Gizmonz

Hey there Kiwis, Well it must be time for an update with you all - I haven't been on here for ages and was wondering how we are all going. I have hit the 35kgs off now - which is about the 77lbs and feeling great. How bout the rest of you - would be great to hear how you are all going? Oh and by the way anybody that had surgery in ChCh - are you going to the evening at St Georges on Wednesday night? I am really looking forward to going and it sounds like there will be a few of us there. Keep in touch Regards Dale

Hi there Sara Well I was number one to have the op in ChCh. I had Grant Coulter as my surgeon and he has been really great. I had my op at the beginning of March this year and being the first I guess it was very new for everyone - even down to the nurses at the hospital - but I got there. I have since lost 27kg and feeling great. They now do have a psychologist on board and also a dietician who is a lovely lady. And as for Grant's office staff - they are brilliant too and really supportive. So there is plenty of support and also there is a group of us that get together regularly for a coffee catch up and that is excellent too and if need be, we jump on the phone for a chat. So all in all I wouldn't be getting too concerned. I know they have been extremely busy with them here and there are people coming to chch for the op from all over the South Island. As for the Opti Fast diet prior to op - well it is what you make of it. Certainly a huge change in your life and you start loosing weight on that and thats really encouraging but at the end of the day it is only two weeks out of a life time. You do get thru it because we are all after the same thing - the end result being the success of doing this - loosing the weight and being healthy with no risk of illnesses that come with obesity. So for two weeks you just have to suck it up and get going with it. You will only fail if you talk yourself into it. You have to really want it and then it will all fall into place. I hope I have been of some help to you. Me personally I feel this is the best thing that I have ever in my life, done for myself and my family. Please if you do want to know any more - do not hesitate to ask as there is always someone around to reply. Take care and get the ball rolling - you won't regret it in the slightest. Regards Dale Christchurch NZ

Hey there everyone I have not been on here for ages. Haven't had a lot of time to sit on here and check out how everyone is going - so time for some updates please. I thought it was time to update my Ticker Factory gauge and update it on here since I have been on the scales this morning and had another loss. Gosh how it makes you more determined when you are getting good results. It has been 8 months now since my op and now I have lost 26.7kg (58.86lbs) I am now just over half way to my goal - bring it on I say. Last week my gym instructor did my measurements and since I started at the gym 6 months ago I have lost 46cm all over, so clothes are getting too big (that would be a first) so looking forward to my holiday in Oz in December and my check out a few shops for some new clothes. I was always the one to miss out in the shopping department because nothing ever fitted my - so kids and husband got the goodies. Well it would be really great to here how everyone else is doing these days. Regards to All Dale

Getting back into the dating scene, well thats gotta be good news. Well I had my first experience of getting something stuck in my band. That hadn't happened before, but good old smart alec here thought she would eat a piece of nice white fresh bread - yum - what could be better aye???? Two mouthfuls and something was stuck. God I didn't know what to do with myself - desperate measures - off to the toilet and had to put my fingers down my throat - god never done that before and it was awful - YUCK!!!!!! Anyway I felt heaps better after that - certainly got a load off. So I would be thinking I might be making a wide bearth when it comes to bread now.....serves myself right really. Hope everyone else is going good out there. Regards Dale

Well I certainly agree that there should be some kind of funding available cause lets face it by having the op should prevent any other complications associated with being overweight. I must admit that I guess I am saving on the pies cause now I struggle to eat a whole pie.....too much and the pastry can be hard going to get down.

I was self paying. Cost around $15,000 but I did it on finance. I tried thru my Southern Cross insurance and because I hadn't been with them for more than 3 years they wouldn't look at it for me. So sorted it myself

Hey Louise, Well wont take long for the 12th July to come up. Who is your surgeon? I had Grant and he was great. I had allowed two weeks off work after my op but I found the first few days out of hospital I rested up then decided it was time to start doing things.....life was getting too boring doing nothing. I would have to say my port was the sore part of the whole thing and it did take me a few weeks to feel better in that area. In the second week off I actually ended up back at work part time and that was good. The first day I got rather tired but in the end it was ok, then back into it full time after the two weeks were up. Probably really just need the time to get your head around the changes in your life cause that I have found is the hard part. Unfortunately when you have this op it doesn't remove the monster that tells you that "you would really like to eat that and you could probably fit it in so give it a go." He is a nasty little critter. I have just had my second fill as its been just over three months for me and I have been stuck the last few weeks having lost 18kg. So hopefully this next fill will sort me out. I just had my measurements done at the gym this morning and I have lost 26cm all over, so that was what I needed to hear today. Brings the motivation out again. Well I hope it all goes well for you. Do keep in touch as we have a support group going here in Christchurch and we meet every so often for a coffee and a catch up and its so great to have others to talk about. If you would like to join us send me a private email and I will give you my contact details. All the best and keep in touch Dale

Hey there Ange, Just read your post. I agree that the Optifast was the most terrible 2 weeks of the whole process. With the Optifast I used to put frozen berries in my shake and blend them up together - either strawberries, raspberries or blueberries. That was the only fruit I used since that was all they told me to have. I did have the urge to chuck a banana in with the vanilla shake but decided I had better just do as I am told. I certainly missed the meat though - sure I would never make a vegetarian. But good luck with it, if you can do these two weeks you can do the whole process well.

Hey there, Well another ChCh bandster on our list. It is excellent that you are getting your op. Who is your surgeon? I had Grant Coulter and he was great. We have a support group going here in ChCh if you are interested in getting together at some stage. Regards Dale

Well there is a few more of us Kiwis popping up here on the board. I am not sure about exactly where everyone is but some of us here in ChCh are having a coffee get together this Monday night - the 16th April at Coffee Culture Riccarton at 7pm. If there is anyone on this message board that can make it - please come along. We have people coming that are thinking about having surgery or have had it or are on the waiting list for it. So if there is anyone on here that is from our area and wants to come please do. The more the merrier. Look forward to meeting anyone that would like to come. Regards Dale ChCh

Hey there Cate Yes the solids is going well. Feel like a normal person now. Haven't had any troubles so its all good, I just have to take it easy. I found going from the fluids to mushies I didn't gain weight but I stopped losing, which got me really worried and then by half way thru week two of mushies the losses came back. I have now lost 14.7kg, so feeling really good about it actually. It is great that they have started doing the op's here in ChCh. I was Number 1 for it here. So catching up with a few people who are in the process of just getting their operation dates. Which is really good to have them around, just sometimes I do wish there had been someone else who had their op the same day as me and we could of gone thru it together, oh well I know I am not alone with it though. I am sure you will be fine with you transition on Wednesday, just don't eat too much and keep up your Water. You should be fine - even if you can manage a wee walk each day will help too. Well all the best with it and let me know how you get on. Regards Dale

Hey there, Well I am pleased to see there are some other Kiwis on here. Great to finally have some others around. Well I must admit the Optifast diet for you guys - is Yuck. I used to make it with cold Water and add frozen berries, strawberries, blueberries and raspberries. That makes it a lot better and they go well in either the chocolate or Vanilla flavour. The first week will be the hardest, then it will get easier. for a week and then after the op - you won't feel hungry. I am now at the stage of going back on to solids. So far so good. Nothing has got stuck so far, mind you I have to chew the hell out of my food before I swallow, but nice to feel normal again. Looking forward to sucking on some chocolate for easter - not too much mind you. Well I hope you are all doing good. Lets keep up the contact. Regards to all Dale

Well I have just found this thread. I had my op on March 8th. I am at the stage that I can start my solids - yahoo!!!! Its a great thought but a little scarey. I am in NZ too like Lisa, I live in Canterbury and was the first one to have the op in ChCh. They have only just started doing it down here. Everyone used to fly to Auckland, but no longer. I am No. 1. Really happy with my op. I have now lost 13.6 kg. I started off at 136.1kg and my weight is at 122.3kg, so I am on the right track. Will be really great to hear how everyones journey goes. Regards Dale

I paid $NZ15,000. It would be covered under my insurance if I had been with them for 3 years, but I hadn't and I wasn't about to wait. I have had to pay extra for first consultation with surgeon and some of the dietian, but that was all rather minimal.