mmm

TIMEISNOW I find your last post most offensive, I glad that homecare has thanked me for my concern, I am only speaking from experience, and to help anyone else getting into a health problem.

Hi sue sorry to hear youve had a struggle getting to restriction, but if you do need a x ray Cardiff Spire arranged mine for £160 which included a fill its close to Junction 30 M4, if you need their phone number pm me with your number

Hi shoes, WOW you have done well, you must be so pleased with your weight lose. With regards to the band re tightening, could this be down to added stress, I know the band reacts by tightening up if I've got higher stress levels, through good and bad things happening, even my daughter having a baby caused me not to be able to eat for close to a week. Let hope its as simple as that. Good luck with your band check but it sounds as if all is ok for you

Hi tamisu, I had 6.25 in my band and it caused night time reflux so I made an appointment with my local spire hospital consultant at Cardiff, he gave me an instant unfil and arranged for the barium xray he said this was sign of band slippage and wanted to confirm the band was still as it should be. The result was that the band was still good and had not slipped I then had a fill whilst swallowing the barium for him to decide how much of a fill to give me, he thought 4.8 was suitable because I had some gullet irritation, I had a thorough examination of the band which is what would happen at an annual check. In total it cost me £160 so I'm quite pleased and I think it has worked out cheaper than going back to Belgium. I want to add that the overfill was not in any way caused by Dr Chris, or any of his colleagues.

Hi flirty, reflux is like when you have a chest infection and flem or mucus comes up from your chest or gullet and comes back into your mouth, sometimes you cough it up or sometimes it just comes up without warning, it mostly happens when you lie down, it can be mucus or acid, or slime. The cause often is an overtight band or band slip. Hope you are feeling well, you've gone awfully quiet lately

Hi Baarbs, I'm sure Gillian had the same problem, she was banded this time last year, I am sure it went within a month or two its connected with the trapped wind post op, remigel helped her and if its really uncomfortable she used dissolving paracetamol. All the best with getting used to your new band. Who is doing your fill in Newport? Chris Deprez did mine but that was going back to October last year.

Had my barium xray today and all is well, no slippage or corrosion, but an inflamed gullet caused by being overfilled, the doctor I saw tested the rate of flow through the band at different fill levels, and gave me a fill of 4.8mls, at my highest fill level I had 6.5ml and this caused the reflux. I was hoping for a fill of 6ml, but during the test 6ml showed to be too tight. I really hope that 4.8ml will still allow me to loose weight. During the time of being totally unfilled I've put on 7lb and really need to loose it now. Please when your having the fills, if anything goes wrong like frothy stuff coming back, or you get night time reflux, get a slight unfill its better to be safe and a band slip or corrosion will prove very costly as well as most uncomfortable, I've had a fright which because its been dealt with quickly have saved my band. Good luck to all the newly banded, allow a year to loose your weight and you wont be disappointed.

Hi Julie, the lowest BMI that Dr Chris will usually operate on is 35, however a few of us have been slightly below that, I was'nt weighed at any stage in Belgium so I slightly adjusted my weight up, and height down to get a closer bmi figure, Dr Chris and Fred only ever saw me lying down so did'nt really have an acurate view of my height. I had to sign a disclaimer before the op which stated that the op was for aethetic reasons only, so they obviously knew I was close or under their criteria, but I'm old enough and experienced enough to know what is safe and Dr Chris accepted this. Good luck, if you tell white lies like I did be prepared to sign the disclaimer. Dr Chris also told me that weight loss would considerably slower and it would still take close to 1 year to lose most of the weight, I've lost 3 stone in 10 months but others who have more to lose can drop 7 or more stone in the same time scale. Hope this info helps.

Its not at all snowy here, just cold. Went to BUPA today to sort out this acid reflux, and spoke to bariaric surgeon, he is concerned that my band is starting to slip, so I've had a total unfill which will be followed by a barium xray of the band in about 1 month. I've got fingers crossed that the unfill will solve the problem and correct whatever is going wrong.

If anyone is interested in Anne Diamonds journey and fight with her weight there is a web site for buddies, where she tells her story and admits that she didnt know about fills etc and did no research what so ever, however now she has found the correct information and a successful bandfit. Good luck to her, because we all know that we have reached rock bottom with our fight with the fat, and have taken extreme measures to help us on our way, it must be much harder for those in the public eye or who are well known. I saw her on QVC this week with her range of jewellery, and she looked FAB. I am so lucky to have been able to sort out my weight problem in privacy, but with the support of my friend in this group. Hi Gary I'm so pleased for you when I see your ticker its like your doing it for both of us ---- it'll soon be our bandaversary.

Hi all happy new year to you all, Just a quick point to clear up, Anne Diamond had her first band fitted in Bruges not Brussells and with a different surgeon, not Dr Chris. However the band can slip if abused. Her second band was fitted by the hospital group and was successful, those cynical ones like me might think it was done to reduce the amount of bad press Ann Diamond generated about her band experiences around that time. I'm still having problems with night reflux so the band is going to be unfilled again, so no more weight loss for me for a good while at least. I'm not overly worried its still good being sized 14

WOW carriejess you look wonderful, and nobody would know from looking at that photo that you have ever battled with your weight you look so natural and glam well done and enjoy the party season.

freckles you look AMAZING well done on your overall weightloss, you deserve a giant strawberry.

missed you loads, glad all went well on your holls, I'm sure your weight will regulate itself quite quickly, you must be so pleased. xxxmmmxxx

Hi Guys, not been on for a while but I keeping a check on how everyone's doing, and I'm most impressed. My undate is'nt very good and progress is none, its all because of the night acid reflux I've been having. Even on double the recommended dose of medication it did'nt go away or reduce at all, and the only thing to have helped is to have a large defill, which has left me with no restriction or help at all, but I have been able to sleep without having the constant cough and bringing up of acid throughout the night. Its not all doom and gloom because even if I never achieve the full weight loss potential that the band can give, I have lost enough for me to be reasonably happy, I'm fitting into sized 12 - 16 clothes comfortably, and feel good even if a bit lumpy its ok for my age, and I'm not overly put out. Good luck to all of you that are still losing and I will continue to look in most days. xxmmm

I starsky I'm in Cardiff tomorrow morning at 10.45, if you see me make yourself known. I'm the 50's blonde possibly with daughter and new baby

BOBO that was a lovely post, it just brought back how life changing having a band is and that not only you, but all your close family have benefitted from the decision you made only 1 year ago. By proud of your achievements and the great time you can now give your kids. GOOD ON YOU. xx Flirty, thanks for your message, I'm so glad to hear from you again, and to know that you are well and err!!!!! FLIRTY, xx

Thank you so much for the above Sian I are so impressed :thumbup:

ITS A GIRL, and we're thrilled to bits

GOOD NEWS Sians baby was born yesterday weight 7lb 6oz all is well with mum and baby, and no problems with her having a band, so all pregnant bandsters take heart

Have you contacted the practise nurse at your gp,s surgery, she might be able to do them for you or a local pharmacy might be able to help. Good luck. Have

Newport has my vote I've used both and sent you a pm to explain why. Glad you are back and well. MMM XXX

Hi anita, it would appear that those of us who started their journey at around the 35bmi may have a much slower weight loss initially, but it is steady and usually downwards, mine has been 2.5 stone over 8 months which is not brilliant but its 2.5 stone I would'nt have lost without the band. I believe bigsister is in a simlar situation, dont compare yourself to others you will lose weight as long as you go for regular fills and get fussy over your food choices choosing Protein with every meal where possible. Good luck dont get down hearted, you will make it. :w00t:

All the best to those who are off to Belgium this week. Bobo you are a star, good for you, when you've finnished trying on the sized 14 skinny jeans how about a photo with you wearing them:blushing: