one_elle26

I have had a couple of small victories this week, my BMI has dropped 4 BMI points since surgery and I ate my first piece of steak last night. One of my great fears pre op was that I wouldn't be able to eat steak, so now I know it's not a problem. Well done Bec on the Optifast, I can't even look at Opti any more, so keep up the good work. Misty, congrats on your achievements. Best Wishes Michele.

Brendani, I can't add any more sage advice than the others have already given you except to say if you want a 'Man's perspective', have a look at some old (pre Christmas 2012) and then some recent photos of Joe Hockey(April 2013)...he was sleeved over the Christmas break and he has lost 'heaps'..he leads a 'nomadic' life backwards and forwards to Canberra, and he has succeeded as you will. You can do this, just hang in there and keep talking about any concerns. I'm sure there will always be someone who can help you out. Best Wishes Michele

Congratulations Misty, seems like you all over this 'sleeve stuff '. Dean, amazing results !!!!!! I hope you're enjoying the new job. It's great to hear from you. Thanks everyone for your kind words. My first 'solid food' today was a Protein Bar and it took me two attempts to eat it and I'm still not hungry. Such a different feeling to when I was on liquids and hungry all the time. Maybe I'll have time tomorrow to try a poached egg for Breakfast, don't think I can live on Protein Bars for the rest of my life. I hope everyone is well. Michele

Kelli, he was absolutely definite about going straight to solids, he even listed all the foods he doesn't want me having, such as, Yoghurt, ice cream, shakes etc etc. I am going to transition to solids, so I plan to start with softer foods like poached eggs, steamed Salmon, Bolognese Sauce and work my way up to more solid food. And I want to keep having my Protein shake every day, because I want to be proactive about not losing my hair, and it seems that Protein may be one way to help. I have learnt so much from 'veteran sleevers' and I know that I won't be eating a steak tomorrow night for dinner. LOL. Michele

I had my Post op review today with my Surgeon, it's an hour's drive from home so we left it for two weeks. So, I am a very happy sleever, I have lost 9.2kg since surgery and my Surgeon is 'very no fuss' and I am to go straight to 'solids' as of tomorrow. So, it's all systems go from here !!!!! One very happy sleever. Michele

Mistyj, It's good to hear that you are doing well. Welcome to the Losers' Bench Take it easy and keep on sipping. Best Wishes Michele

Hi All, Misty, all the best for a safe surgery and a speedy recovery. Shelley, sorry to hear that you are unwell, I hope you feel better soon. Dean, I hope your 'first day' in your new job was as exciting as your were hoping it would be. I am now 2 weeks post op and I have lost an amazing 7.8 kg. I haven't really had any problems since I got home, although my immediate post op days weren't too much fun. But that is history now and I am hoping that when I see my Surgeon tomorrow he will let me move onto Puree or Mashed/Minced. I hope everyone is well. Best Wishes Michele

tashk, which Surgeon are you seeing in Rocky? and also, which Dietitian? I know a number of people who have been sleeved in Rocky and if Dr Russell and his team are doing your Surgery I Have it on good authority that he is wonderful. I hope you consultations go well and would love to hear how they go? All the Best Michele <3

Sydney Susan, I am so sorry, I missed you post about being four days post -op, we are almost 'sleeve twins' I am 8 days post op and doing pretty well. Welcome to the 'sleeved side' and I look forward to sharing your journey. Best of Luck with everything. Michele<3

Hi, Welcome tashk, Susan, this is a wonderful thread which has sprung back to life recently. Puppyphat, I have Depression related to Post -Traumatic Stress Disorder so I can only empathise with your situation. The only advice I will give you is to please,please reach out to someone and get some help. We love your quirky sense of humour and your wisdom about this journey. I have learned so much from you. Sending every available 'warm fuzzie' to you and asking the Angels above to watch over you and keep you safe. <3 I hope the Queenslanders enjoy your 'get together'.I want to brag a little: I lost 6.6 kg in my first week. Very Happy!!! I know it will slow down, but for now I'll like those numbers. My recovery is going well, although I find I fatigue very quickly so there's not much getting done apart from making Protein Drinks and swallowing tablets it seems. I am very fortunate that I can receive help with the housework, so that is not a stress. To all I hope that the sun shines down upon you tomorrow as a sign that we are all doing our best to get well in whatever form that takes. Love Michele <3

Kelli, I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your friend. Gone far too young. May you and all of his family and friends find the strength you need to get through this very difficult time. Sending Love and Hugs to all. Michele xoxoxoxo

Well I am finally on the 'Sleevers' Side' and home again. Apart from an exacerbation of my Chronic Pain Syndrome, which is a separate issue to my post op pain, I am doing ok. Mistysj, as far as I know, having additional procedures does not reduce the 'out of pocket' expenses for having the sleeve done. I think most Surgeons will repair a Hiatal/Hiatus hernia if they find one either pre op or during the Sleeve operation and it seems that they simply charge the Medicare Rebate amount for that procedure. Removing a Gallbladder is a very different procedure to performing a Sleeve, so most Surgeon's will not do the two procedures together unless there is clinical evidence that the Gallbladder needs to be removed. Again, it seems to be standard practice to charge the Medicare Rebate amount in addition to any other charges that have been quoted. The Surgeons are always mindful of how long a patient is anaesthetised because it does significantly increase the risks of the surgery. Bec, I hope your date will comes around very quickly for you. Best Wishes one_elle26

Hi Misty, there has been a lot of 'drama' on that page in the past few days, but that is very out of character for that group. Maybe it was a 'full moon' or there was something in the Water. Seems that Admin have sorted it out and it's gone back to it's normal supportive group. I hope you will give the forum a second chance, because there really is lots of info there. Have a safe and enjoyable trip to Boston. Dean, you can get on your 'soapbox' anytime you like about such important topics, I'll be standing next to you. I have no fear about speaking to others about my experience because someone has to 'start' those conversations. I learnt very early about 'speaking out', My Uncle had Epilepsy, which was a socially unacceptable illness back in the 60's and 70's and I made a point of talking about him and trying to dispel the fear around this disease. It is the only way to get any action from people and governments. Now, I'll get off my soapbox. Have a great day everyone., as of today, it's only 1 week until I get admitted to hospital. *now the time is flying*. Michele

Hi lilyrose, there is an Aussie thread called 'Attention ! Aussie Sleevers', which has tons of info , some Qld members. Come join us over there, we are a great bunch of people. See you there One_elle26

Puppyphat, Congratulations on the new job. Mistysj, Congratulations on getting a surgery date, so soon, you'll only be 2 weeks after me. Lissa, I take my hat off to people like you who have the strength of character to help families and children through some pretty awful situations. Dean, it's people like you who make this country a safer place for children. I had the greatest support from the local Sexual Assault Team when I finally decided to do something about my own situation. The Officers who investigated on my behalf left no stone unturned. It takes a really special kind of person to do this kind of work. Thank you. To everyone else, keep up the great work, we are all champions in our own way. Best Wishes Michele

Dean, you're smashing your weight loss!!!!! Be careful or you'll disappear. Shelley, I saw your pics on the other forum, you're definitely a 'yummy mummy' now, I Hope you're very proud of your achievement. I am now on the homeward stretch to my surgery date, I started my Pre-op prep today and survived, only 13 more days of this ...YAY (NOT) Bring on the 29th. Michele

Hi mistysj, I was going to have a Bypass originally so I did lots of research into the operation, however, there has been a change of plan and I changed my Surgeon . My current Surgeon is very experienced and doesn't recommend the Bypass for the following reasons: *There is a lot of dissection and reconstruction with the Bypass, which means that it is a 'higher risk' procedure. *In his experience, (35 years ) there is a higher chance of post op complications like ulcers and wound breakdown. *He believes that the weight loss with the Sleeve can be as successful as the Bypass. ( and I had a LapBand for 10 years ) *The sleeve is the first part of the Bypass Operation, so if the Sleeve isn't successful, then a Bypass can be considered. I was keen to have the Bypass because of my pre existing medical conditions including not being able to exercise, however, after our discussion and his confidence that I could lose at least 60 kg I changed my mind and I can now say that this time in 2 weeks I will be sitting in my hospital bed on the night before my sleeve operation. I hope this helps with your decision, although it really is a very personal decision and you have to go with whatever operation you think will be the most successful for you. Best Wishes

Welcome BeardedBurbler, glad you found this thread, there is HEAPS of great info here!!!!!!!!! Best Wishes Michele

Hi, I have sent you an email with my phone number. At the very least please find the Aussie thread in this forum, because it is 'confidential' and you can remain anonymous using "BeardedBurbler' as your ID. To find the thread go to the top of the page and put Attention ! Australian Sleevers in the 'Search box' and it should take you there. Your identity will be safe there I promise. Hopefully I will see you there or I will speak to you soon. Best Wishes Michele

My pleasure!!! I am happy to give you my phone number if your wife wants to chat to someone? I live in Mornington and am retired these days, so I do have time on my hands. With those FB forums we do have 'partners' who join and ask questions for their partners and share 'success' stories and pics on their behalf. If FB is not your or your wife's preference, then please find the 'Attention! Australian Sleevers' thread here because there are some wonderful people on that thread and they will provide accurate information and lots of valuable support as this is major surgery and having someone who understands the 'ups and downs' really helps. There are even a couple of 'blokes' there!!!! LOL Stephen Blamey can't be away for too long because he is doing my Sleeve op on the 29th April !!!!!! What date is your wife's appointment? I look forward to catching up with you soon. One_elle26 (aka Michele)

Welcome mistysj, this is a great group and I'm sure you'll get lots of great advice here. Thanks Sue for your comments, I have learnt so much from the forums and also from being an ex bandit as well as having cared for patients who had experienced Acute brain injury, that I think my 'dietary knowledge' base is pretty strong, it's going to be a case of 'try it and see' I think. The WLS Dietitians I have seen haven't really had much idea of the reality of these surgeries, in my humble opinion, and I don't think I will learn much more from any of them at this stage. I know if I get stuck there are awesome people here who will be able to help and support. Many thanks Michele

Hi everyone, I haven't popped in for a while and had to catch up on a LOT of posts, so rather than trying to remember so many individual great achievements I want to congratulate each and every one of you on your successes. You are all such an inspiration as my surgery date is finally getting close , again. LOL, it's only 21 sleeps away. I am having a few 'butterflies' at the moment, but I think once I get to next Monday and have to be 100% diligent about my pre op preparation, it will become 'real'. For the 'newbies' I had some difficulties with a surgeon who cancelled my 'first' surgery date which should have been 19th March, so I am 'counting down' for a second time. The silver lining to all of this upheaval, is that I don't think I was really ready in March and I am finding with the 'extra' preparation time that I am getting myself into the right frame of mind. And to be honest, going back to my Band Surgeon, even though he can be a bit abrupt at times, has been very reassuring and I have great confidence in his surgical skills.He doesn't have a Dietitian, per se, so I am going to 'wing it' a bit post op, and I may be in here a lot asking for help during that time. From what I have read from all of you wonderful people the post op phase seems a lot like re introducing someone to a normal diet slowly from fluids to solids for some of my former patients, so with patience and perseverance I hope to be one of the 'successes' of this group. Keep up the good work everyone, and enjoy your success. Best Wishes Michele

Hi, Did the Surgeon work at Monash Medical Centre? Mr Stephen Blamey is the Head of Gastroenterology at Monash Medical Centre, he is my Bariatric Surgeon, He has done 2 x Lapbands and a Gallbladder removal for me and I am booked into Cabrini Hospital for a 'Sleeve' on 29th April. I made the foolish mistake of seeing one of the younger 'new breed' Surgeons to have my Lapband removed and that proved to be a very costly exercise both financially and emotionally. Stephen is very direct, he doesn't use a lot of the 'bells and whistles' that the younger Surgeons use , like Psychologists, Dietitians, Physicians but he is one of the most experienced Surgeons in Melbourne. Mr Blamey's rooms are in Blackburn Rd; Mt Waverley and the phone number is: 9887 8530. If you are looking for the 'best' Surgeon in Melbourne rather than the one with the flashiest website then Mr Blamey is the surgeon your wife should see. I am a Registered Nurse, so I expect nothing less than the very best care from my Health practitioners. Also, those of us that need to have this surgery prefer to be called 'sleevers' or 'pre sleevers' or simply ask the question without reference to our anonymity, you may find that you offend people by referring to them as 'tubby teddies'. There is a thread in this forum called Attention! Australian Sleevers and they have a wealth of sleeve information. Also,there are two very good FB pages called 'Gastric Sleevers Australia' or 'Sleeve Support Group', they are both 'secret' groups so you have to be invited or approved by the Admin people of both groups...they have a wealth of knowledge about the 'sleeve' which may allay some of your anxiety about your wife's decision to have surgery. Please feel free to 'private message' me or let me know if you want to join the FB pages and I can invite you into both of them. I wish your wife every success with her decision to have this surgery and look forward to her sharing her journey if she wants to in one of the forums. Best Wishes one_elle26

Hi again, thanks for all of your lovely comments. Mini.mee = Jen?????? Novo: I did see your post, I have a good feeling about you getting your forms completed. My Sleeve is being done by Mr Stephen Blamey at Cabrini Hospital in Melbourne. Have a great Day everyone. Michele.

Hi everyone, Wow, so much news, if I miss anyone I apologise in advance. Well Done everyone on all of your LOSSES!! Dean, it's an honour to have you in our 'girls group', you are always inspirational. Lissa, as the others have said, it's your friend's issue, however, that doesn't lessen the hurt of being spoken to like that in a public space. so, sending ((( HUGS))) to you. Enjoy the holiday and the rides. Novo, did we speak on a FB page yesterday about your Super application and a new GP for you to see? If not, please PM me here and I'm happy to help with your application. Puppyphat, thanks for your 'definition of a 'bully' "the insecure ones are mean to you before you can be mean to them", this definitely describes the 'bullying' behaviour of my ex surgeon (sic) who cancelled my surgery 19 days before the due date. So, after a few weeks of incredible stress, I finally have some good news to share. I went back to my 'Band Surgeon' yesterday and told him my tale of woe and he had some very empathetic words to say about how I was treated by my ex surgeon (sic)!!!!!! Anyway, we discussed my options for surgery, and after careful consideration, I have decided to not have a Bypass and go with a 'Sleeve' instead!!!! This Surgeon has a huge amount of experience and is extremely skilled. And, it just gets better, he will honour the contract I signed when he did my first Band and he will not charge me any 'out of pocket expenses' for my Sleeve. He has also told me that the Anaesthetist and the Assistant Surgeon generally don't charge a 'gap fee' for 'Revision surgery' patients. My new date is, 29th April and even though it is 6 weeks after my original date, it feels good and I know I am in good hands for this procedure. So, I hope you all have an equally great day. Best Wishes Michele