Hi from Ireland!

[skinnyirishbabe 0]

Hi Simone, I don't really think supplement fibre is a good idea, I tried it myself. I find if i eat weetabix and proper brown bread soaked in Soup, this really helps. Much healtier

[Marge 0]

Hello Everyone

I've an appointment with CdeB at 3.00 Why don't we meet at larry Murphy's at 1.30 ish.

Marge

[siepie 0]

Hi Ladies,

We will be in Dublin prior 12.30pm as my friend has an initial consult at 12.30pm with Dr DeB so if anyone would like to catch up prior to that give me a shout. My appt is at 2.20pm so I can also catch up between 12.30 and then otherwise.

Siepie

[Coco 0]

Hi Guys,

I've not been on the site much since my VV op two weeks ago. :drool:. I've been looking after myself and lying down with my feet up at every available opportunity.. Anyway, I can't believe its been a month already for you guys having your Belgium fills :thumbup:. I'm not sure if I can meet up with you yet but if I can I will. Its just a short journey into town for me and I love meeting you all so if I can be there I will.

Okay, the food issues, to mush or not to mush that is the question :eek:. First I need to brag........... I have gone from 16.9 stone to 10.11 stone in 16months. Yes that is almost 6 stone. How did I do it. Simple, I learned to chew. Yes that's all it is. I eat what I want when I want and as much as the band allows me. The secret is to chew and chew and chew some more. Then put your knife and fork down between mouthfuls, in the beginning you will have to remind yourself to do this, you must also wait till each fork full is right down in the band not just out of your mouth, its slow, you must get your head around this, the secret of the band is to chew and eat slowly. On the bread issues, yeah okay, I can't eat bread either, the odd crust covered in butter while I make the kids lunches is the most I have these days. To be honest, I don't use diet foods ie: low fat butter, mayo etc. but I do try to keep the crap to a respectful limit but having said that I have been know to polish off the entire contents of a large Hagen Daz Tub of Ice Cream and its been on special offer in Dunnes at half price for weeks now so I have been scoffing it more than once a week in the past few weeks.:thumbup:. Look I don't mean to sound like this is easy, its not, and I've learned the hard way, PBing every meal I tried to eat for the first god's knows how many months. But I learned, if you want to eat and keep it down, you have to do it slowly and chew and chew and chew. Of course you must have your fill level correct, if its easy to eat you need a fill!

[Coco 0]

Hi Again,

Have you all heard that FERN BRITTON is out of the band closet. Yes the poor girl was outed by the News of the World on Sunday last and she admitted it at the start of her "This Morning" programme on Monday morning. Poor girl, its terrible when a person is forced to admit something that is totally private and personal to her. Its not like she was trying to sell an exercise DVD or give Diet advice, in fact she said on "This Morning" that she has never given an interview to any of the mags or newspapers that have had her in them, and that when asked how she was losing the weight she said that she was eating less and exercising more, which is what she has been doing, allbeit with the help of the band. I spoke to my sister and she is currently dieting to lose the baby weight and she said she was delighted to hear that Fern had the band as she was starting to feel a complete faliure at her own efforts, so I suppose on that front, it is better to know if a famous person is banded or not. I wish Fern and all us bandsters continued success.

[ailbhe 1]

Thanks coco. I know I need to slow down when eating and wait more between mouthfuls. I am eating away and then BAM, PB time. So I am going to try to make a conscious effort to do that.

Poor Fern Britton. it's terrible that her privacy has been invaded like that and now I know the band is going to be the talk of the office this morning and I'll have to bite my tongue.

On a downside it looks like myself and dp are splitting up. We have what Americans would call "irreconcilable differences". We need to talk more tonight but there are things we had planned for our future that he had decided last year he no longer wanted (marraige and more babies) and I've tried to deal with that but I can't. We were up talking til 5am and keep coming back to the same realisation...there is no middle ground on this thing.

So I'm in pieces today. Couldn't eat if I wanted to. I need to make some serious decisions about what I want from my life between now and this evening but I can't help but feel it's the end. :sad::drool::sad:

[skinnyminny2b 0]

Hi All,

Am new to this site from Dublin but living in the back of beyonds.

Have my consult with Dr Marc Focquet on Friday and if approved will travel to Belgium this day next week

Am nervous and excited all at the one time.

[Coco 0]

Hi Ailbhe,

I've PM'ed you. :thumbup:

[Coco 0]

Hi All,

Am new to this site from Dublin but living in the back of beyonds.

Have my consult with Dr Marc Focquet on Friday and if approved will travel to Belgium this day next week

Am nervous and excited all at the one time.

Hi Skinnyminny,

Welcome to the site, you'll find lots of interesting people on this thread and so many willing to give advice and support.

All of us have been nervous about the op but we did it anyway:biggrin:. In my case its the best thing I ever did for myself, and would do it again in a heartbeat.

Best of luck and keep us informed of your progress.

[PrincessLK 0]

Hi Ailbhe

Sorry to hear you're having such a rough time of it at the moment, hope all works out for the best for you and your family

xx

[Gerri 0]

Hi Ailbhe, sorry to hear about your situation. I know it must be tough, but you will make the right decision. At least ye are being honest and talking to eachother.

Coco good to hear from you. Hope you are well on the road to recovery from the VV op. You have done fab in the 16months, thanks for the insight into what has worked for you. I'm waiting to hear from ACS to see if when they will have someone available to do fills, at moment only have 3mls in but happy with how it is going.

Hi Skinnyminny welcome to the sight, its a great place to get advice, words of wisdom and support. Good luck with your consult.

All those getting fills with Dr CDB best of luck.

[Marge 0]

Hello Everyone

Ailbhe, I'm so sorry to hear you're having a bad time, you're a strong woman and you'll find a way through this. Good luck.

Coco I would just add one thing to your good advice. I find I have to take very small mouthfulls. If I take a standard mouthful and swallow some and it gets stuck I have to spit out the rest. Thank goodness that has not happened in companyso far.

Has anyone agreed to meet on Thur. As Simone is up at 12.30 maybe we should meet at Larry's at 12.30

Marge

[damienne 0]

Hi All,

Ailbhe,I'm sorry to hear that you are going through such a huge upheaval at the moment.I hope that things get easier for you soon around your relationship....you are already dealing with more than enough with the surgery etc.

Cocoo I wonder if you were referring to a vein op. in your post?

I could do with having it done if/when I loose weight.

Did you have to have a defill before and a refill after? i would like to know how that went.

I am due to have surgery with C.De.B in three days(06/06) but am swinging frantically between Yes and No.

My decision shifts two or three times a day and I HONESTLY don't know what I will do......HELP!!!!!

I want to thank Elsie SOOOOO much for meeting me last week and giving me so much information and support.

I backed away from having this op.two years ago.

This time I have come further ...had the consultation, booked the op. flight,hotel;bag almost packed.

Don't know if this fear or a genuine problem that I have with surgery as a way to tackle my weight.

Any advice????

[mol 0]

Hi all, it's good to know there's a few Irish out there going through the same thing. I'm having my band fitted in loughlinstown at the end of the month. I've been attending their weight management clinic for 7 months and have managed to loose 2.5 stone through diet etc, but slowed down now to 2lb a month....still have 6 stone to loose so could be at it for a while so they've offered the band as an extra support.I hope I've made the right decision ....any advice

[ailbhe 1]

Hi Damienne and Mol. I was sick with worry in the lead up to the surgery and very "will I, won't I??" for the month I had it booked but was waiting to go. Once the day to leave arrived though I was fine. I slept well the night before and went down to surgery with a few butterflies but quite confident. It was as I was waiting to be put asleep that the nerves got very bad but sure, I was knocked out a few seconds later

I won't lie, the day after you will have pain. I know some people don't but anyone i have spoken to has. I had a section and would compare it to this for the day or two after. It hurts to move, to get out of bed, to put on your shoes. But over the next few days it gets better and better. I found I just slept through the worst days (1&2). On day 3 we took the train into Brussels and spent the day at the cinema. Day 1 and 2 I couln't walk so that a good indication of how quickly you get better. Take your time and don't rush it. I went back to work 6 days after the op but I wasn't able for it at all so took another week off.

Within 2 weeks I was back to normal, pretty much.

Well, thanks everyone for the support. We had a looooong talk last night and things still aren't quite resolved (as in the main problem is still there) but we're going to give councelling a go to see if we can resolve some of the issues. The one thing we did agree on is to do everything we can to stay together so fingers crossed we can reach a compromise. Sorry for spilling my guts but I don't like to talk about it with friends and family so even though I know you guys, ye don't know him so it makes it easier to have a rant about him I hope you know what I mean.

My weight is still the same (not losing at all but not gaining either :eek:) but I know I need to step it up a notch and am planning on starting back to the gym or going walking. I decided not to get another fill yet as I am pretty happy with the restriction I have. (dinner last night was a small potato, a chicken goujon and a tablespoon of carrot) and I was stuffed. I am taking my time eating and chewing well and it's working (thanks Coco!!).

Even though I'm only 2 stone down I still think getting the band was the best decision I ever made.

Oh, by the way, anyone have any advice about the Hair loss? I've been losing clumps and it's really thin on top at the moment. Any of you know if I should take supplements and which ones to take?

Edited June 4, 2008 by ailbhe