Hi everyone, I'm new to this! I have an appointment to get info on 6 April, then am booked for surgery 19 April, I am excited and scared! I have really enjoyed reading up on everything that has been posted, you don't know how much this has helped and how much information it has provided me with, so thanks.

Tina

Your welcome! I couldn't make this journey without this site, this much I know for sure! Several Aussies on the board, they will pop up here soon. Glad to have you! How much weight are you wanting to lose?

A "Big" welcome from Texas!

Thanks for the welcome, I am hoping to lose about 50kgs, I have no idea what that is in lbs, sorry!

You guys are all doing so fantastically well, so there is hope for me!

50kg is about 110lbs...wohoo! good luck! Also, there are several of us getting banded in April...find the April 2005 Bandsters thread and post your surgery date there, that way we can keep up with one another...our own little sub-support group!

Thanks for that, I will do that! You must be feeling as nervous and excited as me then?

Welcome aboard Brissiebabe, glad this site has helped you so much. It is a great site and loaded with lots of info. And we aren't too shy to answer questions either.

Yeah I've noticed with some of the questions others have asked, and it's great to hear how everybody reacts in different circumstances, and how everyone feels about different subjects. I still have to see the specialist here about the surgery, but I really want this and the only thing so far that I have read and scares me a little is about all the gas.... Everything I reckon I could deal with! Right now though i would give anything to be thin again and a little bit of wind sure as hell ain't going to deter me!

Your surgery date is just a month away! Welcome to LBT. Not to be dense, but does your screen name mean you're from Brisbane? I was in Oz for a couple of months years ago.

Welcome, Brissie, congratulations on your upcoming banding! You're in for a wonderful life change. Not all bandsters have problems w/gas and/or belching. I have no more problems than I did preband. We look forward to getting to know you better on LBT.

Hello again, yeah Zoe I am from Brisbane, whereabouts were you situated when you were here?

Only one month to go.... Holy! I still can't believe I am doing this, I read up on it solidly for about a week and a half and by the 2 week mark I had booked in, contacted my health fund to cover the costs, and told my friends and family, big move, but by the sounds of it from all of you the right move, thanks again!

I bopped around a lot -- Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, wandering aimlessly around S.A. for a while (especially the wineries -- those were the days!), Alice Springs & Ayers Rock, Cairns for a week or two. Snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef was one of the best experiences of my life. I went through Brisbane at one point but was headed back to the US so I didn't have time to do more than squint at the sun. Australia is an amazing country and I hereby encourage all my fellow Yanks to go there! Brissie, the other Aussies should be crawling out any day now; there are quite a few on the board and they all seem to be doing well with their bands. Congrats on your decision -- now just see if you can stand waiting another four weeks! That's one of the hardest parts of this.

Hi Tina,

I'm in Perth and had my surgery on 11th Feb - so far so good.

Did you say you're getting info on the 9th and surgery on 19th? I suppose it doesn't matter if you've done your research.

You must be doing it privately. I did it on Medicare so I had about 18 mths to get my head around it.

You must be getting excited.

Take care,

Rachel.

Hey Zoe you certainly got to see a fair bit of the country, a hell of a lot more than I have seen, bet you enjoyed that? I would love to come to the states some day, I been everywhere else, infact I nannyed for an American military family in Germany and learnt so much about the culture over there, maybe one day.... Yeah four weeks seems like forever, but hopefull with easter in between it will fly by!

Rachel, yeah I had only been thinking about the surgery for about a week and by that time I had spent hours researching, especially reading up in here, and by the end of the week I was booked in. I am doing it privately because I want it now, why wait I say... There's nothing I want more than to get this weight off. Congratulations on your band, so about 5 weeks for you? How are you feeling? No problems with the procedure? Wow you waited 18mths, I didn't realise going through medicare was an option? Bet it was worth every bit of the wait?

Tina,I didn't know that it was available on Medicare either - until my Dr. suggested it. I am, actually I mean I was,156kgs - I'm now 148. I was surprised how quickly the surgery came around because it's filled in with multiple meetings and appointments. Where are you having the surgery?

I have had absolutely no problems with it. Apart from obvious things related to the nature of the band eg: discomfort with some food and chucking it up - which is quick and easy.

As long as you are positive about it you'll love it.

I had the first fill last week and it obviously needs to be tighter - I go back in two months. Do you get the follow-up fills included or is that a separate thing?

Best wishes,

Rachel.