Attention ! Australian Sleevers

[mistysj 1,939]

I just came across this article which talks about why the surgery works. It is about the pouch in gastric bypass but seems to apply to the sleeve too. It was referenced in a book I'm reading called Success Habits of Weight Loss Surgery Patients, which is a great read so far!

Here is the link http://gastricbypass.netfirms.com/understandingsmallgastricpouch.htm

[mistysj 1,939]

Also there is another article (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10731248 )that details how to measure your stomach's capacity. Buy a small container of cottage cheese. First thing in the morning, eat as much of it as you can hold, within a 5 minute period. Pour Water from a measuring cup into the container until you have filled the crater. The volume of the water it took is the capacity of your stomach. Of course don't do this until your stomach is fully healed. Then you will know the max you can hold which means you won't have surprises. I guess a lot of people worry about their stomach stretching so this could put the fears at rest. Apparently anything less than 9 ounces (260 mL) is conducive to weight loss for the gastric pouch. I bet the sleeve would have similar results. I also read that the capacity starts out about the size of your thumb!

[Dons2.0 39]

Hi Donna' date='

I am a similar height to you, at 176cm tall and my top weight was higher at 173kg. I was sleeved in September last year. If you managed to wade through all the pages you would know that I had a leak. I had an extra two months in hospital, almost died several times and had to have the sleeve re-done so my pouch is very small.

Since surgery 7 months ago, I have lost about 70kg (haven't weighed recently so not sure of the exact number). Despite what I went through with the leak this is still the best thing I have ever done for my health.

Good luck with preparing for your surgery and keep on the forums - the people here are awesome and will be invaluable on your journey.

Cheers, Liss[/quote']

Hi Liss,

Thanks for replying! Wow it sounds like you have had quite the journey! I will have to look back and read the details. Everything is helpful in making this decision - the good & the bad! It's a massive amount of weight loss in such a short time! Other than the obvious problems you must be so thrilled!

Can I ask are you a Brissie girl 2? If so who was your surgeon etc?

Look forward to learning more about ur journey!

Hugs,

Donna

[Aussiegirl 580]

Welcome to all the newbies!!!

I have PCOS. While I am not in a position where I am looking to concieve, i do know since loosing the weight I am as frequent as possible with that TOM. Some other symptoms have reduced (excess hair) but not been completely eradicated.

I can say, especially compared to Liss, my journey has been relatively easy, no complications. I started with a 53BMI, 150kgs and 5'6ft. I now have a 27BMI, lost 73 kgs and still kinda am 5'6..tho sometimes shorter as well. As well as loosing 1/2 a shoe size. While my BMI is still over normal, i am happy where I am, and most my excess weight is in skin (which may or may not be removed).

It is one of the best things I have done for myself. I worked hard and still work hard to address the behaviours that got this way. Exercise is part of my life, as needed to feeling good about myself as air (kinda lol).

Yesterday I had the worst day at work I remember in over a decade (corporate garbage), while I am emotional eatter and this does still trigger my over eatting side or my over buying food side. I did go to the supermarket and buy a whole lot of bad food, which my co-workers get to enjoy (and yes we all need a junk food hit lol) but I am forever grateful to the sleeve that limits my capacity to consumethese foods. So by the time I ate my healthy Protein centric meal, there was only a little room for the sugar comfort...so yay sleeve.

[Lissa_S 787]

OMG I stuffed up today. So I started my new job. It's awesome but it's a management role. I am responsible for the clinical decisions that over 20 staff (across several disciplines) make. Stuff happened (not important) and what was my response? Red frogs. I don't even bloody like red frogs. But they were there and I crammed them into my mouth. I at about 10 of the little bastards.

Now I've puked a LOT since the sleeve. But I swear to god nothing was more disgusting that spewing up those red frogs. So damn embarrassing - staff knocking on the toilet door to see if I am okay - apparently the sound of my puking had the added bonus of echoing down the hall to their office. And not to mention so GROSS.

So now I am quite unwell tonight, I suspect that my blood sugar is dangerously low again but I am so nauseated still from earlier, I dare not eat anything. I've had a little black tea with some sugar in it (not great but better than nothing)...

So just when I think I am kicking it with the sleeve and addressing my lifelong issues with food, I fall right back into the same old mistakes at the first hurdle.

Tomorrow, I am getting gum to chew at work...stupid, stupid, stupid

[Lissa_S 787]

Oh and I am going to buy scales on the weekend - haven't weighed myself in nearly a month and I'm desperately afraid i've gained...Jeez I am a downer tonight lol. Will stop blogging

[mistysj 1,939]

OMG I stuffed up today. So I started my new job. It's awesome but it's a management role. I am responsible for the clinical decisions that over 20 staff (across several disciplines) make. Stuff happened (not important) and what was my response? Red frogs. I don't even bloody like red frogs. But they were there and I crammed them into my mouth. I at about 10 of the little bastards.

Now I've puked a LOT since the sleeve. But I swear to god nothing was more disgusting that spewing up those red frogs. So damn embarrassing - staff knocking on the toilet door to see if I am okay - apparently the sound of my puking had the added bonus of echoing down the hall to their office. And not to mention so GROSS.

So now I am quite unwell tonight' date=' I suspect that my blood sugar is dangerously low again but I am so nauseated still from earlier, I dare not eat anything. I've had a little black tea with some sugar in it (not great but better than nothing)...

So just when I think I am kicking it with the sleeve and addressing my lifelong issues with food, I fall right back into the same old mistakes at the first hurdle.

Tomorrow, I am getting gum to chew at work...stupid, stupid, stupid [/quote']

That sounds awful. I'm sorry that happened to you at your new job. Just tell them it was the 24 hour flu!

[kelliv 659]

I just came across this article which talks about why the surgery works. It is about the pouch in gastric bypass but seems to apply to the sleeve too. It was referenced in a book I'm reading called Success Habits of Weight Loss Surgery Patients' date=' which is a great read so far!

Here is the link http://gastricbypass.netfirms.com/understandingsmallgastricpouch.htm[/quote']

Misty, this is a fantastic article and one I wish I had seen a few months ago when I was newly post op. It is also consistent with what my new dietician recommends. I am going to try and stretch my drinking to start one and a half hours after eating.

[Aussiegirl 580]

Liss, that is horrible...amazing how the little things catch us out.

Hope you are feeling better.

[Swift Kate 72]

OMG I stuffed up today. So I started my new job. It's awesome but it's a management role. I am responsible for the clinical decisions that over 20 staff (across several disciplines) make. Stuff happened (not important) and what was my response? Red frogs. I don't even bloody like red frogs. But they were there and I crammed them into my mouth. I at about 10 of the little bastards.

Now I've puked a LOT since the sleeve. But I swear to god nothing was more disgusting that spewing up those red frogs. So damn embarrassing - staff knocking on the toilet door to see if I am okay - apparently the sound of my puking had the added bonus of echoing down the hall to their office. And not to mention so GROSS.

So now I am quite unwell tonight, I suspect that my blood sugar is dangerously low again but I am so nauseated still from earlier, I dare not eat anything. I've had a little black tea with some sugar in it (not great but better than nothing)...

So just when I think I am kicking it with the sleeve and addressing my lifelong issues with food, I fall right back into the same old mistakes at the first hurdle.

Tomorrow, I am getting gum to chew at work...stupid, stupid, stupid

Sorry about you red frog episode Lissa but on the positive side your pic looks great.

[kelliv 659]

Oh and I am going to buy scales on the weekend - haven't weighed myself in nearly a month and I'm desperately afraid i've gained...Jeez I am a downer tonight lol. Will stop blogging

Love your new pic and sorry to hear about your red frog incident.

[Lissa_S 787]

LOL I had a much better day today guy's And thanks for the support and the kind words about my new pic. I thought it was time to pop up a new one! Had a good day today, ate well (lots of fruit today) and I feel a lot better tonight!! Suffice to say that we now have a red frog ban in the office.

It shall now go down in history as the "Red Frog Incident" - thanks Kelli

Hope you're all doing well! And have a great weekend! Cheers, Liss

[mistysj 1,939]

I really like your new photo, Lissa!

Good morning from Brisbane where it has been pouring rain since the middle of the night. A perfect lazy Saturday I've been sitting out on the deck, reading and enjoying my coffee. Still limiting myself to one black coffee a day and no carbonated beverages. I have to say I have had a tougher time with alcohol. I'd like to limit myself to one a week but I think this week I had three glasses of wine and a half shot of cognac (not all at once). Only one drink per day so I guess that is something. LOL

I saw my therapist again and we talked more about how I feel about the surgery. I told her that I felt awkward knowing she did not completely approve, and that it made me realize that I consider her an authority figure a bit. We talked about boundaries and how I am in charge of all my choices and nobody else (not her or my husband or anyone) gets to have a say, at least not as much of a say as mine. This is something I have struggled with, with my parents, partners, doctors, friends. I think lots of fat people get used to everyone having an opinion and feeling like the external opinions mean more than your own opinion. It is because society seems to think its ok to comment on fat people's appearance (and really, women's appearances in general). My therapist supports me and my choices and even if she didn't, I need to work toward the place where it doesn't matter to me, except simply as information.

I just wanted to share that because I am sure some of you can relate. I am sure some of you have been driven to tears or anger because of other people's opinions. I know that parents, partners, friends, and doctors have wounded me and made me cry because of things they said about my body.

[*Shell* 162]

Hi all my Sleevers buddies,

It has been quite some time since I have been on here with work demands and running a family of 7 so planning on sitting down today and catching up on what's been happening. I see we have quite a few new members which is great...

I'm still going great, actually better than great - I am in double digits for a while now and life couldn't be better

Hope everyone is well xx

[*Shell* 162]

Hi all! I have been reading this thread for days and I am only to January! I feel like you are old friends. It has been a while since I saw a post from Scotty' date=' Mimz, or Cookieeez, and it makes me worry! Lila, I followed your whole adventure and I am so happy you came through, though I find myself hoping that the medical bills are not too crippling.

I hope I don't sound like a stalker!

I have struggled with my weight for my whole life, from my parents putting me on a diet as early as 6 or 7. I'm only 159cm and have pretty small bones. I went to uni a bit chunky at about 58 kg, but finished out my first year closer to 70 kg. in uni, I tried watching what I ate, Slim Fast, Atkins, fasting, Herbalife (so many pills). I will admit I didn't have the energy to put enough effort into anything and ended up leaving uni around 100kg in 2000. In 2002 I did Weight Watchers and lost around 35 kg over about 9 months. I looked pretty good for my wedding which happened when I was about 20 kg into that loss. Over the course of a couple years I first stalled, then put all the weight back on. I tried all the usual suspects and always lost something but put it back on and more. In Sep 2011 I started Optifast 800 ( not the drug store shakes) at the Wesley weight management clinic and did the whole 12 month program. It ended in Nov 2012 because some work travel delayed it. I did great at first but in the end only lost around 15 kg to put my lowest weight at around 85 kg. Since November I have gained and am now back up to around 98.

I used to be really judgmental about weight loss surgery. I have a friend getting sleeved on April 29 in the US and I even tried to talk her out of it at first. Instead I became convinced that the sleeve is for me. Since then I have read 5 different books about it and have read every study and article I could find online. I also found this forum. I am American but living in Australia for the last 4 years, so this thread has been very helpful for me to understand about costs and what is covered by Medicare and PHI.

I see my GP tomorrow and plan on asking for a referral for the sleeve. My husband is cautious but supportive. He doesn't really understand the struggles that obese people have with weight, as he is probably a BMI of 27 or 28 and his weight never changes.

Sorry for the novel! Now to read the rest of this thread from February to the present!

By the way I am in Brisbane, work in the CBD, and would love to be included in the get-togethers![/quote']

Hi Mistysj

I work in Brisbane CBD if you ever want to catch up for a coffee