Hi

I have decided to get the procedure done - just have to save up for it. I live in uk and want to go to Brussels as it seems cheapest and safest there. Anyone know of the above?

Thanks

I.ve been on omeprazole at double usual dose from about 6 months now they really help but have'nt cured it enough to get a top up fill, but I would strongly recommend them.

Thanx for that Maggs, maybe try something new then. Different meds suit different people dont they.

But i will try anything if it gets rid. Last night I didnt have any reflux at all, after the little fill.

Hi everyone back from Belgium.It wasn't as bad as i thought it was going to be. Hotel was really nice for a budget one and the staff were very nice. The hospital was great all the staff speak very good English. I went on my own I wouldn't recommend it, it was alright till the day after the op and i had to go to the hotel i felt really vulnerable when my son phoned i started crying like a baby, i think its alot to do on your own but i didn't have a choose. Anyway back at home a bit sore where the portal is and i still have the stitches in, but i can't get over the fact that I'm not hungry its GREAT.I have a bit of trapped wind but that's about it. I'd say the worst thing about it all is the barium meal you have when you have the x ray it doesn't taste very nice and the side affect is terrible diarrhoea which lasts at least 3 days. I will keep you posted over the next few days. Oh i would take some dressing with you as they don't supply any when you leave the hospital, oh and the injections aren't too bad they don't hurt but its just a bit hard to stick a needle in yourself so if you can get someone else to do it might be better.

Hi everyone back from Belgium.It wasn't as bad as i thought it was going to be. Hotel was really nice for a budget one and the staff were very nice. The hospital was great all the staff speak very good English. I went on my own I wouldn't recommend it, it was alright till the day after the op and i had to go to the hotel i felt really vulnerable when my son phoned i started crying like a baby, i think its alot to do on your own but i didn't have a choose. Anyway back at home a bit sore where the portal is and i still have the stitches in, but i can't get over the fact that I'm not hungry its GREAT.I have a bit of trapped wind but that's about it. I'd say the worst thing about it all is the barium meal you have when you have the x ray it doesn't taste very nice and the side affect is terrible diarrhoea which lasts at least 3 days. I will keep you posted over the next few days. Oh i would take some dressing with you as they don't supply any when you leave the hospital, oh and the injections aren't too bad they don't hurt but its just a bit hard to stick a needle in yourself so if you can get someone else to do it might be better.

Gary you are an inspiration it's stories like these that make us feel better about getting banded,and twilight well done bet your glad your all done and dusted,it sowund like you wern't it too much pain,the night after in the hotel you were prob going through the emotions of what you have just done,but at least your done cool:thumbup:

Twlight.

Glad its all over for you now.

You were very brave being alone, but its not too bad is it.

Good luck hunny.

Today I can eat solids again, I wasnt too bad thursday and friday except I did cheat last night and ate a bag of crisps was so hungry.

Hi M is the medication you take for severe wind I'm being banded on 27

Freckles who helps you with aftercare I'm worried as to what I eat after the op

Hi M is the medication you take for severe wind I'm being banded on 27

Hi sher the medication is because at one stage I had my band overfilled and it caused night time reflux, I have now have had quite a lot taken out but still sometimes get reflux even though I take omeprazole every evening, the dissadvantage is that I have stopped loosing weight :confused:

Hi Sher,

This board helped me with aftercare, well i should say all the great people here.

I wasnt banded by Dr Chris, I dont know if he has aftercare in place but I'm sure one of the good people here will tell you hun. Dont fret over it cos you wont be alone.

I feel so different since I had the little extra fill, I truly hope i AM AT MY SWEET SPOT, i HAVENT BEEN FEELING VERY HUNGRY,( sorry didnt notice my caps were on.)

I cant eat very much, although I managed a piece of toast today, which i couldnt before...so weird.

Hi All:sad:

I wonder if there is anybody out there that doesn't feel positive at the moment. I don't want to put worries in the minds of new bandsters but need some advice from others that have felt like me or feeling like me.

I am feeling disillusioned and I am reading all the positive comments on this site and not relating to them at all at the moment.

I think I must be niave. I believed that having this band would end all my problems with food. I had my band on the 6th June, the first few weeks I hardly ate anything and lost a stone in weight. All good. For the last two weeks I have wanted to eat everything and all the time. I seem to be able to consume the same amount of food that I did before. I gained 2 lb in weight last week. I feel ashamed of myself and need to get a grip. I know that has to come from me and nobody else can help with that.

I am a terrible comfort eater. I know why this is but feel I don't want to share my reasons with the whole of LAP-BAND®.com at the moment.

Please could somebody answer the following questions:

Is it true that your first fill doesn't have much of a effect, that you need a couple before it will work?

Can you request and pay for a double fill?

I was banded by Dr Chris and going to Newport for my first fill on the 23rd of this month? What do they do when you go, do they give you the fill and send you on your way or do they talk to you about how you are feeling and give you much advice?

Has anybody else backed this up with some type of therapy? And if so, did it help?

I have eaten everything I ate before except fresh bread. Everything goes down okay and stays there but some things give me back the pain I had in my shoulder for the first few weeks? Is this a coincidence or do you think that this is my body telling me that this food does not suit me anymore?

Any advice would be great. I have bought a few books but to be honest they havent been very good.

Thanks in advance

You're very welcome Slinky, but its true.

Garry my old friend you have lost another person ...

I'm so proud of you, tell us what you eat/drink these days and what quantities if you dont mind.

hey freckles thanks

mmmm what do i eat well theres a question, no two days are the same with my bloody band, last week i could eat loads and even contemplated a wee fill, yet come friday night i could not eat a dam thing, but i can now mentally deal with that and just forget about it.

My average day is a slice of well done toast, it can take me 45 mins to eat but i do it at my desk and just forget about time, if i was to try do it in a rush i just would not bother about toast. i nibble the odd biscuit or wee bit of cake mid morning and lunch il have soup, or a tuna sandwich on brown again i can work with it to eat the bread allbeit slowly and for t i have been eating salmon just cooked and no more so it flakes along with very smooth mash potato.

I have to admit i do work hard at eating different things as i get bored with the same things, i get away with being a little naughty eating cakes etc as i train 6 days a week, im sure if i cut out the crap id of lost more weight however i am now at the point where i want to loose 2.5 stone more but it will come off when it comes off as i am pretty happy where i am and i loose more inches than weight due to my training. my target is to have lost that last bit by christmas however thenn i will be 17 stone and i hope at that point il be happy and not want to loose anymore as my build i dont think will look right as i have a 48 inch chest and a 40 inch waist so i was never made for speed hahahaha.

gx

Hi All:sad:

I wonder if there is anybody out there that doesn't feel positive at the moment. I don't want to put worries in the minds of new bandsters but need some advice from others that have felt like me or feeling like me.

I am feeling disillusioned and I am reading all the positive comments on this site and not relating to them at all at the moment.

I think I must be niave. I believed that having this band would end all my problems with food. I had my band on the 6th June, the first few weeks I hardly ate anything and lost a stone in weight. All good. For the last two weeks I have wanted to eat everything and all the time. I seem to be able to consume the same amount of food that I did before. I gained 2 lb in weight last week. I feel ashamed of myself and need to get a grip. I know that has to come from me and nobody else can help with that.

I am a terrible comfort eater. I know why this is but feel I don't want to share my reasons with the whole of LAP-BAND®®.com at the moment.

Please could somebody answer the following questions:

Is it true that your first fill doesn't have much of a effect, that you need a couple before it will work?

Can you request and pay for a double fill?

I was banded by Dr Chris and going to Newport for my first fill on the 23rd of this month? What do they do when you go, do they give you the fill and send you on your way or do they talk to you about how you are feeling and give you much advice?

Has anybody else backed this up with some type of therapy? And if so, did it help?

I have eaten everything I ate before except fresh bread. Everything goes down okay and stays there but some things give me back the pain I had in my shoulder for the first few weeks? Is this a coincidence or do you think that this is my body telling me that this food does not suit me anymore?

Any advice would be great. I have bought a few books but to be honest they havent been very good.

Thanks in advance

Jayne

what ur feeling is normal and i think everyone went through this, but without being flipant your not giving it much time, unfortunately the band is far from a miracle cure and requires a lot of working with it, i am 17 months post op and still struggle some days trying to understand it. UNfortunately i would guess you will be 3 maybe 4 more fill until it will do what its supposed to, yes every fill you will feel a difference but until you get to that true sweet spot will be some time so your just going to have to content yourself.

Sorry if i am sounding brash but unfortunately you need to try and get your head into eating well and healthy as if you never had a band as when you reach the spot you will be well on the way. When i first met dr chris he insisted that i loose 3 stone in 2 months if i wanted the op, this was for 2 reason, 1 i was over 29 stone and a big risk for anasthetic and 2 that he wanted to test my commitment to the band as i said earleir unfortunately its not a solution to weightloss it is merely a tool to help.

I done it and with male bands they take even more filling so i was i think 4 months before i felt any difference but fortunately my inital weightloss gave me the motivation, i unfortunately had a tubing leak and had to get a second operation in the aug(band insertion was feb) therefore i had to go back to scratch therfore it was oct before i got to proper restriction, now if on the op table he told me it would not work until the oct i would have said f@@k that and not bothered, time passes quickly, please try and get involved with some sort of excercise or even walking as trust me this makes a huge difference and allows me to be naughty and have the wee things that we think we cant on a diet and that has been why i aint failed because i have a little of what i fancy when i want. For example i got an indian curry on fri and as i could hardly eat it i left it and it done me 2 more meals, whereas before that one and a 2nd would have gone, but i was satisfied that i had something that was tast.

Pheww god i am rambling, in summary you have made the right choice as it definately works as long as you see it as a tool and not a solution, it aint easy not by a long shot but persevere, this site is here to help so if your low just extend a hand, i am happy for you to pm me any time, il even give you my mobile number if you want someone to chat to, i am not saying i have all the answers but i would now call myelf a pretty expierienced bandster.

just remember we are iall in the same boat just at different stages.

gaz

Hi All:sad:

I wonder if there is anybody out there that doesn't feel positive at the moment. I don't want to put worries in the minds of new bandsters but need some advice from others that have felt like me or feeling like me.

I am feeling disillusioned and I am reading all the positive comments on this site and not relating to them at all at the moment.

I think I must be niave. I believed that having this band would end all my problems with food. I had my band on the 6th June, the first few weeks I hardly ate anything and lost a stone in weight. All good. For the last two weeks I have wanted to eat everything and all the time. I seem to be able to consume the same amount of food that I did before. I gained 2 lb in weight last week. I feel ashamed of myself and need to get a grip. I know that has to come from me and nobody else can help with that.

I am a terrible comfort eater. I know why this is but feel I don't want to share my reasons with the whole of LAP-BAND®®.com at the moment.

Please could somebody answer the following questions:

Is it true that your first fill doesn't have much of a effect, that you need a couple before it will work?

Can you request and pay for a double fill?

I was banded by Dr Chris and going to Newport for my first fill on the 23rd of this month? What do they do when you go, do they give you the fill and send you on your way or do they talk to you about how you are feeling and give you much advice?

Has anybody else backed this up with some type of therapy? And if so, did it help?

I have eaten everything I ate before except fresh bread. Everything goes down okay and stays there but some things give me back the pain I had in my shoulder for the first few weeks? Is this a coincidence or do you think that this is my body telling me that this food does not suit me anymore?

Any advice would be great. I have bought a few books but to be honest they havent been very good.

Thanks in advance

Hi

I can completely understand how you are feeling, if you do some research on internet its commonly called "BANDSTER HELL" - that stage where we think it has failed.

I had my band done in March, missed my first fill because of ash cloud and have now had 2 fills = 5.25 mls and still have virtually no restriction however I have lost almost 2 stones = 1/2 stone per month, which I am happy with and know that once I hit the right fill level, the weight will start to come off

Exercise is also key and although the weight loss has not been huge I am losing inches and my body shape is changing

Hang in there and it will fall into place eventually

Kerry xx