Fanny Adams

Hi again Jo Thanks for your detailed response and advice. Sorry it has taken me so long to reply - I did read it at the time but I had to quit haunting this site until I'd seen the surgeon as I was finding myself obsessing about it and sneaking peeks all day at work. Now that I have my date, I'm doing that again of course :biggrin1: but at least now I feel semi-justified as the date is so soon (12th December) and I really need the support. Anyway, I will be missing my last shift before Xmas and having the time between Xmas and New Year off as well, so won't be back at work till January. When I get back, I'll speak to the catering people and also go to our onsite clinic and give the nurse all the details. Thanks again for taking the trouble to reply.

I had my first appointment to see the surgeon on 27th November and I have got my date for surgery ALREADY!! And it is in only 2 weeks (12th December) - PANIC STATIONS!! I have been dreaming about doing this for several years, thinking seriously about it for over a year, as now I am in a position to be able to pay for it (full self-pay, no private cover :cry), and have been discussing it with my GP for the last few months as I gave alternative methods (eg drugs) one last ditch try. He gave me the referral to the surgeon 6 weeks ago, but the surgeon was booked out for a while and I work Fly In/Fly Out, so didn't get to see him until just this week. He said asked if I wanted it done before Xmas and I nearly fell off my chair!! I was expecting January to be the absolute earliest and more likely later! Oh boy...now the reality hits. Am I really going to go through with this? What if I panic and run away from the hospital on the night before? ARGH!! Part of me says I need time to get used to the idea but most of me wants it done NOW NOW NOW and dreads the waiting time. I also thought about whether doing this before Xmas was such a good idea, but decided that if I couldn't face giving up the Xmas dinner pigout this year, what made me think I could face doing that forever? *quakes in her boots*

It is amazing how different the regimes seem to be from Dr to Dr. I just got back from my initial visit to the surgeon yesterday, and his instructions are much more liberal than those relayed by most people here. (BTW, he is one of the top gastric surgeons in the state, has been doing these operations for more than 8 years and has done more than 1300 of them.) My surgery is scheduled for 12th December. First of all, re the pre-op diet. He said that the larger you are to begin with, the more important it is to do the pre-op, as the enlarged liver makes the operation more difficult. At my size (125kg/275lb) and BMI (47), it is highly recommended but not essential - I should do the best I can for the next 2 weeks but not over stress about it. Re the post-op diet, this is from the printed handout he gave me: "Stay on fluids until you start to feel hungry. Water, juices, yoghurt, thin Soup. After a few days, these fluids will be less satisfying and you will want somethign more filling. Thicker Soups, jellies. Make an appointment to see your GP at 5 days after surgery for removal of staples. After that time, you may need more substantial food to ease the hunger. Try very soft mushy scrambled eggs, mashed vegetables initially. Gradually over the first 4 weeks after surgery, the hunger will increase such that by about a month when you come back to start having Fluid placed in the band, you will be eating an amount of food more than you had expected. Fish, chicken, Pasta. Then, at one month, we start the process of placing fluid in the band, every month for three months, then less frequently for the next few months. REMEMBER In the first month, gradually increase the food and ensure you eat slowly. Avoid a situation of food getting stuck as vomiting, especially early, may tear some sutures around the band and increase the risk of SLIPPAGE and further surgery." My guess is that the reason some surgeons are much more conservative in their instructions is that they are worried that their patients will abuse the band and end up vomiting from pushing too hard, too fast. I think the "ideal" times depend a lot on individuals and the main goal is to guidelines so as to AVOID VOMITING. Anyhoo, I plan to follow my doctor's instructions and let my body guide me, making sure not to push too far and over do anything...

Hi all. I just got back from my first visit to the surgeon and we've set the date already for 12th December!! OMG, that's so much sooner than I was expecting but I just can't wait!

Hi, my real name is Sue but my online name has been Fanny Adams for years and years. It originally came from an online Dungeons & Dragons style game that I used to play (Ultima Online). I was making up the name of a new character and stuck for ideas. I remember thinking "I can think of Sweet FA for her name!" and the light went on :eek: I like the ambiguity of the name - Fanny is a perfectly acceptable old British name but rather rude these days in the US and quite rude indeed in Australia (it means something quite different down under hehehe). It is also the real name of a little girl who got murdered in the woods in the US in the 19th century, which makes it quite suitable for the D&D game I've used the name for so long online now, that I answer to Fanny just as readily as Sue, even in real life

LOL!! Can't go scaring the candy stripers!

:whoo:Let the hazing begin!!

Dear Grand-Lord-High-Poobah and Token Deist, *points to Laurend's post as further evidence* Grovellingly yours, The Insignificant and As-Yet-Unhazed Newbie Fanny Adams

Dear Grand-Lord-High-Poobah and Token Deist, As a newbie in this forum, may I most respectfully and humbly request a revision of Rule 5? Perhaps we could put it to a forum vote? Grovellingly yours, The Insignificant and As-Yet-Unhazed Newbie Fanny Adams

I thought you had solved it when I saw your ticker in the other post, but I think I see your problem now. You have pasted the ticker into your message as you are replying. You need to paste it into your Signature area. To do this, you have to click on the UserCP option near the top of this page, then on the Edit Signature option, on the left hand side. After you have pasted, don't forget to click the Save Signature button at the bottom of the Edit Signature page. Hope this helps.

Looks like it did Love the pie choice for your ticker

Isn't it funny how customs are so different? I am in Australia (Perth) and I have never really thought about taking my shoes off in the house because of the carpet. I generally wear slip on sandals all year round, so will often kick them off, but that is a comfort thing, for no other reason. I wouldn't dream of asking a visitor to take their shoes off, although I have been asked to do so once or twice when visiting other people's houses. Happy to oblige, but find it weird and it is very unusual. For those of you who regularly take your shoes off or who worry about your carpets, do you not have a decent doormat where people can brush their shoes down? Here, THAT's the big sin - coming in without wiping your feet! I'm 45 and I can still hear echoes of my mother's voice yelling "Did you wipe your feet???" as I come in the door.

There's probably a few threads around with this info, but I just posted this today, so maybe it will help: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/598384-post20.html

I've been doing that for the last 10 days, but decided that today I'm gonna grab hold of the food monster and throttle it back. Wish me luck!

Hi Karen - hang in there mate, only one week to go!! Woot woot! Good luck on the job hunt for hubby.

"someone who isn't grown up enough to do something for the sake of their healing" Isn't that awfully judgemental coming from someone who "wasn't grown up enough" to control her own eating habits for sake of her health and had to resort to a band? Now I'm not saying people who get banded aren't grown up - I'm planning on becoming one myself! However, I do know that some addictions, just like food, are incredibly hard to give up and they don't make a lap band for smoking! (Apologies if my comment gave any offence to others but as a 45 year old smoker and a fattie, that "isn't grown up" just GRATED on me.)

Heheh - I just heard this joke today and it is very appropriate: A man and a woman were sitting beside each other in the first class section of an airplane. The woman sneezed, took out a tissue, gently wiped her nose, then visibly shuddered for ten to fifteen seconds. The man went back to his reading. A few minutes later, the woman sneezed again, took a tissue, wiped her nose, then shuddered violently once more. Assuming that the woman might have a cold, the man was still curious about the shuddering. A few more minutes passed when the woman sneezed yet again. As before, she took a tissue, wiped her nose, her body shaking even more than before. Unable to restrain his curiosity, the man turned to the woman, "I couldn't help but notice" he said, " that you've sneezed three times, wiped your nose and then shuddered violently. Are you ok?" "I am sorry if I disturbed you," she replied. "I have a very rare medical condition; whenever I sneeze, I have an orgasm." The man, more than a bit embarrassed, was still curious. "I have never heard of that condition before" he said. "Are you taking anything for it?" The woman nodded, "Black pepper."

Thanks - I appreciate the advice... and see? ticker back up and I'm gonna work on at least sticking to the maintenance plan.

Hmm... that last bit is good advice. I have found that since I have made the Big Decision, all my "sensible eating" plans have gone out the window. It's like I keep saying to myself "doesn't matter now, because it will all come off when I have the band" or "better eat that yummy stuff now coz who knows when you will be able to eat it again". I know that's the wrong attitude but it's pretty hard to fight. Maybe putting the ticker back up will stop me doing that. Most times, I eat "normally" and can go ages without gaining, but every now and then I pig out for a week or two and go up a couple of pounds, rinse and repeat. Right now, I am the heaviest I've ever been in my life and I REALLY don't need to gain another 10kg while waiting for this to happen

Re removing the ticker: Well it's not so much the humiliation, it's just the constant reminder that I have to WAIT and I'm not the most patient of people. Of course, I could use that waiting time to start on the loss on my own, but that would be being sensible, wouldn't it? I've never claimed to be sensible

*sighs* Yes, I think that is going to be the trade off Ah well...nobody died of wrinkles that I know of, and I know this weight is killing me...not a hard choice when put that way, eh?

My two cents: I trained as an English teacher many years back, so sometimes it is a real effort not to reach for the red pen when reading some posts. I do try to restrain myself at most times, as I agree that it can be rude and condescending when giving unasked for advice. The big exception that I make to that rule is when someone is calling someone else "stupid" or similar, in a debating forum, and uses poor spelling and grammar in their insults. I figure that make them fair game and take great delight in pointing out their errors then! :heh:

ACK! I did NOT want to hear this bit :think

This thread is a crackup!! And just to add to your giggles, I am a n00b at this and have yet to be banded, and have already asked the question about sexual positions and port discomfort (haha) and was just about to ask about how bad the face wrinkles get after the weight loss (Seriously - is it bad for most? There's not a lot of things about my body that I feel good about but being 45 and having NO wrinkles on my face is one of them. Most people guess my age at around 35. My brother, who had a similarly youthful face, lost weight a year ago and for the first time looks his full years of 50 - a fit and healthy 50 year old, true, but when a little overweight, you'd never have picked him for being past 40.)

I have my first appointment with him on November 27th. It seems he is very popular and is booked solid till then. Waiting is bloody hard, once the decision has been made - I just want to do this NOW!!