gillian

yes, he was late back that night too due to a delay..he was as bright as a button the next morning tho talking to me while i was on that operating table,just before op!..dont worry! x

yes you can get a train from nearby airport,bet it stops at that station at back of hotel too..good idea! can walk thro that park nearby to hospital too, takes about 15-20 min x

Welcome to the forum perky! have a great trip tommorrow hi dawn welcome to the forum!...youll find so much info on here if you read back thro the pages...but any specific questions, no matter how daft they sound...fire away!!..someone will always answer and advise you...best of luck, gillian x

Garry it took us an hour from charleroi airport to villvoorde..think taxi is expensive, we hired a car there which wasnt bad,...have a look at "charleroi transfer.com" its like a shared taxi service, its cheaper..would you be staying overnight or flying back the same day? its a shame, but can understand you want it sorting..esp in time for that stag do. my port area was a right pain its only just settled down after about 10 weeks post op...hope you get it sorted once and for all x

yes perky, follow garrys route, i found that supermarket..its a LIDL!..youll get everything you need from there...go before your op tho as you wont feel like it after...get a 3 pack of the small apple juice cartons for after to sip on, wishing you the best of luck (you wont need it tho, your in great hands at a great hospital where youll be looked after brilliantly) have you packed some loose stretchy trousers, and slip on shoes, it makes it easier and comfier for you after the op..maybe take some instant coffee for the room, those all in one nescafe cappucinos or lattes are nice if yoy like coffee ,cos you dont get much milk,sugar in the room..also cuppa soup are good to take too.. report back next week and let us know how you went on!...oh and by the way, welcome to the forum!

hi dawn...jump onto the other thread "anyone know of dr de bruyne chris"..the link is at the bottom of this page...everything you could ever want to know about chris will be on there, we will answer all your questions too...hope to see you there! x

Bless you!..i think if some one in my family told me last year they were going for the op id have been worried as i didnt know anything about the op, but when i started researching it last year decided it was ok, and could even be preventative surgery for your future health...my doctor was all for it and agreed totally..my mum (also bigsisters mum!) was all for it too..i remember her cutting things out of magazines and sky+ things on morning tv progs etc to show me..she didnt tell me to do it, but knew how unhappy i was with my weight and how my future health would suffer, and supported me..i said a year ago that i would "never have that done", and after reading these things and then researching it..i understood it was ok, and decided to look for a surgeon...it was this thread last october that made me go for it with dr chris (and ferns success around that time too!)..i was worried about telling my family and friends..but when i did, i text my sister and got a text back about 2 seconds later saying..if you are i am!...and she did on the same day, only my family know, and are supportive mainly, and i just told couple of good friends, but a few more people know now, as its let slip a bit, but im not that bothered..but feel that all eyes are on me now in the school playground etc!..people just dont understand it,cos they probably havent needed to research it like us on here...its not something were gonna jump into lightly, its a lot of money, some initial pain, scars and we have got to watch our eating habits for ever, and have to give foods we previously enjoyed up (warm ciabatta...mmmm!) were not doing it as a fad or cos were lazy, as its NOT an easy way out!. all you can do is help your family understand your concerns for your future health and happiness..also cos its abroad, which i was worried about, but dr chris is apparantly the second busiest band surgeon in the world and one of the most experienced and highly respected band surgeons..some of the belgium surgeons actually taught the british surgeons how to band!and chris bands all day over there,your in great hands. and the hospitals and nursing staff are excellent,no corners are cut. you get fantastic care and service and mrsa is unheard of there, i would certainly go back there for any other procedure no probs..sure your family be fine after the op is over, they are just showing care and concern for you..and it could help you to live a longer healthier life, which im sure they would want for you. theyll be all for it in another month or two, youll see!!..good luck! x

yes...sheffield is bang in the middle of that map! my house for a curry everyone!! x

think that covers it Garry!..its a different feeling for everyone..and its what you want it to be..i think i could do with mine being tighter initially so its actually uncomfortable to eat most solids as i think thats the only way ill lose weight at the mo...but when i have lost a good amount, think ill want it looser to eat more normal foods..but then i know i can always have it tightened up if it creeps up again..someone on tv had lost about 12 stone and over the 4 years i think she has had more than 30 fills and unfills to suit her like this,which sounds bit extreme...but suppose other people find that they dont need any adjustments after 2 or 3 fills..as they steadily lose till they get to there target. i read somewhere that the "sweet spot" is where the average person is losing a steady 2lb a week.after a few fills, and then reaching target and keeping it off may need another "sweet spot" fill or even unfil to stabilise your target. so everyones "sweet spot" is different id say?

hello and welcome lisa..i think the other members have told you just about everything about how band works..it is still hard work and you do still have to diet...but the band reminds you if you eat too much or too quick basicly..andd keeps you on the straight and narrow....and stops you from putting it all back on again after..so you know that your not going to put a stone or two on every decade like me...i suppose i could have took 10-15 years off my life if i hadnt had this done cos i would have continued putting it on, and would have ended up with diabetes in 5-10 years (i was pre diabetic anyway) so i see this as preventative surgery really for my future health, good luck with your decision..no one who has had it done says they wished they hadnt!..and freckles has even had it done twice, she loved it that much! x

yes wishfull, i asked my fill nurse and she said it definatly swells your band up with the cabin pressure (have you ever took bag of crisps or sweets on plane and seen what the bag looks like mid flight? like it will explode!)..and if your going on a flight of over 4 hours you must go for unfill before you fly.. and on that note.. think i best get booking some flights to usa in that case!...will need to be flying around for few weeks to get some restriction! x

ill tell yo the truth freckles...i did try allsorts that i shouldnt have..even chips and turkey dinosaurs after a week!! not reccommended!!. and congratulations on the stopping smoking!!..you have done so well, especially with everything thats been going on in your life at the moment!..keep it up. it has got to get easier!! x

thanks garry, thats kind of you x

sorry to hear about you losing your friend jacks mum. not surprised you havent been on forum, losing weight and bands will be the last thing on your mind at a time like that x

dont think anything works totally but remegel prob worked best for me..gonna try some of the hard stuff next, my mum has got gaviscon on an optic she has that much..ill try it and let you know! oh yes, i got some of those papaya enzyme tablets from holland and barret yesterday..they did nothing either unfortunatly x

yes Garry..same here...if you cant get it up...get it down!!..if i get that uncomfortable(and its usaally after tea about 6.-7pm) i take few spoons of lactolose which is mild laxative.. after about an hour or two youll hear the gurgles are working there way down...then watch out at about 10pm, youll explode!lock yourself in the bathroom with the window open!...youll never believe where all that trapped wind was hiding! then youll go to bed feeling totally relieved! OMG!!!..how graphic am I!? all that..and im really such a lady you know!!...but go for it...let rip everyone, it feels great! ha!

yes sammy, mines exactly the same too! think it will ease off. i get it at night when i have eaten bigger meal and then just sat down and done nothing really..maybe eating bigger meal earlier and then maybe having a walk will help it on its downward journey....and take the wind with it?!..youll have to get a couple of dogs to walk then sit by you on the settee at night like i do!! they come in usefull for summat, and ones not enough for that trapped wind..lol! x

Hi freckles, nice to see you back!..youve had a bit of a time of it over the last few weeks havent you..we have been thinking about you though, and hope your mum is comfortable and has all her medications sorted out bless her. that year that your daughter is in oz will fly and shell see a new slimmer mum on her return!.glad your less sore, your op was obviously going to be bit more complicated than ours..but glad your on the mend. your not the only one who hasnt lost anything lately!..theres a lot of us at a standstill..hope we can all start moving again soon!..when will you get your first fill? x

you have done really well with the 10lb youve lost!..i would be happy with that after my third fill!..not really got any restriction now unless its bread, mash potato, or rice, and i eat it too quick!..seem to get it for the week after fill then it eases off..having my third fill next tuesday..wendy says she hopes that will get me close to where i need to be, then fourth fill 2 weeks after if need be(were not far from the leeds location and sheffield one is on our doorstep,so can take advantage of all inclusive fills well!)...i can only imagine need will be!! just had big bowl of porridge with few chopped dates in it for sweetness, i ate a lot, and it was quite stodgy but it went down fine. hope you get some restriction from your fill this time, and youll be well on your way for summer x

Welcome fatladyslim, glad you jumped over to this thread!as the other thread is little used now...you will find everything you need to know and more on this thread...it will help you make your decision, try reading back quite a few pages you will see how pleased we all are with dr chris and the hosp and staff..we give lots of support to each other too.wish you the best of luck, gillian x

Garry your gonna be inundated with us all wanting you to do this for us!!. i will ask you to do it for me when you have a free appointment! x

yes i did the same as Garry too..hope that helps x

hi fatladyslim!..this thread is lttle used now...for any advice or info on christiaan de bruyne please visit the other thread" anyone know of dr de bruyne chris"..youll find the link at the bottom of this page..we have all had, having, or contemplating having surgery with dr de bruyne...there are pages and pages of info..and lots of posts every day..you can ask anyone on there anything at all. hope to see you there, gillian x

hes right, we cant feel anything,as there are few or no nerves in the stomach (i was told!) so we feel fine and start to eat again, its prob just a bit of a warning that its not healed totally yet. it was about 5 weeks before i felt it was totally healed and i could eat for england again!...its then when you need a fill very quickly, so we dont go backwards! hope its feeling ok soon tho, maybe milky drinks would lubricate your throat for a bit longer, so it wasnt uncomfortable, i dunno,worth a try?! x

i think that feeling will pass over the next two weeks shoes. just make sure you have enough to drink and try sucking on sugar free gummy sweets inbetween meals, it keeps your throat from getting too dry..you can get them from supermarkets, boots etc x