Bright

(((((((((((((((((Donali!!)))))))))))))))))))))) miss you loads! So great to hear from you! nothing new really with my band - turns out the revision surgery will cost £2000 (about $3300) so I am kinda putting it off for now...gaining weight by the day so must do something soon! Can't wait til you get to Ireland - email me when you get the chance! Bright xxxxxxxx:Banane20::Banane20:

hi folks...me again....many years later! I had my five year band-a-versary last week and despite some problems, I'm still really happy with my decision! just wanted to update this post on my port/tubing issue...at long last there is now someone offering fills/band care in Dublin and I met with her yesterday to see what she could tell me about my port.... I haven't done anything about it since my last port - life is pretty busy and I tried to "get over it"! Still down 70+ lbs - but have gained and lost 20lbs over the past two years....I am still pretty unhappy with how much I weigh but am still delighted with my loss overall... ANYWAY...the lovely band nurse tried to give me a fill and basically is sure that my port/tubing are disconnected. She has suggested i fly to the UK for a quick revision surgery to repair the port - after having an x-ray to confirm her suspicions - should only be there 24 hours all going well... next available surgery date is 2 december, and I am torn between getting it over with, and scared/worried about the op...typical me! I am a final year psych student and have a lot of work to have finished by february and exams in Jan..(excuses, excuses!) but I guess i should just bite the bullet! for anyone researching...the surgery will apparently cost around £1200 (sterling)= $1900 = €1450 - I am self pay so I guess general anaesthetic will be my christmas present! I have the 11cc band, with a fill capacity of 9cc - and according to the fill nurse, i probably have no Fluid in my band - I still have subtle restriction and am actually feeling quite nervous about having tight restriction for the first time -five years after banding.....is that a record??? oh and love and hugs to any of the "oldies" here who may remember me - this "place" sure has changed...it's massive! any comments/advice welcome Bright xxxx

:huggie: :woot: porn lover! you're back too! yay! I am missing you so much girlie - how's your foot? How's Indiana? email me soon with mucho newso xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hi Allure & Brenners - yeah I think I'm in the "before and after" picture thread - it's more of a before and during, in my case - studies show that most people will lose 50-65% of their EXCESS weight with the band, and that is exactly what I did - and what most people I have met, three years out have done... Brenners: you can get great shakes at "The Health Food Store" in the Blanchardstown Centre or Nurture in Wicklow St (in Dublin city) - I used them a lot, they are either in a big tub for about 32 euro or in sachets for about 2.50 - they are called Spiru-tein and taste yum! You should buy a few sachets to see which flavours you like. I buy bags of frozen berries (in M&S or Aldi) and make a smoothie using the protein powder, skim milk and fruit. Another great breakfast smoothie is Orange juice, a banana and a dessert spoon of peanut butter. Make sure you get lots of protein in during the first few months - I lost a LOT of hair plus it really gives you the energy to go to the gym! best of luck to you all on your band journeys - make sure to get lots of support - check in here often, even on bad days...it can be a lonely process dealing with this on your own. And despite family and friends being supportive, it's not the same as talking to someone else who has lost or needs to lose ten stone! If you want to email me directly, send me a pm and I'll be happy to offer support and "where I went wrong" tips! Again best of luck xx :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2:

bumping for the Irish people! You all MUST be back at the pc after the long weekend by now???!!!! Hello?

Phew! great to hear you got through the surgery safe and sound Alex, I'm delighted for you. You sound like your usual calm self - I hope you recover easily and quickly - thinking of you! I'll check in for news of your rebanding soon hopefully xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Aw thanks so much Alex - I so miss my "family" here - should log on more but I'm pretending I don't need to deal with my weight/band issues. I often think of you and couldn't believe it when I read this thread....you sound positive & I'm going with that - I'll check in monday to see how you got on - best of luck, love and magic good things! love N xx

Greetings Irish People! I was banded over three years ago in paris and have had ups and downs with the band - I thought I was the only irish banded person ever! Would love to hear from all of you or answer any questions... I don't even know what AC or ACS is....I met someone here (on this board) over three years ago when I was trying to find out how an Irish person could get banded! she was living in Paris, and had just been banded. I met with her surgeon, was banded at halloween (when else!?!) 2003. I go to a surgeon in the UK for fills etc - the last time I went, he was unable to give me a fill - no fluid came out of the port or would go in...eek! He thinks its kinked tubing- I have a 9cc band and really have never had much restriction - so I lost a good bit of weight but have stopped in the last year or so. I am still down over 7 stone which has made a huge difference to my life but i'd love to lose more... I have gone back to college full time (last sept) so my life has been kinda mad recently & I haven't been thinking about the band at all.... I went from a size 32 to a 22, and haven't gone up any, even tho I have no restriction, which is good. I was terrified of regain - I'm sure my weight has gone up/down but I don't weigh anymore, too upsetting/stressful! i just go by my clothes - and happily all my "new" 22's still fit. I am waiting for the summer hols from college to begin in may to restart my band life - ie going back to the surgeon, investigating band problems etc. Anyway I'd LOVE to hear from fellow irish girls - best of luck with your journeys everyone I met on this board were amazing - they were my family for the first year or so - no better band place so enjoy xx

Hi Alexandra I haven't "been" here in months and am so sorry to hear you're having band trouble - hope it's resolved in the best way. Thinking of you, and sending you love and support xx xx xx

Hi Michelle - I haven't had a scope in the three years - when I asked my surgeon about it, he said not only is there no need for a scope but it can be detrimental to the band to have them unnecessarily - I'm not awfully keen on the ol tube down the neck procedure so never insisted - do you think it's important in your experience? I guess when I go back to the UK to further investigate why the doc was unable to give me a fill, he may do and endoscopy. Re the restriction, I don't know if it was psychosomatic or what, but I thought I felt an increase in restriction - to be honest, at this stage, my restriction feels exactly the same as it ever did - since day one of banding. I can't eat much in the morning, but could (and just did) eat two slices of toast slowly later in the day. With a mug of coffee, I can eat about anything (so you'd think I'd stop drinking the coffee wouldn't you?!) sigh - again I'm writing too much! thanks for replying to the post Michelle - hope you're well - I'd appreciate any comments you have! thanks a mil

((((((((((((((((megan)))))))))))))))))) so great to hear from you - you sound really happy and motivated! Re my band - I went to the hospital and did a barium thingy but haven't sent the films to my surgeon in the UK yet - I know, I'm a disaster! I just don't seem to have two seconds to get anything done these days - I am a professional procrastinator! Re College - I started this week! EEEk it's hard! I am doing a BA in Arts, hopefully majoring in Psychology in year two and three - this year I am taking Psychology, (5 scary modules!) Sociology (4 vague modules) and Anthropology (3 fascinating modules!). Three of my lecturers are American too! There is competition at the end of first year for second year psychology - only 30 of 180 can go through - highest results! And the psychology is very math, biology and research based in first year - the professor told us to bring in calculators and anyone expecting tissues and the foetal position should leave now!!! I nearly left! It's full time too which is hard on my little family but I'm determined to do it - I was (actually) going insane at home all day, eating then freaking out - now I'm bustling all over the campus trying to find the right lecture hall - forgetting to eat my lunch! I am scared to find out I will need surgery to repair what ever is going on with my band so I am kinda pretending nothing is happening - but I guess I have to face up to it - I'll definately post and let you know what transpires! In the meantime - lots of hugs Megan (and anyone else!) - thanks so much for thinking of me - And bloody well done on losing 85lbs - you look fab in your avatar - you TOTALLY are a sucess - or as my 16 year old would put it - you're a ledge! (meaning short for "legend" - meaning v damn cool!)

I agree Sue - that's what I'm saying. I don't need my surgeons emotional support or approval - just their skills as knife men! A positive attitude will go a long way to making you one of the lucky ones who lose 100% of your EW - all the great achievers (in any walk of life) didn't aim for "average" - but it is really important to know what the statistics are - while the weight loss stats for the band are lower than any other WLS, there are many advantages to the band too - I weighed it all up - and with straight talking european surgeons who aren't afraid of giving their opinion, I made the band decision.

PS I avoid weighing myself too often - I try to go by my clothes - if I go up a few pounds I find it really upsetting and it usually sets off a "it doesn't matter anymore...." binge - anyway weighed this morning and I weigh 252 - oh my god - that's 22lbs from my lowest ever....I'm going back to bed.....

Hi Leatha, yes, you're right, they haven't injected anything into my port/tubing yet. My surgeon in the UK wanted me to get the barium swallow first (I don't know why) to check all was well with the band - positioning I guess - so after he gets the films of that, he will let me know the next step - I PRESUME he means to inject the tubing with something contrasting? Would this be a fluoroscopy procedure too?

hi Vera - doc didn't say anything about the plunger springing back -though it makes sense - if there is a kink in the tubing it would "suck" the saline past the kink but act like a valve and not allow it back down. I had my gp check around the port site (just with her hands, wasn't opened up or anything) and she thinks there is a lot of scar tissue around the port - I'm wondering if the port has come away from the tubing completely, but being held in place by the scar tissue? Would this by why when he couldn't aspirate the Fluid in my band, he then added 1cc to see if he could aspirate that - he couldn't! It's either a pretty big leak or the tubing's come away....? thanks for all your helpxx hey Babs - the surgeon is definitely biased towards RNY/GB/DS - I almost thought about converting to one of them for a couple of days after the fill incident but I keep finding the same reasons I decided not to have these surgeries in the first place. The gastric bypass in now performed in Ireland, paid for by the national health executives if you qualify etc but I STILL wouldn't have these surgeries. I made my choice at the time and I still feel the band has many advantages. I have spent a long time being very depressed at home - at my worst I gained 10-20 lbs- I am now feeling much better, am about to start full time college :help:, I have rejoined a gym and am feeling much more positive about life in general, not just future weight loss - my eating problems will probably always be around - it's my head I need to deal with - the band helps - sometimes a lot, sometimes a little. I completely agree with you - no weight loss surgery is perfect thanks for you advice - I'll see what Allergan have to say - it does some manufacturing in Ireland would you believe! Shell - thanks for your comments but I'm happy with my doc - I don't need him to support me 100% - just to sort my band issues out! Gonnabethin - I thought that the barium would go straight through my band - but I expected the flow to narrow at/after my band site - it didn't - the liquid flowed through showing I have little or no restriction. Sometimes people get a very tight fill and the fluoroscopy will show the barium pooling in the pouch, pausing a sec, then flowing slowly out to the stomach - this would be way to tight I feel! hope this helps.