Yana

www.obesity-assist.com Dr Chris is excellent and has done thousands of band ops. He also tried his best to save his patients money where possible. Aftercare is second to none at either his rooms in Brussels or monthly in London and Edinburgh. He shares rooms with Dr Marc in Upper Wimpole Street. He banded me over 3 years ago in June 2004 and I am so glad he is my surgeon! Yana:)

Do any of you also use any similar sites as this one? I would be intersted in finding out if there are other English speaking groups but with more British/European members.Just so I could find out more about certain foods and especially the protein drinks etc. Some of the American foods and brands I am not familiar with and I would like to know if they even recommend protein shakes in Europe after surgery? I haven't found any by just searching so thought one of you may have some ideas.......

I haven't read anything about Anti-Semitism apart from in the original post. This whole post seems to been about Christianity! Perhaps the original purpose of it is as described above and an opportunity to evangelise and proselytise,rather than any genuine concern about Anti-Semitism in France or elsewhere. I would at least have expected someone who professes to want people to open their minds to open their own mind and perhaps apologise for statements with no foundation based on propaganda and ignorance! A Christian Minister who causes such offence is not thankfully typical of the kind of ministers I have come across. And to throw a further spanner in the works,Jesus was a Jew who preached his Father's word. Christianity was invented by his followers after his death up until which Jesus was a practising Jew. I think any true Christian scholar could substantiate that. Therefore the subject of Anti-Semitism and any kind of racial/religious prejudice should be acknowledged by true Christians for the ignorant dangerous sentiment that it is. That includes groundless throw away comments which sound as though they contain hatred about other countires exporting hatred..... I had heard about these type of sentiments in America but am still a little shocked. What a shame. Yana

I think he charges £75 in London(Upper Wimpole Street) and a bit less in the other regions. You could email him...his email address is on his site and he always answers quickly. Yana:)

The details are all on his website.The link is www.obesity-assist.com Hope that helps, Yana:)

I read the beginning of this thread and then it got too long for me to read it all. I just wanted to say that I found the first post highly offensive. I live in an Arab country where 200 nationalities live peacefully side by side. It is an Islamic country in the true meaning of the word where people are gentle and hospitable.(Judaism,Islam and Christianity are from the same root and their followers are known in Islam as "people of the book".) Anyone who comes here loves it which is why it has become one of the main holiday destinations for people from the U.K. followed by Germany and Russia. The sentence that Arab countries only export oil and hatred was just as much a terrible and untrue thing to say as are the Anti-Semetic things I have personally heard said in France. I have French Jewish friends that I've stayed with since childhood so I am not biased in any way but I think you have a lot to learn about the Arab world Ron. I am wondering how many Arab countries that "export hatred" you have actually visited? I have visited your country however and experienced great prejudice and ignorance...because I live in an Arab country:rolleyes: What sense does that make? I worry about Anti-Semitism on the rise but there are other things now that I am worrying about far more and that is the type of propoganda you have spouted as mentioned above. However sad to say,I am not in the least surprised. Yana:) P.S. I have travelled the world and the country that is my home is the cleanest and more importantly the safest and most harmonious I have been to.

You could also try Dr Chris deBruyne. He did my band and does lots of U.K. patients as well as visiting the U.K. monthly for fills and consultations in London,Edinburgh and Ireland. He is currently the cheapest I believe and one of the best surgeons there is! http://www.obesity-assist.com/ He and Dr Dillemans are colleagues and friends. Yana:)

Hi Penni, Glad that is sorted out and you will soon be rid of your protrusion. I had a n X-ray today and ultra sound. They said there was no inflammation around the port site but I saw on the X-ray that the tubing just before the port is in a kind of upside down V shape and kinked before returning to a normal angle for the length of it.I think that may be what is causing my discomfort although nothing is protruding. I will have to wait now until I get back from the Maldives and the surgeon returns from Belgium on the 20th to see what's what and hopefully have my 1st fill before I go to London.

I have had a total hysterectomy and am on a very high dose of Hormones as my bloods before surgery were showing very low dose in the body despite taking high doses. I am interested to see what it will be after I lose some weight and hoping to be able to reduce my HRT,so interesting to read what Penni said. I think your sister's weight loss is great and I will be very happy if I lost that amount in that time.

I am sure it has been explained before but what is the difference between the bands? Ruthy I think you choose a surgeon that has the most experience,followed by the convenience for you and if you like them......that is what I do whenever I have to have surgery anyway and always works for me!

I have just registered on this site and had my surgery last Sunday. I am still feeling tired and sore! Has anyone experienced a lot of discomfort where the port is? Also I feel a kind of "popping" sensation when I bend forward or stretch as if it is moving...is that normal? I can liken it to during pregnancy when a limb is pushed up under the ribcage...hope that makes sense. I had my surgery done in Dubai by a visiting Belgian surgeon Dr Christiaan De Bruynes My BMI is 43 and I weigh 127kg.

By the way Ruthie,I haven't attempted eating bread at all as I read everyone has problems with it..nor citrus fruit.(I do squeeze fresh lemon on my food). I have had very simple food really and as far as fruit only peaches,apples,apricots,pears and yesterday a fresh fig. I don't eat meat only chicken breast and soft white fish or tuna,grilled. Vegetables I have had only runner Beans,broccoli,artichoke(once) and tomatoes(skinned and seeded).Potatoes I have only tiny new ones boiled and skinned,so not too dangerous really!! I also have fat free cream cheese and fat free cottage cheese which are like puree anyway! I also have the crispbread but chew it to mush! The difference is not having to see mush before it goes in my mouth! I am not advocatinmg anyone else do what I am doing of course.

Yes Ruthy,they have that sort of team in the U.K. too. Here,they have the dietitian and they know I see the psychiatrist in the U.K. once a year or so for my ongoing treatment and she supported the idea of me having the band. I see the Dr here who heads the hospital and has overseen all the band ops done by the Belgian surgeon who comes again in a week or so so I'll see him when I get back from the Maldives. I am pureeing in a way but in my mouth! I am not swallowing "chunks" of food. In any case according to the literature I have here which seems to be put out by Johnson and Johnson I would be starting solids next week anyway...they only advise 1 week liquids and 2 weeks purees. Also the surgeon(and in Belgium they've been doing this for over 15 years) is the one who organises the dietary literature to be given to patients. In the U.S. it is a much newer procedure and I know in Oz they do a lot of it but have you been told to be on liquids for a month? It's not much more than 3 weeks anyway. I also read someone in Europe eating like me after 3 days. If it slips or doesn't heal I shall hate myself but I don't think I could cope with having to have pureed food and would end up eating ice-cream and melted chocolate probably!! Today I had my first PB,only it wasn't really. It was my own fault as I swallowed some fish without chewing it because I was distracted at the beginning of my meal and I had the most terrible pain and feeling I couldn't breathe. I knew what it was but nothing moved so I walked up and down as I've read people do on these pages and sat down and walked again. It was agonizing. Eventualy I forced myself to cough it up and then I was O.K. I finished eating,soft grilled fish,mashed up broccoli and a small potato which I mashed with a fork and it was fine but I feel a bit sore and definitely wont do that again! If the Dr finds any adverse reactions to my eating I will let you all know after I see him around the 20th/21st this month. Thanks for the concern :-) to you and Marie

Hi Cindy, I love chocolate too and although I hate sugar added to foods and drinks,chocolate is another matter...I have only been banded 11 days but today had to have chocolate and then felt quite sick! My breakfast was always cereal and toast but now I have a Swedish crispread(it is a large triangular shape)with a scrape of butter and marmalade as I used to have on my toast. I have yoghourt instead of cereal and have felt O.K. with that up to now. I have also been on anti-depressants most of my life and am also on hormones but HRT as I had a hysterectomy and opherectomy 8 years ago. I thought these medications may be responsible for my weight gain but it seems not. I also had repeated blood tests for hormonal imbalance but it didn't show anything major. I think with me it is all more emotional and just a love of chocolate like so many of the rest of the world! There has been loads of good advice like substituting with low calorie/low sugar bars and having a little of what you like rather than depriving yourself etc. I am sure you will continue and do well after all you have lost over 50 lbs! I can't imagine being that far on but am hoping I can. I hope you feel better about things soon and put your mind at rest by having all the blood tests etc.

I thank all of you for your concern and advice. I don't think I could possibly go back to liquids now and as I haven't had any adverse effects I feel it is O.K. to continue? I chew the food really well and follow the "rules" about not drinking with food etc. I seem to be able to eat quite a lot though... Today I had to have chocolate and ate 100grams. I felt really sick for 3 hours afterwards but wasn't sick... I have lost 6 kgs in the 12 days since I got my band. That is about 14 1bs. I am eating one crispbread with marmalade for breakfast and a fat free yoghourt with fruit in it but not "bits". For lunch I have been having either chicken or fish with vegetables and vegetable soup. Sometimes followed by some fresh fruit without skin. For dinner I have similar or tuna with tomatoes or cottage cheese and small potatoes.Today I had a small tin of baked beans,3 tiny boiled potatoes and 2 crispbread with cottage cheese and gherkin followed by one fig and apricot. I then kept looking around for things to eat all evening but didn't! Today I have had more carbohydrates than before today but I am getting fed up with the protein as it has never been my favourite and I am virtually vegetarian in that I eat chicken and fish but rarely before this week. Tomorrow hopefully they will take my stitches out as I am longing to get rid of them. I usually heal very well after surgery but this time the wounds are less healed than I would expect at this stage. I think it may be to do with the food. I tried a protein shake but it was really awful and I relegated it to the bin. It is no good trying to have them as if I could do that type of thing,I wouldn't have needed the band in the first place...... The Dr said tomorrow he is going to give me one that is odorless and tasteless so I'll see but I am not keen on so much dairy and definitely not used to sweeteners or added sugar. Until now I have had a very healthy diet apart from the chocolate and have been used to eating that way for many years so just cannot tolerate the very sickly sweet stuff! Likewise the vitamin syrup they gave me...Yuck! I only managed one dose. I will buy some tablets. I know it sounds contradictory to say I had a healthy diet and be this whopping weight but it is only the last 7-10 years I've been gaining and gaining due more to immobility and zero metabolism because of other health problems. Obviously I ate more than I am now and lots of bread and other carbs so I hope this band will help me lose but I am already fed up with it!!!!! I am not immobile by the way but have been a lot of the time.

Hi Ruthy, I am newly banded(June 27th) and already lost 5 kg. I feel fine,haven't been sick once and am already eating solid food.I am advised this is unusual and I should be careful but I puree the food by chewing instead of approaching it pureed which I couldn't face. I believe you have a lot of banding done in Oz and are very advanced in it so you should be in safe hands! My sister lives in Sydney and I was there and in Melbourne 18 months ago,what a beautiful place to live! Good luck!

Thanks Bright. I will probably "frequent" both sites. I just needed more that I could relate to and also wanted to know about Drs etc in U.K. as when I was looking could only find one in Tonbridge so decided to do it here in Dubai and am happy with the outcome. As I spend a lot of time in London over the summer period,up to 3 months I needed to know where I could have a fill etc if necessary. This site as you say has very friendly,helpful members so I suppose now it is the "best of both worlds"! Thanks a lot and to Rebeccalee too for the suggestions

Donali,thank you so much! That is EXACTLY what I was looking for and thought didn't exist! Just reading through some of the posts I hae already found a place I can have fills while I am in London which is very convenient to me. Despite my searching I don't think I'd have found the site so I really am grateful to you. I have been reading about your recent ordeal too and think you're incredibly brave. I really wish you well and hope you're better very soon.

Thank you New Hope. I tried that but they are all American. I think the problem being the English language as this op is still not done that much in the U.K. and the places in Europe where it started and has been going longest in the world are French speaking. I will have to brush up my French! Thanks so much for the suggestion.

For those of you who swim.. How long was it after your op you started swimming again? Thanks.

Thanks for all your replies. I am going to the Maldives on 15th for few days and want to swim in the sea. I thought this would be healing in sea water,I can understand not swimming in pools especially public ones. Anyway last night I saw the Dr to have my stitches removed but he said keep them another 4 days.. I asked about swimming and he said another 2 weeks but when I said I have to swim on the 15th(!!!!!) he said O.K....so I am hoping it will be fine or I will be devastated as I have booked a water bungaow where you just go down the steps from your room straight into the sea.....can't wait. That is for my husband and I,I have put my four teenage sons in 2 beach bungalows. A little distance. Re solid foods...I skipped the puree stage and started eating solids on my 7th day,a few days ago. I am fine no sickness or what you call PB. The Dr said he'd never heard of that before but the dietitian had said if I "puree" it in my mouth(chewing) that was fine as I knew I couldn't face the baby food look of food. I am really pleased as I am enjoying my food much more. I have lost about 11 1bs and my BMI has gone down by 2. I am still in pain and discomfort around the port site but he said it is fine("just beautiful") so there you are....I will let you know after my swimming adventure!

Thanks,Teresa.As you say one answers as if in a conversation and drifts off the topic which I suppose means at least the "conversation" is flowing!

Thanks for the Ulla Popken info...I had tried them before but it was a year or so ago so I'll definitely try again. If they've opened in Kuwait they may well open here as we have so many new malls going up! Thanks Again Yana

I had my surgery in Dubai. The hospital is new and wilth ecellent facilities. It is a surgical hospital. The operation was done by Dr Christiaan De Bruynes who has done over 1000 of these operations. He is from a Belgian hospital.I believe the Belgians started this surgery? It cost AED 30,000. at todays rate there are AED 3.6 to 1U.S. $ and AED 6.7 to £. That is an all inclusive package inc. follow-up,2 fills,dietitian etc. I believe quite a lot of people come from ouside the region combining their op with a holiday in Dubai. All the Drs and staff are trained in U.S. etc. You can check out their site if you like www.emirateshospital.com The stay was one night and the hospital sent a nurse home to me morning and evening for pain killing injections at my request for as many days needed!

Sorry! I think it was me! I am not used to these type of things.....will try not to do it again...