sewenup1

Hi Donna, I'm from Sydney, should be getting a date for my op sometime this week - hoping to have it before the end of November. Like you I will have to start Optiyuck about 4 weeks before my surgery. There are quite a few Aussies hanging around this board and others so keep in touch. Danna:D

Hi Rastis, I'm from Sydney. Feeling a bit better about the tests today as some others that I know who are banded don't think it will prevent me getting my band. So Monday I'm ringing the surgery for my date - hope it won't be too far away.

Karen & Rastis, Thanks ladies, I hope so - it just came as a bit of a shock getting told by letter to go for more tests. I shall ring and pester his office next week. Just needed some reassurance. Danna:o

I saw my surgeon on Monday and filled out all the paperwork for the hospital and told will be able to get a date next week. Now I have a letter from him saying I need more blood tests to see if my weight problem is hormonal. If it is, does this mean that he won't band me. I'm getting worried cause I really think banding is my only solution. Has anyone else had these tests and been banded or heard of them. any help would be appreciated :cry

Sounds about right, when I saw Sarah she said it would be about 6 weeks after I saw Steve. Apparently he and Garrett have some major surgery (cancer) coming up in the next few weeks and they are going to have to make time when that comes up. At least we are on the home stretch now! :whoo::clap2:

I know what you mean, this is really going to happen. Funny if your surgery is the one right before mine. Let me know when you get your date.

Well I saw the doctor today - didn't get a date as the regular secretary is on holidays, but when she gets back will be given a date. Yes unfortunately my dr wants me to try to stick to it for 4 weeks - depending on what date I get. I bought some of their Meal Replacement bars, thought I might work my way into it gradually - just 2 meals a day until I find out my date. Danna:cool:

Hi, I'm pretty sure her ops not until around 29 or 30 october. Sometimes she hangs out at the Oz Yahoo group. Danna

Hi Sades, Went really well. I saw Muriel - don't know if that is who you are seeing or not. She said that going on Optiyuck would depend on the doctor and if I did have to, she would look into the Tony Ferguson shakes (I have a stack of them already). I'm getting a bit nervous about tomorrow, worried that he will say that there is some reason for not being able to have the op - though I am pretty healthy. I did think of taking a chain and padlock and chaining myself to his desk until he promised to operate. I get really impatient, I know this is what I want and now I just want to get on with it. So tomorrow, if you see him come running out calling for some bolt cutters don't panic it will just be me and my chain Danna

There is a Yahoo group at the following link Lap Band Surgery - Health Message Boards very helpful lot we are, plenty of threads and there is one on receipes and Optiyuck. Danna

Please feel free to totally ignore me as I am not yet banded, but having been busy yesterday, could you perhaps be eating to fast and so not chewing properly. It seems odd that your fill was ok for 2 weeks. As I said, feel free to ignore me if I'm off track here. Danna

Is there another doctor near you that you could try. You need to be able to trust your doctor to listen to you. If there are other doctors nearby I would ring and ask if they will take you on even though they didn't do your surgery. Keep in touch and let us know how you are... we will worry if we don't know you are OK. Danna

Hey Jo, How is everything going?

Hi Debz, I'm not banded yet but am on my way. I personally don't have your health problems (Lucky me I know) but some assurance I can give you. All the medical evidence indicates that sleep apnoea and reflux not only improve with weight loss but more often than not disappear. At the information night I went to at St Leonards, the doctor says that about 90% of patients that suffer these conditions no longer need treatment for these conditions. I don't know if you have found the site yet but I am attaching a link to a couple of Aussie sites. Lap Band Surgery - Health Message Boards this one includes people from Perth and there is a thread there for those with chronic illnesses. I am sure that there will be someone there that would be able to help you. The second one is http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/SydBand/messages there are a lot of Penrith people in this group and they are a great bunch. One of them is sure to know of your doctor. In relation to private health insurance, they do make you wait the 12 months - but believe me there are a lot of people in these two groups in the same situation. I imagine that starting your journey towards lap banding now is a good idea especially if you will need special management for any of your conditions. Good luck and keep in touch. I might hear from you on one of the other groups sometime. Danna

Hey M, Great news. :clap2: The info nights are so worth while. Remember to ask questions - no question is too silly to ask either. Danna

A fill is when they add Fluid to the band - sometimes as little as 0.2ml - it's what gives you restriction. Before you come to Aust. you should go on line at: Lap Band Surgery - Health Message Boards They are mostly Australian but they are a great help and know surgeons all round Australia. There are even support groups in ech state and major city- they also arrange get togethers so that you get to know each other. Will give you some support when you move here and hopefully you won't be so worried anymore. If you are emmigrating - not sure how that works with the public health system - if you do qualify most doctors bulk-bill for consultations and fills. (Bulk bill means you don't pay anything - it's all covered by the government). I am hopefully getting a banding date soon. I have private health insurance so that along with Medicare (public health) will cover most of my costs. After surgery, the fills and consultations are all bulk billed so the only major cost I have is for the surgery itself. Probably if you contact Australia House?? in London they can fill you in on medical entitlements. By the way, Welcome to Oz.

Hi I'm from Australia and am in the process of seeing all the doctors etc involved in the proceedure. Now I am not knocking bypass surgery - but it's definitely not for me. I know that in the USA a lot of Doctors and Insurance prefer bypass because there is less follow up involved - but the bypass is permanent and cannot be reversed. At least with the lapband, if anything goes wrong it can be removed. My suggestion: research all you can and decide what is best for you - not your doctor, not the person next door. YOU are the most important person in this decision.

Being a hopefullly soon to be Aussie bandit I can assure you there are plenty of surgeon available if you have any problems. What sort of visa are you coming out on - is it just a tourist visa - not being an Aussie citizen you wouldn't be covered by our public system so you would need to check out your own insurance or if travel insurance will cover it. Mind you, while medical treatment may not be the cheapest here it is considerably less than in the USA.

You lucky thing - I'm still to see the surgeon and get a date. YES it is normal - this is a major event. I read somewhere one lady said that after her wedding day this was the most important day of her life. Wher is Oz are you - I'm in Sydney - there are quite a lot of Aussies hanging out here. :hungry:

Let us know how you are feeling afterwards - OK?

Go to your doctor NOW - have him remove some of the fill - often will make all the difference.

Woo Hoo Jacqui, Great weight loss - now you have to post your real age - 29 isn't it??

Hi Sades, Not a problem - maybe we can just catch up and say Hi -would be nice to put a face to a name.

Hi, Like you I have a family history diabetes, hypertension and heart attack. I told the practise nurse (you see her first) and she seemed to think that this was more likely to influence the surgeon into agreeing to the surgery than preventing it. The idea to most doctors is not just to deal with weight loss for cosmetic purposes but to reduce your risk of these other conditions. You need to tell them about your history - that way when you do get surgery they can be prepared for any eventuality. My mother died from a heart attack at 53, her father was only 57 when he died of a heart attack and her mother died from a stroke at 73. I am 47 and I want to live past 53 and 57. Here in Australia, if you had these risks in your family you might even qualify with a lower BMI, so don't hide this information - they NEED to know. Good luck

Yeess!! Steve or Garrett? What time is your appointment on the 10th. Mine is at high noon. If your there, maybe we can meet up? Wasn't Sarah the greatest? Am seeing the dietician, Muriel? this Friday.