Sue Magoo

Poohprecious: I think that exercise has been a key element to my success over the past 15 months. I started a "modified" weight watchers diet 3 months before surgery and lost 37 pounds pre-op. Start now if you're mentally ready. Find an exercise that you like. I like to walk, but I love to ride my trikke. My MP3 player helps to make the exercise more entertaining and a fast beat keeps me moving faster. Good luck. Sue

Andrea: Small sips of liquids frequently should do the trick. Diareah is common because you've probably been on all liquids for a long time. If they gave you pain medication, take it. If not, take liquid tylenol. I hope that you're taking it easy because you're healing. sugar free popsicles saved me, and became my new addiction. Hope you feel better soon. I'm almost one year out and it's hard to even remember the pain because I feel so great now. Take care. Sue

Congratulations at getting to Onederland. It's a great place to be. I love my band, and love being under 200. Best wishes for your continued success. Sue

Hi Jay: I'm in MA too. I have HMO Blue New England and my out of pocket costs were minimal (less than $1,000). I went to a great surgeon that has an entire weight loss program. I think he only takes people that have insurance coverage, no self pays. Good luck. Sue

Hi: I would tip $10 for each procedure if they do a good job. Have fun. I just had my first pedicure a few weeks ago. It's nice and relaxing and the massage chair was the best part. My toes look pretty. Have fun. Sue

happy days: The pre and post surgical liquid diets were the hardest part. It helped for me to think of making my surgery safer by sticking to all liquids pre-op. However, post-op I turned into a b!tch. It's short term and I got past it. I'm happier now than I've been in 20 years. It more than makes up for 4 weeks of b!tchiness. Best wishes for your new you. Sue

Frangi: Congratulations. It's so inspiring to read your threads, especially the ps ones. Normal bmi must be wonderful. Sue

Hi: I would ask the surgeon where he places the port, and why he choses that spot. I have my port in a comfortable place and wouldn't want it to be near my waist. Mine is just below the breast bone - about an inch down. Nothing seems to hit it and it's nice and flat there now that I'm down to 186 pounds. Good luck. I hope you love your band like I love mine! Sue

kirbywhite: I'm not sure what it is technically. From experience I can tell you that sometimes if you eat too fast, don't chew enough, or eat too much (break the bandster rules) your pouch gets irritated. When this happens for some reason your system creates extra thick spit. This spit then makes you hicup and burp and eventually the spit has to come out. It's kind of weird, like egg yolk. I think of it as my spit snake when it comes out. You almost could cut it with a knife. I usually have to kind of pull on it to make it stop. Yucky - but you asked. Follow the rules and it won't happen much. Take care. Sue

Hi: It might be that you had something so yummy that you ate it a bit too fast. Try again sometime but take it slow. Sue

Kelly: I agree with most of what everybody else said. I am fortunate in that I have lost 138 pounds in less than 15 months. It's a very personal decision to make. I'm glad that I made the decision that I made. In the back of my mind I think that they're going to come up with the miracle drug in the next ten years that will allow me to eat whatever and as much as I want without gaining weight. Until then, me and my band will continue to be buddies. I hope your decision ends up being the best one for you and your personal circumstances. Take care. Sue

Brad: I love my band. I wish someone had told me that I should take precise body measurements before I got banded. I know that I've lost alot of weight (138 pounds!), but there are times when my loss is so slow that I would like to know the inches because I think that if I knew the lost inches it would help to motivate me when the scale isn't so friendly. Good luck to you. Sue

Hi: I do the thrift shop thing too. I get a big kick out of it. I hardly ever spend more than $3.00 for an item. I go to the same one every week and go through the racks carefully. I've been going there since I was in 22's, so I've always been able to buy ahead when I saw something I liked alot. Now I'm proud to say that I am down to buying only two sizes - 14's and 12's. I'm currently wearing 14's, but I have a goal of 12, and a trunk full of clothes for when I get there. Good luck, and don't worry about thrift shop clothes. Just wash them and they're fine. You'll save alot of money buying the clothes send hand, and believe me that nobody will know unless you tell them. I've been donating back the clothes that I outgrow. Good for charity and the environment! Take care. Sue

Hi: At support group my doctor mentioned that there are times when people have sinus issues that he handles with a slight unfill. You should probably call your doctor. It tends to get irritated in there with all of the post nasal drip. Hope you feel better soon. Sue

Josh: Congrats on your approval and date for surgery. Don't forget to take it easy for a few days after surgery so that you can heal well. Take care and keep us posted. Sue

Heather: Congratulations! I was so happy last month when I was no longer obese. It's these amazing milestones that keep me going. Best wishes to both of us to get out of the overweight category on the bmi scale. Congrats and take care. Sue

Salsa: I've been lurking on this thread for a while and just wanted to say congratulations on your half marathon. Happy Birthday, and best wishes for your upcoming plastic surgery. You've accomplished so much. I cannot wait to see your pictures. Thanks for posting all that you do. It really helps us plastic surgery wannabe's to know what to expect when it is our turn. Take care and we'll all be thinking of you. Sue

I'm a real clutz and I learned it pretty easily. I took it alot slower when I first started. Sue

Hi Fellow Bandsters: Just thought I'd bump this thread because I want to let everyone know how much fun trikking is. If you're bored with your current exercise, then give it a try. They have them for sale online and also at Olympia Sports. The prices range from about $200 to $600. Don't forget to get a good biking helmet too. They work best on flat, smooth surfaces (parking lots, streets without much traffic). I'm going to try mine on the Cape Cod Canal this weekend. My trikke is helping me to get to my goal. I started at 324 (April 2007) and am now 188 (7/1/08) and still going down. I am shooting to hit goal of 159 by the fall. Drop me a line if you want to ask about my new passion - trikking! Sue

Hi: I think they try to avoid putting smokers under with anesthesia because they have big issues with breathing when they are under and while they are waking up. Please talk with your band doctor about it. It doesn't make sense to lie about it because it will possibly hurt you, and could also hurt your relationship with your band doctor. I used to be a heavy smoker and believe me when I say that quitting smoking is easier than dieting. After all, you need to eat, but you don't need to smoke. I hope you can quit and then get banded. Take care. Sue

Congrats to all of you who have made it to Onederland, and also to those of you who are almost there. It's really a much more comfortable place to be. Sue

Slim1: I just wanted to tell you that I was banded 11 months ago. I've lost 138 pounds in the last 14 months. I feel and look like a new person. So, you go - do that liquid pre-op, and the liquid post-op, and then mushies. If you are having a difficult time with it, go on this website and look at the before & after photo's. They're very inspirational. Best wishes to you for your successful lap band journey. Sue

Hi Dr. Schulman: I have a few questions concerning panniculectomy versus tummy tuck. Thank you for sharing your expertise with all of us on this website. I've gone from 324 (April 2007) to 188 (now), and hope to get to 159 by the end of the year so that I will have normal BMI. I have alot of loose skin, especially in my lower abdominal area. Can you please explain the difference between a panniculectomy and a tummy tuck? My insurance will cover a panniculectomy if I can show a history of rashes, etc. If I were to get them to approve a panniculectomy and I opted to get the tummy tuck does insurance usually cover a significant part of the cost of the tummy tuck because it takes care of the pannus? Please let me know. I'm in Massachusetts and I was told to think about $10k for a tummy tuck. I was also told that I should wait a few months after being at goal to get a tummy tuck. Do you agree with this wait? I look forward to hearing your answers. Thanks. Sue

You might want to consider whether the low-profile port makes the realize band more attractive. My port is not low-profile but it is placed just below my rib cage and it lays nice and flat (even with the significant loss nobody can tell it is there). However, if you've got a doctor that puts the port somewhere else it may "stick out" when you are down at goal. As far as the engineering goes - way too technical for me. Good luck. Sue

Come on now Ladyinred! Please do this for yourself. I heard that the reason why they put you on a liquid diet pre-surgery is so that your liver will shrink a bit. This makes your band surgery safer. The band isn't magic we all have to have some self-control. I think on my pre-band liquid diet I could have sugar free popsicles and sugar free fudgsicles. Believe me when I tell you they got me through it, and now I'm a sugar free popsicle addict! I go through a box in a few days. Thank goodness they're only 20 calories each. So, go get some popsicles and do the right thing for you, your band, and your commitment to losing this burdensome excess weight. Sorry it's preachy, but seems like you need it. Sue