Melbourne Chat Thread!!!!

[Goannabanda 0]

Hi everyone - just checking with you all after another couple of weeks away from LBT.

Welcome Paulie and Christie - hope you enjoy hanging out here with us.

Bronnie - sounds like you are doing great.

And speaking of great, I just realised how fast Meredith's weight is falling off!!! Almost 30kgs since November - you are a STAR!!! Well done!

Congratulations Jacqui on finally going for that fill AND on schieving your normal BMI!!! That's fantastic!!! That last 8kgs will be gone faster than you know. And good on you for doing so well with your blood tests. Hope that your low Iron levels and other issues are sorted out with supplements and a visit to the gyno.

Hope that Susannah's port doesn't need to be revised. What a bummer. Keep us updated.

As for your lizard friend (me), I have finally made it under 120kg!!! What a miracle! I haven't been under 120 since just after I got pregnant with my son, when I lost 6kgs due to morning sickness. Finally achieving this mini-milestone has made a BIG impact on how I feel about my banded life, and also how physically well I feel. I've dropped from size 26+ clothes to comfortable 24-26 in pants, and 22-24 skirts. My tops have gone from 24-26 to 20-22!!! Whoo hoo!! I am starting to get my face back now - I have just one chin again, and am starting to see some evidence of cheekbones lurking there somewhere!!!

I was at my cousin's wedding on Saturday, and met another Avenue bandster (Jess). she is gorgeous - long blond hair, and had on an amazing beaded gown that she said she'd loaned from another bandster. She went out for lunch with some of the Melb girls recently - any one know her? She uses the Vic bandsters site, so I guess I'll drop in there some time and try and track her down.

Anyway, time for me to go back to work. See some of you at the Mulgrave support meeting tonight (7pm), or else online soon.

Cheers,

Anna.

[Paulie 0]

Thank you Goannabanda for your welcome. Yes I am very impressed with LBT & feel very comfortable here. So happy to find some Aussies too.

[Paulie 0]

Hello, I am not too far from Sydney at Bundanoon (I'm a tree-changer). Had my op 2 weeks ago at Bowral Bariatric Centre which is a relatively new set-up.

I only joined a health fund when I started investigating Banding as an option last September. I am still in the waiting period but decided to go ahead ASAP with the op because of the health probs I have related to obesity.So I am paying for the whole shebang myself.

I have been quoted around $12,000. So far I have forked out $5,000 for the hospital stay & $3,500 for follow-up for 2 years with physio & dietician. Just got the anaesthetist bill - $1,000 & yet to get the surgeons bill but I think I can claim part of both of these from Medicare.

You can also claim medical expenses on your tax if they are above a certain amount - I think $1,500 but could be totally wrong.

[She Smiles 2]

Welcome to the thread, the site and to banded life Paulie! I wouldn't be as confident as I am with my band without the support of my fellow bandsters on this forum, and specifically on this thread! I have learned some valuable lessons, gotten great advice and even made some great friendships since I joined last year! I hope you are able to take something of value from your time here also!

[MzAngel 0]

Morning :bolt: Well I am booked in for 8th of May surgery :clap2: can not wait, I ahve to do 2 weeks of Optifast diet pre surgery, that is not going to be fun. I am booked in with Dr Michael L Talbot has anyone done there band with him?

Better go drop the kids to school, seeya Christie.

Hey Christie, welcome to the site.

I'm also from Sydney and Dr Talbot is doing my revision surgery on the 2nd of April. After going through hell with my last Dr, I must say Dr Talbot was a nice refreshing change. So down to earth and easy to talk to. Seeing as I'll be going into surgery before u, I'll keep u posted on what the experience with him is like.

[susannah 2]

Hi, Well I am going to see my surgeon today and I will learn whether or not I have to have a port revision. Hopefully he will be able to put a fill in today and I will be able to avoid any further surgery. Who knows.

It has been stressing me out for the last few days.

Welcome to the new people who have come to the thread in the last few days also.

Susannah

[bronnie70 0]

Susannah.... I hope everything goes well for you today.

Paulie.... welcome !!!!

Goanna.... yep!! im doing really well and feeling great. Having a bit of trouble with the transition from puree to mashed/minced as i never feel hungry and just can only tolerate about 3 mouthfuls before feeling completely full.

Hi to everyone else!!!!!

[She Smiles 2]

Good luck Susannah!! Let us know how it goes, and if you want to talk about it, you know how to contact me

[Paulie 0]

Thank you all for the warm welcome. I feel really comfortable & already feeling much stronger as the result of your support. It has been great to find a community of Bandsters doing the same stuff I am doing & I will be logging on regularly. I go back to work today, which I am sort of dreading but I know I will be OK once I get there & settle back into the routine. And it will take my focus off my gut!:nervous And I can only eat what I take in with me, so if I make the right choices before I leave home (leave out the cheese & crackers) then I will be OK there.

[my_new_life 0]

Thankyou everyone for the warma welcome :biggrin1:

Angel, I hope everything goes well with you and Dr Talbot, when do you go back in and what is wrong with your band? It will be great to get some feedback on him hopefully it is all good.

Thanks Christie

[MzAngel 0]

Susannah, good luck with your appointment today, hopefully all goes well and u won't have to go back in for revision on ur port.

Christie, I started a thread about all my complicaitons with the band (Sydney Doctor) if u want to have a read thru it.

Also a general shout out and hello to everyone else

[susannah 2]

Hi All, Well it's no revision for now!!!!!:biggrin1: Yay! The port has somehow decided to behave itself and has gone back to it's upright position! I am stoked.:biggrin1: The surgeon said we will need to keep an eye on it, but he said I don't have to have a revision for now. He was able to put a 1.5 ml fill in it, so I now have 2.5 mls in there. I have heard that it can take up to 8 fills to get really good restriction.

I also saw my dietician today and she gave me some very interesting information re the public waiting list, because I wanted to know on behalf of some of my mates on this board.

She works out of the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, which is a major teaching and accident and emergency hospital here. She said that they are only funded to do 15 operations per year, and that they give priority to patients with co morbidities over others. A person could get bumped down the list quite easily. She has a patient that has been waiting for surgery for 7 years.

Well Loretta I am gonna go out with my balaclava on and pull a bank job to get you the money for your surgery.:bananapartyhat:

Hey Paulie, and new life welcome.

Shoshanna

[She Smiles 2]

YAAAAAAAAY! Susannah I am so happy for you!! I'm stoked for you! *does the happy dance* So do you feel a little more restriction tonight with your fill??

How big is your band again? I have 8.5 mls in a 10 ml band, and I reckon I could go another 0.2ml to be perfect (I'm VERY close), but I'm going to ride with what I have for a little while and see how I go. I'm going away to the coast with a bunch of my girlfriends over easter (some who don't know and some who do) and I don't want to be vomiting up food in front of them...!

Oh and by the way, this weekend is my 5km fun fun! eeeep! I am going to try my darndest, but I don't think I will run the whole way. We'll see!

[She Smiles 2]

Anna, congrats on your loss! Under 120 is a great milestone! I think its SO important that we set mini goals along the way and Celebrate (with new clothes of course hahaha) when we get there!

Thanks for the kudos, by the way! I'm chuffed with my loss so far!

[susannah 2]

Hey, Meredith good luck with your run ducky! It sounds like the stuff nightmares are made of to me!:biggrin1: I hate running. Jacqui would probably like it though.

I will not, will not, run here or there,

I will not, will not, run anywhere!

I do not like green eggs and ham,

I do not like them Sam I am!

:biggrin1: :biggrin1: :biggrin1:

My band is the AP ( Small) I am not actually sure of its capacity to be honest. Anna or Jess would probably know. If anybody knows can you tell me so we will all know!

I only had liquids yesterday, but will start back on solids today. I will let you know how I go.

Anna you are a champ mate! Wicked weight loss.:clap2:

Susannah