Hi there !

Glad to meet you! Hope you all had a lovely Christmas...

I thought I would introduce myself... ... My name is Audrey.. im 32 & from Glasgow in Scotland.

I was banded 26th August 2003 in Gartnavel General Hospital, in Glasgow, by Mr Galloway... I was "done" on the NHS.

I'm 5 foot 11 inches (180cm) I was always bigger than everybody else at school (hit that height at 14)... My mum is obese & the rest of my family suffer from overeating.

I was always getting a sweetie or something from my mum to eat, if I fell outside as a youngster or if I'd had a bad day at school... "cupboard love" my dad calls it. Thats probably one of the reasons why.. if I feel down.. all I want to do is eat.

My weight yo-yo'd all of my adult life... the first visit to a slimming class was with my mum.. I was 17 & 13 stones 3 lbs.... I thought I was massive.. that's the lightest weight I ever remember being..! it's now become my overall traget weight. We shall see.

At about 25 I managed to slip a disk in my back. my weight was 24 stone 12 pounds. I had to lose weight now!! I lost 8 stones in 10 months with exercise & Weight Watchers. That was it! I started feeling good about myself.. started eating out more & before I knew it... all back on!

I told myself & anyone who would listen that my weight didn't bother me... most of the time it didn't.. but sometimes, catching my reflection in a shop window would jolt me... I didn't realise how bad I was !

My mum told me about a year ago that I was going down her path.... & she didn't like it... she told me all the things that happened to her in her life... being overweight (she was 35 stones)... the physical problems that that came with.. She is now wheelchair restricted (even having lost 14 stones)... the emotional strain on her relationship with my dad.. she didn't want that for me. That conversation probably changed my life. No not probably... it did change my life.

My first appointment with Mr Galloway was in October 2002 I was 31 & weighed 27 stone 12 lbs (390 pounds BMI 54)... by the time all of the too-ing & fro-ing happened, I was put on the list on June of this year. He offered to take out my Gall bladder while he was there (It had been really bad for some time). He marked me as an emergency & told me it would take 3 or 4 months...

& the rest as they say, is history !

I'm ashamed to say that new very little about the band or any other WLS before I got mine.... I've since joined a few bandsters sites.... and I have a close working relationship with one site based in the UK, where I am a moderator. www.wlsinfo.org.uk

I have set up a Support Group in Scotland too... we've only met a few times... but we're getting there! it's not as easy as you would think! lol.

Thank you for reading my introduction... I hope I can make a positive contribution to your great site!

Kindest regards

Audrey x

Audrey,

Welcome.

You seem to be doing really well. Thanks for converting the stones to pounds...most Americans have no clue!

I'm sure you will find this board very supportive and informational!

I love hearing from the worldly bandsters...we have another on here, Bright, from Ireland and a few from Australia!

Hi Aud

Fancy meeting you here.

Thanks for inviting me

Soo xx

thanks for that Jennye

I'm getting there! Once I hit that elusive sweet spot... I think things will become much easier (I hope lol) !

I've invited some of my UK friends to the site... I hope you don't mind....

I see Soo has already found her way here !...

We are having a wee "mini meet" in Glasgow tomorrow. It should be great !

One of the ladies thats comming along has lost 225 pounds with her band... she was banded in March 2001. Great eh? !

Thanks again Jennye

Audrey x

Wow, 225 lbs! That is wonderful!

I saw the post from Soo as well.

I think it is so cool that this is an international meeting ground! At least I know if I ever have the opportunity to travel to Europe I will be able to arrange and meet you all!

Invite as many bandsters as you want! The more the merrier!

Scotland, eh? I once read a recipe for haggis and thought to myself, "Now, if I lived where that is served, I could get skinny and stay that way." Not so, huh?

Well, now I'm glad that you found us and the band...and I'm glad that there's something besides haggis to eat. Maybe I need to visit Scotland after all.

Welcome!

Sue

LOL Sue!

Scotland's a lovely place!

full of kilt wearing, haggis eating, hunky doods! (yea right!)

lol more like the Loch Ness Monster !!! & it's grandpa!