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

Im in Melbourne.. Gorgeous but cold!

With opti you need to be aware that it is a VERY low calorie diet. for 3 days you will feel shite' date=' but if you are 100% on the game, after 3 days your body goes into ketosis and you will not feel so hungry and you will not have the cravings. Ketosis is good as it stops these, but can be hard on your liver, thats why they suggest monitoring. If you go off opti for anything, a piece of bread, spoon of sugar, chai latte, anything, you screw up the ketosis and start back to sugar and carb cravings. So go in, head down, and just do it. Opti is not for the fain hearted and not to be played with cause you will do your head in![/quote']

Thanks for the heads up!! I am concern about all of that- my daughters 11th birthday is on Tuesday, but I was planning on trying to incorporate Optifast into the diet before going in full on anyway, and putting it off till another day is what I have been doing my whole life!! So I will start it tomorrow. Your input has been valuable- thank u :-)

Using the OPTI FAST bars is not cheating and will give you the chance to CHEW.. I love the cappuccino bars.

Im here if ever you need a chat or some moral support! xx Good luck!

Bought the Optifast today, was going to introduce it gradually before going full on from the first of September. My doctor has asked for at least 3 weeks, however I was looking at attempting it full time from tomorrow- making a total of 8 weeks before surgery. I seem to have a 'eat everything' mentallity at the moment and am putting on weight so I need to do this. Has anyone done this before and how did they go (I.e. survive) ?

Yes ... it happend to me.

Twas over the Christmas and New Year period and I said "f**k it, if I dun enjoy myself now I'll nv get the chance to post-op"

I went from 130kg to 140kg within those 2 weeks.

For some weird reason I felt that enjoying myself "helped" because it lessens the "envy/regret" I got post-op. And after gorging myself for 2 weeks, I felt .... well ... I've eaten all i could ... I'll just eat when I'm hungry from now till the operation. Which surprisingly wasnt much... and the extra 10kg magicly disappeared just before my op.

I'm battling the blues now, cause it really sucks to eat so little....

The weight loss is great though, but ... I still wish they hadnt taken away so much of the stomach.

Yes ... it happend to me.

Twas over the Christmas and New Year period and I said "f**k it' date=' if I dun enjoy myself now I'll nv get the chance to post-op"

I went from 130kg to 140kg within those 2 weeks.

For some weird reason I felt that enjoying myself "helped" because it lessens the "envy/regret" I got post-op. And after gorging myself for 2 weeks, I felt .... well ... I've eaten all i could ... I'll just eat when I'm hungry from now till the operation. Which surprisingly wasnt much... and the extra 10kg magicly disappeared just before my op.

I'm battling the blues now, cause it really sucks to eat so little....

The weight loss is great though, but ... I still wish they hadnt taken away so much of the stomach.[/quote']

I too am concerned that I will get the blues from eating little amount of food and it taking so long to get through a meal, I know I will struggle with this. But I have read and have been advised by other sleevers that the first year is a struggle as you may have greatly reduced the physical hunger but you will still have to deal with the head hunger for at least a year. I am still seeing a psychologist to gain strategies to help me through these stages. But it's really good to know that the eating mentality is common with others. Thanks!

Hi guys. Well I'm 2 days post op. The 4 hour drive home was not pleasant but nonetheless, I'm here now Surgery went well. I have to be honest and say I thought I was going to be in a lot more pain than I was. I didn't experience gas pain in my shoulders but rather across my lower ribs. One tip to help reduce the gas is to walk. My worst pain was in my back. I'm not used to laying on my back for most of the day and this caused very unpleasant pains in my mid and lower back. At present I have no idea how I'm going to get 1.5 litres of fluid in but I guess day by day my intake will increase. Other than that its done and I begin another chapter of my life

Hi all - I am in Gunnedah NSW and I am getting my op done on 3 September (I hope). I am applying for early release of my super - has anyone else gotten all that they requested from the government? My surgery plus hospital bill is $17500 so I am praying that it is covered. Any body willing to share their experience?

Thanks,

Lila

Hi all - I am in Gunnedah NSW and I am getting my op done on 3 September (I hope). I am applying for early release of my super - has anyone else gotten all that they requested from the government? My surgery plus hospital bill is 17500 so I am praying that it is covered. Any body willing to share their experience?

Thanks' date='

Lila[/quote']

Hi Lila, why not take out private health and save yourself approx $13000? I was going to go through my procedure uninsured for around the $18000 Mark but decided to take out private health which was $45 per fortnight. I then waited 12 months, had my surgery 2 days ago for total out of pocket $2,800 (surgeon, assistant, anaesthetic and hospital stay).

Hi Lila, why not take out private health and save yourself approx $13000? I was going to go through my procedure uninsured for around the $18000 Mark but decided to take out private health which was $45 per fortnight. I then waited 12 months, had my surgery 2 days ago for total out of pocket $2,800 (surgeon, assistant, anaesthetic and hospital stay).

I actually did get insurance back in May but decided that I couldn't wait for 12 months - for me, right now it's more important to get the surgery done then save the money. It's certainly a lot cheaper to do it through insurance though!!

That's fair enough. I guess one thing to watch out for is that if you need to stay in hospital longer than the usual 2-3 day stay, you'll be looking at around an extra $1,000 a night. Good luck with everything

Thanks And congratulations on getting your sleeve. Hope you are feeling well!!

Thanks And congratulations on getting your sleeve. Hope you are feeling well!!

I'm actually feeling surprisingly good. I've no pain from the actually incisions as such. The most annoying thing has been the waves of gas pain and bouts of constant burping. Each day it is becoming less and less, which is good. And when they say you can only sip they really do mean it . All trial and error I guess

OMG!!!!!!!!

Having the largest Solvolaki craving right now!!!!!

And Mrs Macs meat pies....with sauce of course....

Kangaroo sausages....

Hello everyone,

So happy to find other Australians let alone people from Brisbane. I live on the northside at Bray Park. But I had my surgery last Monday 23rd. From the day I sure my surgeon (dr rob finch) I was booked in and got my earlier super through and paid a day after my op.

I am now 5 days out and am really good, finding it hard to get in my 1500ml of liquid. But from my 2 week pre op shakes to today I have lost 11.5kgs. My dietitian didn't care what shakes I did so I had some celebrity slim and I did those for 2 weeks.

My starting weight was 155kgs, BMI of 48. I have had problems all my life with my weight and I feel scared, relief, stress, happy and every other emotion at this time.

To answer the people that are asking about early release of super. I don't have private health and wasn't going to join and then have to wait 12 months. So I got all my letters from my GP and specialist, plus all my quotes. Then had to send it to DHS for approval, that takes 10 days for the approval letter, then you send that letter to your fund and thru will release what DHS says. They will tell your super fund the net amount needed, but unfortunately they cannot release more that $10000.

My doctor does usually work out of a private hospital but does an immediate service once a month at RBWH. I was lucky to get on that. My price all up was $4500 for doctor, $1370 for anaethetist and hospital was $324 per night plus prothestics for the op. approx all up it cost me $8900.

Hope this helps answer some of your questions. Please ask if you need more info.

Would love to be able to catch up with anyone in Brisbane.

Hi Aussie kellof, welcome to this thread. I am in Brisbane at Morningside for next 2 weeks, then moving to The Gap. Having my sleeve done with Dr Copp in Ipswich on 14 August. Very interested to hear how you are getting on post op. Due to start pre with Optifast next Wednesday. Keep us posted. Would enjoy catching up at some stage,

Cheers KelliV