Central Coast says hello

First topic message reminder :

Hi everyone :D
I live on the Central Coast of NSW and am booked in to have the sleeve done by Dr Talbot in Sydney on 23rd June 2008.
It's been a bit of a wait, firstly because I was doing research, and then because the doc had to go away a couple of times.
Like most people, I considered the lapband first, but decided that the sleeve was the best option for me, for a variety of reasons - and the doc agreed. WLS has been suggested to me several times over the last few years, however I've always said it wasn't for me - until I read a magazine article about a woman who could have been me, and had had the lapband and it has made a huge difference in her life. I decided that if she could have such a positive result, it was worth while finding out more about it before saying no again. :?:
I've been doing the Optifast thing for the last several weeks, because after I finally decided to go ahead with the surgery I found that I was having a bit of a "food funeral" and started putting on weight, which I'd been losing since the beginning of the year.
So far I've lost nearly 15kg this year, and about half of that has been while I've been on Optifast. It's still a week until I really had to start it, but I'm in a better place now because I started it early.
No, I don't really like the taste, but I feel more in control now and am happy that I'm losing weight before the op - but under no illusions that I could just keep on dieting successfully to lose all the weight I have to and do without the op, either. :lol:
I'm a bit nervous about it, but having just had carpal tunnel surgery and found that a lot easier than I expected, I think I've settled down a bit now.
I'm 51 years old, 160cm, and currently 135 kg. I was 150 kg at the beginning of this year, and that's the biggest I've ever been.
I have diabetes, and have to take insulin 4 times a day, as well as medication. I also have reflux, which the doc said he'd fix while he's there. Add arthritis, chronic back pain, asthma, and a few other bits and pieces, and you get the picture that I'm not a very healthy person.
I also suffer from severe depression, which is one of the reasons I put a lot of weight on, as I eat a lot when I'm depressed. Having suffered badly from this over the last several years, I put on heaps of weight. I'm only now able to do something about it because the depression's improved so much over the last 6 months or so, with a new treatment I'm having.
My husband works in Sydney each day, which means I'm alone much of the time. I don't work any more due to my health problems. So the internet support that I'm getting is very important to me, and I really appreciate this new site that I've just found.
I have told a couple of people I'm having the surgery, and most have been okay about it. Only one will be able to visit me in hospital though. I haven't told any of my family because I know that there will be some very negative responses and I just don't want to have to deal with that yet. I haven't yet decided when or if I'll tell them about it.
My husband is going to stay in a motel nearby, so he can visit me at night and not worry about travelling all the way home each day - he usually spends 5 hours travelling, so it'll be good for him not to have to do that, even if he does have to spend time visiting me!
Bye for now
Chris

Thanks hayley,

I felt like i needed to, they are a great bunch of girls( apart from one, but i wont go there...lol)
Most people that i have told my weight to have had a hard time believing me i think cos im am reasonably tall and dress well (lots of black to cover everything up..lol) .I have even had one say to me, i didnt think you would be a candidate for that.
But i am overweight by around 30-35kg and that is enough for me to go ahead with this surgery.

Thanks again

Nicole

Hi everyone,

I have been telling more and more people as my date gets closer(27th june). I just thought bugger it and told people from work most seem to be supportive and i have had a few now really interested in what they do. But some wont ever understand and most of those people are the thin ones. I am or was 108kg im now 105.6 yee haaa and most people have gasped when i told them my weight as they dont think i weigh that much ( yes i have told them my weight...i think so that they understand more).
The optifast i seem to be getting used to, at first i thought yuk, but its getting easier to drink.

Hey chris we are now sleeve triplets( not twins anymore)

You both should go to the diary section and start your journal. So people can follow or stories.

Bye for now

Nicole

Yes, it's a dilemma, isn't it? Wish I had an answer to the problem!
Thanks - not doing so well on the Optifast today, though. Better luck tomorrow...
Chris

Ah, to tell or not to tell!
As I've said, my family are all in the loop, and my best friend knows, but that's it so far.
I'm pretty close to my fiance's family (who are all stick thin, damn them) and we see them fairly regularly, so my main concern regarding telling people is what I'm going to do if they ask me about my weight loss (which I'm hoping will be huge, of course!) after my surgery. I'm too embarrassed to tell them the truth about it, and none of them have really struggled with their weight, so I'm not sure they'd get it... any advice?
Also, can I just say, I'm so impressed with you guys doing Optifast. Last time I attempted it, I managed 2 weeks, before getting drunk and falling spectacularly off the wagon, devouring about 2 party platters of nuts, chips and dip :lol:

Oh, I know where you're coming from! but I've stuck to cheese and a piece of silverside and some extra veggies - trying to be very good. If I have to eat Optifast, I'm determined to make it count! LOL
Chris

Hi Bugs
Nice to meet you! LOL
Oh, good, we can do optifat together. I like it when others are suffering along with me. I must say that I'm finding it more difficult yesterday and today, after eating real food on the weekend. I've been a bit naughty, but not too bad.
No, not exercising - lucky to make it up to the post box these days, or even the letterbox! LOL
I found my BSLs dropped remarkably with the Optifast, and of course had to reduce the insulin, so I'm sure you'll find the same. Good luck!
Interesting - I have been told that there should not be any restrictions in what I eat, just the size of the meal. I guess different people experience different things, too.
What a shame you've had such a negative experience when you've been brave enough to tell people about the wls. I actually told my sister yesterday. Had to really, as she's coming up from Tassie to visit while I'm in hospital. She hadn't told me the dates before, just that she was coming up for Mum's birthday, but she's actually coming up a week early, and so we clashed. Another friend from Tassie has decided that her visit has to be next week - and she loves to feed people - and I'll be on Optifast. Haven't decided what to tell her yet. But since I've told my sister, I guess I'll have to put it out there to the others. Even though she's sworn to secrecy, things have a habit of getting out there when you tell just that one person, don't they?
I hope that you get our surgery date soon, and that it's not a long wait for you.
Best wishes
Chris

Hi Jezzybel
Ooh, that means you're just a few days before me! Good luck, and I look forward to hearing how you went. I know what you mean about putting on weight at the last minute - I put on 2kg on the weekend! LOL
Chris

Hey Chris, nice to meet you!
I've got 10 days left till my surgery. I didn't need to go on Optifast - thank god! I've been on it in the past and ended up wanting to kill everyone who was eating real, yummy food around me :lol:
I can really relate to food funerals - it made me laugh when I read that and realised that was exactly what I was doing! I'm having a funeral for steak tonight in case I can't eat it after the surgery :D I just hope I haven't put on another 5 kg by my operation from 'saying goodbye' to all the foods I love...

Thanks, Hayley.
Had a real 'food funeral' last weekend, as hubby's birthday, our anniversary and the last weekend before the final two weeks of Optifast all came together.
It was lovely to eat real food, especially as we made a big thing of it, but my stomach was glad when I went back to the Optifast and didn't fill it up so much! LOL
Bye for now
Chris

Welcome Chris!!

Thankyou for your awesome intro, and might I say...AWESOME 15kilo loss!! Well done, you are on the road. I remember just before I went into surgery, I had the same thing with the 'food funeral' that you have so aptly called it! Wow, it's like you eat without thinking about it, and like there'll be no tomorrow! LOL. I admire you for opting for the opti yuck when you knew what was happening, it takes a woman/man of strong courage to choose that stuff, even though most of us have to when it comes to WLS. Thankyou again for sharing, hope to chat soon!!
Hayley :joker:

Hi everyone :D
I live on the Central Coast of NSW and am booked in to have the sleeve done by Dr Talbot in Sydney on 23rd June 2008.
It's been a bit of a wait, firstly because I was doing research, and then because the doc had to go away a couple of times.
Like most people, I considered the lapband first, but decided that the sleeve was the best option for me, for a variety of reasons - and the doc agreed. WLS has been suggested to me several times over the last few years, however I've always said it wasn't for me - until I read a magazine article about a woman who could have been me, and had had the lapband and it has made a huge difference in her life. I decided that if she could have such a positive result, it was worth while finding out more about it before saying no again. :?:
I've been doing the Optifast thing for the last several weeks, because after I finally decided to go ahead with the surgery I found that I was having a bit of a "food funeral" and started putting on weight, which I'd been losing since the beginning of the year.
So far I've lost nearly 15kg this year, and about half of that has been while I've been on Optifast. It's still a week until I really had to start it, but I'm in a better place now because I started it early.
No, I don't really like the taste, but I feel more in control now and am happy that I'm losing weight before the op - but under no illusions that I could just keep on dieting successfully to lose all the weight I have to and do without the op, either. :lol:
I'm a bit nervous about it, but having just had carpal tunnel surgery and found that a lot easier than I expected, I think I've settled down a bit now.
I'm 51 years old, 160cm, and currently 135 kg. I was 150 kg at the beginning of this year, and that's the biggest I've ever been.
I have diabetes, and have to take insulin 4 times a day, as well as medication. I also have reflux, which the doc said he'd fix while he's there. Add arthritis, chronic back pain, asthma, and a few other bits and pieces, and you get the picture that I'm not a very healthy person.
I also suffer from severe depression, which is one of the reasons I put a lot of weight on, as I eat a lot when I'm depressed. Having suffered badly from this over the last several years, I put on heaps of weight. I'm only now able to do something about it because the depression's improved so much over the last 6 months or so, with a new treatment I'm having.
My husband works in Sydney each day, which means I'm alone much of the time. I don't work any more due to my health problems. So the internet support that I'm getting is very important to me, and I really appreciate this new site that I've just found.
I have told a couple of people I'm having the surgery, and most have been okay about it. Only one will be able to visit me in hospital though. I haven't told any of my family because I know that there will be some very negative responses and I just don't want to have to deal with that yet. I haven't yet decided when or if I'll tell them about it.
My husband is going to stay in a motel nearby, so he can visit me at night and not worry about travelling all the way home each day - he usually spends 5 hours travelling, so it'll be good for him not to have to do that, even if he does have to spend time visiting me!
Bye for now
Chris