steveelea

Thanks for explaining that Cath.....as I said I am hopeless with abbreviations but thank you for explaining I am so glad you have made the decision to get something done and I know it can be scary but it's also exciting to think of the end results

Chez.....Only 9 days how exciting,,,,hows the preop diet going?? Its not long now hey And thanks yeah I am pretty excited....especially since I went out last night and had a just a few (haha) wines and vodka/cranberries. Seems when I don't have many calories I stall and when I have more calories I loose....go figure

My stall has broken WOOP WOOP Was on 119.9 Down to 118.5....finally my scales are starting to cooperate

Hi Cath and WELCOME ......don't be nervous everyone here is so lovely and super supportive. So glad you came across us Ok this may sound silly but I am unsure of the abbreviations of what you are having done and what you have been diagnosed with...(sorry I am a bit behind with all of that) I am so glad that you feel so positive and confident about getting it done I have had the lapband and now have the sleeve and I love it.....so in love with my sleeve haha

WooHoo Nerms....time will fly and you will be banded before you know it!!! Not long now

Hey Guys....I agree Chez YAY ITS FRIDAY...such a great meme I would love to put on her from Mr Chow, but I won't its might be too much for some haha....for those of you who love Mr Chow (from the hangover) you can imagine what it says OK Bee.....about your TMI....here goes mine so turn away now peeps if you don't wanna know When I got my lapband i then got my period soon after.....and it continued for 12 weeks I had tabs to stop it and full check up etc and was told it was hormones. After the sleeve same thing started happening again....within a week of surgery and it kept going so after 4 weeks I went to my Docs and they gave me tabs again and that stopped it. Now apparently its because our hormones are all over the place from the surgery AND weight loss. Excess of eostrogen (sorry spelling ) and it is bound to happen to those of us who are sensitive to it. If it gets too much just go to your local GP and see what they say but it will probs sort itself out. I had to make sure that I got on top of mine as I am extremely low on Iron and take sups already and can't afford for it to get any worse. That dinner looks great Bee.....I too LOVE fetta but never tried it with watermellon???? Cool idea Is that all you could eat?? Chez I hope your ears get better and its so good to eat some real food after drinking your meals isn't it I couldn't do the shakes so went on the food equal and it was still hard but not so bad and its for such a short amount of time in the long run....way to go girl!!!! Ok so I have helped my mood a little yesterday.....I went SHOPPING FOR CLOTHES We all know retail therapy is sooooo much fun!!! I had an excuse because it's my friends 21st tonight and she has hired out a bar in the city and all of my clothes are getting too big and look funny now. Now this might not sound like such a big deal to some, but what happened to me last night was one of the most exciting things thats happened in a long time...... Normally when I go into a shop like Autograph (which I love) or any of the stores, I need the biggest size they have (26) Most of the time in places like Target the 26 wouldn't even fit me and the stuff that did if any was usually daggy and old fashioned. Well, last night....(drum roll please) not only was the sizes 26 too big for me, but I also found that the XL was too big for me.....What The??? Ok so I went a little crazy and spent way too much but how could I help myself right????? I was almost crying in the fitting room that the xl top was too big and the 26 looked like a tent on me. So I could actually CHOOSE....I had a CHOICE on what I wanted to buy because everything fit me!!!! I didn't just have to grab something utterly daggy just because it was the only decent thing that fit me....I got to choose some really cool clothes I know even a lot of people here wouldn't understand that but I have been restricted for so long with not being able to find anything to fit me, that this is massive for me (pardon the pun haha) Hubby said, "see I told you you had lost heaps" He is so sweet but you see I can't see it. I don't look in the mirror and see anything that different. To look at myself, I am just not noticing it but the clothes showed me that I have lost weight....bit of a breakthrough I had to share with everyone. Small things I know but to me it was AMAZING....now I just wish I could see it when I looked in the mirror but I guess that will come. Hope you all have an AMAZING FRIDAY.....Now I just have to decide what I will drink when I go out tonight?? Hmmmm decisions decisions

Hey Chez, thanks for asking....yeah getting there....thanks for thinking of me! Will feel better when the scales start moving again! How are you going with the pre op diet

Bookishfred....so glad your daughter is well now. That would have been so scary!!!!

HI Mick Molloy and Welcome......big decision hey!! Ok I went through Lap Surgery Australia and as I have been with them for 4 years (had a lap band done 4 years ago) all my future surgery I didn't have to pay for so I can't tell you the current price, but my mum has been thinking about getting it done as she has diabetes and it should help her, although her BMI is only about 32-35 it's worth it for her health. I did some ringing around and there is a group that does both the sleeve and lap band at Knox Hospital and at the moment it's $3,500 for the sleeve and $1,900 for the band. Might be worth having a chat with them (link below) although I don't know what they are like as I have had no experience with them. Lap Surgery Australia is I think about 6 to 7,000 out of pocket but thats for the entire process and I found them fantastic! What area are you in?? Here is the link for you for the cheaper one: http://www.geobesity.com.au Here is the link for Lap Surgery Australia: http://www.lapsurgeryaustralia.com.au/ Hope this helps and let us know how you go

Yes I had to wait 3 months from getting my lap band out to then getting the sleeve, but the time goes fast anyway and its best that they do it safely. So are you getting the lap band or the sleeve?? Yes 2,900 is still a very good price

Hey nerms, at least you are getting it done while you are still young Can I ask which surgeon you are going through and which hospital?? Is the same one doing your mums lapband revision?? I just have someone interested in getting it done and that price sounds very good.

I think I read that Bee you Water makes you feel sick now?? Just curious as it makes me feel sick now too....its its warm it's ok and I drink a lot of black tea now. I used to LOVE chilled water but now it makes me feel sick when I drink it. HOpe that changes

Hey Chez yeah wait till your ready to drive and its a good idea to give it a month I think....we could always meet out that way or in the middle and I am happy to drive anyone out this way too if that helps anyone wanting/needing a lift as long as they can navigate for me while I am driving haha No Chez I don't have a councillor or a psych but I sure think I need one LOL I am just in a rut I think and its such a big change to go through and I think that I am still adjusting.

Hey Chez PMSL so much at your little picture Oh thats so funny every time I read it I laugh again haha Thats made my day!! I am glad that mood swings are normal....I am not the only one then.... my hubby the poor b?%$#@& has put up with a lot from me too haha So glad that stuff Alex told you about worked for you.....at least you know thats why you had stopped losing I am not too far from Dandenong....in Ferntree Gully, and as I said I am happy to travel to meet up somewhere closer to everyone. What area's is everyone else from??

Hey Bellarose you are not crazy lol If you feel like you need something its worth looking into. I am not sure they go on BMI so you would have to have a consult and ask someone about it. I love Lap Surgery Australia but they are in Boronia and operate around this side of the city. I know that there is a surgeon that will only do lapbands around the city area so if it's the sleeve your after, make sure you go to someone that does them too. 2 friends of mine needed to lose weight but not a massive amount, so they both opted for the lap band as it's able to be reversed but the sleeve isn't. They have been successful with theirs but I wasn't so I can't give you much advice on the band, but it might be good to talk to a surgeon that will tell you all about the different surgeries and advise on which would be best for you personally. Also do your research and find out what you think would suit you best. I can help with a lot of questions about both the sleeve and the band if you have any that you would like to ask, but only from my personal experience and that of my friends that have had banding done Chez may be able to tell you what surgeon she used as I think it was closer to the city???? Is that right Chez??

Hey Nerms....Welcome to the Melbourne Group Did your surgeon ask you to lose weight first?? Don't worry, you will on pre-op diet. Most people lose 5kg minimum that I have heard. Both times I have done it I have lost 10kg in the 2 weeks so you should be fine Just ask him to book you in on or as close to the 23rd of July and you will have incentive to lose the weight

Hi Bookishfred....Welcome to the Melbourne forum!! I am so sorry the Sleeve didn't work for you Who did your Sleeve?? At least you are getting results with bypass. What a lot you have been through you poor thing. I was banded 4 years ago and have 5 ops in total with that before I got the sleeve so I feel your pain. I also need to go back to work to keep me busy because being at home messes with your mind as you have too much time to think about food. So glad you found us here and again , Welcome

Hi Bellarose and Welcome to our Melbourne forum....lovely to have you here.

I feel for you Chez....Bee is right its harder than the surgery but I just slept as much as I could through it. Think because I was so stressed I found it so easy to sleep too. If you sleep you don't want to eat....that was my logic anyway haha Glad you told them where to shove it Bee.....You don't need that crap from people who think they are high and mighty. Stalls keep happening with me and then all of a sudden I go down about 1 to 2 kilos so I don't know how long it lasts.....maybe a week?? I try to weigh only every week but I can't help myself. I am stuck in a stall right now! I need to work out and get moving more....think I am stuck in a rutt. Just feeling a little down about things lately. No regrets on getting the sleeve but just feeling tired, no energy and no weight loss for a while and struggling with head hunger Not sure why I feel like I do but just can't seem to snap out of it at the moment?? A catch up sounds fantastic Chez.....what area do you guys want to make it and we should make it for 2 to 4 weeks post op for you Chez....what do you guys think?? I am from near Knox but can go anywhere that suits you guys and am flexible with time too.

Wow Bee you don't need that facebook crap.....you did the right thing by leaving the group. With so many groups there is the ones that like to play Big Brother and think they know everything, and they wait to prey of new people to attack.....swear thats how they get their thrills!!! You don't need people like that and I would have reported it to admin (unless it was admin then you have no hope) so that they don't keep getting away with it.....You should have told me or tell me what group and I will go in there and comment. I give as good as I get believe me!! You will not get an ulcer from a few sips of grog for goodness sake, they are insane!! They just wanted to put the fear of god into you for some nasty reason. Just relax and listen to your body. Just send Alexadria the dietitian an email or give her a call, she is lovely and will tell you what you need to know. Way to go under 120!!!! Love that milestone. I haven't moved any further down but it's gotta come off sometime hey. Can't not lose weight on the amount of food we live on Hows the first day going Chez?? How exciting almost there!!!!

Hey Bee....yes I LOVE a drink For my fist time that I had a drink after the op, I just took it slow over the night to make sure that I didn't have a bad reaction....something I was paranoid about after not being able to take lactose for a while so it just worried me that I would have pains in my stomach all night, but it went down so well....ahhh my old friend haha I love the sound of rasp cordial to make a sunrise...haha can't say that without doing the Katut n Rhonda voice in my head hehe. Glad Tiny (haha love it) is coping well with the foods As for hair loss I was unaware, but I have always lost heaps of hair and have so much of it, but I must admit I lose less when I get my Vitamin B shots regularly...maybe that helps. I opted for the three monthly injections as I have been having them since I got the lapband anyway and its just one less tablet to take Toilet.... haha....Ok spoke to my nurse about this and everyone is different but, I used to go every day before the band, then every second day with the band, and now I go every second or third day with the sleeve and she said thats fine Mind you on the Iron tablets that I have just started back on they make you go every day (some people they do the opposite but mostly they make you go) and they said for me to have 2 per day but i tried that and I am sticking to 1 thank you very much So I guess if I every have trouble I will just take 2 iron tabs haha As far as stalling yes I have quite a few times, at 3 weeks then at 6 and now so every few weeks but I think its your way of your body catching up?? I have been on a big stall and got on the scales this morning and I was 119.7 so just under 120....WOOOHOOOO Wish it was more but hey I will take it!! I figure I can't not lose weight with the sleeve and it will happen eventually.....just have to make sure I keep active and eat right. I went to visit a friend at the hospital yesterday and took the stairs and didn't get puffed out once....something i only noticed when I was walking along looking for her room and I wasn't puffing. I know its small but its the little things that make me excited!! Sleeve.....I am so in love with you

Chez, Bee is right about the endone......my doc didn't want to write me up a script for it so when the head nurse went down to the chemist to get my other scripts filled he rang my room and said, is it ok with you if I get a dr to write up a script for endone for when you get home and of course i said "Hell Yeah" haha I didn't even need it much and it was just for night time when I was the most uncomfortable but it sure is wise to ask for it....why should we feel any discomfort at all and endone is a wonder drug I tell you!! Bee I waited about 6 weeks I think before I had my first drink....maybe a bit less than that?? I know I was almost 8 weeks post op at Easter and we went away camping and boating and I drank every night I have had to change what I drink as I said I can't drink bubbles yet so no scotch and coke or Champers BUT i am starting to love vodka and cranberry or oj so thats ok but just not my favorite drink. Mind you I think your tastes change a lot. As for food I can eat almost anything...except I have trouble when I eat things that are gassy foods like colslaw or cabbage/onions too because I get bad gas pains in my upper stomach under my ribs and it goes to my shoulder. I assume that will settle with healing as I swell so easily, I even get stiches in my upper tummy if I have done a lot of driving or wear firm pants around my stomach....it just feels like a stitch from running too much?? I am a sweller though and it was the same with each op just different places depending on where they operated. The other food I try to avoid is fresh bread.....becasue it fills me up too fast and I can't fit anything else in. They told me after a year I will be able to eat a small entre' size (like the size of the lapband plate not sure if they showed you that or if you have one) so I assume I will be able to eat like half a sandwich then?? Anyway it's no big deal I just have toast or crackers and thats my carbs.....or even a mini wrap they are yum too and the wrap bread is ok if I only have half a mini wrap haha My weight has stayed the same for about a week but my clothes feel bigger so I think it's just shifting around?? One thing that I have noticed is that the more often I eat the more weight I lose, but if I eat hardly anything because I forget to eat when I am busy or just not hungry, I don't lose weight. I am starting to think that eating more often works for me and hardly eating at all makes my body think that I have gone into starvation and switches to that mode so it stores everything.....not too sure but it sort of makes sense seeing as we can hardly eat anything now???? Glad your lovin your sleeve......me too. Its one of the best decisions I have ever made!!!!! So much better than the lapbad as I am not restriced to certain foods....I can eat what I want and it doesn't get stuck!! That's an amazing feeling I am still trying to get used to....FREEDOM

Bee its so good to get the staples out isn't it....It all feels so much better after that I remember that feeling ) And you weightloss is fantastic!! Well done, it's falling off you! Hey Chez I am not back at the surgeons for another 4 weeks yet so I will find out then. I think I would be ok to do very light weights and walking but anything more I will just wait I don't want to stuff anything up. Even though I feel great, I can still feel that things are healing inside and maybe I am being paranoid, but after having 5 operations with the lapband, I want to be extra cautious with this one and make sure everything is perfect before I push myself. 3 weeks not long now.....enjoy this last week of eating full meals A friend of mine has just told me that she wants to get the sleeve done and she is booking in for June for the op with Chris Hensman (same as you Bee) She has told me she is going to her favorite places to eat what she wants before it's done. I never did that but I don't really miss it anyway. Went out for dinner on Saturday night with family and friends and then to watch my dad and brother play (they are in a band) and it was the first time I have gone out to dinner since having the sleeve. I just ordered Soup caus it looked so good and I managed 5 spoon fulls. Then I had a little bit of hubbys pork ribs and a a couple of chips and it tasted amazing. I said oh I am cheap to feed now hey....and he turned to our friends and said "Yeah but she makes up for it with her drinks" Haha guess thats a bonus that I get more money to spend on my drinks.....but I miss my scotch and coke because the bubble still bloat me and make me feel uncomfortable, so I have to drink like vodka and cranberry or oj, or wine. Tell you what wine hits me hard when you don't have a lot in your stomach its feels a little like drinking on an empty stomach......guess I'm a cheap drunk now too haha

Hey Bee UNBELIEVABLE!!!!! Your amount of walking astounds me....Way to go, but just remember don't over do things will you. You obviously feel fine with the walking?? You Go Girl!! As for the puree, how long ago did you start it?? After I was tolerating things like pureed fruits and vege's, I went on to pureed meals like spag bol and thicker Soups. I was told as long as they had no lumps it was all good and as you progress you can make it a little thicker.....just can't remember exactly when in the second week of puree I did that. I made a spag bol with a bechamel sauce, pureed it and poured the bechamel sauce over the top and that was yum. Once I was tolerating things like that I had tuna and avo but made the tuna mushy with mayo (the nurse at lap surgery game me that idea) and she also said runny poached eggs but no scrambled as that can be too lumpy. Also another fantastic idea was to cook up a crumbed fish fillet and then peel off the crumbs and eat the inside of the fish, maybe mash it with mayo or tartar sauce or even just a milky mash potato or pumpkin. (again from the nurse at lap surgery) From memory all of this was in the second week of puree I think.....what week are you on?? I know how you feel you long to just have something tasty but something that I found was that my tastebuds were wrecked for some time. I have been addicted to coffee for about 10 years now and after surgery I just couldn't tolerate the smell let alone drink it. I became severely lactose intolerant and couldn't have milk or cheese without feeling very sick. Apparently this is normal and will pass, and it did. I even had trouble with avocado's as they are high in fat and they too made me feel sick but again, all is good now. I am better with it all now and one day about 5/6 weeks post op i smelled my husband making a coffee and said.....wow that smells fantastic I would love one, and since then I am back to my morning coffee and maybe an afternoon one but not often. Oh how I missed my coffee haha. Are you finding things any different?? Have your tastes changed?? If you are wanting to try something different and you are not too sure about it, you could always call the nurses and ask (I did that several times and they are always great) or call or email Alexandria... When do you have your post op check??

Hey Chez I was the same about the crying bit.....its a massive decision but you will wonder what the fuss was about soon after your done believe me....also made a list and the Sleeve won!! The only worry I have now is weather or not I am eating too much as I still get hungry before my period....like i get the constant munchies...BUT...compared to what I used to be like when I really look at it it's nothing and the rest of the time I am not fussed about food. Keeping busy for me is the biggest thing that keeps my mind off of food.....it's not a physical hunger it's a mental one and when I am busy I forget to eat (which isn't good either) but it proves that its head hunger from boredom. I really need to go back to work....I have been home with the kids for so long (I have a 20yr old boy, 17 almost 18 year old girl and a 3 yr old boy) and after my lap band I was like as soon as I get healthy I am going back to work.....that was 4 years ago and it never happened. I need to keep busy and its so hard starting back in the workforce at 40 when you haven't worked for so long.....anyway enough about me. Wow Queen BeeBee "4km".....WHAT THE???????? Well Done!!!! How come you have been crappy what's up??