Sarah.R

No not yet, they said category 2 so that's 3-6 months, it doesn't bother me that much only the fact that I would like a date so I know when I can buy the optifast and start it all instead of being in like a mad rush to get everything - I've been looking everywhere at the prices of optifast and wheres the cheapest lol so all I need is the date so I can go out and buy all the stuff I need, hopefully it'll come this month or so

Sometimes I remember to do it othertimes I don't - I know I'm definetly going to have to concentrate once I do get the band but funnily enough the only time I ever really concentrate and make sure I chew chew chew is when I eat chicken schnitzel, dunno why, as for the whole sipping water I have no idea how I'm gonna go with that, I usually take big gulps sometimes but only if I've just done something exhausting, I personally don't see why you have to sip, I mean after surgery for the first maybe 2 weeks yeah I definetly see why but afterwards I would have thought you could go back to the usual? Oh and I did try the chew chew chew with hotcakes that we have - works pretty good but I can't survive on just hot cakes and chicken schnitzel afterwards right? =( lol

Yeah I know what you mean, he's new but he has done alot of surgeries and I was referred to him by the pa, the pa only does 20 lap bands a year so I'm pretty lucky in that sense - as for medicare, I'm not paying for anything at all which is great, well obviously I have to pay for optifast but thats only $200 all up for the preop and post op stuff. And he has a clinic at the Wesley so I'm not really that worried that he's a fraud or anything because it is quite hard to get rooms at the Wesley

Has anyone been banded at the P.A in brisbane? I know it's a public hospital but was wondering. Or has anyone been banded by a Dr. Ian Martin?

No your not the only one, I have to be on them as well/ anything that goes up through a straw for 10 days afterwards, just thinking right now all the stuff I can get through a straw lol

Jaqui I know what you mean, it is great that I'm getting it cheap and everything but I kind of feel bad because there are others that may need it more than me you know? Although my surgeon has said that there trying to make it more accessible in the public system which I think is a pretty good idea

I was wondering if anyone on here is a public patient with the lap band? Like did you go through the public system for it and if so how long did it take you from the time you applied or whatever to the time you got the band? I'm currently going through the public system and will be banded within 6 months - I'm only 20 and I know that some people have to wait for up to 10 years on the public system and was just wondering about everyone. Thanks

It depends on everyone, theres a thread on here labelled scars, not sure where exactly and it shows some peoples scars after a year - most aren't too bad - Personally I have 4 scars from a lung biopsy that I had in July last year and there still pretty pink but I also never put any vitamin E cream on them and I take ages to heal -Overall healing of the actual surgery site shouldnt take longer than a month or two.

I'm guessing the waiting time would be the same as any public system - it's usually about 5 years - some take even longer, I know that the Qld health system for it is usually 10 years, luckily I'm young and I've actually been bumped up the list - I've signed my form for surgery and I'm getting a date within a month for 3-6 months!! Yay!

Bring me back some clothes lol! You could always ask for your food to be cooked with no oil, no butter and no salt to help overall with the food or you could ask for just more vegetables, I know what you mean about the food though, you watch shows and see how they have a McDonalds or Kfc on every corner and it does look a bit too much, but they also have good varieties of organic food in america so if you see an organic shop and you have a small microwave in your hotel room you can always fix yourself something up - sure it will be a little more expensive but at least you know what your making, how your cooking it and what goes into it right? Have fun on your trip!

Mmm weetbix, I'm definetly going to miss breakfast after I'm banded, I never used to eat breakfast but I had to go on medication that I have to eat with and got in a pattern of it - I don't think it'll be that bad though, I heard that after about 3-4 hours you can eat which isn't too bad, I mean that way you can eat fruit or something for morning tea/brunch right?

If it was me and it was still free I would definetly stay in hospital - It's just to monitor you overnight and make sure that everything goes according to plan - But if you do wish to go home how far is it to your hospital in case something does happen? I think that personally I would stay in the hospital the required time just to make sure everything goes ok but then again I have previous medical history so I'd be staying anyway you know?

Wow I've never heard of a second band slippage, I guess it just depends on how much you've actually lost with this band before it slipped? If you didnt loose any was that because it slipped almost straight away? Personally I would be more in favour of the band just because its less invasive but you have to weigh which suits you more and which you can afford. If you think the sleeve will help you overall maybe ask if they do some kind of insurance payments with your particular hospital/surgeon? Either way good luck!

Maybe you should mention in casual conversation something along the lines of "I've lost so much weight I was walking to my bedroom the other night and my pants almost went around my ankles?" lol that way they'll think oh wow she has lost weight and when you can put a spin on it like that and kinda make it a joke they won't think its that bad mentioning it?

Yep I'm going through the public system - most people have to wait 10 years before they even get a date - I only have to wait basically 6 months - lucky right? I suppose it's covered by medicare, I'm not paying anything, well I had to pay to see the dietician at the wesley and my surgeons nurse but thats only $100 which isn't too bad - I'm definetly asking next time I go though if I can get a rebate because otherwise I'm going to have to pay for all my fills and I can't afford that. I guess I'm kinda lucky in a way that the public system is willing to pay for me and because I'm so young, not alot of people can get away with that

I know what you mean but seeing as though the lap band is generally like a day surgery I don't see why anyone has to know you know? At the moment my mum and dad know as well as my aunt because my mum needed someone to talk to but the only reason my mum knows is because I prefer her to come with my to my hospital appointments - My dad knows because I was put in hospital and we thought we should tell him before the Dr blurted it out and my dad was left there wondering what was going on lol and I plan on eventually telling my 2 sisters - at the moment I still live at home so there going to need to know - especially when my sister is in a playful/annoying mood and sometimes hits me in the stomach (not hard but after the band she's going to get a black eye if she does it lol) I plan on going out with my sisters and mum the night before the 2 week diet and telling them - kind of like a last meal thing - As for surgery, no one really needs to know I mean I don't see people often enough that they would wonder where I am and hopefully it being only a night stay I can come home and just sleep - If people ask you why your loosing weight just say you've given up bread because technically it's true - if you did give up bread, rice pasta and didnt have the lap band you would loose weight and really your not eating it afterwards so you actually are being truthful - I think if people ask me how I do it I'll just say "Well I went on the optifast shakes for about 2 weeks but got sick of it and I'm just sick of being the way I am so I gave up breads,pasta and rice" Technically your not lying and if you don't want to tell people and they have no right knowing it's the absolute perfect excuse!

It doesnt matter what you actually loose as the pre op shakes are actually to cleanse the liver - to make it easier for surgery Dr's require you to do the shakes to get rid of the fat on your liver so it's easier to do surgery when it comes around to it - obviously loosing any weight is great but don't get bummed just because you only loose a little - overall if you loose fat on your liver that's the best thing overall

Lol, I'm not banded yet =( my surgeon says I'm category 2 so that's 3-6 months which isn't too long to wait, I'm on the south east side (think manly, ormiston, cleveland.) And my surgeon is a new one at the wesley although I'm not actually being banded at the wesley, confusing right? Lol

I kind of hate how people use the excuse of I just turned 21 or I go out with friends and they drink so I feel like I have to as well. It's called perserverance (sp?) I mean the legal drinking age here is 18 - I'm 20 you kinda get over it - I don't mean to sound so harsh but what's more important going out and getting drunk or loosing weight and being healthier? I know I choose the being healthier part but in saying that I dont think it's that bad when people only want a glass or 2 of wine or something - but if you have it and you have a mix make sure it's with tonic water or diet soda's that way it isn't as bad

You can always use vitamin E creams, they help alot after the scars have healed, you can get them basically anywhere just make sure you rub it in twice a day, it won't fully go away but it does help with the overall appearance of the scar

I was thinking about the first thing I would like to eat after the band and after the liquid and mushie stage - and I'm thinking it's going to be jelly lol only because it's soft and tastes good and I figure it won't hurt going down that or I might try some potato bake or something along those lines - something soft that I only need to have 2 mouthfulls and I can feel the effect. So what was the first thing you ate?

I guess I could definetly do that, it's also hard with the certain types of medication as well because 2 of them I have to take with something other than water otherwise they feel like they get stuck so I dunno I suppose because milk is dairy and stuff it would definetly help and be easier than taking my meds and then eating - Thanks I'm definetly going to have to try that =)

Uh I know what you all mean, I'm not banded yet but I've NEVER been an energetic/gym going person you know? I joined with my sister one year and it was good because we would "race" each other on the treadmills lol but then she stopped going and she was my only way of getting there so I stopped going and eventually we cancelled our memberships, I think the biggest motivation is definetly someone going with you whether it be your brother,mother,sister, daughter, son you know? For me my sister is great because she makes it ummm "fun" lol just because she's a total idiot when she does it - also once I do get the band I'm taking my Ipod and putting all the fast/up beat music on there to help as well

So I was wondering about this the other day, I've read numerous accounts of people who don't eat in the morning because there too tight but I have a dilemna, I'm currently on medication that has to be taken with food or directly after, I can't swallow tablets with food and I usually take them plus all my others and then eat breakfast so I was just wondering what anyone does? I'm not banded at the moment so I don't have to worry about it straight away but I'm wondering what to do once I am banded. Thanks

Another aussie yay - lol - Im in brisbane, Australia