Australian Bandsters Chat Thread

[Lita 0]

just wanting to be able to live a "normal" life eating my choice, being able to shop for trendy clothes that arent tents... or polyester.. and to be able to do gardening/dancing/housework/ or sleeping.. whatever I want..

Hi Jet

we were banded around the same time. I was banded on the 22nd April. I know exactly what you mean about just living a normal life. I have to admit that my surgery and procedure has thus far gone really well.

Also - I just would like to encourage anyone who is reading this that there those people that can eat whatever they like - I DO - just in smaller amounts. Therefore it makes you feel normal. I have not had any BPing and all the other stuff other people talk about. I haven't had reflux or felt sick. I am obviously very thankful for this - but just wanted to put it out there - since I was unable to find anyone who had experienced this. I feel 100% normal not in any way different to what I felt before .

Personally I can only attribute this to two factors. 1. I only eat 1 cup at a time. I never eat more even though I don't necessarily feel full. Because I have learnt that I do feel really really full about 15 minutes after the meal. I just remind myself that I can always have some more 14 mins later if I really want to. But to date I have not had the desire to.

secondly - I chew everything to a liquid - I eat slowly and chew until it practically dissolves in my mouth.

had my fill after 4 wks and nothing changed for me.

[Lita 0]

Sundowner - you're a champion - how well you've done. Can you too eat anything you want ? and have you had any problems or negatives associated with the band.

[kombimel 13]

I had my 3 week weigh in on Wednesday with the dietician. I have lost another 2.2kgs which makes it 7.6kgs so far. I will get my first fill in just under 3 weeks time.

Lita, I know its still early days for me but I have not PB'd either. I am eating very normal foods and just making sure I chew really well and limiting myself to a cup of food too. I had the surgery on the Wednesday and went back to work on the Monday. So far - so good :thumbup:

[jet 0]

HI, your amazing~ youve lost 28Kg in five/six weeks!! ive only lost ten and i thought that was good, how did you lose so much so quickly...

[ewhitney 0]

Hi,

I'm getting the lapband in February 2009 when my private insurance kicks in, I've been quoted around $6000 on top. where did you get your surgery done?

Who much did you loose in the first 9 months?

[She Smiles 2]

Hi Jet

we were banded around the same time. I was banded on the 22nd April. I know exactly what you mean about just living a normal life. I have to admit that my surgery and procedure has thus far gone really well.

Also - I just would like to encourage anyone who is reading this that there those people that can eat whatever they like - I DO - just in smaller amounts. Therefore it makes you feel normal. I have not had any BPing and all the other stuff other people talk about. I haven't had reflux or felt sick. I am obviously very thankful for this - but just wanted to put it out there - since I was unable to find anyone who had experienced this. I feel 100% normal not in any way different to what I felt before .

Personally I can only attribute this to two factors. 1. I only eat 1 cup at a time. I never eat more even though I don't necessarily feel full. Because I have learnt that I do feel really really full about 15 minutes after the meal. I just remind myself that I can always have some more 14 mins later if I really want to. But to date I have not had the desire to.

secondly - I chew everything to a liquid - I eat slowly and chew until it practically dissolves in my mouth.

had my fill after 4 wks and nothing changed for me.

Hi there, I just wanted to post to say congrats on your success so far.

I've been banded 18 months now. I didn't have my first PB until I was about 4 or 5 months out (and then had one maybe once every couple of months) and up until a month and a half ago I'd not had any problems with my band AT ALL. However, very randomly (hadn't had a fill for 5 months, nothing had changed, diet was normal) and in the space of a very short amount of time, I developed bad reflux, PBed twice in one day (which NEVER happens) and I knew something was up - I saw my Dr and I ended up getting totally unfilled, I had a very minor slip from the vomiting, and he wanted to be safe and give the swelling time to go down.

I tell my story only as a picture of what can happen - I considered myself a successful and careful bandster - I've lost over 50 kilos and before sustaining a knee injury recently I was seriously training to do a half marathon! I eat small portions and I eat a good variety of foods. I never in a million years expected to get any of the side effects others spoke about because 16 months of my journey had been a breeze!

I'm not trying to be a downer, I apologise if it sounds like I am - I just wish that I hadn't been so ignorant to the fact that our bodies can react very strangely at times, and without any rhyme or reason. We all just need to listen to what our bodies are saying and take care of our bands, because I'm sure none of us want to lose them. I'd be devastated to lose mine!

[Cherub 0]

Hey am new to this site

from Central Coast NSW

will be banded on the 29th July and very nervous

have a low BMI @ 35 and 94kg but want to be 65 kg

so have 30 kg to loose :eek:

so the adventure begins

looking for people in my situation or similar to chat to

love

Cherub

[Cherub 0]

Hey am new to this site

from Central Coast NSW

will be banded on the 29th July and very nervous

have a low BMI @ 35 and 94kg but want to be 65 kg

so have 30 kg to loose

so the adventure begins

looking for people in my situation or similar to chat to

love

Cherub

[crushbro 0]

Am in ezactly the same position. Banded 28 April and feeling great. Also only need to lose 30 kg. You have made the right decision. You will feel a freedom that has probably been out of reach to you for some time. Embrace the whole process. Worth every cent and every needle!

[Sundowner 0]

Hi Lita

Yes i can pretty much eat anything. It has been smooth sailing for me so far. I love my band. Best thing i have ever done. should of done it years ago.

[Lita 0]

Well good to hear that I am not alone. I think it is good for people to hear the positives too. I too LOVE my lap band. I haven't had any probs and the same thing happened to me yesterday when I went to my support group. Everyone was talking about the negatives and then when someone mentioned that we should talk about the positive aspects then everyone enjoyed the group more.

Can I just clear up that I lost 15 kilos prior to the operation. Once I got a surgery date I got motivated and started my diet. I lost 15 kilos within 2 months. then I lost 4 kilos on Optifast and since my operation 5 weeks ago I have lost 9 kilos.

I am glad everyone is doing good.

[ozzie 0]

:rolleyes2:Hi all Had my surgery on 20th May With Dr Nigel Peck at Port Macquarie Private All going well except for the gas works!!! in my tummy!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How long does this last? Does anyone have the same problem? And the positive spin is that so far have lost 10kg's so far am already feeling different in my self. Like some others I have only told a few select people and find this the best for me.

Cheers to all

Ronni

[debz62 0]

Hi Cherub,

I too am relatively new to this site. Have my date 26.06.08 with Dr Michael Cox at Napean Private. I cant wait - went to the seminar in October so it seems to have taken forever for the time to arrive but not long now - start the Optifast next week (mmmm really looking forward to that). I am looking forward to being a happier healthier more energetic person.

There is some really good information that everyone else shares - certainly is worth reading through some of the threads.

Some of the before and after photos are truly inspirational.

Deb

[jet 0]

ok what is a PB??????????

[anniedub 0]

ok what is a PB??????????

A "PB" refers to a "Productive Burp" -- who thinks of these names anyway?

This is when you've eaten something that doesn't agree with your band - either the wrong type of food, or just eaten too quickly and not chewed well enough.

You will feel a bit like you're going to vomit -- at least, you know something's not right down there.

You might "slime" - this is when your stomach produces extra mucus to try and wash down whatever's causing the problem. It's a totally normal process, but because we have a band in the way, the mucus (slime) has nowhere to go but "up".... and it will be regurgitated into your mouth, and you need to spit it out.

Sliming can happen on it's own, but it is usually accompanied by the productive burp, or PB. This is when your body just can't get whatever you've eaten through the reduced hole to your stomach, and so you will "burp" it back up again into your mouth. It's basically like vomiting, but without the heaving. You just burp, and suddenly you have a mouthful. It's pretty disgusting.

Anyway, you can avoid it very easily by following the band rules -- take very small bites, don't eat things which are very tough (many banders cannot handle steak), chew everything down to a mush before you swallow, and don't eat too fast.

There are some foods which may cause you to PB (for example, I cannot eat soft bread without a PB. Toast is ok, but soft bread is a killer). These things are totally specific to you, and may be very different to what someone else can handle. You just need to see what your band doesn't like, and avoid it in future.

You WILL know if you've had a PB. Hopefully you can avoid it though!

Sorry for the somewhat graphic descriptions, but it helps if you know exactly what you're dealing with. The first time I had a PB, i didn't know what it was and i started freaking out, thinking my body was rejecting the band!

Hope this helps,

what a marathon post!

Annie.