Is there anyone out there that is from New Zealand. I have just joined this website - thanks to another friend who told me about it. I was just wondering if there were any other kiwi's out there. I have just had my banding op on the 8th March 07, so it all rather new for me. Just gone on to the mushy food stage and excited about that. Some normal food that I don't have to drink - YAHOO!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't think any of you should obsess about weight loss.......it will happen no matter what...............it is the least of your worries, hehehe!!!!

Hi amourette

I thought I'd make a wee trip out of it. Celebrate all the way up there with mad car singing etc. Good to know you were up and about soon after your surgery. I'll take heart from that and hope mine is the same!

Anyone out there banded by Robert Cable?

Just do be careful, becos even if you are able to drive, if you had an accident they may look at stuff like that............you will hurt for a few weeks, nothing big though, just like muscle ache!!!

I heard Rob Cable is one of the biggy guys in NZ for this so I wouldn't be worried at all..........

hi All

Well I am 5 days into my pre-op diet and it seems to be going very well, My husband (love him) has been reading all my info and to stop me obsessing over the scales he has taken them off me so I can celebrate the big losses. (I never realised how obsessed I had become over the scales)

I do have a question with the Optifast pre-Op diet are we ok to have fruit? the optifast info has this but all my information does not?

I hope all are well.

Excited June 29th Bandster

HIya good luck with the Optifast, this was the hardest part of the whole journey for me, especially no alcohol as I love a chardonnay I stuck firmly to it as I was too scared not too, but I am sure if you had a little fruit it would be ok, how about 1/2 banana with the shake blended together.............out of interest, I lost 6 kgs in 2 weeks on this, but it was damn hard, hehehe, call in here for support if u need it........where again are you having your op?

XX Amourette

Hi there, have joined up today, i'm having my op 12 july and very excited about it as i didn't think i would ever have the op done as with having 3 kids under 4yrs old wasn't practical travelling to Auckland, so i'm so pleased they have it here in CHCH. After the op how quickly do you bounce back? as i'm not too sure with having to look after my kids afterwards.

Hey there Ange,

Just read your post. I agree that the Optifast was the most terrible 2 weeks of the whole process. With the Optifast I used to put frozen berries in my shake and blend them up together - either strawberries, raspberries or blueberries. That was the only fruit I used since that was all they told me to have. I did have the urge to chuck a banana in with the vanilla shake but decided I had better just do as I am told. I certainly missed the meat though - sure I would never make a vegetarian. But good luck with it, if you can do these two weeks you can do the whole process well.

Hey Louise,

Well wont take long for the 12th July to come up. Who is your surgeon? I had Grant and he was great. I had allowed two weeks off work after my op but I found the first few days out of hospital I rested up then decided it was time to start doing things.....life was getting too boring doing nothing. I would have to say my port was the sore part of the whole thing and it did take me a few weeks to feel better in that area. In the second week off I actually ended up back at work part time and that was good. The first day I got rather tired but in the end it was ok, then back into it full time after the two weeks were up. Probably really just need the time to get your head around the changes in your life cause that I have found is the hard part. Unfortunately when you have this op it doesn't remove the monster that tells you that "you would really like to eat that and you could probably fit it in so give it a go." He is a nasty little critter. I have just had my second fill as its been just over three months for me and I have been stuck the last few weeks having lost 18kg. So hopefully this next fill will sort me out. I just had my measurements done at the gym this morning and I have lost 26cm all over, so that was what I needed to hear today. Brings the motivation out again.

Well I hope it all goes well for you. Do keep in touch as we have a support group going here in Christchurch and we meet every so often for a coffee and a catch up and its so great to have others to talk about. If you would like to join us send me a private email and I will give you my contact details.

All the best and keep in touch

Dale

Hi Dale

Thanks so much for your reply, i'm having my op done by Grant Coulter also, i met with the dietician yesterday and gave info about this website and had told me about your get togethers on a Monday night and it was just by fluke that i found this kiwi thread. I would have loved to have gone to your get together but having 3 kids under 4 it's not possible and i live in Parklands. Your awesome weight loss to date give me something to aspire towards:clap2:, thanks so much. Fleur

Just remember this is a hard trip, with tears and hopelessness sometimes, so please come on here for support or ring me.....................I don't want to ruin the party, it is the best decision I ever made, but it isn't a walk in the park...........Wow good on you guys for the support group it just doesn't seem to work up here.................remember we are always here..............

Anyone going with Dr Fris soon?

Love Amourette XXXX

hi All to be perfecty honest Optifast has not been to bad. I will report later how much I have lost.

Louise183 welcome I am in Christchurch to. are you self funded like the rest of us? or are you lucky enough to be public funded?

Bye for now

Ange

Hi Ange

Defiantly self funded, got it finance, and i think yesterday they were putting the money thru to St George's. It's the best money i've ever spent or should i say be paying for the next 4yrs LOL!!!! Fleur

Hiya all, how much was self paid, I appied for Southere Cross but they didn'tdo anythin.......

I was self paying. Cost around $15,000 but I did it on finance. I tried thru my Southern Cross insurance and because I hadn't been with them for more than 3 years they wouldn't look at it for me. So sorted it myself

Me too. $15,000 soon to be spent. *sigh*! Suppose I'll save that on pies...