Lissa_S

Wow you look fantastic! Congratulations on your amazing transformation!

Congratulations on your success!!

Congrats! That's an awesome achievement!!

I had my first appointments over the past two days with the psychologist, dietician and surgeon. Here in Australia, I only have to see each once before the surgery which seems very different from the process for others. For those interested, this was my experience... Psychologist - met with him just once and will see him again at 6 weeks, 6 months and at 12 months. Basically, he was interested in looking at motivation for ongoing lifestyle changes and some of the patterns of behaviour that led to this point. It was obviously a screen for underlying eating disorders and doing some "myth busting" about the surgery and it's outcomes. I was there for around 30 minutes. No startling revelations - I eat as an extension of poor emotional regulation during periods of stress. I have a sedentary job and lifestyle as contributing factors. I wouldn't say it was a waste of time but have to admit, I feel that I really did not get too much out of it. I hate saying that as I am a psychologist (different field) as well and was hoping to report something different as I've never seen a psych myself before...but it is what it is Dietician - met with her once mostly discuss my current habits and to discuss the pre-op and post op diets. Very little else was done but she was really nice and very easy to talk to. She made herself very available to me for contact during this whole process which was great as I live quite a long way away. Pre-op Diet - I will be on the VLCD Optislim diet for two weeks prior to surgery. During this time I can also have fruit twice per day, jelly once per day and twice a day have a salad or stirfried veggies or a soup from the "free" vegetables list. There is a lot more variation in the diet than I was expecting which I am really happy about. It's still going to be tough I am sure, but not so bad as I'd originally feared. Surgeon - I met with Dr Candice Silverman today and feel so confident in her! She was brilliant, walking me through what to expect from arrival to recovery room. She's been doing this surgery for many years and tells me that she has never had a leak yet, so I don't anticipate on being the first (though I suppose no one ever does). She told me that she will make 5 incisions and I'll have disolvable stitches. Because I live about 12 hours from the dr, she has asked me to remain on the Gold Coast for 10 days from the surgery. I'll only spend three nights in hospital (it's probably two nights but she added the third night just in case). Then I get a week's holiday on the beach before seeing her again and then going home. Surgery date - so I know that my surgery now will be September 3 2012. I can't wait!!!! So excited to have a date confirmed and when I wanted it to happen! Seems like things are falling into place (touch wood)...just need to lodge my paperwork and get my approvals back (which have a two week timeframe) and I will be done!! Can't wait to join the "sleeved" club!!

Thanks, you keep in touch too! Let me know how things go for you. It's been interesting hearing how different things are in different countries. Best of luck!!

Good luck! I hope that everything has worked out for you!

Congratulations! Wishing you a speedy recovery!

Congratulations! I am glad things are going well! Can't wait to join the "sleeved" club!

Good luck with your surgery - I hope all goes very well for you!

Well, it's only one week now until I go for my first appointments with the surgeon, dietician and psychologist. Unfortunately, I was supposed to go on Monday but it was put back a few days. I was disappointed initially as the clinic is a 10 hour drive away and I'd already paid for accommodation and now I have to pay for further accommodation later in the week as well but I realised that I am actually complaining about having to spend five days on the beautiful Gold Coast (in Australia). How ridiculous!! It's funny - I am a psychologist but I've never actually been to a psychologist, so I am not sure what to expect by seeing an exercise psychologist. LOL, I've been putting together my developmental history and looking at my relationship with food and the faulty cognitions that I have around eating and food It was then that I realised that it probably defeats the purpose to "prepare" for this and from a professional perspective, it gives me good insight into what it must be like for my clients on their first appointment! So I am perversely curious about seeing the psychologist now I am so excited about seeing the surgeon and getting my date for surgery. At this stage, I was told by the staff it could be as soon as 3 September. Wow. I just can't' wait for this!! I am worried that something will occur that will make me ineligible for the surgery not that I know what that is but there is a lingering concern. I am pretty big - about 366 pounds (hope I have that right) and I worry that means that I will be too big for surgery and that it will put my date back. It probably sounds silly (on reflection, I know it sounds silly) but there it is. I had wanted to start my diet prep this week and as per my previous blog, started the shakes which were quite nice but for the past three days I've been sick with the flu. So I've had nothing but lemonade icy poles and watered down juice. I did manage to get down a little porridge this morning but that's been it. On the upside I think I've lost a little weight lol but it will come back as soon as I am well again - I know that from experience. So the update is one week to go until first appointments. Hoping so hard that it will all be fine and I can get my surgery done soon. My birthday is in August and every year at this time I tell myself I'll be thinner and healthier by my birthday next year - this is the first time that I actually believe that it will happen

I am still a week out from my first appointments with the surgeon etc but the way that I understand it here in Australia is that you only need to meet with the surgeon, nutritionist and psychologist once, then get a surgery date. On their website it can be as soon as two weeks after your appointment with the surgeon (assuming all is cleared) that you can have your surgery. So to this end, I thought I would start on a modified version of the pre-op diet, gradually introducing meal replacement as I build up to the two weeks before surgery where I have to be so strict. I am hoping for a surgery date in early September at this point, so realistically it could be about 6 weeks until I get "sleeved". I had the strawberry optifast shake today and discovered two things - first is that I need to add more water than recommended (around 250-275ML instead of 200) and the other is that it is 100 times nicer if it's really cold, so I added a few ice cubes. I am trying to practice drinking really slowly as I know that I gulp drinks and it does make you really aware of what you are drinking and eating! I only substituted lunch today and it's been okay so far. I am a little bit hungry but it isn't too bad and I might try to have an earlier dinner tonight instead of snacking this afternoon. So it's early days, but for anyone pre-op who is testing the waters and wanting to try the shakes, my advice is to thin it out and make it very cold

Congratulations! It must be such a relief - I think that one of the traps I am hoping to avoid is watching the numbers too closely...I don't have great willpower (hence needing this surgery lol) so I might have to get rid of my scales from home and just weigh monthly at work (I work in a hospital so getting access to scales isn't a problem)...although talk to me post-surgery and it's probably a different story I'll likely be popping on and off those scales like crazy ;p

From a psychological perspective, the reason it appears to have an effect on how you view food is because it's essential behavioural therapy. Humans generally don't do things that don't feel good. So if that feel good feeling from overeating or eating highly fatty or sugary foods is taken away (due to the reduction of stomach size and ability to tolerate calorie-laden foods), then the behaviour will extinguish over time. Well that is my hypothesis anyway And I am sure that many of us (well, for me at least) have tried everything in the past but it hasn't worked in the long term. If you feel there is ANY chance you can do this without the surgery I encourage you to follow that up. For me, I don't feel that I can do it without the surgery. I have my first appointments next week and should have surgery in September (it works a bit differently here in Australia for approvals etc) and I can't be more excited. I wish you all the very best of luck and am keeping my fingers crossed for you that you will be able to kick this without needing surgery - but if you do decide to go for surgery and have questions, please don't hesitate to ask!!! Cheers, Lila

Thank you so much! I really appreciate that!!

Congratulations! That's an amazing result!

I should say that I am hoping to be sleeved though

Hi - I haven't been sleeved so to a certain extent I will say that I don't know what I am talking about. But sometimes with low energy (generally from a medical perspective) it can be helpful to adjust your expectation of yourself during this period. For now, it might be tough to do all you used to do. That's okay - you've had major surgery. If you can adjust your expectation about what you're going to be able to do it might make it easier to cope. You'll be kinder to yourself, take more breaks and not push yourself to the "limit". Sure you still may struggle wtih low energy but it may not worry you quite as much. I hope this is helpful Cheers, Lila

Wow that is amazing and congratulations! Thank you so much for sharing your success with us and what you've learned. Exercise will be really important for me as I have about 200 pounds to lose (I think that's right, I'm from Australia so we use kilo's and I am getting used to converting weights lol). Thanks again, Lila

I find that it does help but I am still thinking about it all of the time lol Honestly I think as worried as I am about the actual surgery (although funnily enough I am getting less worried as time goes on), for the first time that I can remember I am actually excited and hopeful that something will be different. And if I can, I wanna capture that even if I am the only one who see's it, particularly to use for motivation later on when I am struggling to get the last of the weight off and it's being a bit stubborn (which I am told happens). I have so much weight to lose though (about 200 pounds) so as you can imagine I am very much keeping an eye on the long term outcomes too. Good luck and I look forward to chatting with you about how you're going and your successes!!!! Cheers, Lila

Wow that is awesome! Congrats!

These are great idea's to deal with the 'head hunger'. I am worried that I will have the same problems when I start my pre-op diet. Will keep these idea's in mind in a few weeks when I do my pre-op diet

I have started recording my thoughts but am not sure if I will ever post them either. I would definitely be using an alias as I want to keep it a bit anonymous but I too have found that the long term vlog's on youtube have been wonderful. I would also like to be a part of that for someone else but am nervous. For now, I am recording them for me and I will make a decision about uploading a little later. Good luck with your decision!

I completely agree with CdnExpat! In the past, would you have bothered to look up on the net to see what the calorie content was? that is a change. The fact you are seeking other options besides falling into the "food trap" means further change. Sure we will make mistakes on this - not to be corney but it's a journey. With many paths and roads, hazards and detours. But by doing what you are doing, searching for another alternative to get to your destination (nope, I'm not done with this analogy yet , you're winning. it's small victories but if you can start to celebrate them and then plan actions to adjust when things aren't going so well, you are going to succeed in the long-run. Keep up the great work!! Cheers, Lila

Good luck! I hope that the exam isn't too hard!

I have similar concerns...I am hoping that I will be able to have some of these questions answered when I see the surgeon in 10 days! If I get any good information, I'll share