mspickle

Hey Jane, lovely to hear from you! By the sounds of it you are a perfect patient!!! Im so glad it went well! i on the other hand still have 23 days to 2 go! I started Optifast 2 weeks early and i think its nearly killing me! I have the worst wind pains- should really call the DR! But i have lost 2 kg so thats good! You blog was a very funny read Take Care :thumbdown:

I really wish i could return my choc bars cos they were damn expensive and i cant even eat them they are so gross- they really need to start selling individual servings!! Might buy the cherry ones I am also starting my opti early- DR told me to do 2 weeks and im going to do 4 in total- i figure its giving the LB a headstart! So far i have been excited about Opti cos it means that the LB is closer! Although I guess deep down i know i feel a bit sad about letting go of all my comfort eating, I think tho that its kinda natural because they way i eat is part of my every day life- and it bothers me that my day to day life will be different. But i think thats also because i dont know any different- ( ie i will not enjoy going out to dinner/ movies with friends because i associate happiness and food) But i hope to surprise myself. MMM perhaps that makes no sense but anyways! MsP

Charli, my Optifast starts on Monday aswell ARGGH! I went out and brought lots of the products- chocolate bars are like eating cardboard flavoured toothpaste - however the strawberry shakes aren't too bad! Not looking forward to it but its exciting to know that the weight wont come back! Cheers Pickle

Hey Jane, I was wondering if you have started Optifast yet and how all the preparations are all going ??? Cheers Pickle

Hi Jen, I just notice no one responded to your post, thats not very friendly of us!! I cant really help you tho cos im not getting banded until 6th of July! Hope its all going well for you! Any advice about opti fast? So not looking forward to it.. I have decided that I am going to go on 2 weeks early.. give the LB a headstart! So in total i will be doing 4 weeks of opti.. My Bf is going to do it as well so hopefully that will help i wont have to cook him food! Cheers Pickle

How exciting!!! I have mine booked for 6th July! I am not looking forward to Optifast either. You are allowed to eat diet jelly- i think i will be living on that for 2 weeks!! I read on yahoo posts that blending some of the set jelly mix makes the opti thicker and sweeter. Cheers Pickle

Hey Jane, Opti fast is going to be a killer but its only for 2 weeks so we will both survive!!! I have been researching different opti receipes and they are not too bad- stir fried vegies, vegies Soup etc- I dont know if I can handle the shakes 3 times a day they are not very tasty! I found out today that a close friend of mine who is a nursing manager knows Dr Blamey really well as they worked together for 8 years!! Haha she is going to give him a buz to tell him! 6 degrees of separation! She thinks hes an excellent doctor too which is reassuring. Hope all your plans are comming along Pickles:thumbup:

Hey Jane! IM BOOKED FOR 6th JULY :smile2: WOO HOO!! Im nervous already!! But the clinic were so fantastic! Dr Blamey was the best. I had heard some people on yahoo didnt like is bedside manner, but i was really impressed. He is very direct about being obese and realistic but i appreciate that. My surgery is at Cabrini Hospital, cos I could get in earlier, I have to opti fast for 2 weeks before surgery. I guess cos i am 15 kg heavier than you I need to do it ( ie dont panic i dont think everyone has to do it) BTW Trust men! They are so addorable! Cheers Pickle

Wow thats awesome.. I have heard a little about the Drs bedside manner being a bit abrupt.. but i guess thats just specialists for you! and really you dont pay them to be nice! I am really excited. However i Hope to get my LB after 19th of June because i have uni exams until then! Hows your husband taking the news that its so soon?

Hey Jane!! OMG thats so fantastic! I can't believe how quick it has happened! Funnily enough, i have my appointment with Stephen Blamey tomorrow. I called on monday and they had a cancellation! WOOT, exciting but nerve racking. Do you have to go on opti fast at all? Im starting to wonder if all the steak i brought on the weekend was worth it! HAHA :thumbup:

Hey Jane! I was there, very exciting! Though if your anything like me, i have researched the LB to death so i knew most of it already but its good to hear it from a professional! My man got alot from it, learnt alot, which for me was kinda the point, I wanted him to know what it was all about. I haven't made an appointment yet, plan to on Monday morning! I am starting to get nervous about the whole process, i know im going to do it, i need to do it, but its a huge change!!! Nyways let me know how your appointment goes! Cheers Pickle

Hey everyone, I want to share with everyone my excitement in finally telling my darling boyfriend that i want to go and get a LB. Clearly, not all that exciting but for me its a huge step. I already have the Drs referral but it has taken me 1 month to finally tell anybody about it! While my BF is great, and i knew he would be great about it, to admit that i had lost control and needed help was huge. Also, its not something i ever talk about. So i stunned that i told him and completely exciting that I can now go and organise it. So any recommendations on DRs. I was thinking of going into see Paul Obriens crew, as they are apparently the best. The office is about 45 min away from me, so that might be an issue... well at least for the group meetings.. i would like to go to these out in the eastern suburbs.. does anyone know if you can join the knox hopsital bandits without being operated there.. Anyways thanxs for listening... any recommendations on DRs would be appreciated

Thnx tomjerry, I definetly will. I have my information seminar in 2 weeks! Congrats on all your weight loss so far! mspickle

Hey Jane, I am going through the same thing, its such a huge decision to make! As you may have read on my excited ramble post, I have finally told my partner I want a LB. It was definitely one of the hardest things i have ever done, to admit to someone I love that i had lost control. But now I wonder about all the nitty gritty. Sometimes on these posts you read many awful stories about throwing up and pain but the other day I had a read of the 2005/2006 Bandster posts and it was really inspirational! Anyways what i wanted to say is that im going to the same Information Seminar as you @ St Kilda on the 5th May !!! Makes me more relaxed knowing everybody is going through the same thing. Will see you there ! Mspickle

Hey Tully, thanks for your nice words. Im very excited! I would be interested to know about your experience with the Paul Burton. How long was it from the time of your information seminar to surgery date??