mooster

Hi Bigsister, If you ask at your Drs, they should be able to photo-copy your letter for you. I wanted to keep a copy for myself when I handed mine in, and they copied it for me. I actually ended up with the original and they kept the copy! Just had a quick look at my letter and it doesnt actually say what size the band is.! I remember Dr Chris telling me that mine is a 9cc though. Kath.x

:welldone:You make me feel so guilty Flirtylass with all your exercise!!! I really must make an effort! Mind you, I did go for a walk in the snow today, so thats a start, albeit a little one!:Dancing_sorry:Kath.x

Hi Gillian,many thanks for the birthday wishes. Concerning your stitches, I dont remember mine being as troublesome as yours have been, they were okay within a week or so. The only one that gave me any concern was the port one where it was attached underneath. Even now, I still get the odd twinge, but its not what I would call painful! Ive lost 31 lbs since being banded, mostly down to sheer will-power, as I still havent reached that elusive "sweet-spot" yet! I'm hoping that one more fill will get me there, then I can get down to losing again, as my weight hasn't budged in weeks! Compared to Flirtylass, I havent lost much at all, but hopefully my next fill will change that! Hope your first day back at work has gone okay, and hasn't been too strenuous? Take care, Kath.x:thumbup:

Thank-you to wishful & TC for your birthday wishes. Back to the straight and narrow tomorrow after my over-indulging over the last few days!!! Well, if you can't do it for your birthday....when can you???:tongue2::cheated: Kath.x

A very happy birthday to you BIGSISTER ! There are only a few days between us as it was my birthday on Thursday, and I'm afraid that I overdid it with the birthday cake (and one or two other items!!).I was a bit like your sister Gillian when she got the dinosaur stuck! It might sound funny, but BOY, does it hurt!!! Suppose it serves me right for eating the naughty stuff? Anyway, enjoy your day(and by the way,thorntons will go down beautifully....it's the other stuff that causes the problems!). Take care, Kath.x :thumbup::drool::thumbup::thumbup:

Hi TC27,welcome back! Glad to hear that everything has gone okay for you. Enjoyed reading your account of thing's and it was nice that you were able to meet up with Tamisu,(who I hope is also doing well with her recovery). Take care & best wishes to you both. Kath.x :redface::redface:

Hi Gillian & bigsister, thanks for the info about WLS, they do sound very professional, especially with all the back-up that's included! Kath.x

Hi bigsister, let us know how you and Gillian get on having your fills with WLS. Where are they based in the north west? I take it you live quite near to their clinic, which will be much easier for you than travelling all the way down to Manchester airport each time you need a fill?? Kath.x:rolleyes2:

Hi Bigsister, as far as I know Dr Chris only does the London clinic,at least that's what he told me when I saw him there (before the Manchester clinic opened). He said he might do Manchester some time in the future, but not at the moment! I think Frederick and Chris Deprez do Manchester between them. I found Chris doesn't "rush you through" quite as quickly as Frederick, and will take time to answer your questions. Kath.x:blush:

Hi Tropical Lagoon, Just wanted to say, that I had exactly the same treatment from Frederick, when I went for my third fill in Manchester on Jan 15th! He wasn't too keen to answer too many questions, as my husband went with me, and always likes to ask questions, and find out how things work! Frederick accused my husband of trying to tell him how to do his job!! Frederick only wanted to put half a ml in, but my husband pushed him to put 1ml in saying that everybody is different, and you can't use the same "set amount" on everyone. He did finally put 1ml in, but insisted I say on liquids for an extra day!! Kath.x:cursing:

:blush:Hi Gillian, Dr Chris and his team tend to do the fill's lying down. The port is facing down (I thought it was facing outwards......but no!) so Dr Chris went straight to it when he did my first one (although he did leave bruises in the shape of his four fingers!!!!). I was a little worried when Chris Deprez (who does Manchester as well as Frederick) said "do you know where your port is? Luckily he found it without any problems! Frederick did my third one, and didn't find it until the fourth attempt!! I guess it's just "pot-luck" as to who will be doing them, but don't worry they don't hurt, and you can't feel the solution going in or anything like that!:crying:I don't like needles myself, but the fills havent bothered me at all. Will you be going to Manchester when you start going? Take care, Kath. x:thumbup:

Hi Bigsister, once my dressings were off for good and the stitches were poking through, thats when I started cutting them. I also cut the one that was bothering me about the same time, as the wound was closed ok. It did mention in my paperwork about removing the "blue one" myself, but as I said, I never did find it!!!! Probably floating around on the inside somewhere!!!!!!!!!:thumbdown: Kath. x

Hi Gillian, I was just wondering, does Dr Chris tell you to get someone to remove your stitches now, as when I had my band (just last August) he told me to just snip them off as they came through! I was told to look for a blue thread where the port is (but I never did find it!!!) I did have one, in your word's "like a fishing line" where the port is, which was pulled so tight that my skin was puckered-up, so I cut it (with great difficulty, as it was so tight) and pulled it out myself. What a relief!!!! Half the pain I had was because it was stitched so tight!:thumbdown: Kath.x

Hi Flirtylass,sorry for the delay in replying but I've had trouble getting onto the site. My band is 9.something (very nearly ten). On my first fill, Dr Chris gave me the choice of 1,2, or 3mls so I opted for the 3. On my second fill, I saw Chris Deprez, and he said he would see how much he could get in, which was 2.5 mls (apparently, their guidelines say it should be 2mls )I only know this because my husband kept asking Frederick questions when he did my third fill!! Frederick was only going to put half a ml in, but my husband pushed him to see how much my band would take before the pressure pushed the solution out again (and it was 1ml)! He wasn't too happy and insisted I stay on liquids for an extra day to let the inflammation go down. I learnt something I didn't know.........apparently when they give you a fill, it causes inflammation to the bit of stomach under the band for a few days until it relax's back again! If I were you, I would ask them to put enough in until it starts to come back out, ( that's how they know when the needle is actually in the port, as they suck some out before putting more in). Hope I've been of some help to anyone worrying that the solution didn't go into their port, but remember you won't feel a great difference until you've got to your 3rd and 4th fills....it's just the "lucky few" who get restriction on their 1st and 2nd fills. Hope I haven't put anyone off!!! Kath.x:unsure::thumbdown:

Hi Sammy, concerning your questions on fills, I've found it easier if you book a month in advance. The price seems to vary, I went to London for my first fill,( as the Manchester office didn't open until October), and Dr Chris charged me £80. When I went to Manchester in Nov & Jan, I was charged £90. Also, you don't have to go every month....I was banded in Aug 2008 and I've just had my 3rd fill in Jan, taking me up to 6.5mls. I'm feeling quite restricted at the moment, but as Frederick was explaining, as you lose the weight, you also lose it on the inside, so every now & again you will need a top-up to keep the band tight!BUT as some of the other girls have been saying, you do need a lot of will-power too as the band won't do all the work for you. Hope I've been of some help Kath x.:smile:

Hi Gillian, Wishful, & Big Sister, glad to hear that you are back and everything went okay.......how is bigsister as she hasn't been on the forum? Were you all in different rooms then? What a shame, it would have been nice to be in together! Pity you didn't get to visit Brussels, I went the day after my op as I didn't want to leave Belgium without going. It tired me out but I really enjoyed it. Look forward to hearing all about your trip as soon as you feel up to it. Take care, Kath,x.

Hi Wishful, Gillian & Big Sister, just want to wish you all the best for Friday ( and hope all your travel arrangements fall into place on Thursday)! As everyone else has already said, you are in very good hands, and this time next week, you will be wondering what all the worrying was for!!! Good luck, & looking forward to hearing from you all when you get back.Kath.x.

In reply to the above posting,I guess I must come under the heading of one of the "Older bandsters", as I got my band last August.......I lost just over 2st up to having my second fill in November, then nothing at all since! The only thing that I have restriction with is bread ( unless it is thin & crispy toast) & any form of potato's. I am due to have my 3rd fill next week on the 15th, so I really hope that it's right that you get good restriction after the 3rd fill, as I really need to get my weight moving again! It doesn't help when the house seems to be over-flowing with selection box's, as my band has absolutely no effect on chocolate!!!!!!!!! It goes down far too easy!!!!! Unfortunately the band can't stop that "head-hunger"! Kath x.:tongue2::crying:

:rolleyes:Hi Tropical Lagoon, just wanted to say thank's for emailing me your "story so far", really enjoyed reading it. It brought back quite a few memories...........Like you, I couldn't wait to get up & walk to the toilet myself. (Have you tried sitting on those awful bed-pans!!!! It's like a new form of torture!!) Also, after going for 36 hours without a drink I could have committed murder, just for a simple sip of water!! Anyway, hope things are going well, and that your first day back at work goes ok for you. Kath x.:tongue2:

Hi Gillian, yes you do have to remove your jewellery, but I suppose if your rings are really tight, they might let you get away with putting a plaster over them! Kath.:tongue2:

Hi Everyone, just wanted to wish you all a very happy (and slimmer) new year, and to say "good luck" to everyone who has their op coming up in the next few weeks! Also, if you're reading this Tropical Lagoon, I would love to read your story too....my email address is maximooster@hotmail.co.uk Take care everyone, and a very happy 2009 to you all. Kath.:confused:

Hi Gillian, I was reading the post above from you about going back to the same hospital for a tummy tuck in a year or so..................have you enquired, or do you know that they do them there, cos I would definitely be interested. In fact, wouldnt it be good if Dr Chris and his team did them? At least we would know where we were going, and who we were dealing with!!!!!:cool: Kath:bye:

Hi Vanessa, I've lost 31lbs so far, (wish it was more) but it really slowed down after my first fill, to just 1lb a week, but at least it's coming off, that's the thing! You naughty woman!!! What are you doing eating bacon rolls when you're supposed to be on liquids until Monday??LOL! You've made me want one now!!!! Kath.:cool:

Hi Vanessa, thanks for your reply. Hope you're okay now after yesterday's fill? I had my first fill in London with Dr Chris as the Manchester one wasn't opening until Oct, when I had 3cc's. ( He ask's if you want 1, 2 or 3cc's ,so I opted for the 3!) Yesterday was my second fill when I had 2.5cc's. Like you said, it's hard to tell yet if there's any restriction, but I guess we'll find out on Monday, when we get back on solids!!! To be honest though, I've been hungry all day, and the soup doesn't even touch the sides!! The bloke we saw is Chris Deprez, who came out to the hotel with Frederick the day after I had my op. He remembered my husband from Belgium ( but that doesn't surprise me cos he, (hubby)asks so may questions that they're probably fed up with him,lol!As you said though, he is really nice and takes the time to explain things to you.Have you booked another appointment yet? I thought I'd give it a week or so to see how it settles down before I make another one. Take care......Kath.:tongue2:

Hi Vanessa, just noticed you were on the web-site. Sorry I didn't get to speak to you today in Manchester......I wasn't sure which one was you and I didn't want to interupt as your friend was talking to you, then by the time I realised, you were called in! Hope your fill went okay, was that your first? I had my second, taking me to 5.5cc's so I really hope I have some restriction this time. Once again, sorry we didn't get to speak, but maybe next time....................Kath.:thumbup: