Perth people, where are you?

[Rastis100 0]

Yep - you can get Optifast from the chemist. Shop around though for prices because it can vary. I know that the chemist on the corner of Risley St and Canning Hwy (Applecross) have it and it's reasonably priced.

I thought the chocolate was the nicest, but a friend of mine also said the vanilla one is nice with a bit of coffee in it.

Also just be aware when you are on it for the three meals a day, you can get bad breath due to the amount of fat your body is loosing, so having sugar free chewing gum close at hand is a real help.

[Coo 1]

Sorry, been away - should have read SPLENDA, not spenda!!

And really, the Opti strawberry,to me, just tastes like a strawberry milkshake. I just make sure i used iced Water for them.

I also have them for dinner and lunch the day of a fill - just to be safe :frown:

[Fanny Adams 7]

Yes, from the chemist but shop around. I've seen prices range from $40 a box to $55! I didn't ask about the Tony Ferguson ones, and just went with the Optifast. I can't find the dietary information on the Tony Ferguson shakes (even on his website!) but I believe they are higher in sugar and carbs than the Optifast, which is quite probably why they apparently taste a lot better, heheh! There are a lot more choices with TF, but the better taste may also mean that they don't work quite as well in shrinking the liver.

[Renaissance Man 0]

Greetings from Texas! I had the fortunate opportunity to live in Perth in the early 1960's as boy. I spent two years in your lovely city (the first two months in the Palace Hotel downtown!) and attended Wesley College. I'm presently scheduled to be banded on February 21st and hope to return to visit Perth before I cash in.

[Fanny Adams 7]

Hey Rastis! You are a South of the River girl? I should have expected that, given you're using Doc Watson in Murdoch. I grew up in Ardross and the 777 on the corner of Canning Hwy & Riseley Street was my local chemist for years! I now live in South Lake, which is a lot further south but still counts as a SoR Girl :party:

[Fanny Adams 7]

Greetings Renaissance Man! You will be amazed when you come back to Perth - the place sure has changed a lot in the last 40 years!

[emmaf106 0]

Well disappointing news - emailed Doc Watson to confirm the feb 27 date was for both me and my partner but he said he couldn't fit both of us in till Mar 19th - even separately. So a bit longer of a wait now. We're bitterly disappointed but know our time will come.

[nat36 2]

Well disappointing news - emailed Doc Watson to confirm the feb 27 date was for both me and my partner but he said he couldn't fit both of us in till Mar 19th - even separately. So a bit longer of a wait now. We're bitterly disappointed but know our time will come.

Emma I am supposedly booked in for the 19th March with Dr Watson. He gave me that date via email so now I am worried and going to check on Monday I couldnt handle waiting any longer.

[caterpillar 0]

Hi guys,

Just popped in to say that I am now officially a BANDIT (as of Wednesday) and no more Optifast forever! Dr Watson asked me if I cheated and I was proud to say no, although the optifast was so bad that there were days when I only had one shake and the veges. It was worth it. Kids say I am much nicer on fluids than I ever was on optifast. Dr Watson told me that we can start mushies day 5 which is tomorrow. This seems to be much earlier than other surgeons, was this the same for you guys?

[Fanny Adams 7]

I think Dr Watson relies on his patients to be sensible and listen to their bodies a lot more than other surgeons that I've heard of. For me, all the time frames he gave were very loose and came with the proviso "depending upon how you tolerate it". For example, he said clears for 2-4 days, full liquids for 7-14 days, mushies for 7-14 days, then back to normal food. Given those ranges, the shortest time back to normal food would be 16 days, the longest 32 days...quite a range. From what others have said, most other surgeons tend to be a lot more strict with their times.

PS: Welcome to the club! Congrats!!

[Rastis100 0]

Fanny - Yep I'm a SoR girl, hence the reason I had the surgery done at Murdoch.

I haven't actually been to this site for a few days. I've been flat out with kids birthdays/parties, back to school and back to work, so haven't been on line for a while.

I see Dr Watson on Friday and I am hoping like crazy that he will put Fluid in. I still only have 1ml in at the moment, and I am a bit scared that he won't put a bit more fluid in. The pain that I was no longer having in my sternam area (due to reflux oesophogitis), is now back again and I don't think he will give me a fill while I am still having the pain.

My GP is treating it with Pariet (the reflux meds we had in hospital), but he is saying it might still be another month before the pain fully subsides.

If it doesn't subside within the next month, he is going to put me on some anti spasm tablets to try and stop my oesophogus spasming.

Man-o-man I am feeling so damn frustrated - it's driving me nuts. Fingers crossed Dr Watson give me a fill anyway..

Cheers - Rastis

[mss 1]

Hate to say it Rastis but you know Dr Watson, he is pretty careful and I know in my case when he had even a little bit of doubt about giving me a fill he asked me to hold off for a bit longer. Hope your appt went well. :tongue2:

[Rastis100 0]

Well, I am not sure if you could say my appt went well or not. He did put 1 ml in which I am realy happy about, BUT he said he was at a bit of a loss with what to do next with me.

Dr Watson thinks that my body doesn't like having the band in and is going into spasm because of the "foreign object" around my stomach. He said it's like kind of trying to reject it.

He said we really only have two options left, the first is to keep giving me fills in small doses and hope that the stomach/oesphogus get used to having the band in or the second option is to remove the band all together - AAARRRGGGHHH.

He said that after all I've been through he didn't think that I'd want the band removed (that's an understatement), so he said to push on and see what happens.

Here's hoping that everything settles down!!!

[nat36 2]

Head hunger is doing my f.....g head in today. I am FULL but still trolling the cupboards for something else. This is my first week back at school and my husband has gone back to the mines. Not even harsh self talk can pull me out of this one. Help!!!!!

[mss 1]

Well, I am not sure if you could say my appt went well or not. He did put 1 ml in which I am realy happy about, BUT he said he was at a bit of a loss with what to do next with me.

Dr Watson thinks that my body doesn't like having the band in and is going into spasm because of the "foreign object" around my stomach. He said it's like kind of trying to reject it.

He said we really only have two options left, the first is to keep giving me fills in small doses and hope that the stomach/oesphogus get used to having the band in or the second option is to remove the band all together - AAARRRGGGHHH.

He said that after all I've been through he didn't think that I'd want the band removed (that's an understatement), so he said to push on and see what happens.

Here's hoping that everything settles down!!!

I will make sure I send lots of good luck and positive vibes to you. This probably sounds a little strange but if you have any spare time Rastis maybe you could do some meditation or visualisations focusing on accepting your band and picturing it as a long lost friend. I realise it is your body and not you rejecting your band but hey.... anything is worth a shot. fingers crossed for you. :cursing: