rockchick

I'm the biggest baby going when it comes to pain!! I tried "waxing strips" on my legs & gave up on the first strip, cos I couldn't take the pain! Thats how bad I am & I can honestly say I was fine from the op! Yes, a little uncomfortable when I sat down/stood up & could feel the port when I bent over (which more grossed me out than hurt!) The first night in hospital, I had soluble painkillers, but taking them was worse than any discomfort (they never dissolved properly & were really bitter!) so I gave them up the day I got home. I was more tired than usual & if I did too much walking, I got that heavy, dragging feeling in the bottom of my stomach (a bit like strong period pain) but I was shopping 2 days post-op! Getting in & out of bed wasn't too much fun but only cos I didn't want to pull on the new wounds & I couldn't sleep on my side/stomach for the first couple of nights! But I wasn't ever in pain! And I haven't had any kids, either, so I'm not trying to make comparisons with childbirth or anything. I had a pilonidal sinus about 10 years ago & ended up on gas & air when they tried to change the packing in the wound! Now, thats pain.......!! Sorry to hear that some of you have suffered, but to think we're covering something up from potential new bandsters isn't true at all. Everyone is different & I'm glad to say that my surgeon must be one of the best, cos I didn't suffer from any gas or shoulder pains at all! Not once! And I'm the person who, if anything can go wrong, it will go wrong for me! So any "soon to be" bandsters out there, lets hope you are more like me than the "op". Good luck!

Does anyone know if the meeting tonight at Bolton is definitely going ahead? I'm planning on popping in for my first time, but don't wan't to make a wasted journey, if I turn up & am the only one there!! Suzi ;0)

Just an update!! My Viactiv chocolate calcium chews have arrived & boy, are they good!! They taste just like the "Reisen" chocolate chews. Only 20cals each & you need to take 2 a day. Its like getting your Vitamins & chocolate fix all in one! I'm definitely going to buy some more - they have a range of flavours, including Chocolate Cherry, Chocolate Mint & Caramel! Just wish I could get them from UK & not have to pay the extortionate shipping from USA! Suzi ;0)

Hi Shanaz, I can't help with an answer about support groups in your area, but I'm willing to help answer any questions you might have, if I can!! I've had my band fitted about 3 months ago, so its all fairly new & fresh in my mind!! If you want to talk, I can give you my mobile number or just send me a PM, if you want to ask me any questions! There is nothing better than the support & advice you get on here from fellow bandsters! Suzi ;0)

Hey, Mrs JBJ1 Good to hear from you! Hope you're well! My GP was a waste of time when it came to surgery :biggrin: (hence Self-Pay!) but I'm thinking of trying to change GPs. I just wondered if there is any specific criteria to meet? I'm currently a J Cup! Its never really bothered me before, but they are already round my waist without a bra, so god knows what state I'll be in later!! I don't seem to be losing the weight from up top at the moment, though. One bit of good news is that I'm down 2 sizes in jeans! I ordered a pair of Next Jeans (Size 20) & they were TOO BIG!! :biggrin: Waheeey! Looks like I'll soon be shopping in normal shops, not just Evans, etc!! Keep in touch! Mrs JBJ2 xx

Hi, everyone! Does anyone know whether it is possible to get any Plastic Surgery done on the NHS in England? If so, are there any criteria to fulfil! And does it matter if you originally had the op on the NHS? Or would they consider surgery for someone who was self-pay? Its a long way off for me, cos I'm only at the start of my journey & I'm actually hoping that I won't need to have it (I have been overweight for years, but haven't ever been pregnant, don't have many stretchmarks & my skin seems fairly firm, which other postings seem to suggest this is a positive sign - but you never know!) but I probably will need a breast reduction (I'm a 38J & am expecting that, by the time this journey ends, I'll probably be able to polish my shoes as I walk!!! If you get my drift!! :biggrin:) I might consider surgery on my upper arms, if I get the "bingo wing" effect. If I go the whole hog & go for breast/tummy tuck/upper arms, I dread to think how much that will cost!! I need to know whether I've got to start saving, all over again! Any stories/previous experiences would be really helpful! Suzi ;0)

Hi guys, I don't mean to be negative on this subject, but I think you would be VERY lucky to feel restriction after your first fill. Looking at most people stats on here, most take a number of fills to feel anything like proper restriction. I had my first fill about 3 weeks ago, 5ccs in an 11cc band & it feels no different at all, apart from when I have meat/bread & I then I need to be really, really careful & chew!! But I could still eat for England! I just have to be strong & not! I've put myself on a self-imposed liquid Slimfast diet, cos I know that, if I try & eat "normal" food, I'll overeat. So I'm having shakes, Soups & a bit of fruit & yoghurt. Its made the pounds drop off, like the pre-op diet did. But I wouldn't worry about your holiday! Just enjoy it. I went away for 5 days in June, ate 3 times a day, each time fairly normal meals & got back the same weight as I went. As long as you enjoy the hol, you can always work extra hard for a couple of weeks when you get back! I figure I have earned a "break" & try not to stress about it! Beating myself up means I feel like I've failed & I'm more inclined to be "naughty"!!!

Hi, Jenny! What part of the country do you live in? I'm sure that, wherever it is, there will be people on here that have had treatment nearby & would gladly share the info with you. Or are you looking at treatment abroad? Also, does the cost come into it? I'm presuming that you are looking at self-pay, rather than on the NHS? Have you tried the NHS? If you are not looking at having the band fitted immediately, you have got time to look into this process. I beleive that my local NHS has relaxed the conditions of getting a band recently & are paying for surgery, if you meet the local PCT guidelines, which you can find on the internet. Personally, I had my operation with the BMI Group & would definitely recommend them. The website is Weight loss surgery from BMI Healthcare: obesity surgery & aftercare treatment in UK hospitals & they offer a fixed price package, with the price clearly shown on the website. I had my actual op at the Alexandra Hospital, Cheadle (Nr Manchester) with Mr Agwunobi. All the staff there are great, from the consultant to the dieticians. And they hold a monthly support group meeting where you can get support & guidance from others who are at different stages in the process. This is invaluable! If you want to ask any further questions, I'd be happy to help, if I can. Otherwise, I'm sure there are many others on here who will assist you. Good luck on your journey! Suzi ;0)

Hiya, I'm 3 month post-band & I use Haliborange Multi-Vitamin liquid from Boots. Its £3.99 a bottle & at the moment its on a "3 for 2"! Its orange flavoured, sugar free & tastes lovely - I have 2 spoonfuls every morning. I also recommend using Benefibre, cos I find I'm not having much natural fibre in my diet at the moment (I'm not a great fan of veggies!) I put two spoons in my first sports bottle of Water every morning & then I know I'm done for the day!! I noticed another post on here about talking calcium too, which is something I wasn't advised to do by my Consultant, but I figure it can't hurt. The post was talking about a product called "Viactiv" & its a chocolate or caramel flavoured chew!! Yum Yum!! I can't find anywhere to buy them in the UK, so I've just placed an order on Ebay from a US Seller. Can't wait to get them to give them a try. I also ordered some Crystal Light at the same time (small packets of flavoured crystals to mix with water). My friend brought me some back from the US a couple of weeks ago & they taste fab! I'm not a great fan of tap water & having these tiny packets in my bag means I can keep filling up my sports bottle whilst I'm out & about, throughout the day, in order to make sure I get my liquids in, especially now were in this "heat wave" :tt2:!! Good luck in your journey!! Suzi

I'm from the UK & I'm taking Haliborange Multi-Vitamin liquid, which tastes of orange (surprisingly!! ) & is yummy! Its the first Vitamin that I have taken for more than a fortnight!! Looking at other answers on this post, I like the idea of the chocolate chews! I've found the Viactiv website but can't find anywhere to buy them, outside of the US. I can't even ask a question on the website because of having to say I'm from a particular state of the US!! Does anyone know of a website that would ship these to the UK? I've found a few on Ebay (all from US) but they seem to be selling "out of date" ones & the shipping costs seem a bit expensive! Any help on this would be appreciated. I want to try the Chocolate Multi-Vitamins & also the Chocolate Calcium chews! Keeping my fingers crossed! Suzi :biggrin2:

Spooky!! I see it mentions Vegas in your signature! Does that mean that you're a person in the know! Would you be able to give me help/advice for my trip next year, a bit nearer the time! Any help would be greatly appreciated! :thumbdown:

I can relate to what most people have put on here. I don't have any pics of my wedding, can't bear to look at them or at my wedding video. I know I have the "reverse anorexia" syndrome & that I see a totally different "me" when I look in the mirror - it was a really unflattering pic that friends took on holiday last year that pushed me that last little bit into getting the band, I was mortified as to how I looked!! But getting back onto the subject of weddings, I had the fairytale Caribbean wedding - white sand, blue sea & the "beached whale" in the wedding dress! We even took the family with us! I cringe at the thought of what a mess I looked! But I've decided (& hubby doesn't know about this!) that I'm going to Vegas next year (its the BIG "4 0" for me & cos I live in the UK, its a big deal to go there!) & whilst we're there, I want to renew our vows in the Little White Wedding Chapel! Hopefully, I will be able to look at these photos with pride! I won't be at my goal by then, it'll be just before my first "bandiversary", but I'm hoping to fit into a "normal" size dress (albeit maybe a 16 or 18!) As I haven't told anyone about the band (other than people on here, my husband & my boss) its not something I can share with anyone, so its good to put it on here!! I have already been looking at wedding dresses online! It makes me so excited to think about it. I'm sure hubby won't be that thrilled, this is more for me than him but I don't care!! Sorry to have babbled on a bit!! :thumbdown:

Its definitely normal, I was banded on 4/30 & got exactly the same reaction for the first few days I was home. I worried about the same as you, that the awful churning in my stomach would somehow move the band or break the stitches (as so much emphasis is placed on not eating anything which may do this) but others on here put my mind at rest & I had my first fill last Tues under X-ray, which confirmed everything was definitely OK! Don't worry. What I will add, is that by day 14, I had the opposite - Constipation! I have never had this before, and I hope NEVER to again! Without going into too much detail, I was in agony for 5 hrs in the middle of the night, in a house on my own, unable to drive. I won't tell you what I resorted to doing to help ease the pain, it would gross you out, but I never realised the extent of the pain it could put someone in. I believe it was because I wasn't drinking enough, I wasn't a great liquid drinker before the op & struggled to get my 2 litres a day down. I've never failed to drink enough since! Once was enough!!! Be warned! If this posting can help just one person not go through what I did.....! Good luck on your journey Suzi ;0)

Just got back from the hospital & the fill went ok!! Thats put my mind at rest about the port, he got it first time! I had to stop it part way through though, cos I nearly fainted (it wasn't anything he did. it was just the thought of it! I didn't feel a thing, cos he numbed the area with local anaesthetic) I was a bit embarassed, though! I was on this big bed-thing & he had to tip me up so the blood went to my head!! Even with the minor interruption, the whole process took less than 10 mins & I just had to drink some barium so he could see how fast it went down. I've had 55cc's for the first fill, they won't put any more than that in. I've tried sipping Water since & it seems fine! Good luck on your band journey! Suzi :biggrin2:

Hi Perky, My pain did ease up after I stopped the waist trimming exercises on the Wii, so I do think its pulled muscles that cause the pain. I wouldn't worry, it just seems that some of us have done things that have caused some aggravation to the area around the port & others haven't. I'm going to have my first fill on Tuesday (under fluoro) so that'll show for definite that everything is ok (fingers crossed!!) & put my mind at rest. Hope the pain settles down soon. Suzi ;0)