Hi All, I wanted to start a new chat thread for bandsters all over Australia. Firstly the Melbourne chat thread now has so many replies that we are getting a lot of horrible spam, and secondly we want bandsters from all over the country to feel they can join in and chat on this thread.

Could we post on this new thread now?

Susannah

Hey Rastis!! Long time, no see! Hope you've come through the complications, whatever they were, and are feeling back on track now. Well done on what you've achieved so far - more to come I'm sure!

Hi Everyone,

Im new to this site and am very thrilled to read everyones stories.

I was banded on the 13th may 08 only 4 days ago.

Im ok except for really bad pain in my shoulder, it is hard to get a decent breath. Im also trying :thumbup: not to smoke only had 3 today.. Any suggestions on shoulder pain?

Thanks

Apparently what you are feeling in your shoulder is referred pain from wind. When they do the op, the Dr's generally pump your abdomin full of air, it makes it easier for them to access the stomach. The wind gets trapped and needs to get out.

The best advice I was given was to walk, walk and then walk some more, and this generally gets the wind moving in the right direction. I also drank peppermint tea for the wind pain and that seemed to help.

I hope this info helps. Rastis x

Hey Rastis!! Long time, no see! Hope you've come through the complications, whatever they were, and are feeling back on track now. Well done on what you've achieved so far - more to come I'm sure!

wow Fanny your weight loss is so fantastic! You must be so proud of yourself.

Hi Wanttosmile

Hot packs are good for the shoulder pain!!! I am being banded this Tuesday 20th getting a little anxious ,also trying to give away the ciggeretts.Optifast is soooo!!!! boring.

Ronni

Hey Rastis!! Long time, no see! Hope you've come through the complications, whatever they were, and are feeling back on track now. Well done on what you've achieved so far - more to come I'm sure!

Hey Fanny - yes it's been quite a while since I've posted anything!! I'm still having a couple of problems, but hopefully they can be soughted out.

It seems everytime I have a fill, it sends my oesophagus into spasm, and the pain that I am experiencing is similar to that of a heart attack according to the doctors. It did settle for a while, but it's now back with a vengence and occuring every night, usually anywhere between midnight and 4am.

I am taking pariet (the reflux med) twice a day to reduce any reflux that may be occuring, and during the night when I get the pain I have a spray of Nitrolingual under my tongue and that generally stops the pain within a couple of minutes (it's the same med they give for angina). The only down side to the spray though is it gives me awful headaches. But in all honesty I'd prefer the headache than the pain in my chest - it's shocking!!! But I am hoping that it will all settle down again and I can go off the medication.

Apart from that everything is great and the weight is slowly but surely coming off. You have gone great guns with your weight loss, WELL DONE!!!!! Cheers Rastis x

Aww hon, I'm sorry to hear that you're having problems - it sounds painful!! I hope they figure it out and get it sorted for you soon. You're doing pretty damn well in the loss department, yourself! Well done!

Hi Jet, don't feel lonely or cut off. there are lots of us out there just like you. I can understand if you feel lonely if you haven't told many people that you are banded. Only my immediate family (very immediate) and two tight lipped very good friends know that I've had it done and 7 months in I'm glad that is the case. It's better for me to manage my own expectations rather than try and be what everyone else thinks I should be. Banding is not an immediate, miracle cure, so if you're a slow loser like me and a couple of others who subscribe to this site, it's a lot easier if you're managing it yourself rather than getting advice (and disapproving looks/comments) from other people who think you should be losing faster.

I even get a raised eyebrow from one of my doctors but I think that's because he's used to people wanting to lose as quickly as possible and that's just not me.

Go careful on the toast & vegemite - some mornings I can't eat that even now. If you're going to have it make sure you drink a cup of tea first and eat one bite and wait for it to go down before having the next one - otherwise, pain the chest and up it comes!!!

Good luck with everything.

Jude

eveyone was definatley correct about optifast .My first day of optifast over and its certainly an acquired taste only 17 days to go

Edited May 19, 200818 yr by eagerbandi

Hi all, new to this thread. hope i can chat. was banded on the 31st october last year and have lost 42 kilos all is going really well.

Hi all I am pretty new to this thread. hope i can chat . was banded on the 31st october last year. i have lost 42 kilos and just love my band.

Welcome and WOW - congrats on the loss! That's a great achievement!

Thanks for your kind words. How are you going.

Fanny, I smiled when I saw this on your posts :

No longer Morbidly Obese!!! :wink2:

I am SOOOOOOOOOOO waiting for that. I am a bee's stinger away from being able to take that horrible word "morbidly" away forever.

You go girl, you're almost there!!

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.