sewenup1

Hey Hilary, How did you go with the surgeon?

Hi Snappykins, I'm from Sydney. I'm still waiting to start my banding journey but will hopefully get a date when I see the Doc in 2 weeks. It must be great to have hubby banded as well - an inbuilt support group. My DH tries to be supportive but it all just seems to go over his head. But I have a great boss and friends at work who all think I am so brave doing this and keep wanting to know what is happening. I look forward to hearing of your journey and your successes. Danna

Hey Karen, Don't put the pom poms down - think of all the calories your burning :rose:

Hey M, I agree with Karen, Atkins for 11 months might make your liver smaller but it's not good for cholesterol (spelling?). You are supppose to lower your carbs to improve your liver, so maybe you could SLOWLY start to reduce your carbs - remember you have got plenty of time and if you go too strict now you will just end up putting it back on before surgery. So maybe have one less slice of bread per day, or a small serving of rice or try switching to low GI and then when you are comfortable with that reduce your carbs a bit more. I know my trouble is trying to make everything happen at once and that's when I usually fail. I'm hoping to be banded in the next month or two. Don't know if my doc will make me do OF - hasn't mentioned it yet, but thought I might try the liver cleansing diet (tried it years ago so still have the book) and see if that helps.

Hi Ann, When you have formatted your ticker it gives you 2 URL addresses. Choose the top one and copy it. When you come into this forum open UserCP and then edit signature. Paste the URL in the Edit screen - don't use thepicture links below cause all you get is the link - no picture. Press the preview and your ticker should show up and then you just save it. There are heaps of tickers to choose from. When I get my op date I'll start a countdown for it as well.

Hi Karen, I'm from Sydney and being banded by Dr Liebman. I was refered to a different doc but didn't feel comfortable with him so tried the team at North Shore. One of the team, Sarah, who I saw today has actually been banded so I think its great to actually have someone there who has lived it, not just talking about it.

Hi all, Hope you don't mind me adding my 2 cents worth here. I just got back from my first appointment, and told that there should be no problem for me to be banded. I meet with the dietician on 5 October and the surgeon on 10 October when I will get my surgery date. Have been told it will be about 4-6 weeks so hopefully will be mid - late November. It's starting to feel real now - and scary.

Hi Hilary, I'm from Sydney and I also start my banding journey tomorrow. I have to see the practice nurse first and then the dietician and will see the surgeon in about 2 weeks. Where in Aus are you from and what surgeon are you seeing?

Hi Glenna, Can't help you with your questions about restriction as I'm not banded yet but 53lbs in 4 months is great. My Dr says to expect 1-2 lbs per week - so you are right on target. Anyway, everybody loses weight at different rates, the important thing is that you are losing and not gaining!!

G'day Peaches, Congratulations on your weight loss - over half way there. Yeah, we are very lucky here in Aust. in so many ways. We are tryng (and this includes many of our doctors) to get more places on the public system for people wanting lap-banding. I mean its not like plastic surgery to make your nose smaller - it's actually life saving surgery and to have to wait 7 years or to find $16,000.00(Aus) is terrible. As I said, I am extremely lucky as health insurance pays 75% and my superannuation fund will pay the rest, otherwise I don't know where I would have got the money and my state does not do the surgery on the public system. But expecting people to wait 7 years is ridiculous - the costs of other conditions that develop would exceed the cost of surgery. Unfortunately most of the public here see the obese as lazy and not willing to do anything to help themselves - they don't realise that most of us would if we could. Sorry about that, I will get off my soapbox now.

Hi all, I'm from Australia but have been reading your posts. I can't believe how difficult it is for you all to get lap-banded. In Australia you need a BMI of 35, or if you have a BMI of 30 -34 you need a co-morbidity. In some states you can have the surgery done on our public health system - but there is a wait of anything from 6 months to 7 years. If you have private health insurance, about 75% is paid for and you are usually scheduled for surgery within a couple of months. I am starting the banding process on Tuesday with my first visit to the Nurse practitioner (she is great as she has had the band herself). The following week I see the dietitian and the week after that I see the surgeon and hopeful get a date for surgery. I wish you all the best of luck with you journey.

Here is the link for the ticker. Weight Loss - Diet Ticker It will help you set up and then you just copy and paste into your address on this board. Enjoy finding the ticker you want - there are hundereds.

The doctors here in Australia tend to take the private insurance patient first as well, but if the surgery is emergency surgery then the Public Health system is the way to go. It is only elective surgery like lap-banding, or non-urgent surgery that have to weight. In Aus. going to the emergency room for an Aust citizen is free, so we would never hesitate to do so. I have travelled to the US on holidays several times and always make sure that my travel insurance and health insurance are top level as I'm afraid I would never be able to afford medical help there.

Hi Krinannie, I'm in Australia, so not quite so much to go through. I have been to my seminar and even before that I had decided this is what I wanted. My first appointment is on Tuesday, then the following week I see the dietician and then back to the surgeon the week after. I'm hoping by that time that he says yes and I'm hoping for a date either in mid November or in the new year. Let me know how you go with all your appointments.

Hi Jodi, I'm not from Perth (Sydneysider) but have you tried the Lap-banding group on Yahoo - there are a lot of Perth people there and I'm sure they will be able to help you. The address is Lap Band Surgery - Health Message Boards Good luck.

Hey Ganuple, If your husband has doubts, get him to read the article Everybody Dreams at Medical Weightloss - world leader in gastric banding lapband surgery - Surgeon George Fielding talks about obesity surgery - NYU Medical Center, New York This was written by a doctor who has had the lap-band himself. He explains about obesity, and how it is a medical condition just the same as any other adiction. You could also take him to a wls seminar if there is one near you. I did this with my hubby and he realised how serious I was. I am now booked in for my first appointment on Tuesday. Keep researching, make a list of the pros and cons for both yourself and your husband. You don't have to rush the decision, and you do have to be sure it is right for you.

Yeah, some have to take it for 4 weeks other doctors don't make you use it at all. Hope mine is one of those. Danna

Hey Teeny83, Are you pre-op or post-op? Have you checked out the Australian Yahoo site Lap Band Surgery - Health Message Boards there are lots of suggestions about Optiyuk on there. If you are pre-op check with your doctor/dietitian and see if you can use Tony Ferguson shakes or Celebrity slim - these all taste great and come in a variety of flavours. You could try adding other flavours to the Optifast. If you have the vanilla flavour you can change flavours by dissolving some low cal jelly crystals in about a tablespoon of hot Water and then adding it to the shake. But you really should check out the yahoo site there are heaps of ideas there and lots of people willing to help. Danna

Welcome Babyblue7, I'm fairly new to this site too, just starting out on my banding journey with first visit to the banding team next week. I hope to have a banding date from the Dr in the next 2-3 weeks. Danna

I agree with Karen, a bypass should be the last resort. I've done a bit of research into it and the side effects sound really horrible to live with - and you can't live far from the toilet if you get my meaning. Sure with the band you might lose weight slower, but all the diet gurus and diet books and doctors say it is best to lose weight slowly. My understanding with the band is that you should probably only use 0.5 to 1 kg ( about 1-2 pounds) per week. So don't let them pressure you into something you don't want - it's your body not theirs. Danna

Hi Striver, I'm with Medibank Pvt. I have top hospital cover with a $250.00 excess - means my premiums are a little cheaper and only have to pay $250 per calendar year if I go into hosp. So my hospital is all paid for, my surgeon fees will not be fully covered and so altogether will cost me about $3,000 to $4,000. I'm thinking of applying to APRA to release some of my superannuation to pay for this amount. The costs include all the pre-operative visits including the dietician. And after the op, the Dr bulk bills for fills etc. Danna

Hi Striver, Have you contacted the groups on Yahoo. In case you haven't I have included their links Lap Band Surgery - Health Message Boards This is an Australia wide group and http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/SydBand/messages This is a Sydney based group. I'm from Brookvale (Northern Beaches). I'm not banded yet but am scheduled to see Dr Liebman at North Shore Weight Loss Surgery. They are based at North Shore Pvt - right next door to RNSH at St Leonards. If you join either of the above groups there are dozens of people that will be able to help you. Danna

My Dr has ok'd soft drinks as long as they are diet ones. You have to remember to drink them slowly so that you don't take in to much air with them - so you can't gulp them down. I find it really difficult not to drink with meals, but I think waiting 1/2 hour to drink is a small price to pay if it means that I will live longer and be able to enjoy life longer. I know of people that are banded and can eat anything - just smaller portions, while others have trouble with certain foods particularly white bread. The thing is that you have to eat slower because your food has to be well chewed - so while you don't eat as much, you do get to savour the taste a lot longer and feel full. The other thing to consider is that when you reach your goal weight you can experiment with other foods - if you start to gain you drop the fatty foods, if you don't gain, then try a little of another favourite. Yes you will have to be on watch what you eat, just like on any other diet, but the band is there to remind you when to stop eating - so as long as you don't cheat, the band will long after real hunger but you have to learn to deal with mind hunger. Good luck Danna :gluck:

Hey Bridget, I'm not banded yet but the idea behind not drinking whilst eating is that the Fluid will help wash the food past the band and you will not feel as full. You can drink with you meal, but it might slow down your weight loss. The thing is that the band is only a tool. It's there to help you eat less, but what you eat is up to you. If you eat fattening foods, or drink a lot of your calories you can still gain weight. You still have to make the lifestyle changes. Before you decide whether to have the surgery or not you need to make a list of what you will gain if you are banded - a healthy life, a longer life etc and what you will lose - drinking whilst eating etc and decide which is more important to you. The thought of half a cup of food to me was horrific ( but then I was told that is the equivalent of a very firmly packed half cup - not a half cup of lettuce), but my mother died at 53, her father at 57 and her mother at 73. I'm now 47. I don't want to die at 53. Don't rush into a decision, make sure it is the right one for you. Good luck with your decision making. Danna :ranger:

Hey Chickie, You look great in your photo. You must be really pleased. Gongrats. Danna