Hilary

__________________________________________________ Danna all very best :heh:f or tomorrow. Will be thinking of you and dying to hear your news once you are on the other side!! Take care and have a good rest. I will be joining you over there (the other side) on the 10th January.Love Hilary:flypig:

Yes let's keep track of how we are both doing. I will have two nights in hospital also. Arrive midday first day, op later in afternoon, that evening and following day starting liquids then third day have ultrasound I think. So far the weekend is fanrastic!!

Hi Carol, we are going to be banded the same day! Yes it has definitely all been happening for you hasn't it? I understand completely how overwhelmed you feel - I had to go to my final appt with the surgeon in the midst of writing a presentation for uni for the following day, working on my final assignment, waiting to find out if I had won my job back again for next year and trying to schedule when my new kitchen should get put in. YUCK. Anyhow apart from the surgery all the others are over and done with, got the job back, kitchen in, presentation over and assignment submitted!! Phew. Enjoy your weekend! All the best with the surgery. Do you have to do a very low calorie diet before at all? I have to go on Optifast for the two weeks before.

Hi Jessizzle, congrats on getting your date. You are getting done 2 days before me. All the best. By the way I think you might find a few more January 08 people answer you if you also post on this thread January 08 Bandsters . Hilary

Aw come on!! Thought Rants and Raves was for opinions and discussions about general topics etc. It makes very interesting reading most of the time and who knows even us newbies may have a useful comment or amusing thought to add. Why should newbies be excluded because they haven't posted enough about banding or aren't yet banded? I'm not ultra sensitive and won't go crying to mum if I don't like what someone says, but I may tell them directly if I feel its needed or throw my opinion back in for debate too.

Gemini through and through!!

Jo I was just looking through the rest of the Australian threads and there is one for Australian Bandsters with MS on page 3 or 4. Maybe the link below will work and you could resurrect the thread again.Australian MS Bandsters (1 2 3) Hilary

Jo that is not great news for you and I am sorry I do know really what to say, but I just wanted to respond and let you know that I would love to offer you support from a distance (SA). I have 3 friends with MS, and one of them, my friend in Vic was diagnosed just about 2 years ago, so I can somewhat appreciate your current journey of ups, downs, hopes, despair and probably many questions etc. I wish you all the very best.

Hi everyone. I finally got a date today and my surgery will be on the 10th January 08. I can't wait. It took so long to make my own decision and now I just wanna get it done and get on. I have to do two weeks on Optifast before the op so I hope that will get me started on the downward slope. When I went for my first appointment with the surgeon's assistant I weighed 248 lbs and had BMI of 39 and through exercising recently I have lost 4 lbs which I am happy with. I have 66lbs to lose to get to the goal weight my surgeon set but I would like to be allowed to go lower as at that weight (182 lb) I will still be overweight. I currently have a gastric reflux, and high cholesterol, fluid retention as well as irritable bowel syndrome which are all largely weight related. Look forward to sharing my journey with all you other January bandsters. Hilary:clap2::whoo:

Congratulations Danna on getting your date!! You must be getting excited now. All the best for the Optifast. Sounds like you are well organised with pre cooking for you husband. I am going back to my surgeon on 15th and like he said I haven't been dieting. Have been walking each week day and gym three times a week so that I am less likely to have put on weight when I next see him. Hilary

hello, I am Hilary from Australia. I am hoping to be banded in the near future and have my appt with the surgeon tomorrow. I have to lose about 30kg which is about 66lb I believe to get within a healthy range (but not at the old WW ideal weight). I am 49, work part time as a school counsellor and am studying this year part time also. I have a great supportive husband and three boys aged 11 19 and 21. I am looking forward to chatting to both experienced and inexperienced bandsters.

Hi Leeanne, I am really excited but still don't have a date for surgery. Should know hopefully in a month. How are you feeling? Do you feel hungry on liquids? I am not looking forward to being on liquids.

That's disappointing for you. Hope you get to see a dietician soon. I wonder why you need a referral for a dietician? Try and get an appt without one (but ask if you'd need one when you make an appt.) Let us know how you go.

Lorraine all the best for next Wednesday. You have done so well already. Keep in touch.

Awesome Danna!! You must be thrilled beneath all that nervousness.

Hi Jessica, Would love to hear how you get on at your first appt. I thought my first appt would get me an op date too seeing as I had seen all the other people they refer you to, but the dr said he wants to see me later in November to probably set a date for school holidays. In the meantime I have started really upping the exercise, and am walking weekdays, go to the gym and do weights 3x (once with trainer on Saturdays). Julie-Ann, all the best for the op. Don't forget the liquid diet is only for a specific amount of time, so at least you can count down days to the op. I will have to do Optifast for two weeks before the op. Danna, How are you going? This waiting game seems soooo long doesn't it? Hope you get a date soon.

Hi everyone, I hope to be banded in December or January, which are the summer holidays here in Australia. I cannot wait!! I have tried every diet under the sun, but like you said earlier we all know diets don't work long term (or short term for some of us). My surgeon has told me I must not diet or weigh myself before I next see him at end November for my next appt. I guess that is to try to get me out of the diet mentality. Look forward with chatting with you all and comparing notes on our banding journey. Hilary (Current weight: 248.6 lbs/113 kg BMI 39)

I am a school counsellor in a primary school. I originally taught French in high school, then primary school, and finally when I wanted a change, trained to be a counsellor.

Rastis, hi and thanks for your welcome. All the very best for Tuesday. I am dying to hear your progress and thoughts about the whole process. Hlary

Hi Ginaki, all the very best to you. Hope your date is really soon for you. It's funny isn't it that once we decide we want to have the band we want to do it NOW!! Let me know when you get your date please. Hilary

Well Striver I guess at the moment I am feeling as impatient as you. Did I tell you before that my surgeon wants me to wait awhile, not diet and not weigh myself? I think he thought I wanted to rush too much. I don't see him till some time in November. I have to change the date as I have to prepare a presentation for a uni conference ( and that is daunting enough) the day after the original date I was given. Let's keep in touch. Hilary

Hi Wendell, and thanks. Pleased to meet you.

Hi Lorid, Great to hear from you. How encouraging to hear all these positive messages about the lap band - makes me feel like I have made a good choice. Just have to have the op now! Hlary

Hi Chickie, wow you have done so well with that weight loss. Do you think you had a fairly smooth run with it? Are you exercising much? I hope in the not too distant future I will be able to boast of some weight loss too. How old are your children?

Hi Jane, don't have a surgeons date yet. Have to wait till November to see him again. He wants me to not diet till I see him then but just eat my three meals a day. I am not supposed to weigh myself either. How are you feeling? Are you getting hungry yet on the liquids? Are you moving around okay yet? Will be interested to hear about your journey. Hilary