susannah

Hi All, Dionne I ate my first solids today! I was allowed to before as I have the newer band, but I was too scared to. I had some chicken, cut up and chewed until kingdom come!:biggrin1: I had some salad, hummous and tomato chilli dip. I was at my Israeli friends house and they eat pretty good food. I didn't feel full after I ate, but I stopped eating, estimating that I had eaten a cup of food, and that the upper part of the stomach can only hold that capacity after the band had been tightened. I only allow myself a cup of food maximum at each meal in line with the bands capacity, even if I am still hungry. That way I know I am not overdoing it. Other days as Meredith said I may be only able to eat half a cup. The band is a fickle master! You think you have it worked out, and then it up and changes on you. Bronnie, hope you are feeling better soon, I really do. Susannah

Hi Bronnie, For the shoulder tip pain just walk, walk, and walk around to dispel it. It will stay for a few days. As for the stockings the hospital told me I had to wear them for two weeks, but four days in they were cutting into my legs, leaving a huge welt and hurting me. I rang the Bariatric centre's nurse and she told me if they were cutting in to me that was defeating the purpose of them, and to take them off. I had no history of DVT, so It was fine to stop wearing them. Check with your surgeon's office. For pain relief I had soluable panadeine rapid. The first few days are painful and it gets better from there. As for a fill, they don't ususally do one before 5-6 weeks, as they wait for post op swelling etc to go down, and they have to examine/assess you first. Glad your banded! Susannah

Hey Meredith, Great news that Medicare could cover some part of the procedure for you. I thought that given it was plastic surgery you may have to cover it yourself. Cool! I am not sure how I would feel about getting it done, given the fact that I am a big wuss. :biggrin1: Susannah

Hi, Actually Australia and Europe have been banding patients since the early 90's. I am not sure about Mexico. The head of my clinical surgical practice performed his first surgery in Australia in 1994, and helped to design one of the first bands in 1991. Susannah

Hi, You both look absolutely terrific. Well done. You are setting a wonderful example to your kids that good health is important. Susannah

Hi Angel, Good luck with your appointment with your new band doc. So you are only 26 weeks along? Try to keep that little one in there for as long as you can. I am not an expert of course, they will most certainly advise you on the best course of action. Sending good vibes your way. I love babies, I don't have any yet, but I work in child care. Susannah

Hi meredith, I obviously have not had any kind of plastic surgery done, but I am all for it, if it will give you confidence and boost your self esteem. I think Jess on this site (Parvathi) has had some surgery done. She would be able to give you some answers if you pm her. From what I have heard, this kind of surgery could set you back in the ball park of about 8 to 10k. It could be less, not sure exactly. It is definately worth it. I don't mean to ask a personal kind of a question, but are you planning a pregnancy any time soon? It may be relevant in terms of holding off until afterwards. Pregnancy can really stretch your skin also. I saw my sisters tummy and she had lots! Anyway whatever you decide I wish you lots of luck with it of course. Susannah

Hey Bronnie, You are brave! There was no way I felt up to posting one day after I was banded! Susannah

Hi Meredith, Hooray for Tupperware!:biggrin1: I know that it is daggy but I actually like their stuff, and was looking at a catologue only yesterday. I think I will get some frozen vegies. I didn't want to tell anyone here as I thought they may think I am a bad and lazy bandster. I work hard and when I get home I want to prepare food that doesn't take forever because I am tired. Susannah

Hi, Meredith I may get brave and have a handroll tomorrow. I was supposed to have started solids already, but have been scared to. Now that my port may need revising because of it coming away from its stitches, I am worried about the stiching around the actual band too. My surgeon gave me no indication that this would be the case, but I am a natural born worrier! Susannah

Hi Everybody, What is the best way to cook and use up vegies? I imagine because we can only eat such small amounts of vegies at any one time, fresh vegies in the fridge would go off pretty quickly before you can use it all. Do you steam them up and then freeze them in small portions? Remember that supermarket vegies are already days old before we buy them often. What does everybody think about frozen vegies that you buy at the supermarket? I know that the f word (Frozen) is going to be horrific to some people like jacqui etc!:biggrin1: Susannah

Hi Angel, Most patients are in overnight and can go home on the next post operative day. I am not most patients, and I was in for two nights. Bronnie may come home today. It really depends on how she is coping. I hope that I don't have to have the port revision surgery. Even though it is not the entire operation it is still painful because they are opening the port insision up again, and re placing the port, and re stitching it. How's your pregnancy going Angel? Susannah

Hey, It must be interesting for Bronnie being a nurse who is now a patient. She would know all about all the poking and prodding that the nurses are doing to her each time they come in. Susannah

Hi Meredith, I love sushi. I have not had any yet though because I am too scared to. Have your grocery bills fallen dramatically? I have found that I am spending hardly any money on food anymore. I also obviously don't get snacky or take away food anymore, so I am saving a lot. Have you noticed this also? Another thing, how do you go with buying new clothes due to weight loss? Do you buy a new set of clothes for each size you drop, or do you wait until the clothes are really baggy or two sizes too big, and then get a new set? I imagine it could get expensive if you have to buy a new set for each size. Susannah

Hey All, I wonder how our Bronnie is tonight. I thought about her today while I was at work. Susannah

Hi Meredith, I think we all have to remind ourselves of the rules each and every time we eat. I was being very hard on myself, but when you think about it, it takes longer than five weeks to relearn how I have been eating for my whole life! So how much can you eat now? Only a few bites? I want to have restriction, but not so much that I can't enjoy a small meal. I want to have some quality of life after all. Susannah

Hi Everyone, My surgeon said sometimes the tissue surrounding the sutures can just give way. We are not sure exactly how my port came away from the sutures to be honest. I had felt occasional twinges of pain. but had put that down to healing of the port area. So now I just have to deal with it when I go back to see my surgeon.:confused: Susannah

Gday Feb Bandsters, Well I have bad news. Yesterday I saw my surgeon for my first post op check up and fill. He was happy that I had lost 7 kgs. He then attempted to put my first fill in. After trying several times he told me that he thinks that my port has flipped!:eek: I went to hospital in the afternoon to have it looked at under fluroscopy. The port has come away from it's sutures and is moving around freely. When they looked at it, it was at an extreme angel, and they told me it may easily flip.:confused: They were somehow able to turn me on my side and put a fill of 1ml in it. I have to go back to my surgeon in three weeks time. He mentioned that I may have to have revision surgery to re implant and suture the port. I can't believe it. I was only banded last month. I don't want any more pain. I knew that you can have complications with this surgery, I just was not expecting any five weeks out.:eek: I read all your posts daily and am proud of you all. Well done. Susannah

Actually Anna, my surgeon informed me this week that I have the AP small band. I assumed because I am big I had the large one! LOL!:biggrin1: I may have to have revision surgery already due to my port coming away from its stiches, and it is resting on an extreme angel, meaning it could flip at any time. It is moving around and not anchored down as it should be. We don't know why this has happened.:confused: :eek: Oh man I was only banded last month. Susannah

Good luck Bronnie.:clap2: Susannah

Hi Meredith, I am sure we will catch up at some stage. One of my brothers lives in Wagga Wagga NSW, so I could even hitch a ride with him over to Canberra, which is not too far from there, to meet you when I am next visiting him. Or when you are next in Melbourne we could arrange something, If I know in advance I will make sure not to have anything else on. Goanna, great stuff with the weight loss mate. I am finding that I can only have the tiniest bit of any kind of fluid now. If I have more than that my stomach hurts. Anybody else find this? I have to have something to drink, and then wait more than an hour until I can eat brekky etc. Wow, this sure takes getting used to. Susannah

Hi Meredith, I am free this weekend, but the weekend of the 17th I will be up in Castlemaine at my sister's house. There is a big birthday party for a friend of ours. I am really disappointed because I was hoping to meet you when you came here. Can you make it this weekend? Susannah

Hey Dionne, forgot to say that any revisions are fully covered through my health insurance. The surgeon will not charge me again. As for the ticker, my brother put it on for me. I wouldn't have a clue of how to do it myself. Even with instructions. Susannah

Bronnie, I forgot you have to fast from midnight. Have a coffee on Thursday afternoon. Susannah

Hi Everyone, Thanks for your thoughts and good wishes. I am feeling a bit down about it, but will try not to worry until I have to go back to the surgeon. I was aware that this surgery can have possible complications, I just was not expecting it so soon. Anyway, how is everybody else? Dionne, how are you going with the mushies? There are so many things that you can mush up and enjoy. Meredith, the surgeon told me that I actually have a small AP band. He said most people are able to have this size. I have had restriction before I got a fill lately. The last three nights I have hardly eaten, and have still had a stomache ache. How are you going with it all? How's your hubster to be?:biggrin1: Bronnie, have a Starbucks before you have your surgery. I love that place. I have found on the American Starbucks site at www.starbucks.com It gives you a caloric count for all of their coffees and beverages. Karen thanks so much for the tips on the resistance bands. I will definately check out using some bands. Susannah