susannah

Hi, I just wanted to let everybody know, having acknowledged it to myself that I am a food addict. There is no other way to put it. I have done really well during the Optifast phase and have lost more weight this week, but I will battle this addiction always. I plan to go to Overeaters anonymous once a week to work on my head hunger issues. Susannah

Hi All, I will echo what others have said everybody is welcome on the Melbourne chat thead! I am so glad that I am not a drinker. I could count on one hand the number of drinks I have in a year, and then they are only pushed into my hand by others at parties etc. Susannah

Hey All, I am now day 16 of a 21 day liquid diet. I found taking bubble baths, doing crosswords, going through your old music collection and listening to it while doing really bad karaoke took my mind off food. Keep really busy, that's the ticket. I am getting banded next friday!:biggrin1: Wowie zowie. Susannah

Gday All, Welcome Chris. I am getting banded next friday, so like you I am going to be an Avenue bandster. As for food I really don't eat much red meat, I prefer chicken. Being a jew I also do not eat pork. I am not religious though, as here I am on the internet on shabbat! I have also been reading the boards at Ozband for ages, but I don't like the layout of the threads,posts etc. The layout here is much more user friendly. Meredith and others, any tips on what to take to hospital? I will pack my bag in the next few days. Do you wear a hospital gown after the surgery? Can you wear your own nightie? Etc Etc. Thanks. Bronnie you will be giving others tips pretty soon on what to take to hospital. Tangle check out www.nealslapband.com click on the icon that says '' Watch Lap band procedure'' Follow the links to Brigham and women's hospital site. Cheers. Susannah

Hey girls, Are we ever gonna have a guy chatting here? :biggrin1: I just watched a streamed webcast of a lapband surgery. It was suprisingly easy to watch, very little bleeding,done very efficiently. I am the girl that always covers her eyes when RPA is on telly, but I watched this easily. As for pizza, I thought as you couldn't stomach bread,that pizza would be out. I am a bit of a virgin to all this.:biggrin1: This time next week I will be in bandland. Susannah

Hi Diane, I have done the one mile, of the ''walking off the pounds''. It was good. My sister Rebecca said that she loves doing the 2 mile one also. It is good and managable. Jacqui, you are a machine mate! New york marathon for you next? :biggrin1: Susannah

Hi Meredith, I didn't think you could still eat pizza after being banded? Doesn't it get doughy going down? Susannah

Hey, I am getting banded for all of the same reasons as others have stated. I know that Lap banding has been performed in Australia since the early 90's and that we are world leaders in all things lapband,along with the Europeans. I was not aware that RNY surgery had ceased here. I thought that they still offered it at The Epworth Hospital. www.obesity.com.au At any rate it would be performed rarely here,as banding is definately the preference in Australia. Good luck with your decision. Susannah

Gday Fee and All, Today was warm, perfect weather. I was feeling good today so I walked from my place in Caulfield to Starbucks in Malvern. That is the next suburb over from where I am. I was fanging for a decaf.:biggrin1: When the Optifast period is over I can have regular coffee again. Sip,sip,sip, not gulp ey girls?!!! I was thinking today that I need to exercise and be as active as I can, given my health, to earn the right to sit at my computer at night. I will get there. Fee, maybe plastic surgery could address the concerns you have about the loose skin. Susannah

Hi Everybody, What do you all think about working out at home? My sister gave me a dvd called '' Walk off the pounds" with Leslie someone. I like the privacy aspect of it. I don't feel ready to join a gym at this stage to be honest. Any ideas? Thanks. Susannah

Hi Fee, I will get a better photo and put it up as my avatar. For now just call me Pebbles.:biggrin1: Susannah

Hey, this is the worst photo of me! My left eye looks like it is closed. I actually have big eyes that are not squished like that. Something happened to the photo when it was being downloaded. Will try to get a better one. Susie

Hi Girls, 94 kgs Meredith good on ya ducky!!!!:biggrin1: I can understand what everybody is saying regarding setting weight goals. Things are a bit more complicated for me though having disease in my nervous system. Some days I am perfectly well and other days my legs are so stiff that I stumble around my home. Ms is a bizarre illness. Getting down to a size 16 will be a major victory for me. I don't nessessarily buy the whole BMI thing at that weight to be honest. Certainly my current weight endangers my health, and I will pull out all the stops to reduce it after the banding. I don't drink, smoke or touch drugs, so I could live a healthy happy life at size 16. I am not going to get into a self hating mentality. I plan to do some ''head work'' to help me to identify and stop overeating. I am doing the best that I can, and thats all I can do. Susannah

Hi J, Don't be so hard on yourself. Rome wasn't built in a day. It takes time to change habits of a lifetime. Every marathon starts with small steps. I am on three weeks of Optifast pre surgery. The first week is hard, then your body adapts to it. Hang in there. Susannah

Gday Baby, I am not really excited, but more nervous to be honest. I will feel a bit more relieved when it is all over and I have recovered from it. One week to go. Susannah

Hey girls, I reckon life is too short to get really steamed about things to be honest. I am not going to twist myself up into knots. For what? I reckon anger and bitterness is like a cancer. That doesn't mean that some people don't get on my t**s, I just let it wash over me.:mad: Susannah

Gday Babygrl, believe me it does get easier, and your body becomes used to it more each day. I may have an advantage here as it is summer and the weather is hot. I always eat less and lighter in summer. Keep at it, the time will pass. Susannah

Hey, Bronni I am 166 cms tall. Did you read my last post? Terrible punctuation etc. I am not really having too many cognitive problems with this illness, but at times my words get a bit jumbled and disordered. They never used to. Susannah

Hi Girlz, Meredith you are doing really well with your weight loss.:clap2: Bronni I had two mri's in 2003, one of the spinal cord one of the brain. Most of my lesions are in my spinal cord and some in the brain. My neuro told me that you can average six or more per year. I really should be on treatment and should be having repeat scanning, but I am really claustrophobic and have to take xanax to get me in the scanner!:mad: I also avoid my neuro as he is upset with me about my weight, and I don't want to be put through the ringer about it. I just see him when I have attacks! Last one last year, they gave me iv methyl pred and i got over it. I am stable now and ready for this banding shananigans.:biggrin1: Susannah

Hey Bron, you very well may not have to have a sleep study. I hated having mine done. I was so miserable and uncomfortable connected up to a million wires and electrodes. Took me ages to fall asleep. What is everybody's goal weight/size they want to be. For me I just want to be a size 16. I am a 26 now. Ten years ago I weighed a lot less and was a 16. It looked nice on me. I will never be skinny, skinny. It must be my Eastern European heritage coming out. Eating is a big part of Jewish culture. :biggrin1: Susannah

Hey, One week to go from tomorrow. I am feeling a bit nervous to be honest. I am looking forward to losing the weight, and all the doors I hope that will open up for me. You won't be far behind me Bronnie. Susannah

Hey All, now I just have to work out how to download a chicken tikka, you know one of those things that tracks your weight loss. I tried www.tickerfactory.com but do you think I could do it? No.:biggrin1: Susannah

Hi All, Hope you don't mind an Aussie interloper chiming in here! I am day 14 on 21 days of Optifast. It was hard the first week, but I have found my body has adjusted. I am now not as hungry and dreaming of peanut butter sandwiches.:biggrin1: I love the chocolate shake with chilled water and blended ice cubes. It helps that it is summer in Australia. The vanilla shake is ok with cinnamon and nutmeg added. Good on you all. Susannah

Hi All, good on ya all!:biggrin1: Hey Baby I am on 3 weeks of Optifast! :biggrin1: Nearly there! Susannah

Hey Bron, Your pic is really nice. Last night I tried some miso soup. It was revolting, I nearly hurled. That is one extra that you can have on the Optifast program. Yuk. Susannah