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What a great idea! So glad you are being proactive. Thanks for not being offended by my post. I would want someone to say this sort of thing to me especially if I was feeling really fed up. Good shock therapy without the physical effects. Ohh a lovely holiday something nice to look forward too! I am sure that will be the motivator to lose a little more. Where are you going? Good luck do hope you get an appointment for a fill, let us know how you get on. Take care Claire x

hi all, I am 38 and am fed up with waiting my life being overweight. I have thought about surgery but I am frightened. I cam across this surgeon tonight and could not believe the cost was half of the UK cost. I saw you all seem happy with the surgery you have received. I am sorry to ask but what happens if something goes wrong when you are back in the UK? Will te NHS help. I have heard that they refuse aftercare, is this true? I really want to do this as I can not spend another 20 years being this miserable. I am 17 stone and 7 lbs and 5'7", I have a BMI of 38. All I want is to lose weight and live a normal life and from reading some of this thred that seems to be what you guys are doing Thanks for your advise.

hI Laila I know exactly how you feel - I have stayed the exact same weight now for over 6 weeks - that was after gaining nearly half a stone after an infection and being badly dehydrated - gonna give it another 2 weeks and if still no movement I am off for another fill Starting to getting a bit fed up now - thought it would have been much quicker than this Kerry x

Hi Gang What the hell have they done to the site - its taken me ages to find it and get logged back in Anyway decided to have another fill as still got very little restriction - sadly no clinic in Edinburgh during December which is a right pain cos now got to go to Glasgow on 17th December. Hoping that will be me this time and the band will start working for its money Now not lost anything in over a month and getting really fed up - Dr Chris told me to diet and exercise!?!?!!??! If I had been able to do that I wouldn't have needed the band in the first place AARRGGHH Suppose I should be happy with weight loss so far but just expected it to be so much quicker than it has been - never been known for my patience lol Glad everyone is doing well and newbies - good luck on your journey and ignore my moaning Kerry xx

Hi Girls Havent been posting for a while as im so fed up im at that stage where i am begining to think ive wasted all that money on surgery. And as a result i feel like a total failure.I have had 3 fills now and a total of 6.5mls in my band and i have no restriction what so ever.I can eat bread pasta rice and in fairly big portion size.I have lost 17.5 pounds since surgery in feb and nothing since (im 284 pounds) so i should be losing a lot more weight than that.I know that the first couple of fills dont help much but i really think i should feel some restriction now.I do realise the band is only a tool but its not doing its job and as a result im obviously eating too much.I could start counting cals again or go to ww but it never worked in the past and thats why i opted for surgery.Im going to see chris this thurs and i think i need to get a decent fill and a proper chat to see where im going wrong.Im so sorry to be so negative but i do think people need to know its down sides as well.If there is anyone out there who has been in my position id love to hear from u or any advice would be helpful i cant tell you how depressed this is making me i dont think i have ever felt so low. However a big well done to fatty patty i am so pleased for u and i pray that everything goes smooth and stress free from now on.

mmm and wishfull are right..think tullia is very pushy and i got fed up of her bolshy phone calls,every day for 2 weeks even tho id only made a simple enquiry online about the price!. i just let the aswer phone be bombarded with messages, and she got quite angry!..you shouldnt be paying that up front, i didnt pay a penny til the day..i went with bridget at "europesurgery"which youll find a website for, you will get an answer and a date by the end of today if you go wiyh her, but think its bit cheaper to go with ecfs for the direct package with chris and fred, and your taxis, and hotel are included too. we booked them seperate online which was simple, but at least they do it for you.. also i know their communication is slow but they will get back to you...i got fed up of waiting thats why i went through bridget..Tullia just sounded too desperate for my custom and money and it put me off, i know others have been put off by her too. anyway whoever you choose youll get same op by chris at the end of the day and will be in great hands...good luck x

Bless you BS, you are really helping me to stay positive, thank you xxx. Thank you for the link btw, I'll check that out. Thanx to everyone that wished me nice things after my hols. And my thoughts will be with Mmm for her op. You lot seem to be doing so well with your weight loss, I was thinking of having Protein drinks for after, my youngest daughters boyfriend is very much into weight training and he takes them. In fact I've ordered some for the weeks building up to my op, they deliver in 24 hours, which is damn good. She has bought some for herself even though she's tiny she has to watch her weight, and she says they really fill her up for quite a few hours. These drinks are called Diet Shake and cost £35.99 for 40 drinks. I dont know if they are the same as other folks have taken but they only have 200 cals in a serving. I was warned by the dietician in the Spire not to take Slimfast as its full of sugar and doesnt keep you satisfied. I never did, but I know some girls on here have, but if they suit you thats great, and I wish you good luck, after all different strokes as they say. xxx

I have just sent Frederik an email because I am at the end of my tether and need a solution. Here's the message: I have a couple of queries that are, I feel, now at the stage of urgent. I am booked for an appointment on Thursday this week in London. Are you doing the clinic this Thursday? I have been for the last couple of months (of and on) having a little difficulty with acid reflux. I have 6ml in my band and am below my target weight but now very concerned because I have good days and bad days but by no means am I able to eat a proper small meal. Although saying that I have been able to eat seeded bread with cheese (soft) as and when. I have also over the past few weeks managed a couple of pieces of pasta (x 2) and small bits of chicken (approx 1/2 inch in size) and not been sick. I have survived mainly on soup since December 2010 and I have to be honest I am fed up with eating just liquids. I am so exhausted as I am finding it difficult to get the right amount of protein etc and my energy levels have plummetted over the last few weeks where I have to take a nap in the day (when I am not at work) beacuse I am so exhausted. I also have this horrible burning sensation and find that milk helps but amvery worried. So do you think it would be a good idea to have a slight defill? Any thoughts anyone? Thanks Claire x

radpad i would say go for it i fell its the best thing ive ever done for myself,i have my confidence back and feel good about myself again no more hiding for me.If it's somthing you have been thinking of for a while defo just go for it,lots of people tried to put me off going for it but for me it was either listen to them and live a miserable life of none excistence totally fed up of diets that dont work or go for it and feel great so i opted for the feel good factor lol any questions just ask hun

Thanx Slinx for the lovely compliment, I wish I was a size 10!!!!! I'm in a 16 top and almost in a size 14 pants. But I've always been that shape , bigger at the top than the lower area. My Mum and my best friend both gave me a compliment yesterday, independently, they both remarked on my shrinking bottom lol. Slinx is correct, my band wasnt done by Dr Chris, as you can see in my sig. How good are you going the gym 4 times a week Laila, you deserve the rewards, I'm a lazy git thats why I have so much loose skin, that and my age of course. I used to go the gym 3 times a week a few years back, but I got fed up in the end. Irish LBG, dont despair, like Slinky says you need a few more fills and you wont be able to eat, I had my second op in Feb 2009 and didnt get any restriction until July of that year. It has taken me since then to lose 4 stone, but I'm almost at goal now, so dont give up and dont anyone here feel bad about themselves, we all know how it feels to be fat, and we sympathise, but you are doing the best thing you can, about it, and you will win in the end, just make sure you keep getting the fills until you can only eat a third of a cupfull, and the weight will disappear.

Hi everyone, Today went well, I had another 1ml put in that takes it up 2 6mls. I still dont have a restriction, but I will be trying a little harder till my next fill. My port has been really sort for a few weeks, so I explained this to fred 2day, when he had a look he said that it looked like i must have pulled my port and maybe torn a stitch which has caused some internal bleeding and made me swell and sore. I am so glad this is wat it is , I was getting worried. He says the healing may take a few weeks. When he weighed me I had only put a pound on, so I was so glad. Fred reccons that another fill and I will be restricted. Sorry guys for all the moaning. I am just fed up with not loseding any weight.

HI Gillian.. dont worry I wont get fed up.. I'll be keen to know how you get on too..Im having my fill in Manchester.. its on an industrial estate just off the airport.. Its not under xray, you have to go back to brussels for that.. but you can have a fill under xray in MRI for £150..(not under Dr Chris) As for band size, he certainly put the same size in all us ladies that day.. not sure how he decides on size, maybe a question to ask him? let me know what he says.. As for injection, yes you have to take them for 5 to 7 days post op.. they supply youwith them.. inject into your stomach, grab a lump of flesh to the side of you belly button and plunge!!.. it stings but you get used to it.. alternate sides for injecting.. avoids bruising.. hope this is all helpful vanessa

Hi fatduck this is what Im talking about when I say I cant eat anything that is mushed up. I am a bit fed up eating only mushy food so thought I would try a small amount of pasta with tiny pieces of chicken in a white sauce and boy was I sorry, I was in pure agony and felt as if I was being strangled around the chest. I am eating slowly and chewing lots but it is still happening. I thought I would be able to at least eat some normal foods although a smaller portion but the most solid thing I can eat is fish or cottage pie. Anyone any ideas Im 22 days post op and wondering if I will ever be able to eat anything in solid form again.:smile: Jx

Hi everyone, long time no speak, sorry not been on for a while, I am totally fed up, I cam eat most things, Except bread, I have not lost any more weight. I keep getting food stuck, which is very painfull, I thought I would have lost some weight, but nothing, Any advise would be great, I would love to start losing again. You guys are really doing good, keep it up people.

Just brillaint, well done. Superb news about the loss since seeing the Doctor. Hopefully she will do the referral as she will see you have really committed to this. My fingers are crossed for you. Congrats on the job and also the fabulous loss, not long to go until you are at your target. It's a nice feeling isn't it. As for the clothes it's trousers I find I am getting through. I have just been and bought size 14 in one style and size 10 in another, as I am so fed up of looking like a clown in size 16. I need to find a way to take them in as I have some really lovely tailored trousers that I have only just bought recently! Anyway, well done and take care. C x

its been ages since i've been on. i was quite fed up really. I went through a clinic called cosmedico to have the surgery. basically its like an agent that puts you in touch with CDB instead of going directly which i should have done. Had surgery in early Jan had a fill in feb and then cosmedico couldn't organise a fill for me. i was in for one then they cancelled it and then they scheduled one for a few weeks later telling me that the all the earlier time slots were taken. anyway got the fill about 2 weeks ago went from 3 mls to 5 and wow what a difference! it has i could only drink liquids for 2 weeks now it has loosened a bit and fred said one more fill should do it for me. strange thing is when i went to get the fill in cosmedico they told me they are no longer running the clinic that its now going to be run in the city centre where i think their main clinic is, and i can't even make appts via cosmedico just direct with fred, so i am suspicious the Dr chris is severing his ties with the clinic which wouldn't suprise me. anyway had my fill which is working now and even happier not to have to deal with my useless agent. Anyone who is thinking of having the surgery..its much easier to go direct to Dr Chris..skip the agent/clinic cos you only end up paying more. €3000 more to be exact you learn through these mistakes i guess! glad to see everyone has been doing well x

Hi Freckles Well my brother calls me pork ball, and yeah he used to call me that when I was young and skinny too! My little neice overheard me talking to my mum when I said I can't wait to be a skinny minny, and asked why did I want to be a skinny minny, I replied, because I 'm fed up of being a Fatty Patty! It has stuck since then. Thanks for the advise, well done on your loss. I can't wait to have this done x

Welcome Swish BC!!! KC - Hope your fill works out...know the feeling of being too tight and that is just HORRID. Luluc - tried making the protein shake in the morning - what kind of PB do you use? Mine just kinda coagulated at the bottom. Today: B - Banana PB Protein Shake & Coffee w/FF half & half L - 12 All Bran Crackers & 2 oz. of colby cheese S -1/2 cheerios dry (shared a snack w/daughter!) D - 1 cup of beef stew (WW recipe mostly ate the veggies) S - 1/2 cup strawberries S - 60 cal pudding and wasa cracker no official workout today - did a lot of running around w/kiddies

i have not posted for a while. I keep making excuses i guess :cursing: well i need to start posting again bc i thinks it well help me along this journey if i do breakfast-4 oz omelette with turkey bacon, onions and bell peppers, 10 med subes of watermelon Lunch-1 banana and 8 oz milk and some watermelon Snack-(maybe) watermelon or crackers Dinner-4 oz meat with some beans and guacamole yummy!!:cursing: BANDED 2/9/09 AND LOVING IT!!!

Okay, so I discovered these a few months ago: The multi ones are awesome bc you have to take 6 daily. I like it bc I can divide it up into 3x daily and it isn’t as concentrated and therefore doesn’t upset my sleeve. The iron has vit C with it, which is critical for absorption. 3 daily is the dose and I take them with food (but not with dairy) Then of course is the generic Miralax. I mix 1 scoop in my morning bottle of water and sometimes I need to mix a second if I get behind. These 3 things I do religiously every single day. It took awhile to build that habit, but it’s totally worth it

Hi Gina. I have IBS as well. I was hospitalized as a toddler for a week - diagnosis: nervous stomach. Which of course became Spastic Colon, then IBS. Now, at 54 I got so fed up with how I was feeling that i decided I wasn't going to feel like it another day. I started doing research. I discovered while doing research that sorbitol and other sugar alcohols are in so many things (xylitol, mannitol, etc.). Even in my toothpaste. And more importantly, I was taking Cipralex Meltz which contain sorbitol - I can honestly say I felt poisoned. So - lactose intolerant, IBS and a pretty bad intolerance for sugar alcohols (something I figured out 5-6 years ago but didn't know I was ingesting every single day). When I went to my doctor and explained all these thing she said - "I know what's wrong with you!" - She told me about the Low FODMAP diet - a Doctor in Australia (with celiac) discovered the correlation between certain foods and intolerances, and sugar alcohols and their effect on people with gastro-intestinal problems. The biggest factor for me has been removing sorbitol completely. I'm super vigilant about this. My brain-fog just disappeared, my gut/bowel was so much better after that. I'm fairly good at not eating the many fruits and vegetables, fructose, fructans, etc that are all part of this. I just could not understand why when I ate I avoided dairy but my almost instant diarrhea happened all the same. It was awful. I'm not completely out of the woods, but I feel control for the first time in my life! I downloaded the app, bought the book and haven't looked back. My IBS is one of my major concerns when it comes to getting the gastric sleeve operation. I'm very concerned about foods going through my system too quickly and making my life miserable due to the food bypassing the absorption in the small intestine and through to the large too quickly resulting in chronic diarrhea. I see my doctor August 11 and it'll be a question I'll be asking for sure. She may not know the answers but she may be able to send me to see somebody that does. I really think that you should try this diet, especially as you have IBS. Perhaps you already know about the Low FODMAP diet? If so, sorry I've wasted your time with this very long message! lol The protein shakes you're drinking - check the ingredients. Become familiar with all the sugar alcohols so you can recognize them when you read ingredient lists. Most people with IBS also have lactose intolerance. Do you have it? Protein shakes are an issue for me - it's also a concern if I get the sleeve surgery as the protein shakes are a necessity from what I know. I can't have things like sugar-free popsicles (probably have sorbitol), shakes if they have dairy or sugar alcohols/sorbitol, etc. Dieting usually means low-fat, low-sugar foods. I won't be able to ever have those items, so will need to always have whole foods only - no processed. I will need to have a protein shake chosen beforehand that doesn't bother me. If it bothers me before surgery it'll be a nightmare after. Please look at this diet - there are so many doctors that don't know about it. Find a dietician who knows about it and get some help from him/her. Check your toothpaste, your foods/drinks, gum, mints, sugar-free pop (btw I can't have aspartame either). Good luck - would be so nice if this is a big help for you :-) I was put on the low fodmap diet six years ago. I was not lactose intolerant before my sleeve but I am now. Thanks for the thought and the time you took to message me.

Hi Kimmy2477. My date is the 27th also. I'm getting the sleeve. Really anxious and excited. Can't sleep tonight. Drs first patient backed out so my surgery was moved from 9:30am to 7:30am. I'll have to check in at 5:30am. Probably doesn't matter bc I won't be able to sleep anyway.

I just saved it and I'll watch it first thing in the morning! (trying to be quiet and my headphones are in my car.) I also just added a new entry in my blog on here, it's just a short update. I posted a picture of my incisions and it'd be nice to hear feedback. I'm pretty pleased with how small they look but I don't really have any to compare to! http://www.lapbandtalk.com/blog/7154-my-band-journey/ is my blog and again, you have to add me as a friend to view it! Annoying, I know, but I don't want non LBT random people around the Web to somehow see it. We all share a similar story - others just don't understand and my story is a secret because, well, I just don't have time for the BS, I got L-Bees to shred! Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using LapBandTalk

Great Info....still relevant so many years later. Thank you. I actually sent you a friend request on FB. I wanted to learn more about Dr. Alberto Aceves. I am also a revision surgery candidate. I had the lap band removed in October 2013 bc of complications. I couldn't do the revision at that point bc of too much damage and the insurance company didnt want to fund it. I'm now looking into Mexico bc of continued problems with the insurance company. Ironically, I already have the Insanity DVD also. Can't wait to get to the point where I can start it as well. I actually like working out so right now I feel like crap. Hope to get more advice from you. Thanks again.

My surgery was at noon yesterday. Woke up in quite a bit of pain. Two of my incisions that are close to eachother were really burning. Felt a little like he cut me in half lol. Once I was out of recovery I was pretty drugged up and don't remember much. I sat up though last night and could use the bathroom on my own. I've barely used the morphine pump. The nursing staff keeps calling me their ray of sunshine bc apparently a lot of people don't do this well. I had the test done to test for a leak and...NO LEAK (thank god). Hopefully starting fluids soon bc my stomach is kind of gurgling, but no hunger. Overall the worst part is the soreness but it's not unbearable. Hope everyone is doing well! Best of luck on all your recoveries!