Are there any Australian Sleevers out there, Would Love to hear from you.

Hi Kelli - glad to hear that you are at home. Just take it easy with the fluids' date=' just sip, sip sip. It does get easier in the second week - i think the swelling in side must subside and there is more room. I remember that it seemed like I had only just managed to finish one shake and it was time for the next one!

Hi weight_no_longer - I think all the feelings you are having are pretty normal pre surgery. I remember I was exactly the same, now a month later it is a distant memory and I am just excited to be losing the weight and working on adjusting to my new life.

As mentioned in a previous post, I am feeling a million times better than I was since I started having morning and afternoon tea (usually a petite Miam yogurt for morning tea and a V8 vegetable juice for arvo tea). Not much more but it has made all the difference to my energy levels and just feeling well. I am still having trouble with trying to drink the quantity of Water we are meant to drink but feeling ok. I am also not drinking Protein shakes - I have had enough of those to last me a life time!

I had to laugh because I just went to KMart today and bought some stretchy pants too - track suit pants really - only 15 bucks so they can go in the bin when I go down to the next size! Looks like everyone is in the same boat when it comes to clothes - I can't wait to buy trendy clothes!

I am so happy today as I weighed myself - trying only to do this once a week as I was becoming a bit obsessed and was jumping on the scales every second day - anyway I now have a Bmi of 29 so that has put me down to the overweight range rather than the Obese range. Not too many people would be happy with being overweight but I am delighted! Role on 'healthy' weight range!!!

Just for everyone's info - started my journey at 102kg, had surgery at 91kg, 4 and half weeks post surgery 82kg. Still a way to go but getting there. Now I feel like I have more energy, I can get back to walking regularly - just don't want my weight loss to stall.

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Hi Sue

We started at similar weights. I was 107 the day I saw doc at my heaviest and 3 days post op I am now 96.6. Goal is 68kg. I just checked my BMI and only down to 36, so still a long way to go.

Lila, before you know it you will be joining us on the other side. I have absolutely no regrets and can remember my last week pre-op and had all these emotions but kept reminding myself I have come this far and I needed to do this. My weight loss has been slow but have noticed the last week I have dropped down a size as my work pants are sliding off me and even gone down to last belt hole. Trying to not let the scale disappoint me and just playing around with foods now.

Anyway your preop will fly by

Thanks Shell! I am actually starting to get excited by the pre-op stuff as it means I am on the down hill run to the surgery right now I think I am looking at it going OMG it's major surgery (and it is) but it can't be worse than plastic surgery (like a nose job) and I don't worry too much about that kind of thing. And let's face it, they take a chissel to your face in that surgery lol. So there's not any point in stressing about this one!! I have to admit, I thought I'd be freaking out a little more but right now, I am just excited

Hi Sue

We started at similar weights. I was 107 the day I saw doc at my heaviest and 3 days post op I am now 96.6. Goal is 68kg. I just checked my BMI and only down to 36' date=' so still a long way to go.[/quote']

Hi Kelli - yes very similar weight and weight loss patern. It will be dropping off you now! What I find so great is just knowing that I am never going to come back to this weight again and it has never been so easy to throw those 'fat clothes' in the bin!

Hi Kelliv - glad you are home! It must be a great relief...enjoy it! Rest, be kind to yourself and soon you'll be feeling great, anticipating the wonderful changes ahead!

Bringing my pre-op diet forward a day to start on Sunday Will be doing my "before" photo's tomorrow (yech) but as much as I'll hate them now I will LOVE them in 12 months time lol! I'm hoping for huge changes!!!! I am a lot bigger than most of you I think so am expecting it to take about 18 months to get to my goal (my surgeon put it at 72kg but I am hoping for around the 65-70 range) so I will literally be half (less than half) of the person I am today Can't wait!!!

Bringing my pre-op diet forward a day to start on Sunday <img src='http://www.bariatricpal.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /> Will be doing my "before" photo's tomorrow (yech) but as much as I'll hate them now I will LOVE them in 12 months time lol! I'm hoping for huge changes!!!! I am a lot bigger than most of you I think so am expecting it to take about 18 months to get to my goal (my surgeon put it at 72kg but I am hoping for around the 65-70 range) so I will literally be half (less than half) of the person I am today <img src='http://www.bariatricpal.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /> Can't wait!!!

All the best Lila - good idea to take the photo's. I didn't take any and wish I had. I think that 18 months is realistic - you will be thrilled once you see your weight coming down so it will go quickly!

Hi guys, hope you all enjoy the weekend ,

Anyway I had the dreaded before pics done as my husband is going to document my journey along the way and will do a website for me. This is one thing I did religiously every night was watch people's video on utube and websites and this was so inspiring for me to see the progress and changes to their life. If I can give 1 person some hope after following my story when website is done, I will be happy as all the clips, blogs etc has definitely helped me and no looking back now . I think I will do new pics every 3 months to really see the changes.

First off hi to the newbies to the thread!!

I have had to read through a few pages to catch up...love having some aussies in here

Nice one Scotty, good luck with your appt.

A question for the post sleevers. Do you drink alcohol? How often? What do you drink? How much can you drink?

Thanks in advance

Yes I do drink alcohol. I drink socially, it is a rule I never drink alone.

I had my farewell party last night before I go on my trip, and lets just say that being sleeved has not really hindered my ability to drink...well not much.

My drink of choice is champagne, alright sparkling wine, but also do vodka. Over the night I would have consumed like a bottle and a bit, plus a few shots....sounds like a bit now.

However through unfortunate trial and error have learnt the following things:

- Dont eat and drink alcohol, ie it is one of the other for the night, its not like drinking Water, where 1/2 hour later you can eat...for me not so much with alcohol...have some food before you start

- You get tipsy quicker

- You sober up quicker

- And cider tastes good but is not a friend anymore

- And you pee more often

This is just my experience tho. I think I had my first drink at like 6 weeks out at a social gathering but at that stage pretty much sat on it the whole night...obviously now, almost 11 months later it is a bit of a different story.

There was another question out there around Snacks, especially early on I used to snack on:

- Babybel/laughing cow cheese

- Fruit cups (golden valley or weight watchers, either were my NUTs preference)

- Yoghurt

- Cruskits with cream cheese

Snacks havent really changed much, moved from cruskits to wholemeal saladas, sometimes I have carrot sticks with a dip of sorts. And now I may a bite size chocolate bar, occasionally.

Kelliv, agree with what has already been said, take it easy and listen to your body. It could also be a temperature of beverage. I remember early on drinking water, especially cold water was really uncomfortable, i then started having room temp water and also putting some low cal cordial in helped for some reason. The same with really hot stuff. Make things as thin as possible early on.

Bringing my pre-op diet forward a day to start on Sunday Will be doing my "before" photo's tomorrow (yech) but as much as I'll hate them now I will LOVE them in 12 months time lol! I'm hoping for huge changes!!!! I am a lot bigger than most of you I think so am expecting it to take about 18 months to get to my goal (my surgeon put it at 72kg but I am hoping for around the 65-70 range) so I will literally be half (less than half) of the person I am today Can't wait!!!

Smart move!! I didnt really take before pics, but now wish I did. Before I hid from cameras..so there are only a few and mostly head shots. My mum has been taking progress pics but I still cant look at them.

And yes in 12 months time you will love having them. I am such a photo ***** now lol.

Lila, that is a big plan to loose!!

Have you broken it up into milestones? I found it helped me stay motivated, as I have lost (almost, still a few kgs to go) a similar amount to what you are trying to loose.

Hi Kelliv - glad you are home! It must be a great relief...enjoy it! Rest' date=' be kind to yourself and soon you'll be feeling great, anticipating the wonderful changes ahead![/quote']

Hi Lila, yes it is good to be home, but kept waking last night with a pain & headache, so obviously not drinking enough and i think i did too much activity when i got home yrsterday. How can I drink and sleep at the same time?? I am going to hae a very relaxing day at home today ad sip, sip, sip!!

Bringing my pre-op diet forward a day to start on Sunday Will be doing my "before" photo's tomorrow (yech) but as much as I'll hate them now I will LOVE them in 12 months time lol! I'm hoping for huge changes!!!! I am a lot bigger than most of you I think so am expecting it to take about 18 months to get to my goal (my surgeon put it at 72kg but I am hoping for around the 65-70 range) so I will literally be half (less than half) of the person I am today Can't wait!!!

Can't wait to see the changes in you Lila

For the South East Qld sleevers does anyone want to get together somewhere in central Brisbane next weekend? Some people are in Ipswich, or up or down the Coast as well as various parts of Brisbane. Let me know if you are up for a coffee and face to face chat. I think it would be lovely to meet as I feel as though I know some of you a little already.

Sounds great. I have my work function on Friday night do can give you an update of my first experience of having some alcohol.

Sounds great. I have my work function on Friday night do can give you an update of my first experience of having some alcohol.

Ok great. Let's find somewhere around Paddington or Bardon maybe early afternoon?

I have just been watching some YouTube on WLS and the excess skin and then the reconstructive surgery. It is major major surgery but it is definitely something I will not hesitate to do if I am left with this which I am sure after 4 children my stomach will need some attention. I have checked my phi and it covers reconstructive surgery and been advised that anything with a Medicare item number will be covered. The last thing I would want is to be left with all this skin. I have joined a gym this week and will start on a program to help minimise the skin issue

Interested to hear your thoughts on this?