Sue Magoo

Hi: You could get a ring guard put on your wedding ring until you get to your final size. Then, resize what you have and maybe get a special ring for your other hand to Celebrate your tremendous weight loss! I love my band and my new flat tummy! Sue

Erykah: Sliming is gross. Funny that you picture a snake when you think of it. I call sliming my "snake spit". Sliming is what your body does to try to make food pass through your band if you've eaten too fast or too much or both too fast and too much. Our magical bodies create all this extra thick, slippery, yucky spit to try to coat the food that is having an issue going down. If the slime doesn't work then you'll have a pb. Sometimes the slime comes up. When it does, it's thick and slimey, kind of like a snake. It's gross, gross, gross! Sorry if this was too graphic, but you did ask. Hopefully you won't have too many sliming experiences, or visits from the "spit snake". I love my band and my new flat tummy! Sue

Hi: I had gallstones 8 months after LapBand surgery. Got gallbladder removed by the same surgeon that did LapBand. It's an easier recovery than LapBand because you've already dealt with the food issues. When I got my gallbladder out he removed the band Fluid just before surgery and I got it put back two days after gallbladder removal. One recommendation that I have is to get something tight to wear (like spanx) over your abdomen. My belly hurt and I mentioned it to my sister and she said to put something tight over my incisions and it won't hurt as much. Sure enough, it helped alot by stopping the jiggly wigglies. Hope you feel better soon. Sue

Hi: I didn't have an issue with a fatty liver. I just wanted to say wow, that's a long liquid diet you have listed - from Sept. 7 to Sept. 30th. Holy cow. Best wishes to you with this. I found the liquid diet presurgical was hard (only 10 days), but if you keep in mind that you're making your surgery safer it helps. Thank goodness for sugar free popsicles. I love my band and my new flat tummy! Sue

Mini: Hopefully he'll take good care of that seroma and it's only a small bump in the road to a beautiful flat tummy. Please take it easy this weekend because resting will help you to heal better. Take care. Sue

Hi: Sounds like you need a fill. I could never eat that much without hurling it back up. Best wishes to you with your band. Sue

Hi: I have a question for those of you who've had a tummy tuck. Did you still have some pain when you laughed hard or sneezed four months after surgery? I've done very well and haven't had any issues (except one dogear), but I am surprised that I still have pain when I sneeze or laugh hard. I don't wear a spanx or anything that compresses, and haven't for two months. I had to switch insurance companies, so going back to the surgeon is out of question because of the cost (laid off from work in April) unless it is urgent. A little bit of pain when I laugh or sneeze is far from urgent. Please just let me know if it's normal. Thanks for your feedback. Sue

Thanks for your responses to my question. Kind of "Big Brother'ish" or a coincidence, I'm not sure which. Within an hour of my posting the question I got a call from PS office. She said Dr. asked her to call me to see why I haven't been back since end of June. I told her that my insurance changed and it doesn't cover anything like this now, and I'm unemployed, so couldn't afford :redface:to come back. She told me that it would be no charge. So, I have an appointment on 10/7. I'll post then to educate others on this plastic surgery path. Thanks again. I love my band and my new flat tummy! Sue

Laura: Your pics look great! Sue

Hi: My surgeon did a complete unfill the day before my tummy tuck. Thank goodness. I had big issues with nausea because of the anesthesia. I got a partial fill two weeks after the tummy tuck and a scooch more two weeks after that. I'm still not quite back to where I was, but I'm doing okay maintaining without the extra .5. I have the small band that only holds 4 cc's and I'm currently at 2.0. I was 2.5 before tummy tuck. I'm pretty tight at 2.0, so I'm good for now. If you have issues with anesthesia I highly recommend an unfill. Best wishes to you with your plastic surgery! I love my band and my new flat tummy! Sue

Hi: I was able to get partial coverage for my tummy tuck. My insurance approved coverage for a panniculectomy as I had rash issues under my excess abdominal skin. Both my lap band and the plastic surgeon had photo's of my rash (way way embarassing, but worth it). The plastic surgeon submitted to my insurance and they came back with approval for an abdominoplasty. Then I had to pay for the difference between a panniculectomy and the tummy tuck. I'm very pleased with the results. Best wishes to you with your band and also with the plastic surgeon. You should probably look into plastic surgeons that have dealth with post WLS patients. Ask around for recommendations and ask if they were able to get coverage with their insurance or not. I love my band and my new flat tummy! Sue

Hi: I had my gallbladder removed in April 2008. It was 9 months after being banded and after I'd lost more than a hundred pounds. Quick weight loss seems to bring on gallstones for alot of people. I had ten days off after my gallbladder was removed. I was in more discomfort than when I got banded because I had alot of jiggle on my belly because of the loose skin after loosing so much weight. The thing that helped best with this was to wear a tight spanx-like undergarment that went above my belly toward my ribcage. Other than that wasn't too bad. Hope you feel better soon. Sue

Amy: Not sure about band leaks, but wanted to share my job loss/weight loss issues with you. I was working for a place for 15 years and we were acquired. They let us know in November 2008 that we would all be losing our jobs because they were closing our facility. There were once 65 of us there. Long story, short, I was let go on April 24, 2009. Since then I've gained almost ten pounds. I had a tummy tuck during which she took 4 pounds off, so actually I guess I've gained 14 pounds. I know how stressful this can be. I get tighter when I'm under alot of stress and eat the wrong things. I hope to be back to work soon so that I can get back to my old routine. The best part about being banded is that I am confident that once I am on a routine schedule (with a job) I will be able to lose the 10 - 14 pounds in about 3 or 4 weeks. Then I'll be on track again. I wish you well with your band and your new job search. Take care. Sue

You go girl! Thanks for sharing the pics. Best wishes to you on Wednesday. I'll be thinking of you. Take care and good healing. Sue

Barbee: Congratulations on your upcoming lbl. What's the difference between an LBL and a tummy tuck? I had a tummy tuck on 5/14/09 and am so glad that I did. There is some pain, but it's worth it. Let us know if you have any questions. Take care. I love my band and my new flat tummy! Sue

Dr. Schulman: Welcome back! Good to see your posts again. I had a tummy tuck in May 2009. Back then I was under a different insurance plan. That insurance plan covered about 1/2 to 2/3 of the cost of the procedure because I was approved for a medically necessary panniculectomy because of rash issues. My former employer switched insurance so now my COBRA plan is very different from the plan that helped with my tummy tuck. They don't cover much of anything, and if they do it's a 20/80 split, or 40/80 split depending on in the network or out. Because I'm unemployed and have already spent almost $7k on my tummy tuck I cannot afford to spend any more at this time. Now to my questions. I have a dogear on one side. I don't remember when it showed up, but it wasn't there at the end of June when I last saw the plastic surgeon. I have gained somewhere between 7 to 9 pounds (depending on the day) since I became unemployed. Could gaining this small amount contribute to getting dogears? Do plastic surgeon's usually submit a bill if there is a correction made to repair the dogear? Is it usually done with minimal cutting and done in a plastic surgeon's office without anesthesia? Thanks so much for the time that you give to all of us bandsters. Sue

Hi: Sounds like you're doing most of the right things. Are you taking a liquid Vitamin too? Try to get some extra rest too because it will help with healing. Not sure what kind of work you do, but I would have been able to go back to a desk-type job after about four or five days, however I had plenty of time so I took two weeks off to laze around the pool and get used to my new eating/drinking style. Best wishes to you newbie! I love my band and my new flat tummy! Sue

Laura: That "Ken" reference was so funny. LMAO! The "Ken" area is where I still have some swelling when I overdo it. I think it's just because of gravity and that is the lowest place in my body that had liposuction when I had the abdominoplasty. The "Ken" area is also where I notice the clothes being looser too. Some of my clothes are a bit hanging in the crotch! I didn't even know that my "Ken" area was fat until after she lipo'd it. Try to take it a bit easier for the next few weeks. The hot weather doesn't help either. You're still only a couple of months out from surgery. Take care. Sue

Hi: I lost 148 pounds, 38 before my banding, and 110 after banding. I lost 125 of it in one year. So, if they think the band won't work because you need to loose more than 100 pounds, would seem like it can work, and there are alot of people on this website that would agree with that. However, I was a very big meal eater. I could eat 2 to 3 platefuls at supper time. I could eat big at every meal. I wasn't a grazer (spelling??). I think it would be hard to be successful with a band if you're the type that eats smaller amounts at a time, but all day long. If that is your style, please speak with your surgeon about how you eat and see if he agrees that the band might not be your best choice for weight loss surgery. I'm glad that I never had to see the psychologist after the initial consult, because I didn't feel comfortable with him. He did approve me though, thank goodness. I hope things turn out the best for you and that you conquer your weight problem. I'm so much happier since I conquered mine. I love my band and my new flat tummy! Sue

Laura: Sorry to hear you're still having swelling issues. Anything different - activity, diet, working too many hours, on feet too many hours? Are you swelling everywhere or just in your lower abdomen? Hope it improves soon. Take care. Sue

Hi: I had a tummy tuck in May 2009. I don't think I had a mons lift, however she did some lipo in that area. I believe that I could have gone back to work in 4 weeks to a desk job. You might want to plan on a gradual return, like maybe 3 half days, then 3 days 2/3 days, etc. You may be quite fatigued while you are recovering. Most of the pain was gone after a couple of weeks. Best wishes to you. I love my band and my new flat tummy! Sue

Hi: I've heard that increasing your Protein intake should help. I've also heard that it doesn't help everyone. Mine was falling out for a couple of months (not bad though, only noticable to me in the shower drain), but it did finally stop, and it did eventually go back to normal. It did take a bit of time though. I hope yours starts to grow back soon. Sue

Hi: Wish I was near Philly, but I'm not. It sounds like you are quite motivated to exercising. I was too. That's how I lost 125 pounds in one year. Sure, the band helps with the hunger and limiting the intake, but consistent exercise helps so much in conjunction with the reduced calories. I found good music to be my best walking company. I did some running, some walking, mostly walking. I still do some walking, some jogging, and alot of trikking. Take a look online at www.trikketampa.com to see what a trikke is. I started a new, healthy addiction with trikking. I hope you find a buddy, or a program that works for you! I love my band and my new flat tummy. Sue

Just wanted to say that it makes me angry when I see that someone has to wait days and days for an appointment when they are having issues with throwing up. I am very fortunate to have a doctor whose practice makes themselves available 24/7 and if you're having an issue they never make you wait for days. I hope you feel better soon. Sue

Hi: I'll never forget what someone said to me two summers ago. I was banded in July 07. I had lost about 50 pounds at the time this happened, so I was still very fat at the time. I was walking around my neighborhood and I saw my friends out on their patio and there was a girl there visiting that I knew worked for weight watchers. She was one of the people that signs people in, not a leader. She's a "skinny bi&&h" - size 2. I think she wore a size 10 when she started weight watchers. Anyway, when I saw her I asked her if any of her weight watcher clients have lap bands. Her reply was "No, we don't have anyone that big at weight watchers." I walked away flaberghasted (sp?). Now when I see that same woman she looks like she's anorexic and I look like a healthy woman. I love my band and my new flat tummy! Sue