bunnykin4u

PORT REPLACED as tubing 'blown' & HANGING in PELVIS I have just returned from Bruge where I had a second operation (general) to replace my port and reconnect it to the tubing after it Blew apart. I was losing FABULOUSLY (28pounds in 3 months) and then in May 2007 I suffered EXCRUCIATING PAIN where I was hospitalised (check my other posts) and they did all kinds of tests but found nothing. I have regained all the weight I lost bar 2 pounds. I have literally just got home from Bruge and am writing to WARN people about a BAD BATCH OF BANDS that were in circulation across the world between DECEMBER 2006 and FEBRUARY 2007. The bands are 10ml bands made by HELIOGAST and the connection blows out after about 2 fills (or 5-6 mls) and gives CHRONIC pain in the port area and also in the pelvis. it feels like you are going to have a baby NO JOKE. The port is stabbing you in the tummy, and the tubing is prodding around in your pelvis! They bandied words like Kidney stones and Diverticulitis in the hospital, but cam up with nothing. It was only when I started regaining and had NO restriction and was eating whatyever the hell I wanted even after a further 4 fills and the assurance of my fill doctor (Dr. Dovey) that all was fine, that I booked to have a fluroscopic fill. Initially it was because I thought they must be missing the port or something... NO!!!!!!!!!! Dr. Dovey said everything was fine, but it was NOT. The last fill I recieved I got an infection and was off work for a week! I had had 4 fills since my blow out, regained 25 pounds and my fill doctor thought we were I QUOTE "MAKING PROGRESS"!!!!!!!!!!!! As you can see I am VERY angry. Helioghast are paying all expenses, but I am RUINED EMOTIONALLY. This has caused me pain and suffering for 5 months straight as the port connector jabbed and stabbed me in the stomach for the last 5 months. I AM APPEALING TO EVERYONE WHO HAS HAD A SUDDEN ONSET PAIN and then weight regain, or similar problems with port to contact me. cge@talktalk.net I am also not alone, I know 4 others from the same hospital that suffered the same problem. WE MUST SORT THIS OUT... I was banded 14th FEBRUARY 2007 in BRUGGES BELGIUM by DR. DILLEMANS. When I had the fluro the band was there - fine. The port was there... stranded on its own with the connector sticking directly upwards towards my head. The tubing was hanging down INTO MY PELVIS It was shocking beyond belief. PLEASE GET IN TOUCH IF YOU HAVE SUFFERED EXTREME PAIN or think this might be the same as you. Claire Eldred

I have just returned from Bruge where I had a second operation (general) to replace my port and reconnect it to the tubing after it Blew apart. I was losing FABULOUSLY (28pounds in 3 months) and then in May 2007 I suffered EXCRUCIATING PAIN where I was hospitalised (check my other posts) and they did all kinds of tests but found nothing. I have regained all the weight I lost bar 2 pounds. I have literally just got home from Bruge and am writing to WARN people about a BAD BATCH OF BANDS that were in circulation across the world between DECEMBER 2006 and FEBRUARY 2007. The bands are 10ml bands made by HELIOGAST and the connection blows out after about 2 fills (or 5-6 mls) and gives CHRONIC pain in the port area and also in the pelvis. it feels like you are going to have a baby NO JOKE. The port is stabbing you in the tummy, and the tubing is prodding around in your pelvis! They bandied words like Kidney stones and Diverticulitis in the hospital, but cam up with nothing. It was only when I started regaining and had NO restriction and was eating whatyever the hell I wanted even after a further 4 fills and the assurance of my fill doctor (Dr. Dovey) that all was fine, that I booked to have a fluroscopic fill. Initially it was because I thought they must be missing the port or something... NO!!!!!!!!!! Dr. Dovey said everything was fine, but it was NOT. The last fill I recieved I got an infection and was off work for a week! I had had 4 fills since my blow out, regained 25 pounds and my fill doctor thought we were I QUOTE "MAKING PROGRESS"!!!!!!!!!!!! As you can see I am VERY angry. Helioghast are paying all expenses, but I am RUINED EMOTIONALLY. This has caused me pain and suffering for 5 months straight as the port connector jabbed and stabbed me in the stomach for the last 5 months. I AM APPEALING TO EVERYONE WHO HAS HAD A SUDDEN ONSET PAIN and then weight regain, or similar problems with port to contact me. cge@talktalk.net I am also not alone, I know 4 others from the same hospital that suffered the same problem. WE MUST SORT THIS OUT... I was banded 14th FEBRUARY 2007 in BRUGGES BELGIUM by DR. DILLEMANS. When I had the fluro the band was there - fine. The port was there... stranded on its own with the connector sticking directly upwards towards my head. The tubing was hanging down INTO MY PELVIS It was shocking beyond belief. PLEASE GET IN TOUCH IF YOU HAVE SUFFERED EXTREME PAIN or think this might be the same as you. Claire Eldred:angry

Hi there, I pay £90 for a fill in London. It costs me £130 to have a fluro fill in Belgium. You can also have them with the same company as I have them with. I had my surgery with EOC in February 2007 have just got back from having a scond surgery as my port detatched from tubing, so I will be having another fill soon. 3mls doesnt sound that much. Do you have a 10 ml band or a 4 ml band? anyway, £90 is good in the UK. European Obesity Care check it out - they will always fit you in even if you didnt have your surgery with them, Bunny

Hi there, I plan my fills very carefully. Every time I have a fill, I must make sure I have at least 4 days off of work, but a week is better. I have the fill on saturday, then late afternoon its getting sore, then by the evening its like bad muscle ache. On sunday its DIABOLICAL. I am in bed, paracetamol wont touch it. On Monday its terrible too, but by Monday evening I am gingerly getting up to watch TV or something. tuesday its bad, but I am functioning. On Wednesday I am just about able to look after my house, chores and child. Thursday I am mild pain, and any sudden jolts need to be avoided, but I can drive again. Friday I am just really carful because the memory is still with me. By Saturday its normally settled down. Anyone else have this? I have been haing a BAND NIGHTMARE. I have had 8 fills, and I have lost 2 pounds. No restriction apart from the initial amount from the operation. I have a 10ml band. I had fills with 1 doctor, but it seems he never did anything other than give me a load of expensive injections. I changed doctors (after my one was sacked!!! looks good huh!) and Now I have had 5 mls with him. I should have 11mls in my 10 ml band. So you can see why I am cheesed off. I had 1.75 mls put in on Saturday and I am now tuesday and feeling pretty rubbish but not as bad as I was. I had to go to the doctor yesterday as my port scar swelled up and went red around the edges too. They gave me Flucloxacillin (500mg) 4 times a day. Anyone else hating their band right now?? I am 8 months post operative and lost 20 pounds prior to June, but since then have been putting it on at a rate of 1 pound a week or so. Feeling pretty rubbish right now Bunny Cambridge England Banded by Dr. Dillemans in Bruges Belgium 14th february 2007 5 fills with Dr. Clayson in Tamworth (£375 in total) 3 fills with Dr. Dovey in London Barnes (£270 in total) Would love to hear from others banded in Bruge and possible those who were 'filled' by Clayson... or not as the case my be.:mad::mad:

I am 6 months post op. (Dr. Dillemans, Belgium). I lost weight quickly at the beginning ( about 14lbs in the first month) then it slowed and then came to a dead stop. I know that there is something working there... When I eat a dry cracker or potato or bread *too quickly* and without chewing really well then I get the dreaded feeling (watery eyes, wanting to eb sick elephant chest etc) but I can, and DO still eat those things nearly every day without a problem. So I know there has been something happen in there, and I generally eat less that I did before banding, but certianly not as little as I expected to eat. I also have BAD pain almost non stop about 2 inches below my port area. It is horrible. It has always been a bit of a sore spot for me, but it got worse after my last fill (which really hurt BTW). It has not settled down since then, which was now 5 weeks ago. Today it is REALLY bad. Its not hot, red, swollen, or anything like that. It just plain hurts like I have pulled the muscles there big style. I have (apparently) 7 and a half mls in my band. I did not think the previous fill Dr. was any good and he has since stopped doing them, so I am not actually sure that he did anything at all... except for the fact that I have not lost or put on any significant weight either. I am folling all th rules too - like drinking + eating = NO So I am in pain, can eat too much and I am not losing. What does a flipped port feel like? Are there any symptoms with infections in the port... How much are others eating at 7.5 mls?? (ps I dont understand all this stuff about cups!) Heres what I ate yesterday: 2 large bananas for Breakfast 400g of couscous with veggies and stuff for lunch 400g ready meal with sweet potato, haloumi and bulgar wheat 4 dinner Snacks - 2 yoghurts and about 4 coffees and several pints of sugar free squash (cordial), an apple... That was it, but I am not completely satisfied after all that either... thoughts would be good. cheers Bunny

Hi CC. I was in pain like you are now. It was pretty horrendous. I nearly passed out walking to the car, but from pain in my shoulder from the gas... I am now 6 months along and everything seems to have settled down. I have lost weight too (28lbs) and feel much healthier. My advice is to take it slowly. Dont be in a rush to get your first fill... give it a good 6 weeks, and then you dont have any problems having a fill as everything has settled down. We forget, this is MAJOR surgery. I have minor twinges when I pull my muscles where my port is stitched too, like yesterday I stretched way to far to tuck my clematis into a gazebo, and today I am suffering... but nothing that a rest and a couple of paracetamol doesn't numb. If you have the band out now, you will still be in pain and also gutted fro the whole ordeal... give it a couple fo weeks and you will be raving about how good it is. Bunny in UK

Just to say that European Obesity Care have 2 people who would definately like to attend a Norwich, Norfolk clinic, so any one who had their surgery abroad like me and wishes not to travel all the way to London might be interested. They need 6 or more people to run the clinic there. Bunny

Hello all, I had my band fitted in Brugge, Belgium in February by Dr. Dillemans. As most surgeons in the UK do not offer fills to patients who have had fills outside the UK (or by another surgeon) it means that its hard to find a place to get a fill if you live far away from these places. I have just had an email from the company in Belgium who I chose to book my surgery through, and they have said that ANYONE can arrange a fill through them at London Barnes, and also up and coming centres in Norwich, Leiceste and Belfast if there is enough demand. So no matter who your surgeon was, or where you had your band done, or even if you want a second opinion if you are not happy with your fill, they will see you. Obviously if no one knows about it, then there wont be demand, so I thought that I would let you all know about these centres who charge between £75 and £90 per fill. They may be closer to you. You can get more information about it by emailing them at info@obesitycare.co.uk Hope it helps! The last time I looked for another place to get a fill, all I could come up with was a private clinic in Winchester for £250 a go!

Hi all, Appologies first because this is a LONG post. :cry I have been experiencing EXCRUCIATING pain in my lower left abdomen. I have been banded for 4 months and have 6mls in my 10ml capacity band with no problems to date what so ever... not even pb's! On a Saturday 3 weeks ago I fell down the stairs, top to bottom, and was taken to hospital. Nothing was broken, just bashed up and bruised all over the place. The next day (Sunday) I started feeling horrible in the afternoon. I fell asleep on the sofa and woke thinking that I had slept funny with a stitch like pain in my left side. I got up and mooched about, but it didn't go. I took it easy all day simply because of the fall the previous day, and was in bed by 8pm. By 10pm I was in terrible pain and I called the Doctor. I was taken into hospital and admitted. Over the course of the next 2 days they took: blood tests - all clear urine tests - all clear (including pregnancy tests - neg) stomach x-ray's - fine ultrasound scan of abdomen - fine On tuesday morning the consultants came to see me and the pain had gone completely, although they were still giving me codeine, and they said they could find nothing wrong and everythign was clear and that I could go home. Words like Diverticulitis and kidney stones were bandied about, but no clear diagnosis was given. I was glad to go home because I was going on holiday for 2 weeks on the next day! So I went home, packed and then went on holiday. During the holiday I had the occasional twinge, but nothing as debilitating as I had had on the Sunday night. I had one bad day about a week into the holiday where I mostly stayed in the Water because this seemed to help with the pain, and also chewed those codeine pills like fury! We came home last wednesday and everything has been ok... occasionally there is pain, but its spasmodic. Then yesterday came. I had a bad nights sleep and was tossing and turning with cramping. Yesterday I spent in bed during the morning to hide from the pain, and I went to work under duress but grinning and bearing it. Last night I felt awful and I could not get comfortable, and I got up at 4am and I am still here now. All kinds of things are goign through my head. Its not near the port. I know that 'port pain' that feels like a ripped muscle/stitch for a few weeks after the operaton. I had that and it did eventually go at about 9 weeks or so, and its not that. This pain is sharp, like I have been running a marathon, bends you double, on the left hand side but NOT completely on your hip. If you put your left hand on your left hip - like I'm a little teapot - where you fingers come to an end, go directly down 4 inches to around where I percieve my ovaries and all that stuff to be, its in there. It is along the pelvic line when I am lying down. It feels like a stitch from running, does not go away and is constant. My port area is now also tender, although it wasnt yesterday. Now, have i done something major by falling down the stairs? What does a band slip feel like? What does band erosion feel like? Is this wind??? Have I pulled a muscle? Is it kidney stones - anyone had them? But most importantly I am scared witless that its something to do with the band? I am having a fill on thursday, but my doctor soes not use a fluroscope. He just has me lay down on the coach and feels around and then injects me, so if there is a problem with this band, will he actually be able to tell??? I am so worried, and obviously in pain. I would REALLY appreciate peoples ideas. I knwo I have to see the doctor again, but I just would like the opinions of people who are banded as obviously general practice doctors dont know much about this stuff. Thanks Bunny

How would you know if you had a band erosion... what are the symptoms? I dont have fluro fills, so I am worried about things like this not showing up..

Hi Please add my name to the list of february Bandsters... I was banded 14th February 2007 in Brugge, Beligum by Dr. Dillemans. I would also love to see how you are all doing. Some seem to be doing really really well (30+pounds!!) I have lost 20 pounds so far. I have had 2 fills. 1st fill was 5 mls and the second 1ml. I lost all of my weight to date BEFORE the second fill, and have actually gained 1 and a half pounds since my second fill.... This is obviously concerning me somewhat... have I sprung a leak?? I have, however, been on holiday for a fortnight and eat whatever I wanted, so its hard to tell if its simply over indulgence I am having my 3rd fill on thursday. Roll on thursday!

Hi Dave, glad it went well. and yes, it would be good to whip up the veg with it too. If you found it too filling, you could easily freeze it, even in the bowl! It was about 4 or 5 days when I started havign baby rice, and heinz sunshine banana breakfast etc... also started havign pureed baby food about the same time and still eating custard, jelly etc. Bought them all read made so that I could just grab them from the cupboard. Bunny

Hi Dave, Hope your surgery went well! How was it? Any problems? Any one else there with you? Anyway, regarding soup... probably the best thing is to get a load of vegetables and boil them up with an oxo and drink the water from that. Makes a nice soup. My travelling buddy made some for me the day I came home to the hotel. I know that I ate fortified tropicana fruit juice drinks with vitamins, and custard but basically I didnt worry too much. Those protein drinks have a lot of calories too. Slim fast made with water at half strength I found good too. Of course cambridge diet or lighter life are good back ups too on a similar vain, but Slim fast is cheaper and more easily available. I drank some of that in the first week after banding, but dont stress too much about it. You body has enough reserves at this stage for you not to have to worry about things too much for a week or two. It might just be best to get chewy bassetts vitamins. I got them from tesco.

Hi Dave, well at first I thought he wasnt going to do it, and he said that if I hadnt healed properly that he would not fill me. However, I think he just wanted to check I wasnt rushing things. I told him the problem I had was that I was hungry every half hour and I could not take that for another 2 weeks, and he checked me over thoroughly, and said I had healed well and that he was goign to do the fill. He of course had to make sure that I was ready for it, which I was thankfully as I drove 100 miles! I had to stick to the 3days of fluids after a fill. There are a lot of other people on this forum that dont have to do that, so it shows you the variety of different advice we all get from surgeon to surgeon. It would be good if they all gave the same advice. Mine also said he had never heard of PB'ing or eating 60g of protein a day. He said only athletes need that. He said just eat a sensible normal balanced diet. So it actually took the pressure off, because I am not too fussed about meat. Anyway, he did the fill, he gave me 4mls, and I feel a restriction. I followed his guidelines to the letter, took paracetamol every 4 hours for 3 days and just had fluids. The fluids filled me up, but I was desperate to get back to chewing, which I did last night! I have been fine since, and I have lost 2 and a half pounds this week, which I am really pleased with. I am so pleased that I had this band, and Dave, it will be the best thing you ever do. Honestly. You are making the best investment in your future. I also think about how losign a pound a week for a year means 4 stone off!! If I only do a pound a week from now on, I will be happy!! Oh yeah... take some ear plugs with you for after the operation. Its nice to be able to sleep without listening to others snore!! Also I had really dry lips because of not drinking, so take a chapstick or something too - I know that men dont like to do that girly stuff, but when you cant drink and you have ukky lips too its not nice. I was really pleased to have a chapstick. Also the hospital was really hot, so take some baby wipes, as that can wash your face and body nicely without having to get up. Just some things I found useful - Hope it helps. Have fun Dave!!

Hi Ladiebird, I have a just had a fill in Birmingham for £75 with Dr. Clayson but it is not done with x-ray. http://www.peelmedicalpractice.co.uk/

Hi Dave, It doing great! Ask away I dont mind at all. Straight after surgery I was a bit groggy but not in pain. They keep you nicely topped up with pain killers! Everything went really smoothly, and Dr. Dillemans and the staff were nice at the hotel and the hospital. There is a lot of bumpf that they give you... I came home with loads of it. The first few days were really not too bad. At the end of the day, its surgery, but it was not horrendous pain or anything. Just make sure you bring co-codamol (from tesco) or paracetamol and NOT ibuprofen or asprin with you because you cant take these. I foudn that takign pills was no problem, but they do give you some strawberry flavoured paracetamol to take home with you that just disolve on your toungue. They are quite nice!! But bring co-codamol with you so you have somethign a little stronger than paracetamol. The worst bit for me was the pain in my left shoulder. The surgery sites themselves didnt both me so much as the shoulder ache. Its from the carbon dioxide gas that they fill you up with during the surgery so that they can see inside and everything. This was actually the most painful thing for me. It was fine if I laid down, so it was easily solved!! ) Trouble was I wanted to look around the town a bit. It got better after a couple of days. I thought I had a blood clot or something dreadful, but apparently its really common and always mostly in the left shoulder. Thought I should tell you about that. The scars and fine now. Totally healed. I am exactly 4 weeks post op as of this morning.. and they are all pink but totally healed. When the bandages came off they had a tiny amount of stitches poking out of the ends of two of the wounds... and so did my other banding buddy. The nurse at my GP sorted that out and just trimmed them for me so they didnt scratch, and now they are just fine. I was even quite worried about my "port hole" as I call it, because the scar was really raised and overlapping, but it has healed itself and lies flat again. Our bodies really are wonderful huh! I stocked up on post operative diet food before I went and bought packet soup and stuff, and then thought that I wouldnt be able to use it bcause of having no where to cook it, so I left it at home. I didnt realise that at the acacia you have a kitchenette affair, so you can take stuff with you. However, I found some nice soup and yoghurt at the little supermarket down the road from the hotel. They had everythign that you could need. Came home and no problems, I simply ate when I was hungry and ate different things like jelly, apple sauce, custard, semolina, soup and dairylea, milk etc. I progressed to baby food jars (i am lazy!) and now am eating regular meals with the family. I have my first fill tomorrow! woo hoo! You will love the staff and Bruno Dillemans is a great guy. Hes really nice and funny too. He really put me at my ease. Are you taking someone with you? I would STRONGLY advise it because it really helped me. I wopuld never have been able to carry my case after surgery, or pack, cook and shop etc. There was a guy there who in the end didnt have the surgery who was on his own, and I think he could have benefitted if he had had his wife, or a good freind. My husband had to stay and look after our son, so I took my best mate. It worked out really well. I have lost 15lbs to date. So more than a stone!! I am really pleased I chose belgium, and the hospital and Dillemans were lovely. I cant praise it enough. Ask as many qustions as you like, you can private mail me off the baord if you have questions that you dont want to ask here. Hope it helps Bunny

Hiya mine, I had mine done at st. Jans in Brugge with Dr. Dillemans. Lost 15 lbs so far.. but this week stayed the same and last week only lost a pound. most was in the first 2 weeks. I am getting on ok... except I am hungry a lot. thats why i scheduled the fill sooner than the 6 week appointment made for me in London. I also wanted to go to the closest centre for me, which is nar birmingham. How you doing? Did we have the same surgeon? Bunny

Hiya, I had my Lap band fitted by Bruno Dillemans on 14th Feb. If you book through obesity-care you have to stay at the Best Western Acacia or the Campanile. Brugge is a bit of a nightmare to get around... one way streets etc, and the private nurse that comes obviously has to know the place and things. I stayed at the Acacia, more xpensive, but worth it, because they have rooms with kitchenettes in, so at least you can make some Soup or similar. The campanile didnt have those facilities apparently, and its a LONG way out of town. The Acacia is in a brilliant position from the main sqaure, where the bus (the 13) runs to the hospital very often, so the person that comes with you will be able to get home after wards and also make their way to see you easier. The acacia is also good because its quiet there. I dont know about the Campanile, because I didnt stay there, but only talked with a RNY patient's father who went there because the Acacia was booked out. Dillemans is a great guy. Very nice and you can really talk to him. I found the hospital awesome. It was totally different to the service you get in the UK. Nice quietroom (4 beds) but with a door that Shuts so you dont hear the nurses all night long. Very very clean and sterile, and they really put you at your ease. everyoen speaks english too... even the Russian taxi driver that collected us from the airport spoke English!! We had a good time all round. We also flew. We went with BA to brussels. it was about £80 each I think. Ryanair go to charleroi, airport, but its further to drive from the airport to the hotel, so decided against it. The taxi from the airport to the hotel and the return journey was expensive though, so be aware. The whole deal, surgery, hotel, eating out before hand (I reccomend the restaurant De Carre THOROUGHLY for you last supper!!! Its on the main square) taxis and everything came to just under £4000. Hope it helps Bunny

Hi, I am having my first fill tomorrow (15th March) at the Peel Medical Centre in Tamworth (near Brimingham) They have a website... so If anyone needs a fill in the Birmingham area, then you can type in their name and it pops up. The doctor is called Dr. Clayson. I live a long drive from Birmingham, but its easier for me that London. I think it's a great idea to post 'fill centres' in the UK on here. P.S. to "Mine" - I also had my surgery in Belgium... Banded 14 February 2007 Dr. Dillemans in Brugge, Belgium. Highest/Pre-op/Current/Goal 265/252/237/160

Hi.. I wondered if anyone else experienced this... 1 week after banding, lost 8lb 2 weeks after, lost another 5lb 3rd week lost 1 lb This week...(4th week) lost nothing. I am eating no more than 800 cals every day (Gods honest truth!), so just a simple equation tells me that I should have lost weight because I am expending more energy than I am consuming. Is the body in shock... like "woah there... we are starving on a desert island" or something? Self preservation mode? I am having a fill on thursday, but I am a little disheartened. Actually I am really upset. :cry I know that most weight will come off after the fill, but I just dont understand why I havent lost anything eating so little... Anyone else get this? Banded 14 February 2007 Dr. Dillemans in Brugge, Belgium. Highest/Pre-op/Current/Goal 265/252/237/160

Thank you all so much. It has allayed my fears to be honest. I know now that I am not alone!! # Thank you UKangel for addding your bit about the stitch. At least I know I dont have to get my cotton out!! and thank you bubblebutt, bretta and waterlily. Each of you has given me something to strengthen me. I am so glad I foudn this site!! All the best. Bunny

Hi, I am new to LBT, and sorry I didnt find it earlier! I have a problem.:help: I was banded 3 weeks ago and I still have a BAD pulling pain on my left hand side, about 2 inches below my port scar. It doesnt bother me at all UNLESS I brush my hair into a pony tail (its very long), wash my hair, deodorize or anything that makes me lift my arms above my head for more than a second or two. To give you an idea, I actually went to the hairdressers today for a wash and blow dry as I could not face washing it myself and having it pull!! I am paranoid about swimming, because I just know that this is going to kill me. The pain is difficult to describe... it actually feels like something is pulling apart...To explain further - in my mind I imagine 2 bits of something like muscles stitched together and them being pulled apart from one another. Obviously I dont know if that is the case, but its kind of what i see in my mind when I feel this pain. My mind is whiring with all kinds of awful possibilities like the tubing tied up around me about to pop out of the port, or the band caught on some internal organ or something! Its just freaking me out. Also 2 days ago, i had a bit of 'cat gut' poking out my port scar, and I pulled it a bit as it was scratching me, and about half an inch of stitch came out with the knot on the end!!!!!! so I am freaking out thinking I am coming apart too!!!! I know they disintegrate with body juices, but is it too early for that? Another person who had surgery the same day as me has not had any pain for over 2 weeks now.... I still dont feel like I can completely resume normal life, and I completely underestimated how long it would take to recover.... Everywhere I have looked pre-op NEVER said it would take long to recover. I am British and had my surgery in Belgium, so can't just pop in to see my surgeon. Can any of your gourgeous people help me out and allay my fears? Today its felt more like a stitch... its so odd. I have so far not been sick or pb'd or had any other probs. I am sorry its such a long post, but I really am worried....:think Banded 14 February 2007 Dr. Dillemans in Brugge, Belgium. Highest/Pre-op/Current/Goal 265/252/237/160

Hello everyone, My name is Bunny and I am from England. I was banded on 14th February 2007 by Dr. Dillemans in Brugge, Belgium. My surgery was elective and I paid for it myself without my doctor knowing as I didnt want him to put me off the idea. I was 252lbs and have lost 15lbs since surgery 3 weeks ago. :clap2: I have been overweight for the last 10 years since breaking my leg, tried numerous diets and the last ditch attempt was with Slimmingworld, where I attended meetings for 2 years. I initally lost 30lbs, but it gradually krept up yo-yoing up and down a pound here and there, until I had regained 16lbs of my original loss. My final straw came when I was making a irish coffee cheesecake. I made it in line with my diet plan, and put it in the fridge to chill. When I took the first bite of it, it was so foul and unappetising that i slid down onto the floor and cried for about an hour. It was then that I got on the internet and put the plans that had been at the back of my mind for months into operation. I was banded 3 weeks later. My doctor, after delivering the letter about my operation 10 days after the event, was very supportive, and I was so pleased. He told me that I had made a valuable investment in my future, and if I needed anything at all, just let him know. So thats me. I have been married for 10 years and have an 8 year old son who we home school. We are all adjusting to my new regime as it seems to make an impact on the family as well. Anyway, I look forward to getting to know some of you better. Bunny