justjules

Hello to all. I had posted on here a few times last year, I stopped posting because I never had an easy time with my band and felt I was bringing everyone 'down' with my absolute devastation over the whole effin situation. Then it all got worse where people were paranoid here after all the media crap, so I just gave up. The collapse of ACS was the final icing on the cake. I was banded by Jerome in August 07 and had only had 2 fills and 1 defill before it all went wrong. Jan saw me in Feb 2008 and took me down to 2cc or ml or wahtever it is and even after that, I was still sick almostdaily and spending loads of time pureeing food and making soups. I have had horrendous reflux to the point that my dentist commented on the acid erosion damage to my teeth over the last year and half. I can't eat out with friends; they all comment on how little I eat and a few think I have an eating disorder now. I have come up with a handy 'hernia' excuse, but now my closest friends are urging me to 'get it fixed' b/c they are worried at my lack of eating solids. Donna, The not very helpful receptionist, in Cork, mucked up Jan's request for a test to see my band placement and sent me for a ultrasound of the abdomen instead of an xray!! Luckily, aCS paid for it, but Jan couldn't tell me much and w/in 2 weeks, the ACS was finnito. I feel I need a barium swallow test or upper GI but my GP has no experience with bariatrics and doesn't seem to give a toss anyhow. I have lost 4 stone. That Is Fantastic. I look better, my cholesterol is normal now and I feel more energy. I called ACS/Hospital Group all summer, to be told time and time again they would ring me tomorrow or that I was on a list. They never sent me any letters or appt. times in dublin or belfast. I think they thought I was trouble and didn't want me to know nurses were giving fills. ?? I don't know? But, I question whether it was all worth it. I have no enjoyment of social occasions or holidays. So much is based on food. I found my holidays bland too. Couldn't enjoy the tasty dishes everyone else tucked into. I try and get in extra calories by eating custards/yogurts and smoothies. I have had loads of hair loss despite valiant attempts to keep my protien levels up. Now, I am trying to get pg. again. I will need a total defill to get my nutrition up if I need IVF. I have sorted a guy in London to do it for £95 (plus airfare, tube, etc.) I am so unhappy about this situation. At this point I just want this thing out of me.I think more support would have helped, but we are in the wrong country for that to have happened. Friends of mine in the USA get way more support and can be more open publicly in their life choices. Here, it is a stigma. What a shame. If there is anyone in Cork area who wants to meet up for a rant, a rave and just a cuppa or glass of wine. Let me know, I would love to be able to go out to eat with people who don't think I am a freak for always ordering soup and not being able to eat it all!!! on the flipside, chocolate has become a friend and i don't even gain weight eating it. Thank god for small miracles! Lots of positive stories here which are great, but newcomers should hear all sides of this complex story. It isn't an easy way to lose weight, it is a lifestyle change and hard work. Good luck to everyone. ps. I did contact a solicitor about a class action suit or single suit against ACS. They sent a long questionnaire and called several times before finally telling me they didn't think they could pursue the company due to bankruptcy laws,etc. If anyone wants to look into this further, I am all for it and will not hesistate going public or to the media. Screw them, :mad:they didn't worry about any of us or our health. :wink2:Jules

Hi, haven't been on since Jan. I was banded at ACS dublin in August 2007. So far, I have lost over 2st. But not w/o some pretty bad left shoulder pain and problems with pb'ing and vomiting-a lot of it. Jan took 1cc of fluid out in Feb. and I have been trying to get a recheck since then. Then, got the letter last week about the 'sale' of the company or winding down or whatever they are saying.....haven't talked to anyone there since. What is the deal for those of us who are still techinally OWED 1/2 a year of aftercare?? Jan told me in feb if my vomiting wasn't better I would need a barium swallow Xray. I feel like a mug; I suppose I could have gone overseas, but I was worried about aftercare and rightly so.:thumbup: I finally got to see the primetime episode last week. I have 2 young kids and barely get to watch tv or go online, so I was friggin clueless that this was even taking place. Could someone pm me if you don't want to reply publicaly. I am in cork and someone told my a Donal Oshea would be coming to Bons Secours here, but will he be taking on Jerome's old patients. At what cost?? sorry, but I am so upset about all this, and to make matters worse, I told no one but my DH that I was even doing this, so it's not like I can vent to family or friends. I am happy with the weight loss of course, but need to get this restricition thing sorted so it is at a 'liveable' level. Glad everyone seems to be losing more weight even with Easter eggs galore. Well done....:crying: Thanks for reading and letting me vent ...yet again! :wub:

Coco, thanks for the good advice. i was finally able to eat a few bites of my kid's Pasta for lunch and so far so good, it has stayed down without any of the nasty slime..... Princess, welcome and I hope this site and the internet in general will let you know you are definitely not alone. Until I logged on last week, I didn't realise what a load of banders there were worldwide and especially in Ireland. Lots of great info. I know everyones journey is very different, but I think you are doing great losing what you have in 3months time. Multiply that by 4 and you will really be happy when the year anniversary rolls around I hope. My loss has been slow, but steady. 25lbs since early August 07. So really only just about 5lbs or so a month, but the doc said this was fine and it is better to take it steadily and healthily so that your skin has time to shrink too. but, on the other hand I would be lying if I said I would'nt love to down 3-4 stone by now!!! My original goal was to be into size 14 comfortably by this stage, but it hasn't quite worked out that way, but I am hopeful. Tell your negative friend her comments aren't helping your weight loss and that you just need positive support or a listening, non judgemental ear...Best of luck to you and I hope this journey won't be lonely for any of us!

Hello to all, as I mentioned in my previous posts, i am new to this site and really havent been able to share any of my LbAND ?'S with anyone since no one but my Dh knows i had it done last August at ACS. As I wrote, had lots of early complications but then got to be fine about 8-9 wks post op. Anyhow, had my second fill and now should have 4cc in the band. This was last week and I am struggling here. Not able to keep hardly anything down and lots of pb/sliming. Surviving on protein shakes and juices but starting to feel really tired today. Should I defill? Could I have slipped or is this ok to be so tight a week after? Should I just start eating chunkier foods to stretch myself a bit? I am happy to have lost 3lbs since last wed. but I have to go away with friends this weekend for 2 days and don't know how in the world i am gonna pull off eating b.l. and dinner with them all. they are gonna think I have got an eating disorder! Any suggestions would be great pls. J

hi, I just re-read my very first post to the thread and realise it sounds very negative. so.. I just wanted to add that I am very glad despite the early complications that I have had this band put in. this time last year I was 10lbs heavier after Xmas than before. Big changes this year. I still enjoyed some 'naughty' treats and the odd glass of wine or baileys and i have not gained an ounce over the 3 weeks of eating/parties, etc. Plus both my kids had birthdays recently and even with all the treats and cakes around, I was able to stay in pretty good control of my eating. so, it ain't all bad, sorry if I sounded really down! Thanks! Jules

Hello everyone, just got through reading most of the thread since october. Wow, so glad this place and all of you exist, I was feeling very lonely in my 'secret' banded life.... Short synopsis, I am 36, 2 small kids, suffered terribly with Post natal depression and put on lots of weight post babies. After trying lots of different weight loss strategies, and realising my marriage was at serious risk, I decided to go for the lap band last august, at ACS in Dublin with Jerome. While I thought he was a very nice man, I was not impressed with ACS in Dublin and had a lot of complications physically after the op. I was twice to the Aand E in Cork because I was in so much pain, it was out of 'normal' working hours and I couldn't even get a staff night nurse to pick up the phone to talk to me at ACS in Dublin. This freaked me out, because one of the ladies getting done the same day as me was perforated during the op and I was scared to death something had been put in wrong. ACS kept telling me it was GAS pain causing me to feel like a knife in my left shoulder, but I have had 2 Laparoscopys before, and it definitely was NOT gas pain. I had constant pain for 3 weeks starting at day 5 post op. I had a free air xray done, and it wasn't gas at all. the surgeons at CUH think my port placement was irritating my (sp) phrenic nerve and causing me to have severe reaction in my diaphragm. only valium and a muscle relaxent even touched the pain and because I have had really bad reflux, it was even hard to take meds. the pain got better after 8 weeks post oop and I was off all meds except lots of zantac and gaviscon for reflux. now that I am 'fine' I have just gone every 2 months to ACS in cork for my fills with Jan the new Doc. But believe me, I could relate to the fears concerned with inadequate aftercare programme while i was in such a desperate state after my surgery. i became very nervous after Xmas when I looked up some info on the ACS website and saw they were discontinuing the Lap band ops in Irleand and that is why I have come online, to see what is up and what are we all gonna do if this programme is pulled? I feel ACS should have contacted all prior patients before finding out all this in the media. Many of us have not told anyone about our procedures and it is then very difficult to talk about fears/concerns. The staff at Cork is very nice, but I do sometimes wish for more medical competency over niceties. halina is not a good poster girl for Lap banding imho because she has gone way to thin and wasn't too big to begin with. Anyhow, it sounds like all of you are coping really well. I guess I am just nervous about what I will do if I 1. can't get fills/check ups here 2. experience a slip or erosion and 3. need to get diagnostic checks to make sure fills and/or band is working properly. I have lost 22lbs since August, not as much as I thought I would . had 2nd fill last week in Cork and am really feeling this one, but have had some pretty bad hair loss in past 4 weeks, so not sure if I should be to happy about the fact i can't eat much at present. Well, thanks for letting me vent and I am glad this resource and support network exists for all the patient in Ireland. If anyone wants to meet up in Cork, pm me and I will be happy to meet for a coffee and chat! Thanks so much for listening if you made it this far! :smile: Jules