Sue Magoo

Lisa: You may want to try kicking up your exercise for a few days to see if that helps. Also, write down everything you are eating to make sure your calories are 1200 or below. Another thing to try is listed in a reply above, try all liquids for a couple of days. I find that I can stay the same for a week and then all of a sudden my body lets go of a pound or two. Good luck. Sue

Kat: So what specifically did he say about the mons lift and how people feel about doing it versus not doing it? Is the mons lift part of the tummy tuck or is it a separate procedure? I'm guessing that the tummy tuck they pull down and cut all the excess and with the mons lift they pull up and cut the excess off. Just a guess.... Sue

Sophiekittie: Are you taking liquid vitamins too? That might help. I hope you feel better soon. When I was banded last year they told us to have protein drinks after surgery to help with the healing. I was having sugar free carnation instant breakfast made with skim milk with a scoop of protein powder added. Take care. Sue

Gurlygurl: I have gall stones too. I'm having my gallbladder out on 4/17. My pain is intermittent, but it's bearable most of the time. I'm having my gallbladder removed by the surgeon who did my band. Getting gall stones is a side effect of having a sudden weight loss. I've heard that the gallbladder surgery is very similar to lap band. Good luck. Sue

Fran: If you are eating right don't worry about the weight gain. You are probably retaining fluids from the major shock your body is going through. I haven't had plastic surgery yet, but after I was banded I gained 9 pounds in 3 days and I was only on liquids. It took about ten days before it started to come off. Chin up and drink alot. Weird how drinking makes our fluids flush, but that's what they tell me. Take care. Sue

Special K: Good for you! I started with a BMI of 50.7 and I know what you're talking about with the exercise. It does get easier as the weight comes down. I've gotta go because my Daughter and I are walking in a 5 mile charity walk. Keep up the good work. I think it's especially important for us folks with the higher bmi's to exercise with our bands. Take care. Sue

Hi Mamaof3: I read that you are having your surgery in Norwood on 4/8. Congratulations. You must be one of the Glasgow's patients. Dr. Adam did my band, and on 4/17 he'll be taking out my gallbladder. Do you have Dr. Adam or Dr. Arthur as your surgeon? One of them assists the other, so you'll really have both during surgery. Dr. Arthur helped me out twice when I had issues. Did I see you at support group? The last one was very crowded, not usually that many people there, and usually not that hectic. I was the blond middle-aged woman on the couch. You picked a great group. I'm very pleased with both of the Dr's. Glasgow and their entire group. Good luck, let me know if you have any questions because I've been there and done that. Take care. Sue

Wow Trystelle: From 330 to a size 14! Sue

Trystelle: Thanks for the reassurance. You're doing so well. You'll be at goal in no time! Congratulations. Sue

gilliebean: Hope the next time goes more smoothly. I've always had my fills in the doctors office without fluoro and it's always quick and easy. Hopefully the rest of yours will be easy too. Feel better soon. Sue

Hi: I'm glad that my surgeon is a general surgeon. I have to get my gallbladder out. The same doctor that did my band is going to take care of my gallbladder. He and his Dad decided to start banding back in 2005 and he said that he gets alot out of being a band surgeon because he has patients that are patients for life they get alot of gratification from helping us be more healthy, happy people. It's comforting to me. Sue

Hi: I'm guessing that sometimes your pouch gets a bit swollen when it's getting used to a new, tighter fit. Just a guess. It has happened to me twice - at about ten days out. Sue

Hi: My experience has been that if a fill is too much it only gets worse, not better. If you're sliming alot you're going to irritate things and you've only been banded about six weeks. I recommend a call to your doctor to make sure that you're not harming your tummy or your band. Good luck. Sue

Hi: I actually walk between 1 1/2 to 2 hours per day, 6 days per week, no matter what the weather is here in New England. If it's slippery out I get on my eliptical, but I hate that. I have long underwear to keep warm, rain coat to keep dry, etc. I'm proud to say that I've lost 117 pounds :huh2: since last April 23rd, and I'm guessing that my weight loss would only be about two-thirds of this if I didn't do all of this walking. I spread the walking into four sessions. Morning 20 minutes (at work), Noon 50 minutes (at work), Afternoon 20 minutes (at work), and usually 30 minutes of walking up and down a big hill at home in the early evening. I have two walking buddies for my short walks at work. I'm fortunate that I have the time available to me for all of this walking. On the weekends sometimes I go for a two hour walk at one time. I use my MP3 player and just keep on going. I miss it if for some reason I can't walk. Good luck putting together an exercise program that works for you. I'm going to start a strength program in June. Sue

love777pink: Can you please tell me about the gallbladder surgery? I'm having mine out on 4/17. I was thinking it would be a piece of cake, like lap band. Any info you can give on gallbladder surgery will be appreciated. Did you have gallbladder out laproscopically? Sue

You are going through the toughest period. The swelling is going away so you're getting hungry because you're not restricted yet, and probably won't be until you get a fill. I think they refer to this period as "bandster hell". 1800 calories is alot, but you probably were used to having 3000+, so you're improving. I remember that it is hard to have the Protein because it's not palatable unless you have it with milk and that makes for alot of calories. I recall when I was first banded, before mushies I would have one sugar free carnation with skim milk (if I recall this is 270 calories!) and then I would have cream of wheat made with Water (probably about 200 calories), a bazillion sugar free popsicles, gallons of snapple diet iced tea, and fat free cream of broccoli soup, and almost forgot sugar free Jello. I also had an electric ice crusher so I would eat crushed iced with sf iced tea with fresh lemon squeezed in. I would eat that with a spoon. Just a silly mind game to eat it with a spoon made it seem more like food than water:rolleyes:. Oh yeah, try to do things that never involved food. For instance, I would read in the tub for hours because I never eat in the tub. Also, I would watch tv in bed because I would be farther away from the fridge. Also, going to bed early helps recuperate too. Good luck, this will pass and you'll be able to have more choices and you'll get restriction and fill up after eating only a half of a cup of almost anything that's not liquid. Take care, and keep the motivation. You're going to do it, and it is going to get easier. Sue

neverland: You may want to try to stick to liquids for a day or two because it sounds like you've irritated your pouch. If you don't keep liquids down call your doctor because dehydration can lead to serious problems. Hope you feel better soon. Eating too fast is one of my problems sometimes too. Take care. Sue

OOOps. I thought I posted, but it's not there. Nikki: My circumstances are a bit different, but we're both having our gallbladders out. I was banded last July and now I have gallstones. I had an attack about 3 weeks ago and they found the stones using ultrasound. I was hoping to hold off until summer weather, but I had three more attacks since then. So, my gallbladder is coming out on 4/17. My lap band surgeon is doing the gallbladder. I think the gallbladder is very similar as far as cuts and being done laproscopically, however gallbladder must be easier because he said gallbladder is day surgery and he keeps people overnight for lap band. I know you're disappointed, but it will be here before you know it. I started dieting 3 mos. before I got banded. I just couldn't stand carrying it around anymore! It's supposed to make surgery safer to lose weight beforehand. Good luck to you with both the gallbladder and the band. If you get your gallbladder out before the 17th let me know what it's like. Take care. Sue

Nikki: My circumstances are slightly different. I was banded last July, and I have gall stones now. My pain is intermittent, so it's bearable most of the time. I'm scheduled to get gall bladder out on 4/17. I heard that it is similar to lap band surgery as far as cuts and recovery. Lap band surgery was easy (except nausea after anesthesia), so I'm thinking that gall bladder should be easy too. In fact, I'm thinking that gall bladder must be a bit easier because my surgeon does lap band with overnight stay in hospital, but my gall bladder removal is outpatient surgery. It is disappointing because you thought you would be getting banded and now you have to wait. Surgery for banding is easier if you can decrease size of your liver, which is done by losing weight before surgery. Now's a good time to start a pre-op diet program. Best wishes for successful gall bladder and lap band surgery. Sue

I have that activia yogurt because it helps with constipation. Hope you find something that works for you. Sue

Fenton: How about dancing? It's something you can do in your own home if you're self-conscious of people watching. Good luck. I've lost 117 pounds since last April. My primary exercise is walking. I put on my MP3 player and take off. Take care. Sue

Dave: Mine should be here on Thursday. I went with one of the competitors products and they don't have the air tires available right now. I'll order the air tires in May. So, keeping my fingers crossed for no "America's Funniest Video's" this upcoming weekend. Thanks for letting me know about trykkes. I'll let you know how I make out if both of my arms aren't broken. Sue

Tammy - Congratulations on the upcoming event. You might want to double-check your weights listed above. It says you only need to lose 8 pounds. Looks like you should have put current weight 278. You'll be at 178 before you know it! Where are you having your surgery? Good luck. Sue

Ezma: I wouldn't worry too much about the fill. If you've lost 46 pounds in six weeks you probably don't need a fill. At night I eat sugar free popsicles and sometimes crushed ice with crystal light (eat it with a spoon). It's awful that our heads tell us to eat at night when we're really not even hungry. I think we all need to find something else to do with our hands and mouths. I find that if I'm busy I don't think about eating. Once I sit down in front of the television, I'm starving! Congratulations on your 46 pound loss. Sue

Littleannie: Strange that if you've been having diarreah for two weeks and you've been on liquids that you haven't lost weight. When I had my surgery I was retaining fluids and gained 9 pounds first three days. It took me more than a week to lose those 9 pounds. Do you think that Fluid retention could be the issue with you? Are your ankles and fingers swollen from fluid? When are you starting mushies? Maybe that will help with the diarreah. Hope you feel better soon. Sue