I know there are several Perth bandsters out there. The Melbournites and Sydneysiders have their own thread and we should too!! So who in here is from the West?

Hey Fanny, I think it's a great idea to have a thread for us Sandgropers. Count me in.

Amy

Hey Fanny - I haven't been coming on to the site much of late and I've been wondering how you were going? So you are finally banded - CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!

Did Dr Watson end up doing your op??

I am actually seeing him tomorrow for a refill (hopefully). I've had a few problems and had to have all my fill removed. But we have finally found out what the problem is (and it has nothing to do with my band), so I am hoping he will give me a refill tomorrow.

I put on a couple of kgs over Xmas (bummer) and I want to get back into it again, so I am hoping he will give me a fill tomorrow.

Cheers - Rastis

Count me in....

I am due to be banded by Stephen Watson next week.....Counting down the days with excitement and axiety

Good luck Cherry with your banding next week - I am sure it will go really well.

Just remember to walk walk walk after you have had it done, this helps leviate the wind pain you can get after the op, and drinking peppermint tea also helps get the wind out.

Amy who did your op?

Cheers - Rastis

Hi Rastis and all the other Sandgropers

Yes, I got banded on 10 December. The op went really well and my recovery was very easy and virtually painless. Dr Watson seems to be a great surgeon. I don't know how he does in patient care however, as I have only met him ONCE! I saw him 2 weeks before the op, when we made the booking. I spoke to him on the phone once, when he called to bring the op forward a couple of days and haven't seen him since. I didn't even get to speak with him on the day of the operation! I'm due back there on 15th Jan for my first fill.

What was the problem you had, that required the fill to be removed (if you don't mind sharing)?

Hi Rastis

Dr Tony Kierath did mine.

Amy

Fanny - Initially Dr Watson thought it was gall stones, but I had three tests done for that and they all came back negative. I then had to do a berium swallow, he wanted to make sure everything was okay with the band - which it was - thank goodness.

Yesterday I had an endoscopy done and it showed that I had a 1 cm linear erosion at the base of my oesophogus right where it joins the stomach. This was causing my oesophogus to spasm, which was giving me heart attack like pain and it was lasting up to 3-4 hours. The pain was so severe that it would wake me up and on several occassions I thought my hubby was going to have to take me to hosipital.

I have just come back from seeing Dr Watson and he has put me back on some tablet that we had while in hospital, he said this should clear up the erosion problem.

But he would only put in 1cc of fluid due to all the dramas I've had, but he said he'll see me again in a month (or before if the problem doesn't go away).

I am hoping all will be well and he'll put more fluid in next time.

He usually puts 2cc for your first fill, 1cc for the second fill and then .5cc for the last fill and he says he finds this is enough restriction (although in some cases it does vary).

Cheers - Rastis

Sorry to hear about your troubles. Hope it goes well for the future!

At the moment, I am back up on site, so unable to get near a scale and find out if I'm losing anything. Oh well - everyone was telling me that the daily weigh-ins weren't helping my state of mind, so perhaps it's a good thing that I have to wait just over a week when I'm on site, because I am obsessive about it when I'm home. I think I'm doing well up here - FitDay recordings say I'm doing all the right things - but the acid test will be the scale when I get home. I'm anxious to see the doc on the 15th and get this fill...

Thanks for the advice Ratsis....Its good to know these things, I will be writingthem in my diary so I won't forget.

Glad you are back on track. Hang in there. Will keep you posted on my op.

Cheers

Fanny - I remember thinking I hadn't lost anything before my first fill, and when he weighed my I'd lost about 6.5 kgs, so I wouldn't worry about it too much.

I was like you and weighing myself everyday, but I got my husband to hide the scales from me and so far I'm not fretting too much with not weighing myself.

I thought I'd put on a couple of kgs over Xmas, but according to Dr Watson's scales I have only put on 1.4 kgs, so I am happy with that (especially since I had no restriction at all over the festive period).

Cherry - what day next week are you being banded? I look forward to hearing all about it? I remember being this close to op time and being excited and petrified at the same time. You'll do great!!!

Take care - Rastis

Hi!

I'm here too :rofl:

Hope all goes well - Dr Watson is great. I didn't see much before the op, but am very comfortable with the process now

Fantastic weight loss Coo - 11kg's since the end of October - that's awesome.

My BIG failing is getting my butt moving .

I just don't seem to be able to get it started - I have reasons to be motivated, but I guess it will come. I am soooooooooo relieved Christmas is over, and all that *stuff* has gone - calorie laden stuff!

I've had my second fill, and hope when the weather cools, and I have the next two/three weeks over I'll get some space and time to concentrate a bit more on my progress.

Good luck !

I'm hearing you Coo about the exercise bit - am finding it very hard to get motivated. My husband is an exercise freak and is training for a half iron man - I just wish I had his motivation and dedication to exercise. AAARRRGGGHHH!!!!!!

Hi Im new to this site (just found it today). I am from Geraldton (little bit from Perth) but it would be great to speak to others from close by and the same surgeon. I got an email from Dr Watson tonight saying he could do the initial consult in the same week so I dont have to travel to Perth too much. He has given me a surgery date of March 19th and I cant wait. I chose him from just researching on the net but it seems I have made the right choice as everyone seems to be going to him. The surgeon in Geraldton is a general surgeon and I didnt feel comfortable with someone that hasnt done thousands.