owlslovepears

@@Chez hoping you are ok and it's just gallstones. Thinking of you. I'm lucky my surgeon booked me for lap chole and sleeve all at once. Feel better

@@steveelea here is the link to the video on the obesity doco on SBS on demand. http://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/video/28413507570/The-Truth-About-Fat

@@steveelea If you have the newest version of word on your pc they have templates for resumes that you can use to create a resume for yourself based on your experience. It's all laid out for you just add your details and remove the lines you don't need. I'm a bit of a techy so yeah! Good luck with resume! Cath

Exams are over and I can now put all my focus on my surgery and prep for that which is excellent! Think I did ok at Uni this semester even with the distractions I've had. Distinction to High Distinction for my classes... just waiting on exam results now. @@QueenBeeBee well done on your weight loss Bee. That's excellent and so quick. Let me know how you go with nioxin for the hair loss... I'm super in love with my hair and will be doing everything to avoid losing it. I'm very curious about portions after the op... I'm looking forward to eating much less and actually feeling full. I'm having my sleeve done in 17 days now... I'm nervous and super excited and got new pjs and pedicure this weekend (thanks mum) but at the moment all that is under a level of stress as I only have 1 pay before then and I'm struggling to find the money to finish paying for it! Wish me luck and send me a leprechaun folks! @@nerms good luck with pre-op ... not long now. @@steveelea & everyone really... did you see the doco on SBS last night about obesity in UK... was fascinating. I saw a laparoscopic procedure being done... so now have some idea what they'll do to me I think... though this procedure was bypass not sleeve but still the poking and exploring is all the same. @@chez how's things at your end? Day 12 of pre-op diet (my surgeon wanted me to have 4 weeks) it's ok... I'm not hungry and I feel very in control but I'm getting bored with the veg and shakes and have unfortunately gotten a bit bound up though the benefibre is sorting that out now! Hope you're all well. I'm off to do some knitting and cheer up lol... Have a great week all! Cath

Glad you had a good day @Chez. Do you have a lot of support at work? I'm going great. 5 days in and only 24 days til surgery. no cravings, no hunger to speak of and it's been a really great routine to get into so far. I'm sure I'll be challenged towards the end but I'm very focused and motivated so I'm know I'll do fine. I weigh myself on Saturdays and last weeks weight was 160.2 so we'll see how I go this Sat. Have a great week all.. I have an exam tomorrow. Cath

@@nerms Totally gorgeous. I think Kelpies are great dogs. My sister has a border collie and she used to have a rottweiler x malamute... He was regal I was sure of it. When I settle into my home... wherever that is... I've decided on a Cocker Spaniel x poodle. I'm more of a cat person dog lover so little and lapworthy for me.

@@steveelea thanks lovely.. it's feeling very easy I have loads of psychological support and people in my world who will keep it real with and for me so I think this is about the most exciting thing to ever happen to me. @@nerms here is to that perfect job being just around the corner Can I ask you... do you have a favourite breed? @@Chez photo looks great. how are you feeling? Have a great Sunday. Cath

My friend is a hairdresser and she suggested scalp massage could help slow the loss. Also I've heard Biotin (vitamin h) is good for the hair loss and I plan on using both because I'm terribly vain! Had a total win day yesterday... I'm a fiend for carbs I love them and they are my weakness. I started the VLCD yesterday and totally stuck to optifasts plan to the letter, didn't even want bad things when they were offered. I work at a hospital and nursing desks always have chocolates from patients or chips or cans of coke for sale. And I just don't want it. Also as I live alone and rarely entertain I have put my big plates in the hall cupboard along with the bowls and side plates. I won't be needing the big items any more and that is fabulous! Had a headache the other day because of my IH and also got the pressure feeling in my head when walking up the stairs last night. I'm looking forward to not having this or back problems. Anyway that's enough from me. I hope all are well and recouping nicely or enjoying their preparations as much as I am. I'm pretty grateful to have this little community to share my progress with and to support and be supported by. Have a great weekend. Cath

You're all so great to follow along with. I'm a lil inspired by you all! Have loads going on here, exams, appointments with neuro, eye tests and other docs and this Friday I start the shakes for a month. It's officially 30 days til op today and I have to admit, I'm a little nervous ... excited but still a bit nervous. Anyway, look forward to seeing all your progress and sharing some of mine soon. Big congrats to you all for your victories both on and off the scales! Cath

@@Chez I don't want to ask what a Barium swallow is, sounds unpleasant. Glad you're doing ok though. Are you still in ICU? thinking of you! Cath

Hey Peeps, It's been a few days... I've been in headache central with my IIH and working every evening has thrown my body clock out of whack so I'm sleeping very late! Surgeon has changed his mind and we are going with the sleeve now as there's no complications from my medication with antacids and it's a better first step, allowing for Bypass as a second step if needed. I'm going with the flow and trust his judgment as he's the one with the credentials! It's good... it's what I wanted in the first place. I've just caught up on all the posts and well haven't we all had a busy week! @@QueenBeeBee Thanks love... Rainbows are my favourite colour! & congratulations on your progress... lookin good! @@steveelea Go the pies! (I blame my dad) @@chez Go Storm & GL with your op next week! @@bookishfred how did you go with the interview. Also, Have you seen this blog? Her recipes look delish http://bit.ly/1ks7CXy @@Mick Molloy congrats on WL so far. When is your op? I start Optifast in 2 weeks and it's the intensive diet, they've said a shake every meal and two cups of veg with tsp of olive oil to keep things loose. My op is now on 18/7 which gives me more time to save for surgery but also time to make myself a cool beanie for post op... it gets really frosty here in Ballafornia! Looking forward to posting more soon... exams will be finished soon at Uni though I do still have some appointments to attend for head thingy... but I'll be reading all your news! Cheers, Catherine

Thanks @@QueenBeeBee I'm pretty chuffed to be here. Congrats on your sleeve btw... was the first post I read. @@steveelea thanks for that! the IIH is idiopathic intracranial hypertension.. too much cerebral spinal Fluid (CSF) which causes headaches. which I ignored for years. It was only after losing some of my vision in right eye that I started looking into it and after a bucketload of tests got diagnosed in April. I'm on tablet to reduce fluid but neurologist is hoping that rapid weight loss with cure it and hopfeully give me back the perception in my right eye (reversing the optic nerve damage) and I'm having the Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass op which I have seen abbreviated to RYGB and which I have nicknamed rainbow bypass because it reminds me of the colours (red yellow green blue lol) I was going with the sleeve but after speaking with my surgeon have decided on the bypass as it better suits my needs and is a better resolution for the IIH long term we think. I'm really happy with choice, now just getting head around all the new information. Anyway, hope that answered your query. I'll be around and about... stalking all the posts on the forums *evil chuckle* Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend. Cheers Cath

Hi, I just found you all and wanted to introduce myself (if a lil bit nervously). I'm Cath and having RYGB in Ballarat in July... it's been a big decision for me but one I've had to make after diagnosis of IIH in April (though I've needed it for some years now I think, anyway). I'm nervous but equal parts awesome, informed, positive and excited. I was glad to find a forum online that had some Aussies on it... So hi all... I look forward to chatting with you.