since I got home. I was told I might get sugar cravings without the alcohol and I figure fruit is way better than refined sugar, especially since it makes me dump. Well, sorry about writing a book there! I just felt like I owe it to my surgery sisters to tell my story and let you all know that I was way down but I'm picking myself back up slowly but surely. I'm now 5 days sober and can't even begin to describe how awesome it feels to be able to say that after all I've put myself and my friends & family through. I hope what I went through will help even one person somewhere out there that may be struggling with the same kind of problems. More than anything, I hope none of you are struggling and that life is good! 269 @ surgery/163 Surgeon's goal/134 my revised goal/160 now 5 days sober, aiming for FOREVER!

Well the 25th was my 2 year anniversary. I am half my size. My highest weight was 270 and now I at 132 to 135 lbs. I was down to 155 then had a few surgeries for breat cancer and found myself at 145 and then chemo and went down to about 130. I am trying to stay at around 135 because that is my all time goal and what I weighed in high school. I waer a size 6 and am 5'8" inches tall. The only problem is with chemo you lose all your hair. So now I am bald. Hope everyone is well Miss you all Diana

Hi there, Sheree My 2 year just passed and I don't count myself as a success. I too started out at 285...I lost between 87-90lbs by the end of the 1st yr and then it just stopped cold. I lose and gain the same 3lbs. I've been good all along with getting my protein in and drinking plenty of water. I probably eat more carbs than I need but not excessively. My portion sizes are still fairly small. If I go out to eat, it usually ends up being 3 meals and I still don't drink with my meals. I have a very sedentary job but try to get some walking in a few days a week. It can get very demoralizing if you let it, 90lbs is 90lbs and thats alot! I feel so much better now than before the surgery and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. I'm going to go and see an endocrinologist for a THOROUGH Thyroid check....I recently had a physical w/blood tests and although my thyroid levels were in the normal range, the T4 was in the very low range of normal. I have ALOT of the symptoms of hypo thyroid so maybe thats the problem...I do know after reading so many other profiles, some even having a hard time stopping their weight from coming off...that something is definately wrong.... GEEZ....Sorry for Rambling on here, Sheree It's WONDERFUL that you stopped smoking!! I hope that's still going good for you. As far as that grazing goes...it's probably your body's way of telling you that it's thirsty. If you catch yourself snacking, grab a glass of water or v8 juice instead, I'm sure that'll help you start losing again and protein too!! And YES! WE STILL HAVE THIS GREAT TOOL!!! MORE WATER AND PROTEIN!! WE CAN KEEP THIS PARTY GOING!! And just think how much HEALTHIER AND HAPPIER WE ARE! GOOD LUCK TO YA, SHEREE Adrienne*

Thanks for the reply Kim. While I'd sure like the girls to look better, they made it thru the weight loss pretty well. I have two consults in the next week. I'll pick a plan and a doctor and go with it. If I can get the insurance to pay for the panni, I think I'll go ahead with the TT. I just don't think I can handle a whole LBL. I'm complication girl, and want to limit my time in the OR. I do wish all the thigh proceedures weren't so icky. I don't hear anything good about those; pain, scars, complications. I'll just have to except no short shorts. Cheers, Torrey