Aussie Roll Call

[cammy 0]

I have not been banded yet...1 month away. I am excited and scared about the beginning of a new phase of life! What will I leave behind?

Anyway, I have not seen anything on this website about the impact on banding on your ability to drink alcohol? I know it seems funny...but I would like to know how my life will change.

Thanks Rowena

Bands are only suitable if food is your poison. If alchol or liquid calories made you obese the band can't do anything to help that - your surgeon would have asked you about alchol consumption at your first consult - did you tell the exact truth about how much and often you really drink? The other person is right - plenty of people go on drinking socially (every weekend) after banding just as they did pre-banding and never get within kooee of a healthy weight or never lose weight at all - I know at least 5 people in real life in that situation all over 1yr out. You have to really watch how much you are actually drinking and think about it like this:

2 glasses of red wine (200mL average home/social size drink) a week will make you gain 1.5kg per year

If you have a single 200ml glass of red with dinner every night of the week thats a 5.4kg weight gain each year.

If you are a social drinker, especially spirits or beer, your drinking a lot more than that thus you need to assess weather your have a food problem causing your weight problem or an alchol problem causing your weight problem. And don't forget about the high calorie Snacks that go hand in hand with social drinking.

People that drink a few glasses a month it really doesn't noticeably impact (only half a kilo a year which isn't that obvious), its when its more than 3 or 4 serves a month that you notice it on the scales and defeat the purpose of having weight loss surgery.

[susannah 2]

Hi All, I will echo what others have said everybody is welcome on the Melbourne chat thead!

I am so glad that I am not a drinker. I could count on one hand the number of drinks I have in a year, and then they are only pushed into my hand by others at parties etc.

Susannah

[kebsa 1]

HI

I was banded sometime ago, I live in Adelaide South Australia but don't really know anyone here who has been banded. I know a couple of you from online boards but it is nice to meet other Aus bandster

[bronnie70 0]

Keran.... feel free to join the Melbourne Thread.... most of us seem to be hanging out there and it includes interstate people.

[bronnie70 0]

oops!!! KAREN

too early in the morning for me

[Gerbera 0]

HI

I was banded sometime ago, I live in Adelaide South Australia but don't really know anyone here who has been banded. I know a couple of you from online boards but it is nice to meet other Aus bandster

G'day Kebsa

I'm in Adelaide also, Welcome to the Forum

I've found some great support here at the forum, in this and many other threads. Theres some great reading in the various sections. I'd have been lost without this forum for sure.

I was banded 7 weeks today. I had my first fill last week.

I'm doing really well with it. The weight is dropping off slowly and surely.

How long ago were you banded?

How are you going with it?

CHEERS to you and Welcome Again

[Goannabanda 0]

Hi Karen - we've already met on the other site!

Hi everyone else whom I haven't met yet! And G'day to those of you whom I haven't chatted to for a while!

I am in Melbourne.

[jenny 1]

hi anna havn't done much posting lately, but have been checking in havn't seen you on the boards very much are you okay?

[kebsa 1]

Hi Gerbera

I was actually banded back in 2001 and intially started losing weight- dropped about 20 kg but ran into a lot of medical problems that took a long time to diagnose properly- had to have all the Fluid removed from the band because of the problems. I have been wheelchair dependant for 12 yrs and eventually was also diagnosed with MS that had affected ability to swallow- once that was properly diagnosed and diet was modified a bt to allow from the problems I have started losng weight, I have now lost 28kg since nov- have a very long way to go tho! Have just been able to have a small fill put back which, s taking a while to get used to again- I was a bit worred that I may have to have it removed/reduced again but I am gradually improving- its been a week since the fill and am alsmost back to the same type of foods I was managing before the fill- so I am happy these days!

Hi Goanna,

Amazing the people you bump into! I have seen a few familiar names here!

[bronnie70 0]

OMG Karenb.... that makes 3 of us with MS. Myself and susannah have it too. My neurologist thinks this is a great decision. I was diagnosed with MS in 1997. I have betaferon injections every second night. Ive been extremely fortunate with the MS.

[Goannabanda 0]

hi anna havn't done much posting lately, but have been checking in havn't seen you on the boards very much are you okay?

Hiya Jenny - thanks for asking after me - I am doing great thanks, although have been very busy over summer with holidays, work and starting DS in prep. I've had very limited computer time. I've been reading posts as much as I can though. How are you going? Would love to catch up with you again soon.

[Goannabanda 0]

OMG Karenb.... that makes 3 of us with MS. Myself and susannah have it too. My neurologist thinks this is a great decision. I was diagnosed with MS in 1997. I have betaferon injections every second night. Ive been extremely fortunate with the MS.

Geez, who wudda thunk it - 3 banded Aussies in our midst with MS. You guys should start a banded with MS thread (as well as hanging out in our local threads of course! LOL!). There's sure to be other bandsters with MS around, and the insights and advice that you could share with each other about your unique needs and issues would no doubt be a great reference and help to all of you.

I'll be keeping this very special and brave set of bandits in my thoughts and prayers.

[ozjudes 0]

:rockon: Hi everyone! and thanks Susannah for telling me about this Aussie thread so that I came looking for it!

I'm Jude from Melbourne and I have been a bandee for 8 days now.

Feeling positive despite liquid lunches and brekkies and dinners ( and not the alcoholic kind either!) Amazing how creative you can get with those liquids eh - there's lot of choice around. Even so, I was excited to start on some 'mushies' today - something with a leetle bit of texture is nice!

Been reading through lots of your messages - so encouraging - how do I put one of those cute little ruler thingies at the bottom of my page to show my progress?....they are great!

Cheers, Jude

[kebsa 1]

Hi Jude

I did mine at the tickerfactory ( www.TickerFactory.com) then cut an pasted it into my signature- I think there is a thread about how do do tickers but I can't remember where it was!

Hi Bronie

As for the MS cluster, I met Susannah yesterday (on the boards) and now its nice to meet Bronie as as well (I do the betaferon every second day too- my abdomen looks like a pink and red dalmation most of the time because of it!! I was diagnosed 2004, but they think I have it for at least a decade- it was great to eventually find out what had been causing problems> its always easier to deal with a problem when you know t understand it well.

[bronnie70 0]

morning all.... im off the see physician at 10am and dietician at 3pm. Will fill you all in this evening. Have a good day