Fanny Adams

"someone who isn't grown up enough to do something for the sake of their healing" Isn't that awfully judgemental coming from someone who "wasn't grown up enough" to control her own eating habits for sake of her health and had to resort to a band? Now I'm not saying people who get banded aren't grown up - I'm planning on becoming one myself! However, I do know that some addictions, just like food, are incredibly hard to give up and they don't make a lap band for smoking! (Apologies if my comment gave any offence to others but as a 45 year old smoker and a fattie, that "isn't grown up" just GRATED on me.)

Heheh - I just heard this joke today and it is very appropriate: A man and a woman were sitting beside each other in the first class section of an airplane. The woman sneezed, took out a tissue, gently wiped her nose, then visibly shuddered for ten to fifteen seconds. The man went back to his reading. A few minutes later, the woman sneezed again, took a tissue, wiped her nose, then shuddered violently once more. Assuming that the woman might have a cold, the man was still curious about the shuddering. A few more minutes passed when the woman sneezed yet again. As before, she took a tissue, wiped her nose, her body shaking even more than before. Unable to restrain his curiosity, the man turned to the woman, "I couldn't help but notice" he said, " that you've sneezed three times, wiped your nose and then shuddered violently. Are you ok?" "I am sorry if I disturbed you," she replied. "I have a very rare medical condition; whenever I sneeze, I have an orgasm." The man, more than a bit embarrassed, was still curious. "I have never heard of that condition before" he said. "Are you taking anything for it?" The woman nodded, "Black pepper."

Thanks - I appreciate the advice... and see? ticker back up and I'm gonna work on at least sticking to the maintenance plan.

Hmm... that last bit is good advice. I have found that since I have made the Big Decision, all my "sensible eating" plans have gone out the window. It's like I keep saying to myself "doesn't matter now, because it will all come off when I have the band" or "better eat that yummy stuff now coz who knows when you will be able to eat it again". I know that's the wrong attitude but it's pretty hard to fight. Maybe putting the ticker back up will stop me doing that. Most times, I eat "normally" and can go ages without gaining, but every now and then I pig out for a week or two and go up a couple of pounds, rinse and repeat. Right now, I am the heaviest I've ever been in my life and I REALLY don't need to gain another 10kg while waiting for this to happen

Re removing the ticker: Well it's not so much the humiliation, it's just the constant reminder that I have to WAIT and I'm not the most patient of people. Of course, I could use that waiting time to start on the loss on my own, but that would be being sensible, wouldn't it? I've never claimed to be sensible

*sighs* Yes, I think that is going to be the trade off Ah well...nobody died of wrinkles that I know of, and I know this weight is killing me...not a hard choice when put that way, eh?

My two cents: I trained as an English teacher many years back, so sometimes it is a real effort not to reach for the red pen when reading some posts. I do try to restrain myself at most times, as I agree that it can be rude and condescending when giving unasked for advice. The big exception that I make to that rule is when someone is calling someone else "stupid" or similar, in a debating forum, and uses poor spelling and grammar in their insults. I figure that make them fair game and take great delight in pointing out their errors then! :heh:

ACK! I did NOT want to hear this bit :think

This thread is a crackup!! And just to add to your giggles, I am a n00b at this and have yet to be banded, and have already asked the question about sexual positions and port discomfort (haha) and was just about to ask about how bad the face wrinkles get after the weight loss (Seriously - is it bad for most? There's not a lot of things about my body that I feel good about but being 45 and having NO wrinkles on my face is one of them. Most people guess my age at around 35. My brother, who had a similarly youthful face, lost weight a year ago and for the first time looks his full years of 50 - a fit and healthy 50 year old, true, but when a little overweight, you'd never have picked him for being past 40.)

I have my first appointment with him on November 27th. It seems he is very popular and is booked solid till then. Waiting is bloody hard, once the decision has been made - I just want to do this NOW!!

Hi Blue Eyed Girl Rastis100 (?) is a poster here, from Perth, who was just banded by Dr Stephen Watson at Murdoch. She gives him a great report, which I hope holds true for everyone, as I am seeing him next month myself, to start this journey.

Hi JoMc You say you work away in 13 hour shifts - are you on the mines? Which one? I am up at Argyle Diamonds at the moment, and hoping to have the banding done over Xmas or early in the New Year. I've been a little worried about returning to camp soon after surgery and how I'll manage the eating plans when I'm up on site. Camp food is what has gotten me to the point of taking this step. I lost 20kg about 4-5 years back and kept almost all of it off until I started work on the mines 18 months ago and have now re-gained all of it (plus an extra 2kg, as usual *sigh*). How have you managed with the liquid & mushie stages of eating in the weeks following surgery?

YAY! Finally found the thread I've been looking for. Okay, some have improved libido, some have decreased libido, and for some the libido hasn't changed, but what about the pure mechanics?? Does the port cramp your style? I've read so many posts about ports pulling or finding it hard to bend over months after surgery, that I am getting quite worried about limitations that it might impose upon positions. For a fattie, I'm pretty limber and given my two greatest pleasures in life are food and sex, if I'm gonna give up the food part, I had d*mn well better not lose the sex part in the process!!

Hmm.... "Oh, 11 years? BF? Unless you are extremely wealthy and are choosing not to marry to protect your assets... why is he still your boyfriend and not a husband? " Maybe he's extremely wealthy and is choosing not to marry to protect his assets? Oh no, but that would be wrong, wouldn't it? It's funny how so many women have a double standard about issues like this - it would be fine if she did it, but if he did it, he's a b*****d. "Not meaning to come down hard but it gets my goat ONLY because I've seen so many women go thru this only to have that bf leave...no string attached. " Women don't leave men in the same situation? "Hopefully you have a loving and caring relationship built upon 11 years of sharing... that you two have grown together and have made commitments to each other." 11 years IS a long time - long enough that one would think if either party wanted it to change, they would have done so by now. Perhaps THEY decided together that their commitment is enough and doesn't need the formalisation of marriage? I dunno folks, commenting on the BF's lack of support seems fair enough and justified, but making the HUGE ASSUMPTION that, because they are not married after 11 years, there are "issues" in the relationship, does not seem warranted. There may or may not be issues around that, but who can tell from just the post given?

Hi everyone - I've been away for the weekend and now back at work, so haven't checked in for a while. Did anyone else find that, once you made the Big Decision, that all of a sudden you felt hungrier and went off your "sensible eating" plans completely? I've found that I am using the banding like an excuse - "well it will all come off after I'm banded, so who cares if I pig out now", "better have some of that yummy stuff, coz who knows when you'll ever be able to eat it again". *sighs* I know these are all stupid head games I play with myself, but it's awfully hard not to give in to them and November 27th seems such a long way away, and is only the first step in the journey...

Nah, I'm a contractor so no sick pay - if I don't work, I don't get paid. With my roster, I could probably fit the surgery in one of my 6 days off but I'm a little leery about going back up into the heat and humping luggage all over after only a few days recovery. Doing it in the Xmas break around those days would give me a good 10 days to recover, which I figure is probably the minimum I should allow. But I shall figure it out somehow. No point worrying about it until after I've seen the Doc and found out what dates are possible anyway.

Thank you for the info. It probably means I can't get the dates I want, but at least I know that in advance and won't get my heart set on it. I was hoping for somewhere between 27th & 31st December, but sounds like that's not to be Ah well. Not sure when else I can organise it though. I have 3 weeks hols already booked & paid for in Nov, so can't change that. I have to take the week between Xmas & New Year off, as work goes on to skeleton crews then, and there's no point in me being there on my own. If I can't get it done in that break, that means having to take another week off sometime in January, which will be a little tough financially after all the holidays and Xmas. *sighs* I'll figure it out somehow, I guess.

Woot woot, Rastis!! Way to go! And you too, Karen!

Well my GP was all for the idea and wrote the referal without hesitation. It is to Dr Stephen Watson, so I'm thankful Rastis has already given him a good wrap. Unfortunately, he's booked solid till late November, so my first consultation with him won't be until 27th which probably means my chances of getting a late December surgery date are pretty slim. Ah well... I'll just have to keep telling myself "patience, grasshopper, patience..."

Keyboard *hugs* I can do! Date duly noted in diary :car: I'm seeing my doctor tomorrow to start this adventure, can't wait! I've pretty much worked out that, if I can get the date, I want to do it in December, just after Xmas. I have holidays and all sorts of things going on before then and can't take extra time off work, so the 2 week break over Xmas would work out just perfect - plus give me the New Year start for luck. *crosses fingers and hopes that the doctors don't take hols over Xmas :eek:

I haven't seen Karen post today. Does anyone know the exact date she's booked? Could it be today? If so, best of luck and my good wishes with you, Karen!! If not, where are ya, woman?

You're not wrong, Rastis - I'm already impatient as anthing! @ Mscas3: Good luck with everything! Have a look around this site - there are some fantastic people here, who will give you lots of support, I'm sure! You just wait till Karen gets here and waves her pompoms! She is one inspiring lady @ SCMartin: Ditto on the good luck. Can't help you with the advice because a) I've only been here a day myself and I'm in Australia so our medical system is very different. However, there are LOTS of threads in the site with very helpful information - read the FAQs and I'm sure you'll find the information you want.

LOL! Excited isn't the word! I can't wait and reading this site is just making me more and more sure about this decision - both the good stories and the bad! I would be in at my GP's today if I could, but I'm still up on site and won't be home till Wed night. Doctor's appointment is for 10am Thurs morning , earliest I could get! Meantime, I'm haunting this board, just to keep in touch with that excited feeling

Go Rastis! Go Rastis!

Thanks again, Striver. I'm probably gonna be up for the full whack but as Rastis said, what price health and happiness?