Jane_J

Hi all, Anyone else out there worried about wrinkles appearing as their faces deflate?! I am taking collagen each evening to try to help my skin reset itself but I wonered if anyone out there has any tips to help. I am also taking resveratrol every morning to maximize body repair. I suppose I should not expect to look like I did before I gained weight but a fair approximation in a dim light would be nice.:confused1:

Hi DownInSocal, I can only say hang on in there. Don't worry about feeling hungry after surgery because you won't. Just hold fast and see this through. Remember 'All things will pass', thats what gets me through difficult times. Focus on the wonderful reward of actually enjoying being alive that you will gain as result of the surgery. And feel the love and support of all of us who have made and are making this journey. Jane x

Hi Hayley, I don't regard them as a blessing, more an extra load to carry around :thumbup: I had my op done in Czech Republic so it may be different. I have a central entry an inch below the bra line between my breasts, and then 4 more dotted across my tummy equi-distant between the top one and my navel. Cheers

Hi Good luck for your op. I didn't wear a bra whilst in hospital but for travelling and for the 1st 2 weeks post op I wore a big comfy sports bra. Even so I still could not keep it on all day in the early times. I take a 44 G and it frightens the horses and hurts my knees if I go out without a bra on :thumbup:

I came across this article on the InterWeb and the ghrelin levels in people who had gastric bypasses were very diminished. I think a sleeved person will have a similar level as we have the part of the op that removes the fundus area. NEJM -- Plasma Ghrelin Levels after Diet-Induced Weight Loss or Gastric Bypass Surgery There are some tremendous graphs and the weight loss figures are inspiring. :thumbup:

We have a new term for those people who are not poor enough to get everything for free and even though they work hard are not rich enough to afford fancy accountants to avoid crippling taxes. We call them the Coping Class, and they are really feeling it as this recession rolls on. In fact they are getting pretty angry which is very unusual. Not angry in the way the French do, like blockading ports, setting fire to things and striking, but more than the usual tutting We can buy private education and health care here but the current administration absolutely hates this as someone may have more opportunities than others. Vis a vis healthcare they would rather all died from an illness rather than a few paid to be cured of it. Recently they withdrew all NHS cancer treatment from patients who topped up their treatment privately with newer drugs that the bureaucracy had not yet approved. (Of course it takes ages for them to approve a drug as they are staffed mostly with incompetant political placement, we call them Quangos). At that point I decided I would like our Health Minister to be hung, drawn and quartered! I believe in Sweden they use a publically funded private system, people get a voucher they can spend with the provider of their choice. That might be a good system but we would need to hear from a Swede to get the real low down.

Blimy, does that mean you would just be left to die if you had no money? What happens if you get run over in the street and have no insurance or money?

In the UK the NHS is smashing for children and then it seems to go downhill rapidly. When you are old its really pants. I don't know enogh about your system. What happens to people with no health insurance or inadequate health insurance? Cheers,

If I presumed to tell you what the situation is in your own country would you not find that odd? I do feel bullied and policed by one person that you supported and I notice that one of the other UK & NI people felt the same. I do not wish to insult the people on this board, I have so much in common with most of them as I have battled weight issues and prejudice against fat people all my life. I do not want to use the private message option because I want to leave a public trail for other UK people if they are interested in what other UK people have done. Is that OK? Is that allowed?

Hi Lyn, I understand where you are coming from. I didn't even approach the local PCT to see if I could get my surgery on the NHS because the system is designed to defer as long as possible and some may say to hope you die waiting so lowering the cost! There is a lack of options available here in the UK so I thought it would be OK to say how I got my surgery and how much it cost. Forgot we are the 51st junior state and have to ask permission :wink2: In common with many fat people I was bullied as a child and now I react very badly to bullying, hence the spat you have read. The fact is that to get the surgery we need at a price we can afford we have to go to Europe and then things become more complicated as we have language barriers and other regulations. At such a stressful time I found it reassuring not to be trailblazing, plus I considered the price I was paying extremely good value. I am still glad I did what I did. I weigh myself tomorrow but I can feel that I have already lost loads. I have not felt hungry but I am looking forwards to a softly scrambled egg on Tuesday. I think I have changed psychologically the most though. I have hope now and that's amazing. Anyway whatever you decide to do the very best of luck to you. You can drop me a private message if you like. Cheers!

Well Amy did a good job on the stitches and my little medical kit cost a whopping £1.50! In the UK we have a problem with people buying private healthcare or education. Envy is a very British trait unfortunately. That's why we have had a socialist government for the last 12 years and our economy is screwed. Basically we penalise those that try to shift for themselves and mollycoddle the feckless. Don't get me started on that! Rant over!

If these people move between different hospital A&E depts due to the turnover of staff and the pathetic recod keeping and the no's of undocumented people in the UK I think they would just get the drugs they are after. I am not a medical person though, but the NHS is quite a basket case and cannot sort its recod keeping out, mainly because contracts are awarded to political cronies. Its a bit 3rd world!

I don't know. Obviously the internal sutures are self dissolving but I have a couple of normal stitches at each entrance site. My daughter wants to go to med school so she is happy to have a go tonight. Got instructions and new scissors and tweezers today so wish us luck. I have saved the NHS shedloads of cash now and in the future by getting this op done with my own money. I expect my medical needs to be dramatically cut by achieving a normal weight. I have paid into the system all my working life and then when I just need a little help they do this to me. I am beyond angry with them. Cheers, Jane PS it is accepted wisdom here that our NHS is the envy of the world hahaha!

I am so cross. I went to my GP at the Wendover Health Centre when I returned from the Czech Republic with a letter from Dr Cierny and all was well. She told me to make an appointment for the 22nd with the practice nurse to have the stitches removed as per Dr Ciernys recommendations in the letter, which I did. I just had a call from the practice nurse to say that as I had the op done privately she would not take the stitches out. She waited till the day they are due for removal to tell me!! So later I am going to town to buy the kit I will need and my daughter who is currently applying to medical schools will remove them for me using instructions from WikiHow. Bloody NHS, always not there for you! :thumbup:

Fine by me, please post the results.

Hi, the short answer is that I don't know. I did find this press release on the InterWeb Demand for Weight Loss Surgery Soars. BMI Clinic in Brno opens new wing for UK & US Patients. which seems to suggest that it is a close partnership, which is what it seemed to me while I was there. I don't want to look like I am advertising or anything, it's just impossible to explain where I went without mentioning the UK side of the operation as they accompanied me out there, arranged the flights & hotel for the 1st night, the next 4 were in the clinic and spent a lot of time with me before and after the op. All the best,

Hi Lyn, I spoke to some of our medical friends and it seemed to me that VGS just really wasn't a mainstream varient in the UK. I saw some recommends from Nia which pointed me towards the Czech Republic. Having had a various Czech aupairs in the past when the kids were smaller I have a high regards for the Czech people and their abilities. In some ways it's like the UK used to be when I was young out there. People read books, discuss world affairs and seem to Celebrate the intellectual side of life. It seemed likely to me that they would be good at WLS. I was not disappointed with my op and treatment. They also have extremely low rates of hospital acquired infections which is good to know if you are familiar with the jolly old NHS. Can't say anything about how I got to CZ to get the op as it seems to cause problems. Anyway good luck with your decision. I am hopeful that I have reversed the decrepitude I was experiencing with the combination of age and weight and will go on to have a long and active wind down to retirement and way beyond. All the best, Jane

Please see above.

I do not work for CB, or recieve any kick back from them. I am sorry I used the word Nazi, perhaps Police would have been better. I know you are all a close clique and have known each other for ages but I did expect a friendlier reception than being called an idiot because I went with a package company. Suggest you look through the threads and pick out exactly who is being agressive Elizabeth. I can only speak about my experiences here in the UK, which is very different to the USA. Perhaps this site should be only for USA people? :cursing:

I Rukshandah, Be careful, we are not allowed to mention CB. The WLS Nazi will have your guts for garters!! LOL.

OK WASA I am now starting to get offended by you. This is the second time you have implied that I did no research and you seem to think there is an identical situation in the UK as there is in the USA. May I ask how much your surgery cost? My surgery icluding flights, clinic, 1 night in a hotel came to just over $8,000 US at current exchange rates. I don't think this is a bad price at all and I have received support and advice from Cosmetic Bliss in the UK and continuing for the next year here in the UK. I researched Dr Cierny via the Net and was impressed by the very positive feedback he got. He certainly has the experience in the number of procedures one would like to see. No one wants to be a guinea pig. I also found more info on forums like this, they are a great resource. In fact I originally thought I would like a lap band but after reasearch on the Net decided that the VGS would be a far better bet. This is not a common op in the UK so I had to look abroad. I don't know how much you have travelled WASA but Europe is not really much like North America. You basically have the choice of 2 languages to grasp, English and Spanish. Here we have many, many more and some of them are really difficult, Czech being in this catagory. I appreciate the leg work Cosmetic Bliss have put in to get the procedures in place for travelling and support and I do not begrudge them the percentage they make to keep their business going. I am in business myself and understand value add etc. Cosmetic Bliss only use one clinic and only Dr Cierny, they do not just hire any surgeon who will sign up to contract with them I consider the whole package to be good, safe and value for money. So your bottom dollar has gone as Deborah and Michael at Cosmetic Bliss *do* know the sort of info you say an agency would not know. They both have medical backgrounds and they participate in Dr Ciernys research and paper publications. I think that will be my final words to you on this matter.

I can only reiterate that I found the whole team very kind and professional and, (touch wood) I seem to be recovering well. I saw my GP yesterday and she asked how much it cost and was surprised at how cheap it was too. According to her the band done privately locally is about £11,000. The band at CosmeticBliss is under £5,000 and the sleeve is another £500ish I think. The prices recently went up because of currency fluctuations. I understand about being to eat around these surgeries, but I am a volume eater and do actually eat healthily, just too much of the stuff. I do have a weakness for red wine but I am not missing that anymore either. Cheers, Jane

Hi, I am going to tell people I was attacked by a Great White whilst surfing :eek:

Hi All, I have just come back from the same clinic that Rukhshandah went to for the VGS. The post op diet for the 1st 4 weeks is below. Is that the same as Dr Aceves? I was very impressed with Dr Cierny in Brno, both Rukhshandah and I went there via a UK company called Cosmetic Bliss (don't be put off by the cheesy name). First day diet: Usually an i.v. Fluid has been administered and a contrast X-ray examination precedes per oral alimentation • Drink slowly in small sips of Water, tea. • Wait in between the sips for a minute or two. • Do not drink more than 50ml at once. • Nothing but tea with or without sugar, or still mineral water. • Wait for least 10 minutes between drinks. Your total per oral fluid intake should be not exceed two glasses or 0.5 litre in the first postoperative day. First two weeks • Clear broth or Soup without vegetables or meat and not too creamy. • Low fat, sugar free yogurt. • Skimmed milk. • Natural fruit juice or pureed soft fruit (apple, banana, pear, etc). • Vegetable juices. • Low calorie drinks. • Sugar free Protein supplements, with skimmed milk. • Water (6-8 cups / 2.0 - 3.0 litres a day). Between meals you may drink vegetable juice, milk, fruit juices & water to ingest sufficient liquids and prevent dehydration. Sample Menu - Week 1 & 2 Breakfast 1/3 cup pureed fruit ½ cup yogurt lunch ½ cup consommé or broth 1/3 cup pureed fruit dinner ½ cup yogurt ½ cup pureed fruit Third and Fourth Week after Sleeve Gastrectomy A liquid/pureed diet for your meals during week 3 and 4 after the operation may help you to get used to smaller stomach. Remember to keep a high level of protein in your diet. You will need to use a blender or food processor. The food has to be blended until reaching a applesauce consistency. Avoid spicy foods; they may irritate your stomach. Here is a list to give you some suggestions for what you can eat on weeks 3 and 4: Liquids or beverages, and milk. • Good options: Tea, non-carbonated drinks, natural fruit juices, coffee, water, skimmed milk, low fat and sugar free yogurt. • Limit or try to avoid: Artificial fruit juices, soda, alcohol, all carbonated beverages, Iced tea with sugar, milk or yogurt products with nuts or seeds, chocolate milk, sweetened condensed milk, whole milk. Fruits. • Good options: Applesauce, pureed pears, and bananas. • Limit or try to avoid: Canned fruits or fruits with syrup. Vegetables. • Good options: Pureed vegetables, vegetable juice. • Limit or try to avoid: Raw vegetables, canned vegetables, vegetables that cause discomfort (gas forming). Soups. • Good options: Broth, cream soups make with skimmed milk, egg drop soup, low sodium bouillon or consommé. • Limit or try to avoid: All other. Starches. • Good options: Mashed potatoes. • Limit or try to avoid: Bread, Pasta, rice and all other starches. meats or protein supplements. • Good options: Pureed chicken, fish, tuna, veal, beef, low fat cottage cheese, baby food meats, mashed or pureed tofu, pureed egg or egg substitute, sugar-free Protein shakes, No sugar added Instant Breakfast. • Limit or try to avoid: Peanut Butter, others. Fats, sugars and others • Good options: Sugar free Jellies and puddings, sugar free ice cream and frozen yoghurt, low fat (slimmers) puddings. • Limit: Others. Sample Menu – weeks 3 & 4 Breakfast 1/2 cup yogurt and 1/3 cup pureed fruit (or4-6 tablespoons cooked refined Cereal, adding 3 tablespoons of skimmed milk) 1 hour later 1 cup fruit juice (or milk) 2 hours later 4-6 tablespoons yogurt 1 hour later 1 cup water (or unsweetened fruit juice) Lunch 3 tablespoons pureed chicken with 2 tablespoons pureed vegetables and 2 tablespoons mashed potatoes, 1 cup water 1 hour later 1 cup water 2 hours later 1 cup protein supplement (or1 packet No Sugar Added Instant Breakfast) Dinner 2-3 tablespoons chicken (or fish or tuna)with 2 tablespoons vegetables and 2 tablespoons mashed potatoes 1 hour later 1 cup skimmed milk 1 hour later 3 tablespoons cottage cheese with 4 tablespoons pureed fruit 1 hour later 1 cup broth-type soup or milky (semi-skimmed or skimmed milk) drink General Recommendations: 1. Eat small meals five times a day and limit snacking in between meals. 2. Eat slowly and chew food until it reaches a mushy consistency. (15 to 20 times per bite). 3. Stop eating or drinking right before you feel full. 4. Eat only good quality foods. 5. Drink low calorie liquids. 6. Drink enough liquids /about 2.0 – 3.0 litres per day. 7. Drink after each eating 8. Exercise moderately, however not sooner than 2 weeks after the operation

Thanks Kath, I am very glad for your successful weight loss and also your confirmation of my opinion of the Cosmetic Bliss team. Kind regards, Jane:thumbup: