susannah

Hi D, Good on you for persisting with the liquid diet. I reckon it does make a difference. My surgeon was really pleased that I did it so religiously. I can't speak for others only myself re the pain, and I have to be honest that I have had a rough trot with it. I was two days in hospital.I did not handle the anasthetic at all well, and was in agony with the incision pain in my stomach. I am still very tender and sore. I have been having the shoulder tip pain, and I have followed the advice of the girls here by walking. I can't yet walk much. This has been my experience though, you may cope well. I already have a neurological condition so health wise I am not as well as others I guess. My sister has been so wonderful, taking real loving care of me. Susannah

Gday Anna, Glad your back. I could use a bit o humour right now! Loretta Lynn, '' I love my music country style, and this little girl would walk a country mile'';) I liked the movie too. Actually I like all kinds of music from Johnny Cash to Metallica.:biggrin1: Anna how is your banding journey going? Susannah

Hi Cassandra, I am presuming this is just for those in the United States right? I am In Australia. Susannah

Hey Babygrl, nearly there!!!!!:biggrin1: Yippee. Susannah

Hey Loretta, We have a movie star in our midst. What an honour. As for being older than us, that is perfect to be honest. I like having friends of all ages, as everybody brings a different life experience to the table, which makes conversation more interesting. How are you all coping in the heat? Susannah

Hey Loretta, it must be a drag waiting to be banded. Thanks for being such a nice cheerleader for the rest of us. We will be cheering for you too when your time comes, and it will. Is there a story behind your name? I like it, it is pretty. Have you ever heard of the country singer Loretta Lynn? I think my father chose my name. My mother is Jewish and they wanted me to have a Jewish name. My Hebrew name is Shoshanna. We are not religious though. Although the Rabbi still said some prayers for me for my surgery. I am still laughing about that one. Susannah

Hi Rosanna, I like your name. I did Optifast for three weeks prior to being banded. I did not get any tummy upsets etc. The only thing I noticed was that a lot of my hair fell out. Strange but true. Luckily I have very thick hair and lots of it. Everyone is different so it may not happen to you. Good luck with it. Don't worry about sticky beaks at work, you are doing this for you. Good on ya. Susannah

Hey Bron, You are doing something about your weight. Some people have a last supper for the rest of their life, which could be shortened as a result. Say one positive thing about yourself each day. Susannah

Thanks Terry for your good wishes. You are going great guns with your weight loss!:confused: Good on ya! Susannah

Hey Cam, It is really important to wear the stockings for sure. My sister will help me have a shower today and has been helping me with the stockings. I still can't feel happy at the moment about the banding as I am in pain. Will this change? I am committted to doing whatever it takes to lose weight. The Nursing staff at The Avenue told me that a man was banded, and then decided he wanted it out two days later because it posed too much of a restriction on his lifestyle. They had to let him get unbanded as per patient rights. That is crazy. Why go through all the time, pain and expense just to get unbanded? I don't understand it. Apparently the hospital also banded someone who was 350 kilos. I laughed when they called me one of their "lighter" patients.:confused: Yeah right. 124 kilos ain't light, by any means. Susannah

Thanks Babygrl!!! It is great to see your ticker slider, sliding to the right!:biggrin1: Susannah

Hi Ash, Are you in Australia? We have a local Australian support board here at Lapbandtalk. It is at the bottom of the forum boards. As for being nice, people here are all struggling with the same issues and you will only get kind advice and support here. Would you consider going to see your GP about getting rebanded? You could get you name put on the public list to help you to cover the cost of it. I was just banded last friday with the new AP band, which is softer and may prevent slippage. Time will tell. Good on you Ashley. Susannah in Melbourne

Hi Judy, Unfortunately I do not know when the AP band will be available in the United States, But I am in Australia and have just had an AP band inserted last friday. My surgeon said the AP band is softer than previous models, it may help prevent slippage. Also it may facilitate more weight loss, but who knows really until long term studies have been done on it. Hope that helps. All the best. Susannah

Hi Feb Bandsters, I had my surgery on Friday Feb 2nd. I had a pretty rough time with the anasthetic and was in hospital for two days. My insisions are very tender and i have been having the shoulder tip pain, but I was able to laugh with my nephews this morning. My surgeon was really happy with my pre surgical weight loss with the Optifast, and he told me my liver was in really good shape, and that the operation went smoothly. Hope you are all well. Susannah

Hi Again, I forgot to mention that I have to wear the anti embolism stockings that go up to my knees 24/7 for the next two weeks to prevent blood clots. They are not very fashionable, but a good safety precaution. Jacqui well done re the swimming pool. It is a much more graceful look when you can do the half twisty turn to get out of the pool. Hi Cam, hope you are well. Susannah

Hi Everyone, Bronnie, I did the Barium swallow xray test on Saturday. It showed that the band was in place and all was well. The actual liquid tasted so revolting. I nearly hurled from the taste of it.:confused: I am feeling a little better today, although I have been getting the shoulder tip pain, and the incisions are very tender. I was able to laugh with my nephews this morning over breakfast, about plans for their 9th birthday party next week. Thanks for the well wishes Loretta, Fee and all. It is not easy, but we will all get there in the end. Nice to see Mark posting also. Susannah

Hi Everybody. I just got home from hospital a few hours ago. I am at in Castlemaine at my sister's house. I spent two nights in hospital as I did not cope very well with the anaesthetic and was in a lot of pain. I am happy that it is over, and I am relieved to be banded, but I think it will take me a couple of weeks to be back to my usual happy self. I think that it was harder for me as my health was not as good as others having MS to start with. The surgeon and the staff assisiting him were wonderful, and the nursing staff at The Avenue were so warm and kind. I would recommend anyone to get banded there. My surgeon was so happy with my pre op Optifast efforts, and he said that my liver was in great shape and that the op went smoothly with no problems. He said '' Your a champion Susannah". I spent the first night in the High Dependency Unit after the OP, where they monitor you very closely. I had a really rough time, wanting to vomit, the incisions giving me agony etc, etc. I had to be walked to the toilet twice in the middle of the night. I was doubled over and cried all the way there and back.:confused: I spent my second night back in my private room on the ward. It was so nice, and had airconditioning.My sister gave me a shower. It was like being a baby again. I am home now and taking it very easy. Hope you are all well. I was thinking of you all when I was there. Susannah

Hi, Mate I must be a moron cause I can't get it to work.:rose: I am gettin banded tomorrow, ao I have much bigger fish to fry right now. But I will get The bloody ticker working! Ahhhhh:biggrin1: Susannah

Hi Melissa, A chocolate fish drink?!!!:rose: :biggrin1: The vanilla one is g-d awful to be sure. Susannah

Gday Yanks!!!:rose: I am getting banded tomorrow morning. I am bloody scared I wont lie. I have finished my three weeks of Optifast, and didn't cheat once. That is a record for me. Mate My liver is gonna be the size of a pea!:biggrin1: Bless you all. Keep truckin. Susannah

Hi Gals and Mark:biggrin1: Well It is nearly my time.:rose: Today I cleaned my place, did my washing, packed my hospital bag and exercised. I am feeling scared I won't lie, but I feel I have prepared myself as best I can. I finished the Optifast today.You little ripper! :Yay another three weeks of different liquids! :) I will check in with you all, as soon as I am up to it. Keep up the good fight girls, and Mark.:biggrin1: Will see you on the other side. Susannah

Hi, I am so touched by this thread. Thankyou so much Mark and Fee and everybody. It is wonderful to be able to come here and share ideas and have a few laughs. Struggling with weight issues is so hard, and it helps to know that we can pick each other up and keep on walking in this battle. I am a little anxious and scared about tomorrow morning, but I know that I have done everything possible ,physically and mentally to prepare for the surgery. I am going to tell my surgeon that he has to revise my BMI downwards, due to my pre surgery weight loss!:rose: Mark it is nice to hear from you. Please don't be a stranger on our chat thread. I know we are all women on it, but I would like to learn about weight issues from a man's perspective also. I will check in as soon as I am able. Susannah

Hi D,Tomorrow is indeed a new day, take it one day at time. I didn't have a liver ultrasound, but I did have a battery of blood tests done. Did you have to have a sleep study done? Tomorrow is my last day of three weeks of Optifast. Yay!!! My tip is that the chocolate is nicer than the Vanilla. Eight different flavours would have been good. I was told Optifast only. Not that I asked for any other brand. Susannah

Hey, Bronnie ask your surgeon when you see him if you can be banded at The Avenue. Then you'll be an Avenue Bandster like a few of us here.:biggrin1: Susannah

Gday Daniel, My name is Susannah and I am day 20 of 21 days of the Optifast pre surgery diet. It is hard in the first week, to be sure. Believe it or not the body adjusts in the second week and you feel less hungry. Check out www.optifast.com for tips. It also helps to keep yourself really busy throughout the day to keep your mind off eating. What kind of things do you like to do? Also you could go theough magazines and cutt out some of the clothes you would like to wear and keep a little book as a visual reminder of what you are working towards. Good on ya!:clap2: Susannah in Australia