New to this site

I am new to this site so hi to all, after a lot of hassle i finally have a date i was booked in for september but the surgeon over booked so i went weeks without knowing what was going on but finally they rang!!! 18th oct is my date a while to wait but at least i have a date
congrat's to all on your adventure to a new you
wendy

Thanks Zoe and Megs

Arghhhh .... things have got very confusing. Have been advised to try and change my surgeon but .... don't know if any of the others would take me on as am going to the one who initially oversaw the band etc. Also, am so focused on getting it done asap but don't want to do that if it will be to my detriment. Very good source told me to change if possible. Hubby would not discuss last night so will hound him over the weekend. Also have a very good cardiac specialist who has become a good friend so will call him and ask him to give me his honest opinion. Oh I am so confused, why did I not find this site long before booking anything. Positive thoughts for me please!

J

Hello Skinny Me.

I never had the band so I do not comment from experience, but I think it is a great way to keep the income flow to physician's coffers with the eternal fills. While I had thought about weight loss surgery I did not want to be tethered to a doctor's office to lose weight. Once I was able to actually plan surgery (I am U.S.A. self-pay) I was so happy to learn about the sleeve, as it keeps the stomach functioning normally except for capacity and Vit. B12 absorption, as far as I know. I am almost three months post op and I can eat what I choose, but I know I must choose protein first to stay at my best functioning level. The first month to six weeks is a trip, even with the easiest of runs as I had, but after that I have had to pay attention to protein first, and carbohydrates still go down like jello, so do them last.

I look forward to your future posts,

Zoe

Hi Skinnyme,

Welcome. There is an August forum. There are a few people mid-August. I have to wait until the 23rd. I also really like looking at the earlier months and seeing how people are going.

Megs

Thanks for the positive comments Gail and S. And S .... thanks so much for the offer of support etc whilst at the Hollywood. So kind of you - I certainly won't trouble you though - guess I will just have some very quiet and reflective me time. Hubby and kids will remain down south and only come to fetch me on discharge so I will certainly have to make sure I have packed all I need prior to going there. Have not told anyone about the surgery, may do so later down the track. So glad all is going well with you both.

Regarding the rude doctors - I had no choice down here when I had my band done and had to see the guy rather than drive all the way to Perth for fills etc. I know for a fact that we have more choices here now so that is much better. The guy was just a very arrogant man - not really rude but I was very annoyed that he paid no head to my concerns.

Thanks again.

Hi J
Welcome aboard.
I have such a problem with rude doctors, I am so lucky that my surgeon is such a nice bloke, mind you if he wasn't I would have shopped around until I found a nice one LOL

Good luck with the process and try not to panic too much. This side of the sleeve is not scary at all, in fact it is fantastic !!

Hugs Gail

Hi J

I am going really really well... 25+ kilos down and certainly improved health benefits...I don't know much about either Hollywood as a hospital or your surgeon...you might want to ask Mapmar (Maria) who is VERY well informed on these things...her diary is here:
http://www.gastricsleevesupport.com/the-diary-f8/mapmars-tweety-bird-expedition-to-eat-like-a-bird-t1995.htm

To access all the diaries look here:
http://www.gastricsleevesupport.com/the-diary-f8

And a direct link to mine is here:
http://www.gastricsleevesupport.com/the-diary-f8/so-the-story-starts-t3079.htm

I do work near Hollywood so let me know if you need anything while you're up here -- even if it's just someone to chat to for a wee while...

S

Hi and thanks S

Am really extremely nervous but that is just typical of me! Am booked in with Jeff Hamdorff at the Hollywood. Do you know anything about either of them as I don't really know too much about the Hollywood but guess that is just where he happens to do his surgery. Am told that it is very nice. I am from down south so not overly familiar with too much in Perth other than the soccer and footy fields etc thanks to a sports mad (particularly soccer) son. I will endeavour to find your previous posts. I see you had yours done back in April. How are things going? Nice chatting. J

Hi Skinnyme...welcome and congrats on setting your sleeve date...it sounds like you have everything under control.

Best of luck as you count down the days till your op... there's a great community of sleevers here in WA ... feel free to pick our brains. Also you might want to pop into the August 2010 thread under Sleever's Monthly if you haven't already -- that will allow you to keep track with people at the same pace and stage as you...

Also read back through our diaries...I know I posted some comments along the way about what I was eating and when...

Which hospital are you going to?

S

Thanks to you all for the info posted in response to my queries. I am a real "sook" and so nervous. Was the same prior to the band but know that I will be really chuffed once I come round from the anaesthetic which is my biggest worry. Always afraid that I won't wake up. Oh woe is me!!!! The sleeve was not available when I had the band done and I was unsure whether they would be prepared to do a sleeve after the band eroding etc. But the surgeon said it should be no problem and that I am an ideal candidate with the results I had whilst having the band. He has waived a lot of the charges etc and the need to see the dietician, phsyc etc due to the fact that I have been through it all before and had been doing so well. My only concern is that I may need some tips re the food after surgery or is it the same as with the band. He said it was pretty much the same and that if I needed to see anyone I could quite easily do so. Only thing is I have to travel about 2.5 hours to Perth to have the surgery as we have no ICU down here and no-one game to take me on without an ICU handy. Jeff Hamdorff said he will monitor me for the first couple of months, with regular trips to Perth and then once he is happy with me he will hand me over to a specialist down here, whom he trained. I have met him and he seems to be a nice guy who was not prepared to take me on as he said he was not experienced enough. He is the one who removed the band having been handed me by the "dud" who would not listen etc. Was a very arrogant guy who I certainly would not go back to. Feel more confident doing it this way. Let us just hope that all goes well this time and I see no reason as to why it should not!!! Thanks again for all the support

Hi Skinny Me,

And welcome :-) I am so sorry to hear what you have been through, arrogant Dr's who don't listen are a real bug-bear with me. If they don't include what you can tell them about how you are feeling in their decision making, then they are only getting part of the picture. If a Dr doesn't listen to his/her patients I am afraid I pretty much write them off straight away.

I had my sleeve op in February this year, and did have a hiatus hernia repaired at the same time. It seems quite common. I had my op on a Friday and was released late on the next Monday.

I am so grateful that I have had the sleeve, and not the band that I initially enquired about.
I've still got a way to go but am already seeing many positive changes in my life.

It's lovely to meet you, and I look forward to seeing you around the site.

Cheers - Carrie.

Oh i can only imagine how upset and frustrated you must of been! We know our bodies better than anyone, and to have it erode on your... AND dr's not to listen!! Argh you poor love! But, its the past... look to the future!

You sure can ask away, we have a Pre-Op Section & a Post-Op Section- both of which has so so so many threads on all the things im sure are swarming in your head. But ofcourse your welcome to start up your own in them to find out direct answers!

As for my hospital stay, i had my surgery done on a Monday, was 'released' lol friday morning. Although i could of left Thursday!

Things are going good for me... just finding my feet with normal food now and how to eat, when to eat, when to STOP is the bigest hurdle, cause the tinest bit too much and suffer lol

But no i do love it! And am so glad i got it done...

Im still in a stage of missing food, as it was my comfort. But what it has opened my eyes up too, i.e why i comfort ate, is amazing and i am grateful for that. I can feel my life changing, for the better, every day and wouldnt change that for the world. As scary as it is...

hehehehe

Dx

Thanks for that Dx. Mmmmm I was so annoyed when the band eroded, especially as I kept telling them something was wrong. Oh well, ce la vie. I see you had your sleeve done last month. How are things going? Can you tell me how long you were kept in hospital for? I have so many questions but will keep it to that and slowly sift through all the info on this wonderful site.

Skinnyme- please believe me when i say you are not a failure with what happened with the band! There is so so so so many ex-banders! SO MANY!

Goodluck and congrats on making the decision. So sorry you had to go through what you went through... sounds horrible!

All my best

Dx

P.S WELCOME

Hi I am new to this site and to all sites like this. Not very computer literate so hope I am doing things correctly. I am an ex-bandit. Had the band for approximately 2.5 years, lost weight and was looking really good (if I say so myself) - unfortunately it eroded into the stomach and I had to have it removed. I had been constantly informing the doctor that there was a problem however he just continued to up the fills until the infection became so bad that I landed up with an infection etc. Anyhow, had it removed about 18 months ago and am now scheduled to have a sleeve done mid August. I pretty much gained almost all the weight I had lost after the band was removed. Must say I am terrified as I am beginning to think that I seem to have bad luck. Nevertheless I am being strong and brave and hope that all will go well with no problems this time. I am also having a hiatus hernia repair done at the same time. Has anyone else had the two at once and do they have any advice, for or against these being done together. I am being operated on by Prof Jeff Hamdorff in Perth, he appears to be a very likeable and capable surgeon. Does anyone have any comments or knowledge. Many thanks.