Fanny Adams

September 24th is my birthday, so that's gotta be a good day!! Good luck to all on that day

I use an Australian site with the same name but it is free to join, so not sure if it is the one you mean. Mine is CalorieKing.com.au - Australian Online Diet and weight loss club. Lose weight for good!

I hate to say this, Denise, but all the stress of the UTIs, yeastie beasties and difficulties in achieving full satisfaction are probably combining right now to make it even more difficult for you. For many women, achieving orgasm seems to be far more about their headspace than the physical sensations. I know I can't even get myself off unless I put myself into the right frame of mind and no amount of toys, vibrations, lube or trying will make a difference if I don't let myself relax and get into that headspace. I could rub myself sore without getting anywhere. I suspect that this is where you are right now - subconsciously tensing up on each attempt, wondering "will I get there this time". This is the female equivalent of erectile dysfunction and the more anxious about it that we get, the worse it is going to be. My suggestion would be to STOP TRYING! Accept that, for the moment, orgasm isn't always going to happen. Don't push for it, or work for it. Concentrate instead on the simple giving and receiving of pleasure for its own sake. There's a lot of pleasure to be had in sex, without actually cumming. You may find that once the pressure to "perform" is off, it sneaks up on you anyway, and if it doesn't, at least you'll have had a lot of pleasure along the way, instead of anxiety and frustration.

Hmmm.... 100lb - a guineapig (2lb?), a brain (4lb?), a 2y.o. (25lb?), a cat (10lb?).... Damn, just how big is that elephant's penis??????

Welcome fellow Aussies. There's a lot of us chatting in: Australia Local Lap-Band Support - Lap Band Surgery and Lap Band Discussion Forum

Just think - in another 16 weeks, that 30lb could easily be 60lb and won't that be great? I was just about where you are at 16 weeks (actually a little less, I think - 27lb?) but over time it all adds up! This is a marathon, not a sprint, and if you stick to the plan, you'll get there eventually. Exercise does help it to come off quicker. I'm a bit erratic about exercise myself - sometimes really good and then sometimes really slack. This is probably why I'm sitting in the middle of the loss range for my month group, rather than leading the pack as are the ones who put the extra effort in. I'm cool with that though - I planned on at least 18 months to get to goal and I'm pretty well on track for that... Celebrate your success and good luck in your journey!

Hi and welcome! There's a whole bunch of us Aussies chatting in this forum: Australia Local Lap-Band Support - Lap Band Surgery and Lap Band Discussion Forum

It's been 16 weeks since your op and 30lb in 16 weeks is at the top end of the optimal weight loss rate of 1-2lb per week. I don't think you should be sad at all - I think you should be celebrating! That's a great achievement, especially in the first months, when you are still working on getting restriction. If you aren't struggling hard with hunger and are resorting to soft slider foods on occasions (like mashed potatoes), I think the last thing you need is another fill. Try eating more solid fibrous foods (lean meat, fresh vegetables). These will fill you up and let you eat reasonable quantities and lose weight at the same time. It takes a LOT more mashed potatoes than steak and salad to get the same feeling of satiety and will cost you in calories and slower weight loss.

I used to blame my gas on my poor diet and high meat consumption. Imagine my dismay when I discovered that it got WORSE not better after banding and switching to a much healthier diet. I did a little research and discovered that one main cause is a high-fibre diet. I had been getting some constipation issues and really pushed the fibre in my diet in an effort to control that, but found that I ended up with really awful gas, especially in the evenings. I've cut right back on the baked Beans and prunes, which were great for constipation but not so great if you don't want to fart like a steam train! Luckily mine is all noise and very little odor. Info: flatulence refers to the passage of gastrointestinal gas (flatus) under pressure via the rectum and anus (back passage). In colloquial terms this is referred to as 'farting.' Excess gastrointestinal gas is most commonly caused by air-swallowing (aerophagia) which occurs in patients who ingest food too quickly or are overly anxious. Rarely flatulence may be secondary to a serious underlying gastrointestinal disorder so it is worth having this symptom investigated by a doctor. In addition, flatulence can be a potentially embarrassing disorder and be quite socially disabling for patients. Management concentrates on lifestyle measures as drug treatments have shown little benefit to date. Definition Flatulence is the release of a mixture of gases (flatus) from the rectum under pressure. Flatus consists of methane, nitrogen, hydrogen and carbon dioxide gases and is often accompanied by a sound and smell. The ratio of the constituent gases varies depending on your diet which subsequently alters the odour of the flatus. Normally flatus is passed 10-20 times per day, equating to 400-1300 mL of gas passed via the rectum. However, the normal amounts of flatus varies largely between people so it is more important to take note of changes in the amount and other associated symptoms such as belching (which is the passage of gastrointestinal gas via the mouth, commonly referred to as 'burping') and abdominal bloating. You may therefore notice you have flatulence due to the following symptoms: Passing wind often Smelly flatus Loud flatus Abdominal distension and discomfort Rumblings in the lower abdomen. Causes Production of intestinal gas is a normal part of the digestive process caused by reactions of enzymes and the breakdown of food by bacteria. Normally most of this gas produced will be reabsorbed and enter the bloodstream. However, if a large amount is produced it will remain in the intestines and travel along to be later expelled. The following conditions may lead to an increase in gas expulsion: Air swallowing- A small amount of air is normally swallowed when you eat or drink. If you eat quickly, gulp foods, drink through straws or chew gum you may swallow increases amounts of gas. In addition, anxiety can cause excessive air swallowing. Air swallowing is the most common cause of flatulence. High-fibre diets- Fibre is difficult to breakdown in the intestine. This leads to bacteria in the colon working overtime to further digest food. These bacteria are one of the key sources of gas leading to flatulence. Common high fibre foods such as bread, are imaged below. Irritable bowel syndrome- Patients with this disorder have alternating episodes of constipation and diarrhoea which are often accompanied by flatulence and bloating. Lactose intolerance- Inability to absorb the sugars present in milk leads to gas production as these have to be broken down by bacteria via the process of fermentation. Dairy foods such as milk, cheese and cream (displayed below) can exacerbate symptoms as they contain a high concentration of lactose. Medications- Some antibiotics and other drugs can cause flatulence. Rarely flatulence may be a symptom of a serious underlying disease such as coeliac disease or pancreatic insufficiency which can lead to malnutrition

I find the smell of cooking oil and fried chips to be absolutely stomach turning. I think our tastes do change after we change our diet - sugary things now taste too sweet and I don't miss Coke at all in my occasional scotch drink - mixing it with water is just fine now.

I'd leave it on as long as you can. I made the mistake of taking mine off after about 7-10 days and part of the main incision popped open a little a few days later. It didn't come open far but enough that that half of the scar has healed to be thick and obvious, whereas the bit that didn't pop is a nice thin line.

Sigh, me too :wink_smile:. I think I've got another 10 years of this misery to go though - 45 years in total (10-55) will be too damn much!

I can sympathise, as Day One of the misery sets in and I know it will only get worse for the next several days :wink_smile: At almost 46, I can't wait for menopause, but unfortunately I think it's going to be another 10 years before that happens for me. My mother was in her late 50's before it happened for her, as were the women on my father's side of the family, so not much hope of early onset for me. Of course, we were all early bloomers too, and had our periods by the time we turned 10 :thumbup:, so 45 years of the damned things! What's really annoying is that my tubes got ruined from an infection from an IUD when I was only 22 (after having my daughter) and I haven't been able to get pregnant since, so all this pain and misery for the last 25 years (and for the next 10) has been in vain - rats!@!

Something to consider too, Katie - IUD's slightly increase the chance of infections, which can have disastrous long term effects. I had an IUD put in after I had my daughter, which got infected a couple of years later. I had it removed but it was too late by then - the infection had moved into my fallopian tubes and scarred them closed. The doctors did try to surgically correct it but were unsuccessful and I was never able to have children naturally after that. I am thankful that I had my baby before I did this, as I can't imagine my life without her but do regret not having more kids.

This has been a fascinating read, Heather. You are obviously very dedicated to your religious observances and have tried very hard to practice your belief. I'm sorry it didn't work out the way that you wanted but pleased to hear that you have done the sensible thing and gotten the unfill and foregone the trigger of fasting and late night eating. I hope that the alternative of feeding the hungry is a satisfying one for you. Good luck with your journey!

It's doable but not preferable. If you can possibly take an extra day or two, I would advise it. It's worth it to get yourself past the main hump of recovery (I found a vast improvement on Day 5-6, compared to Day 4.)

You don't mention having done a pre-op diet and, at 97kg, chances are the doc didn't require you to do one. That means that in this post-op period, you are still in the first weeks of restricted eating, when weight loss is fastest. While some of the loss is actual fat, a lot of what you are losing is just fluid and digested food from your intestines that isn't being replaced, so the numbers on the scale are quite dramatic. That will settle down in the next week or so, and your losses are likely to slow down. Don't be surprised if you stall or even gain a kilo or so when you go back onto mushies. It it is just your body balancing itself out and, if you stick to the rules, your losses will continue at the more normal slower rate (1/2 - 1kg per week).

My meals are usually at least a half cup, more likely a full cup, with a total of around 1200 cal a day. I pack my breakfast and lunch for work and the containers provide the measurement, then I use my sandwich plate as a guide when eating the evening meal. I don't know how anyone could survive on 2oz per meal and be happy on that - that is NOT what I signed up for!

I'm in the same boat re the fills/unfills. A month ago, I had an 0.5ml fill which was disastrously tight. I spent a really uncomfortable 2 weeks until I could get in for the unfill of 0.25ml. The relief was instant, but now I feel just like I did before I went for the fill in the first place - able to eat solid healthy meals but just a little too much of them and having to fight the snacking urge in between. I'm going to leave it though, for another month, as I have a tube correction surgery on 1st Oct and suspect that I will end up entirely unfilled from that and have to start all over again. No point in mucking about with the level for just these few weeks

I was hoping to make 70lb on the 9mth anniversary, which would have been exactly half of the 140lb I had to lose in exactly half of the 18mth plan that I am trying to follow. Didn't quite get there, but who's going to quibble over a pound or two eh? I'll get there in the end!

Good for you, Chrisann! I've been in that trap that you are in, where you get some (not all, but enough to get by) of your emotional needs met by the companionship of the platonic friend, and some (not all) of your physical needs met by the casual fling guy(s). Ultimately, it's a very lonely existance, as none of your needs are fully met. What's more, you invest so much time and energy into maintaining the friendship and playing with the flings, that you never seems to get around to finding what you really want and need - which is someone who will be best friend, lover, companion, PARTNER! I've had to do the same lately - pull back on my emotional investment in a platonic friendship, to give myself the freedom to seek what I really want. It hasn't happened yet for me, but at least I've acknowledged that this is what I'm really looking for, instead of "getting by" with pieces of the package from different sources. Good luck in your journey and remember - you deserve the full package, not a piecemeal life!

There's absolutely no physical reason why you couldn't because of the lap band. You need to factor it into your calorie intake for the day, though, as the empty calories in alcohol add up pretty quickly (roughly 135-190 cal per glass). You can get caught in a situation where you have used the restriction the band gives you to keep yourself content on a 1000-1200 cal a day diet, then blow it out the water with 2-3 glasses of sweet wine. My advice would be - use it sparingly, but don't cut it out altogether and don't forget to count the calories! PS: You may find that your tolerance for alcohol drops significantly. I know mine did! I used to be able to drink half a bottle of scotch easily and on a "heavy" night, could down the whole thing. These days 2 scotches gives me a really strong buzz and I don't dare go beyond 3 in case it makes me sick. I think it is because I don't have that "cushion" of food in my stomach to help slow the alcohol absorbtion rate - like drinking on an empty stomach all the time.

Medicare will cover $108 of the doctor's visit for a fill. My doc charges $150 per visit, so you'd need a health insurer to cover the gap or pay the $42 yourself. Poms get automatic Medicare coverage when they move here, so you should be right there, not sure what the deal would be with private health care but with all the "instant coverage" deals they're offering at the moment, I'd say there's a good chance you'd get covered straight away. So where are you planning on landing? Come to the west!! WEST IS BEST!! :thumbup:

I found that the most likely time for me to have a PB or sliming episode is when eating with friends. No matter how much I tell myself to be careful, when I start chattering and eating at the same time, I would just forget to pay attention to proper chewing and small bites. It is so easy to do! The chewing habit is really ingrained for me now, but I still have to pay conscious attention to it when eating out, else I can land myself in the same problem. I wouldn't give up on the pot roast - it's more likely a combination of not having eaten earlier in the day and not paying enough attention because you were concentrating on talking with your friend.

I live in Perth (but work in the Kimberley - FIFO on a mine site). I was home for my 6 days off just this last weekend and it was simply gorgeous out - wildflower season is in full swing and I got my annual spring fever attack and gardened my little tail off. But the farmers are saying what started as a promising season with good rains in June looks like it's going to fail again, as there hasn't been a drop for over 4 weeks in the wheat belt :biggrin: PS: If I do 2+ hours of heavy gardening (pruning, digging, sawing down branches & trees, etc) that does mean I can weasel out of going for my gentle 30 min walk around the block, doesn't it?