MummiesBB

Hello We have all had very different journeys and that is the beauty of the band! It works it's magic and this can take a little while or be quite quick. It's a tool and you need to understand how it works in order to make it effective for you. The journey can be up and down just like life. It's a journey that can be fraught with challenges but I wouldn't have it nany other wAy otherwise it would have been to easy and I wouldn't appreciate where I am today. So might be scary before you go for surgery but better you know up front than not know at all and say obj I wish I has known that. But then you may never experience it. Believe in the choice you have made it's worth it especially when you buy a size 10 dress in East like I did today and have the lovely male assistant tell you it was perfect! A very pleasant experience. Take care Cx

So sorry to hear about the defill in NI pity they didn't have someone nearer or available. Hope you are soon feeling better. Take care and be gentle with yourself. I had a similar tight experience after my 2nd fill. Very painful my body shut down but I worked through it and did come out the other side! Take care Cx

How frustrating is that! Have you got some restriction? How about the amount you eat? Are you able to eat smaller or slightly bigger portions? What are you eating? Are you doing any exercise? Do hope you get some movement as it can be very demoralising. However, I am sure that once you have the right amount in your band then it will start to work more effectively for you. Would be interested to hear the theories on why this happens fromother bandsters and Dr Chris and his team???? Take care and hope all sorted soon for you. Cx

Hello all So much going on. Well I had my bandiversary and yes I met my target! I am now at week 59 and weighing in at 9st 10.5 lbs never in my wildest dreams did I even think I could be this. I am stunned and so so pleased. I had a little clear out over the summer via Ebay and bought some lovely new clothes. Currently wearing a size 10 on the bottom half and a 10/12/14 (depends on the cut and tailoring) on the top. Applied for NHS funding for a breast reduction but was declined as my BMI had not be stable under 25 for 12 months. They have recorded it as August 2011 so I shall ask my GP to resubmit in a years time. I am sure I can grin and bear it. As for food well I am trying not to lose weight but that's just not happening so thoughts are that I am probably going to have to have a slight defill and see where I go from there. I am very happy at the weight but really don't want to lose anymore. A few issues in the eliminations dept but nothing that prune juice can't sort out and keep at bay. Have good days and bad days and days when I am absolutely starving and need to have a snack; mainly my school days as I am an early lunch and a little worried to eat in case I need to get rid or suffer with pains in my back. Managing so far. Will post back again soon. Take care Claire x

You learn very quickly who will and won't be supportive. I only told my best friend, my husband, my mum and the children. My dad found out afterwards but that was more a choice of not having him worry. Afterwards I did tell people but on my own terms. I have been very open and honest when people have asked me how I have lost weight as they have been so surprised by the amount of loss. One of my colleagues guessed and asked if I had had a gastric band? I was so shocked I had to ask who she knew that I knew. She was so shocked that she had guessed and her response was well you only ever read of people doing this in magazines and it's not always positive! So yes you'll gauge who you want to know and not. Good luck with your journey. Cx

Hello R Many of the questions you are asking are what most of those considering having a band have posted on this thread and there are pages and pages of peoples experiences. I'll try to answer the ones you have. I was banded just oiver a year ago with Dr Chris and have lost my terget weight and more. So here goes 1. I've heard that meats, breads and pastas are very difficult to eat after banding...in which case, what on earth do people survive on? I can't eat fish, it makes me feel ill! Is it mainly vegetarian diets? meat would refer to steak as it is very fibrous and difficult to digest. Mince is fine but in small quantities. Bread some are able to eat this. Pesonally I can't so I replace with crackerbreads and titx biscuits. Pasta depends on the day and type ofpasta. Only recently (last few weeks) have I had a fe spiral twists or tubes finely chopped up. We are talking about 2 pieces of each (so not much). Again everyone is different. 2. I'm most definitely, absolutely, positively an emotional eater and I guess a food addict. I quit alcohol a year ago (not good for me at all), and smoking earlier this year. Seeing as I clearly have an addictive personality, I'm very worried that removing the food addiction by force may end up in a brand spanking new addiction rising....anyone found other compulsive areas arising post-band? I know that's very personal, so you obviously don't need to answer on the boards! Not sure whether I have another addiction but I still drink alcohol but not in the same amounts. I look at this as a treat as I have reached my target weight. 3. Is PBing really as terrible as it sounds? How can you avoid it? Do you have time to get out of company before everything comes back up? Sometimes this just can't be helped I find I get a lot of liquid build up where I have chewed and chewed and perhaps gone a little too quickly and next thing I need to get rid of a liquid build up. Yes you have time to go to the toilet. Those around you who know are very aware of what the pattern is and understanding. 4. I had heard of an increase in complications after 5 years -anyone know if this is true? Not sure about this as just into my 2nd year of having a band. 5. The port - can you feel it? As in, if you touch the skin over where it is, can you feel the port? Or can you feel it moving around in there? Do the fills hurt? Yes you can feel the port. It's stitched in place and no I can't feel it moving it around. No the fills don't hurt. Dr C is very quick at doing these. 6. Has anyone regretted getting the band fitted? If I go ahead, I'll be using money I was supposed to be saving for a housing deposit....I feel enormous guilt at the thought of that...and I'm scared to tell my family as I think they'll judge me as vain. No regrets at all. Good health and happiness is not vanity, it's an investment in staying alive and healthy so that you can enjoy your family. Talk to them you never really know how they will react. BUt again this is individual and yu know how you feel about this and how they may react. Good luck and take care. Messgae back if you want to know anymore. Take care Claire

Oh Kerry Hope you are now feeling better. Awful when you feel unwell . Makes you realise just how dependent we are on liquids. Take care and look after yourself. Cx

Good motivation to sell things on ebay. I have this job to do. Hope you feel warmer I had a similar situation a little while ago and now wear a haramaki and also had a tuned yoga session that focusedon warming up my kidney area and my thyroid. Has worked wonders I am warmer and still don't break a sweat but am feeling the warmth of the sun again! Haven't heard from Pearce, do hope he is ok. We were banded on the same day so I really feel for him. Good news about Gary so glad all is well for him. Take care and look after yourself Kerry. Cx

Thanks, yes I am chuffed. Don't get hungry although do get very thirsty which is a good indicator that I don't drink enough so focusing on this at the moment to the detriment of food. Finding it difficult to eat without getting a pain in my back and I do chew chew chew! Sure it will get better as I am trying to eat solids rather than drink liquids. HTH Take care Cx

Hello Yes I went a year ago on the 31st July and haven't regretted having the band as it has helped me achieve where I wanted to be. Dr Chris and his team did a very good job for me. Don't get me wrong it's not an easy option and the journey certainly has its ups and downs and I have struggled at times to eat and spent quite a few months purely having liquids but that was my experience. There are plenty of others on here who have been able to eat what I would say are the normal foods. All I can say is research all your options fully and the different types of surgery and what is available to you. Maybe the band is the right option but then you may get a different experience with the bypass. Only you will know what feels right for you. HTH good luck on your journey. Cx

People can be so ignorant, I have to admit there have been a couple of people who have responded to me in this way and I thought initially about giving them a piece of my mind but then I thought actually you are too ignorant to bother explaining it to and I just said that this may be an extreme choice but obviously this was the right thing for me after all take a good look and see the difference! (not bitchy but definately hinting that I was getting nearer to be where I was comfortable). Some people are too up there own arses to see anyone else and the work they have to do. A band is not easy and I fully synpathise with the cooking family meals and not eating them. Only in the last few weeks have I started to enjoy these family meals more. I have good restriction (6 mls in a 15ml band) but I have started to eat finally chopped spaghetti and I had 2 pieces of penne Pasta and chopped them up with the sauce the other evening. This is a first in a year! My main meals consist of 3 small 0.5 inch pieces of chicken and a few veg or some rice (usually about 3 teaspoons) not a lot I keep meaning to take a photo of my meal size as everyone is quite shocked at what I don't have! My husband made nasi goreng the other evening and in order to add to the Protein I whisked and egg and made it into egg fried rice with mushrooms and turkey. What made I then took a 2 x tablespoons of and that was dinner the left overs were used for lunch the next day! People don't realise just how little you do need to exist and be healthy. We are a nation of over eaters! I sit and people watch a lot more now always did before but even more so when food is involved and I watch them shovelling it in and not pausing between forkfuls or gulping down a drink in between and think gosh I was like that once but my eating has changed so much. It's a good thing as I can honestly say I feel healthier than I did before and have more energy. Boy I had energy before but now I am like a missile! So what am I saying - your restriction will ease and the weight will come off and you will be in a much better place but be patient as all good things come to those who stay focused on the main target. If you don't have one, set one and have mini targets to get to it and each time you achieve a mini target reward yourself. Take care and stay focused. Cx

My understanding of this and there have been clients on here who have had their band replaced, port changed due to leaks etc and Dr Chis has looked after them. Not sure if there was a charge or not but I am sure others will be able to say what they have had to pay for or not pay for etc. When we had our meeting the night before the procedure, I asked about the band and guarantees etc and I was advised by Dr Chris and Frederik that all my fills were done with them to ensure that only they were the ones to access to port in case there was a problem and then they would be able to sort it. HTH We are all only able to do this once and it's not a whim but somethng you think about for months before you finally fo ahead and do it. I am one week off my first year and am so pleased as I am at target weight and feel a million dollars! Take care Cx

Congratulations what lovely news! Are you pleased? There have been a few on here who have had babies and will have better experience than most. I was told that all the fill had to be removed but see what Freddie says. Only reason why I asked is because I do a lot of work with pregnant mums and wasnted to know and also if undertaking pregnancy yoga was ok. It was which is good news. So pleased for you. Enjoy your pregnancy. Take care Cx

Week 51 Wow can't believe that one more week and I have had my band for a year. What an amazing journey it has been. Quite an adventure into the journey of food and just how the body copes when it has next to nothing! I am very very happy as I have obviously achieved my target and more! I need to book an appointment for September to go for my annual check up but shall do that at the start of September. So this week I have lost 1bl and 3 inches. This is fine as I am trying to eat more and trying to get more fibre into my diet. I am also having a glass of prune juice morning and night to avoid constipation as it was very unpleasant at the start of the week. It doesn't help when your fridge decides to go on the blink. It's finally been written off so that we can go to the shop and get another one. What a nightmare! But we are nearly there! Just need to watch that certain foods are ok and not make anyone ill in the process! So have an appointment on Tuesday with GP and hoping to wangle referral for tummy, thighs and boobs (not too much then!) but they are driving me crazy! Which is the worst bit the boobs as I am in constant agony in my shoulder and back! Not sure why but would like to find out if it is the slack skin and loss of fat! Anyway stats for this week: Weight loss = 1 lb Inch loss = 3 inches Total weigh loss = 106.5 Total inch loss = 89.5 BMI: 24.5 Yippee Have a great week everyone and stay very positive. Take care Claire

Here'sthe link to the numbers http://www.lapbanduk.org/t2-dr-chris-de-bruyne-belgium HTH Cx

Hello Did you get the text? The contact numbers are on the website. The anxiety really doesn't help as the band tightens. I had exactly the sameon October last year and as Freckles says the weight comes off. But you are limited to a few spoonfulls at a time. I drank warm water as I found this really helped I seemed to have the opposite to everyone else with the reaction to cold. See how you are over the next few days as it may ease. Remember when you have a fill it tries tofight against itself due to the slight swelling. So see how you go if obviously you can'tcope and get reflux or lots of saliva then you may have rethink this. How much have you lost since last July? Take care and look after yourself. Can't believe that on the 31st July we would have had the band a year! Amazing. Cx

I can only speak for my experience. I was banded July 31st 2010 and am a few weeks off the first year and I have reached my target. I lost my target of 106.5 lbs in 51 weeks. I know this is quite an unusual journey and it has been intense. For me I weighed up the complications and looked at CDB track record and the way in which he does his surgery. Also the choice of band was important I looked at the capacity and CDB uses a 15ml band for women. I have 6mls in my band and this comprises of 4 fills. I was lucky as I was able to have 5 weeks off after the surgery as I am a teacher and went for the procedure in the summer hols. I was ok after 10 days and was camping 3 weeks into the band. Intererstingly I have just done my weight and inch loss stats for the year and broke it into before and in between fills so here goes: first number is weight loss second number is inch loss and month of fill and amount up to 1st fill 25.5 21 from 1st fill to 2nd 7.5 8.5 September 2010 3ml from 2nd fill to 3rd 35.5 29.25 October 2010 2ml from 3rd fill to 4th 18.0 12.5 March 2011 0.5ml from 4th fill 20.5 15.25 May 2011 0.5ml total loss 107 lbs 86.5 inches Hope this helps Cx

Hello all Haven't been on over last few days good to see everyone. Pearce well done so glad you are ok. So I am 3 pounds off my target and I think I feel depressed! Why? I know I know I am nearly there but I look like a bag of skin! It's awful!! Even my husband won't touch me as he doesn't like it. So much for feeling great about myself. I'm not sure how I am going to overcome it. I am goin yoga but this will strengthen and tone the muscles underneath not tighten the slack skin! I am just going to have to hope that the GP feels really sorry for me and when he does the referral for the top half that the Consultant may consider the other bits. Anyone know of a good plastics person who is reasonable and won't cost an arm and a leg! Ha ha. So have been on a Well Woman yoga course and absolutely amazing. Looking to start classes up and help with menstruation, infertility, conception, menopause and other female conditions e.g. fibroids, cysts, prolapses etc. All very interesting and something that the surgeons knife should be the last thing to consider. So glad I decided to extend my studies and do this. I have a GP appointment in 2-3 weeks so shall wait and see what he has to say about the concerns I have. Otherwise it looks like I am going to be saving up! Everyone have a super day and I will be back soon. Claire x

Hello I thought this had posted yesterday Xray Express - Book an x-ray - Gastograph swallow Located at: 121 Harley Street, London, W1H2 Tel: 0207 224 6493 £90 plus consult with Dr Chris £80 Check with Julie Mackintosh - 07872 963 503 for clinic dates and then book two appoints with both venues. Xray Express are very quick. HTH Claire x

Laila Do you go to London for your fills? There is X-ray Express at 121 Harley Street, London, W1H2 that do a X-Ray - Gastrograph swallow telephone 0207 224 6493 £90 You will then need to go for a consultation with Dr Chris afterwards. So tie in with his clinic date. £80 I am looking to go in September as I want to go when I have the children back at school. HTH Claire

Wow so are you well done! Are you pleased? I know I am well chuffed apart from the saggy tummy and droopy boobs but hopefully can do something about the two! Have just ordered a body control thingymyjib to wear under the dress I want to wear next week! Have a good weekend. Cx

Hello How much do you have in your band? We went to the states last Christmas and I had 5ml in mine and this was ok, I had placed a special order on the plane but there was no order for me. I managed with cuppa soup and then whilst I was there I managed on soup etc. I found the band reacted to the flight and I did manage to drink water etc Have you spoken or emailled Frederik? He might be able to advise you as they know the limits etc Have a fabulous time and enjoy. Claire x

Congratulations that's superb that you have lost 42 pounds. You should definately feel chuffed. When did youget your band? How much do you have in it? Will reply to other post in mo. Take care and keep up the good work. Have you got a ticker? Cx

Hello all Been a few weeks since I was last on. Good to see a few postshope all those that have been for surgery are well and doing ok. Well i have had a few up & down weeks but overall ok. I had a week where I just wasn't focused and found food really difficult. Definately have restriction but have been able to manage 3 small pieces of chicken and some rice equates to just about a desert spoonful. I managed some cereal this morning which is a real first. Weight wise I have 5 pounds to go to my target so I have lost 101 pounds. So pleased! Have posted a few photos of a dress I am planning to wear next week to the School Prom for Year 11. I think I definately need to have a look at my boobs and tummy! They are a nightmare! Anyway have a good weekend spposed to be lovely really hope so! Take care Claire x