blytheswideshut

teeny - "DeGas" tablets work really, really well. You can buy them at the supermarket (where the bandaids, panadol and Vitamins are.) or the chemist whichever is easier. I used them after my appendix op, and now after being banded and they are really a life saver. I hate "herbal" tea, and what little I could get down - peppermint tea did nothing for me. Walking does help too.

Chickie - that is an amazing weight loss. Congrats.

Makes sense to me...

Hi Jane - I don't envy your 200km trip to get fills, that must be adding extra stress to the mix for you. Let us know how you go, I read that you're in NSW - do you mind revealing where in NSW you are? If you don't want to say on the board, you can PM me if you like. Do you know anyone where you are who has had the surgery? karyn.

Hi Jane I've had 3 fills too, and I'm now at 3mls - although my fill went in a bit more gradually - from 3 weeks post surgery. I honestly can't offer any direct suggestions - because it seems that everyone has such a different experience, and what works for me might not work for you - and I'm new at this too. But I do wonder if perhaps you should have a little bit of fill taken out - even just .5ml? I know that contemplating that idea could be difficult given your recent gain - but if you're spitting, burping, vomiting, PB'ing and all the rest then perhaps it is too tight - just for now - you can get the fill topped up when you start adjusting to it again... I find that for myself as soon as I start to feel a little poorly my eating, exercising and general mood go completely haywire! If you're starting to feel yuk, and your body is all over the place that can't be making you feel good - try to get that sorted out before you worry about how much you've lost. That's my only piece of advice. Look after yourself first, then the weightloss will come. ciao, Karyn :confused:

Hi Flamingnutter In what way do you find that you are struggling - to loose weight, to cope with the changes, are you having complications ? all of the above? Let us know, if we can't help at least we can *listen* (or read ) keep well, karyn

Yay! Susannah - under 100kg - you go girl! I had my second fill today, just another 1ml, but I can feel it! I've been on liquids today, but even so there is a noticeable change. I've also lost 2kg since my last appt which was two weeks ago. I think the exercise is beginning to pay off. Funny I don't really mind doing the exercise, and I'm going to the gym more often that I thought I would. I've been taking it slow, and tomorrow I'm going to do my first class. For all those 80s old skool types - that's aerobics...lol. I never thought I'd say this - but I actually look forward to going, and enjoy my time when I'm there. *Susannah* I can't wait to get under 100kg, omg I will have the biggest party when it happens. I'm hoping to crack it by xmas. I should be able to just sneak in if I keep going the way I have been. karyn

Hair loss can also be due to hormonal changes during weight loss. I have read on this board (and others) many people (particularly women) saying they think their protein intake is inadequate and as a result they feel their hair is thinning - could this be part of the problem? My dietitian recommends at least 2 meals a day having 75% protein. Both for health and energy, but also for weight loss. I've been adding tofu to everything to get up to 75%...I can't eat that much meat...it kills me!!!

RICE! every time.

Hey Susannah, My portions are getting better, I'm noticing more of a routine, and I'm getting better at planning ahead, so as you say - everything is falling into place. I'm getting another fill on Tuesday - I hope I get some more restriction - because I still find that I'm getting hungry fairly frequently and having to eat a fair amount to get full. Fingers crossed. I haven't been too well this week though. During the week I could feel that my body was *wanting* to get sick, but I just pushed through the week, and now on Saturday morning I've woken up with the flu. Everything is sore and aching, throat swollen and scratchy - you know the drill. I exercised quite a lot last week, even though I really wasn't feeling it...this is a big change for me...yesterday I took the kids to the park and played soccer and basketball with them for over an hour - well all collapsed in a heap after it - but I actually enjoyed it, and had enough energy to participate! ** thanks for listening **

Hey Susannah - good to hear that your weight loss is going so well! Mark - I'm in Brisbane (on the southside at Mt Gravatt) I had my first fill at 1 day shy of 3 weeks after surgery, and I'm having another one next week - which will be 2 days shy of 5 weeks post op. My dietitian intimated that the fill was a little early because I was young (! HA!) and had healed well in a short time. The first fill was tiny - I felt a little change in restriction - I don't get as hungry - but I feel that I'm still eating too much. I stick to the diet but my 1/2 cup serves are probably closer to 1 cup 3 times a day... I'm hoping my next fill will be a little more significant. Natz - don't worry your year will pass so quickly...every day is just another step toward a new life. (that sounds so corny - but it really is true). Don't worry about the post surgery pain - it really isn't that bad - more like you exercised too too too hard and your abs are all achey and tender...it goes away quickly. ciao all!

My dietitian said that those giant noisy tummy rumbles are mostly from the "sip, sip, sip" drinking we do after surgery...every little sip takes in air which gets itself down into your "big tummy" and because there's no food there the air just rumbles around. I had it too and quite a few times my husband was in the kitchen and I was in the lounge and he heard it from where he was! Dry DeGas for the gas. I too had the most horrific gas pains imaginable, but DeGas is amazing, I took two little magic minty tablets (they're tiny don't worry about swallowing them) every few hours and oh! the relief! Try them, they won't hurt you and they might just work... I swear it took about a week for all the gas to disappear from my abdomen. And it's got to come out somewhere, but husband was calling me "tuba butt" (sorry for TMI)...which made me laught...and clutch my stomach even more... I'm 3 weeks post op today, and it does get better!

I hope you guys all come up for the conference - it will be so wonderful to meet you all. I've been helping Therese and Cath a little bit - because I work from home so I've just been getting some information ready for them during business hours. Apart from that I have kept right out of all the "organising" stuff - I'm happy just to go along with the flow - and turn up to the conference! **** Yesterday's fill was only 1ml - just a little tiny starter fill to see how we go. I have noticed a slight change in my restriction - yesterday morning I had a crumpet for Breakfast and was ok, but this morning I could only eat about 2/3 before I started to think I'd had enough. What I have noticed today is that the food is "lasting" longer. I had my 2/3 crumpet at 8am - and at 12:30pm when I went out for lunch with some friends I still wasn't really that hungry. I had some smoked salmon and potato pancake for lunch - two mouthfulls of the pancake and all of the salmon (about 1/2 a Protein serve) and I am so full - even 2 hrs later. I like this restriction - I was seriously so hungry before that it was almost hurting!

I am three weeks post banding, and I have PB'd once. After seeing my dietitian she suggested bulking up my "mushies" with a bit of rice or Pasta - making sure it was well covered/mixed with sauce from a curry or caserole. As I got to the bottom of my 1/2 cup of food, there was a small mouthfull of rice that hadn't mixed in, and I innocently ate it - thinking nothing at all of it. As soon as I'd swallowed I realised I was in trouble. I stood over the sink, with that horrible "golf ball" feeling in my sternum, then my mouth started to fill with saliva, and after a few deep breaths up came the rice. A couple of "coughs" and it was all gone. My dietitian recommended 12hrs of fluids after any PB episode (of course she refers to them as *regurgitations*). I haven't PB'd since - but only because I've been a great deal more mindful about what I'm shovelling into my mouth (I'm awful at eating slowly), and I'm stopping if I even think I can feel the *golf ball* feeling. IMHO of course.

Hey Susannah The "Living Banded" conference is happening about this time next year, on the Gold Coast. It is being organised by Therese (aaronwoodlabradors) and Cath (switchsister), they are more active on the Ozband yahoo group. Although you occasionally see posts from Therese on the yahoo message board. **** I had my first fill today! I'm a day under three weeks post surgery, and boy was I ready. My surgery was on a Thursday, and by the following Monday I swear I could have eaten the leg off a chair I was so hungry. I saw my dietitian on the Wednesday post surgery and she helped me with some great tips. As of tomorrow I'm on normal foods, I have already noticed a change in restriction. My surgeon said to go back to him in 3 more weeks for another fill - earlier if I start to get HUNGRY!!! again. I don't know if it's early days *luck* or not, but I can eat bread with no problems. I had a bit of a stick with some rice that didn't have any sauce on it, but apart from that bread has gone down fine. My dietitian said this may change when my band is filled more. I'm happy that things have actually been going ok for me. My usual experience is that if something can go wrong it will, and usually the worst possible case scenario. *** I was surprised at where the injection went for the fill. It's right off to the side of where I thought the port was, and probably 5cm away from the incision. My surgeon said he had to manipulate the port a little because I still had a little bit of Fluid surrounding it. *** thanks all - just wanted to *unload* some info!

Last night I got so hungry for something that tasted rich and exotic. (lol) I'm day 5 on liquids and really wanted to eat something...(well bread to be specific, but I wasn't going to go there!) I made this "soup" and boy is it good "Peanut Curry pumpkin Soup" 100ml Velish butternut pumpkin Soup milk to thin salt, pepper & curry powder to taste 1/2 - 1 tsp of smooth Peanut Butter 1/2 - 1 tsp light sour cream Place all in a bowl, then heat in microwave for as long as it takes to heat it up. Stir well, taste to adjust seasonings. Add extra milk to thin if not thin enough. Sip slowly and enjoy. OMG this is so delicious I nearly died. Craving satisfied.

Susannah - A friend of mine recently relocated to Israel, and she's loving it. I am seriously considering visiting her in the next year or so. Living overseas always seems so exotic, so sophisticated (no matter what the country is) I've longed to do it myself - but find that I just couldn't even begin to imagine where to start! anyhoo OT!! Next week is my last week of pre-band food eating. I've decided to start Dr Mccleod's (similar to Tony Ferguson) three weeks before surgery instead of two - because it's not quite as "severe" as Optifast. So I'm taking it easy next week...b u t...I want to eat a little of all the foods I'm saying goodbye to...a ritual so to speak. I'm sure many people will say this is crazy, not what the band is for etc...but there are many foods I WANT to leave behind. Of course there are some foods I want to eat just in case I can't eat them any more - steak, bread, creamy Pasta, raw carrots, apple with the skin on - that sort of stuff. I don't see it as a last supper type of thing, more of a ritual to take me forward into a new phase of my life. * sorry for the long post about...well nothing really!*

oops! 29 days.

Hi everyone, just checking in. I sort of feel like I'm going to confession, "forgive me girls, it has been 2 weeks since my last post..." lol. Susannah - well done with the kgs...it has taken me many years to learn that rule...slow and steady...I used to think that everything had to happen INSTANTLY! and if it didn't then it just wasn't worth the wait. I think that's why I finally feel ready to be banded. I have finally accepted that some things have to be worked at over a long period. It has been a hard lesson to learn. Of course I'm still not banded - 30 days to go now. Lisa - I hope your recovery continues well. Rava - it's disappointing that you were sent home without any instructions about food/liquids/mushies post-op. Did you see a nutiritionist/dietitian prior to your surgery? Everyone else...keep up the good work. (I'm not good at responding to everyone...I rarely have anything much of interest to say!!!)

Hi Margie - I'm being banded on May 24th at Greenslopes Private in Brisbane. As of today my surgery is 1 month away! I am starting to get excited now. I'll be just recovering as you go off for your surgery.

Hi Susannah - my banding date is 24th May - it's all looking good. I'm taking three weeks off work but since I work from home anyway no one will really notice if I've lost weight or not when I return to work...lol What do you do for exercise Susannah?

Hey Susannah - sounds like your weight loss is ticking along nicely... It must be difficult to manage during "eating" festivals...people's reactions to the band are funny sometimes aren't they? I haven't told many people, but my best friend's husband (who is an architect and reasonably smart!) asked "how are they going to get the fat out if they're putting it inside her?" D'oh!

Nice to meet you Lisa - glad to hear a positive story and outcome!

Welcome Lisa! These photos are such an inspiration aren't they. I'm yet to be banded, and I sometimes hang out here just to remind myself not only of the hard work to come, but of the rewards that are possible!

Hey Christie - congratulations. Is Dr Talbot in Brisbane? Would you mind sharing information...price etc...I am super curious about stuff like that.