Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

European Bandsters?



Recommended Posts

I'm from The UK... Technically, that counts as Europe! I had my band fitted a week ago. Back to work tomorrow.

The procedure cost me £7000

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hello Andy! Congratulations for your surgery! i lost also 6 kgr the 1st week!

I guess you still feel some pain, but don't worry next week will pass to history :-)

my procedure cost me 2.500 euro it was 7.000 euro totally (band+surgeon,hospital,tests,anesthegiologist) but my insurance covered 4.500 euro.

and of course the fills will be free.

i had my 1st one before 4 days.. i feel wonderful so far!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks for the encouragement - There's no pain now, but I could definately use a sausage sandwich(!) :-)

Psychologically, I can cope with this, 'cause I know I couldn't physically acomodate one.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Wow, audrey, you've lost an immense amount of weight. You must feel incredible...

If you could go back in time and give yourself advice just after your operation... what would it be?

ta!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

i wouldn't drinking too many beers when i was visiting London and Birmingham!

lol i ADORE your Stellas!! :-))

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hello Andy

The best advice I'd give myself would be to BE PATIENT! I couldn't understand why when I woke from the surgery that I wasn't a size 10 ! haha

no really.... The weight wasn't comming off quickly enough & I began to wonder if i'd made the wrong choice with ops..... I soon slapped myself out of that frame of mind and realised that it took me 30 years to gain the weight... I wasn't going to lose it all in a few months.

Also, I'd have told myself that I didn't have to be as tight as a fleas' purse to lose weight... infact, if I wanted to be healthy & happy, i'd be a teeny bit slacker - allowing myself to be able to eat meat & bread.... My idea now is.... if I'm going to eat crap - i'd eat it anyway.. no point in only being able to eat band friendly food. That defeated the purpose, y'no?

It's easy to be smart @rsed about it now tho - my weight is normal (ish) for my height - and the urgency isn't there anymore to get the weight off.

If i'd realised that, then I'd have saved myself alot of grief !

How you doing with things? Who's doing your fills?

Aud x

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I currently live in the Netherlands, and have had my surgery this past Friday, August 26th. I guess that makes me an "European" bandster.

:)

Andy,

I know exactly what you mean about wanting that sandwich!

Hugs,

Anrilea

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Well, I feel a little confused actually. :)

Reading all of the information on this site has been really helpful.

Though I'm finding that the clinic I went through, and the surgeon who banded me have different ideas of how things should be done.

For instance (please forgive if this is gross), the surgeon told me I could take the bandages off within a week, and cut the threads.

I called the clinic because my waterproof bandages were coming off, and they said go ahead and take a shower, and pull off the waterproof bandages, but not cut the threads, to call back and talk to their lapband specialist.

I called her, and she had a fit that I'd taken off the waterproof bandages, and was even thinking about cutting the threads. *sigh*

They've also got a completely different idea of an eating plan. For the first 14 days, you do liquids. Here they tell you you can have coffee, tea, Water, boullion, Slim-Fast or ModiFast. But then on their website it says that you can have thin yogurt drinks, and milk as well. I don't exactly know *what* to do. I've been trying Slim-Fast, Water, and tea, but I don't get far. It seems to hurt alot when I drink it, and I can never get one can down in a day, let alone the three they swear I *have* to have. I even tried watered down baby food, and that helped, stayed down well, didn't hurt, but then I'm told I'm absolutely not allowed to have that.

I am not sure that I am completely clear on what a PB is, but I think I get it every single time I drink the Slim-Fast, plus hiccups. :)

They also tell you to start with crackertype breads after the 14th day. There is no "mushy" phase that I can see. Really different from everything I've read here.

Other than all that, I still have a strong pain in my left arm/shoulder. I swear they must have dropped me on it while moving me from the operating table! :)

All in all, seeing as I came home from the hospital the same day as the surgery, I think I'm doing fairly well, just having difficulty adjusting to what is, and isn't good for me and my band.

Thanks for asking! :)

Hugs!

Andrea

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Andrea, everybody has other surgeon so everybody follows their doctors line, my opinion

is to follow your doctors orders because everyone is different. He only knows your needs!

As about the shoulder pains is normal after surgery because of the gas they used for the

operation! it will fade in a week or sooner if you start walking :D

Hang in there! everything will be fine!

p.s. My doctor also had me on Clear Liquids for 15 days but i confess that i did this diet

only one week.. after a week i started eating cremes, and yogurts, but slowly

and i just waited for signals from my band..

about PB i had one before a week, its like vommiting.. not exactly ..i think i had..

i'm new too to this journey, i would not like to say something thats not correct!

Do not worry so much! if you follow the rules of Band you will not experience this..

Lovz

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Trending Products

  • Trending Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • LeighaTR

      I am new here today... and only two weeks out from my sleeve surgery on the 23rd. I am amazed I have kept my calories down to 467 today so far... that leaves me almost 750 left for dinner and maybe a snack. This is going to be tough for two weeks... but I have to believe I can do it!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Doughgurl

      Hey everyone. I'm new here so I thought I should introduce myself. I am 53y/o and am scheduled for Gastric Bypass on June 25th, 2025. I'm located in San Antonio, Texas. I will be having my surgery in Tiajuana Mexico. I've wanted this for years, but I always had insurance where bariatric procedures were excluded. Finally I am able to afford to pay out of pocket.  I can't wait to get started, and I hope I'm prepared for the initial period of "hell". I know what I have signed up for, but I'm sure the good to come will out way the temporary period of discomfort and feelings of regret. I'd love to find people to talk to who have been through the same procedure or experience before. So I look forward to meeting you all. Hope you have a great week!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
  • Recent Topics

  • Hot Products

  • Sign Up For
    Our Newsletter

    Follow us for the latest news
    and special product offers!
  • Together, we have lost...
      lbs

    PatchAid Vitamin Patches

    ×