Crispaholic

Thanks for the encouragement :biggrin: however it is hard to realize that you don't need to buy larger sizes.....I have to start remembering I am average and not obese weight anymore....shopping is not depressing anymore for me :scared2:

I went shopping today and bought 5 new tops all size 12 as the 14 has gotten so big.....Did not know myself as I automatically looked at the back of the clothes rail for the larger sizes....still trying to come to terms I am smaller. I also went to my personal trainer....Vinny Mulvey in DCU and in two months since my operation and working out with him I have lost 11cms off my chest.....its great having a personal trainer who supports you....he is focusing on my muscles to make sure I tighten as I lose weight instead of having loose skin. Vinny Mulvey fitness give him a shout as he is good at working out programmes for pre and post operations and is a real positive person....who has supported me all the way before and after my operation

Hello! Congrats on getting the band....I had mine done the 1st of July....the 1st 2 weeks were the hardest.....I am 25 lbs down now and I forget some times that I have had the band fitted....only some foods hurt when I eat fast....which is something I have slowed down....you have done the right thing....I would advise you to try and do exercise. I am with a personal trainer who is helping me get fitter and tone up as I am losing weight.....I now have a lot more energy and I am not obsessing about food as I am keeping myself busy. Best of luck ....it does get easier :biggrin:

Hey! Kirsty, I got my band on the 1st of July....best decision I ever made....only advice I would give is to get a variety of liquids for the liquid stage of your post op diet as you can get bored....get fruit juices and make ice cubes to suck....ice lollies....yoghurts etc....also dissolvable Vitamin tablets for the post op stage as your energy levels can be low as your only on liquids during the post op stage....ask lots of questions regarding post op after care and make sure you walk around after the operation as this helps healing and takes your mind off food ....best of luck :cursing:

Hey...you will be sore as you will be swollen and the swelling around your upper stomach with the band will restrict the liquids for about a week, hence the need for clear liquids post op...once the post op swelling goes down you should be ok but it would be no harm mentioning to your doctor / nurse. Gas pain from the operation can also happen for a few days, it does get better

Glad the responses have helped....actually the scars are the very same as gall bladder scars so the band scars can pass for them.....I am 2 months post operation and no one can really notice that I am avoiding certain foods or eating less...when I go for dinner they just think I am being healthy and cutting out carbs ....I just told some close family and best friend about the operation, at first my dad could not understand as he thought I was not overweight but he supported my decision, now he is telling me how great I look. Other friends think I am just cutting out carbs from my diet and that way no one knows I had the operation, just make sure you have eaten the food before as you do not want to introduce a food when your not too sure how you will react in public....I did go out with my sister and tried nachos and got the sharp pain so I know not to chose them when out with friends....as for worrying about food for lunch time Pasta goes down very easy low fat yoghurts....or slim fast for the liquid stage of your diet.....really you tend to worry that people are noticing what your eating or not eating because your aware of your secret....but really they don't....I have just come back from 2 weeks holidays in Greece with 6 of my friends and none of them noticed the food choices....one only noticed I was not drinking sparkling wine.....so I just said I was detoxing and did not want to drink....follow your own gut feeling....best of luck you will not know yourself when you get it done

Go for it!!!!! Reading your post struck a chord.....I wish I had of thought about it when I was 28 and not left it until I was 35 to get my band. I am just 2 months after my banding and I have lost 25lbs. I am 5ft 5 and I was 212lbs two months ago with a BMI of 34.9% and deeply depressed so much so that I was prescribed tablets for my depression and was referred to a therapist. I did not want to go as I thought everyone would think I was mad...but he really helped me realise I was self destructing...I decided to take voluntary redundancy from my job and use the money to get the operation as my health insurance would not cover the operation. Looking back I would beg or borrow to get the money for the operation the difference it has made to my physical and emotional well being This was the best decision I ever made, I went to see a therapist and he told me it was time to be kind to me and to stop putting my life on hold until I was slim. I had destroyed so many relationship as I was deeply embarrassed and insecure about my weight as I had always gone out with athletic men who were very fit......I decided enough was enough and it was time for action..... I am now 25lbs lighter and a whole different person.....I even went on holiday and did not feel self conscious at the pool.....I have started dating again....I am not depressed I still need to work on my guilt about leaving food but getting over it slowly but surely.....Go for it....no need to be depressed your young and can benefit from the surgery.....it will help the depression, help reduce risk of developing stage 2 obesity related diabeties, heart problems and joint pain.....I wish you the best of luck.....I was you 2 months ago!!!!!!!!!!!........

Do waht feels right for you....your decision is private and only you should chose to tell those close to you.....who cares about your co-workers....say nothing unless they ask you.....just tell them what you want them to know....as for judging you....do you really care what they think??????? If you want to share with a very good co-worker do .....but its none of their business.....and trust me you can get away or avoid them at meal times so they don't know :biggrin: Best of luck with everything :thumbup:

Hey.....I got my fill done 11th of August....restriction was good for the first week and has been with some foods....I even managed to survive my trip to Greece....however it was a little tricky leaving coke and beers my friends had bought for me.....but I survived and even managed to lose another 3 lbs

Before your first fill you can eat normally....the band is only in place with no restriction....the slight restriction post op is due to being swollen....trust me after your fill you will feel like you have a band....but even your first fill will only last a week or two so you will need to get another fill within the month at the start........you will be glad you had the operation once you have your fill.....your only human and you will have good and bad food days.....but once the fill has occurred you will not be able to binge / over eat as you will get a sharp pain in you back / shoulder blades......if you try to eat pass this pain it will be near impossible.....keep your chin up you will do well

Excellent....its hard to forget how your journey started and where you are now.....I am so impressed with your story...thank you for sharing your story

Its only natural that you panic....I know I did.....but when you get your fill you will start to really lose the weight....before my fill I felt I could eat normal and it was I who was keeping myself on a diet.....but when I got the fill ...I really could not eat some things....some people need a few fills until they get the restriction they want....so don't panic....Sandy is right think positive....I started back with my personal trainer to distract me....food was always nice and a comfort now my relationship with food is changing....and for the better.....you are doing great

Great....I got mine done on the 1st of July....and I feel a new woman.....hope your doing as well as I am

I think thats crazy.....after my operation I was on liquids for 2 weeks...they just advised me that once you could suck it through a straw then it was ok to eat.....I took vitamins that diluted in water and I took celebrity slims protein shakes....I was also told I could drink any drink which they give old people who cannot eat when in hospital ....I think its called Complan ......I also had soup broths.....and soya yoghurts / custard which is a natural source of protein ......I think a week of clear fluids is drastic.....and this will make you lose weight quick but not help you rebuild body muscle and tissue post op.....I would just take the shakes like I and others have done....my doctor encouraged me to take protein drinks as he said I needed my body to recover and aid the healing of the wounds

Hey....I had my operation on the 1st of July....I called the nurse in a panic....telling her I could eat normally.....she told me that until your first fill you can eat normally and need to be careful as you can put on weight at this stage......I felt cheated as I thought why did I do the operation when I can eat normal.....Boy was I wrong!!!!!!!!! I had my first fill on Wednesday went to have lunch with my sister.....I barely ate 4 bites of Nachos and I felt the pain in my back....I also tried to eat crackers that evening and got a pain in my back....you will notice the band when you have your first fill at 4 to 6 weeks after your operation....

Hi!....you have done great sticking to the diet....one day at a time....I am telling you it will be well worth the weight when you have the operation.....I did not have to do a pre op diet....but the 2 weeks post operation fluids was ok.....I got frozen fruit and got my blender and made smoothies....made with plenty of ice and skimmed milk....I also did the Celebrity Slim shakes which were lovely unlike the slim fast shakes they are made on water and taste nice....I also made ice cubes to suck on made from tropical fruit or low fat blackcurrant cordial dilute drinks

Thanks for all the private messages in relation to this post.....I have now gone from 15 st 2 lbs to 13st 11 lbs since my operation since the 1st of July.....everyone has been saying how well I look and how my face has slimmed.....today I bought a top and had to buy a size 12...............I think I was 26 years old when I last fitted into a 12.....I cannot stop smiling and feel great however crackers now = pain not pleasure

I think traveling to the UK from Ireland is easy you are less than 40 mins on a flight and have English speaking staff who you can research on the GMC lists.....and the follow up clinics in Dublin after the surgery are very well run

I have been contacted by a few people about my decision to go to Birmingham for my surgery.....I was only away for one night in hospital and was home without anyone knowing I had gone......I was called by the nurse when I got home after being certified fit to fly by my surgeon in the UK. I paid E6995 for my operation in the UK with one years free after care. I could not believe that the Blackrock Clinic just wanted E380 just for a consultation and then it would be E12k for the surgery.....the Galway Clinic was E15k and then I would have to pay for aftercare..... I believe that Irish hospitals and surgeons are deliberately frightening people into not going abroad .....I had the best of care in the UK and better care than I had in Ireland when I had my gall bladder out in 2007. I would recommend heading to the UK....if you want to get the operation but have been unable due to inflated Irish prices....seems Irish prices need to be aspirated

Thanks Mimi I tried four small crackers and a slice of cheddar today.....by God I was barely into cracker number three when I got the pain in my back.....I so wanted to finish eating but could not.....had to wait 5 minutes before the pain went......I never thought a cracker could be so painful :wink2: Will have to see how the crisps go ....but I doubt I will be able to eat a small can of Pringles now.......saying that feel great and everyone is saying how great I look

Thanks Mr.Hips....however I could have done with that advice about 20mins ago....ate Carr Water table cracker and a slice of cheese.....and the pain in my back said it all....all well no gain without pain :thumbup:

Got my first fill done today at the Hospital Group in Dublin....my nurse found my port no bother and tried to but 2mls in ....I drank 2 mouthfuls of water and got the tightness in my back....so my nurse told me to lay down and she took .5mls out....so in total I had 1.5mls put in today........I meet my sister for lunch .....I ate four mouthfuls and had to leave the food....the waitress asks was the food not up to standard.....I had to lie and tell her I had had a big breakfast.....I did not feel guilt at leaving the food as I could physically not eat any more food....even better I bought all size 14 dresses and tops in River Island today....my sister had to tell me to put back the size 18's I was use to getting....feel great and only 6 weeks since my operation

Hi! All, I travelled from Dublin to Dolan Park in Birmingham for my operation on the 1st of july 2010. Best decision ever I paid E7000k to get it done throught the Hospital Group. I found the staff at Dolan Park excellent, I had had my gall bladder out in 2007 in the Bons in Dublin and the care I got in the UK was far superior. I have lost 16lbs in 5 weeks - I get my first fill tomorrow The best thing is I did not have to wait months..be sent to a psychologist or a dietican who would analyse me.....I knew what I want to get done and I did not have to pay over the odds to get it done....Blackrock Clinic was over 12K and paying for after care......I have had great support and could afford to get the operation done in the UK. I was home the day after my operation and all has been well since ...best decision I ever made.....

Hey I got my band on the 1st of July and will get my first fill on the 11th of August......I feel I can eat loads and have not really felt restriction..I get scared that it has not worked....I have lost 16lbs....but feel like I still have to restrict my diet as opposed to the band restricting it....I have sugar free yoghurts, jelly (jello) and drink a lot of water before I eat. I really miss pizza....do you know if you can eat it? or do you have to avoid it like you do with bread,rice and meat?

I was up 2 hours after my operation and I flew from the UK back to Ireland a day after my operation. I would have been fine to work, however due to the fact that you are on the liquid diet post op your energy levels can be low so you may want to take some protein shakes and vitamins to build yourself back up. I was back with my personal trainer 3 weeks after my op doing cardio but no weights for 5 weeks after