susannah

Hi Bronnie, what made you choose Dr Nottle as apposed to another surgeon? Did you have any others in mind? Did you go to an info night? Susannah

I congratulate these two ladies for losing the weight, but the sad reality is that it almost always will come back on down the track, plus change. Rosie O'Donnell has no room to talk. She Really gets on my wick. Susannah

Hi Bronnie and Gerbera and Sierra, Actually I am scared of the actual operation to be honest. My anesthetist called me yesterday and we talked about the anesthetic and my fears etc. I am looking forward to taking control of my life etc though. Susannah

Hey Everybody, I am Susannah and I am getting done on Friday Feb 2nd. I just payed for it today! $3500 It is really happening now. Susannah

Gday Simmy, I can't tell you what to do, but you could have a new band put in and not have this problem again. Being obese is bloody horrific too. We all know. Susannah

Yay Bronnie!:biggrin1: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: Susannah

Hi Simmy, I am Susannah from Melbourne. Where are you from? I am so sorry to hear of the hellish time you are having. I am just about to have my band put in and what you are going through really scares me. Can you have a new band put in? Do you have private health insurance? iF so they should be able to put a new band in by keyhole in the correct position. Good luck. Susannah PS check out the local Australian board on this site.

Hey Cam, sorry to hear about your horrible pain. Could it be possible that the band was not put in in its most optimul position? Would it be worth getting a new band? I hear you when you say you don't want to be obese again. I hope that I won't have this complication. As for surgeons, I feel very comfortable with mine. He has always been very open and honest and upfront with me. I don't feel he was trying to sell me anything. He asked me to think about it very carefully before making my decision. He never pushed me into it. I hope your pain can be resolved Cam. Susannah

Gday Bronni, I had to have a battery of blood tests, you fast beforehand. I had to go to the respiratory physician, and do lung capacity tests. I had to stay overnight at the Austin hospital and do a sleep study test. Plus the neuros office. My neuro has talked to me about taking Rebif and Beta. I have attacks about every two years. I reckon I will start taking either one of those if I have more than two in two years. My last attack as Feb 06. My neuro is really mad with me because I am a pretty bad patient, I have left attacks untreated, I now have permanent numbness in my left hand. At one stage my neuro reckoned that there may be oral Copaxone on the market. That would be tops! I am not taking needles, no way. Anyway back to the banding, try to get all the appointments lined up right away if you can. I have to be on the liquid diet for 3 weeks. Mate I am gonna be dreaming about sandwiches and chicken etc. Lol! I bet you can't wait to start losing the kilos. Good on you for taking this step. Susannah

Hi Bronnie, It may take you a little while after your first consultation on Feb 14 to be booked for the surgery, because you will have to do several tests that can take weeks in between. Ask them how you can speed it up if you can. Good on ya! Susannah

Hi Cam, you have just made me feel so much calmer about having this procedure. I think any time you are under anesthetic though it is of concern. I like the way you explain things in your posts.Susannah

Gday Paige, the easy fill sounds good. I having been wondering how bands are going to be in the future. Hopefully smaller and more space age! Anybody have any ideas about weight loss surgery products there may be down the track? Susannah

Hi, regardless of what some say, this is serious major surgery. I don't believe it should ever be performed as a day procedure, full stop. Bronwyn, I am sure your hub and family will suport you when they start to see your results with it. It is for your health after all. Are any of you thinking about having any kind of plastic surgery down the track? I am thinking of having a breast reduction and lift to give my girls a bit of a hoick up!:biggrin1: Susannah

Hey Fee are you kidding that they do banding as a day surgery? Surely not! I think everybody should be in at least overnight and possibly one to two days for observation and monitoring etc.:girl_hug: Bronwyn, good news re your neuro. Unfortunately MS is something that we will both have for life. Its great that you haven't had any more attacks since 1997 though. Susannah

Good luck with it Audree. You sound so determined and focussed that I am sure it will work out for you whichever band you get. I will continue to update you all as further information comes to hand. I sound like a news anchor I know!:biggrin1: Susannah

Hi, just to update you all regarding the new AP band. Another patient from an Australian board ( yahoo7.com.au groups Ozband) has had the AP band put in eight weeks ago. *360 inner balloon *When Balloon is inflated with saline it fills evenly * Has seam that stops it from gathering and pinching in certain spots *Softer side makes it less rigid hopefully resulting in less slippage *Possibly less risk of erosion *Port is smaller, which could be good or bad At the end of the day like Dr C said all bands are good, and who really knows if this band is better than any other until we have future data on its efficacy. Susannah

Hi Vines, thanks for those thoughts. I think by all means don't exclude yourself from living your life at any weight, but people also need to not put on blinkers as to the implications their weight will have on their life. By the way, what is Cushings disease? Susannah

Gday Tired, don't get me wrong, I know this is a sensitive issue and I, meaning myself would leave it there, but by all means feel free to discuss it. It really doesn't affend my sensibilities. I Just hope there will be a cure for my particular disease, because I am 36 years old and feel 70 most days. That's the way the cookie crumbles for me I guess. Susannah

Hey Jacko, Good answer. I think that people have hijacked the term '' People of color'' which was supposed to be an affirming and uplifting term for African American people, and have diminished it by saying ''People of size''. Just my thought about it really. Susannah

Gday Jack, I will just simply say that for people like myself who have Multiple Sclerosis I am excited by the possible advances and possible cures that stem cell research could bring. I am not religious, but I do respect that this is an area that is quite sensitive for people to talk about so I Would leave it at that. Susannah

Hi all. I was just wondering what everybody thinks about the size acceptance movement? I think from a point of coming to some kind of peace with your weight/physical self it is valid, but I struggle to accept it from a health/wellbeing point of view. Is it healthy to never consider the implications that being morbidly obese can bring? I also cringe when I hear people use the term '' People of size''. I am all for people learning to come to love themselves and have some inner peace, but should we never consider that being morbidly obese can have terrible consequences? Susannah

Hi Bronnie, Good on ya! I am being banded on Feb 2nd. I had my gallbladder out in an open procedure as a 15 year old. Yowzer! I was a month recovering from that. Where are you being banded? I am being done @ The Avenue hospital. Susannah

Hi Becky, I am boring because my name is Susannah! My sister's name is Rebecca and we call her becky! So yes I love your name. Susannah:biggrin1:

Hey Bronnie I forgot to ask you if this is your first consult with Mr Nottle. Have you had all the other tests that you have to have, namely blood tests, respiratory tests etc etc? I first considered having this surgery in 2003, after my neurologist referred me to the specialist for it. I left it until july 2006. Had talk with my GP about it again who referred me to my surgeon. Had first consult on October, and lots of tests. Second consult with surgeon in December, and surgery in Feb. You also will need clearance from your neurologist, which should not really be a problem as MS eventually effects mobility. I am not ready for that yet! Good luck. Susannah

Hi Bronnie, Well looks like we are both born in 1970 and both have MS! I had quite a severe attack last Feb, but it has gone back into its box again. Yay! I am hoping to have a long period of remission with it. I can only handle one thing at a time, namely the banding. Although those of us with MS know that the disease goes on in the body, even when you are in remission. Susannah