Sunwyse

Depends what you are looking for. Could you lose the weight on your own? yes. Could you keep it off on your own? probably not, or you would have done that by now, right? This is the thing, most people seem to think we are fat because we are lazy, stupid and don't bother to eat right. Some combination of those 3 anyway. The truth of the matter is, we can lose weight and we do, all the time. We just can't seem to keep it off when we do. Why?? No-one knows. Lots of theories on that one, but no one knows for sure. At the end of the day, I'm the one who has to live inside this fat suit, not the doctor. Its up to me what I want to do with it. Same goes for you. Oh and what is he saying - that by having a lapband put in you've some how sold out?? Sorry, your doctor needs to do more research. Latest studies are showing that dieting doesn't work.

$13,000 is good. Most prices I've seen quoted are around the $16,000 mark.

I'm on that day as well, though being in Australia, I'm probably going to be the day "before" you :sad_smile:

Hey aquasky, that is awesome news! Well done on the weight loss and congratulations on the baby. Hoping I'll be able to join you this time next year.

Thank you for the best wishes, but the advice to not look out the window doesn't help. I've heard this so many times its not even funny anymore. What annoys me, is people don't realise how much of a real phobia it is. It restricts my life. "Don't look out the window" does stop the mind knowing its upstairs!! Doesn't stop the fear and also comes across as though my phobia is being treated with contempt. Its a blithe comment that people throw out when they can't be bothered to stop and consider the other person's situation. Does it annoy me? You bet.

How's day 5 going Damo? Like you, I'll be doing 4 weeks, but 2 of those are after the op for me. I don't actually mind the taste that much at all, so was given the go ahead to use it for nutrition during my liquid phase. Really looking forward to some mashed pumpkin though :smile2: lol

You won't damage the band. Might damage your stomach though. Maybe you should schedule an appointment with the psychologist. This might have simply been you being 'fed up' (pardon the pun) with not having 'real' food, or it might have been a sabotage tactic. If its the later, then you need to look at why you did it now, before it becomes a habit. Otherwise, just contact your surgeon and maybe get in for a visit to check on things.

Maybe take a book? Don't know what you are like as a sleeper, but I'm going through an interrupted sleep/insomnia right now, so I'll be taking a book just in case. Totally agree with Ange05. Make sure you have every conceivable thing you'll need before the op. I've done my shopping, its all waiting in the kitchen. Got myself some Protein powder today, so I can add it to Clear liquids and such, to make sure I get enough. Now its just count down time for me. Good luck.

As soon as they have an opening available. There's no waiting period in Australia, provided you've done the 12 months with health insurance if you aren't paying it all yourself. Some people have waited 3 weeks, others a bit longer. Just make sure you can get the psych and dietitian visit in though.

...this is me.

...this is me.

Day 3 on the optifast diet and I've already lost 5 cms!! (That's 2 inches in the old money). For dinner I made a large bowl of yummy veggies. It was so nice to actually chew something and I can now taste the real flavours of the food. I didn't like the after affect though. Not easy to run when you have heel spurs! Only 13 days to go. My biggest concern will be what floor I will be on 'cause I have a really nasty fear of heights.

Day 3 on the optifast diet and I've already lost 5 cms!! (That's 2 inches in the old money). For dinner I made a large bowl of yummy veggies. It was so nice to actually chew something and I can now taste the real flavours of the food. I didn't like the after affect though. Not easy to run when you have heel spurs! Only 13 days to go. My biggest concern will be what floor I will be on 'cause I have a really nasty fear of heights.

Ah! The old morality issue. If its not life threatening, then everyone will have an opinion on the should or should not of a thing. You might want a procedure for *cosmetic* reasons, but does that mean a doctor who is morally/ethically against such a thing should be made to refer you? Do they have the right to say 'No, my ethics won't allow me?"

Wow! I thought it was only 6 months, at least that's what the surgeons have told me.

That's strange, in Bris a gp referral lasts 6 months.

I started my diet yesterday, so now I'm officially on my way!! Its actually been a bit easier than I thought, but still, the hunger!!!! Got all my final paperwork from the surgeon in the mail yesterday. That makes it even more real. Last night Beloved asked me if I was nervous at all. NOPE. I'm excited. I want this yesterday, already!! What does make me nervous is what floor I will be on in the hospital. I have a severe fear of heights (we are talking problems with going 1 floor above ground level here!). Put me on the first floor I say (that's one floor up in Australia. We call the ground level, 'ground floor' - makes sense to me). Its only been a few days and I've already lost about 1/2 an inch from my tum. All water and bloating of course, but its enough to stop my zip from coming undone all the time (which it used to do). Makes such a difference.

I started my diet yesterday, so now I'm officially on my way!! Its actually been a bit easier than I thought, but still, the hunger!!!! Got all my final paperwork from the surgeon in the mail yesterday. That makes it even more real. Last night Beloved asked me if I was nervous at all. NOPE. I'm excited. I want this yesterday, already!! What does make me nervous is what floor I will be on in the hospital. I have a severe fear of heights (we are talking problems with going 1 floor above ground level here!). Put me on the first floor I say (that's one floor up in Australia. We call the ground level, 'ground floor' - makes sense to me). Its only been a few days and I've already lost about 1/2 an inch from my tum. All water and bloating of course, but its enough to stop my zip from coming undone all the time (which it used to do). Makes such a difference.

PCOS doesn't automatically cause weight gain. One of the women at my work has it and she's normal weight for her height. She's pregnant with her second bub, but her ovaries are full of cycsts, she was saying. However, it is more common to be overweight with PCOS though. Sadie: First of all, its up to you and you alone if you get the band. Your parents are concerned for you, which is their job, but they can't stop you from making the decision for yourself about getting the band or not. You need to do that, in consultation with your doctor. As for what you are eating, are you aware that if you don't eat enough, your body goes into starvation? It slows your metabolism, which means you won't lose any and then when you do increase your food intake, it will store it all, incase of another famine! (this is what your body thinks is happening).

hey, this is great news!! Knew you'd have nothing to worry about, but still great to hear. I'm on day 1 as well, though I'm only 2 weeks out. I did do a modified version for 3 days, so that it wouldn't be too nasty a shock to the system.

Dr Fielding is actually the leading expert. He began his practice in Australia (he's Aussie) and then moved to the US to train doctors there, so you do indeed have the best. But he didn't save your life. YOU saved your life by deciding to do something. Way to go!!

OK thank you, answers my question.

Just came across this thread. Wondering how that follow up phone call went.

anniedub: I'm being banded on 29 October, so not long now. I had to wait til my 12 months was up with the insurance company first. Jack: You wouldn't know vegemite, unless you'd been to Koala Blue in LA (I think is where she opened it). Its a black, Vitamin B rich spread you put on toast. Most people who try it as adults think you spread it all over bread like Peanut Butter. Wrong. Its really, really salty. You only use a smidge - unless you are like me and like to have lots of it. It is an aquired taste, but here we start feeding it to bubs before they are 1. Cherry: I've only just heard about the idea of veg with avo. I'm allergic to avo so not going to try it, but to be honest, I can't imagine what the taste combo would be like. Thanks for letting me know I don't have to go without :thumbup: There are options and I'm sure I'm going to have fun exploring them. Sounds like you can have a dry bikky Ok, just not toast.

The dietitian told me to start the meal replacement diet 2 weeks before surgery and to replace all 3 meals with the shakes. I found this to be a bit too much of a shock, so I've started a few days before that with replacing breakfast and dinner and just eating a normal meal at lunch. A pre-diet diet if you will. I'm on day 2 of my pre-diet and the affects on my body are not as severe as they could've been. I'm not expecting any weight loss in these few days. What I am expecting is a sort of mini detox that I can deal with. So far its been sleep, sleep and more sleep. I'm supposed to start the full fledged diet while at work, (I work with small children), and the idea of detoxing and running to the toilet every 5 minutes while around needy children, didn't actually appeal to me. For all of next week I'm working with 2 year olds. Its a Sunday and my partner is preparing to do his usual Sunday run to the bakery and get fresh rolls for brunch. I will be sitting back and sipping on a cool diet milk shake. *sigh* It would be nice if he would support me in the next few weeks by not eating certain foods around me, but I can't ask him to change his eating habits because of a decision I've made about me. It would be nice if he thought of it himself though.