Hi Everyone

I am from Melbourne and am starting a support group.

Sometimes you can feel alone not knowing many or any other people that have had weight loss surgery, and there are always so many questions that we have and support that we need.

Sometimes it helps just to talk to someone that can relate to you

I would love to hear from others in Melbourne, Victoria that are interested in this support group.

Hope to hear from you soon

Leanne

How do I reply to people by name? :-/ I'm new to this whole forums thingy.

Haha just type @ and then the screen name.

I have a few tips I could pass on if you like?

Oh, you did reply by name. There you go!

So you must be able to get the plication just on its own??

Do you know much about what's involved pre and post op @@wombatski and what the success rate is??

What's the recovery time and hospital stay time etc??

Do you know anyone thats had it done?

Personally I can't eat much chocolate since I have had the sleeve as more than 4 squares (small ones) makes me feel sick for some reason it's just too much for my system....not that I am complaining at all haha

I don't know anyone personally that has lost all their weight as I don't know many that are sleeved.

My nurses said to me that realistically they would expect me to have a BMI of 35 and they would be happy with that.

I was 150kg and only 5'2, and I would love to be 65kg but I don't think that is ever going to happen.

They said that 85 to 90 kilo they expect me to achieve but I am hoping to prove them wrong and at least get to the high 70's.

@@Dislexicon I think that it will be very different for you mentally once you have the sleeve to what you can imagine, at least it was for me and I had had weight loss surgery before.

I still go to eat while I am dishing up dinner or snack before I eat a meal then I can't fit my meal in, or I go ahead and dish myslef up way too much and realise I just can't eat it.

It will take time but you will get used to it because you just won't be able to eat or nor feel like eating when you are full.

You know how you feel stuffed after Christmas dinner and you would love to eat more as there is so much to chose from but you can't even try because you are too full?? Thats the feeling I get when I have eaten a good meal and then everyone else goes to get sweets or seconds and tries to make me try some.....blah no way can i do it.

I still do notice that when it's almost that time of month I get more hungry than normal and am looking for more food but that only lasts a couple of days and I just have to be strong as I know I am not really hungry, I just feel like I want to eat.

I guess you could cheat the sleeve by filling up on high calorie foods but I do find it easier to have more of a will power when I am not hungry all the time and to be honest, I could never have had this type of will power without the sleeve.

My nurses also said that you have to be careful that you don't overeat more and more and put weight back on and that 2 to 3 years after the sleeve can be a danger time as you become complaisant and eat more of the wrong foods and more of it.

I did that with the band but I was never 100% satisfied after I had eaten for some reason.

this just works better for me but everyone is different.

I also think that removing the hunger hormone has helped me a lot

@@nerms hows things going with you??

When are you due for your next fill?? Do you know what size band you have and how many mls is filled??

I have 4mls in, I'm pretty sure, a 10ml band. My surgeon thinks that 5mls will be enough.. maybe it will. Next fill is in 2 weeks, just feel embarrassed about going in and having put on weight.. but I guess they've seen it all before.. hopefully the 2 come back off by then and at least there won't be a gain.

I've just been feeling down in the last week or so, and spending time with people who are also down and then we turned to shitty food choices for a while.. and 2kgs came on, I'm surpised it wasn't more to be honest.

Struggling with money so healthy foods are harder to get. I know it sounds like an excuse but when you have 20 bucks for a week you can't really buy chicken breast and veggies. Been so stressed about everything but next week should be easier.

I lost motivation after seeing the scales go up again.. I hate that, it's not like 2kgs is a big deal. Last night me and my friend were in the common room of our building, talking about weight and all that depressing stuff, and some moron had to come in call us fat bitches. Isn't the first time either, someone that recently moved out would call me a fat bitch on a regular basis. Doesn't really help with the motivation.

Anyway, I'm feeling better after letting that out and having a shower.

Maybe a melbourne catch up is in order? End of the month or start of next month before everyone gets busy for Christmas? (Oh god christmas)

Or even the start of 2015 if it's more convenient! I'm free Monday's Wednesday's and Sunday's but I finish work at 5 all the other days and I'd be up for a dinner after work or something.

We should start organising it

@steveela yrs it's plication just on its own. I don't know the statics here bit I know the clinic is the best in Europe and has won awards etc for being a centre for excellence and that people come from all over the world to have if done here both because of the price/exchange rate and their reputation. They told me to expect 40-70% as most people average 60% bit that it was only a tool and not a miracle cure and that my success is up to me. They said if I follow their instruction then definitely at least 60% but I need to expect bad weeks. They said that most of the people who fail do so because they have a bad week of two of three and then get too embarrassed to call the clinic and asked for help then it snowballs. The aftercare seems good. I will have regular follow up appointments and gave been told to call the clinic for support anytime I feel I've gone off the rails or need nutritional advice etc. They've also given the number for an English speaking psychologists who specialises in nutrition if I want psychotherapy. I think I need it, but I have 2 yr old twins and nursery doesn't start until 3 and babysitting us very expensive for me so I'll have to see how many sessions I can afford. I have no family here and no one to help with these kinds of things so it will be tough :-/

I don't know anyone who's had if done. Right now I'm too ashamed to tell my friends I'm having it done. They are all slim and beautiful. I've told my husband of course and my mum. But my mum is in australia.

Ahhh silly autocorrect. Sorry. Typing on a tiny phone keyboard and my old eyes can barely see the screen!

@@nerms Don't worry about having put weight on.......it just means that you got a little off track but you have realised it now and are fixing it which is a positive step.....also the fact that you are hungry and gaining weight means that you need another fill so once you get that you should be feeling a lot better.

Don't beat yourself up you are going well and as for those others bagging you out.....just ignore the horrid people.....KARMA is a bitch and they are most likely miserable human beings with no life

@@wombatski I am so sorry you don't have many people to talk to in person.

I didn't tell many people that I was getting weight loss surgery and still haven't told them. Only family and a couple of friends know as I don't feel comfortable with people knowing.

Thats where forums like this come in handy. You can be in the same state or across the other side of the country and you can have people there to listen and talk to about it all. I love it because even if you have people that know they don't really understand unless they have been in the same situation so it can be very isolating.

We are here to chat to if that helps

How long is the recovery time did they tell you??

Wonder if your husband can take time off to help you for a bit with the kids after the surgery??

Hi and welcome to the new ladies nice to have more to share this journey with!

I have a review appt today hoping I get my date for surgery today I am so excited and nervous at the same time!!

Hi all

Did anyone have a gastrostomy and did anyone suffer reflux before surgery! Scared he will find something and not do it!!

Thanks @steveela.

@@Bellarose100 No I didn't have one of those.

They just said that if they find a hernia going in that they would fix it up in there....

Is that what they are looking for a hernia??

Did you get your surgery date yet??

@@Bellarose100 No I didn't have one of those.

They just said that if they find a hernia going in that they would fix it up in there....

Is that what they are looking for a hernia??

Did you get your surgery date yet??

Hi Leeanne

He did mention hernia but was talking about reflux? I do get it a lot now that I am bigger so I am worried he will find something and not do the surgery! I hope I am just being silly!

Yes yes yay finally got a date feb 9th as he is on leave from jan 10th and my PHI doesn't kick in till 13th of jan so it's and extra 3 week wait which I am ok about I just want the surgery!

@@chez did Simon make you have a gastrostomy ?