G'day fellow Aussies!

Our section of LBT has been a little quiet lately - there seems to be a few regular Aussie LBT posters, but I am sure that there's many more of us lurking around...

...so, it's now time to show yourselves.

How about a quick post onto this thread to let us know who you are, where in Australia you're from, your progress so far etc.

You are welcome to include any questions / issues / information you have for discussion, or any support that you may be needing right now too - after all, we're all here to help each other!

Okay - I'll start:

I'm Anna from Aspendale. I hang out here at LBT most weeknights, and sometimes over the weekend too if I can get time. I particularly enjoy reading the Aussie posts on LBT - the Aussie perspectives are highly relatable, common sense, and refreshing to read. I'd like to see more Aussie involvement around LBT, and in our own little corner of the forum (one of the reasons why I started this thread).

I am counting the days until my pre-op fast begins (16) and operation (30). I'm currently enjoying the last days of not concentrating on chewing every bite, but also wanting the banding to begin! Worried / working on strategies to deal with head hunger issues post-banding - this is one of my biggest concerns right now.

Looking forward to hearing from all the other Aussies around LBT. So it's cheers from me, and good-onya mates!

I got banded in Tasmania Dr Stephen Wilkinson he was pretty good...no bedside manner though! Strange fellow trots around in a boiler suit and sneakers.

hehehe!

My teeth are in pretty good condition :biggrin1: (see). I guess I am assuming based on what I have been reading over the past few months. Most people say they have trouble with bread & red meat (not mince), and that they can't drink carbonated drinks. Of course flat champers is white wine :confused: . More than happy if I can still have these things.

Hey Cam how long did it take you to lose your weight?

A little less than a year to lose the weight but I really pushed it to the limits with exercise & calorie control (i'm so not very strict on that stuff anymore though - i've been about the same size for a year already).

Aussie docs seem to do things different to american docs - since the nurse served champagne at our end of year bash last week i'm assuming they don't frown upon it here (in moderation of course, drinking during weight loss phase dramatically slows weight loss but you can drink again after your weight is gone). With the exception of things that swell up when wet (like bread) or reform when wet (like rum balls) what you can't eat is really what you can't chew well enough (or when you haven't mixed textures sufficiently to break up things that easily re-form like bread & rum balls). There are tricks to being able to eat anything which is necessary to know since it's usually the healthy stuff people have problems with (junk goes down so easy! grrrr...). Gravox gravys are pretty low calorie v's other dressings/dips/sauces when made up to the directions on the tin so it's a good lube for meat to help you chew chew chew without hurting your gums.

If you really want steak and can't chew it because it's a tough cut of meat you can marinate it for a few days, then cook it, then put it in the food processor till it's light and fluffy - doesn't sound nice but tastes divine and my whole family love it that way in sandwiches, mixed in with Pasta and on salads now. It's good because it means you can eat the low fat cuts which tend to be much much tougher than the fatty cuts.

Hi Fee - I am going to Western Private only overnight. I was orginally seeing a surgeon in Ballarat, but I had to wait & wait and finally was given a surgery date at the end of Feb (I am self funding), so I swapped to Mr Nottle and am going on the 12th!!! Merry Christmas to ME!

hi great to hear so many of us banders here. I have had my band on for 6 years now with no problems to really speak of. I have just had all my fill out to just give me a break as i had to have gall bladder out this year. Am from queensland and now just moved to tasmania for a sea change and its really good. I to have been thinking about breast reduction but i chickened out as had appointment to see dr on tuesday as i thought it would really hurt. Have thought about t.t but again im a big chicken. will keep checking in to this site as i have found it a wealth of information and it has helped me alot as im always worried that my band is going to slip or erosion as im 6 years out :clap2: but must keep going and again great to have found this

G'day Fellow Aussie's

How great to find this supportive and informative site and now to find an aussie section (doing a lil dance).

I'm from Adelaide - South Australia and had my banding done on the 19th December. I dropped 5.4 kilos while in hospital 4 days and nothing since (sad face) I hope I lose this week. I'm on liquids broths, milky drinks, drinking yoghurt, jelly for 4 weeks till 21.1.07 ooooooh bring on the vitamised food I can't wait. I'm quite satisfied (not hungry) with the liquids, but so hanging for something that tastes like food. It was only 18 days from the time I saw my surgeon for the 1st time till I had my surgery, I didn't have to do any pre op weight loss or liquid dieting, although I did for my own benefit. As soon as I knew my Op date I went onto Optifast twice a day and had my fave foods each night. great to make this connection with you all, please post me back and lets share and compare stories. Feel free to contact me CHEERS Mates :eek:

Hi... Im Bronwyn and reside in Hoppers crossing, Victoria. Im off for my first visit with Dr Nottle on 14th February 2007. I cant wait to have the lap banding.

hello gerbera and bronwyn welcome im jenny from the south east of melbourne i'm sure you will feel right at home here, it's a really great site, i wish you both luck on your journey and don't forget to pop in often and let us know how you are going

Hi all.

My name's Siobhan, I'm 22 and from Adelaide. I'm looking into banding at the moment, getting my insurance sorted and looking into getting into a prelim appointment with a surgeon to see if I'll be suitable and if so when it can be done and how much it'll be. I'm probably aiming for about March next year, to give my insurance enough time to pass the waiting period. I'm nervous, because I can't help thinking I'm taking the "easy" way out as it were, and I'm a little scared of surgery (even just a lap procedure). But I've tried Weight Watchers a few times, and I just know I can't go it alone. So here I am, trying to find as much info as I can to help me make up my mind if this is really for me.

Cheers.

G'day Fellow Aussies

bronnie70: Hi and Welcome to the forum. Good luck with your visit to Dr Nottle on the 14th Feburary. Many have sponen highly of him here at the forum. I hope it all goes well.

jenny: G'day and Thanks for the Welcome. I'm feeling much better now. Today is exactly 3 weeks post op. I'm still on liquids till the 21st January, although they do seem to be getting thicker. I've pfficially lost 1kg this week YAY. Thats a total now of 8 kilos in 3 weeks

Sierra Indigo: Welcome to the Forum By no means would I say Lap Banding is taking the "easy" way. Who said life had to be hard anyway?. Even after Lap Banding you will still need to watch what you eat & excercise. So far from my understanding Lap Banding is a tool to reduce your hunger and the amount of food you eat, it's a slower and more permanant weight loss, so long as you remain committed. As far as surgery goes, I have HUGE anxieties around Dr's, Hospitals & Surgery. I read and researched all I could about the surgery before I had it done. There are always risks associated with any surgery, but for me, with a fractured knee, severe arthritis in my back, high blood pressure, diabeties, high cholesterol and limited social life due to my weight, my life was not looking good and I couldn't get moving. So for me it was well worth it. Your still young and have a whole life ahead of you. What ever decision you make will be right for you. Good Luck

Thank you for the welcome. im finding everyone so nice and helpful. I'll probably need all the support and advise over the next few months leading up to the banding and post and its great to know you are all here.

thanks again

Bronwyn

---------------------------------------------

Location: Western Suburbs, Melbourne

Consult Dr Nottle: Mon 12th Feb 2007

Date of Banding: ??

Gerbera: Thanks for the welcome :welldone: I know banding isn't the "easy" way, and it is just a tool to help control things like hunger so you can then work on the important stuff, but I guess there's just a lot going on in my head right now, and it's hard not to take things to heart like people on other forums that I go to who are really down on surgical weight-loss procedures. These are people who have been overweight, and lost the weight simply by adjusting their eating and exercising more, and it worked for them. Sometimes I feel that I should be trying harder, that by going for the surgery that I'm giving up, and I should have more willpower than that. I've tried the diets and I've tried exercising, and lost little bits of weight here and there. But ultimately I just like to eat too much :biggrin1:

I'm pretty committed to going as far as I can with this. Certainly going through the consults and seeing if the Dr.s think this is really something that will benefit me.

Hey Everybody, I am Susannah and I am getting done on Friday Feb 2nd. I just payed for it today! $3500 It is really happening now. Susannah

Susannah: Im sure your starting to get exited as every day passes until the op. Im getting excited about my initial consult on 12th Feb so i can only imagin how you fell.

Sierra: Im sure im speaking for everyone when i say we all tried different diets over the years and yes weight was lost but weight was gained. For once.... im confident that this 'tool' is going to be for me and im going to not only be much slimmer but healthier and happy.

G'day again fellow Aussies :welldone:

bronnie70: I love this site, I wished I'd discovered it before I had surgery :cool: Here here here, I am with you all the way on your statement to Sierra Indigo regarding the ongoing struggle with WeightLoss. I now know whatever I lose, will be loss forever

Sierra Indigo: I guess alot about your situation depends on your current health status and weight and how much you want to lose. I read some research about Lap Banders versus dieters over 2 years. Lap Band patients were able to maintain their weight loss, where the dieters had regained a percentage of their loss. If I can give you 1 tip for life whenever you find yourself using the word "SHOULD" change it to "COULD"

Could gives you a lot more Freedom.

Susannah: I can feel your excitement. The 2nd of Feb is not far away, I bet your counting the days? Keep us posted

Gerbera.... yep its a great site. How have you been since being banded last month. Any problems post op etc