melaniematters

You look great - I've put my progress pics on my blog pages. Feel free to visit to take a look. I feel great.

Hi there, I've just found this thread - I've been banded 4 months and all is going great. My doctor said mushies after 5 days - all docs are different. I can't see any harm in having a few teaspoons of something really mushie - just so it won't go up a straw. I started mushies with soft buttery scrambled egg, mashed potato and gravy and a salmon patty. Hope that helps. You could always phone the surgery on Monday to check but after 12 days I think you'd be fine as long as you keep it to 1/4 cup max at first. Still, I'm not a medico so I'd hate for something to go wrong after this advice...

Hi, I went to Dr Michael Crawford in Sydney and had the operation at Mater Hospital Crows Nest. It cost about $15000 of which my top cover health insurance covered $11000 - therefore $4000 out of pocket. My doctor bulk bills for fills and has unlimited no extra cost for follow ups. It's worth every cent. melanie:thumbup:

Hi there All has gone well so far if a bit more slowly than I hoped. I'm keeping a pretty detailed journal on www.melaniematters.blogspot.com if you're interested. I now have 7.5ml in the band and think that's almost enough. Cheers Melanie

How frustrating for you. My doctor said there were three cardinal rules to remember about judging whether one needed more fill: losing less than 1/2 kg (1lb) a week meals are getting too big (ie over 1 cup of food) snacking or "feeling starving" between meals He said the main thing to do is not to drink with the meals or for as long as possible afterwards. This is because the food goes "soupy" and passes through the band too quickly - this will slow weight loss. He said it was fine to drink up to the time you start eating. Maybe you need more fill? My doctor said that if the band is not working it's not because you're a failure etc, it's because the band is not adjusted correctly. He said all he asked was that his patients did not battle not losing weight alone but came back to him to discuss it and get a fill. He said to be alert for "fat thinking" - like "it's all my fault" - It's not. I hope this helps. Mel

My surgeon said that what's in the lower stomach is fine enough to pass back up through the band and generally there is not much sitting below the band at any time. I had quite violent vomiting in the 24 hours immediately post surgery and I was petrified my stitches or band would slip etc but all was fine. Melanie

That sounds so traumatic. Has the bleeding stopped? Do you need to get checked out again? Mel

I'll be watching for your next posts to see how you go. My first fill is on 9/11 and my doctor said I'd be getting 4cc in my 11 cc band. He said I may not feel much restriction afterwards but we have to take it slow. What does your band hold, do you know? I know at the moment, I'm could eat pretty much anything and any amount I wanted to - I was banded on 31 July. All the best to you post-fill. Mel

HI there, I'm a fellow Aussie banded on 31st July. All going well. have you seen the Aussie bandsters thread? Also on my blog there are some link to some Aussie bandsters' blogs - one of the young women (around 20) started a facebook page for young Aussie bandsters - Skinny Biddy. The links are on my blog. All the best Melanie

My guidelines said try to keep to 1/2 a cup at each meal and to eat 6 small 1/2 meals a day if I'm getting hungry. I'm getting hungry and so I'm doing the 6 small meals. I could easily eat more than half a cup and I'm sure sometimes that I do. Stretching the new stomach pouch is the main issue I believe. For all our angsting over these issues I do note that most of us are on the downward trend re weightloss, albeit at various paces of loss. Well done to us!!!!

Can't see your blog address - can you please post again as I'd love to read it. thanks melanie

Hey Has someone spammed your blog? I followed the link in your signature and it is all about cash loans - not lap band stuff at all? Melanie

thanks for starting this thread - I love reading people's stories and progress on their blogs. My blog is at: www.melaniematters.blogspot.com and I know of some other terrific lap band blogs that I follow - these are linked from my blog. Those linked blogs also have links to others but it would be great to have a "master list" on this site. Cheers, Melanie (Day 4 post surgery and feeling ok!) :biggrin:

You're doing great and it's good to hear you're feeling better. Melanie

Hi, there is a great blog written by a young Aussie woman at Skinny Biddy- Banding Blog She has some excellent links too which might be helpful to you. All the best from an older Aussie bandster. Melanie

Is this a world first? The NSW state Australian government has announced that it will pay for people with BMIs greater than 30 to have lapband surgery! Damn, I had my band put in last Thursday!! (only kidding, at least I will have beaten the rush) Read more in the newspaper here Health - Life & Style Home - smh.com.au

This link is to the latest study results in the Journal of the Amercian Medical Association - JAMA -- Adjustable Gastric Banding and Conventional Therapy for Type 2 Diabetes: A Randomized Controlled Trial, January 23, 2008, Dixon et al. 299 (3): 316 it's suggesting early lapband surgery in newly diagnosed Type 2 diabetics could be the way to go.

I've got less that 18 hours before I set off on the journey to hospital and about 30 hours until surgery time. I'm jittery - a combination of nerves and excitement. I find I'm getting fixated on stupid things like what nightdress to take to hospital. I've finally started to get things in order for when I return home - clean sheets on the bed, stock of favourite DVDs - Sex and the City Series 1 thru 6 here I come!!! Best wishes to all being banded this week - finally!!!!!:eek:

I work as a university lecturer and have a health care background. I saw major complications of gastric bypass surgery in the late 1970s when this surgery was still quite experimental. So I was very particular in researching the lapband procedure. I very carefully checked out the research and surgery results that have been published in reputable medical journals before I signed up for surgery. The results are overwhelmingly positive. It's hard to get hold of these reports if you're not subscribed to a academic library but some of them are available on the web. EG This is very recently published about how effective the band is in treating Type 2 Diabetes JAMA -- Adjustable Gastric Banding and Conventional Therapy for Type 2 Diabetes: A Randomized Controlled Trial, January 23, 2008, Dixon et al. 299 (3): 316 This article is another example of a study you can read online http://www.core.monash.org/assets/documents/lapband-results-700-patients.pdf The results of the medical research in this area are overwhelmingly positive and are supported by the patient experiences reported on this discussion board everyday. Only two days to go for me - can't wait to start on the journey to a new and improved me! Melanie

Hey, thanks to everyone on this board for all the info you're sharing. I've been avidly reading this site since early July and I can't believe I'm being done this Thursday, finally. I'm on SanDeigo Sue's list as "Banditmel" but I changed my user name to better reflect my reasons for doing this. I've lost about 9 lb (4kg for us Aussies) since Optifast started 11 days ago - it's been a hard road but the goal is in sight - surgery. Mackie, I also will send forward healing energies to you and your husband. All the best everyone for this week.

I think your doctor would be happy with 10 pounds. Yes we should all exercise but I wouldn't go overboard at this stage. I've dropped about 6 lb in 6 days so I hope it's all coming from my liver! All we can do is our best. I find the shakes hard to take so i've been living mianly off the coffee, berry and chocolate flavoured Optifast bars - the choc one reminds me of Space Food Sticks which was a favourite when I was at school - kinda fudgy. All the best.

Hi there, I'm on two weeks of Optifast (doctors orders) and have been logging my progress on my blog www.melaniematters.blogspot.com instead of complaining to my husband and kids. I'm averaging about 800 cals a day. Some days are better than others and there's only 7 days left! I've been waking up at 1am every night in bed with a growly stomach - a new sensation - that makes it hard to get back to sleep - I craved toasted cheese sandwiches, juicy steak and a glass of vino.... just gotta keep focused on the wider pic. Good luck all.

Just thought I'd add this snippet - when I was researching whether to have lap band surgery I was checking the research papers written by medical specialists and came across this one - you can read it in full - it dates back to 2001. It supports having a moderate amount of alcohol post lapband. http://www.core.monash.org/assets/documents/research-papers/2001-08.pdf. I live in Australia's Hunter Valley so there's no way I'm giving up our wonderful Semillon - maybe just moderating my intake!

All the best for tomorrow, I'm not on for nine days but I'm doing the pre-op Optifast. I can't wait for the surgery - your so right - it's a chance to start really living. Bring it On!!!

Hi there, I had the same worry (long term migraine sufferer) and discussed it with my doctor last week. He said throwing up shouldn't be a real issue as there won't be much in the stomach to throw up at any time and anything below the band is fine enough to pass back up through it if need be. I believe violent throwing up for long periods can cause swelling and at worst, band slip, but he said this was unusual. Hopefully this helps a little, Cheers, melanie