Sue Magoo

Hi: I don't cook much so I like to have the following for breakfast: yogurt with fruit mixed in yogurt with granola mixed in applesauce with fruit mixed in Cereal bar half an english muffin with Peanut Butter home made cereal mix with raisins and nuts (like chex mix) four saltines with cheese It doesn't get much simpler than this. :ohmy: Sue

Hi: I just googled combituck and looked at the pictures and read about the procedure. Looks like it does a good job on the lower half of the abdomen, but nothing for the top half of the abdomen. I'm guessing that they don't tighten the abdominal muscles from the top down, like they do with a traditional tummy tuck. Hard to believe that someone can return to work in only a week with that big of a cut, but that's what they advertise. I'll keep an eye on this thread to see if you get a response from anyone. You may want to check out makemeheal.com too to see if anyone there had this procedure. Sue

Laura: Your new pictures are absolutely fabulous! Don't you just love having a cute little belly button again! Best wishes to you heading back to work next week. Rest up until then. I love my band and my new flat tummy! Sue

Ronni: You are starting bandster hell. The time after banding, but before restriction. It's hard to think about having had the surgery and still hungry! Remember, this is the most important time to follow the doctors orders because you want your band area to heal well and for your band to be in the best shape for future weight loss success. Welcome aboard and keep lots of those sugar free popsicles on hand. I bought an ice crusher too so that I could eat something sugar free with a spoon and get a crunch. I crush the ice and then put some crystal light on it for flavor. Yummy! Best wishes to you for your band success. I love my band and my new flat tummy! Sue

I wish that someone had told me that they pump you so full of fluids that you might gain weight at first. I followed my pre-op diet to a "t" and also the post-op diet. I was banded on a Thursday morning and by Saturday I'd gained 9 lbs! I didn't know this was normal and that I would lose it over the next few days and then lose alot more It was just Fluid retention. Best wishes to you. I love my band and my new flat tummy! Sue

Hi: I got unfilled before tummy tuck because I've had issues with nausea. So glad I did. I had dry heaves first 24 hours after tummy tuck. I wish you well. Sue

Hi: I think you should call your doctor. There could be something going on besides healing. Let us know how you make out. I love my band and my new flat tummy! Sue

Hi: I had my tummy tuck on 5/14/09. I am very glad that I had it. It feels like the icing on the cake to my weight loss journey. It is painful, but worth the pain. I was at a stable weight for the 9 months prior to surgery and am glad that I waited until then to have the tummy tuck. Best wishes to you. I love my band and my new flat tummy. If you look at my profile page you'll see my b&a pics that show my tummy tuck too. Take care. Sue

Hi: I cannot remember if I used to mix sugar free Jello with sugar free or fat free whipped cream. I am definitely sure that there is fat free whipped cream. Will that do for you? Not exactly dessert, but I started my sugar free popsicle addiction during the pre-band diet. Another trick I've used is to fool myself into thinking that crushed ice with crystal light eaten with a spoon seems like a desert. Good luck! I love my band and my new flat tummy! Sue

Wow! I checked out your new pics. You look so good. I don't have a significant other right now so I cannot comment on how he reacts to my plastic surgery changes. However, someone that I haven't seen since January saw me yesterday and he told me that I look fabulous! Another person told me that I have the abdomen of an 18 year old - not bad for 49! I noticed where your drains were on the pics. Mine weren't on the sides they were on the front of my abdomen about 4 inches away from belly button. No wonder you couldn't sleep on your sides. Now you can! Rest up and enjoy hot showers again! Enjoy the new flat tummy! Sue

Even at two years out I have a problem if I don't eat every 4 hours. What happens for me is that if I go too long I pb and slime with the food that I do eat. Because of this, I usually have a healthy late afternoon snack of yogurt or nuts or fruit to hold me over until supper. I love my band and my new flat tummy! Sue

Hi: Mine is right where yours is and I've had it for 2 years. I'm glad it is there because I never have clothing bothering it. I love my band and my new flat tummy! Sue

Hi: I had my lapband put in July 2007 and had gallbladder removal April 2008. The gallbladder removal was alot easier for me because I didn't have nausea issues afterwards like I did with band. I think the nausea is related to the anesthesia. I found that near my belly button was the sorest spot when I had gallbladder removed and the port sight was sorest with lapband. Both are fairly easy surgeries and I could have assumed most activities within a couple of days with both surgeries. I love my band and my new flat tummy! Sue

Laura: Chin up and positive thoughts! I hope your back stops hurting you soon. I'm a side sleeper too. Have you tried sleeping on your side with pillows wedged up on both sides of you? That was helpful for me. Please be patient with your DH because at least he's trying to be helpful. I had to do most everything on my own after the first two days and it's hard. Hot showers might help with your back aches. Hope you feel better soon. It might just be damn boredom and not hormones that are making you be emotional. Take care, and think about the positive side of all of this - a flat tummy and feeling better about yourself! Sue

Hi: Please call your surgeon and tell him about your swollen arm to make sure it's not anything serious. Let us know how you make out. Sue

Laura: You'll heal better if you're sleeping, so please do whatever you have to in order to get alot of rest. I recall that there were some good days and some not so good days for the first couple of weeks. It's important to remember not to overdo it on the good days so that you don't have to pay for it later. I don't think that you should worry about needing to have the pain meds to help you sleep. I took them mostly at bed time the first couple of weeks and then I stopped when I felt alot less pain. Strange, but one of the worst pains that I had was mostly when I was in bed. I cannot sleep on my back, and when rolling to my side or if I slept on my side for a short period of time I would get a very sharp pain down toward my groin area. I think she did lipo down there and there was alot of pain in that area. This groin pain went away after the first two weeks. Rest, relax, rest, relax, rest, relax. Take care. Sue

Hi: I was banded in July 2007. I lost 38 pounds before surgery. I lost 105 pounds from Surgery to 1st Bandiversary date. I have been wearing a size 12 since then and am very happy with my band. I will probably never achieve 159 which is "healthy" for my bmi because I get a scrawny looking face when I get down to 174, so I can't imagine it at 159. I do get hungry occasionally now. I didn't at first. When I was first eating food after banding I had to remind myself to eat because if I waited too long between meals I would have "first bite syndrome". First bite syndrome for me was eating too fast and too large of a bite because I got hungry and this would lead to discomfort. I'm 2 years postop now and my biggest regret is that I didn't get my band alot sooner. I think one of the keys to band success is thinking about it as a lifetime committment and following up with your doctor to keep adjusted to the right level. Best wishes to you in whatever you decide. I love my band and my new flat tummy! Sue

Hi: Mineral oil may help with the constipation, and you only need to take a spoonful or two. I had issues with constipation too. Things will work themselves out! Good luck. I hope you love your band like I love mine. Sue

Michelle: From what I've heard you really shouldn't be eating solids yet because you are still healing. I heard that if you don't let your healing occur the right way that you have a much higher chance of slippage or erosion later. I'm sure you don't want that. Please try to eat the pureed foods so that you won't wonder later if you do have a problem whether you made this happen or not. Take care. Sue

Laura: Good luck with the reveal! I think that the boredom was the hardest part after the first 24 hours. I think it's so hard for us bandsters that have lost so much weight because we love our new energy levels after loosing all of the weight and we have a much more active lifestyle. Then, with the ps and there's no activity for a few days. You should be able to walk alot by the end of the week. I tucked my drainage balls into pockets on my sweatpants. I was calling them my "testicles". Silly, huh! Hope you have a great day. Sue

Laura: Wow, eight hours of continuous sleep! That's amazing under the circumstances and I'm sure it will help with your healing. I'm so glad you're feeling so well. Strange, we don't know each other, but I am happy for you. I love my band and my new flat tummy! Sue

Hi again. I forgot to say that with the leg cramps I usually have a half of a banana for a couple of days in a row and the leg cramps go away. Someone told me that leg cramps are a sign of a potassium deficiency and bananas have alot of potassium. Sue

Hi: You should call your band doctor again and tell him that you need a slight unfill. My surgeon said that sometimes with a cold you can get a tight band because of the postnasal congestion. He said that he often unfills or loosens someone's band when they have a cold because they get too tight. Then, a week later when they feel better he fills them back to where they were. Any time you're having a problem keeping liquids down you need to push to get in to see your doctor. I hope you feel better soon. Please keep us posted. Sue

Hi Laura: You look great! I'm surprised that your pain pump is so low. The leads on my pain pump were put in near the top of my stomach and it sprayed the numbing medicine down most of the length of my abdominal stitches that were tying my muscles back together. It felt so good to have immediate relief (especially after a laugh or a sneeze). Did your surgeon tighten your abdominal muscles up toward your rib cage? Now, be a good girl and don't remove anymore of the bandages.:smile: Sue

Congratulations. Welcome to Onederland! I can remember hitting 199 for the first time. I had alot of happy tears that morning. Also, I had kept my weight a secret before then. When I told my Daughter that I was under 200 she said "Mom, I'm so glad I don't have to worry about your weight problem anymore. I'm so proud of you." I didn't realize that she was worrying about me. Continued success to you to obtain your weight goal. I love my band and my new flat tummy! Sue