Sue Magoo

Hi: You might be getting sick. It's okay that you're not wanting to eat anything. My doctor didn't let me eat anything for first two weeks - all liquids only. Just make sure you can continue having fluids. If you're still taking pain medication that could be causing the lightheadedness. Rest, relax, and keep the fluids coming. I found that I had issues with nausea until I stopped taking the pain medication. If you don't feel better tomorrow, call your doctor. Or, if you can't keep liquids down, or if you get a high fever. I hope you feel better soon. Take care. Sue

Hi Jennifer: Congratulations. If you're anything like me, in a few months you'll be saying that you love your band and wish you'd done it sooner. I started a modified weight watcher type diet three months before banding, and now it's just over ten months and I'm down 112 pounds! I feel so much better. My feet don't hurt. I sleep better. I certainly look better. I exercise 6 days a week - 5 miles per day. I can wrap a normal bath towel around me now, instead of a beach towel. I feel different when I walk into a room, not like "I'm going to be the fattest person in the room", because most of the time I'm not. My daughter is proud of me, and so am I. Good luck. Sue

Ceredad: 99 - Cool one to go to the big 100 pound mark. You're doing fabulously. Congratulations. I agree that it's a big mind game. Tell youself you're going to do it, then do it. Occasionally making a poor food choice isn't going to throw you much off track, so I think that taking care of a craving once in a while helps me to keep on track 99% of the time. Tomorrow you'll probably hit 100. Congratulations! Sue

Hi: I'm looking forward to seeing the responses. I haven't had an alcoholic beverage since I was banded last July. However, my dd is going to turn 21 in June, so I'm planning to have one or two to Celebrate. I think I read somewhere that people who've had wls get wasted easy. Make sure you get a designated driver. Have fun. Sue

Hi: About a week and a half ago I had to drink that nasty stuff for a colonoscopy. I got a bit confused when I read the directions. My doctor said that those directions are for those people who use it as a laxative, not for someone using it for a colon cleansing. So, he said to take it as prescribed for me which was 1.5 ounces at 8:00, 12:00, and 4:00 on the day before my colonoscopy. Good luck. Sue

Tammy: I'm glad you are feeling better. Take care. Sue

Hess: Glad you're feeling better. Get some rest so that you continue healing. Remember, this is a time to "baby" yourself. Take care. Sue

Hi: I don't know much about thyroid issues. I do know though that my energy level keeps improving as I continue to lose weight. I see that you've lost 40 pounds. I cannot tell if you still have a long way to go or not. I notice that if I forget to take my daily multi-vitamin I get exhausted. Good luck. Sue

Hi: If the swollen site is warm to the touch, or starts to get rid, or if you start to run a fever it could be infected. If it's feeling better than yesterday it's probably healing. I hope you feel all better soon. Remember, you just had surgery, so take it easy. Sue

You should call your doctor. Go to the emergency room if you cannot keep liquids down because dehydration can cause alot of problems. You might need to do some walking to get rid of all of your gas. If you're strong enough, walk around the house to get rid of the gas. I hope you feel better soon. Sue

LJM: I'm so glad you are doing so well. Can't wait to see pics. Get some rest and heal well! Take care. Sue

Sheryl: He might just be a bit insecure because you are going to look like a new Sheryl. In a few months you might have the energy to go and get a part time job to help pay for that band, so hopefully the money spent won't be an issue. Good luck. I love my band! Sue

Tamihott: I have big issues with nausea with motion, pain meds, and anesthesia. I haven't had any nausea since the day after my surgery, except once when I got food stuck. If you have issues with nausea make sure you let your surgeon know to give you extra meds pre and post surgery for the nausea. You might want to get a prescription to have around the house too. I have a script for something like pfenergren that I can take if I have a problem. I only had to take it once after I got stuck (two weeks into eating mushies - tuna :w00t:). Hope all goes well for you. Sue

aliwatt: If the doctor says you can have runny mashed potatoes, go ahead! You should probably limit them to 1/2 cup or so. I remember the first time having mashed potatoes after liquid diet - yummy! Look at the calorie counts for a half cup of mashed potatoes - not really that much. Take care. Sue

lindata: I just had to have a colonoscopy last week. Cleansing products are sold over the counter. Be warned though, you will have explosive bowels that are completely uncontrollable! The doctor said that I have diverticulitis (sp?) so he wants me to take miralax twice per day. That stuff's horrible too. I'll live with the pain instead of embarassment as that stuff has the same effects as the pre-colonoscopy cleansing. Good luck. Sue

Hess: Hopefully your swelling will go down soon. Remember, if you cannot drink you must call your surgeon! You can do real harm if you get dehydrated. Take care. Sue

Big-D: You're doing fabulously! You're not even filled yet and you've lost so much. Congratulations. It gets easier once you're restricted. Good job. Sue

Cindi: I had to laugh at your comment about keeping the razor handy for the chin. I actually keep tweezers in the car and pluck in the car all the time. One day I glanced over at the car next to me and another 40 - 50'ish woman was plucking too. LOL! I started menopause symptoms when I turned 40 because of taking tamoxifen. Seemed along with the chin hairs came another 40 pounds. Thank goodness they're gone! We have something else in common too. I've lost 111 pounds as of this morning and have about 50 to go. I'm not sure exactly what my goal is because I'm guessing that at 160 pounds I'll be in a size 12. I'm shooting for that size 12. Good job with the exercise. I really enjoy walking alot. I have yet to go to a gym to start strengthening exercise, but I'm hoping to start by April 1st. I know it's a bad excuse, but I cannot stand the thoughts of getting out of work, out into the cold, going to work out, and then out to the cold again. I'm in New England. So, I figured I'd wait until 4/1 to start going to the gym. Right now I'm walking 5+ miles, or 2 hours per day, 6 days per week. Congratulations on your 100+ pounds gone forever. Sue

Kim: I was banded on 7/26/07. However, I started dieting on 4/23/07. So, I've been very fortunate and have lost 111 pounds (as of this morning)in just over ten months. I hope you do well too. There are many people on this website that have inspired me along the way. Take care. Sue

JRC: The carbonation is the issue. I know the shoulder pain is horrible because it happens to me when I eat too fast or get stuck. I'm surprised you're eating small meals already. I had to do liquids only for three weeks, then mushies for two weeks, then food. Alot of doctors have different ideas of post surgery meals though. Take care, and skip the beer and soda for a while because your pouch doesn't have enough room for all of those gas bubbles. Sue

jfran: You are doing so great! Congratulations on just being overweight. I can't wait to join you. In fact, I'm going to go and look at the bmi charts to see how many pounds to go for that. I still have 15 to go to Onederland, so it'll be quite a while, but another goal to shoot for. Congratulations again. I forget that comedien's name who used to say "You look maaaaaahhhhhvvvellous!" Sue

Hi: I chose the band because it has less risk for surgical and post-surgical complications. Glad I did it, only wish I'd done it sooner. I also like that it is completely reversible. In my sick mind I am thinking that some day a scientist is going to develop the magic pill that will allow everyone to eat without gaining. Hope so, anyways. In the meantime this works for me because I had such a huge appetite, and the band is my tummy police - won't allow me to overeat, ever again! Good luck. Sue

Hi Kim: I did a modified "weight watchers" diet for three months prior to surgery, and the ten day pre-op fast. I lost 38 pounds before being banded. I think it may have made surgery recovery easier. The day after surgery I was out walking and hanging around at the pool. I think that the pre-surgery liquid diet might be a bit much for more than the two week pre-op requirements. I can remember how hungry I was getting when it was liquids only pre-op. Good luck. Sue

Hey Onelove756: Congratulations on getting started on your journey to bandland. I am from Massachusetts too - Norwood. I started by journey last year at about this time. I think I went to seminar in March, Doctor in April, various tests May and June, and got banded in July. As of this morning I'm 109 pounds lighter! I'd like to lose about 50 more, or whatever it takes to get to size 12. My regret about my band is that I didn't do it ten or twenty years ago. I have good wishes for you and I'm glad to see that you're taking charge of your issue to take care of the problem. Let me know if you have any questions as I've been in bandland for a while. Take care. Sue

I just wanted to share. For the past 20-something years I've been obese to super obese. So, I've always had to use a beach towel as a bath towel. This morning I used a standard bath towel and I was able to wrap it and tuck it around my chest and it was closed all the way down. Yippee. Beach towels are just for the pool now! That'll save room in the laundry. Sue