bigwelshguy

Hi Jo. Hope you had a nice x-mas and all that. Coke is fine just sip it or let it stand for 5 mins to get most of the gas out. I know exactly what you mean by eating large meals. You do need another fill but go 1/2ml if I were you untill you find the right amount by trial and error. On my last post I was sliming, puking fluids stright back up and having serious problems at night with Acid Reflux. I emailed fred and he told me I was too tight with that very last fill I had a week before. The thing is, if you vomit say 3-4 times over say a 2hr period, your gut becomes inflamed and swells making the band tighter, thus compounding the matters worse if you try and continue to eat or drink. What I should have done was to not eat that day or the next till the swelling went down. This and the fact I had too much in my band left me in a bad place. He in fairness told me to ring the London branch and get an unfill of 1mm immediately. Now base in mind this was on 22nd December and London is a 7hr round trip for me, It was something I had to do as I could not run the risk of Ulcerating my esophicus due to the acid etc. So off I went. 3 1/2hr there to the fill nurse's house, 1/2 hr there and 3 1/2hrs back. I gotta say she was brill and the fact that she agreed to see me there and then in her own house. I now feel much better and I know Im now in that sweet spot for a good long while at least. Back to the gym 4 days a week and feel great. Now down to 14st 3ish but expecting to put on 1/2st of muscle over next few months. well... thats the goal anyway. With regards to you, I know what you are saying and at the end of the day its just a tool, you stilll have to have the mind set and willing ness to stop putting large amount and the correct food types in ya gob. Common Jo, you spent all that money, travelled to Belguim, gone through all that pain and wind and all for what??????? Think about it. You know you can do it and I want you to do it too. Wouldnt you love to post a before and after pics of yourself up here and say - hey look at me!!!! Your profile picture looks as though you are a very pretty girl so you got tha looks so why let your weight hold you back. Let see some effort chick. As far as now being in Cardiff, This is news to me?? Ill email fred and let you know. Take care sexy pants!!

hey its the 15th December - 10 days to go. lol just as well I got a fill two weeks ago. Fred said it was going to be my last one as Im now pretty full. I had 1/2ml giving me 6 1/2 or 7 in a 10mm band. Well what can I say. This has made a massive difference. Again Water for 1st day then Soups for 2 then mushies. Experiences so far is sliming - loads of it, puking up most times (I think this is my fault by pushing myself too much regards to my boundaries...me bad) Ive been eating alot of cake which I suppose its easy to eat and fills in the hunger but I know its not the way to go. Qty of food is nowhere near what I was used to, even on the last but fill. Not drunk alchol yes. Suppose Im holding back to have a small tipple over the holiday period. See how this goes. Now for the big bog problem. Acid reflux in the middle of the noght whilst sleeping. I know this is quite common but my god its bad. Either Im too full and need some out or my body is adjusting to what being done to it. This acid reflux comes with night coughs too. Well.... it starts by caughing then the reflux to the point that one night I must have spat out 1/2 pint of goo over a period of 6 hrs whilst trying to sleep. Sorry for being graffic but Im saying it as it is and want others to know whet can happen. Ive had acid reflux with every fill but not this bad. Im taking Zoton / Zantac Tabs before sleep and Nytol just to see me through which seems to help most of the time. Good news is that Im now 14 1/2 stone and Im chuffed to bits. Considering I was 19.3 when I started in April thats a huge 5st loss in 7 months, and I aint been trying that much apart from the GYM. I think that attending a GYM 2-3 times a weel kist for an hour for Non stop - not chatting no messing around cardio, as deffo made the difference in acheiving my weight loss. - So in January 2012 my goal is to be 14st, Ill increase my gym to 4 days a week with heavy resistande weigh training and cardio on top. My aim by June is to actually increase my weight by 1st (from 14 to 15) but also decrease %body fat. So Im hoping to me quite muscular and lean (well thats the plan) - Suppliments will be whey Protein, Creatine and some multi vits which I take anyway. Pleanty of good clean food and a good excersise program. Ill post some pics here too of before (at 19st) and after (me now at 14.5st) and also further pics next June so that my interest and incentive remains in focas. Let me know if others are suffering the same. Be nice to share experiences cheers me deers! MERRY CHRISTMASS AND ENJOY

Ive been quiet here for a while. Im still at 15st 4 ish but not had a fill for two months or so, maybe three?!. So doing ok but still chuck up when I push the bounderies. Im looking to have a fill this month but have lost the telephone number of the lady in scottland whom takes the appointments. Does anyone have this number or even Freds Mobile number so that I can get an appointment this month in Newport if Im not too late that is. Thanks

yep general rule is Carbs pre-workout, Protein Post work out. Peanut butter, bannana etc is a good source of slow releising energy. I know you may struggle but fasting excercise is the way to go to to get your body into the fat burning mode. Good luck

Hi Guys / Girls Im 8 weeks after my 2nd fill and feel restricted but able to consume larger meals of some types, but smaller portions only with the majority of food types...anyway, im back in the gym and started on the weights, 1st time for six years, so I have upped my Protein intake. This consists of as lean meats, fish and 2 to 3 Protein shakes a day, amouniting to about 200grms of protein per day. My problem is that im constantly bloated and my stomach always seems distended. Ive lost over 50lbs from 19st to 15.7st and feel as though Im doing ok, but this stomach thing is getting me down. Any others out there with the same problem??????? Thanks big welsh guy (England)

Hi there. Im on my 2nd fill and have got 6.5ml in a 10ml band. Had this fill 8 weeks ago. Now at first the restriction was spot on and was in the zone, only be able to consume small amounts of certain foods. Trial and error in what I ate and threw up lots of times due to being stuck and went through the sliming stage - still do at times. HOWEVER after 8 weeks, im able to consume larger abounts of certain foods as previously did. I mean almost to the point of being able to eat like pre-banding. WHY IS THIS.?? Occassionally on some days I cant eat large meals but sometimes I can. DO I NEED ANOTHER FILL???

Hi Guys, Hi Jo, hope you are doing well, keep us posted. Anyway, 26th July saw my second fill done by Bart. Well what can I say, we had a chat and he was very informative is showing me what he was doing and explained about the second fill. Basically he showed me pushing in the needle and then pushing the saline in to the point I could see the plunger bouncing back up again from the resistance. He explained that by pushing the plunger in and feeling the resistance he could guage the amount I needed for restriction. Basically I had another 2ml. WOW what a massive difference from the first fill, (which had no affect, but they do tell you that anyway, so no suprises there) First few days, I was really ill and nautious. Fluids were coming up, soft foods were coming up, gas pains in my chest, shoulders and even behind my ears. Very painfull. Costant hick ups and foaming of liquids and saliva. Not pleasant. The first 4 nights were hard to sleep as I was alsways belching, coughing and puking. So decided to just go with the fluids only for the week as I physically could not eat. Anyway.... week after all back to normal. Eating usual diet foods and eating alot of mash and gravy. lol Feeling great although now and again I vomit as some foods which is trial and error, get stuck which is very painfull. Im now 15st 12lbs from 19st 3. so happy with progress but I know from now on I have to indroduce more cardio. Gym membership at the end of the month with fresh pics for me. good luck all

well had my first fill. Nothing to it really. It was in Newport (s.wales), Fred was there, asked how I was. Weighed me lost and kept off 2 stones, whey!! Then I lie down on the table, he prodded and felt my port then he wiped with alcohol swab then injected the saline. 2 secs its was all over and painless. I was made to drink some Water to see if I could keep it down. Ive got the french band so the 1st fill is 4mm max. He said that if you have the Johnson and Johnson, they are 6mm for the 1st fill as these are a larger diameter band, im guessing for bigger people. Next fill is end of July. He also said that 1st fills were pretty much un-noticable so I could eat almost anything, which it aint true coz now I deffo cant do bread, meat or other such foods as it gets stuck and I have to bring it back up, which isnt a good situation to do all the time. I reckon the second fill will be a massive charge. Roll on end of month

Hi Guys and girls of course Not been here for a while now. Well.... I had two options for my 1st fill. One was 3 weeks after the op or 8 weeks after the op, due to availability in Newport. S.Wales. This being closest to where I live. The three weeks I felt was way to soon as I was still on Fluids and feeling full after a small drink. But also I was still tender around my port. So...I opted for the 8 week oppertunity which is on the 24th of this Month. I managed to get 2 stone off reasonably easy during the 1st 4 weeks which most of you will without even trying. Weeks 5,6 and 7 have been ok but Ill tell you now, there is no restriction and you can eat what ever you like, but at times Ive had to bring up some food, particularly bread, dowey bread. Toast is ok, even crusts using whole meal, but I have problems with Wraps and the like. I still try and stick to mushies as much as possible but have had a few bad days (who would'nt lol) Anyway Im still 2 stone down and have not gained any more which is good so the fill next week I hope will the the push for a further 2 stones making my weight from 19 to 15 which I will also increase my cardio activity. How do I feel?? Well I feel 2 stone lighter. lol I have much more energy and even feel a tad bit more confidence in my self and Im looking forward to the next long awaited stage. Im sure that from this youll all get a sense of aprehension which I did too prior to the op. But tell you what...do it, it will change ya life, but I make no bones about it, if your brain aint in gear to help, youll fail. Full stop.!!! You still have to watch what you put in ya mouth and also drink loads of Water. I know 5-8 ltrs a day is a lot to drink but youll feel great. Just drink all you can. Pain??? I work in an office all day sitting down and went back to work 2 days after the op. Its ok, but do get up and walk around as the pain around the port get uncomfortable but not painful. Just go to the toilet or outside or walk around the office to the copier or the like then back to your seat. You should be ok for another hr. Just keep moving, walking etc etc which will speed up recovery. Anyway that me for a while. Ill write again on the 25th after my first fill. Wish me luck!!!! Oh ye Pics of 4 weeks post op to come of the scars. lol