Sunwyse

The band doesn't interfere at all. Your pregnancy will be monitored and as you progress some of the Fluid can be removed from the band to allow you to eat a little more. Once the baby is born, the bit taken out of the band can be added back. The band and port are tucked away and don't come into any contact with the uterus. For many women with PCOS, the band causes weight loss, which then means fertility rises and pregnancy is possible. I've heard of plenty of women who have gotten pregnant and delivered healthy babies.

No I hadn't. Thanks for that.

I've told everyone at work, around 14 people and they are all supportive. A couple there have weight issues as well and one of them, her FIL had it done about 2 years ago. The only ones how haven't been vocal with support are the younger ones (under 25) but they haven't been negative either, just really don't see the issue is all. All my family are supportive because they know my history and just yesterday I found out 2 good friends in my personal social circle are getting banded the end of March, so we have a mini support group. Michelle

Hi Astrid, thanks for the info. I'm in Bris, in Jindalee (sort of south side as far as I can tell). I've been told I have a $6,500 ish out of pocket expense which isn't covered by gap.

Just wondering if anyone here has had or is having their first pregnancy in their 40s. I'm 41, will be having the op in October, then next year my partner and I want to try for our first child. Just curious if anyone has been here and if so, how it all went. Michelle

Its quite common for people to have the pain you describe for a day or two after surgery. Gordonfamily is right, its pain from the gas they pump in so they can see what they are doing. As soon as all the gas has been absorbed into your system, the pain will stop. Until then, just suck down those pain killers.

If he's that much cheaper, you got to expect he will be busy! Only you can say if he's right for you. What do you want from the experience? Do you want the surgery and the fills and as little contact with the practice as possible? Then he sounds right. But if you want the bedside manner, well that I'm afraid you are going to have to pay for. If you still want to go with this doctor, then schedule a second appointment and this time take a list of questions. Don't leave until you are satisfied with the answers. After that you can re-assess if you feel comfortable. Michelle

Maya, I can understand your nerves. Its ok to be nervous. Just take deep, slow breaths and concentrate on the end result. See yourself home after the op and on your way to getting slimmer. Picture yourself in those gorgeous clothes you've secretly longed to wear. Do you have an outfit already for goal weight? If so get it out and look at it, play with it, hold it up to yourself in the mirror and imagine walking into some swanky restaurant in that outfit! Allow yourself to dream hun. This is time you are taking for you. This is something you are doing to love yourself more! Pat yourself on the back, you deserve it! Good luck and see you back here in a day or so :biggrin: Michelle

Hell Libby, It may seem scary now, but its not really. Just take each step as it comes. Do the consults required. See whoever's required. Get blood work done when required. Try not to stress too much about it right now. After the op you pretty much won't feel like anything but fluids as far as I can tell. Then you slowly move on up to solids. If there's an issue (like pain) you deal with it. Just take a deep breath and put one foot in front of the other and you'll be fine hun. Michelle

Hi Susan, welcome to the forum. I had my first appointment today and it was stressed to me that the band doesn't actually *so* anything about your weight loss. Its up to you to do what needs to be done (following rules, exercising, etc), but what the band does do, is cut the feeling of hunger all the time and help keep food in the small pocket created longer, so you feel fuller longer. Its not a case of surgery and forget! But it is the least invasive and if you decide after a while that it simply isn't for you, you can have it removed and everything is the way it was before. Other forms of surgery are permanent. Cutting away part of the stomach etc - a bit preventative to me! Your research will reveal whats right for you. Good luck on your journey :biggrin: Michelle

I'm fortunate, where I work are 3 other women with weight issues and everyone else is very supportive of efforts to lose weight. They all know I'm going for the surgery and the only ones who haven't made positive statements about (or negative either) are the younger ones, under 25. Everyone else is very supportive. As for socialising, the group I go out with are all accepting as well. Many of the women and some of the men are "larger than life" so there's no issue at all. I tried curves, but got quite bored with it. I did the Terry Ferguson diet and lost a grand total of 900 gms the first week! Everyone goes on about losing 6+ kilo the first 2 weeks. I was lucky to make it to 1.1 the first 2. I don't have clothes hanging up because I won't have the op til October, but I have bought a couple of items in smaller sizes with the full intention of wearing them in roughly a year's time.

My partner is overweight and I love every inch of him. If he got even bigger, I'd still love him and still be turned on by him, but I wouldn't consider him to be sexually attractive. Fortunately, our relationship is about more than just sexual attraction. I voted 'within reason'. I have been attracted to guys who need to put weight on pronto and guys who are the preverbia brick ****house. Its never been about the body with me. Its always been about their mind, their sense of humour and their sparkling, cheeky eyes! But speaking of pure sex appeal, a bulging, overhanging gut does nothing for me.

Maybe that cold feeling is actually a *normal* body temp and we are just so used to being a lot hotter because of all the extra fat?

That's purely at doctor discretion and isn't actually covered. He'll just charge the extra time to medicare and not tell them it was for cosmetic surgery.

Has anyone written to this guy and told him that? Can you see him trying to do his political duty and entertaining people from out of state or overseas, but he gets refused service at the restaurant? Is it 1st April already and nobody told me?? :biggrin:

I doubt very much if little Johnny would have actually said anything like that at all. Just doesn't sound right. I mean he did say all that guff about babies overboard, but this doesn't sound right to me.

I was on metformin for a while. I don't like it, it made me feel ill. I also found if I had that and a vitamin, I ended up having to run to the toilet if I ate anything with more than a thimble full of oil in it! I stopped taking them after a while.

I had my first appointment, with Dr Bowen's nurse today. It went really well. She said I'm an excellent candidate and then booked me in to see Dr Bowen next month. After that I just have to wait til a month or so before the op to see the dietitian and then I'm away! I will have to go back in 4 months or so to get another referral because they only last for 6 months and mine will run out before I can have the op but that's OK. I'll get that no problems. Michelle

I did Optifast a couple of years ago and after 5 weeks on it, I was quite ill. Thank goodness I only have to do it for 2 weeks this time! Well done on starting this phase of your journey. So close, I bet you can almost 'smell' it. lol. Michelle

As I'm not American, I don't care.

I can't get it. I have one eye that I don't use, it works (barely) but only to add in peripheral vision on that side. I've been told they won't risk it incase I lose vision completely in my good eye. Then again, I've always liked wearing glasses.

I like Laura's reply. The other thing you can do is go back and demand the doctor who knows you and your case history is the one who deals with you. Every time you go, just so 'no thank you, I'm waiting for Dr X to see me'. They'll get the message. You have a right to be treated by any doctor you choose.

Who says if you go to 4cc you won't be able to swallow your own saliva? Its possible that you might be someone who does need to go there. Or it may be that you will be fine at 3.5cc. Each person is unique. Don't give up just yet. Try another .5cc and then another. I imagine by then you will start to feel it.

I'd just like to encourage anyone who has an experience like this to write a letter of complaint to any medical governing body in their area. This is negligent behaviour by the doctor and should not be tolerated.

There is an option to monogamy you know. Its called polyamoury. Polyamorous people can have more than one lover at a time. The difference is everyone involved (both lovers, their lovers, etc) all know about each other and are completely ok with it. There are relationships such as triads, where all 3 people are involved with each other (means at least 2 of them are bisexual) or what's called a 'Vee' where I person has two partners. The two partners know about each other and are friends, but don't have any intimate contact with each other. Then partners can have partners as well. If you'd like to know more just send me a private message. I'm polyamorous. My partner was mono before he met me but has decided he'd like to try poly as well. It will be interesting to see how he goes. Michelle