Anyone else live in Chch??

How exciting to hear your progress!! Thanks for your replies. I so hope there is a meeting in December and look forward to meeting some fellow sleevers!

Keridwyn I'm sorry to hear that you are struggling after all the quakes. It's been pretty rough hasn't it. It played a large part in my decision making to get the sleeve as I was comfort eating too. You will get back on track when you are ready, and at least sleeved you will not have put on as much weight as you might have without it. Kia Kaha.

Hey Sassyred, there should be an SOS support group meeting at the beginning of Dec I hope! I go to them all and it's great to see everyone. Sometimes there are mainly banders there, but more sleevers have been popping out of the woodwork in recent months.

I thought of you Keridwyn at the October meeting cos Meg (who runs it) introduced someone there who was banded in the pre-SOS days so came along to our meeting. I'm sure you would be welcome since your clinic became part of SOS? I'll flick you a text when the next one comes round :)

Still here. Still struggling to recover from quakes.
Never did get to goal and regain is a big battle but one I intend to win. I was sleeved via Intus so I dont go to the SOS meetings but do know a few who do. They are good people.

Well done sassyred, I was sleeved by Richard Flint in January and have lost 35kg. My weight was 100kg pre surgery and my goal was 65kg, so am at goal at last! I dont live in Chch, but travel there to see the people at SOS and my last visit to the surgeon, dietician etc is in Dec. Very happy with results and I feel fabulous...

Cheers!

Hello ChCh Sleevers!

I'm 2 weeks post op - sleeved by Richard Flint at SOS at Southern Cross (which is a bit munted). I just missed the October get together at SOS and see I have to wait until February for the next one.... so thought I'd poke my nose in here and see what's happening with you all. Congrats on your weight losses!

Thats a fabulous weight loss rosyone, I had my surgery on 20 Jan and weighed 100kg at the start of opti. I am now 77kg, the lightest I have been in 10 years.

I want to lose another 12 to get to 65, again a weight I havent seen for 25years!

The follow ups at southern obesity clinic are thorough and the staff there are very helpful, is that who you went through?
Richard did my op and I have been very satisfied. I enjoy the fact i can eat any kind of food, but because of the small quantity I can only cope with it means that I can still lose. Will be interested to seee how the last 10kg comes off, I have read here that that is the toughest part.

Aiming to get to 70kg by July so I can be comfortable in a long 20 hour flight.
Cheers

Thought I would jump right in and say hi. I had my sleeve in Ch Ch last September at St Georges, what amazing staff there - but I guess that's what you are paying for :) My weight loss has been very slow and hard work but don't think I am normal in that way. My highest weight was 160kg and I managed to get down to 138kg for my op over several months using optiblerk and exercise. Now 8 months since my op I weigh 113kg and I can say it's been hard work! I am amazed at how little I can eat and not loose but in saying that I feel great for the weight lost - it's awesome :)

Sorry to hear that you had a rough time after the op, lillygirl. I hope you are soon feeling more like yourself.

My sleeve is now in! Am home now but stilling weak and pathetic. I did react to the morhine and had the unbelievable nausea. I had drugs pumped to me but the thing that seemed to work the best was a motions sickness patch that you but behind your ear. A word of warning is don't go mad on the paitient controlled pain relief the night after the surgery, I was encouraged to use heaps of it by the nurses, but if try to cope with as best as you can.
My nausea was so bad that a wheelchair trip down xray dept was almost a no-go as I had trouble standing for the dye test. I managed to sip 3 times while hanging of the rail! Staff at St Georges are great.
The stomach surgery went very well according to Richard Flint my surgeon - my liver was very impressive in its smaller state.
I started to take fluids according to plan and now belive the worst is over...
All the best to those at pre op and those who have been done in January already
Cheers
Rachel

Hi, I live in Christchurch and my sleeve date is the 3rd Feb, I've just started the pre-diet on Wednesday. I have talked to quite a few people who have had Gastice bypass but only 1 who has had the sleeve - she was recommended through my doctor and she was lovely and very positive. Would love to talk or catch up with oneone in CHC before surgery.

Good to have two reports on St George's now. I used to live just outside Ch'church, so I'm leaning more towards going there, as I know the area better. Just have to wait and see what happens with the GP on Monday now. Thanks everyone for the feedback. All the best, Rachel.

Richard Flint is doing my surgery at St Georges so it is good to hear that others have had a positive experience there. The dietitican Meg and excercise consultant Vanessa are very nice and give you lots of support for the pre op queries. Day @ of optifast - look forward to the day when hunger is not so rampant! Hibi, I was told that at least half of the clients that go through the Southern Obesity Surgery are not Christchurch locals. I have no idea about what is available in Wellington.
Cheers

I had Grant Coulter at Southern Obesity Surgery in Chch. He was great - he calls a spade a spade but is supportive. He came to see me twice a day the whole 5 days I was in hospital, even during the weekend!

I was at St George's Hospital, which was lovely - the nurses were so nice and I was well looked after.

Hibi - I sent you a pm with my phone number if you wanted to have a chat before your appointment on Monday :)

Thank you... perhaps the rest of the Ch'church sleevers here could tell me which surgeon they had. I'm seeing the GP on Monday 10 Jan 11 to see if I can actually go for this treatment, if I need a referal and then where to go from there. I'm actually up in Marlborough.. so not too sure if Ch'ch or Wellington will be best. Hearing more about your experiences would really be helpful. Cheers.

Isis wrote:

Hello Rachel and Hibi,
Good luck with your upcoming journeys, it's quite an exciting thing! If you want to have a talk about things or meet for a coffee or anything just message me :)

Good luck for the 20th Rachel - not long to go now!

Hello Rachel and Hibi,
Good luck with your upcoming journeys, it's quite an exciting thing! If you want to have a talk about things or meet for a coffee or anything just message me :)

Good luck for the 20th Rachel - not long to go now!

Which surgeon is doing your op, Rachel... just curious, as I'm still in the "thinking about it' phase.

lillygirl wrote:

Hi there
I live 2 hours from Christchurch and am having my op on 20th Jan 2011. I plan to go to the support group from my clinic later after I have had the surgery and meet other people who are ahead of me in their fantastic journey. The weight loss numbers that some have had are incredible! (I too want to join them)
Cheers
Rachel

Hi there
I live 2 hours from Christchurch and am having my op on 20th Jan 2011. I plan to go to the support group from my clinic later after I have had the surgery and meet other people who are ahead of me in their fantastic journey. The weight loss numbers that some have had are incredible! (I too want to join them)
Cheers
Rachel

Thanks so much for your replies! Thanks for the link Keridwyn - it would be great to get involved and meet some fellow sleevers (I go to the support group at my clinic, but they were all banders last time - we meet every 2 months so maybe there will be some other ops there next time). Carrie, all the best with your big move!! I'm looking forward to meeting you!
xox

As noted by Carrie I live in Chch. Drop me a line as we have a solid support group here you are most welcome to come along to. Our next monthly get together is 2 weeks away. We also do mid month walks. Have a look here under support groups (walks and meetings threads) for details - http://nzwlsc.com/newforum/index.php

I am off this weekend to the NZ Weight loss gathering in Palm North if anyone else is going.

I'm going to miss you too :-) but I won't be a stranger, we plan on coming back and forth LOTS, it's only a few hours away.

-Carrie :-)

Not fair!!! We're going to miss you way too much Carrie!!!

Hi Isis,

I'm from Christchurch, I have been living in Sydney for a long time but am currently in the process of packing up our household to move back. I don't have an exact date, but we will be back before Christmas. So I will be looking forward to meeting you then.

Keridwyn is from Christchurch also, so I'm sure you'll hear from her when she is next on the site.

Woo hoo, I'm not even there yet and I already have two sleeve sisters to meet, LOL.

Hugs - Carrie xxx

Hello all!

Do any of you live in Chch? This forum's fantastic! It would be great to meet up with a few people, but I seem to live in the wrong place haha. Anyway, if anybody's out here and would be keen to go for a coffee let me know :)