Sue Magoo

Rain: I know exactly how you feel. Some people say ten or twenty pounds per size. I think that's a load of bs. I think it's going to be 40 or 50 before I get down from 18's to 16's. It's the damn tummy for me. Now I just had gallbladder removed, so any muscle tone I was starting to have near waist is totally gone - looking pregnant . Anyway, let's remember this three months from now when we're whining about not fitting into 14's yet. Congratulations on your 100. Sue

Dave: I get nervous when I go down a hill, other than that I don't have a death grip! I would like to know how anybody can ever actually go up a hill. Have you mastered that yet? Suggestions? Another question. Right now I have the regular wheels. Do you have the air tires or the regular wheels? Any difference? Sue

Hi: I think we've got to exercise to be succesful. I cannot imagine where I'd be if I hadn't started an exercise program. Until this past month I was walking. Started slow, worked up to walking about 2 hours per day. One half hour of this walking is on a pretty steep hill and my heart rate gets up to the 150's when I'm walking the hill. In April I bought a trikke. I love my trikke. It's so much fun that it doesn't feel like exercising at all. However, I break into a sweat and my heart rate goes up to the 140's. In addition I found some muscles that I haven't noticed in 20+ years - calves, just below butt on thighs, near rib cage, and also on arms where the bat wings are! Here's a link to the thread on the trikke. http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f81/new-exercise-equipment-54741/ I know that I'm still a long way from maintenance, but I think that exercise is going to be the best way to maintain the losses that we've worked so hard for. I have a friend who isn't banded that walks 7 miles every morning so that she can eat whatever she wants to and maintain her weight. She looks great. Keep up all the hard work. Take care. Sue

Hi nurse97: I have found that when I hit a plateau I change things around a bit and I start losing again. For instance, I would increase exercise for a couple of days, switch foods that I'm eating, sometimes I even go back to liquids for a couple of days to switch things up. I think our bodies get used to eating and exercising at a certain level and it helps to shake things up a bit. I've seen other people say to eat more than usual for a few days. I've never tried that so I'm not sure if that's true or not. Good luck. Sue

donnabarney: I should have mentioned that it cannot be used in the rain. You wouldn't be able to apply the brakes if the tires are wet. So, be careful. It's worth it to get just for the days without rain though. Let me know how much you love it after you get yours. Take care. Sue

Hi all: I've been reading about your challenge and thought I'd let you know about the cool, fun exercise I recently started doing. It's called a carving trikke. It costs about $300, but it's so much fun it's worth it. I forget that I'm exercising because it's so much fun. There's a picture of me below on my trikke last week. It works kind of like a scooter, you push off, to make it start, but then you lean on one side, and then the other to make it keep going. It doesn't work uphill, at least for me. However, I've heard that experts can make it work on small hills. I'm about as clumsy as someone can be, so for me to be able to do it, almost anyone could. I fell once, but not quite all the way to the ground. I promised my Daughter that I wouldn't use it without a helmet. It doesn't look like it's alot of exercise, but I actually got sweatty (sp?) and it was only in the 60's when I was riding it. Also, I've found muscles that I forgot that I had, under my butt, in my calves, along my ribs, and also on the underside of my upper arms. I'll put a link to Dave01's thread that introduced me to it. It's so much fun. Check it out if you're looking for a new fun exercise. http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f81/new-exercise-equipment-54741/ Have fun. Sue

Jen: So sorry to hear about your troubles. I'll pray for you and your arm. I hope that it all comes back. It sounds like you've got a good outlook and positive thoughts. I think that is half the battle. Good wishes to you and your recovery. Sue

Julie: So many of us are thinking about you today. I hope the pain meds knock you out for a few days so that the pain is more bearable when you're with it. Take care, rest, relax, and recover.:tongue_smilie: Sue

Heartfire & Luluc: Unfortunately you need level ground to make it work, or downhill - oooohhhhh scary! I'm in New England, so there isn't alot of totally flat land here either. But I've been on the lookout and I think I know of a few places to try once I recover from gallbladder surgery. I can hardly wait. I hope you both find an exercise that's as much fun as this. Take care. Sue

Let's see if I can attach the picture right. Please feel free to resize it if it doesn't. This is the most fun I've had in a long time. In fact, it's so much fun I forget that it's exercise until I feel my aching muscles later. Don't forget to get a helmet before you try riding if you get one. No way could I have done this when I was 324 pounds. Love my band, love my trikke. Thanks Dave for bringing it up on the site.

Congratulations on Onederland. I hope to join you there soon. Sue

Syd: I believe that 24 hours off pain medication (other than over-the-counter tylenol, aleve, etc) is the rule my doctor used. So, if you're feeling well enough to get off pain meds for 24 hours then if not too uncomfortable you can drive. They seem to put the ports in alot of different places, so I imagine that could effect your comfort when driving. Mine is way up at the top of my belly, just under the rib cage, so it didn't effect my abdomen while driving at all. Best wishes for a quick recovery. Sue

jb: If you're going to the extreme of having the lap band this probably means that you cannot do it on your own with alot of success. So, I would go with the surgeon that will be the most strict because you probably need this type of support and enforcement. However, if you're going to crumble under pressure go with the surgeon that is less strict. My surgeon is conservative with the stricter rules. However, he's also a very nice person that I feel comfortable with. On one weigh-in I gained 3 pounds. I don't know which of us was more disappointed, me or him. Another thing to consider is whether they have support groups too. I find my support group helps alot. Whichever one you chose, please follow the rules they give you to be succesful. Good for you to put so much thought into picking the right surgeon for you. Best wishes. Sue

Hi: I've set a goal of 160 pounds and size 12. If I get to size 12 before 160 I might be satisfied, can't wait to find out. I was a size 12 before I had my baby (21 years ago!). I think that if I go below that I'll get too wrinkly as now I'm middle-aged, but if the saying is true that for every ten pounds you lose you lose a year of age, then I'm down to 36 now, not 48. Let us all have success! Sue

Hi Jeen: I had a hernia repair last year when I was banded. I believe that when they fix your hiatal hernia they sew some mesh in there. I recall having some pulling and alot of pain in the center too. However, I think it's so close to where my port is I'm not sure if it was hernia pain or port pain. Hope you feel better soon. Sue

Hi Kaye: Another thought is to try to find a free seminar in your neighborhood. I think you just have to put your zipcode in on the main lapband site. That's how I found my surgeon and it's working out great. Good luck. Sue

Hi: I use the program fitday. I also keep track using an excel spreadsheet because I can track percentage of excess weight lost, etc. I've lost 74% of my excess weight! Yippee. Sue

Julie: My thoughts are with you for Monday. Mostly I'm jealous, but I'm sincere in saying that I hope all goes well and that you're back on your feet in no time. Good luck and keep us posted on your progress. Sue

Eddie: Try to get there at least an hour early for your appointment and sit and relax for that hour to bring down your bp. Good luck. Sue

Hi Allison: I thought I hardly slept when I had my sleep study too. However, they did get enough data. I hope they got enough on you. Take care. Sue

Hi: You should probably slow down on your eating, tiny bites - slowly. I had alot of issues with shoulder pain and I can relate it to eating too fast or too much. My doctor told us that there's a nerve that goes by your esophogus up to your left shoulder up to your brain. He said that if you irritate your esophogus it can cause shoulder pain. I ended up ordering a one minute timer to use between bites to slow me down. It helps alot. I got this one minute timer on unclesgames.com. I found that if I took a hot shower and pounded that left shoulder with the hot Water it helped. Heating pad helps too. Hope you feel better soon and don't get this pain very often, because I know it kills sometimes. Take care. Sue

Hi: My doctor said that post nasal drip can make the band too tight and he would do an unfill if someone were having issues with post nasal drip. You might want to try liquid tylenol to help with the discomfort. Hope you feel better soon. Sue

having sore feet all the time having tight underwear wondering if a chair is sturdy enough to hold me sweating trying to be invisible being tired all the time feeling horribly ugly, gross, and lazy having to use the hand-held shower to rinse off those "special" places I'm sure there's a million more things I don't miss already and dozens that I still have to put up with until I lose another forty pounds. Sue

Christie: I'm glad you went to doctor. Good wishes to you for an uneventful surgery and quick recovery. Take care. Sue

What's up with the rep power assigned to each posting to the left under the poster's name and avitar? Sue