In July 2008 I decided to undergo Lapband surgery. I knew it would be the answer for me....I had a long and hard road to get to it though. I went on the public waiting list for the surgery....waited 7 months for my initial appointment, waited another 2 years for the surgery then I got the call I had been waiting for....surgery day the next day...so I booked in, went thru the admission checks only to be told that the doctor who was going to do the surgery QUIT that very morning...well I was a mess.....I cried and then I cried some more, rallied polititians, wrote emails, cried some more, yelled, screamed at receptionists, abused the doctor....but alas I was back to square one. I joined private health cover that very day and waited another 12 months and underwent the surgery on the anniversary!
Now let me just say this. A lapband is NOT a magic wand! You dont wake up the next day skinny (Oh what a shame) It is a long and arduous journey and involves a lot of hard work. You stop (well I did anyway) eating plates full of food and go down to 3 half (YES HALF) cups of food a day....starting with 6 weeks at least of just fluids and then progressing to mushies (soups and runny vegies) I didnt mind this so much as I had just about eaten everything on the planet so it was time to stop haha.
I didnt have any support in a real way. My doctor was only interested in how much weight loss I had achieved, and I think this is a downfall of lapband surgery...there needs to be more care after surgery, my opinion only, because there is a lot more going on than just weight loss. So I started a facebook page called Tassie Lapbanders.
This little page saved my sanity and led the pathway to some of the greatest friendships I have ever known. They have enriched my life with their caring, understanding (because NO-ONE understands a lapband like a lapbander) humour and constant encouragement.
If you are morbidly obese, this could be the solution for you, but it should never, in my opinion, be the first choice....exercise (yuck) and diet should be tried first.....We all tried everything from Jenny Craig to ridiculous soup diets etc etc etc.....
I will never be obese again.... The lapband saved my life really. I am now starting life again 40ish single and starving hahahaha
I love this Meegs, you've covered everything so honestly and accurately, I think a lot of people do think of it as the 'magic wand' and think that they wont have to think about it at all or work hard at it and then of course have no success, I also know of people who go through this somewhat dangerous surgery and then continue to change nothing about their eating habits or lifestyle and wonder why they are still unhealthy and sick! (for example those that will fill their small appetite with fried chips every meal)! Well done, so so proud of you, you were already beautiful but now you GLOW!
ReplyDeleteThanks Lou....thank you for your encouragement all the way...you are a treasure that will stay in my "jewel box" hopefully for a long time to come xxx
ReplyDeleteMy weight has always been "heavy" As soon as I hit puberty at 6 foot I was about 90kgs. Over the years (and the two kids) My weight has gone up to.... well.... I aint sharing THAT number.
ReplyDeleteMy mother always wanted me to get lapband surgery because it would be "the easy fix" I kept telling her it's major surgery, there are no garuntees that I'd come out alive (surgery at high weights is dangerous). But what she really failed to miss was that I thought I had been fat my whole life. I was 6 foot with curves in a size 14 but still I was convinced I was morbidly obese. This comes down to childhood teasing as well as my mother's own battle with her weight and forcing that upon her kids (I've done so many stupid diets, right down to parseley soup diets and eating only red meats).
I'm on optislim now, and it's working somewhat... So I know the battle of weight loss and I am proud of you Meegs. You are gorgeous, kind and just simply an amazing bloody woman! Keep up the awesome work!
Mate I was born a size 12 I reckon haha....Had the same obstacles...grew up in a family of big cooks and eaters...an aunt who worked as a pastry cook (my lunch boxes were the BEST) and enjoyed food as a huge part of my life. I also grew up with the fmaily that were always on weight watchers or fad diets and was told continually that if I didn't lose weight I would never get married, get a job..etc etc. That didnt stop me eating...it made me eat more...food was the biggest comfort in my life! My best friend really...it was there when I was happy, sad, bored....Food and I enjoyed a unhealthy relationship for nearly 40 years!
ReplyDeletewow , they say everything happens for a reason, i just wonder in your case , why oh why on the day of your surgery did that happen how odd and then you had to wait another year. That must have been really really hard for you. what did you do in that year you had to wait? did you try more diets? sheesh Can you still only eat 3 half cups of food a day? do you think that if you didnt have the band, if you had it removed, you would eat differently now? do you have to have it there for life? x
ReplyDeletelets see if this works?
ReplyDeleteHey Ky.... he quit bcecause he was so dissapointed with the level of support the RHH gave to obesity patients. I dieted in the year waiting and got down to about 150kg before surgery. I dont eat much and rarely feel hungry and that is a huge change, going from someone who couldnt stop eating to someone who forgets too! lol Would I eat differently if I didnt have the band..absolutley...If I didnt need the lapband I wouldnt have had it...I will always have a level of restriction in my band to keep me on track. the band stays for life..or the life of the band :)
ReplyDeleteLovin'your blog Meegs. Just reading back to the beginning. You have inspired me to get back to mine again....I am such a slacker!! xx
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