hello, I am Hilary from Australia. I am hoping to be banded in the near future and have my appt with the surgeon tomorrow. I have to lose about 30kg which is about 66lb I believe to get within a healthy range (but not at the old WW ideal weight). I am 49, work part time as a school counsellor and am studying this year part time also. I have a great supportive husband and three boys aged 11 19 and 21. I am looking forward to chatting to both experienced and inexperienced bandsters.

MSS - I am in Perth also and was banded on the 3rd Oct, my surgeon was Dr Stephen Watson - who was your surgeon?

I am feeling really good - 12 days post op and I head back to work tomorrow. A bit scared about going back to work, as I work in a Kindy and I have 30 4-5 yr olds running around. Hopefully everything will be okay.

I am 5.5kgs (12.1 pds) lost in 12 days, so I am pretty happy with that.

Take care - Rastis

Hi all .. my name is Lorraine and I'm from perth .. I will be banded a week tomorrow and am starting to get really nervous already, suffer from anxiety so more than likely it will get worse as each day passes

I first saw my surgeon about 6 mths ago and he wanted me to lose 19 kgs before he would give me a date, on my 4th visit (6 weeks ago) I had 9 to go so he gave me my date on the condition I let him know 2 weeks before that I was at the goal he set, so here I am 1 week to go and 2kgs to go so all is good

Hope to get to know you all and start following everyone's progress

Hi all .. my name is Lorraine and I'm from perth .. I will be banded a week tomorrow and am starting to get really nervous already, suffer from anxiety so more than likely it will get worse as each day passes

I first saw my surgeon about 6 mths ago and he wanted me to lose 19 kgs before he would give me a date, on my 4th visit (6 weeks ago) I had 9 to go so he gave me my date on the condition I let him know 2 weeks before that I was at the goal he set, so here I am 1 week to go and 2kgs to go so all is good

Hope to get to know you all and start following everyone's progress

Lorraine all the best for next Wednesday. You have done so well already. Keep in touch.

Hi Rastis and Raine and the other Perthites

Stephen Watson did my surgery also and so far it has all gone great (lap band on 10.10.07). I am going to see the dietician that he recommends tomorrow so I will be able to let you know what she is like (I am sure she will be very helpful). I have lost about 3kgs since the surgery but I imagine that this will be gained once I feel able to keep down anything more than a few teaspoons of mashed potato. I am going back to work on friday, a few days earlier than I had thought as I am feeling so well.

Hey MSS, I saw the dietician that Dr Watson recommends, and I thought she was really helpful. I was feeling a little lost about what to do food wise and she helped me heaps. She has a great book for $15 that is specifically for lap patients and I thought it was worth the buy. It had some good tips in there. I am now 13 days post op and still loosing weight (about 6kgs -13.2pds) . I tend to be hungry one day and not the next, but I am still limiting my portions and eating 6 times a day, which is what the dietician suggested. The portions are incredibly small, but I never get hungry - which is a good thing.

Lorraine - WOW what a fantastic weight loss so far, good luck with your last 2 kgs and your op next week- who is your surgeon?

Take care - Rastis

Hi Hilary, MSS and Rasits, thank you, I found having the Optifast twice a day quite easy, but I am finding it hard now that I know I am suppose to have it every meal but I'm getting there

my surgeon is Dr Werepithya from bunbury, my doctor did originally refer me to a perth surgeon but I read one day on a message board that there was no waiting list in bunbury so took the chance and rang and luckily I was the last one they were going to take from perth so it was meant to be

MSS, can you tell me where I might get a copy of this book, I dont have a dietician as yet as my first one left the local hospital, the replacement gave me an appointment and then rang me the next day saying as they dont do the op there they can not see me so now I am still waiting to find another and I am really worried about not having one .. I know I have to go on liquids after but thats all I know lol

Hey Lorraine, My dietician is Jane West and she is in Mt Pleasant, I think you will need a referral for her, if you want to be able to claim it from you health fund (if you have it).

The book cost me $15 and it is called "The Food and Nutricion guide for gastric banding - by Trudy Williams" any enquiries about the book write or phone: Publisher at Wesley Nutrition Centre, PO Box, TOOWONG, Australia 4066.

Phone: +61 7 3870 8616, fax: +61 7 3870 8678 or online orders can be done on website Trudy Williams & FoodTallk: diet, gastric band, lap band, food portion serves

I hope this helps!! My dietician also gave me another couple of sheets that I found really helpful, I will try and type them up at some stage for everyone.

Cheers - Rastis

thank you .. I'll look it up

not too happy today, I knew this problem I was having with dieticians would come back and bite me lol

just got a call from the surgeons office saying they have put my surgery back a week on the condition they get a report from a dietician .. the one I first saw, sent them a letter saying I would be reviewed after 6 weeks so now I am rushing round trying to get a referral for a new one from the dr .. I ended up getting an appointment where the first one I had, but its a different dietician but she is willing to see me next wednesday and will fax a report back to them, but its up to them if they will accept it or not given she will not be my regular one after the op, but I'm hoping I will at least have an appointment for another by then to show I will be seeing one .. if they cancel the op on the 30th I may not have the op til next year unless they have a cancellation but she said that is possible as not all patients get down to the goal weight this doctor tells them he wants them at .. its funny, cause I thought that would be my biggest problem and I found it quite easy lol

This is a meal plan that I received from my dietician a few days after banding - I hope it helps someone!!

Love Ratis

AN EXAMPLE OF A DAILY MEAL PLAN

for the first 4-6 weeks of banding

Pre-Breakfast - 100mls of Fruit (unsweetened) or vegetable juice

Breakfast - 2-3 tbls pureed scrambled eggs OR

1-2 tbls pureed porridge + skim milk OR

1/2 weetbix + 2 tbls skim milk (milk to soften)

Mid morning 100mls skim milk OR

An egg flip using skim milk

lunch 100 mls vegetable + 30 gm chicken/egg Soup pureed OR

2-3 tbls pureed meat

eg - 1 tbls pureed meat + 1-2 tbls pureed vegetables

Mid afternoon 100 mls skim milk OR

100 mls fruit juice if not consumed earlier

dinner As lunch OR

2 tbls skimmed natural yogurt + 1 tbls pureed fruit

One hour after dinner 100mls skim milk

Note: Supplemented low fat milks or low fat soy milk may be used instead of skim milk

Other fluids are to be consumed through the day and not at meal times to ensure adequate hydration (liquids intake). Eg - 50-100 mls Water, tea, coffee, low joule (diet) drinks

Remember water is important especially in hot weather and for exercise.

hi hilary

im from sydney and 23 days post op....its all very exciting and i just know you wont regret it....the days will soon fly by and then it will be all over....

im counting the days to get off the ruddy soupy diet...4 weeks on it for me....but only a few more days then its onto mush...woohoo...

look forward to getting to know you

hugs Leeanne:)

thank you .. I'll look it up

not too happy today, I knew this problem I was having with dieticians would come back and bite me lol

just got a call from the surgeons office saying they have put my surgery back a week on the condition they get a report from a dietician .. the one I first saw, sent them a letter saying I would be reviewed after 6 weeks so now I am rushing round trying to get a referral for a new one from the dr .. I ended up getting an appointment where the first one I had, but its a different dietician but she is willing to see me next wednesday and will fax a report back to them, but its up to them if they will accept it or not given she will not be my regular one after the op, but I'm hoping I will at least have an appointment for another by then to show I will be seeing one .. if they cancel the op on the 30th I may not have the op til next year unless they have a cancellation but she said that is possible as not all patients get down to the goal weight this doctor tells them he wants them at .. its funny, cause I thought that would be my biggest problem and I found it quite easy lol

That's disappointing for you. Hope you get to see a dietician soon. I wonder why you need a referral for a dietician? Try and get an appt without one (but ask if you'd need one when you make an appt.) Let us know how you go.

hi hilary

im from sydney and 23 days post op....its all very exciting and i just know you wont regret it....the days will soon fly by and then it will be all over....

im counting the days to get off the ruddy soupy diet...4 weeks on it for me....but only a few more days then its onto mush...woohoo...

look forward to getting to know you

hugs Leeanne:)

Hi Leeanne, I am really excited but still don't have a date for surgery. Should know hopefully in a month.

How are you feeling? Do you feel hungry on liquids? I am not looking forward to being on liquids.

Hi Hilary, not exactly hungry but always feel empty.

Seems many are off the fluids after 2 weeks so they are lucky:)

but i have stuck it out this long so only a few more days to go

You will be ok when you have to do it....trust me its not too bad and im sure its all going to be worthwhile

i hope you get a date soon, frustrating not knowing for you

i was able to pick my date, just had to wait the 12 mths for the private health ins, and i didnt have to go on any pre op diet or anything

hugs Leeanne