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I agree with all the comments here but none sticks out more than 'noone else wants you to succeed'. Is it because we would be a threat to woman kind being skinny? Is that their problem?! :thumbup: I sincerely believe that not too many people know why this surgery is available. I believe that people don't know anything about it plus what it is like to be obese, slimmer, more obese, slim again etc. you get the idea. It's such hard work, even thinking about losing 30kg is hard work enough for me! When I was infertile, noone was able to understand what I was going through, they couldn't relate, they couldn't understand or sympathise with our plight unless they were going through it too(I have gone on to have three children thanks to fertility treatment). I believe it is the same thing. People can't sympathise/relate because they can't imagine what life is like being like us (as a group I mean). There's nothing like free pychological help like these bulleting boards - they are a fantastic support because we can all relate. Once you make your decision, keep it to yourself unless you necessarily have to. I did, and I love the fact that I have a secret that only my hubby and one girlfriend knows. I see the scales drop, my clothes getting bigger, and I can walk around with my head held high knowing that I am succeeding and people will look up to me no matter how I got there. When I get to goal, I will probably tell people how I did it as I will be so much more informed, and able to answer any questions and more importantly be confident enough to ignore the knockers of the surgery and say things like, "hey it worked for me then it must be good" Good luck anyway.

There's not much pain afterwards, more like a little discomfort. It is well worth it believe me. Luscious I was originally scheduled for banding on 7 April too; that date was set back at the start of Feb. I thought I would die waiting that long! I was lucky enough for the nurse to realise how 'desperately' I wanted it, she called me and bought the date forward to 22/2! April 10 is my first fill day so I will be thinking of you recovering! Mojo are you doing Opitfast? If so have you started yet? Good luck ladies/lads.

Hi all I have been waiting over a month to get to my appointments and am only half way there! I saw the pysician on the team on Tuesday and was filled with much joy! Due to my good health etc. I will be cleared for surgery if the surgeon agrees! I am to see the surgeon and dietician tomorrow and I hope to convince the surgeon to give me a date then and there. The nurse told me on Tuesday that the earliest appointment at this stage for the surgery is early May :smile: :cool: :eek:! I nearly flipped out! May, I can't wait that long. :tongue: I asked about cancellations and if the date could be brought forward, so they will keep that in mind. I don't hold out any hope for an earlier date though. Regardless, it will be my 40th birthday present to myself. :wink2: The joy was also that the cost of everything (surgery, fills, subsequent appointments etc) was $3500 upfront.:tt1: This was good news as I was expecting much more. The other info I got was: - 10 day strict Optifast diet before surgery - 28 days mushie stage after surgery - the surgeon puts 3 stitches in a flap of stomach near the band which will keep the band in place to alleviate any slippage (is this normal anyone?) - Before surgery they will put my legs in pressure bandages to reduce the incidence of DVT (again is this normal anyone?) - Hospital stay one night with the day after surgery having a swallow test and xray to see if the band has been positioned correctly and that there's no leakages and there's no restriction - The surgeon does three surgeries every Monday fortnight (darn it!) Then there's Easter and Labour day inbetween so an earlier appointment is looking grim! That's all I can remember from the first of my three visits. This week is odd as I had my two girls return to school yesterday, then my son starting prep today, with my appointments either side of those days. This week has been one roller coaster of emotions and I will be happy to see the end of it! Hugs to you all Kylie Melb

Hi all Three weeks post op and tonight I have returned to playing netball. Even though stretching is a little hard and tender feeling, I played well and didn't have a problem with running. We lost though! :mad2: I have also lost 11kg as of last saturday. I finish on mushies this week and am looking forward to eating more things. I am trying to follow the dietician's suggestion for a post-fill and suprisingly I am not feeling the least bit hungry. I am experiencing some difficulties in the morning (early morning) so I have breaky when I get into work at about 7.30am. I am pretty much used to having an Up-and-Go for Breakfast and on the weekends I will have porridge with a banana. For lunches I have been mixing it up between having tuna/avo/ff mayo and lemon juice (I don't really mush it up much) and thick hearty Soups but with the hot temps in melbourne at the moment soup is sometimes hard to stomach! Dinners have been mushed up whatever I cook for the family and I am only serving myself between 1/2 and 1 cup of a meal. Despite what I thought, I am doing OK with it. I have my first fill on April 10th - a little way away right now. I am looking forward to feeling some restriction and I doubt the doc will have trouble finding the port, since it is still sticking out a little and feels like a baby's foot in my midriff area all the time! Does anyone have a port that sticks out a little? I must admit that from all the research and the reading I did prior to this surgery, I have outdone what I thought I would have done to this point. I know it will become harder, but with the weight loss I have achieved so far, I am really happy. I remember discussing a goal weight with the surgeon, not really attaching myself to a number, but I remember saying I would like to get down to 70kg, and the surgeon told me that he thought I would do better than that. I can see perhaps he might be right, but I need to take stock and try to do this the right way rather than the quickest way! I have told my workmate about the surgery and it is suprising when someone tells you they know someone who has had the same surgery. (Her friend had to have hers removed due to erosion). The only other is my hubby (and kids) and my best friend. I will discuss it further with people as I feel more comfortable with more people knowing. I don't think I am ready to tell everyone yet. I am looking forward to buying some clothes that don't hang at the back of the racks or at the front of the racks for the larger ladies! I had a pair of jean shorts that I bought at Christmas altered the other day as they just hung off me in all sorts of ways. After wearing them a few times, they may now be too big again! What a great feeling. I am also looking forward to wearing clothes in my cupboard that I haven't worn for such a long time. I have some great fashionable clothes that are ready and waiting! Sorry to rant and rave and post such a long post. I hope everyone is doing well and are feeling good, and good luck for those being banded in the near future! Kylie

Wow Josh. What a noticeable difference in the last 8 weeks, you have done fantastically well. Keep up the good work.

Hi all I am two weeks post op and am doing fantastically well. My scars have healed well and I saw the surgeon's nurse this morning who gave me the go ahead to go straight to mushies. Can't wait. Scrambled eggs for lunch! Yipee I have lost 9kg so far in the 4 weeks and am very happy with that. I know it will be a constant struggle from here on in but hey this is what I signed up for. I go back in a month for my first fill too. I found the liquids to be easy. I found a homemade chicken and sweetcorn Soup in Coles that I lived on for dinner in the last week. I also love the Up-and-Go liquid yogurt and the Sustagen easy to digest and it seemed to fill me as well. Of course normal yoghurt and smoothies were a treat. I already feel so much better than I did a month ago before I started Opti. That first week on it was such a struggle, but from then on it was all downhill and this journey so far has been so rewarding, I am going to make it continue. I hope those banded around the same time as me are doing just as well. Hugs

I lost 5kg prior to surgery and have lost another 3.2kg in the 6 days post surgery. I am very happy with my weight loss so far as any loss is still a loss. Don't stress too much over what you will lose before surgery. The most important is that you do the Optifast as your doc suggested as it not only is there for weight loss, but to shrink the liver for surgery and to prepare you for the weeks after surgery. Remember everyone is different and will lose differently. And again, any loss is a loss and it will never come back again. :smile2: Keep up the good work Aus_girl..

Hi all I had my surgery on Friday. I went in very late in the afternoon, about 5pm so I was nil by mouth from 8.30am onwards. It was hard! It all went well. My surgeon repaired a small hiatus hernia in the spot where the stomach meets the aesophogus (sp??) which had to be done before he would put the band in. I have a lovely xray showing my swllow test and the exact positioning of the band and port with it's lovely hooks. I am still tender and sore and I have found recovery a little difficult. I have had a little shoulder pain and almost like reflux or heartburn pain in the upper chest (I hope that goes). I had sliming for the first two days many times a day especially when I got up to walk. I haven't had it yet today, so hopefully that phase is gone. Last night was the first night I could manage to sleep on my side. Other than that things are pretty good. Good luck for those having their surgery this week.

Thanks Mrs M. It's tomorrow for me now and I am really excited. With only 2 more opti meals to go....yeee haa. I am sure it will all go well. Hugs

Hi all Thank god for this BB. I have been reading vigilantly the Optifast recipes and thank goodness I did. I had a vanilla and choc milkshake on day 1 yesterday and just managed to get them down without gagging too much :biggrin2:. Last night I put some melted diet jelly crystals in the vanilla which made it more palatable. Today I put some peppermint essence in the choc...and yummy! That horrible watery choc taste is gone. I also whip up the shake then put it in the freezer for an hour and then whip it up again, and it's a bit like having a slurpee.. I am on day 2 and although I felt hungry last night after netball (I had a small salad prior to playing) I am doing quite well. I will try a dessert tonight and probably a bar for breaky in the morning. Thanks to all those who have contributed to the recipes for opti. 9 days and counting! Oh and I have already lost 1.8kg from 2 weeks ago when I was weighed..That's gotta make a girl happy. :smile2:

Hmmm... sounds nice labec. Let me know. I actually looked forward to my opti this morning for breaky. I think I may have gone mad! My big day is tomorrow and I am very excited. Keep us updated.

Hi guys There's many yummy recipes on the main forum, but there's not much talk about fruit. How much fruit would you include in your daily intake (post-band) and what are the best fruits to eat? I would miss my fruit if I had to give them up particuarly bananas... Thanks

Hear Hear Janice. Wise words indeed. Actually now that I am getting closer, the opti is not that bad. I haven't added as much Water, added a little decaf coffee and voila...a really nice shake! Rubenesque, keep it up. I think I will be similar on the liquids stage, but I can have anything that you can suck through a straw. Sustagen and Up and Go liquid breakfasts are going to be my friend! And Thursday is now tomorrow..not long for you either.

Great to hear from you labec. I am glad you are doing well, nice to know two days out from my surgery. Do share your recipes!

I am on day 8 of Optifast and it's all downhill from here. This past weekend I thought I was in big trouble - I was so tired, so weak and felt ill with headaches. I just wanted to vomit every time I made up a shake, or a destert. I tried to eat a bar on Saturday but had real trouble getting it near my lips. The high levels of soy or Protein in them was getting to me! The key is to not give up. Every day is another one to tick off and if you survive this day you can tomorrow too. I do believe it gets easier, as yesterday and today I have had great days. I just hope tomorrow and thursday are just as good also. I still feel hungry all the time, but I am trying not to focus on that. I have dropped 5kg (for our American friends - that's 11lbs) in 8 days and am stoked. If I can drop another kilogram before Friday I will feel even better. These are kilos I will never see again....that's gotta be a good thing.

Phew! I was beginning to think that people didn't eat much fruit. I love my fruit particularly during the summer and would find it hard if I had to do without. Thanks everyone.

Hi Keri Welcome and hugs. Sorry to hear of your first week but I am sure you will be back on your feet and feeling more like yourself each day. How are you going on the Clear liquids diet? I too am on the smaller side but I started with a higher weight than you (98.9) with a BMI of 35. I must be a little taller than you! I have lost 5kgs on opti with a few more days to go before surgery. Keep up the good work.

I am very pleased to report that as of this morning I have lost exactly 5kg! Those 5kg are off forever and I haven't missed them at all yet! 3 more days of Opti and then surgery. Bring it on!:wub:

Mrs M. How's the progress to mushies going? I know how you feel about clothes. It's a nice feeling when you no longer have to squeeze yourself into something you used to wear so easily! I have only been on opti for a week and I have lost 4kg and my clothes are already looser. Funnily enough, my tummy (which is small anyway) hasn't reduced, but my legs and midrif have. Things are a little more comfortable now. Keep up the good work everyone.

Thanks for the encouragement guys. I need it as I am struggling at the moment. Never have I felt so hungry or sick and weak in my life. I have 4 days to go and although I will survive it, I don't look forward to any opti meals. I wish I could source the cuppachino flavour because it sounds nice. I have tried everything in my drinks, and it does make it easier to get down. Last thursday I was having a berry crunch bar, and every time I held it close to my mouth, I just wanted to vomit! And they are nice too. I think I am over it...but only 4 days to go.

Good luck everyone. You will be fine. I too have been suffering the anxieties this past weekend. I miss eating at this point; I am sick of this optifast! It's making me quite weak and very very tired and personally I am over it. If I could get through this week drinking green tea without the opti, I would! I look forward to a decent meal Striver and Labec hugs to both of you. I will be thinking of you and hoping that your recovery will be fast. I will be looking out for your updates.

Can someone describe sliming for me please. :biggrin: Thankyou

I have added mine! So happy to be here too!

Thanks guys. I am coping well with opti, breaking out into the bars and the deserts today. I put a little too much peppermint essence in the mouse tonight, my lips are still tingling and I can feel the burn in my throat still :biggrin: That will teach me! I know I can do this easily, but I too am feeling a little headachy and a little blue, and I do have conjunctivitis in one eye so that might be contributing to how I feel Cherry_blue your weight loss is sensational. 12kg in under one month is just awesome. I hope that I can kick start this whole process by losing beteen 8-10 kg during the 10 day opti but I won't be disappointed if I dont. I know that it will come off later anyway. :wink2: Sunwyse yes I can smell it, but I don't want to bask in the aroma just yet. I don't want to get overexcited! :Dancing_chief: Striver good luck with yours. It will be interesting to compare our recoveries since we are having our bands so close together.. I know we will all be fine, it's getting over this pre-op phase where we have to be very vigilant with what we eat. Green tea is my best friend right now!

Bronnie (do you have before and after pics on here somewhere?) Your post filled me with joy. I want to lose 30kg before Christmas and I was hoping I would be able to do it. Even if I lost 20kg I would be happy! So there is hope for me yet. I believe I am emotionally ready for the changes it will make to my life, not just the physical, but I wonder if I will ever get out of the habit of always thinking of myself as the fat one, or go to the sizes at the back of the rack first! I am looking forward to being able to wear the clothes in my wardrobe again. I love my old denim skirt, I have some slimming black work pants and a beautiful suit jacket that I used to wear all the time. I can't wait to be able to wear them again, but not only that but update to a smaller size. I am really ready for this and looking forward to making the changes. I am on day one of Optifast today. 9 days to go!