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

Thanks for the welcome!

I spoke to my DH this afternoon (he had had a few drinks so was in a very happy mood, so I thought I would take advantage of it Anyway, his reaction surprised me. He said he was surprised I hadn't thought of this much earlier (I told him I had but I wasn't as serious as I am now).

He does have lots of questions about everything- mainly why I think this will be any different to all the other times I have tried to loose weight. He definitely wants to go to an information seminar with me to hear more from the professionals.

I have showed him lots of lap band forums and blogs I have found but he isn't really into reading so would prefer someone to talk to him. I am more than fine with this.

He does have slight concerns with the costs involved as we don't know how much we will be out of pocket yet, but I said this will improve my health greatly and it will be all worth it.

So it looks like I am joining the lap band brigade:thumbup:

Oh I didn't realise it could be claimed at tax time too. Has anyone used their superannuation for payments also- I think I recall it being mentioned on another site. We always get a nice bonus at tax time thanks to Family tax benefits so this is also another option I could use.

Coo- We must have been posting at the same time. If you are referring to me thinking I would be only $5 out of pocket that is wrong. I just went back and read my original post again and realised I left the k off my $5. So really I expect to be about $5000 out of pocket.

Edited July 25, 200818 yr by Nickers

Whoohoo Nic! There is no telling how you well you will be once you are a bandit. Just tell hubby that what you save in food will help pay the op bills. Using my Tax Refund for mine. Its a wonderful investment for a healthier, happier new you!

Welcome to all new members!!

I've had lap surgery before to remove my gallbladder. Its no different to any other surgery - you get knocked out and when you come round, you have pain, the difference is its a lot safer than opening you right up. One word of warning though. I had a drainage tube inserted and when it came time to remove it, the stupid nurse tried pulling it out without opening the suction valve. Its like she was trying to suck my insides out through a straw!! MAKE SURE THEY OPEN THE VALVE!!

My partner is really supportive, but against the idea of surgery to start with. He couldn't understand why I couldn't just diet and exercise to lose the weight. He did some research and came back with some not so great statistics. But he came with me to my first surgeon's appointment and when he realised they thought I would be a candidate he started to change his mind. His main worry was something might happen while I'm under and he'd lose me. He has since come around and now fully supports me 100% but it took a bit of work and a lot of determination on my part to assure him I'm planning a long and happy life!

If your husband at first isn't so enthralled, don't take it personally. They often just see the extreme of needing surgery rather than focusing on the benefits. Give him time and he'll come round.

Michelle

Edited July 26, 200818 yr by Sunwyse

is there a special sydney chat thread, i find a lot form perth melbourne and brisbane but not many from sydney.

Not that I know of bindi, but you could just start one. Also, there are various yahoo groups. I'm in one for Australia but also Brisbane. I know there's a Sydney group you could look at joining.

Hey Nickers,

I also live in "Crimebourne" , I was banded back in Nov 2006 , then lost about 30 Kg very quickly to my goal weight , i have recently slowly put back 10 kg ,s due to very bad food choices ( chocolate, ice cream, ect ) .

Although i am down hearted at the moment i can never talk enough about the many benefit,s of the band.

Good luck , and if you want to talk, PM me and we can meet.

Hi All,

It's been a while since I posted here and all my info is out of date, can't get the bloody ticker thing to update. I am having alot of problems with reflux!! Anyone else????

I have relocated back to Pearcedale for a while, any support groups around here I am really struggling with meals so that I am nutritionally sound, the reflux dosen't help, it's easier to drink milkshakes and eat soft foods at the moment...

Made my appointments today for the psyche and dietitian! Psyche is on 15 August - can't wait, it's one step closer.

Made my appointments today for the psyche and dietitian! Psyche is on 15 August - can't wait, it's one step closer.

Why are you making an appointment for the psych, Sunwyse? I thought it was only our US friends that had to jump through that hoop for their insurance. I didn't know there were any insurance companies in Aus that were requiring that. Or are you just going for your own benefit, not because it's part of the requirement? If so, good for you, they are very useful and most of us have issues around food that could benefit from some professional advice.

If I am not wrong, she is seeing the same surgeon as I went to, and he requires for his bandsters to be seen. It's manily to see if the bandster to be will comply with the band rules. Not anything to do with the health funds. Although most funds do pay for the visit.

I had to see one...it is part of the appt process with getting the band done with Lapsurgery Australia. You basically just discuss what your expectations are and what eating habits you may have and how you will cope with the band. It was a psychologist and she was very nice.

No insurance requirements I think they just like to make sure that the people getting banded are across what is going to happen and assess their belief of your ability to cope post surgery and who might need extra support!!

Ok, after 4 months, and 2 fills, I've been suffering my first taste of "stuck" food - chicken (from 4 hours ago). i've tried walking about, and sipping hot tea. Every drop of fluid I put in comes right back up again. Although I'm very thirsty, I guess I'll go to bed and hope I can get a cup of tea down in the morning :-< Its not a lot of fun, but my own fault - guess I ate too big a bite and didn't chew enough (it wasn't even breast.

Hi everyone, I was banded on 6 Oct 2007. I've been one of the slow losers - partly due to poor food choices, partly to the fact that I've continued to drink alcohol. Feeling particularly down at the moment as haven't shifted an ounce for a long while. I was interested to read about the requirement of some doctors that you see a psych to find out whether you will stick to the rules. I guess if I'd done that then I wouldn't have been banded (if I'd told the truth).

I'm going to see my surgeon in a fortnight and I will be making an appt with the dietician. I must say it depresses me to think that I always going to be on a restricted diet - I had it in my head that I would lose weight automatically but it isn't really the case. I wonder sometimes why the band is promoted as a solution when in fact if you're a person who didn't stick to diets well in the first place it's not really going to change anything. I predict a huge turnaround in the success rates of the band in the next five years as people who have had it done start to put the weight back on - hope I'm wrong.

Sorry folks - lots going on at the moment. Just re-read my post and realised how miserable and negative it sounds. I know not everyone else is in the same position so good luck to those of you who haven't been done yet and congrats to everyone who has lost heaps of weight.

Better stay out of here until I'm in a better frame of mind!!!!

Any bandsters in Sydney want to get together?

Just to answer the question put, yep its a requirement of the Dr I'm seeing. Its partly to see if I will follow rules, but its also to make sure I'm doing the op for the right reasons and not expecting any ridiculous outcomes (like to walk out of op looking like Paris Hilton!) Don't laugh, you'd be amazed at what some people expect.

As far as I'm aware most doctor's require you to see a psychologist or a psyche and dietitian before surgery. The US banders also have to do the 6 month diet thing to qualify for their insurance companies, we don't. But seeing a dietitian is not a bad thing, after all, I need to learn to re-adjust my eating habits after.