Wow - Okay well I'm new to this forum, not really sure what I'm doing. I am 38 yrs old, and have 7 1/2 weeks until I am banded. I have read everything I can find on Lap Band surgery, and feel prepared medically............ but mentally - I am scared!! I am scared that if I put myself and my family through all of this, and it doesn't work - what then??? I am 114kgs (sorry not good with pounds - I'm Aussie) and am not very tall at 5ft 4....... putting my BMI at 45. I have waited 10 months for my insurance period to expire, so I can get this done, I have tried every other weightloss plan/diet known to man, and I have researched every detail............... why then do I feel like screaming or crying half the time, and excited the rest...................I feel lonely, and scared! I can't see myself losing the weight, and changing my life like so many of you have....... it does not seem real.

I don't have many close friends I can talk with, and the ones I do have don't understand.................. I'm hoping for support and motivation from this forum, and I look forward to getting to know you all - Cheers Karen

I am exactly the same, I can't stand waiting....everything has to be done yesterday - hence why I had my appointments and tests done back in February, March & April....... I have done my hospital pre-admission 5 weeks before my surgery date, and seen my aneathestis (spelling???) the same day..... have been ready for this my whole life - just didn't know about it, and didn't admit to myself that the next diet, and the one after that, and the one after that - was not going to work for me............. anyway - best of luck on Thursday, you can also catch me on the Yahoo health board (we have a lap band board) I mostly post on the Bundaberg Bandits thread, and October '07 let's do this together thread...... talk soon, xxK

ha,ha.....when was the last time you visited? we have had a boom here - new complexes everywhere....... we have 4 kebab shops now!! and it takes 10 minutes to get most places.....lol

hmm, now let me think it would be about 4 years ago.

My hubby is Turkish and knows all the kebab shop owners there.

There is quite a large Turkish community there I was surprised.

I am sure it has boomed - it was a lovely place - very clean - but so isolated in comparison to Sydney - I have turned into a big city gal.

I am from New Zealand originally so population of NZ is practically same as Sydney.

I would love to come up again - long way from here though...

take care.

kind regards M:)

There seems to be a few Aussies here, so I'd like to ask a few questions about our situation:

* Medicare doesn't cover this and neither does my hospital insurance (I got the basics to get out of the extra Medicare Surcharge), so what is the APPROXIMATE cost? That's the one thing I can't find on the net - they all say make an appointment (which I've done!!) and we'll tell you then, but I want to know NOW :car: (hehe - patience is NOT my strong point).

* Many of the threads talk about a psych evaluation, saying that their insurance is dependent upon this. It seems as though this is only a requirement in the US - do we have a similar thing in Aus?

* Several people have talked about having to do a pre-op diet for anywhere from a month to 3 months. If I could stick to a diet without help for a whole 3 months, I wouldn't need the band to help! What's the story behind this - I don't have liver or heart problems, so is it still likely to be necessary?

What on earth?? I tried to edit my last post and got a box full of smilies between each letter of the post!! Is this a common error?

* Medicare doesn't cover this and neither does my hospital insurance (I got the basics to get out of the extra Medicare Surcharge), so what is the APPROXIMATE cost? That's the one thing I can't find on the net - they all say make an appointment (which I've done!!) and we'll tell you then, but I want to know NOW (hehe - patience is NOT my strong point). Okay - it will depend on your surgeon, I can only quote mine, and hope that they are close, so you don't have a shock..... all up un-insured approx $12,300.... I have medibank private hospital cover (thats why I have waited the 12 months - before my surgery) it will cost me $4250 instead.... that's a big saving, but if I could have afforded it a year ago, I would have!!! next question....

* Many of the threads talk about a psych evaluation, saying that their insurance is dependent upon this. It seems as though this is only a requirement in the US - do we have a similar thing in Aus?.... again can't quote any other surgeon etc - but I have not needed one.

* Several people have talked about having to do a pre-op diet for anywhere from a month to 3 months. If I could stick to a diet without help for a whole 3 months, I wouldn't need the band to help! What's the story behind this - I don't have liver or heart problems, so is it still likely to be necessary?..... I didn't know I had a liver problem either...until an abdomen ultrasound showed a huge inflamed liver, from years of yo-yo dieting, and being overweight....they need to lift and move the liver to access the top of your stomach, so the smaller it is, the easy the surgery will be, and the less chance of internal bruising or problems...... i had to do 4 weeks, can't stand optifast, so I have modified the Tony ferguson program to replicate the calories and nutrients of optifast......

come on, they are all easy questions......give me something tricky....lol!!! I am a lapband info sponge!!! cya K

Hey Fanny Adams, I was banded 5 days ago in Perth. While I was in hospital I met a lady who was banded the same day as me, and she was not covered for the banding. She told me she paid $12 000 for her surgery. I nearly fell over when she said that cause I only paid $1750, but I am covered by HBF.

I didn't have to do any psych evaluation and I didn't have to do a liquid diet leading up to surgery either (hence many last suppers were had in the week leading up to my banding!!).

Basically my GP referred me to my surgeon. I saw the surgeon and he said that he would band me if that is what I decided to do. I have 32kgs (70.4 pounds) to loose, so here's to a new beginning. Good luck with your journey!!!

hey rastis - you lucky bugger, how you feeling now?? all good???? Go on - have a brag...... how are you weighing in?? xxK

These are normal. I just got banded on 10-2. Go forward, you will be fine. I promise you, this is easier than most things you probably tried. I too have been there and done that.

Miriam in Hawaii

Hey Karen, I would love to say that it's all been no pain etc, but that would be a lie. Firt couple of days were pretty painful, the meds the nursing staff were giving me wasn't really dulling the pain all the time, so had to have a morphine injection, which dulled every possible feeling I had. I slept for a good 5 hours after that, which was great, but spewing cause they wouldn't give me another one after that - oh well.

But am feeling heaps better every day. Had my staples out today and the wounds are looking very clean. The doc said that if I was going to get an infection in the wounds that this would be the time, so keep them clean and dry.

I am still of pain meds (I'm a woos), but only occassionally now. Over did it with the kids a bit today, so was a bit sore, but apart from that all is great!! Take care - Rastis

Hmmm... $12000 eh? The only figure I had been able to get was a yahoo answers one that said around $6000, so that's double what I was figuring on. I guess it's a good thing that I work on the mines and am making some decent bucks right now! Oh well, if that's what it takes, that's what it takes... I am SO sick of being this size! If it works, it will be worth every penny.

I did look at your profile, and saw that, go for it baby!! think how much you will save on food in the long run, and doctors later on when everything starts to give out........... My hubby works at the mines here in QLD, how hard is it to get fly in/fly out from Brisbane jobs over there????

FIFO from Perth to mines in Qld? Or FIFO from Brisbane to mines in WA? Either way, it would be a bit of a stretch I think - most companies would want to relocate you to at least the nearest capital city. I did FIFO from Perth to Nhulunbuy NT via Darwin for 12 months before starting with Argyle, and that's about the only place I know where they take FIFO from all over the country - coz there just aren't enough people in NT to fill all the roles.

Like I said I spun out when she said $12,000. It may vary from doctor to doctor as well. I know she said that included anaethatist and everything. But how can we put a price on a longer, healthier, happier life??????

Where are you from Fanny Adams?

Fanny Adams - Just got your last thread and I see now that you are from the NT. I spent 6 months in Darwin and loved it!

No Rastis, I'm a Perth girl, born and bred! I worked in NT for 12 months on FIFO out of Perth, but now working in WA (Argyle Diamonds, up near Kununurra), also on FIFO, so home to Perth in between shifts. I loved the NT though - awesome place!!