Jachut

Correct me if I'm wrong but I would guess lots and lots of people lose simply due to the restriction in the amount they can eat and this results in the average 2/3 or so of excess weight I've read about - people eating lots less, making general improvements in their weight related behaviours but perhaps not counting calories or dieting as such.

I understand it that there's no reason why you cant get to a specific goal, like right down at the bottom of your healthy weigh range but like for anyone, you will have to work at it - count calories, exercise regularly and that within the scope of your band, like any normal person you will fluctuate in your weight day to day and you have to make good decisions to stay at your goal weight.

I was envisaging after surgery, if I have it, that I will be following something like Weight Watchers (I have the at home program), counting points, making good food choices and that some days I will stick to it well, some days I may not but that the band will prevent me from blowing it completely. Depending on how many good days I have over the course of a year or so I will or wont get down to 70kg rather than say, 85. I would be thrilled with 85 by the way, at 5ft 10 its still a comfortable and healthier weight than 110kg.

Just seems insane though doesnt it for a person who is very overweight but with a BMI of 35 or under. I'm not sure yet whether my health fund will consider this "clinically necessary" either - I'm 5ft 10 and about 245 lb, BMI 35-36.

If you're finding your weight is limiting your life and causing you discomfort, and you've spent all your life trying to lose it, really you shoudl be a candidate! What do they want you to do - go away, continue on the soul destroying diet roundabout for another 2 years and come back 60lb heavier? How does that help anyone?

Like you, I may not ever have been massively fat, but I have all the same issues and all the same heartbreaks assoicated with my weight.

sorry Fee typo - that should be $3,000

I'm in Melbourne and seeing a Mr Geoffrey Draper at Peninsula Private on Tuesday.

I keep changing my mind - I think I'm actually terrified of NOT being able to overeat, how will I deal with all the things that make me overeat now?

Do you know anything about health fund rules here in Aus? I need to ring my fund on Monday to make sure they cover it - ie. is it "clinically necessary" when you're BMI is 35 and the only comorbidities are sore feet and cholesterol a bit high, like losing only 10kg would probably fix both! But whilst I know I can do that, I have no hope that I can lose 30 or 40 and keep it off forever and I'm scared by this glimpse of old age I've had at only 37 (hobbling around like a nana on my poor feet).

I havent done a medically supervised plan since I was about 18 and had a hip injury and was only 80kg anyway! But I've done Weight Watchers at least 10 times, Lite n Easy countless times, Jenny Craig, you name it. My doc didnt seem to think it was a problem.

I'm glad I found this, I'm only in the stage of thinking about it all the way over here in Australia. It's a different process, our health system is different and private health insurance covers it all bar $2,000 or so.

I have a pretty low BMI comparatively - 35 and only just - and am pretty tall so am nowhere near the stage of obesity where I get looks or where I even get too distressed about the way I look. I feel fine most of the time, blend into everyday society. But Healthwise its different, I have chronic heel pain and an unidentifiable problem with my left ankle that has been ongoing for almost a year and want to cry most days from the exhaustion of trying to keep up with my 3 kids and keep the house decent - I simply cant go on carrying this extra 40kg or so around. I have lots of heartburn too - basically I feel like I"m permanently 9 months pregant, cant sit, cant stand, cant lie, cant bend over without reflux. I have highish cholesterol levels but no other health problems, but with diabetes and heart disease in the family I'm taking this step now rather than later.

I'm going to tell everyone!

So............ the band then provides some restriction right from the word go? You dont actually die from hunger that first month. I see the surgeon Tuesday.