angie324

Hi Ursula! oh thank you for all of your brill advice!!!!!!! really don't know what i would have done with out you"!!! hope we can eventually meet when we go for our fills some day!! angie xx

hi Ursula ! you are busy!!!!!!!!! can you tell me what the Vitamins are?? my hair is really thin since i had chemotherapy a few years ago and my hair never grew back as thick on top!! lol! but it is so important to me that it doesn't get any thinner! where did you get advice on the pill crusher and vitamins etc? angie x

Thanks Ursula! i will wait to hear from Frederik now before booking anything. hopefully he will contact me soon! let you know how i get on! your banding day is getting really close now!!!!!! i am sure you just can't wait!!!!!! angiexx

hi Ursula! i have emailed Frederik and waiting for a reply. i want to book for 4 nights instead of three cos my doctor has advised this (i have had a blood clot before!) Is it the Campanile Vilvoorde you are booked into? and does the package include breakfast in the price? not that we will be eating any!! but nice to know its provided for my parents! and will there be someone waiting for you in arrivals at the airport for your lift to the hotel? Angie xxxxxxxx

HI Ursula! Dr Chris got back to me with the list of dates and guess what!!!!!! i have emailed him back and accepted a date! so looks like i am to be banded on the 23rd September!!!!!!!!!!! mad!! i know! All thanks to you!! cos i would have probably had to wait a bit longer otherwise! Can you tell me if you were quoted your price before or after your consultation and is the price dependent on your weight? cos i know some charge more if BMI over 45. And also, did you go ahead and book your flights before seeing Dr Chris in Dublin or did you wait to see him first? flight prices are pretty dear at the minute and am afraid that if i wait 2 weeks to book them the price might sky-rocket!! I am paying for my parents to come with me so will make a fair difference!! Sorry for all the questions Ursula!!! and sorry for not getting back to you yesterday! brought mum out for the day! Angie x

hi ursula! Haven't heard back from Dr Chris regarding date of operation, but i'm sure i will hear from him today! just a quick quiry????? Who did you speak with regarding the prices and packages available? it's just he said that his management team would be in touch regarding putting a package together --- you know, the hotel and taxis etc. but they haven't been in contact with me? i have made my appointment for Sept through his secretary, but never thought of asking her about the prices etc!!!!!!!! what a numskull i am!!!!!!!!! OH and if you don't mind ? who did you book your flights with? thanks again!! angiexx

Thanks for you advice!! i have emailed Dr Chris as you suggested so hopefully he will have something for the end of Sept! that would be mad!!!!!!!! My best friend is hopefully going to go to the consultation with me!. My husband is a teacher and therefore unless i can get an operation slot over the autumn break at the end of October, he won't be able to go with me! apart from my hubby i have only told my bestfriend about the operation! and mean to keep it that way!!lol! So i am hoping that my friend will come with me instead if i pay for her flight. ! have to go again!! have to lift my son from work!! busy busy busy!!!!! don't know how i ever got so fat!!!!!!!!!!!! thanks again for your help!! angiexxxx

hi !! back from doctor!! LOL! firstly yes! i have loads to lose! i am 18 stone and 5ft 1" !! lost 6 stone a few years back but it has gradually gone back on although i did keep 2 stone of it off! Anyway the next time i lose weight i want to make sure it stays off!! So this seemed like a good option! and the benefits for my health outway the risks. My doctor is all on for the idea! she says that it is no different flying to Belgium than having to fly to England and that they have more experience of this surgery over there. She was impressed that he comes over once a month so that he can follow up on progress and offer the fills here instead of having to fly over there. In fact she was so impressed she kept his details etc for any other patients who are interested in this kind of surgery!!!!! She also reasured me that if anything goes wrong or i get an infection that i will be able to get treatment on the NHS although any adjustments to band etc would have to be done by Dr Chris. And as far as risks go for the op, well she said the risks were definately minimal and no different than if you were going to get sterilized. !! She wants me to keep her updated on each stage! hope your doctor is as supportive! i will get that msn address to you as soon as daughter returns home! best wishes! angie xx So i have actually made my first giant step towards a new life booked my appointment!!!!!!!!!!! i will see him in Dublin on the 4th Sept as you predicted!!!!

hi Flirty! i do have an msn address but i will have to get my daughter to help me find out what it was again cos i can't remember!! but i will let you know as soon as it sorted! can,t talk now cos got that doctors appointment in 10 minutes!! lol! will log on later again and be able to speak a bit more then!! take care! angiexx

hi flirtylass!! it's angie again! lol! just wanted to let you know that after much research and questioning! I have also decided to go with Dr Chris! i sent him the pre surgery questioonaire from his website and he replied the same day! he was happy with my history and happy to go ahead. so i am going to see my doctor today to get her final approval on him and then i will ring for an appointment and hopefully get fitted in on the 4th of September! my husband has agreed to pay for the operation so there,s nothing stopping me now! feel a bit scared of doing it but i'm sure it will all be ok! please keep in touch and let me know about your experience in Belgium and your after care in Dublin? By the way, Dr Chris told me that in a few months he will start to come to Belfast too!! this means that i won't have to travel as far for my fills! Good luck! I Will be thinking of you when i am seeing Dr Chris on the 4th! Angiexx

hi angel! i was wondering if you could tell me if you went to see Dr Ashton? and was it with the Healthier Weight company? i am trying to find a good surgeon for my lap band! can you tell me what price they were charging for this and if you went ahead with the surgery was it successful and what was the after care like? sorry for all these questions but i really need to do my homework before i book an appointment as my funds are limited! angie xx

hi Flirty! your information is very appreciated! i will weigh up the pros and cons of each and speak to my doctor to see what she thinks. Thanks so much for your help and support and i'll be thinking about you on the 5th!! please keep us posted as to your progress! and enjoy your new life! angiexx

hi wriggle, sorry to bother you again, but do you have the name of the place in Liverpool that charges £5000? would just like to check it out! thanks so much for your time and advice! angie xx

Hi Wriggle! gosh you too!!!! hope you are doing well and glad to see you are planning for your new future! i had double mastectomy too. I was 27 when i was diagnosed with three young children!! the youngest was only 12 months!! Anyhow, i thankfully am 10 years down the road now and apart from a couple of hick ups, one being a hysterectomy! and ongoing lymphodema, high blood pressure and osteopirosis lurking in my future (i know it prob spelt wrong lol!!) i am doing fine!. ha ha!! but this operation could solve so many of these problems in just a couple of years! I'm not as brave as you, couldn't bring myself to have the reconstructive surgery. It might be more of an option for me if i can get the band put in. would feel more confident going under the knife again if i was carrying less weight and had better blood pressure! Thanks so much Wriggle and yes, i would love to stay in touch! i think i need to go back and speak to my doctor now and most importantly to my husband! lol! take care and god bless!

Hi Flirty!! Thanks so much for your advice!! i saw that doctors name pop up a few times on this site! don't mean to interegate! but were you able to have your consultation here or did you have to fly to belgium first and then again for operation? also did you mean that the price included hotel stay and airport transfers for 2 people? and finally !!__lol! how long did you have to wait between consultation and operation date? If you have a website or contact numbers i would be very appreciative! good luck with you operation! you must be so excited about starting your new life! anigexx

Thanks so much wriggle for replying so quickly!! :wink2: wow!! you have actually had it done! i'm soooooo jealous!! Your advice and information is priceless and much appreciated!. i was concerned that if i had to go to england it would mean costly flights to get the band fills. You really must have done your homework! How many times did you actually have to fly over to leeds in the end? and did you go on your own or would you advise that i bring a friend along? I think i should probably go back to my GP and inform her that it seems pointless waiting for the consultation in Belfast! All i need to do now then is try and find a way of funding it! My husband is great and after problems with breast cancer, blood-pressure and all the other ailments that go along with them, he understands why i want this surgery done! My doctor thinks it is a good option for me due to my health issues, but i must admit that i am disappointed that it's not available in Ireland:frown: would love to hear how you get on and it would be nice to have a link with someone who has recently undergone surgery. You are now on the journey to your new life!! it must feel wonderful!! welldone for being so brave!:frown:

hi Lynn and Wriggle!! i am new to this site! i too live in N. Ireland, and am desperate to have the gastric band surgery. I was wondering if either of you have progressed any further? any luck with a consultation? £8000 for the op in Liverpool is a lot of money for me, just wondering if either of you know if a payment plan is available? My doctor is fully supportive and has referred me for a consultation in Belfast which she says can take upto 6 months!! but if as you say the op is no longer available here ??? i am now wondering if there is any point to this consultation?? please help? angiexx

hi there! i haven't had surgery but am seriously considering a private consultation with Dr Kennedy. i heard that the operation is no longer available in this country on NHS and has to be done in england - some newspaper article i read online that was published in Feb 2008. not sure if this has been changed though! seriously considering going private here but not sure what the cost is and if payment plans are available? would love to know if you have seen Dr Kennedy and can answer any of my many many LOL! queries!! my doctor supports me which is great and has referred me for a consultation in belfast, but this could take upto 6 months alone! angie xx