Sue Magoo

Thanks for asking. I'm feeling good, with the exception of my energy level still. I'm probably 80% of normal energy level, so I'm not complaining. I got my first fill last Monday and things are going well with my band. Hope things are well with you too. Sue

Claire: Glad to hear that you're going to see the doctor for a slight unfill. That way he/she can check to see if there's anything else going on that is causing this. Take care and let us know how you make out. Sue

Hi Lynnkat03: I had a slip too. Mine started sometime in April. It was a mild slip, but it was stubborn and wouldn't move back. I started gaining weight and flipping out. I had a revision to the more current Alergan band on 7/20. So glad I did it. Can't your doctor replace yours instead of just taking it out? Best wishes to you. Sue

Hi: My port is in the middle just below the rib cage - about two inches below where the ribs intersect. I love where it is because I can never feel it. Also, it's very easy for my doctor to fill. Sue

Shelly: Sounds a bit like the symptoms I had with gall stones. You should see your doctor. Feel better soon! Sue

Yikkes! Hope you feel better soon. Sue

My postop for my band revision (also due to a slip) was the same as with my original band. Two days Clear liquids, eight days liquids, two weeks mushies, then gradual introduction of non-mushies. Best wishes to you. Sue

Is it possible that the pill(s) are stuck? I have a problem getting big pills down sometimes. Perhaps a drink of warm tea would help it go down if it is stuck. I hope you feel better soon. Sue

Hi: You may have some swelling today because of being stuck yesterday. You should probably do liquids today to let your digestive system rest. Sue

Hi: I got my first band 7/07, had a stubborn slip & second band put in 7/10. Send any questions you have my way. Other than the fatigue being alot worse than the first time, it was very similar. I was mistaken to think that it would be alot easier because I was so much lighter. FYI - a friend of mine had to wait a year after having a band removed due to infection before the doctor would put in another one. Not sure if that is how they all handle it or not, just an experience to let you know about. Best wishes to you. Sue

Be careful when selecting a new insurance company. In addition to making sure they cover band surgery, make sure that they don't exclude preexisting conditions. Good luck! Sue

Hi: You must be exhausted! I believe these can both be signs of being too tight. You should check with your band doctor. Please let us know how you make out. We all learn so much from each other. Take care. Sue

Thanks everyone. I increased my Protein and calories today and added a B12 Vitamin on top of my daily multi-vitamin. It's the first night I didn't have to lay down for 3 hours after work. Thanks for all of your feedback! Sue

Hi folks: I got my new band on 7/20, so three weeks ago tomorrow. I'm still struggling with the fatigue. When I got my first band I didn't have this kind of fatigue. I am looking for suggestions on how to break this cycle of fatigue. Please offer suggestions. Thanks. Sue

Hi: I had a revision on 7/20/10, original band was put in on 7/26/07. The pain is minimal. Both times I didn't need anything but liquid tylenol starting on day 2. I have nausea issues from pain meds too. There's another thing you could ask your doctor for. They make this antinausea med called phenergen (spelling?) and it comes in a suppository form. You may want to ask for a prescription for these to have at home just in case the nausea hits you and you can't keep food or liquids down. I know that suppositories are gross, but anything to keep from having nausea post-op. One thing to remember about being a good patient is to always be honest and open with your surgeon. He wants to do what's best for you and if he doesn't know you have issues with certain pain meds he cannot help you with that. Take care. Sue

Hi: I'm jealous of how good you are feeling . I had band #2 put in on 7/20 after my stubborn slip wouldn't fix itself after 3 months and some weight gain. I'm still very lethargic and am still having alot of shoulder pain, but this is probably because I got a head cold two days post op and I went back to work on day 6 (new job - had to). I remember having alot more energy the first time around, but I also had been on a liquid diet for ten days pre-op and weighed 287 pounds. This time I thought it would be alot easier because I weighed 208 and didn't have a pre-op liquid diet and the port was fine and left alone. So, maybe it's the all liquids post op that's doing this. Or, it could be that I'm just pushing myself too hard and first time I had two full weeks off. Anyway, best wishes to you. Hopefully you'll reach restriction soon and be on your way down on the scale. You're really not expected to lose much weight until you reach restriction and then you'll find you have to remind yourself to eat. Believe it, it's true.:thumbup: Take care. Sue

Hi: I hope you like this surgeon too because having them close to home sure makes the follow up process easier. You're making a lifetime committment. After you reach your goal you may have to just see him/her once a year. However, if your surgeon offers support group you may continue to see him/her as often as you attend support groups. I believe they've found that the patients that follow up the most have the most success. I would want to know the following: How many bands has he/she done? Does he/she accept your type of medical insurance? Does your insurance include coverage at the hospital where he/she operates? Does he/she have a website that you can look at ahead of time to review what he already offers? What is the typical time to wait for an appointment with him/her if you need a fill? How about if you need an unfill? Is he/she available 24/7 to his/her patients? I've been spoiled by my surgeon's group that has now done more than 600 bands and is entirely devoted to banding now. He's added a nutritionist, some nurses, a psychiatrist (or psychologist), and a physicians assistant to the original group which included two surgeons and three office staff people. Take a look at my surgeon's website and you'll see what a bandster devoted surgeon provides to his patients. They've provided the best service to their patients. His site is www.massweightloss.com. Best wishes to you. You're very fortunate to get this band at a young age because you're going to feel so much better about yourself going forward. Let me know how you make out. Sue

Did you let your doctor know you're unable to take your medications? You should. He may have an alternative. I know it sounds gross, but if it will bring relief it's worth it, some meds come in suppository form. I had to take this type of medication for nausea once because I couldn't take anything by mouth. Hope you get better soon. I don't blame you for being a bit downtrodden about this experience because of what you've gone through. However, after you turn this corner you'll look back and say it was worth it. Take care. Sue

Hi: You should call your surgeon to discuss how you're doing and what he/she thinks you can do to stop the pain. Sue

Best wishes to you. Please find comfort in knowing that a few months from now you'll be alot lighter and you'll be wishing you'd done it sooner! Sue

Hi: Just had my slipped band replaced on 7/20. A little bit simpler surgery because they didn't have to mess with my port. However, the fatigue is hitting just as bad as with the first time. First band I took two weeks vacation. This time I went back to work full time 6 days post op. My butt's been dragging all week, but getting better each day. I hope to feel well enough to start exercising next week (just walking & swimming). I gained 7 pounds post surgery because of Fluid retention. So far I've lost that plus 7 more since last week! Happy to have my "Belly Cop" back again! Sue

Hi: My doctor says that you can, but remember that your band will tighten when it's under pressure, just like when you're in an airplane. So, you should make sure that you don't eat just before and not for a few hours after to allow the band to get back to normal. You should discuss this with your band surgeon, or at a seminar you could ask about it. Good luck! Sue

Hi: I went from 26/28 to 12/14 and I had a tremendous amount of loose skin. Had a full tummy tuck about 9 months after I had stopped losing. Best thing I've done. Hard to feel like a healthy, average-weight person when you sit down to pee and your lap lands on your legs. There are 3 pics on my profile page that show just after banding, before tummy tuck, and after tummy tuck. Take a look at the cosmetic surgery thread here and follow some of the threads that detail what the process was and you'll see that they all say it was worth it. Best wishes to you. Sue

Hi: I had a small slip that I wasn't aware of. However, looking back I had a time when I had this very strange burping thing going on in April. Then I started eating more and gaining and thought I needed a fill. When I saw doctor in May he did a barium swallow and I had a slip. Unfortunately it didn't fix itself so I had my band replaced (with larger band) last week. Because you mentioned the strange burping I thought I'd let you know I had some of that too. Please make sure you mention all of the unusual things to your surgeon so that he can help you. One thing to always remember is that your band shouldn't cause pain once you've healed from the surgery. If you have pain or reflux you need to call your surgeon. Please let us know how you make out. Sue

Hi: I'd do it all at once as long as it doesn't add alot of time to the surgery which would make it add some risk. Did your surgeon how long the additional procedure takes? Sue