Audrey

Thanks so much for your lovely comments (i'm blushing now). I still have a little under 50 pounds to go before my BMI is at 25 - but realistically i'd be happy with another 30 ish off. It's a long road, it's not easy but I promise you - with a little hard work and some patience you'll get there !!! Have a great Hogmanay !! Aud x

What I've found is that Weight Loss Surgery is a long and hard road... it's certainly not the easy way out.... I wish it were.... BUT, if used correctly, banding is a great tool to aid you in our weight loss goals. Dont get me wrong, all weight loss surgeries have to be worked at. WE know that the band is a tool and not a magic pill. I wish it were ! So far, I am definately finding it easier and more successful than anything I have attempted before. One thing that I love about the band opposed to dieting alone, is that it wont allow me to throw in the towel and undo all the good work that i've done. Previously on diets I could stay motivated for a few months then for whatever reason, I would break the diet and before I knew it, i'd gained all the weight back again! ALL surgeries - no exception have to be worked at - they all take an aspect of "can't have this" "must do that" - some people in my family/work think it's a matter of getting this band in & then the weight falls off ! gawd I wish it were as easy as that ! The band seems to get bad press all over the place... It IS more challenging than RNY or DS - we DON'T have the luxury (if you can call it that) of malabsorbsion.. but the fact remains - that over a 2 year period the "stats" show that the average excess weight loss with all ops are very similar... and we as bandsters have the "luxury" of NOT having our plumbing re-routed! ok off my soap box now lol. It's just that I feel so defensive over my band - it's given my my life back - and allowed me to look forward to a future that's not as bleak & depressing as it was a year ago. It really bug's me when it's dismissed as a second rate surgery... or one that "that's all we could afford!" ARGH! Hope you have a great festive season my banded friends ! Aud x

oh Alex, I could have written that post! thanks for sharing it! It can be so hard ! wonder if it's because of the time we are out? we're not as "focussed" on it and are WELL passed the time when we would have chucked in the towel & eaten ourelves back to start weight with a lot more pounds on for good measure... I suppose it may be the sustaining now - "can't gain - need to lose more" pressure that we put on ourselves? ah dunno... I DO know that i'm right there with you! THinking of you mate Aud x

SO cute !!! What a handsome family you have !! Congratulations on being in the photo - good on ya !!! Aud x

I'm only 15 1/2 months out & i've reached my second "big" goal already....... My first goal was to be in a size UK 20....... my second was to beat my lowest weight ever having "been on a diet" and I reached that today. In 1997, I went "on a diet" - my most successfull to date, (apart from WLS that is ......) I was 26 years old, my weight was 25 stone 12 lbs (362 lbs) ... I'd lost a little over 8 stone (112 lbs)... I was truly impressed... The lowest weight I got to with this diet was 16 stone 11 pounds (235 lbs)... of course (as you do) I gained confidence... & went out more... Then, I gained my weight back.. plus another 3 stone for good measure (don't we all??)... as of this morning - I weight 16 stone 10 (234 lbs)... imagine that ! Regulars to my journal with remember that, my heaviest weight preop was 27 stone 12 pounds (391 lbs) ... since the surgery I've lost 11 stone 2 pounds (156 lbs), my BMI has come down from 54.5 to 32.7 that's an almost 22 point reduction.. I'd say that was a success? BUT... that was goal number 2. I feel to "beat" my previous record.... I'm thinking... can I get to "big" goal number 3??? Goal number 3 is to get "comfortably" into a size UK 14........ (realistically a 16... but we all have dreams)... What does the next year hold for me? I hope to look back, this time next year, and think... I'm where I want to be.. y'no? I want to thin/slim - and think... "ahh.. I'm normal... I look like average Joe.. I'm me & Fook the rest of you!"... Is that selfish Is that vain? Am I self absorbed? Do I only ever think of me? Who knows where next year will take me... Here's to 2005 ! Aud x op date 26.8.03... lap band Mr Galloway - Gartnavel General - Glasgow Lost 156 lbs.... (11 stone 2 lbs/70.7 kg) Start BMI 54.5 - now 32.7 (lost 73.93% Excess Weight)

Thaks so much for your lovely comments. They really are very much appreciated. Hope you have a smashing festive season! aud x

Och thanks very much for that... My before's we're taken about 2 weeks post op (September 2003) & the "Durings" were taken in August 2004.. They are here http://www.wlsinfo.org.uk/audreys_pictures.htm Hope you can see them ok...... Aud x

as far as i'm aware he places swedish band (I must stress - he does not like placing bands & will try to talk you into having anothe type of WLS !) Anyone whom i've come into contact with this surgeon has been either refused banding by this surgeon or had to "prove" that bandin is for them.... be prepared ! De Himpens charges £3,000 (ish) for banding (swedish)- but you will have to REALLY show that you ONLY want banding - he prefer's DS... Dr Frering in France charges £4,500 for MID band - UK surgeons charge aroung the £8,000 mark Aud x

You gorgeous !!! Smashin pics ! Aud x

I'm so pleased for you !!! You look so happy! Aud x

Hello there My experience of Dr Himpens is that he really doesn't like placing the band - he doesn't agree with it! He much prefers DS or RNY. So be prepared for him to try to talk you out of it! and even refuse to place the band. Dr Frering in France is a very god surgeon & only takes 15 mins to place it. He's worth looking into. Aud x

That's great news! It's so good to see you home and posting so soon! Put your feet up - remember you've had major surgery! Welcome to the beginning of your new life ! YEAY !! Aud x

She was on UK tele the other night (Parkinson) She was telling him about her operation & definately said she's had a band. She described it to him in quite good detail. Defo a band then! Aud x

good on ya! Brilliant post ! Aud x

I don't know about you guy's accross the pond - but in the UK the band op costs around £8.000 - usually inclusing 3 post op fills and hospital stay. In France it's 6,000 euro's (about £4,500). How much is it for the package over there? Aud x

hello there Leo posted this a while ago - Thought it might help you. "Fear of losing the Weight Loss Battle You won't lose the battle if you are willing to work with the band and do Your part But I can almost guarantee: ·You will have plateaus when you first switch to solids until your body gets used to being fed instead of starved. ·During many plateaus you will lose inches not lbs and finally a larger loss. ·Your loss in the first 30-40 days is a never to be repeated experience so enjoy it Then you begin the long slow journey downward (not upward) ·You will learn the fine art of PB's and what causes them for you is it swallowing air when you eat. Eating too fast.. Not chewing well or too big a bite.. Eating the wrong food for you...and not recognizing the no longer hungry after 1/2 cup (satiation) versus I want to eat more cause I can or it tastes good or I crave (head hunger). ·You will watch your body shrink and will walk a bit taller literally and figuratively... Start slipping into booths in restaurants. Sit in chairs with arms .. Stop worrying about how strong the chairs are...Not having to ask for an extender belt on airlines.. Finding it is easier to and you have more energy to walk / go up stairs/ Clean house and do a million other day to day activities ... Slip in and out of bath tubs where the Water goes all the way around you instead of damming up and it doesn’t kill you to stand up from sitting on the floor ...Wipe yourself easily in the bathroom.. Watch the years fall off your face and drivers license picture .. Go to a restaurant and order an appetizer and still end up with leftovers to take home.. ·Go through doubts and several fills/defills until you hit the sweet spot fill level for you. ·Will have to stop several times along the way to reassess your eating habits (I could eat certain foods and get away with some cheating a bit quantity wise at 359 and still lose .. That had to go at 250) ·I have also found that I have to keep reminding myself 1/2 cup of solids 3 times a day only and drink my water (1 hour after meals until the next meal but not with meals) ·Eat Protein first ..Fruit and veggies second and non-complex carbs last. (Keep the fats, sugars and non-complex carbs low ..Still have them but keep em low). And believe it or not a plateau that indicates that you need a fill is 1.No weight loss for 4 weeks. 2.You are following all the band rules (8 times out of 10 we want to be able to break the rules and still lose.figuring if we get a fill it will miraculously start us losing without us having to do our part). 3.You are eating foods that are hard and stick in your band for the 3-4 hours not drinking your calories- You are hungry an hour after eating (really hungry not cravings) and the 1/2 cup doesn't stay in the band for 2 1/2 to 4 hours. 4.You are drinking your 60+ Fl oz water a day and not drinking with your meal or for at least an hour after. 5.Once you move from mushies to solids.. As much as possible get your nourishment from food that is solid. If you have problems with it sticking in your stoma.try it again chewing it well..Cutting it up finer or chewing it with other foods to keep it from recombining in your pouch and forming a plug (e.g. potatoes).. 6.Try to avoid Soups and or Protein drinks if possible (if you are able to eat your protein you will be full longer - some people have tight bands in the morning and cant eat so have a protein drink) 7.Whenever you hit a plateau.. Keep a food diary and log everything, including water, which goes in and measure the 1/2-cup of solids. Mine grew twice from 1/2 to almost a cup without my noticing lol. 8.Try weighing in once a week to begin with not daily. Later move to once every 2 weeks or once a month. When you are losing slowly weight fluctuates daily with hydration levels etc. At least this way you normally will see a loss and not a fluctuate on or gain. Yes the loses are smaller but they are down not up. 9.Measure yourself monthly ..Often you lose inches before you lose lbs. 10.Don’t compare yourself to others.. We all lose at different rates based on age/metabolism/food choices/ activity level.. But we can all lose " Hope that helps Aud x

You must be worried out of you mind ! You know you are doing the right thing though with keeping on liquieds & starting again with introducing sloppy's etc. I hope it settles down really soon. Aud x

Im so sorry i've not been around for the last few weeks.. My work is busier than the busiest thing ! We have a 4 "man" team... one person left... one went off sick... now another is going off sick as from Tuesday! ARGH !!! so... i'm in the process of training 3 new staff. ARGH ! PLUS that we're busier than we've ever been... so the last thing I want to do when I get home is sit in front of a computer again! ok ok ok moan over ! (good bit is... i'm getting overtime! hehehe). I'm not going to be able to be on as much for the next wee while... so don't forget me!!! hehehe. Where am I up to? erm..... I got another wee 1/2 ml fill in the other week - I needed tightened up again after having it taken out (coz I was coughing in my sleep - nightmare) - i'm glad to say that the coughing/choking didn't come back & my restriction is back to where it should be! YEAY ! My weight is comming off at about 1 pound a week - sometimes more sometimes less... i'm not stressing about it (aye right! hehehe).. long road... need to get my head round that! (don't we all?!). I'm looking in now and again - and it's good to see you all getting on with things! chufft for you! Hope your all well. Miss you !!

Thanks lassies ! I've really missed the place ! Aud x

Fancy meeting you here Joanne !! This is another great site ! Welcome aboard ! Aud x

No problem mate ! I'm sending the info to you now ! Aud x

the best thing to do is to CHEW CHEW CHEW !!! take your time ! maybe have one or 2 spoonfulls then wait for about a minute - then have another 2 - y'no? if you hicup - or your nose start running, or you get a sensation in your chest of ANY description STOP !!! and wait for at least a minute.. Remember the 20 minute rule - if you havent finished what you are eating in 20 minutes - stop eating it ! also - don't drink anything for at least 30 minutes before and after food. Hope this helps a wee bit Aud x

Your gorgeous !!!! in only 10 weeks too !!! Brilliant !!! Aud x

i'm thrilled for ya !!! THats the best news !! good on ya ! Aud x

Hello there ! i'm here ! **waves** I'm from Glasgow ! pleased to meet you ! Did you know that there are Support group meetings in Leeds & Birmingham (infact all over the UK??) - let me know if your interested & I will PM you the details ! don't feel like the odd one out - they may be accross the pond - but they sure talk a great lapband ! lol Aud x