mmm

Hi Gary, the nurse took out the blue drain stitch and trimmed the dangly bits of the disolving cat gut ones, did'nt feel any of it, on the actual cuts I have some pinkness at each end, and lovely yellow and brown bruising marks inbetween, but the really wier thing is - if I put my fingers each side of the port cut I can easily feel the port, Its right on top, I expected it to be right under the skins by at least a few cm's, and if I look in the mirror I can see it outlined through my skin, its really wierd. I have no feeling whatsoever when I eat, and I can eat anything there is no sensation or discomfort even with the items the other girls have found uncomfortable such as bread and potatoes, in fact last night I ate fresh garlic bread with toasted cheese, in the same quantity that I would have before the op, so I am just concentrating on not putting on weight until I have a band fil on the 27th March, It seems such a long time away. On a brighter note all the post operation swelling has gone down and I can wear all my clothes again without looking like Uncle Fester (which is what I felt I looked like after the op). Take care keep up the good work now that your returning to work. xxxmmmxxx

Poor you as well, just when you have everything sorted for her to go into a care home for a short time during you op, you must be stressed out of your mind. No doubt she'll be well looked after, but that wont stop you worrying, I'm sure, and you'll only be away from home for a short time and you can be up and about within a day or two and be back to visit her. It might be a comfort to you to know that others care about your prediciment, and wish you all the best for the coming op and to wish your mum a speeding get well. xxxmmmxxx

I have two other grandchildren from my son, but this will be the first from my daughter, and our first banded baby. Woop Woop. I was banded 1 week ago and she told me the morning I was going for the op its been a very exiting week.

Hi Gillian so glad your back to give me my daily dose of the giggles, I did miss it so. My news is that I had my stitches taken out today, apparently not everyone has a blue stitch it sometimes get removed when the drain comes out, someone on here, maybe it was wishfull, said they could'nt find theirs, so we now know why. My first fill had been booked with Chris Deprez pronounced DUPRAY (and yes I will be there- hands together eyes closed) on the 27th March, in Newport South Wales, so I've got ages before my first fill. Can I ask a very unusual question - if there is titanium in the bands will we be able to get cremated. I know its a stange question, and I hope to live for a very long time I just wondered if its occured to anyone else, or if anyone has asked the question and got an answer.

Hi guys, I'm a granny to be my daughter just done a home test and its positive, she was banded 2007, and has lost 55lbs, I'll be following you all on your journey.

Good luck freckles I'll be thinking of you each day until your re-banded, Hopefully this time all will run smoothly and you wont get a puncture, and you be back on track quickly. Keep us informed. mmm

Hi everyone, I know the feeling of being a thread addict, it acts like a type of safety net for me, where if things go pear shaped I can get remotivated and feel that everyone cares about what the other team members are going through, so thanks everyone. Its great posting on weekend to give weight progress, but I know I wont be showing a loss every week and may like you big sister have the occasional gain, but its the overall that will matter in the longer term, so thanks for being brave and saying about your gain. WHERE IS GILLIAN i miss her wit and banter, please big sis sort her out and send her straight back here ASAP. Now for the moan, why is it that I'm only 1 week post op but can eat anything, there is nothing that makes me feel uncomfortable, my appetite is normal, and my intake has gone back to normal, I did'nt expect to feel restriction until after my fills, but if I had'nt seen the band on the xray, i could make myself believe that they must have forgotten to put one in. Did anyone else feel like this

I've got one aswell, but did'nt have time till weekend to set it up. woop woop. xxx mmm xxx :tt2:

Yes all good so far I've tried porridge oats, potatoes mashed, cauiflower cheese, corned beef pie, yogurts, stewed rubarb, toasted fruit loaf very small nibbles and very slowly, fish pie, I dont have any hunger pangs, and I started eating quite small amounts, tea plate/saucer sized, but all is going down ok. I am 1 week post op and have lost 7lb, my stiches come out on monday. woop woop. my starting bmi is 35, and my first fill is on the 27th March, I had my surgery in Belgium there's a lot less fuss about the proceedure there compared to other countries, and the cost is good, a lot less than in the UK.

ooooh I have'nt had that but I eat small amount not more than 4 hours apart, I can actually eat anything not just mushy stuff, I had some toasted hot cross bun loaf for tea and nibbled on two small slices for about 20 mins.

Hi shoes, I'm feeling fine, just a little tight around the stitches, my diet is varied there is nothing that I've tried that would'nt go down as long as i ate slowely taking tiny bits at a time, there is no restriction yet, however i dont look for food in between meals, and the total size of meals will fit on a saucer. I will weight tomorrow.

I was driving within 4 days,and am more or less back to normal now 1 week after op.

You'll be fine mainly because you have a low bmi already, I am 6 days post op and my surgeon knows I'm eating, just as long as you dont get anything stuck, that what could do the damage, if you stick to looser foods it might stop you craving things which are too solid. dont beat yourself up. Well done you have been so good so far.

Both myself and my daughter needed at least a week off work, she will have 5 areas with stiches, and be unable to eat, so will feel quite sore until the stiches are out (10 days) and possibly shakey through lack of food, plus if she drives she might not be able to for about 5 days. She will find it particulary tiring doing usual dayly activity, an example being I was banded 1 week ago but struggled doing the weekly supermarket shop alone, I did manage it and drove home, but needed a pain killer and an afternoon nap afterwards.

Hi shoes its getting really exiting for you now, the list of things I took included: Nurofen meltus; Remegel wind tabs; very loose waistband trousers, slip on shoes, loose top, comfy shoes, teabags, large mugs, sachet horlicks and or cup a Soup, buy Water after customs check and take that 2 hospital, lip salve/gloss, get a supply of post op dressings you will have 5 small incisions, 1-2 changes should be enough til your out and about. If you use the dissolving tabs you get issued put them in warm water they go completly clear and there is no longer any fizz, it help them go down better. Dont forget there are restictions on fluids you take through customs and they should be seperated into a small see-through bag, so only pack sample/ travel sizes. I think that covers everything but if I remember more I post again. Cant weight, I have read somewhere that if you go by euro star you will need to change trains in brusells, catch a new one, and then go on again by bus or taxi. If the mrs is really worried have you throught of going out by eoro star and back by plane to heathrow, but then or course you have to sort out transport back from Heathrow. Just a thought.

Hi gary so pleased the swelling has gone down a bit. I noticed mine was a lot less swollen this morning, but comes up a bit through out the day, or it could be my lunch. :tt2: I changed my dressings today and all looks clean and neat, I have choosen to get the stitches taken out at my local gp, with the surgery nurse, next monday, but I've not yet decided on who is going to provide my band fills, what are you doing

Hi cant weight I travelled heathrow to belgium international which is the closest airport to the hotel and hospital with BMI it cost £140 return for 2 people and takes about 1 hour. Chris, Frediricks side kick, regularly travels via eurostar, when he comes to wales for band fills, so I dont think its too much trouble. Your first priority should be the ease of the RETURN trip the less walking and sitting, and changes and the quicker you get home, will make a big difference. hope this helps. xxxmmmxxx

Welcome cant wait, you've made a great choice, and Gary is a fab guy so I'm sure he'll give you a male version as I believe you will have an extra incision. LUNCH - here goes - I told my friends I was going for magic eye investigation (liar liar pants on fire) and I could'nt eat lumps only fluid and smooth food. so I had: 6 spoons of tom soup, cauliflower cheese and gravy mashed together about 3 desert spoons, then custard with rubarb (no crumbe) about 2 desert spoon, then ice cream with rasberry coulis 2 desert spoons, we took over 2.5 hrs so i had plenty of time between courses, nobody notices my small potions, because i usually save myself for desert anyway. I was'nt overstuffed, but would not have wanted anymore, all in all it worked out fine. Considering I was only banded on 13th feb, its all good. xxx mmm xxx

welcome kaka, You've come to the right place, this group will help you and your daughter through your journey. My daughter was banded in summer 2007 and has lost 4 st, seeing the results has motivated me to get the band done, I was in the fri 13th group, although i had to put on about 9lb to get my BMI up to 35 it has been so worth it, my main reason was to stop yo yo dieting so who knows it might be you going to belgium in a few years. Have you booked the package with frederick, I found everything organised to perfection with no worries, even the taxi drivers he ordered spoke fluent english and were more like limo drivers, even the chamber maids were 100% fluent and offered extra pillows etc.

ooooohhhh custard i forgot that, perhaps I'll have starter and two deserts small amounts obviously. I did try a some corned beef pie, no pastry crust, with gravy a few mins ago, just to make sure I could eat mushy stuff, and yes it went down no trouble but I did eat slowly, so I should be ok tomorrow. Take it easy for a while now, and let mum spoil you a bit, we love looking after our brood. So pleased things are getting better. love mmmm

Thank you bigsister for the info on the dressings, my last jab is tomorrow, so I'll change them after my shower in the morning, I really appreciate all of the feedback I recieved and thank you all for responding. I'm going out to lunch tomorrow with my girlfriends they dont know I've had anything done so I could'nt get out of it, I'm trying to plan my menu, we are going to Taybarn, which is a eat as much as you like from masses of choices type place. It'll be my first day (1 day earlier than suggested) on sloppy food my thoughts are: starter: soup no lumps, no bread main: something mashed into gravy (suggestions please) desert: ice cream I can put very small amounts onto my plate, that not a problem because you serve yourself, and my friend will be to busy talking to notice what I do, and we usually take over 2 hours. Your recommendations will be appreciated, has anyone had plastic ice cream yet, the type you get from a machine.

Speak to frederick, or Dr Chris today, AND see your GP, urgent. What does your mum think it is or are you keeping it from her. Let me know how you get on. Waiting to hear back soon. :blushing:

Gold star to you flirtylass, you have done amazing in loosing 5 stone, it must make a world of difference to you, and enjoying yourself in a weekend away is a lovely way to reward yourself, have fun and enjoy your new body (oopps that does'nt sound right but you know what I mean). :blushing:

Welcome bubble, you've found a great gang here always someone to talk to and always someone to listen, so join in a dont be shy. Lewisabbey, sorry to hear about your wind pain, I dont have any, but I did use lactolose a liquid laxative the night I got home. I could see how well Garry was healing and feeling, and I know he had an encounter with the loo on several occations in brussels due to him drinking a lot of the barium, so I thought it might help if I had a bit of a clear out (sorry to be so graffic). and a lot of the wind came that way and did'nt get trapped, also I walked each day I'm now up to about a mile a day but slower than normal. Are the painkillers helping with the wind, dont struggle with pain, see your doctor or talk to a pharmacist soon When did anyone first change their dressings, I shower each day but the original ones are still stuck fast, there is no itching or heat under the dressings.