ukangel

Hi I had a band fitted 3 years ago and have not had a great deal of success with the company that I am with. I am thinking of moving over to an after care package by healthier weight. Has anyone any experience of their after care package?

Hi all

Just a quick update....................................................... I have found on the net a company called "Healthier Weight" who take on patients who are unhappy with their previous company and assist them on their weight loss journey. I am thinnking of going with them to make use of the very expensive piece of elastic I have around my tummy!!!!!

Has anyone heard anything about this company?

I would hate to go out of the frying pan into the fire?

Many thanks

Hi All

Just a quick update

I have not been on the site for so long as I had a baby 6 months ago and have been fortunate to have slipped off the weight loss treadmill for the past year!

I have now got to get back on the fight with the HG to see if I can at least get some results from the band that I had fitted!

Has anyone else any futher updates on any cases that they have taken legal?

Hi

I have exactly the same problem as you. I have really good restriction and can not get anything down some days but I have not lost a pound since last Nov. It is so frustating eating tiny amounts and not loosing anything at all. I know that I eat all the things that I should not to make me feel better after I have left the table.

Begining to think that my restriction may be too tight and not allowing anything to go down and then it is making me feel deprived and then I am comforting myself with easy to eat foods which is keeping my weight stable!

Lightbulb moment!

Hi All

Just a quick update to say that the Hospital Group have managed to defend my claim against them as they have offered me support from a dietician for a further 6 months. Woop EE DOO!!!

I think unless a group of peopl unhappy with their service band together and take it legal.

Is anyone else interested in taking them it further?

Why should they be able to make so much money when they do not offer the service they promote so readily!

I agree she is a completely wonderful role model and I agree it is not the easy option but it does give you hope like you say for some people it is a slow process. (Me included) I have not lost an ounce since Novemeber! But on the other hand I have not put an ounce on!

She finally announced in the papers yesterday that she has lost her weight with the aid of a band!

I knew she was having a little help.

She looks fantastic.

I wonder which company she went with?

Hi all,

Been banded 19 months and still haven't found restriction - briefly experienced it after a large fill but it went when the swelling went down.

I'm at 8.9ml in a 10ml band - was too tight before at 9ml and had to have some out - the fill provider said some fill is lost at every fill so the 8.9 amount might not be accurate.

Now my surgeon thinks I've got restriction and just eating around it - I can't eat certain foods like Pasta and other things get stuck but I can still eat bread and large portions - I feel like having the whole fill out and going on a diet again - the only weight I lost was when dieting in the first six months and I've just been maintaining since then.

Anyone going/gone through the same? I feel like a failure.

Yvonne

x

You could have been writing this thread for me.

......

......

I have discovered the foods that do not go down and I have discovered the foods that slip down easily. I have actually not lost any weight since November and yet I have not actually put anything on.

I no longer even attempt to eat normal food and just eat foods that slip down foods that are usually are not the healthiest.

I just do not not know what to do. I am really frustrated and feel completely at a loss of what to do.

Any ideas?

Just a quick update to say that my credit card company is claiming the full amount that we paid them back from the Hospital Group. It appears that the Hospital Group have a lot of legal action being taken against them and they are just a sister and brother that have set a company up!!!! There is no big company behind the brand! They are not able to retain staff and seem to think they are above the law.

I just wish I had done more research before the surgery.

I have still not managed to find anywhere local for a support group and a fill. Any ideas anyone? I am in the north of England near Preston.

I am still looking for anyone who knows of anyone who can do fills?

Does anyone at the support group know of anywhere in the north west you can go?

Hi have you the details of this company and do they take patients justs for fills? Do they offer any support eg with a dietician?

Hi All

Does anyone know a nurse or a doctor that does fills in Lancashire?

I am willing to travel up to two hours

In fact I will travel any distance to get restriction again x

Hi Angie,

Sorry to hear that you have lost your restriction. I had my band done in Belgium as well. I was paying privately to have my fills done and happened to talk to the doc about the cost and explained my situation. He told me that I could have the fill on the NHS! Which I am now doing.

So, I think, talk to your GP and get yourself referred to the right department. I asked my GP and they had to search to find out where it was. They had never dealed with a lapband before, I'm still a bit of a novelty to them. If I see a different doc, they want to see where the port is.

I hope this may help.

Kind regards

Suzy

Hi

I live in th enorth West of England and was wondering where you live and has anyone else managed to have their bands filled on the national health?

I am struggling to find anyone to do fills in my area?

Any suggestions:confused2:

The Hospital Group have set up the 'Why Go Abroad' company as they are able to do the surgery but they just do not have the capacity to complete the aftercare.

At present the north of England have no support from a dietician and no access to a nurse to do fills or unfills!!!! They have never had a support group and they have never had the fitness advisor that was promised.....What a shambles.

I phoned them the other day and was told that I had to find another provider as they could not complete an unfil as they had no nurse to complete the procedure!!!! Also because I was over my year contract they have passed me onto another company who could not complete an unfil til the 20th March!! They told me to present myself to casualty!!!

After spending nearly £8,000 you would expect the company to be able to provide the basic support of a nurse to be able to complete an emergency unfil when the band is obviously too tight.

What a company

Thanks for the kind words and well wishes, SoCalGal and Kat.......the liquids are going fine - I still have no appetite or desire for food even after 5 days of liquids - I'm having visions of my lower stomach being wadded up in my pouch and keeping it feeling 'full'...that's probably not the case but that's what I see in my mind's eye.:eek: The only symptom I'm having is a slight burning sensation where the esophagus empties into the pouch....feels like an ulcer feels if you've had that experience. U'm going to cut back on my coffee...maybe that will help.

I'm so thankful I have lots of good Protein on hand and that I really enjoy them. Mice Milk is very soothing to an irritated pouch....so sorry it's going out of productin. But Labrada Lean Body is almost as effective....just not quite as good.

Best wishes to all of you!

This is a description of how I am feeling. I have not eaten anything thicker than a runny yoghurt. since my fill a week last Wed. I have also completely lost my appetite ansd I am so tight you can hear Water gurgle as it goes down and i have even pb's jello! Do you think the best plan of action is to have a complete unfil to give everything a rest, then have it filled under x-ray? Or should I ask fo rthe x-ray first?

I would definately be interested in something like this. It also may be useful trying to find a fill nuse and it could be an evening when we could meet up but also have our bands adjusted?

Where are you planning to have your band adjusted?

I am at the stage of taking legal action against THG just wondering if anyone else is at this stage with them or has anyone had a successful outcome from taking them to court?

Hi you could have written the message from me... I am in completely the same situation. I have lost 14lbs in a week. Certainly the weight loss I was looking for but feel pretty yak as not getting enough fluids in.

I am drinking Protein drinks till I can get for a fill. I even pb on Jello the other day! How tight must it be!!

Hope you manage to swap you appointment.

I live in the North West of the UK near Manchester.

Really good to talk to people on here but nothing quite the same as meeting up and sharing notes and actually seeing what people are eating or not eating as the case may be!!

Hi All

I am a year into my weight loss journey with my lap band and feel that I have not bonded very well with it and I am not using it to its full potential!

I still have all my old eating habbits that I have tailored to my band! Hence I am now putting weight on even though I have restriction.

I really could do with a weekend spent with other bandsters learning how to love my band. It would be led by professionals who could advise on diet, menu ideas, portions, exercise and explain head hunger and how to win the battle with band!

It sounds great in principle and perhaps I have watched too many programmes on the TV where they whisk people away and have a team of experts that make the fat melt away!

I know it is down to me and what I eat but if it was that easy I would have never put the weight on in the first place.

Does anyone have any ideas ?

Tammy: You are experiencing what I think we all do. Once the novelty of the band wears off, we start to revert back to making poor choices. You don't have to be hungry. Just don't choose peanuts a good Protein but high in calories. You should be eating protein every 4 hours. So pick a protein drink or have a cracker with some low fat cheese, yogurt with frozen berries. You know the choices you should be making and the nurse was correct to remind you. We all need checking up once in awhile. Also, measure for awhile. your total meal should never be more than 6 -8 ounces. 3 oz of protein and veggies the rest. Not soft foods but foods you have to chew, chew, chew so the thought of eating more turns you off. Good luck Doddie

I am so glad I logged on tonight to read that I am not alone.....

I was banded Feb 07 and I have just had my band anniversary.

I am so dissapointed that I have not lost more that I have slipped into my old eating ways and I have put 7lbs on in 2 weeks.

I am so angry with myself.

I started my weight loss journey at 269 and I am currently 223 so I should be very proud of myself but I think I should have lost a lot more and eating is obviously a way that I comfort myself!!! Go figure?

I have paid all this money and I am only letting myself down.

I am so glad I have found this thread...

Update on the fill

I had the fill on Wed of last week and after 24 hours stayed on liquids. Then 24 hours mushies. then normal light diet. Unfortunately still a week later I have been able to keep anything down! I am struggling to get liquids down as I can only sip. i have been vomiting continually.

I phoned the Hospital Group on Monday and asked to have some Fluid taken out and they said it would class as a fill as I had waited over 48hours to contact them.

They also said that they could not offer me an appointment until a week on Wed! I explained I have only been managing to get 300ml of Fluid in a day! They said that was a good sign as at least I could get something down and that I should be fine!!!!!!!!

It was after that telephone conversation that I have now decided to take my services elsewhere and we are going to pursue a full refund from the Hospital Group because the sevice has been so bad!

On a positive note I have lost 5lbs this week with having such a tight restriction!!! (Always a siver cloud!)

Dear All

I am looking at leaving the Hospital Group and to purchase a two year aftercare package from Surgicare. Anyone who has seen my previous posts will know that the Hospital Group have not met my expectations and fail in every part of the package that I paid for.

I thought I would canvas opinion before I move to another company.

Any information would be very greatfully received.

Many thanks

Paula

Just a quick update on the service that I am receiving form the Hospital Group.

I went on Wednesday to Manchester for my dietician appointment and a fill. This is the first appointment I have had since July! When we arrived at Manchester we were informed that the dietician had left the company and there will no longer be one based in Manchester. So now there is no dietician. no support group and no fitness advisor!

Luckily the nurse was there for the fill so our hour journey had not been in vain!

I am so frustrated with the service i am receiving.

Though aside from this I have joined slimming world and I am using slim fast and I am actually shedding my weight. The band is a tool that I am having to learn how to use with only the advice off this wedsite!

I am so glad I found this website.

I can feel another complaint letter coming on to the Hospital Group.

I guess it comes down to what's more important to you...

Getting your fill when you need it

OR

Having the same person do your fill every time...

All of the people mentioned are specialist band fillers, you might remember DR Somers he did the fat doctor programme on Discovery Health... he also does some work for the Hospital Group, as well as seeing patients independently....

Again your choice entirely, I just wanted to give you some other options!

Hx

I can see the point you are making but when you have paid top money for a top service why should we need to go and find another provider.

Paying to go with the Hospital Group was supposed to eliminate the need to shop around after the surgery. I feel completely let down by the service that I have received from the Hospital Group.

I have since found out that they are a small family firm that is run on a shoe string. They just have good marketing!!!!!

All I say to anyone thinking of having surgery with them is think twice...