Hi there, I am new to this forum. I have my first consultation with the surgeon next Friday March 30th:) . I am so excited but also nervous.

I have been reading through a few posts and it is so good to see that the majority of the feedback is positive.

I will be having my surgery done in Dublin and I was wondering if any of you have any advice as to questions I should be asking the surgeon next week.

Thanks so much. Brenners x

hi flirtylass,

i get my fills done by wendy in dublin i know she goes to belfast as well, not sure where. She is with WLS group. I book through colleen@wlsgroup.co.uk or check out the web site for a ph no: www.wlsgroup.co.uk she normaly comes to ireland the first wed of every mth and i think the following wk she goes to belfast. She is very very nice and knows what she is doing. I would recomend them - they group was started by michelle who had the band in herself and didnt think enough after care was available...

hope this helps.

:thumbup:

Hi Guys, I had my band done on dec 8th in Dublin. I am pretty sore and tired. anyone out there with advice on what to do? thanks a mill, emma.

Happy Christmas everyone and best wishes for 2009

Hi Everyone. Hope everyone has a great Christmas and Best Wishes for a skinnier 2009.

Elsie

Hi Guys, I had my band done on dec 8th in Dublin. I am pretty sore and tired. anyone out there with advice on what to do? thanks a mill, emma.

Hi carebear. Welcome to band land. Hopefully the worst of the post-op pain is gone for you now. If you have any specific questions please feel free to PM me.

Hi folks, hope you had a nice Christmas. I have had 2 consultations now this year, first was with Mr Kennedy in Belfast in Feb (say no more:rolleyes:) and the second with Wendy from wlsg on 9th Dec. She has recommended I have a gastric bypass with Bruno Dillemans in Belgium. He done her daughter's operation too and she has seen him perform his ops and reckons he's one of the best.

I'm going to see my GP after the hols, he has offered to counter-sign my passport forms for me. Then I can contact wlsg and look at some dates.

I am new to this forum...Just wondering have any of you been to the Beacon for surgery?

How long does it take from 1st meeting to banding?

X

Edited January 11, 200917 yr by emmage

Hi everyone. Does anyone know of any support groups in Dublin/Kildare area?? Was banded in august 2008 and not doing so well so trying to see if there is anyone out there who can help!

Hello to all. I had posted on here a few times last year, I stopped posting because I never had an easy time with my band and felt I was bringing everyone 'down' with my absolute devastation over the whole effin situation. Then it all got worse where people were paranoid here after all the media crap, so I just gave up. The collapse of ACS was the final icing on the cake. I was banded by Jerome in August 07 and had only had 2 fills and 1 defill before it all went wrong. Jan saw me in Feb 2008 and took me down to 2cc or ml or wahtever it is and even after that, I was still sick almostdaily and spending loads of time pureeing food and making soups. I have had horrendous reflux to the point that my dentist commented on the acid erosion damage to my teeth over the last year and half. I can't eat out with friends; they all comment on how little I eat and a few think I have an eating disorder now. I have come up with a handy 'hernia' excuse, but now my closest friends are urging me to 'get it fixed' b/c they are worried at my lack of eating solids.

Donna, The not very helpful receptionist, in Cork, mucked up Jan's request for a test to see my band placement and sent me for a ultrasound of the abdomen instead of an xray!! Luckily, aCS paid for it, but Jan couldn't tell me much and w/in 2 weeks, the ACS was finnito. I feel I need a barium swallow test or upper GI but my GP has no experience with bariatrics and doesn't seem to give a toss anyhow. I have lost 4 stone. That Is Fantastic. I look better, my cholesterol is normal now and I feel more energy. I called ACS/Hospital Group all summer, to be told time and time again they would ring me tomorrow or that I was on a list. They never sent me any letters or appt. times in dublin or belfast. I think they thought I was trouble and didn't want me to know nurses were giving fills. ?? I don't know?

But, I question whether it was all worth it. I have no enjoyment of social occasions or holidays. So much is based on food. I found my holidays bland too. Couldn't enjoy the tasty dishes everyone else tucked into. I try and get in extra calories by eating custards/yogurts and smoothies. I have had loads of hair loss despite valiant attempts to keep my protien levels up.

Now, I am trying to get pg. again. I will need a total defill to get my nutrition up if I need IVF. I have sorted a guy in London to do it for £95 (plus airfare, tube, etc.) I am so unhappy about this situation.

At this point I just want this thing out of me.I think more support would have helped, but we are in the wrong country for that to have happened. Friends of mine in the USA get way more support and can be more open publicly in their life choices. Here, it is a stigma. What a shame.

If there is anyone in Cork area who wants to meet up for a rant, a rave and just a cuppa or glass of wine. Let me know, I would love to be able to go out to eat with people who don't think I am a freak for always ordering soup and not being able to eat it all!!!

on the flipside, chocolate has become a friend and i don't even gain weight eating it. Thank god for small miracles!

Lots of positive stories here which are great, but newcomers should hear all sides of this complex story. It isn't an easy way to lose weight, it is a lifestyle change and hard work.

Good luck to everyone.

ps. I did contact a solicitor about a class action suit or single suit against ACS. They sent a long questionnaire and called several times before finally telling me they didn't think they could pursue the company due to bankruptcy laws,etc.

If anyone wants to look into this further, I am all for it and will not hesistate going public or to the media. Screw them, :mad:they didn't worry about any of us or our health.

:wink2:Jules

Hi all. Was in for a fill today. Went to get 1ml but could only get .75 in. I'd forgotten how wonderful restriction was!

Haven't been on here in ages! Am down over 4 stone now. Hope to lose another 2 at least.

Elsie, hope you got my pm. I'm such an eejit. Forgot my phone but remembered my laptop. Duh!

All is well in my world anyway. Am going to start posting here more as I have fallen into bad habits that I need to lose

Almost my 1 year anniversary! Feels like a lifetime ago.

Hi Guys,

Just a quick note to let you all know how i am getting on. Was a bit crap for a while afterwards cos i havent lost any weight. i had my second fill yesterday and am feeling restriction for the first time yesterday. The surgeon and the staff in the blackrock clinic have been really nice. I was worried about the weight issue a few weeks ago and the surgeon called me on my mobile to have a chat and to reassure me. they are very nice.

I am hoping the weight will now start to come off.

Will keep you guys updated.

Good Luck to everyone. x

Jules,

Dr De Bruyne will do a review under fluoroscope for you - I had one last Friday to check that everything was ok ( was having really bad reflux esp whilst asleep) - turned out I was too tight so he took out a ml - with him for 10 minutes and I was sorted. He is close to Brussels airport and you can do it all in the same day - don't know if that is an option for you at all? It's not nice not being able to eat at all - I sympathise completely!

Siepie

Know how you feel Lindsey! You'll get there.

Just be warned that the first 2 weeks after surgery are liquids only and 2 weeks after that it's mushies (anything the consistency of baby food). Then you can eat normal food again.

The weight fell off me the first 2 weeks but I haven't lost anything since (nor have I gained which I am happy about as it doesn't feel like I'm limiting myself really).

I eat when I want, try to make fairly responsible choices, eat as much as I need to to feel full etc. But if I am somewhere where I can't eat sensibly I can eat there too and the difference is I don't feel like I've "blown" my diet because I'm not on one. That is the main difference for me. Lets say before the band I was on a diet and with a friend and went to McDs. I would think "oh to hell with it, I'll treat myself" and eat all around me! Then the next day I would think "in for a penny, in for a pound. I've blown the diet this week with the McDs so I'll just enjoy myself and worry about it next week. And so I fail on the diet and never resume it again! :tongue2:

With the band I am in the same position (in McDs) but this time I know I can eat until I'm full but it won't take much. I order a hamburger and fries and a water (as I can't drink fizzy drinks). So I eat the meat from the burger. By the time I finish that(if I manage to) and a few fries I am full and everyone else is also finished as it takes so long for me to eat. Therefore I don't have to watch them eat! So off I go feeling satisfied, knowing it probably wasn't the best thing for me but hey, I ate so little of it that it doesn't matter.

I don't know if that makes any sense or if I am just rambling but I have a whole different mentality to food since I got the band. I am not dieting, I am not suffering, I am not longing for things and seeing some food as bad iykwim? I am not punishing myself I suppose. I am just eating. I love food and I love eating and I can still do that (within reason) but I feel satisfied when I am finished which is the big thing for me because I HATE being hungry :thumbup:

Ailbhe,hi aim new on this site i am getting band on 6Th March by Dr Chris de Bryne in Belgium, i so nervous about the op have myself convinced something is going to go wrong for me all tho i know Dr Chris has a very good rep,can i ask you Ailbhe how much weight have you lost and how many fills have you had , did you get your fills done in Dublin by Dr Chris, and sorry one more thing did you have to pay for surgery the night before in your hotel, sorry for all the ?:thumbup:

Jules,

Dr De Bruyne will do a review under fluoroscope for you - I had one last Friday to check that everything was ok ( was having really bad reflux esp whilst asleep) - turned out I was too tight so he took out a ml - with him for 10 minutes and I was sorted. He is close to Brussels airport and you can do it all in the same day - don't know if that is an option for you at all? It's not nice not being able to eat at all - I sympathise completely!

Siepie

Hi Siepie, just found this thread from Ireland i am getting band in on the 6th March with Dr Chris de Bruyne i see you did the same how did you get on with him, how much weight have you lost and how many fills have you had sorry all the ?

Greetings from the US. I will be in Killarney (Cork) in two weeks, as I am considering moving to Ireland. I am an American who had the lap band in Dec. 2008. I am 11 weeks out and have lost about 22 lbs. How tough is it to get fills/support for lap banders in Southern Ireland? Thanks, in advance.

Greetings from the US. I will be in Killarney (Cork) in two weeks, as I am considering moving to Ireland. I am an American who had the lap band in Dec. 2008. I am 11 weeks out and have lost about 22 lbs. How tough is it to get fills/support for lap banders in Southern Ireland? Thanks, in advance.

Hi anabeni, Well done on your weight loss,it is very tough to get information in Ireland, i had my surgery done in Belgium because its much cheaper then in Ireland,my surgeon comes to Dublin once a month only for that i dont Know of anywhere i would get fills from depends where you have your surgery, if i had it done here i would get the aftercare,but because i had it in Belgium they would be reluctant to see you sorry hope this helps, welcome to Ireland:smile: