PharmaGirl

Andrea, I start liquids tomorrow and I am going to refuse to cheat too. I have to do it this way because I can't cheat small - I can only cheat big time!! unfortunately, I'm an all or nothing kind of girl. :huh2: BTW, congrats on the great start!

Hey there Jessica, Don't know if others here will agree but looking back on my life I feel my biggest mistake was thinking I was fat when I was about 14 and then going on my first diet (I weighed 62kg [about 135#] and was 5'6" tall - not fat but not rake thin). Since then it has been a rollercoaster ride as far as my weight goes. I've lost weight then put it back on (plus more) more times than I care to remember. Each time I've gone back, it has been harder to shift the weight. I've lost weight every which way - diets, exercising my ass off, diet pills, etc. and there have been times when the weight stayed off for a while (my maximum was about 18 months) as long as I was super vigilant and able to stay on track but it was a supreme effort and inevitably I always had a big fall off the wagon (which was inevitably followed by a bad spiral of feeling bad and then more eating) and each time I ended up at a higher weight than I had ever been before. I think the lap band is a fantastic safety net which means you can never fall off the wagon big time by pigging out on food. Having a lap band as a safety net or tool to help you avoid slipping back to bad habits is no easy way out. Weight is still only lost by exercising more and eating less (more calories out and less in) - that's never easy and it is much harder for some of us (those prone to obesity) than for others (those who are not prone to obesity - some people are literally not able to put on a lot of weight no matter how much they eat). As one of my doctor's said to Lisa and I - those of us who have a genetic propensity for storing calories as fat would have been the survivors in the stone age when sources of food were scarce (our fat stores would provide energy to go looking for food when food was in short supply while the skinny runts would all die as they would have no energy stores to rely on if they missed out on eating for too long etc) - its just too bad we live in a time of relative feast and not famine!! You should definitely not feel guilty about getting a lap-band - it is no easy way out. If you look around on the site, you will see that there are so many posts from people who have battled weight over many years and who have successfully lost weight with the help of the band and who say that their biggest regret is that the lap band wasn't around to help them keep weight off when they lost weight in their younger years. You are lucky that this technology is available to you at this stage of your life. I know where you're coming from in thinking about others who can't afford to get the help you are able to access. That is the result of a shitty health system. It is not your fault. You should not let that stop you from doing what you can to improve your health.

Sare, so sorry to hear about the allergic reaction - at least it is only a temporary problem and will pass. Does anyone know if the band often changes the way food tastes like Sare is experiencing? If so, how long does it last? Is it ever permanent? Tamara, have you had that experience with food tasting different? Tamara, CONGRATULATIONS 10kgs!! - awesome and you've only been banded nearly two weeks, right? Clearly the juice didn't do you any real harm. I'm ready for those shakes - bring it on!! Sare, you lucky thing, you'll be back to food way before you know it. Bye for now Lili

Hi jukebox, Sometimes the surgeons will ask patients to follow a very low calorie diet (VLCD) for between a few days to a few weeks before surgery. Some people don't have to do it at all. Anyway, for those who are advised to follow such a diet, there are several commercial products for this - Optislim, Optifast, etc, which are typically a shake-like product. Apparently, the VLCD helps reduce the risk of problems in relation to the liver (as it reduces the size of the liver pre-op) and maybe gives the surgeons a bit more wiggle room when doing the surgery.

Hi everyone, Thought I'd jump in and say hi. The missus, Lise (NY Lady), and I are also being banded together - we're doing as Leena (and our surgeon) suggested and are being banded 2 weeks apart - Lise on the 9th April; me on the 23rd. However, we're both starting the liquid diet together this Thursday. Sadie, how are you and your partner doing? - I'm presuming you're both banded now. Leena, your photos are soooo inspiring - you look absolutely fantastic and much younger. And Dee, congratulations on both you and your sweetie getting to goal - great effort. Please think about posting some photos - they are so inspirational to those of us just starting off on this journey.

Hi everyone, There's a thread started just for all of us being banded in April - go HERE

Hey Lou, I'm also being banded in Melbourne on the day before you - the 23rd - starting Opti on Thursday. Are you being done at The Avenue by any chance?

Hey Veal, How are you doing after the weekend? How's the pain situation (hopefully all gone!) and how are you feeling generally? Are you hungry yet? Are you able to have a shake yet? Lise and I start the Optislim on Thursday (i'm dreading it).

Wow! Thanks for the photo BG. I have never seen them. Man, I can't believe all the stuff you guys have when it comes to sweet things!! AMAZING!!

Great job! Hopeful, I have no idea about the peep but maybe trying putting a return before the weight/BMI ticker (so that it is on a separate line. Groupie may know more. On another thing, what the dickens is a "peep" - I've never heard that expression in relation to Easter. Is it an American thing. I'll ask Lise (my partner), who is American but in case she doesn't know either ... It's ok - don't worry about answering. I think she was surprised I'd never heard of them (we're forever discovering things we each don't know about or which we call differently eg., in the USA its a trunk where we call it a boot, etc, etc). For any aussies out there who were in my shoes when it comes to peeps (ie., oblivious), peeps are marshmallow things (usually yellow or pink) moulded into the shape of a chick or bunny.

Great job on the ticker Tam-Tam. Really like the ladybird on the daisies. Very cool. If you wanted, you could add the date you were banded to your signature so we can all see how well you're doing.

Hi guys To get your own ticker: First, click on anyone's ticker. A new window should open up. You choose create your own ticker and click on the weight loss areas. Choose the background for your ticker (16 pages to choose from) then choose next and choose your marker then choose next then enter your details (including a password) and voila it is created. Copy everything in the bb code area and then go to your profile, click where it says customize profile (to the right just under your name) and then click on edit signature and paste the code you copied from the ticker web site. Save and you are all done. You can preview signature first before you save if you like.

Hey Veal, Great to hear you're doing better than yesterday. Yeah, get yourself a ticker and even though you're "photo" phobic get yourself a before shot (if you look in the before and after photo thread, there's quite a few people who are sorry they didn't take one). To get a ticker click on anyone's ticker. A new window should open up. You choose create your own ticker and click on the weight loss areas. Choose the background for your ticker (16 pages to choose from) then choose next and choose your marker then choose next then enter your details and voila it is created. Copy everything in the bb code area and then go to your profile, click where it says customize profile (to the right just under your name) and then click on edit signature and paste the code you copied from the ticker web site. Save and you are all done.

Hi Veal, How are you going today? Drinking more?

Hey Sissy, Could you please add me to your list - Lise on the 9th; me on the 23rd. Thanks for pulling all the names together in one place.

Thanks BG for pulling everyone together in the one place! Looking forward to sharing experiences.

Me again. On Monday night, I did something I'm regretting - I googled "lap band problems". I did not need to read some of the things that came up. Amongst a whole lot of things, I am now very afraid of infections under skin folds that happen after loosing weight, of needing plastic surgery after weight loss, of constantly vomiting after surgery, of having stuff regurgitated through my nose, etc, etc. I really need to talk to someone about how common these issues are and if the latter two only happen if you are not compliant with the program set by the doctor. Flew to Sydney for work yesterday. The plane was chockers (full) and I had to sit with my arms folded across my chest for the flight over so I wouldn't be up against the person next to me (had the aisle on the other side - thanks to the powers that be for small mercies!). I need to concentrate on experiences like this to stay focussed on why I need to do this!! Thanks Tammy5 for the comment on my previous post. Hi to Veal and Tam-Tam and Ann too who have been posting on my intro post.

Hi to all the fellow bunny bandsters My partner and I are both being banded in April. Lise is being done on the 9th of April and I am being done on the 23rd. Whoo hoo! Let's all enjoy this together! There's another thread specifically for the April Bandsters in the support groups area - is there a way to pull everyone together?

Me again. On Monday night, I did something I'm regretting - I googled "lap band problems". I did not need to read some of the things that came up. Amongst a whole lot of things, I am now very afraid of infections under skin folds that happen after loosing weight, of needing plastic surgery after weight loss, of constantly vomiting after surgery, of having stuff regurgitated through my nose, etc, etc. I really need to talk to someone about how common these issues are and if the latter two only happen if you are not compliant with the program set by the doctor. Flew to Sydney for work yesterday. The plane was chockers (full) and I had to sit with my arms folded across my chest for the flight over so I wouldn't be up against the person next to me (had the aisle on the other side - thanks to the powers that be for small mercies!). I need to concentrate on experiences like this to stay focussed on why I need to do this!! Thanks Tammy5 for the comment on my previous post. Hi to Veal and Tam-Tam and Ann too who have been posting on my intro post.

Hi Veal and Hi Tam-Tam! Congratulations to you Veal and to you too Tam-Tam. Great to hear everything went ok with your surgery Veal. I totally get you with not telling people. I don't think there's a "right" or "wrong" thing to do - we do what we believe will be best for us. Like you, I definitely don't want visitors at the hospital - I want to be left alone when I'm not feeling my best. I have only been to the clinic in The Avenue once (3pm on Wednesday 4 March) but hopefully our paths will cross at some time. I'm seeing Stephen Blamey at the clinic (whom I know professionally through all the work he does for Medicare and Victorian hospitals) - I think he is awesome. As to not feeling hungry or thirsty after the surgery and finding it difficult to get sufficient fluids in - maybe freezing some weak low-joule cordial into something a bit harder than a slushee (or something like that) and sucking on that might work - the coldness might also help alleviate pain and inflammation around the band (if there is any - I don't know). Did they advise any metamucil to make sure you get enough fibre and not get constipated? Tam-Tam is right - half a kilo is not something to worry about - probably just a bit of Fluid from inflamation around the tummy after the surgery (especially if you're premenstrual). Anyway, Veal, please keep posting and letting me know how you're doing. I'll do the same. Tam-Tam - thanks for posting. Are you feeling hungry yet? I gotta say - you are amazing - walking 2-3 km less than a week after surgery. I'd feel crap after walking 2 or 3 kms and that is with no surgery! Did you walk that far regularly before surgery? If you didn't, I can totally understand being in a mindset that is keen to everything possible to embrace the new lifestyle but please look after yourself - don't go too fast and don't overdo it lest you make things more difficult in the long run. Again, however, you gotta do what feels right for you. Veal's suggestion of getting the other half to help out with the toddler (and the other two too) sounds like a good plan to me! Yes, have decided to start the Optislim phase early but only to substitute 2 meals per day (the two I have at home with my partner) until the last two weeks. This will be my demonstration of support even though she may be ok even if I eat around her. Like Veal, my difficulties are going to be times when no-one else is around or there's not a lot to distract me. Finally, thanks to Ann for posting again. I got such a clear mental picture when you said "I would slice off little by little, thinking no one would notice, that I was just "straightening" the cake, until finally half the cake was gone!" had me laughing so hard I nearly wet myself. I soooo know what you mean. Good luck with getting things together for the insurance company. Keep in touch and let us know how things are progressing.

Today, I thought I'd write myself a list to remind myself why I'm doing this - it is like a list of the simple pleasures that I can look forward to. Hopefully, I'll be able to refer to this list when I need some encouragement to keep going. So, here goes - I am doing my damndest to lose weight so that I am: able to move around more easily and to feel more comfortable sitting, standing, walking, etc. not needing to make an effort to get up from a chair, from the bed, etc. able to throw the basketball around with my niece and nephews and not get winded right away able to get down on the floor and play with my 3-year old nephew able to climb a couple of flights of stairs and not feel puffed out at the top able to ride my bike around the park without difficulty and without needing to feel self-conscious feeling more energetic more comfortable sitting in an economy seat on a plane more comfortable sitting at concerts, the theatre, the footy, etc not encroaching on other people's territory when sitting on a plane, in a theatre, at the footy, etc. and therefore not having to feel bad when they look at me with that "you're disgusting" looks on their faces able to keep up with others when walking somewhere in a group able to get that exhilarated feeling when I dance and dance and dance not having to dread the next school reunion able to play 18 holes of golf with friends snoring less and getting all the health benefits that follow as a consequence not getting swollen feet each time I fly anywhere going to live a longer life able to cut my toenails without difficulty able to stand and prepare a meal for friends and do the dishes without getting a sore back able to tie my shoelaces without effort not having to go to the fat people's section/shop to buy clothes able to wear heels and still feel my feet able to buy rings to fit my fingers able to find a bangle that will fit my wrist feeling attractive able to get into sexual positions that are currently not possible! I'm sure there's more I could add to this list - if anyone has suggestions, please let me know! Happy to say that I did get a couple of replies to my intro post so am feeling better today! In fact, today I am feeling very positive about the prospect of embarking this whole journey. Am thinking about Veal (who was the first person to respond to my introductory post) getting her lap band inserted today - hope she's feeling fantastic soon. Have ordered Optislim for the pre-op and post-op weeks. Am leaning heavily toward starting the optislim at the same time as my partner but maybe just replacing breakfast and the evening meal until two weeks before my surgery.