Elsie

Thanks Lil, Thats interesting reading. I like the bit about weight loss stopping after 2 weeks, thats exactly what happened to me even though I was still not eating close to what I did before. I know its normal but still hard to accept. It will start moving again!! Elsie

Hi Shazer, They moved the Hi from Ireland thread on us. If you go back out to the home page, go down to Lap Band Support Groups, then Local Lap band support groups and finally 'Elsewhere Local Support". You'll find a load of Ireland Bandsters in there. Welcome to Lapbandtalk!! Elsie (Dublin)

Hi Lynn I had this too. I thought I was doing ok and then port pain got a quite a bit worse for a few days and then a bit better every day since. I think those pains are normal. I would get a twinge every so often when I would bend down. Pain completely gone now. Well done to all March bandsters. I dont post a lot but I am trying to keep up with the thread. As far as telling people about the band, I told my parents and sister and not one other person (except other people from this board who I have met in person). Family are supportive but I have been fat forever and have learned to slip into the background so I hate attention of any kind, good or bad. I know if I told anyone in work that it would spread like wildfire. Some would be happy for me I'm sure but I know there would be negativity. I just dont want to deal with that. I am currently in Bandster Hell, I am 4 weeks out tomorrow and starting on solids. I found liquids easier than mushies, for the last few days I have been craving food and no amount of mushies are satisfying me. However, all going well I will get my first fill on Thurs. Once I went to mushies, the scale stopped moving, after a week I dropped 2lbs and was delighted but this morning I was back up those 2lbs. I wanted to cry. :smile: But I know a lot of people go thru this during mushies so I'll try to remain focused on the big picture. Happy April to all Marchies. Elsie

Hi All I sent out a PM with the meeting details to most of you. If I forgot anyone who wants to go please let me know. By the way I've never been to that place, I just know its close to the clinic, so please dont blame me if its a kip!! Hope to see you all soon. Elsie

Hi Marge Its def the Raglan Clinic. The last time he was here it was in Fitzwilliam Street but he wasnt happy with it so looked for somewhere better. We've decided on a place to meet up so I'll PM the details later to anyone whos expressed an interest. Anyone else who wants details just let me know. Prob best to keep it to PM. Elsie

Hi All, I couldn't log on for some reason yesterday, I missed loads, this thread was very busy. Ailbhe: Appointment made with Dr.C. Can't wait for this fill. I'm in my last few days of mushies but dont seem to have any restriction. I'm surviving on willpower alone now. Less than a week now though!!! Like you I haven't lost anymore weight since liquids but haven't put back on any so all in all, I'm happy. I'll PM my number and make plans for meeting up. Marge: Well done on booking the consultation. I have no regrets about doing this or having it done it Belgium. If the treatment I've received so far is anything to go by then I'm confident in future treatment. I'll be in with the Dr. around 2pm as well next Thursday. Would love to meet up. What time will you be around? Ellen: Let us know if you are making an appointment with Dr. C for a fill. Would love to meet. Bring before pix for us. Can't wait to see those arms. (well, if you are willing to show off):smile: Lunasa: Welcome back!!!! You certainly had a rough year of it, but you seem to have turned it around and learned from it. I wish you every success with the Unlearning. Please don't be a stranger, we are here to support each other. Lindsey: Welcome and best of luck with the op. My experience is very similar to Ailbhe's, I went to Dr. DeBruyne in Belgium as well. I had a fair bit of pain right after the op but it diminished every day and now I'm out just over 3 weeks and not a bit of pain. I'm even back to sleeping on my stomach. I am hungry at the moment but I seem to have gotten the willpower from somewhere to say NO, I dont need it, I control this. I do need to get of me arse and exercise though. That has been tuff for me. Zoe484 and CassieJ: Welcome to the boards. Let us know a bit more about yourselves. Everyone Else: Keep up the good work and if anyone is around town next thursday and wants to meet up let me know and we'll arrange a place and time. By the way, this thread was a year old on Easter Sunday. Does anyone ever hear from Brenners who started the thread? Would be nice to know if life has changed much for her in this past year!! Elsie

Hi Ellen Dr. C gave me slabs of paracetamol after the op. I don't remember him mentioning not to take anything in particular. I would prob just stay away from aspirin for now because it thins the blood which might affect healing. Neurofen should be ok if Dr. D said Ibuprofen was ok, he knows you have the band and sure he took it into consideration. Suppose check with your band doc at the HWC and stick with paracetamol until then. Dr. C will be in Dublin in less than two weeks, so I should be getting a fill then all going well. YAY!!!!! I already feel the need for it. I've have a bad cough for a few days. Does anyone know if serious coughing can do any damage to the band during the healing process? Elsie

Hi Dini I had a quick look on their site a while ago. It seem like a very expensive program. I think your doing the right thing with the regular gym and a personal trainer. You are soooo close to goal, its brilliant! In general I'm doing good, no pain no at all, just the occasional twinge from the port. But I think i'm getting a cold now and everytime I sneeze there is a little pain. Nothing I cant handle though. Weight loss is slowing right up but thats to be expected. Have loss a stone so far.:embaressed_smile: Elsie

Hi Gerri, no nothing new really. Usual talk of inadequate facilities and Dr. backup. Didn't last long really. DLC1: Welcome to the boards. Well done on your weightloss so far. How much exercise have you been doing? Ellie-sore-Belly: How you feeling now? A whole three litres of fat gone. WOW!! I know exactly how you feel. When I was having my op I was sharing with an old lady who was suffering from a fairly serious vomiting, belching, snoring and farting disease (all at once some times), not easy to handle when you are just out of the op and feeling sick. God love her really but at the time it was all about me. All my love to Paddy!!! Dini: How'd you get on at Educo Gym. I've never heard of it. Went to Curves for a while and enjoyed it but got bored after six months and it wasnt always easy to fit in because of the opening hours. Half day Sat, Closed Sunday and closed for lunch during the week. Elsie

Hi All Just to let you know that primetime is on at the moment and its about ACS, not Gastric Banding specifically. Could be interesting. Elsie

Coco, you forgot BOOBS, I want, well need some Boobs.:biggrin::biggrin:

Happy St. Patricks day everyone!! Alesha: Sorry to hear about the toe. Sure, once you can dance at your own wedding, thats what matters. If your worried about not getting exercise, maybe just lift some weights (or tins of beans) while sitting down. Might help, maybe, dunno!!! Ellen: Best of luck tomorrow. Hope you had no problem finding the candles and champers!! Lil: Not making the parade does not make you a bad mother. In fact, a few years ago myself and my friend brought her kid (6) to a parade(not the main Dublin parade, mind you) and on the way home in the car he made us promise that we wouldnt bring him the following year or ever again. We were happy not to have to go again. :biggrin:

Well I have WAY too much time on my hands. I even googled Yummy Doc to see a pix. Definitely a good degree of Hotness going on there. Thats my research done on Plastic Surgeons, we have a winner!!!! Ailbhe: I didn't start on Mushies yet, I THINK I remember the Dr. in the hospital saying 10 days on liquids but the diet info he gave me said 14 days. I was a bit out of it in the hospital so going to stick with the 14 days on liquids instead of 10. I'm doing ok on liquids so figure a few more days wont hurt. I keep forgeting to make my appointment for my post op/fill as well. I just assume there will be no problem, imagine he was fully booked, I'd cry (and book a flight to Belgium). You've done great with your weight loss so far so don't worry about it slowing down, slow and steady wins the race... I've put my scales away for now, I was hopping on and off way too much. Elsie p.s. The offer of a lift from train station for our fills still stands if you want it. PM your details when you've made your appointment. Don't worry, I'm not a nutjob (well 7 out of 10 in a survey agreed)

Hi, great to hear from you, it sounds like you are in really good form. Glad your not in much pain. Did you not suggest to Dr. Yummy:drool: that he help you exercise:wink2:? I mean he was right there in your room. Another patient in the hotel, likely story!!!!:lol:

Fenton There is definitely a site with this kind of info, I was on it before but I can't find it now. I've been searching for a while. I'll take another look and let you know. However most parks have a section dedicated to accesibility so that might help. I can't wait to get in line for a coaster and know I'll fit. Elsie

Hi All, I'm looking for some suggestions. I'll be starting on Mushies next week and have no imagination at all. What kind of stuff did you eat during this stage. I know there are loads of suggestions in the food threads but its all very american and we cant get the same stuff here. Any ideas??? Thanks Elsie

Good Luck Mom007!!! and Good Karma!!! :smile:

We were banded the same day and I also have something like this. I assume that its because the port is stitched to the muscle and the muscle doesnt stop at the port site and when it contracts it pulls at the rest of the muscle and you get a tugging sensation a bit further down the same muscle.

Thanks SpecialK, yeah I love the name Shrinking Shamrocks, very sigificant for me. St. Patricks day will be my last day of Liquids, but probably the easiest one, most the country will be liquids only that day.. LOL!!!:tongue::biggrin:

Hi Terry, I'm not sure if my Dr. does Lipo, looking at his website he does tummy tucks but I did read somewhere that he works in conjunction with other dr's who perform lipo. The website is Welcome to Obesity Assists's site. I would contact Dr. DeBruyne and see if he does it or can recommend one of his colleagues. Best of luck. Elsie

Hello All, I'd like to introduce myself to all my fellow March Bandsters. I was banded on March 4th in Belgium (I'm Irish). I'm a week out tomorrow and doing good. I'm mostly pain free with the exception of the area around the port which still hurts a bit when I stand up/sit down but once I'm up I'm fine. I've had very little gas pain (none at all in left shoulder like some people) and I'm surprising myself by having no problem in sticking to the post op liquid diet (No problem so far any way) :blushing:. Good luck to all my fellow Shrinking Shamrocks, I wish you all great success!!! Elsie

Hi All, Just a quick note to say I'm back from Belgium and doing good. Everything went well with the procedure and the treatment and care I received in Belgium was excellent. I still have some pain around the port incision but I know thats the biggest incision and will take the most time to heal. Enjoying the feeling of not being hungry and have dropped a few pounds already!! Good luck to everyone dealing with ACS!! Elsie

Well this is it. I head to Belgium tomorrow for the op which is on Tues. I'm surprisingly calm at the moment. Just about to start packing, so if anyone has any last minute suggestions, please feel free. Ailbhe: Thanks for the PM with all that useful info. Your doing so well.. another 4 lbs I see!!!:laugh: Elsie

Hi Sheri Best of luck on Tuesday. I'm also being banded on 4th March. Looks like we have a lot in common. We are the same age, being banded the same day and we have pretty much the same amount of weight to lose. I have about 160lbs to go. (No ticker yet). Here's to a healthier and brighter future!!!:w00t: Elsie

Hi Trinitydad, I'm also being banded on March 4th. I also have a head full of doubts and second thoughts but the "what ifs" of not getting it done take over. What if I get fatter, what if I get diabetes, what if I have a heart attack. Thought of surgery is scary but it will be worth it in the end. Elsie