susantunanoodle

Hi Sula, I walk a mile a day in the morning and do Pilates twice a week. I paddle twice a week. The exercise has made a huge difference. But the chicken-wing arms and inner thigh globbiness I fear are permanent. Oh well, I feel like a million dollars, even if I don't look it!

Hi guys! I haven't been active on the board all this summer but I need a bit of advice. So, anyway, this has been the best summer for me in years. I have started a new sport, whitewater kayaking. I love it! I run the rapids in Harper's Ferry, WV and I am making slow progress in the sport. OK, now for my stats. I was banded on 1/8/07 at 193 lbs. I had my first and only fill 6 weeks later (1.7 cc). I currently weigh 132 lbs which is 3 lbs less than goal. I am 5'3" and 58 years old. I have more energy and my sleep apnea is gone! Now for the little problem: I got a little careless with myeating and had a few bad PB's. Now I have heartburn bad. I just started on Prilosec and I'm making some behavioral changes, like less coffee and dark chocolate, eating soft foods and nothing after 6 PM. I'm hoping this will work since I worry about having had a slip or something. Any other suggestions? I don't really have a doctor for my band but there is someone who could do an unfill if needed. Also, what is the way they generally determine if a band has slipped? I've forgotten, is it an upper GI or endoscopy? Or something else? Thanks for any suggestions! Susan

I also experienced it about 3 weeks out and it was so severe I had to go to an urgent care clinic. I read an explanation for it on another board which I will share. Apparently the vagus nerve is very close, if not right on top of the sutures used to keep the band in place. With certain body positions it causes irritation to the nerve. It resolves as scar tissue is developed around the sutures. The shoulder and neck pain are actually referred pain from this, not gas. This surgeon's explanation makes sense to me since I never got any relief from gas remedies and it didn't seem to be directly related to eating. Anyway, that was his explanation. Susan

Who is Star Jones?

Botox is the BOMB! I love it but I can't afford it. I have used Retin-A on and off for over 30 years. When used consistently it diminishes fine lines and improves overall tone. It works by increasing cel turnover I believe. It is the only thing that has ever worked on my comedones. I use it year-round but I would avoid full sun if I put it on that day. It can enhance a sunburn. Retin-A is cheap and slow and I get mine from Canada (with a prescription). Susan CRNP

audree, I got 1.7 cc when I went on the 19th. I don't know how they decide the amount since my travel buddy, Cara, got 1.3 cc right after me. I forgot the OCC fill doctor's name but he seems to know what he's doing. I hope I won't need a fill for awhile but he did say that it depends to an extent on how fast you lose the weight. Anyway, I'm slowly losing, about one or two a week if I'm very very good.:-)

Well, it was a learning experience......I was thinking of something else totally and I gobbled 5 or 6 hunks of dry chicken breast. Ohmygosh! I had thw worst pain! Then that clear mucus stuff started coming up and I could only spit it out. If I tried to swallow the pain skyrocketed. After about 30 minutes I started to vomit. This helped only a little but I continued to vomit for about 2 hours. I had to leave work and drive home, vomiting into a cup as I drove. Whew! I finally went to sleep and when I woke up I was fine. Amazing! I stayed on liquids for 24 hours and ate aparingly at lunch today. All is well. But what a horrible experience. I don't ever want to pb again. Thanks for listening. Oh, and I had my first fill on Feb.19th. I found that it didn't really kick in till the end of the second week. I won't be eating so mindlessly anymore and I definitely will avoid fried chicken breast.

But Laurend, it is not a matter of one's faith not being good enough, it's a matter of which one is true? And of course many folks of different faiths will try to convert me, out of good intentions, and I respect that. But it all gets back to "Who ya gonna follow?" People seem to have lost the idea of the meaning of tolerance. It's not believing that "every religion is equally true" but true tolerance is allowing that person to hold whatever belief he chooses, whether I agree with it or not. Wow, this is great and I want to stay and chat but I have a vet appt for my pup so I have to go. Have a nice evening all! Susan

Tired Old Man, If a muslim wanted to share his faith with me, I would be very interested in a civil discussion. I have had these conversations many times while living in muslim countries. We would each, of course, be committed to the truth of our own beliefs but that doesn't preclude civil conversation. Susan

To share the Gospel with a Jew is not anti-semitic at all. If it were then all the writers of the New Testament would be anti-Semitic, since being Jews themselves, they all went all over the known world to tell other Jews of this great news. The Gospel is offered freely to all men. It is not a matter of coercion. It is a free gift, to be received gratefully to all who wish it. I wish I could explain these things without causing anger or distress. It is so precious to me that I want to share the wonder of it all with any who care to hear. But if they don't, well then, I will leave the conversation graciously. I used to be such a bitter, fervent christian-hater.....till God took me to the limit of myself and I hit the bottom. Oh happy day when my load was lifted and the Lord adopted me as His child! Susan

Am I crazy? I have severe left shoulder pain identical to that which I experienced during my post-op period, only that was 7 weeks ago. Has anyone ever heard of gas related pain this far out from surgery? It's really quite painful.:help:

Hi fellow wordaholics! I love anything by the Irish writer Mave Binchey---check her out, esp. Tara Road andScarlet Feather. I go mostly for cozy mysteries (not much gore or profanity) I love the Hamish Macbeth series. I live in Nora Roberts' hometown and see her around sometimes. She will sign stuff for the locals. I don't know how she ended up here, it's just a small town with a couple stoplights. But she has a bookstore. Anyway, I'm so glad there are still people who read. They say it's better for your brain than visual images.

Thanks for the help Audre and 2bthinagn. It is definitely getting better day by day. Wow I just made some potato leek soup and it was fantastic. I could not eat til about 3PM and I did eat a lot of it. But now I am worried it might have stretched the pouch. Hope not!

Marys, my heart goes out to you since I can imagine how frustrated you must feel. It sounds like your new fill doc is concerned and will get to the bottom of this. In the meantime, we are here for you. :-)

you go girl!!!!

That is correct. I need to get one soon even though I won't be needing it until 2008. I started the procedure then backed off when I heard it wasn't needed right away. But I agree with al, do it now so it's out of the way.

any sugestions for left shoulder pain. So far, that is my only problem. It hurts so bad sometimes I could cry. If I take a deep breath and hold it, the pain goes away but I can't keep holding my breath lol. Susan banded Jan.8th by Dr. Ortiz (what a cutie pie!)

Howdy everyone I am back from TJ and this is my 4th postop day. I just had my first liquid yogurt and boy was it yummy! Dr. Ortiz found a lot of inflammation in my esophagus so he did a fundiplication (surgery for severe GERD) and says I am cured! Wow am I happy! I was a bad girl the night before surgery though. I ate diner at the Lucerna restuarant and ordered the Mexican Combo. I enjoyed it. And after the surgery, the chicken broth is incredible! I have a lot of pain in my left shoulder and it fels like someone hit it with a baseball bat. I got to meet Housecatgirl and she looks fantastic! Tomorrow I am going to make some potato leek soup.

tickets are very expensive on short notice and they wanted $^ so i SAID NEVER MIND. I am having al kinds of trouble with my computer right now so bear with me. The end of it is that for $70 someone wil go up and get my friend at midnight. What a nightmare! ps, I'l never use Travelosity again. But I have a question for everyone: do they alow curling irons/brushes on board? Should I pack it? Thanks for listening, Susan

Hi everyone! I am now packing for Mexico. I did a REALLY DUMB blonde thing though. I booked the flights for my friend as well as myself and by mistake she is arriving 12 hours after me, almost midnight! What an idiot I am! When I discovered the mistake I immediately called Travelosity to see if I could just change the departure time for her flight. I had to wait on hold for 25 minutes and then got a anice person in Bombay. He said he would connect me to the agent. After waiting all that time the call was dropped and so I had to start over. The second time I got another very nice lady in Bombay and the calla was successfully forwarded to the ticket agent. Unfortunately, the fee to change the time was $80 BUT I HAD TO PAY THE DIFFERENCE in the cost of the ticket. As everybody knows

I have told my co-workers since they would figure it out anyway. I'm going to eat (drink) my lunch in my office now instead of the cafeteria so they would wonder why I suddenly got anti-social.

Oh boy! It's getting so close. I have been reading all the posts about everyone and I'll just throw in a few thoughts and questions of my own. I am 57, single again, a nurse practitioner by profession and I have to mention my two little fur-kids, Molly and Jody. They are Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and they are my cutie pies. I have always been athletic but with a big appetite and the weight has slowly climbed, usually a big gain after each diet. I'm doing this for health reasons since I suspect strongly that I have sleep apnea and a bunch of other health problems. I have really bad GERD and was concerned about the surgery making it worse but last week I finally elevated the head of my bed about 6 " and voila! the GERD is gone! Whoooopie! I feel so much better. I also stopped drinking orange juice.;-( I wish I had done Atkins instead of the proteindrink/lean cuisine thing because I'm starving on this pre-op diet and at least on Atkins I don't get hungry. Oh well, it's only a few more days. After reading the posts on sleep apnea I think I will get a sleep study. I often wake up with a loud snort and then have to catch up with my respirations and I snore like a garbage disposal. Audree, sorry I won't meet you. I arrive Sunday, the day after you leave. Waaah! Take care all! Susan

I wonder of Dr. Ortiz would use this Advanced Platform band. If it is made of better materials or has some other advantage I want it! Susan self-pay

Hi fellow "oldster" bandsters. I will be banded in 6 days. I am 57 and think we can do just fine. Even if the weight loss is slower, at least for once, it's in the right direction and that will satisfy me. We all need to stick together and support each other. Most of us have blown our metabolisms by yo-yo dieting, at least I know I have--and I usually don't even start to lose weight for 3 or 4 weeks on any diet now. But this will be different! I brought up a 12 lb. turkey from the basement freezer last week. I was shocked at how much it weighed and that I was winded from just that. I will be losing 5 or 6 times that amount of weight. I am SO looking forward to having energy and strength again. Oh well, I'm rambling on so I'll stop. Love you guys! Susan

I just got back from GNC. I was kind of disappointed. Everything is geared for bodybuilders and is very expensive. I ended up buying a vitamin powder instead of the liquid because it looked like a better deal. So I guess I'll just mix it with other things. Everything is a learning curve with this. I bought some protein powder, protein drinks, aloe vera water and a shake cup. Then I went to the grocery store and bought some Slimfast Optima and boullion. I just want this preop phase to be over. I wish it wasn't a week away. Cheers, Susan :hurt :hurt :hurt Seems like forever.