Australian Bandsters Chat Thread

[susannah 2]

Thanks Sam so much for that. Perfect advice I reckon. I am going to have a consult soon.I hope a man can love me even with my body flaws.

I hope tomorrow is a better day for you Sam. Susannah

[She Smiles 2]

I have to say I look at my body now after a loss of 38 kilos and wonder what its going look like when I get to goal in another 12 kilos. Its going to be horrid. And I can't afford PS with out BIG sacrifice. I would feel guilty spending more money on "fixing" my body because of obesity. I curse myself often for letting myself get to the point I did with my weight. I wish there was hope, but I just don't think there is, PS is the only option to look partially normal, and even then theres the explaining the massive scars. People tell me nearly every day how great I look, how skinny my legs look in my gym tights etc etc, but they don't have to look in the mirror and see the real train wreck that my body is underneath my clothes.

Susannah, you are not alone in this. I think we are all asking the same questions.

I am so afraid of PS. I have a very low pain threshold and I know it would take a massive toll on me physically. Is that worth it? Is it worth the risks? Will it really make me feel better about myself or will I be repulsed more by the evidence of the surgery? I don't know. But then on the other hand, I am SO incredibly jealous of people like you Chickie who have gone through with it because you look so amazing. I know I have A LOT of head work to do if I ever start thinking seriously about going ahead with PS.:cry

[Jachut 487]

The problem I have with plastic surgery is thinking I wouldnt know where to stop. My DH wants me to get a breast lift. I kind of want to - I would never have something done becuase someone else wanted me to. But I'd also like a mini Tummy Tuck. I dont need muscular reconstruction as my stomach is perfectly flat I just have a very small pocket down the middle of my abdomen that needs to come off becuase it hangs over the waistband of everything. I would feel great with that gone, seriously perfect.

Until I think about my thighs. Sigh. They are a disaster. My bum and my thighs are very very flabby, always have been. I'm pear shaped and they're not my best feature. I will never ever feel comfortable in a bathing suit, ever, no matter how thin I get. Why on EARTH would I pay for a breast lift and a tummy tuck and leave my thighs as they are? Which do I care about more? Would I want a beast lift, a tummy tuck AND extensive thigh and buttock Lipo - in fact I suspect I'd be recommended a full buttock lift? Probably not. I care about my family's finances way too much to spend such a huge amount of money on my looks, and that's the truth. Not that that's a judgement about ANYONE else's decision to spend money on themselves because its totally an individual choice, but I care about houses more than thighs. And I dont care to totally surgically reinvent myself. I'm contenting myself with the fact that I have great shoulders neck and collarbones and well tressed up, my boobs arent too shabby either, lol! All those great waist slimmers, body slimmers, etc that are around now really do make a difference under certain clothes too.

For the record though Susannah - Keith Mutimer in Brighton comes highly recommended to me from several friends who have worked with him and two on whom he has done some beatiful work (breast reductions). Initial enquiries resulted in a quote for - tummy tuck $8,000 out of pocket - breast lift $6,900 out of pocket, hip and thigh lipo - starting at $5,000.

[Chickie 15]

Thanks Sam so much for that. Perfect advice I reckon. I am going to have a consult soon.I hope a man can love me even with my body flaws.

I hope tomorrow is a better day for you Sam. Susannah

Any man who only see's your flaws, and not your beautiful heart, mind and soul is a looser. And he would not be worth knowing. We are so much more than what we look like.

I have noticed a lot lately that some of the most beautiful women I know are the ugliest people I know. It has nothing to do with their looks (they really are *stunning* women), but everything to do with the way they act.

Unless someone is beautiful on the inside, who cares what they look like externally? You don't get past the ugly human they are.

Keep that in mind. You might end up with a bit of excess skin, but it will NEVER cover up what a beautiful person you are.

And thank you. Tomorrow has to be better. No way in hell could it be worse!

I have to say I look at my body now after a loss of 38 kilos and wonder what its going look like when I get to goal in another 12 kilos. Its going to be horrid. And I can't afford PS with out BIG sacrifice. I would feel guilty spending more money on "fixing" my body because of obesity. I curse myself often for letting myself get to the point I did with my weight. I wish there was hope, but I just don't think there is, PS is the only option to look partially normal, and even then theres the explaining the massive scars. People tell me nearly every day how great I look, how skinny my legs look in my gym tights etc etc, but they don't have to look in the mirror and see the real train wreck that my body is underneath my clothes.

I know where you are coming from. It wasn't a huge effort to get the money together for my PS, but at the same time I thought of all the things I could have been buying or doing with it. It was tough to get over that guilt, but I did. It takes time to realise that we are as worthwhile as the next person. And ask yourself honestly. If your partner needed reconstructive surgery (we call it PS, but it really is reconstructive) would you have any issue with finding the money? Would you move heaven and earth to get it?

Why would your husband not want the same for you? I am pretty sure he would.

I did feel guilt over what I put my family through. 2 major surgeries in 19 months is a pretty big deal for any family. I had no idea *just* how worried my husband was about my health when I was first banded till I got to goal weight (and I confessed that I was worried that I might die on the table, and he 'fessed up that he thought the same thing), and I knew he was concerned about me having another op when I had the TT, but I had no clue that he was so worried that he might loose me. I feel far more guilt about that than what it cost financially.

I am so afraid of PS. I have a very low pain threshold and I know it would take a massive toll on me physically. Is that worth it? Is it worth the risks? Will it really make me feel better about myself or will I be repulsed more by the evidence of the surgery? I don't know. But then on the other hand, I am SO incredibly jealous of people like you Chickie who have gone through with it because you look so amazing. I know I have A LOT of head work to do if I ever start thinking seriously about going ahead with PS.:cry

To my mind, yes it is worth the risk. Summer was so much more bare able without that huge pannus hanging down, rubbing, sweating, causing that nasty abrasion I always got.

I can't say that the TT has done NOTHING for my self esteem. I love having a super flat stomach. But a lot of the new self esteem has come from growing up. Maturing. I was a grown woman hiding in her size 28's. I could hide from everything in my life. And if anything went wrong, I could say it was because of my weight. Take away that excuse, and I have to face myself, and I started growing up. It has been a slow process, and I find myself a little more every day.

I am not repulsed by the scar. In fact I hardly think about the scar, or the surgery any more. It's only when I come to LBT that I really have to think about how I feel about the TT. I don't think about it so much, I just live.

Sorry guys, I am no ray of sunshine and light tonight. Take what I am saying with a grain of salt.

[She Smiles 2]

I guess part of my guilt is that my hubby would be a good candidate for PS himself. He lost over 50 kilos a few years ago and has that tell tale spare tyre of skin and "man boobs". It bothers him, but not to the point of ever seriously considering surgery. So I feel bad that I do think about surgically "fixing" mine. I love him just the way he is and I know he thinks I've never looked hotter, but still I'd like to look better - I KNOW it would help my self esteem, and well I don't see that as a bad thing. I'm really only thinking about a TT, and maybe a breast lift, maybe. The rest, I can live with.

And Susannah, the man that ends up with your partnership and love is a very lucky one indeed, you're a wonderful, generous and beautiful soul xox

[Jachut 487]

If I could decide that I needed just ONE of those procedures I'd go for it, lol, I would spend $8,000 on myself. But I cant prioritise one over the other and I dont have an obvious just lost 40kg look either. So I'd want all three, and $20,000 is another kettle of fish entirely.

But I dont think its a thing to feel "guilty" about. Its just for us, we need a new house, we're about to start paying private school fees, and its not just an issue of DH and I, there's the kids - family holidays are more important just now than whether or not I have a bit of a fat bum. But who's to say - you will enjoy the benefits of PS many years from now if you decide to wait - there's no time limit on it. Once I'm through my teaching degree, working and we have some spare cash again for the first time since we started our family, I'll be having some serious rejuventation I think!

[joho 0]

I am booked for banding on the 26th September, but I have already had a TT. I had it done in Dec 05 as I had a huge overhang tyre. I am not disappointed with the result and am hoping that when I lose my excess 30 kg (which I know is not much compared to a lot) that my tummy will not be as bad as it could have been. I think that it will be reasonably flat and I have no regrets about getting it done. I paid $11k as I had only lived in Aus for 6 months at that point. At the moment I can sit down and still see my pubic hair, something I hadnt seen for a long time before (mind you I have to move my boobs out the way first:eek:). But I know that my boobs will be like empty sacks and I am already thinking that I might have to have a boob lift. It is so difficult to know what to do first.

I am looking forward to the op in a funny way.

Jo

[susannah 2]

Hi, Thank you so much girls for all your thoughts and sentiments. I have felt very down about the state of my body over the last few weeks. But you are all right in that I have a mind and a spirit and a soul etc. The body is just the outer shell. Having said that if I had the money I would go for getting ALL of it fixed. For now I can only have a consult to get an idea of what is needed etc.

Meredith thank you for those extra special kind words for me. You are an angel. Your husband is one lucky man.

Jacqui and Sam you are both gorgeous women and you have both bloody blitzed this banding caper handsdown.

Welcome Jo.

I feel like we are sisters in a way going through all the various stages of the banding journey together. I feel lucky that you are all there behind your computer screens ready to dispense advice and give support.

Bless you all.

Susannah

[She Smiles 2]

I had to rush to see my fill Dr today to get some (2mls) of fill taken out of my band. I was vomiting for 3 hours and couldn't even keep Water down and I had the most painful abdominal pain ever. I think it might have been a bug, but the only way I was going to stay hydrated and eat something was to get some fill taken out. I feel MUCH better now, thankfully. I have to see how I go and maybe get some put back in about a fortnight. This is the first time in my 10 months banded that I have ever felt like that, I hope I never do again!!!!

[Kelliebelly 13]

HA HA HA Jacqui. I was 17 yrs old when I had my first baby and from the moment I gave birth my belly hung half way down my thighs.

For the next 13 yrs I thought if I could just have a Tummy Tuck everything would be so much better.

When I got down to a certain weight I decided I was going to have it done. I had lived long enough with it, including pretty much my whole teenage life.

I remember thinking leading up to it that everything was going to be so perfect after it...boy was I wrong.

Dont get me wrong I appreciate so much being able to have it done but it has really shown me how badly other things are that cant be fixed without PS...my thighs for one. Befor ethe TT I hadnt sen the top of them in so long because they were covered by my belly. Well.... they are pretty much as bad as my belly and I have been told by my PS and several others that there is no way I can fix them without surgery, it is all loose skin.

So, I now want a thigh lift. Why not get a nose job while I am in there. If I am going to get that why not get my pper eye lids done too because I am sick of being told I look tired, sad or angry all the time.

Hey!!! Why not chuck some implants in while I am there, my boobs could do with looking bigger....and since I am going under why not get a little Lipo done too.

Yea, the TT started all this. If I had the cash I would do it without a thought. I love Plastic surgery.

[cammy 0]

Susannah I have tuck shop arms and a wrinkly butt. Guys really don't care... at the end of the day they want a pretty face to look at and somebody they can have an actual conversation with. You have a very pretty face from your pics and from what I can tell a genuine nice personality - you will be fine

Dating (and i'm super picky wanting the full package) i've found it doesn't bother guys at all. Now bare in mind my type is muscular, 6'3+, decent job, funny, laid back personality. You think that would be hard to find right? Wrong! There are lots of them single at 26-36 after finally getting rid of the bombshells they thought were what they wanted when they were younger but then came to there senses and realized there is more to life.

I thought it would be so hard to meet people - if you are confident and approachable guys WILL ask you out - I didn't believe it but it's true!

Eventually your dilemma will be how to break all the guys hearts you were talking to/dating when you find the "one" you want to take it further (bedroom) with... if he's a jerk when he sees you in the starkers put your clothes back on and leave - there are plenty of fish in the sea. I'm doubting though that if you get to that point he will care about a few stretch marks and some extra flab. At least thats my experience, or maybe I just found a really great guy. Heck I have stretch marks & scars galore and he hadn't said a damn word about any of them.

[spaldo28 0]

Hi All,

Band Camp ( as seen in the Age Newspaper ) has hit Victoria.

A holistic educational weekend away for any Lap Banders looking for the right advice on exercise, diet and th psychology of weight loss.

Not to mention the chance to socialise with other Lap Banders.

For a brochure email

info@activebalance.net

[JUDE 0]

Hi, I'm being banded on Saturday in Sydney and it's the first time I've read about the issues with bands being too tight and causing pain. How can I avoid this? How many refills etc should I expect in the first couple of months? Do you eat too much just because you can? My doc tells me that the band won't stop me feeling hungry - how do you feel then? I'm starting to get a bit worried. Jude

[spaldo28 0]

Hi Jude,

It is different for most people.

I have not had a problem since being banded.

The important thing to remember is the Band is a tool.

Accept that it will take time to know how to use it best.

You surgeon will probably fill you slowly untill you reach a level of restriction that allows you to eat small amounts of most foods and see's you losing weight.

You should be excited. The Band is great and if you follow the rules you will lose weight!!!

Good luck.

Andy

[Jachut 487]

I've never had a problem, never been too tight.

I do get hungry, but not inappriately so. I still have some bad habits, I do eat out of boredom, when I'm not hungry. But the band still helps with that. I'm slowly gaining control over that, I do it much less often now, but when I do, I cant eat as much as I once did.

I get hungry more often if anything, because I've only eaten a small amount. I've never regularly been hungry at mealtimes before! But a small amount satisifies. It really does help over the longer term. You arent supposed to never get hungry again. But I will point out that many people say they were starving all the time and that's why they ate so much. I never was. I ate just because, not in response to hunger.

As to being too tight, well I've never been, I think some people are WAY more sensitive to fills, tend to swell and are more sensitive to some foods. I tend to have a cast Iron gut, but I also think that the amount of exercise I do helps a lot. What people describe as their "sweet spot" where they can eat 1/2 cup, I think of as WAY WAY too tight. I've simply never needed to go that tight to lose since i burn lots of calories in exercise.

Its all down to you and how you choose to use it, but we all have a lot of doubt and fail to appreciate just how much the band helps!