Newbie from Oz

[Mandi 0]

Hi everyone. This is my first post. I am from Australia and wanted to introduce myself as someone who is seriously considering banding, but has not yet decided:decision:. This message is a bit long, so thank you to those that take the time to read it.

I have a lot of questions, some of which I will ask via this forum and others I will ask of doctors etc. So, I want to thank you all in advance for your support. And from what I’ve read so far, you all seem to be a very supportive bunch of people. :clap2:

Ok, a bit about me. I’m 29 years old, live in the Brisbane area in Queensland, Australia, I currently weigh about 100kg (or 220 pounds) – at my heaviest I was 122kg (269 pounds), I’m 165cm tall (or 5’5"), my BMI is 37, I’m engaged (no kids – but hope to one day).

I’m considering lapbanding to help me to lose weight (same as everyone else) – I am already seeing a dietician to make sure I am eating healthy and I am exercising (walking every day plus doing other exercise like group training, bellydancing & have just started pilates)……… yet, I am still struggling to shift the weight that has plagued me for years. Like everyone else here, I’ve tried at least one diet/pill/shake/eating plan from each of the different "dieting" theories and yet I’m still ‘obese’ (according to all those lovely descriptions out there regarding BMI). Don’t get me wrong, I have had success in the past (and failure), but it’s all been short term and I still get stuck. As I said, at my heaviest I weighed 122kg (269 pounds) with a BMI of 45. So I have lost weight and have maintained MOST of what I lost, but every day is a constant struggle just to stay at my current weight, and not go back to where I came from and possibly more!

I’ve only been a "normal" weight once in my life (briefly) and not counting childhood. This was around the age of 18 to 19 years old – but even then I didn’t realise I was "normal" and thought I was overweight (if only I knew then, what I knew now). I was ‘larger’ than the other girls in high school – not huge – but I was overweight. After high school I lost weight to get down to a healthy 57-60kg average weight (about 130 pounds). Then from 19 years old onwards, I just started piling on the weight until I reached 122 kg (269 pounds) – and I’ve been struggling to shift it ever since.

I’m tired of my weight being a constant factor in every part of my life – I don’t want my size to rule my life any more – that’s why I’m here to learn from all of you and to look further into the option of lapbanding.

Thank you for reading. :Banane35:

[Chickie 15]

Hiya Mandi! Welcome to LBT!! I think you will find that there are quite a few of us Aussies about, and a handful of us are from Brissy (myself included)

Again, welcome to LBT!

[Mandi 0]

Thanks Chickie. Will be good to chat to some locals / Aussie's as well as everyone else.

[ellemay 0]

Hi Mandi,

I'm new too and I can certainly relate to your story. I'm sure it's similar to many people here. In fact I feel that you told my story but add on a few more losses and gains and another dozen years. Ahhh the yoyo diet!

I finally took the plunge and got banded on the 2nd of Oct. I'm in my 40's have 3 kids and don't have the energy to keep up with them. Good luck with what ever you decide to do.

I am actually from Melb but flew up to Queensland for my surgery. The doctor uses a new band from France. Apparenetly there are next to no slippages with this one and the port is smaller and less intrusive. I had heard all these horror stories and I decided to reduce the risks as I'm such a chicken!

Looking forward to hearing your story.

[Mandi 0]

Hi ellemay,

Great to hear from you and welcome to you too!! How exciting for you being banded - early days. are you still on liquid?

Can I ask who your doctor was?

I've only just heard that there are different size ports - and the port potentially being noticeable after weightloss has been one of my concerns.

I hope it all continues to go well for you - look forward to hearing more of your story too.

[ellemay 0]

I was banded up on the Sunshine Coast by Dr Baxter.

Look up Midband for the french band. The site is really poor though. If you can read french then there is an online community you can go too. I know of 3 bands the lapband TM, the swedish band and the one I got. I went with this one because of a number of reasons, less slippage and post op problems being the most important ones for me. I was so scared to do this and then encounter problems as well. Also my friends ex-company were the ones that brought them over so I asked heaps of questions. As they are still new here not many people have had them yet. thousands in france though. Good results.

I'm on solids now, was off liquids 3 days after surgery. I'll keep you posted.

[Mandi 0]

Thanks ellemay. I am looking at going to Dr Bowden in Brisbane. I will have to ask him which band and/or port they use.

On to solids so fast - that's great!

[sewenup1 0]

Hi everyone. This is my first post. I am from Australia and wanted to introduce myself as someone who is seriously considering banding, but has not yet decided:decision:. This message is a bit long, so thank you to those that take the time to read it.

I have a lot of questions, some of which I will ask via this forum and others I will ask of doctors etc. So, I want to thank you all in advance for your support. And from what I’ve read so far, you all seem to be a very supportive bunch of people. :clap2:

Ok, a bit about me. I’m 29 years old, live in the Brisbane area in Queensland, Australia, I currently weigh about 100kg (or 220 pounds) – at my heaviest I was 122kg (269 pounds), I’m 165cm tall (or 5’5"), my BMI is 37, I’m engaged (no kids – but hope to one day).

I’m considering lapbanding to help me to lose weight (same as everyone else) – I am already seeing a dietician to make sure I am eating healthy and I am exercising (walking every day plus doing other exercise like group training, bellydancing & have just started pilates)……… yet, I am still struggling to shift the weight that has plagued me for years. Like everyone else here, I’ve tried at least one diet/pill/shake/eating plan from each of the different "dieting" theories and yet I’m still ‘obese’ (according to all those lovely descriptions out there regarding BMI). Don’t get me wrong, I have had success in the past (and failure), but it’s all been short term and I still get stuck. As I said, at my heaviest I weighed 122kg (269 pounds) with a BMI of 45. So I have lost weight and have maintained MOST of what I lost, but every day is a constant struggle just to stay at my current weight, and not go back to where I came from and possibly more!

I’ve only been a "normal" weight once in my life (briefly) and not counting childhood. This was around the age of 18 to 19 years old – but even then I didn’t realise I was "normal" and thought I was overweight (if only I knew then, what I knew now). I was ‘larger’ than the other girls in high school – not huge – but I was overweight. After high school I lost weight to get down to a healthy 57-60kg average weight (about 130 pounds). Then from 19 years old onwards, I just started piling on the weight until I reached 122 kg (269 pounds) – and I’ve been struggling to shift it ever since.

I’m tired of my weight being a constant factor in every part of my life – I don’t want my size to rule my life any more – that’s why I’m here to learn from all of you and to look further into the option of lapbanding.

Thank you for reading.

Mandi,

Welcome!!. I'm from Sydney and am being banded on 3 December. I think it's great that you are looking into this properly before making any decision.

You may already have investigated this aspect, but have you been seen by an endocrinologist yet. Sometimes weight gain as a teenager is due to hormones.

I am 47 and no one ever bothered to consider this until recently and it's been discovered that a lot of my problems are hormonal. This isn't a cure at my age so I'm still going ahead with the banding.

I'm not trying to put you off banding - I think that whoever invented this surgery should be immortalised!! But please make sure that you have checked all possibilities for the cause of your weight issues first.

Good luck with whatever you decide and let us know what you decide.

Danna

[Mandi 0]

Hi Danna, thanks for your advice.

To be honest I have wondered if some of my problem is hormonal or something else. I've had tests for PCOS and at various times have had my thyroid levels tested in a blood test, but nothing has shown up. Are there other hormones levels etc that should be tested? (that you know of)? It is difficult to try to find an answer especially when the general assumption is that if you're fat, then you simply eat too much (and do too little). I also think genetics plays a part. Plus I know my mum has hormone imbalances - but she is post-menopausal - so I guess that's normal.

I do know that I often get severe (what I call "chemical") headaches in the week before my period - I can feel that these headaches are different to a normal headache and often no amount of painkillers will help them. I have often wondered if these were hormone based (due to timing and lack of relief from painkillers).

so thank you again, I will keep investigating my options.

Good luck with your sugery - would love to hear how you go.

[Ginaki 0]

hi Mandi, im from melbourne and will be banded in 12 days,, i have been researching the band day and night every day since may, it took me 3 mnths to finally say yep this is for me!

in a matter of 3 weeks, i attended a seminar, had 1st cosultation with surgeon, saw the shrink and nutritionist and saw surgeon again and got a date......October 30th.......

just like u i dont want my weight to rule my life no more....time to take control...

for me the decision was easy to make cause i cant continue my life yo yo dieting for the rest of my life,,,,,, for the past 18 years ive probably followed a diet every year, with good results but putting it all back on and double......

i cant go on living like that............all the best

[Mandi 0]

Hi Ginaki, thanks for writing and congrats on making the big decision. I wish you all the best with your impending surgery and banding. will look forward to hearing more about how you go.

[sewenup1 0]

Hi Danna, thanks for your advice.

To be honest I have wondered if some of my problem is hormonal or something else. I've had tests for PCOS and at various times have had my thyroid levels tested in a blood test, but nothing has shown up. Are there other hormones levels etc that should be tested? (that you know of)? It is difficult to try to find an answer especially when the general assumption is that if you're fat, then you simply eat too much (and do too little). I also think genetics plays a part. Plus I know my mum has hormone imbalances - but she is post-menopausal - so I guess that's normal.

I do know that I often get severe (what I call "chemical") headaches in the week before my period - I can feel that these headaches are different to a normal headache and often no amount of painkillers will help them. I have often wondered if these were hormone based (due to timing and lack of relief from painkillers).

so thank you again, I will keep investigating my options.

Good luck with your sugery - would love to hear how you go.

Hi Mandi,

What is your GP like -are they someone you feel comfortable talking to? If so, why not tell them your concerns and ask what tests can be done. Most are either blood or urine tests so they aren't invasive - that was the reason I suggested you check this out first. You should also discuss the WLS with your GP, you will need their referral to the specialist anyway.

Whatever you end up doing I hope it proves successful for you. I know that if I had been able to have WLS at your age I would have been first on the list - but back then it was a lot more radical type of surgery and quite often had very nasty side effects.

I'm sure to keep everyone posted on how I go cause I know I will have heaps of questions to ask the people here.

Danna:hungry:

[kimspatience 0]

Hi mandi,

I also just joined this forum and live on the on the mid north coast of NSW about 4-5 hours north of Sydney by car. I go to Port Macquarie tomorrow to start my councelling for lap band surgery. Hopefully, I should be lap banded early next year. It was not just a matter of making an appointment with my surgeon Dr. Nigel Peck, but I also had to agree to attend meetings first with his nurse, then a psychologist, a nutritionist... all before they will agree to do my surgery.

I am 128kilos 'by todays weigh in' so have a lot of kilos to lose. Will find out more tomorrow.

If you have msn or yahoo messenger, please feel free to add yourself, I would love to be your friend and share our weight loss info.

I am 62 years young haha!!! so it is a bit scary for me.

Anyone else who would like to add themselves to my messengers as weight loss friends...please feel free to do so...the info is on my profile.

Hugs, Kim from Australia xx

[Mandi 0]

Thanks Kim. Good luck with your counselling and other appointments before banding.

I'll have a look at messenger soon (am at work now - so can't do it now)