Cazzy

There's a really long thread all about Dr Chris de Bruyne in Belgium under this link http://www.lapbandtalk.com/topic/40427-anyone-know-of-dr-de-bruyne-chris/page__st__11960__hl__chris%20bruyne#entry193317 I think you will find that everyone has been totally satisfied with him and the set up there .. good luck

I think that if you aren't happy with the way your body is, and if you can afford it, I don't see why not go for it, you certainly shouldn't need an unfill for this procedure, only a full operation and anaesthetic would require that. Just be aware that after you get all of these bits done you will look in the mirror and start concentrating on another part of you that isn't quite right in your eyes, I know after all my surgery I started looking at other bits of me, till my surgeon told me off lol, she said its all too common to do this and just be aware that its something that we need to put a stop on once we are fully healed and just get on with our lives. I have no waistline at all, its not a muffin top just no waist, my hips are fine but my back could do with Lipo too but I have to stop somewhere so this is it, I will live with what I have and be happy that I was able to get as much done as I have .. I know u been through a lot, just think of this operation as the icing on the cake !

Well there's tons of anomalies on this forum then, I wish doctors wouldn't make such sweeping statements, I am only 7mls in a 14 cc band so half way really and I lost all my weight with that level of fill .. sorry but I think sometimes they concentrate on the more profit ridden operations like the sleeve and bypass and promote them accordingly, I am glad u managed to get another to do your fills, but no reason listen to his doom and gloom over the band there is still plenty of doctors that don't think the way he does ...

I also had an extensive abdominoplasty and Tummy Tuck, it was something I wanted to do for me, I truly believe its not vanity to want to feel normal again, after all what vain person wants scars on their bodies

Do what you feel is right for you, and thank the family for their input but its you that has to live in your skin and not them.

You have worked so hard to get where you are today, if this is your reward then I say go for it. After all if you weren't meant to have it, would you have got approval

The only advice that I could think of is that if u break down the year into months could u possibly lose 2lbs a month in a year that 24lbs what u want to lose, yes it wont be easy, but maybe try weight watchers or something that has fairly normal filling type food that u could exist on for a year, worst case scenario is don't eat more than u should, u WILL put on weight and be even more miserable. Take up some other fitness stuff that doesn't cost too much money, burn the calories u are eating and u will be ok.. the band has only helped u to lose weight it didn't do it for you , so u can do it u just have to get back your resilience and determination to not let this rule your life ! good luck ..

I too get very frustrated when I see post after post of people sabotaging themselves, or people saying "the band didn't work for me" when it was them that clearly failed not the band.

If someone tells me I'm "lucky" for losing so much weight I tell them luck has absolutely nothing to do with it- I worked my @ss off for every pound I lost.

But one thing I have learned in the 16 months since being banded and on these forums- you can't take what others do (or don't do) to heart and you can't let it bother you. The only person you can control is you. If others choose to drown in their own ignorance that's their problem, not yours.

I totally agree with Mis people lifestyles are their own, its their choice if they want to do the best they can or if they want to cheat themselves its their responsibility, I, similar to Mis had a ton of weight to lose, it wasn't luck it was sheer hard work, and the hard work continues but that is our choice to do this and no one elses. I used to get frustrated when I read the whines about pre-op diets, or cheating only a couple of days out of surgery, or blaming the band for a 'headache' etc but then I realised we all do what we need to some will be successful some wont that is part of life. So I do understand why u feel the way you do but move on from it and live your own life the way you want to

I think sometimes some aspects of life just get to us whether its right or wrong to feel that way.. we just do !

Just don't let it distract you too much

I lost 237 lbs in a little over 1 1/2 years I think that's a lot quicker than some younger ones, I was 56 when I started all this. Exercise when u get older is a key component when u are older as we just don't need as many calories or burn as many as the younger ones. I would sum up by saying that age has only a bearing on weight loss if you let it be

It is always wise to call your doctors, regarding issues such as blood sugar etc, are on insulin ? did u take your blood sugar levels or is this just a feeling of it. Normally if u have been eating a lot then suddenly cut back, you can get some feelings of light headedness, tired, feeling a little sick, but normally this is more to do with your body craving all the carbs that it is used to. If your sugar levels go down and u are used to them being a lot higher, this can also feel like low blood sugar but it just your sugar normalising a little its just lower than it used to be and not the 'low blood sugar' in medical terms, but speak to your doctor always if you have monitored your sugar and the numbers drop considerably ..

I started counting calories and got rid of the habit of stting on my rear end all day long and playing computer games !

My tummy was worse than yours tho I still cannot show a proper picture of it, shopping will be a dream soon u can buy things that dont have to hide the tummy .. that was so liberating !

I know this feeling only too well, i had to stop having 'nice' food things in the house as temptation i was fighting all day long. I do get sugar cravings but tend to try and satify them with a sweetner coffee or greek yoghurt with my own fruiit compote on it as against the sugar laden flavoured yoghurts, some unsweetned orange juice or some fresh fruit is also a good substitute, and sugar free sucking sweets i have always a pack or 2 in the house i suck one when i get on the exercise bike.

There is nothing wrong in eating a small amount of something nice, just dont do it in secret and make your Portion Control the guiding factor, so u get your little treat, just a small portion of it. But i do agree with Elcee dont keep those foods in the house is the simplest solution.

Surgeon did a great job, now u know all the discomfort was thoroughly worth it, its great feeling getting rid of that extra person hanging round the tummy area, i loved the feeling of freedom it gave me ... keep healing !

I can assure you it is totally worth it and its more scarey having a lapband fitted when most of us were really heavy and unhealthy, I am sure you will be fine and just keep thinking of what u will feel like once all that skin has gone good luck !

The fear of going to the doctor will be far worse than actually doing it, all doctors know how easy it is to put weight back on, bite the bullet and just do it, after all u should get your band checked out as a matter of routine.

Gee, I feel like singing a Journey song right now? Open arms?

tmf

omg love that song !

So sorry to hear you are having these problems, i feared a slip after my last surgery as i got tighter and tighter post op but some Fluid was removed and that cured it, I had some form of reflux too, dont stress till u know what the problem is, the band may not have slipped, it could just be a dilated pouch, and if it has slipped it may only be a small one, remedied by an unfill for a while. The urgency comes mainly from not letting the siituation continue for too long, not that its life threatening so a hurdle yes,but often easily overcome

Good luck let us know how things go !

The person to ask this question to is your surgeon, what were his guidelines for the time line for liquids, mushies and solid food. They are what you should be following. It doesnt sound like u did any damage but u need to ask what you should be eating.

I had a previous c section and my abdominoplasty Tummy Tuck 360 including my back a year ago, i actually didnt find this very painful at all, it was very uncomfortable but compression garments certainly helped. My tummy was in a bad way due to lax muslces and they had to strengthen my muscles as well as remove all the skin. I also had my arms done at the same time which made moving around a little more difficult as i was unable to rely on my arms for strength. I had more pain from the csection than i did the tt. It doesnt hurt at all to improve your abs and tummy muscles as this will help with a tt but no exercise will get rid of the excess skin on the lower tummy.

Everyone is different tho i have a strong resilience and high pain threshold so we all feel pain differently.

It is very difficult to generalise what works and what wont work, some people do great just walking, some walk fast some walk slow but for longer, others like me walking makes absolutely not one ounce of difference to me, i have to get my heart rate up and burn some energy with cardio work or strength work. I have tried just walking and it does help keep you fit and healthy and will help the muscle tone, but to burn a lot of calories you may need to do something more, i cycle and do dumbells and that has worked for me, we are all different, swimming is a good exercise too, you dont have to go to the gym, but maybe try jogging !

good luck with it ..

You too and grats on that continued weight loss !

You look great, nice job on the abdominoplasty. OMG those drains are so uncomfortable, but we use compression garments here in the UK so drains are out after 4 days, they are much bigger ones too by the looks of it, great big vaccuum bottles lol

I wish you a speedy recovery and enjoy life in the 'normal' lane now !!

Thank you and I really like your positive attitude ! So please take this feedback knowing I give it with the caring heart of a person that was on an oxygen machine, given two years to live and a prisoner of my body. It's more than a unlikely to believe you will achieve a large weight loss and maintain it when you chose to believe that "Chocolate" or pizza is your friend or shield from insanity when in fact it is your enslaver. That being said / I hope that you are successful and maybe you don't need to drop BIG pounds. I have met people that can still eat that stuff and lose 100 (or slightly more) or less but NOBODY that has lost over 200 and KEPT it off.

Hope in Your Future is Power in your Present,

Lee

I totally agree Lee, losing the amount of weight we did required a massive amount of self denial and re-adjustment to eating. I do understand that fast food has become such an issue that its almost up there addiction wise to drugs/alcohol/cigs etc.

I am in maintenance mode so i do allow myself the odd moment of home cooked treats like a fruit cake, or home baked oat Cookies but i control the calories and the ingredients, it is mainly made only with wholewheat flour, there is no fat added or extra sugar so i dont feel food like this is addictive or harmful, i make any recipe i cook as healthy as possible, it seems to work for me and taste much better than anything i can buy in the shops.

Certainly drinking before a meal mainly in the Uk there are no restrictions regarding drinking before a meal as the liquid goes straight through the band and doesnt affect it at all, drinking during a meal i get stuck, if i have something like a casserole or like that it will get stuck due to the liquid content, but i understand that some people dont get stuck if they drink while they eat. As long as they follow the rules of sipping in between small bites etc.

My belief is that no one 'needs' to drink while they eat, its normally a habit formed at some point in their life which forms into a learned behaviour.

There is definitely a cultural difference too, here in the Uk it is not so common as the US, but thats what makes us all different. It is only in the last 15 yrs or so that a resturant here would even put Water on a table unless u actually request it ..

I am not saying do or dont drink while you eat, but maybe its worth looking at why you want/need to, and how you came to that conclusion

Its always best to follow your doctors guidelines until you have a routine worked out and are steadily losing weight that gives u a stronger negotiating point with him regarding bending his rules a little !!

No one has mentioned any exercises to avoid on here but u must always be in line with what your surgeon says especially the time line for specific exercises

It is strange how the countries differ somewhat in the fast food addictions, i would say in the UK people tend to be addicted to chinese and indian takeaway or kebabs, but children/teeenagers are addicted to the usual Mac D KFC etc,

I never really went mad on take aways and always prefer a home cooked burger than a fast food one.

Years ago i remember trying a MacD and thinking why is the bap around the burger so sweet, why is the Tomato ketsup so sweet, why are all the dips so sweet, then i realised that was their secret to getting people addicted. Sugar is way more addicting than fat is, but it is still addicting too, they get you all ways.

make your own if u cant live without a burger or a pizza or fried chicken, at least u control what goes into it.

Am glad u all gave up the commercial fast food rubbish.. well done