Hello everyone. I'm not sure if I'm posting correctly as I just discovered this app yesterday and have been glued to my iPhone reading all the posts! I'm in Australia and had my procedure 1st August! Things seem to be going well. I'm down 15 pounds. Starting weight Was 216 lbs. I've spent hours reading all the stories and I love how this provides a feeling of support as everyone else knows what I'm going through. In saying that, reading all the stories about weight not coming off, complications and how the band may fail has made me extremely paranoid and I feel it'll affect my results I'm a smoker with a heavy cough n im scared my band will slip. Im scared ill be disheartened if I don't lose another pound tomorrow . Tomorrow will be 8 days after surgery and after the horror stories I'm too afraid to move onto mushy foods. All this because I've read so much n I feel I'm becoming obsessed. I'd love to join an August group to see how everyone's coming along. Not sure how to do that as yet.

Sigh..this is one of the regrettable results of having a unsupervised/moderated forum. Everyone pitches in their experiences and ideas but instead of being informative it can sometimes scare people off. The reality is, we are individuals and we are approaching and experiencing this journey very differently from one another. Some are compliant, some not. Some are better informed, some not. Some are just plain irrational, some not hahaha. So you have to take it all with a grain of salt and let it apply when it becomes your reality. For instance, worry about complications if indeed you experience one. I am 4 yrs out with zero complications as an example. I am informed about slips, gerd, dilation etc but I focus on proper eating habits and working with my band opposed to being paralyzed with fear it could happen to me.

I highly recommend that you nix smoking. Easier said than done granted. But I think it'll help greatly with keeping everything dilated, hydrated etc and not putting you at risk w/ the coughing etc.

Take things one day at a time. I always say keep your expectations realistic. This is a learning experience. Once you transition through the phases it'll be a piece of pie

I agree with Hazelsbliss....! Own your own journey. Play by the rules your Dr lays out for you. The band is overlapped and sewn in place (at least mine is). Not as fragile as you would think. If there isn't a problem....don't look for one. Follow people who give great and positive advise. This forum really helped me. I am 4 week out now.....I have been weighing myself every day....my advice is...DON'T! I am going to start once a week. It can drive you crazy. With your success so far...you are doing something right! Follow the rules and keep up with what you are doing. Best of luck...you will succeed! Lisa

Hazelsbliss nailed it. Take in what you need and can apply and file 13 all the rest.

I actually like reading when things go wrong to keep mental notes for "just in case" but of you tend to worry just stop reading a negative thread and move on to something useful.

Also your weight post-op will fluctuate so be gentle on yourself.

(I'm 24 days post-op & 25 lbs down)... I am making a new commitment to weigh max twice weekly... then wean from there

Hi, nice to see another Ozzie on the site! I'm in Melbourne and I was banded in April! My weightloss results are very slow but getting there! It's great to here of your weightloss results keep up the good work! ;-D

Hey Jellybean,

I'm form Melbourne Australia and have also been banded on the 1st August at 113 kg. It's soo good to hear about your weight loss to be honest I haven't weighed myself yet, I'm still sore where the port is, I guess my recovery is taking a little longer than expected. How r u feeling now?

I'm also becoming obsessed with this app lol

This all sounds great and am happy for everyone....I have had such pain and have been getting sick since I left the hospital on Tuesday. I have been back to the surgeon for the past 2 days, first to take out the 1 cc of water that was in my band and then to have a shot of a steroid to calm my inflamed esophe

I didn't mean to post yet...sorry... I am still taking baby sips of water and was able to keep down two sips of broth. I know this will all be worth it, I just want someone to tell me that this pain will stop......

Hazelbkiss thanks so much for that post. You hit the nail on the head! I think because I left my job before surgery it's become my whole focus! Your advice definitely reassured me.

Hello fellow Melbournians how's everyone coming along? Cooky I'm feeling fine I just need to stop focusing on just that! I used to be a size 8 only 2 years ago- weighed 68 kilos and I'm 5"7. It's hard seeing what I was n where I am now. I'm in that mental cycle of "I can't do this I can't wear that I can't go there until I'm back at that weight" It's a wrong way of thinking but very hard not to. I never exercised in the past n managed but I think I should start to speed things up. Weighed myself today and I'm the same as yesterday. I'm meant to start week 2 mushy foods. What's considered healthy and mushy other than eggs and yoghurt?

I didn't mean to post yet...sorry... I am still taking baby sips of Water and was able to keep down two sips of broth. I know this will all be worth it' date=' I just want someone to tell me that this pain will stop......[/quote']

I am 5 days out, had my surgery Monday with hiatal hernia repair. I am having a lot of pain in the largest incision cut. I have wrapped a band around me to sorta hold it all tight. I keep having to hold my hand on it,and it is more comfortable with a firm wrap. I can only get down a few sips of Protein shake, and water is a slow go. I drove to the Walmart and did grocery shopping, but it hurt so bad. I was in slow mode with one hand on my incision. I still have gas, but it is slow too!

Cooky when's your first fill? Are you finding you have any appetite at all? My first fill is in 2 weeks. I have no appetite what so ever and forcing soup down to avoid the nausea that comes with coffee and cigarettes :-/

My first fill is aug 23, I'm not feeling hungry at all which is really surprising I just don't look at food the same way anymore in soo full after a few sips of soup or a yoghurt drink I'm just finding that I can tolerate a bit more now, I guess it's because the swelling is going down. Looking forward to goon on mushies soon one more week to go. It's funny I think the same as u it's like I'm putting my life on hold until I lose weight which is wrong I know.

Best of luck with this journey everyone???Š

Haha cooky I thought it was just me . My first fill is the 27th. I have a funny feeling we were operated on by the same group of surgeons. I read in my paperwork that I get to attend 2 dietician seminars specifically for banders; that should help. Good luck with everything

Jellybean congrats on your surgery! I had mine july 30 2013. And not being that hungry in this first phase I think is normal. Because the first few days I could care less if I ate but I knew I had too.

As far as your mushy diet I guess it would be the same thing my doctor considers soft. But you can have eggs tuna chicken salad egg salad apple sauce fat free sugar free pudding oatmeal. You have more options with the soft phase. I'm in Kentucky so it could be different because I have seen other people say they have gone from liquid to mushy to soft and to regular food. Everyone is different as is their doctors. I get to start back on regular food Wednesday. Also I'm apart of this support group that is with my doctors office and its on facebook and a lady messaged me on there and we got to talking and she told me about this. So I have two support groups and I think it's great bc everyone can share their ideas ask for opinions and just share their goods and bads. I've lost 21 lbs with pre-op diet a week before and surgery and I'm happy. Just moving right along. Just remember its portion control

Hi all. I too am a newbie, down in cold Tasmania. I got my band only 4 days ago on the 6th and my only downfall so far is pain from the gas they pumped me up with. Anyway just wanted to say hi and look forward to sharing my success as well as hearing about all of yours

I agree with Msgal! Weighing yourself every day will drive you crazy! I was weighing myself every day after surgery and had many ups and downs. Now, I follow each monthly challenge and only weigh myself once a week.