Luscious

Incredibly supportive and positive - from all those I have chosen to tell.

Welcome ladies.... it is a little bit scarey leading up to the surgery - however, I'm sure like the vast majority of people, you will be thrilled you had this done once you get past the first couple of weeks. Best thing I ever did for myself (so far :->)

Fantastic Nat, thanks so much for sharing. Its very inspiring.

Amazing progress... you are doing great. Thank you for posting pics of your progress, it sure does help to inspire us who are on the early stages of the journey.

Everyone is different Sarah - you may be able to eat breakfast just fine (like me). I love oatmeal, or a poached egg on toast on Sundays.

There are lots of great places to buy plus sized clothes - but you do have to know where to look.... "My Size" has nice, young casual stuff. The Sara range in David Jones is really nice (and you can buy that online also at www.ezybuy.com.au I also really like the Be Me range at Rockmans. Our choices are a lot more limited though than what they have in the US.

Hi there... well I'm back, with an extra 20kgs (of luggage). Perhaps my shopping kept the calorie intake evened out. I did manage to gain 3kgs in 10 days in the US. No doubt a lot is just excess food in my system, and Water weight - and it will come off quickly now I'm back to healthy food options. No doubt there are good places to eat - I suppose you just need to know where to go, and I didn't really have the resources to find those (and don't drive when in the US). I guess it also depends on where you are. Had a fab time though - I love my friends over there - makes business a lot of fun.

Hi folks, I'm current in the USA on business for 2 weeks...... first week in Florida, now in Boston. I'm struggling. I had my first fill just 1 week before I left, and much to my surprise, seem to have some good degree of restriction. I'm struggling for 2 reasons: 1. I haven't learned yet what I can eat without problem, how much and when to stop. Its hard to get into a good routine, because the food I'm eating here is very different to what I would eat at home in Australia. I'm spending a lot of time with that dull pain radiating from around my pouch, which I'm sure means I've eating too quickly, too much, or not chewed well enough. 2. The second problem is the food. With all due respect to my american friends, the food here in the US is just diabolical (especially when you are living out of a hotel). I hate to say it but the food is just so unhealthy and processed. Of course, we have junk food in Australia too, but it seems even the junk food in america is more unhealthy than the junk food in Australia. On the plus side - I'm having a ball in my free time hitting the clearance racks. I'm coming home with 20 kgs of extra luggage. Great clothes in 1X (14-16) for the coming Sydney summer, and great clothes in 2X for the current Sydney winter. Last time I was in US, some 3X clothes didn't fit me, so I'm pretty happy - so very very cheap compared to what we pay. I got 3 great jackets for winter at $15, $20 and $30, and some really cute argyle cardigans for $12 each... woohooo. Several shirts for $10 a piece. Basically, I spent less than $350 for complete winter and summer wardrobes, that will see me through as I drop sizes. Plus sized clothes are so plentiful and inexpesive here in US.

Hi, before you get too concerned about your body rejecting the port as suggested above, you should call your doctor, make an appointment to go and see them. I had my surgery on 7 april, and 10 weeks later, my large incision has only just now finally healed completely. I had an infection on the left edge, which caused open wound about 1/4 inch across. I had 3 courses of strong antibiotics to help rid the infection.

You can buy gelatin powder in Australia, and make your own. I'm pretty sure they would have this in the States also.

I got my first fill today - 6 weeks, 2 days post surgery. We tried 2 weeks ago, but I had infection and some swelling/scar tissue which made it impossible. Infection is now all gone - scar tissue has settled, so today it was a breeze. Took no time or effort at all - didn't feel a thing. My surgeon is so great !! I have lost weight very well - but its been work - I know that it will always take effort and work but hopefully the restriction makes that a little easier. I don't expect the first fill to make a huge (or any) difference to my restriction, but I'm on the right path, and can keep up the effort to maintain my weight loss in the meantime.

Please put your scale away for at least 2 weeks.... you clearly can't be trusted with it :-) Seriously, please focus on recovering from your surgery, let your body recover - try to keep your calories around 1000, follow your surgeons diet plan, drink your Water - and you will do just fine.

I practically lived on cottage cheese mixed with different flavoured tunas. I also had a lot of sweet potato, honey and lentil soup.

I have a very high pain tolerance level, but I also found getting in and out of bed, standing up, and moving around generally very painful at the port site. I had VERY bad bruising. I guess everyone is different. As I said, I have high tolerance for pain, so I just kinda sucked it up and accepted it as what I needed to go through for the greater good. It lasted about 1 week. I was able to stop prescribed pain killers after about 5-6 days.

Hi Aussie Friends. I know there is a food and nutrition forum here, don't know about you but I get a bit flummoxed (is that a word?) by the food the americans eat not to mention all those pounds and ounces. I thought we could start a thread for good healthy aussie produce, with metric measurements to give us some inspiration on new band friendly things to eat. Don't know about you all, but I love to cook. What I'm cooking for dinner tonight: chicken with Mushrooms: (Serves 2) 225 grams chicken thighs (i'm on mushies, will ask butcher to mince for me) 1.5 tablespoons shallots chopped 1 cup sliced mushrooms 1/4 cup white wine (sub. extra chicken stock if preferred) 100 mls low sodium chicken stock 1/4 cup plain low fat yoghurt 2 tsp chopped tarragon salt and pepper to taste In non stick pan (with a little cooking spray) saute chicken and remove from pan. Add shallots and mushrooms to pan and cook for 2 minutes, add wine, increase heat to high and cook for further 2 mintues. Add chicken broth and reduce liquid by half (3-5 minutes). Reduce heat to low and stir in yoghurt and 1/4 packet sweetener if desired. Cook for about 2 minutes until slightly thickened. Stir in tarragon and salt & pepper to taste. I'm on mushies, so will put my minced cooked chicken and 1/2 sauce through mini processor. Approximately 200 calories per serve. What I had for dinner last night: Salmon with Wasabi Sauce (Serves 1) Place 120 grams salmon fillet into a non stick pan, and brush with a mix of crushed garlic (1 tsp), light soy (1 tsp), wasabi (1/2 tsp), lemon juice (2 tsp). (I like mine very barely cooked in the centre). Sauce: Wasabi (1 tsp), Light Soy Sauce (2 tsp), Light Sour Cream (1/8 cup), Light Mayo (1/8 cup), 1 Pkt artifical sweetener (optional, I leave it out). Mix togther and serve with the salmon fillet. (I'm currently on mushies, so I put through my breville mini processor). Approx. 250 calories, and very quick. (Yummy)

Try eating 5-6 times a day. I find it helps keep me satisfied during the day, and its easy to get my 1200-1300 calories a day in. My guidelines are: 25 grams fibre 80 grams protein 35 grams (good) fats 160 grams carbs 1200-1300 calories in 250 calories burned in exercise daily.

I could gulp Water too (but I don't). I think the lesson of sipping water is a precaution. If you do not have a tight restriction, the water will go right by the band when the pouch is empty. As for the fibre... I don't agree that the "bulk" of our diets should be Protein (my opinion, and my dietician and doctors). That seems to be favoured by North Americans - not so much elsewhere. You only need .75 grams protein for every kilogram of body weight (so at 270 pounds, I need 90 grams protein a day). I get my fibre via oatmeal for Breakfast, homemade vegetable Soup, v8 juice, ryvita multgrain crackers at lunch, fruit, and vegetables with dinner (strawberries are great for low cal/high fibre). I add 2 teaspoons of Benefibre to my liquid Vitamin every morning. I average about 25 grams fibre a day (recommended amount) 90 grams protein, 35 grams fat, 160 grams carbs, and 1200-1300 calories a day. I burn around 200 from exercise 4 x per week. I am currently losing about 1.5 kilograms (3 pounds) per week average.

Hi from fellow Australian.... It really depends on how well / quickly you heal. I progressed quite well, and was booked in for first fill 4 weeks post op. That didn't work due to some scar tissue around my incision - but 6 weeks post op it went very well. I have appointment in 4 weeks time for evaluation to see if I want/need a 2nd fill. I think the general guideline is when you get to point of having hunger after going back onto solid foods you can be evaluated for a fill.

Do you mean that YOU were non-compliant? or that there was a problem with your band? I can't imagine why its not possible to start over. The first step would be to find a doctor and nutritionist who you feel comfortable with, and make appointment to see them.

Many people don't have good restriction until their 2nd or 3rd fill. Everyone is different. You just have to monitor your calorie intake and exercise if you want to lose weight before restriction.

I was very badly bruised.... and it got worse over the 2 weeks post surgery - I was purple from chest to groin.

Alihoop - every doctors guidelines are different - by 4.5 weeks I was back on solid foods with doctors blessing. Time2bandme..... Sweetie, clearly you are distressed - that in itself is enough reason to call your doctor- listen to your body, and take care of it. Hope you are feeling better soon.

Hi there, its pretty hard to judge anything without having any insight into what food you are eating daily - how many calories, how much activity, etc? I'm sure you know we still have to put in the work to eat less calories and exercise more. It sounds like you have some restriction if your food comes up if you eat too fast. I'm not sure how easy it would be to find a lap band doctor in China/Hong Kong - not generally a weight problem in those countries. Suggest you google it to see if you can locate. I did a quick search and found this group: http://www.lapbandasia.com

Glad I saw this post... was telling boyfriend tonight that I had problems with my lunch today (ryvita cracker with sardines). I just had my first fill on Wednesday, and felt no restriction (haven't had any at all from first day of surgery). It took me by surprise today to get the pain of eating too fast, or too much. I guess I assumed I would feel no restriction until 2nd or 3rd fill. I am totally full on half the amount of food I was eating yesterday.

Vodka the day after surgery????? That sure wasn't on my list of allowed liquids :rolleyes2: I am so happy to not be a drinker - I just don't enjoy it. I think drinking would certainly slow down weight loss.