lellow

Hi slimmy! I'm happy to have a chat with you about it matey. I am going down that route, as you know, but I have to admit I found it incredibly difficult finding any feedback about WA surgeons, costs and aftercare information. I eventually went with the PS my bariatric surgeon recommended, because it was the only real recommendation I managed to get! I'm trying to research the surgery (and my surgeon) as much as possible, but can't find anyone in Perth who's done it that's still around. I did find one lady who posted in a yahoo group who was operated on by my PS and she raved about him, but that was in 2004 and she hasn't posted in a long time, so I can't pick her brains about it. So I do feel like I'm going in a little blind. I like my PS, he certainly inspired confidence when I met him, but I'm a bit of a control freak - I want to know exactly who I'm dealing with. Unfortunately, it's not that easy to do with Perth surgeons.

My BMI was 35 when I went in for surgery and I've lost almost all my excess weight in 6 months. I did put in effort though - I cycle until I'm pouring with sweat 3 times a week minimum. But then I was always quite active, even before surgery, so this was just stepping my exercise up a couple of notches. The band is supposed to work well for low BMIers. But how fast you lose will depend on the effort you put in.

bigpapa, your progress has been inspirational, never mind the amazing post you just wrote. :tt2: I too have not one regret about being banded. My son and I were looking at old photos yesterday and I realised that I am now thinner than I was almost 19 years ago, when I was 20 years of age. Never thought I'd ever see that day! After a lifetime of dieting and failing, this actually WORKS.

fleminld, oh hun you are soooo not a slow loser!!! Even from surgery, you've shed close to 50lbs! And you're down 90lbs altogether! I reckon that's something to celebrate!

I'm 6 weeks out from having a LBL and wanted to ask those who've BTDT: what could you NOT live without in the weeks after surgery? What should I be buying/hiring to ensure the most amount of comfort for myself in those first few weeks? How should I prepare DH? What should I be doing to prepare? Thanks in advance for any advice!!

3 days clear liquids, 3 days full liquids, 1 week mushies, soft foods for another week then normal foods.

Shaggs, you're only healing for a while. Pretty soon you'll be able to have wine and nibblies again. I'm 6 months post op and I still have wine now and again, and nibblies if I feel like it. But instead of potato chips, I get flavoured rice crackers and sunflower seeds. That way, I'm still joining in with the activity without eating too many 'empty' calories. PS plus they're yummy!

emmsie, do you have an 10cc band? It's taken me 5 fills to get to 6.75cc and I'm pretty well restricted now. How are you going though? Are you able to drink liquids without difficulty? If so, you're probably fine.

Hi Diva, there are a few Australian banders on this site. I am one of them. :rose: I hope you won't have to wait much longer to have your surgery - it sounds like you've got the right attitude and now it's only a matter of getting a spot. Congrats too on the weight loss so far! Getting the weight off is a great way to start - the band will help you keep it off. :tongue2:

I had Kentucky Fried chicken. Which was stupid because I can still easily eat the stuff. In fact there isn't much I can't eat. Yes even steak. I can eat steak without any problems, actually.

I have been on these boards for about 7 months, and I have to admit to never really being bothered by the cliques, nor have I felt ignored, or even felt like my opinion was less important than other's. Maybe I just have a thicker skin than most. :thumbup: I also agree that this sort of complaint happens on all sorts of forums - people on forums behave the same as they do IRL, they get make friends and stick with like-minded people, they get tired of answering the same questions, so instead of sugar coating, they start telling it like it is (something I heard you quite like doing yourself, El Diablo). But I don't think it's a reflection on the OP on a personal level. And I'm not saying there aren't people who could learn some tact, but I don't think it's about whether you're pre- or post- band. It's about the individual. So to all those who felt like like they were ignored by post-banders - hey, I'll talk to you! :cursing: I'll always be nice, but I'll always be truthful too, which may mean I won't necessarily say what you want to hear, which is what you'll find happens in most threads most of the time.

Okay I'm a little torn about how to set my challenge for this. In part because I can't aim for the 12th as I have my torso lift on the 2nd of April, and the other is that I'm actually officially only 4.4lbs from goal at the moment. So I'm setting myself a modified challenge if that's okay with everyone? I want to have lost 8.4lbs from now to the 2nd of April - which will take me to 150lbs, 4lbs UNDER goal. Start: 158.4lbs Goal: 150lbs

I'm considered a 'fast' loser and I average about 2lbs a week (often less, only very occasionally more). I know it's easy to get obsessed with numbers - I'm often still obsessed with them - but a lot of things affect those numbers - Water retention, muscle growth etc. Your changes in clothes sizing and your measurements will give you a better indication of the changes to your body that the scales will sometimes. I read somewhere recently about a bander who was exercising 6 times a week who lost NO weight in over a month, but who went down a dress size plus some in that time!

There you go bindi! Your achievement is pretty amazing and you have much to be proud of!

my colleague has had 3 kids, went from a 16 to an 8 and yet her skin is as tight as a teenager's. I, only the other hand, have had four kids, lost 60lbs and look like my lower body has melted into a pool of skin.

Hmm interesting choices in the poll. Had to pick the one that was closest to the truth, which is that no I didn't find that anyone post band was snobbish to me pre-band. But personally I don't know you well enough dan2001xj to say that it's because post-banders don't like you that you're feeling differently. :thumbup:

Observation? I don't think the amount of time you had to wait means anything when it comes to whether you're successful or not. Not from those I've observed on this forum. And I am also aware that there are hundreds of thousands of successful banders who don't post on these forums, so it's not even like we're a true representative group. I know people tend to post when they're having problems, and not when things are going well, so you're going to find a demographic skewed towards complications in forums like these. My GP suggested the band to me 6 months prior to my surgery, I dismissed it thinking I wouldn't want surgery to try to fix my weight problem. Then something significant happened to someone in my family, and that night I decided I was going to get banded after all. From that day to the day I got banded: 1 month. And having lost approx 7-10lbs a month consistently, I think I personally am proof that it's not about how long you wait.

Hi All! It's already Friday the 13th here, so here's my Friday update: Last week: 72.8kgs This week: 72.1kgs Loss: 0.7kgs Exercise: 3 X 40 minutes spin bike sessions

I've just made my Valentine's Day challenge goal as of this morning: Starting weight: 169.7lbs Goal: 159lbs Today 158.6lbs Well done everyone for your losses! Any loss is less weight than you had 6 weeks ago, so be proud of every single lb gone! So, what's our next challenge going to be? Lol!

bindi, what's probably happened is that your experience with the egg has caused the area around your band to get irritated and swollen. You're probably finding that everything you eat now isn't going down because that area needs to subside a bit. Try going to liquids for a few days - if Optifast is too thick, thin it down a bit, and sip very slowly. Also pineapply juice works absolute wonders for me whenever I get a stuck episode. And I've definitely had episodes like the one you've experienced. No, it doesn't automatically mean your band has slipped. Just be very careful for a few days, and ease yourself very slowly back to solids over the course of the week. If you experience any pain though, ask your Dr to check it out.

I told my DH that for my 40th (next year) I'd want some smartlipo for my chin. I wonder if they'll do it in that area?

slimmy, I'm having a torso lift in April with Dr Allbrook. Will let you know how I go.

I'm pretty sure that the copius amounts of make-up that chick is wearing is unnatural.

I called about donating blood, but because I am having blood collected for my surgery in April, I can't donate. I have a few bags of clothes packed up to drop off at the collection point at work though, and we've made a donation through red cross. I want to do more, but don't know where to start.

Almost everyone who has been banded went through those first 4-6 weeks of hell where you're absolutely starving, and wondering if the band was worth it. Then you get fills and the band starts to work like it's supposed to. And no, it doesn't take 6 months to work. I was filled roughly every 4-6 weeks, am just over 6 months out and I'm almost at goal. The good thing about spacing your fills out is you get used to the level of restriction before you're made tighter. It's the best way, IMO, of ensuring you don't feel too tight too fast. BTW twisties are a definite temptation for me too! It's done now, nothing you can do about it. Maybe just try not to have it in the house much for a while? Lol!