Fanny Adams

Hi Blue Eyed Girl Rastis100 (?) is a poster here, from Perth, who was just banded by Dr Stephen Watson at Murdoch. She gives him a great report, which I hope holds true for everyone, as I am seeing him next month myself, to start this journey.

Hi JoMc You say you work away in 13 hour shifts - are you on the mines? Which one? I am up at Argyle Diamonds at the moment, and hoping to have the banding done over Xmas or early in the New Year. I've been a little worried about returning to camp soon after surgery and how I'll manage the eating plans when I'm up on site. Camp food is what has gotten me to the point of taking this step. I lost 20kg about 4-5 years back and kept almost all of it off until I started work on the mines 18 months ago and have now re-gained all of it (plus an extra 2kg, as usual *sigh*). How have you managed with the liquid & mushie stages of eating in the weeks following surgery?

YAY! Finally found the thread I've been looking for. Okay, some have improved libido, some have decreased libido, and for some the libido hasn't changed, but what about the pure mechanics?? Does the port cramp your style? I've read so many posts about ports pulling or finding it hard to bend over months after surgery, that I am getting quite worried about limitations that it might impose upon positions. For a fattie, I'm pretty limber and given my two greatest pleasures in life are food and sex, if I'm gonna give up the food part, I had d*mn well better not lose the sex part in the process!!

Hmm.... "Oh, 11 years? BF? Unless you are extremely wealthy and are choosing not to marry to protect your assets... why is he still your boyfriend and not a husband? " Maybe he's extremely wealthy and is choosing not to marry to protect his assets? Oh no, but that would be wrong, wouldn't it? It's funny how so many women have a double standard about issues like this - it would be fine if she did it, but if he did it, he's a b*****d. "Not meaning to come down hard but it gets my goat ONLY because I've seen so many women go thru this only to have that bf leave...no string attached. " Women don't leave men in the same situation? "Hopefully you have a loving and caring relationship built upon 11 years of sharing... that you two have grown together and have made commitments to each other." 11 years IS a long time - long enough that one would think if either party wanted it to change, they would have done so by now. Perhaps THEY decided together that their commitment is enough and doesn't need the formalisation of marriage? I dunno folks, commenting on the BF's lack of support seems fair enough and justified, but making the HUGE ASSUMPTION that, because they are not married after 11 years, there are "issues" in the relationship, does not seem warranted. There may or may not be issues around that, but who can tell from just the post given?

Hi everyone - I've been away for the weekend and now back at work, so haven't checked in for a while. Did anyone else find that, once you made the Big Decision, that all of a sudden you felt hungrier and went off your "sensible eating" plans completely? I've found that I am using the banding like an excuse - "well it will all come off after I'm banded, so who cares if I pig out now", "better have some of that yummy stuff, coz who knows when you'll ever be able to eat it again". *sighs* I know these are all stupid head games I play with myself, but it's awfully hard not to give in to them and November 27th seems such a long way away, and is only the first step in the journey...

Nah, I'm a contractor so no sick pay - if I don't work, I don't get paid. With my roster, I could probably fit the surgery in one of my 6 days off but I'm a little leery about going back up into the heat and humping luggage all over after only a few days recovery. Doing it in the Xmas break around those days would give me a good 10 days to recover, which I figure is probably the minimum I should allow. But I shall figure it out somehow. No point worrying about it until after I've seen the Doc and found out what dates are possible anyway.

Thank you for the info. It probably means I can't get the dates I want, but at least I know that in advance and won't get my heart set on it. I was hoping for somewhere between 27th & 31st December, but sounds like that's not to be Ah well. Not sure when else I can organise it though. I have 3 weeks hols already booked & paid for in Nov, so can't change that. I have to take the week between Xmas & New Year off, as work goes on to skeleton crews then, and there's no point in me being there on my own. If I can't get it done in that break, that means having to take another week off sometime in January, which will be a little tough financially after all the holidays and Xmas. *sighs* I'll figure it out somehow, I guess.

Woot woot, Rastis!! Way to go! And you too, Karen!

Well my GP was all for the idea and wrote the referal without hesitation. It is to Dr Stephen Watson, so I'm thankful Rastis has already given him a good wrap. Unfortunately, he's booked solid till late November, so my first consultation with him won't be until 27th which probably means my chances of getting a late December surgery date are pretty slim. Ah well... I'll just have to keep telling myself "patience, grasshopper, patience..."

Keyboard *hugs* I can do! Date duly noted in diary :car: I'm seeing my doctor tomorrow to start this adventure, can't wait! I've pretty much worked out that, if I can get the date, I want to do it in December, just after Xmas. I have holidays and all sorts of things going on before then and can't take extra time off work, so the 2 week break over Xmas would work out just perfect - plus give me the New Year start for luck. *crosses fingers and hopes that the doctors don't take hols over Xmas :eek:

I haven't seen Karen post today. Does anyone know the exact date she's booked? Could it be today? If so, best of luck and my good wishes with you, Karen!! If not, where are ya, woman?

You're not wrong, Rastis - I'm already impatient as anthing! @ Mscas3: Good luck with everything! Have a look around this site - there are some fantastic people here, who will give you lots of support, I'm sure! You just wait till Karen gets here and waves her pompoms! She is one inspiring lady @ SCMartin: Ditto on the good luck. Can't help you with the advice because a) I've only been here a day myself and I'm in Australia so our medical system is very different. However, there are LOTS of threads in the site with very helpful information - read the FAQs and I'm sure you'll find the information you want.

LOL! Excited isn't the word! I can't wait and reading this site is just making me more and more sure about this decision - both the good stories and the bad! I would be in at my GP's today if I could, but I'm still up on site and won't be home till Wed night. Doctor's appointment is for 10am Thurs morning , earliest I could get! Meantime, I'm haunting this board, just to keep in touch with that excited feeling

Go Rastis! Go Rastis!

Thanks again, Striver. I'm probably gonna be up for the full whack but as Rastis said, what price health and happiness?

Thank you Striver!

Ahh cool - I was looking at St John of God's because I live near Murdoch and like the hospital. I shall check him out further. Thanks.

I don't know yet - just made the appointment with my GP to get the referral. I've been thinking about it for a long time and talked about it with him a few times and have tried many other options but reading this forum today gave me the courage to bite the bullet and go for it! I'm already excited! Any recommendations/warnings about surgeons in Perth?

No Rastis, I'm a Perth girl, born and bred! I worked in NT for 12 months on FIFO out of Perth, but now working in WA (Argyle Diamonds, up near Kununurra), also on FIFO, so home to Perth in between shifts. I loved the NT though - awesome place!!

FIFO from Perth to mines in Qld? Or FIFO from Brisbane to mines in WA? Either way, it would be a bit of a stretch I think - most companies would want to relocate you to at least the nearest capital city. I did FIFO from Perth to Nhulunbuy NT via Darwin for 12 months before starting with Argyle, and that's about the only place I know where they take FIFO from all over the country - coz there just aren't enough people in NT to fill all the roles.

Hmmm... $12000 eh? The only figure I had been able to get was a yahoo answers one that said around $6000, so that's double what I was figuring on. I guess it's a good thing that I work on the mines and am making some decent bucks right now! Oh well, if that's what it takes, that's what it takes... I am SO sick of being this size! If it works, it will be worth every penny.

What on earth?? I tried to edit my last post and got a box full of smilies between each letter of the post!! Is this a common error?

There seems to be a few Aussies here, so I'd like to ask a few questions about our situation: * Medicare doesn't cover this and neither does my hospital insurance (I got the basics to get out of the extra Medicare Surcharge), so what is the APPROXIMATE cost? That's the one thing I can't find on the net - they all say make an appointment (which I've done!!) and we'll tell you then, but I want to know NOW :car: (hehe - patience is NOT my strong point). * Many of the threads talk about a psych evaluation, saying that their insurance is dependent upon this. It seems as though this is only a requirement in the US - do we have a similar thing in Aus? * Several people have talked about having to do a pre-op diet for anywhere from a month to 3 months. If I could stick to a diet without help for a whole 3 months, I wouldn't need the band to help! What's the story behind this - I don't have liver or heart problems, so is it still likely to be necessary?

Yes, this does look like a great supportive group and I'm looking forward to getting to know everyone. Right now, I just want Thursday to come quickly because I am always impatient for these things! LOL - one of the reasons why I don't do well on diets, I think :car:

Hi All, After just having yet another unsuccessful attempt to lose weight with drug therapy, I've finally started to researching seriously into banding and found this site. Just about the first thread I read was this one and I've read it from beginning to end. I had to register just so I could say thank you to Karen/justwaitin2b! You are an inspiration, woman! I've been tossing up the idea of doing the banding thing for a couple of years now and have always been really scared of it. Thank you, Karen, for your sense of humour, bubbly personality and considerable cheerleader talents! You have just inspired me to make the appointment with my doctor (on Thurs 11th Oct) and I am going to embark on this scary journey!