Melbourne Chat Thread!!!!

[cammy 0]

Cam you are a star. So if I get two bottles of Water, should I do sets of arm raises, bicep curls, and what else? How many sets? I wish I could afford to join a gym, but I am broke at the moment. I am trying to do outdoor exercise while the weather is still good, and delay the gym thing until winter forces me indoors.

I can't seem to find any good exercising at home sites on the internet.

I am thinking of doing workout dvds. I already have one that my sister gave me.

Susannah

Susannah,

I'll post some links when I get home tonight for good sites that show animated images of how to do the exercises.

If your going to work out at home get thee a fit ball/swedish ball!! They aren't very expensive and you are worth it :mad:

At home I did fit ball (i sit on one to work much of the time also), carmen electras strip dvd series, a few dance dvds, pilates, you can get the dvds or videos really cheap at those clearance book sales that they advertise on TV or those general junky book shops that just do clearalance stuff - heaps of the ones i've picked up over the years were less than $5.

Outside of home i've done the poll dancing, yoga, belly dancing, and a few other classes - i'm unko but it was still fun.

I dont know what kind of shape you are in or what you are physically able to do - you can get a free 1 month gym pass to your local genesis - i'll post the website that you can print the coupon off of when I get home - at least then you can see or they can tell you what you are capable of at your current weight and no $$$ out of pocket.... they let you do classes there and everything during that 1 free month so you can try everything and see what is for you. Other gyms give free 1 week passes and some like fernwood only give a free 1 day pass etc. but they all seem to let you try before you buy so make sure when winter comes and you do decide to sign up to one that you've tried 3 before you make your decision (promise yoruself you'll try 3 before you sign anything - those sales people will use all kinds of mind games to get you to sign then and there - listen to tapes or cd's on NPL while your exercising and you'll never fall victim to sales people again lol - you can borrow those from your local libraby too so no out of pocket costs - use all your local resourses, you do pay for them via your rates so may as well take advantage of them!).

[cammy 0]

well i think i still have the guilts about yesterday.... I couldnt sleep last night and for the first time i was having second thought about the op. I guess i just need to take some deep breaths and remind myself that this is the change i not only want but i really need.

Bron *hugs* this was an important lesson for you to learn. Now you know you need the OP more than ever now that you've adknowledged your a binge eater - the 2nd thoughts are because you wont be able to do this again and it's your coping mechanism so you'll have to find something else post op to help you cope with whatever it is that compells you to binge.

Once your banded and at proper restriction for a binge eater if you try to do that the prison gates you so desperately need on your gut will close, you'll feel like your choking and pray to the porcelin heavens while your crouching over the toilet to please just let it all come back out (if it's stuck) - or you'll be mid way stuffing your face and projectile vomiting (pb'ing) will just start.... yeah i've seen people go through it... it's enough to stop you in your tracks and say WTF are you doing?! The band is about negative reinforcement for binge eaters no question - it will strangle you and have you begging for mercy if you try and do that post op.

It's not the same for everybody so you need to look at how other binge eaters are coping and not take on board as many of the posts from people with saiety disorders. For saiety disorders the band works by pushing on the vargus nerve to stop the gut wrenching hunger so they dont have to have their band as tight as compulisve or binge eaters. We are all fighting the same battle of the bulge just using our band in different ways and using different coping mechanisms to deal with day-to-day things.

You will make it through - if we had the willpower to do it all without the band we wouldn't need it in the first place. Just try as hard as possible - it's all you can do - and remember we are here for you. Yesterday is in the past, don't beat yourself up now you can't change what happened, only learn from it. Think about only today - take it one day at a time... that's all you can do. Thinking about the long term or even just the next few months will just do your head in so only concentrate on the present.

*hugs*

Cam

[She Smiles 2]

Hi Terri! Welcome! The best Soup I had in my thicker liquids stage was a cauliflower and blue cheese soup (blended to a smooth texture). My goodness it was wonderful. I am sure if you did a google search you'd find something similar. It tasted a bit like mashed potatoes, but was SO much healthier (it only had a teensy bit of blue cheese in it for flavour).

Hey Susannah I think I spoke too soon, work has been crazy hectic the last couple of days and it looks like its going to stay that way for a little while at least. Trying to motivate my staff to get going on a project we have been lumped with is proving to be a challenge. And today I was running around to meetings and doing all sorts of stuff. But I went to the gym before work (I had to go to physio for my back afterwards) and I had heaps of energy, so I think I will be doing that a little more often to mix things up a bit. I also go for another fill tomorrow, which is GOOD because I have been able to eat like a horse (well a banded horse haha) and I don't think I have even lost a kilo in the last 2 weeks since my last fill :mad: I REALLY want to get down to 80 kilos by my wedding (which is in 4 months and 3 weeks, not that I am counting hahaha) I hope I get there!! I didn't get any $ beack for my dietician either, which I was shocked at, but hey what can you do. Just make sure you keep all of your medical receipts because if you spend over $1500 out of pocket in a year you can claim it back on your tax (I'm not sure how this works, but my Dad did it last year after he got his band). I'm going to ask my friendly accountant about it this year. I owe my parents the money my private insurance didn't cover for my band.Apparently ANY medical expenses can be claimed back in this way - even if you buy toothpaste or condoms (as my Dad put it!) in the chemist! I have a drawer full of receipts I'm saving for tax time.

Bronnie, I'm glad you had a good day today!!! :clap2:

[Jachut 487]

What I'm getting at though Cam is not disputing the physiology of it, I mean each person working at their own level for sure, and for me at the start walking was enough too. What I really mean is that you have to go a bit beyond your *comfort* level, whatever that may be, work a bit harder as you get fitter - pretty much exactly what you're saying. People dont like it, it hurts, it makes you tired etc. But you see so many people just cruising through a workout and then they wonder why it doesnt make a big difference for them.

Like the women you see cruising round the Tan chatting away nineteen to the dozen - nice incidental activity but not fitness improving exercise!

But I have never been morbidly obese, I've been overweight a lot of my life but not obese. My obesity was a short period of perhaps 2 years so I realise that I just dont understand how hard it is to be starting from a position of having to lose 50 or more kilos.

[bronnie70 0]

Hi all... i was just reading that Oprah recently had lapbanding. Wonder how many of the other celebrities have had it done??!! Im sure there are a lot that we dont know about.

[Goannabanda 0]

susannah - one site you could try for exercise and diet tips & tracking is www.sparkpeople.com Although it's American based, I have found it to be very good. Based on the profile you set up for yourself when you join the site, the thing will suggest a diet & workout for you, or else you can use the information to help you, or enter in your own.

bron - hang in there, you ARE doing great, and like Cam says, once your band is in, and properly adjusted, it WILL get easier. That's the whole point of the band!

[kebsa 1]

I wouldn't mind a few opinions about excercise options- I am making pleasing progress in terms of weightloss at present although it has slowed down now. But what I am not so happy about is the whole fitness issue. I have mentioned before that I am wheelchair dependant, using an electrc wheelchair the vast majority of the time ( i can use the manual chair most of the time at home).

I manged to find a couple of DVD's that are based on seated excercise for morbidly obese or disabled individuals and have been working on those- they are more strength work than anything but still pretty mild. I am getting really frustrated, I am hoping that when I lose enough weight I may stand a chance of gettng a prosthetic leg. If this is to be a real possibility I need to increase cardiovascular fitness as well as the physical fitness. Some of the MS issue's I have realted to severe muscle spasms that are brought on by sustained msucle activity in certain muscle groups and I am finding that I often cannot complete one of the dvd sessions because of the spasms.

I have wondered wether a gym may be appropriatte ( so that I can get some guidance) but fear I will be laughed out the door when I roll in weighing over 300 pounds in my electrc chair. I also worry about wether once I pay for a membership, the support will really be there.

Would a coupe of session with a personal trainer, to help devise a program for me that I can do athome be better??

Would I be better continuing as I am until I lose more weight and then think of the gym?

In the past I have used magnetic rowers and found that I could manage them quite well, but most of these are so low to the ground I am not sure that I could get back up again at the moment?

anythoughts or suggestions would be apprecatted

[bronnie70 0]

2 weeks and 2 days to go for me and then i can join you all. Im going to go shopping today for all the things i'll need post banding. Im starting to get more nervous as each day goes bye........ i guess my main worry at this stage is the post-op pain. I remember the gas pain when i had my gallbladder out in 2000. I'd rather go through childbirth if i had the choice!!!

[Goannabanda 0]

Karen - a few sessions with a personal trainer might be a good option for you - if you could find someone who specialises in exercise for the disabled. Have you tried a web search for other ideas?

What about water-based exercises? Are you able to swim / get into a pool? If so, you could try Water aerobics or deep-water running - it can be great cardio. Water-runners often wear special flotation waist-belts to help keep your head above Water. Many pools offer classes / sessions in both types of exercise, or you may be able to get a pool staffer or personal trainer to help you devise your own program.

I don't know what area you live in, but our local council facility (Don Tatnell, Warren Road, Mordialloc) has great support available for groups of people with special needs, as they have a Scope centre within the complex, and have a COTA program (over 50's) going there. It's also very reasonably priced. They have a 25m pool, spa, sauna, steam room, fully equipped gym, and great trainers & staff. I've seen plenty of special needs / disabled people working out there - even people in wheelchairs working out in the gym!

Hope that you find something useful in my post. Happy exercising!

[Jachut 487]

I was going to suggest the Water as well - or hiring/buying a rower at home if someone can help you get up and down.

I'm really disillusioned with gyms. YOu go in with such high hopes to really achieve something and you end up being led by some trained in 2 months 18 year old with a cookie cutter workout that he's just given every single new member who walked in the door. I guess that's OK if you start out unfit and needing to learn but I certainly wouldnt assume that the average suburban gym would have the expertise to work with an MS patient.

Of course that's a generalisation, and perhaps it has something to do with the fact that I did 3/4 of a physiotherapy degree so I'm not clueless but I would look for more expertise for yourself Kebsa, you need to perhaps hook up with a physio studio or something like that?

[She Smiles 2]

Kebsa, you need to perhaps hook up with a physio studio or something like that?

I think thats a brilliant idea. They might be able to start you on some exercises and refer you to a trainer/gym that can work with you and your needs.

So, I went for my 4th fill today. Another 1 ml in so now I have 7.5 in my 10ml band. Just had 4 spoons of Soup for lunch and am full full full. Boy I hope that this might be close to it for me. I really want my band to start helping me in conjunction with the exercise I am doing. I lost 1.4 kilos since my last fill 2 weeks ago. Not the best result possilbe, but its a pretty good loss all the same. I just really want to crack the 90kgs before I come down to Melbourne on the 16th!!!

[susannah 2]

Hi Girls, Thanks for all the great tips once again everybody.

I am a bit upset because I received a bill from the assisitant surgeon for three hundred dollars yesterday. My surgeon's office told me that should I receive a bill from the assistant surgeon or the anaesthetist I can process it through medicare and my health fund, and it would not entail any further out of pocket cost to me as I have already paid the 3,500 fee. I have this assurance in writing from my surgeons office.

I rang the assistant surgeons office and the receptionist was really offhand with me, making me out to be someone who tries to avoid paying her bills.

I asked her to contact my surgeon's office and sort it out with them and get back to me. I have had no call today.

I have paid probably 6 thousand dollars out of my own pocket for all of the banding expenses together all told, and I have paid it on time, each time.

I really resent being made out to be some kind of bum.I am really upset by this, and feel I should not have to pay any extra. What really upsets me further is hearing that other patients can claim some of the fee back.

I think my surgeon is fantastic, and I don't mind that he charges more than others, that is his right. I just was quoted 3,500 and I happily paid that.

Maybe three hundred dollars doesn't sound like much, but it is a lot to me at the moment. I had no income for the two weeks I was off after the surgery.

I feel so flat today. Feel like crying.

Sorry everybody. I am usually a very happy person.

Susannah

[susannah 2]

Hey, The assistant surgeons office told me the additional three hundred dollars on top of the 3500 dollars can not be claimed back through medicare or my health fund. Just to clearly explain it. Susannah

[kebsa 1]

Thanks for the replies guys

Water based stuff has been a good option for me in the past but I need to find a pool that has a hoist these days- they are not that common and most tend to be hydro therapy pools. The problem with that is that they are heated to about 34 degrees- thats great for most disabilties but can be awful for ms- the exposure to heat can cause psuedoflares, profound fatigue etc- After a dp in a heated pool i do not even have the energy to dry myself off, i'm a right off for the next 2 days. THis is frustrating because I have been a strong swimmer all mylife and do like the weight bearing etc that is possible for me in water- I jsut have to find a pool that isnot so warm!

The Physio studio s a good idea, i have not been able to find any gyms like the Scope centre that was mentioned- sounds great. I thnk I will contact the physios at the MS society and see if they can assist with a start up program.

The rower at home may be an option if I can have one raised on blocks so it was not so low to the ground- I do like the rowers, they bring out the competitive streak in me

susannah

I can understand your frustration, getting hit with additional expenses seems to be quite common- Why can't you calm it through your prvate health fund- is the guy charging more than the scheduled fee?? f you have a written quote that states no further out of pocket expenses I would challenge the additional bill with the surgeon if necessary since the secretary isnot beinghelpful!

[blytheswideshut 0]

Hi Susannah

That really sux. There is nothing worse than being made to feel like you're a "dead beat" non-paying patient just because you're querying an account.

When I was in another surgeon's office for an intital consultation, a patient of his that had been banded in March 06 came in the query an account he had received in Feb 07! The account was for $160, he wanted some info about the account - and the receptionist got really snarky and said it was for unpaid fees - and he keept asking her for what/when etc, and she basically couldn't tell him.

Then he says to her that he claimed all the 05/06 medical bills on his tax, and because this account is only $160 he won't be able to claim this in this tax year (because it's got to be over $1500 to start claiming it). So - get this!!! she starts saying to him, well if you're going to claim it at 30c in the dollar off your tax, then it's really only $40 and she can't even understand why he's carrying on about $40.

He was speechless. At this time I was called in to see the Dr and didn't get to find out what happened.

The little scenario was part of the reason why I chose not to go with that surgeon!