pjrugby

Hi all well where do I start.. i haven't been on this site for over a year.. or maybe more. I had my lap band fitted in May 2007 and it didn't work. I was devasted and complained to the UK hospital and felt very alone. My hospital checked for leaks and then filled it to the brim, not with saline but the other solution.. (can't recall what its called). So my band was last seen under x-ray in july 2008 in the UK . Well .... it gradually started to work and since Jan of this year I have had full restriction. Does anyone know why it took months and months for it to work.? I have since moved to NZ and don't know of any local doctors or places for support ? which is a shame. I need a lot of work to improve my diet. I do not pb. i never have. .If i eat too much (which I often do) after about 30mins i get such a pain i have to put my fingers down my throat (is this normal? . I also get chronic heartburn after one glass of wine.. is this normal ? Never had heartburn before in my life. i don't want to drink lots of wine but its nice to have a glass or two sometimes. I also can't lie down with anything in me. not even a glass of water. or as I fall asleep (or my muscles just relax) it comes up my nose and acid comes into my mouth. yuk yuk.. so generally before bed I have to put my fingers down my throat to clear myself of anything. and usually its just liquid.. am i normal ? kinda hard to know.. does this happen to everyone ? I have now lost weight, which is so cool !!! I still have a way to go. I do worry that I don't lead a very healthy life style. and i am sick far too much Oh another thing.. fizzy drinks. i can't manage them.. only half a glass and i feel full . even a cup of tea makes me feel full i have to sip it. is this normal ? I also struggle to get enough water in during the day.. ? is this normal .. ican't drink more than a few mouth fulls at a time.. crisps and cake slide down so easily ..arghhhhhhhh!!! I guess because it didn't work for so long I gave up on it. .and now i am kinda having to learn what to do ? I still eat too much, most days. and have to be sick.. which is not good.. i do worry about myself but feel pretty rubbish at controlling myself. i have to put my fingers down my throat. as it never comes up without help.. any tips on how i learn to love my band. i certainly love the weight loss and want to look after myself better. i still feel greedy and generally eat too much and pay for it about 30 mins later when i have to be sick.. arghhh thank you very much Paula New Zealand.:thumbup:

Hi all.. well its such a tough journey and your blogs all prove it.. I had my band fitted about 2.5 years ago. and it didn't work.. wow i was so upset and felt judged and blamed by the doctor. I have now emigrated to NZ and there's no lap band support for miles and miles. I last had my band looked at in July 08 (the hospital in the uK agreed to check for leaks) as i complained so much. They said it wasn't leaking, but it just didnt' work. Its filled to the brim with fluid.. Well since Jan of this year it now works. i have no idea why or how or what changed.. strange.. so i have lost weight. but i wish i was more on track.. I vomit too much and in my head i still eat too much. I do get heartburn when i drink wine or have spicey food. and orange juice is now out of the question. I am amazed and pleased for people who find the band so great. i guess they get v good after care support. For me i am all alone now. but am trying to learn to eat better... but its still a long journey. One of the awful things for me is that i can't lie down with anything in me. not even a mouth full of water.. so i have to put my fingers down my throat before bed. yuk.. its another thing which has recently started happening. I do hope the band is ok.. i don't have anyone to ask.. i am just grateful it now restricts the amount i can eat. good luck with it all.

Hi all well where do I start.. i haven't been on this site for over a year.. or maybe more. I had my lap band fitted in May 2007 and it didn't work. I was devasted and complained to the UK hospital and felt very alone. My hospital checked for leaks and then filled it to the brim, not with saline but the other solution.. (can't recall what its called). So my band was last seen under x-ray in july 2008 in the UK . Well .... it gradually started to work and since Jan of this year I have had full restriction. Does anyone know why it took months and months for it to work.? I have since moved to NZ and don't know of any local doctors or places for support ? which is a shame. I need a lot of work to improve my diet. I do not pb. i never have. .If i eat too much (which I often do) after about 30mins i get such a pain i have to put my fingers down my throat (is this normal? . I also get chronic heartburn after one glass of wine.. is this normal ? Never had heartburn before in my life. i don't want to drink lots of wine but its nice to have a glass or two sometimes. I also can't lie down with anything in me. not even a glass of water. or as I fall asleep (or my muscles just relax) it comes up my nose and acid comes into my mouth. yuk yuk.. so generally before bed I have to put my fingers down my throat to clear myself of anything. and usually its just liquid.. am i normal ? kinda hard to know.. does this happen to everyone ? I have now lost weight, which is so cool !!! I still have a way to go. I do worry that I don't lead a very healthy life style. and i am sick far too much Oh another thing.. fizzy drinks. i can't manage them.. only half a glass and i feel full . even a cup of tea makes me feel full i have to sip it. is this normal ? I also struggle to get enough water in during the day.. ? is this normal .. ican't drink more than a few mouth fulls at a time.. crisps and cake slide down so easily ..arghhhhhhhh!!! I guess because it didn't work for so long I gave up on it. .and now i am kinda having to learn what to do ? I still eat too much, most days. and have to be sick.. which is not good.. i do worry about myself but feel pretty rubbish at controlling myself. i have to put my fingers down my throat. as it never comes up without help.. any tips on how i learn to love my band. i certainly love the weight loss and want to look after myself better. i still feel greedy and generally eat too much and pay for it about 30 mins later when i have to be sick.. arghhh thank you very much Paula New Zealand.:thumbup:

Oh i so so so understand.. a lot of people are saying how great I look. of course its great. but but but . i am worried that I am such a long way from being a slim person.. i would still over eat every day if my body allowed me to. i have yo yo dieted for years. all of my fat clothes are still in the spare wardrobe.. lets hope my head sorts it self out eventually.. but good for you.. i still don't eat great. and am sick far too often. argh onwards and upwards. and get shopping

Hi everyone well i had my op at the end of may.. and found it very easy to go back to eating solids about 1.5 to 2 weeks after. I then found it really easy to eat just as i did pre-op , i was hungry etc just as before. (big dissapointment). I had my first fill about 6 weeks ago .. major disappointment, as i felt nothing !!! again i could eat just as i have all my life, a big plate full of 'normal food'. So have felt pretty fed up with the band, and thinking 'its just me' and 'it won't work' and has been a waste of time and money. I had my second fill 2 days ago (with fluro), my hospital didn't give me a special diet at all afterwards, no recommendation to have liquid, mushy or anything. I didn't eat for about 24 hours, just had milk and then back onto food. It was only 2 days ago. but not really feeling any different in my stomach at all, i ate half a tuna sandwich (1 round of bread) and thought i could eat the other half without effort, but i waited about 2 hours before having it. Today i had a jacket potatoe and Beans, i stopped myself from eating it all, but i reckon i could of pretty easily ( i worry about stretching my pouch, but then I can't really see how i have a pouch as it can hold so much food ?) - or does the food just slip through the hole as i eat it ? I just don't know. I have had both of my fills under fluoro, so if it had fell off the doctor would of seen. I do so worry this band has been a waste of time and £ ! I don't have the feelings you guys seem to have. I don't chew my food any special way.. just chew normally like i did pre op. I have not experienced anything close to a PB. Since the 2 nd band fill i do have more difficulty swallowing stodgy food, ie bread and potatoe, its not painful just feels a bit harder to slide down ?? Do you think this is a good sign ? I am not sure ? Once things go down, then i feel just like i did pre-op (i mean i don't feel restricted). Since the second fill i appear to have a tighter feeling right down in my throat when i swallow . Does anyone else experience this..its not an awful feeling and not painful, just kinda tighter than before and a bit uncomfortable for a second or two. Gosh this waffles a bit ? sorry its hard to explain. I just want to have another band fill asap? its tough to stay motivated,, and i go very up and down, i dont' feel like i want to be patient ... which i know may sound silly. I just didn't know it could be like this, no one told me it may not work for me ? i so want to feel full up on a small plate of food. If i feel no restriction, why is that ? how come some people do straight away and others (like me) don't. Thanks for all your support.

hi all has this happended to anyone.. if so what did you do ,, how did it go ? I would be grateful.. in summary Lap band fitted in may 07 - no restriction Ist fill under x-ray June 07 - no restriction 2nd fill under x-ray about August 07-some restriction which lasted about 2wks then subsided. 3rd fill under x-ray in October 07, great restriction (but with no pb ing at all) this lasted for for about 5 weeks , which then subsided :girl_hug:. After the main feeling of restriction had gone i could not eat as much as I could eat pre-surgery. but could still eat and drinks lots.. downing a pint of Water was not a problem. In october 07 i was told about 10.5mls in total had been put in my swedish adjustable gastric band, and there was no more room. i have just gone back to the hospital very upset. My BMI began at 38 and its still 34 now !! The doctor has no suggests as to why the feeling in October has subsided.. he said either there is a leak or i forced two much food down which made the band stretch (how on earth could i have done this.. surely if i did this i would have pb'd) . I have never ever forced food down or caused myself any pain. So this week i had another procecure under x-ray.. I discovered that the band is secure on my stomach and looks good.!! the doctor withdrew 6.5mls out of my band. He then flushed through dye and x-rayed it .. he said there were no leaks and said he could only fit 5mls back in. I questioned him lots; He said although we had worked out that 10.5mls in total has been put in.. he only took out 6.5mls. so where have the other 4mls gone? he said he could not get the whole amount of Fluid out.as some will stay in the band/port (that makes sense) then he said some must have evaporated (how on earth can this happen.isn't the band a sealed unit ?). He couldn't elaborate. He then told me that sometimes the band can bulge out - on the wrong side. not the side wrapped around my stomach. so if this happens the restriction won't be on my stomach..The doctor then starting telling me about other procedures on the market which are much better.(not good to hear). I have a few weeks before my consultant appointment. But am so stressed about how poor this band has worked. And guess what.. restriction is so so so poor, its not there at all !!!!!!!!!!!! god this journey is going so badly i am so fed up. i wish i hadn't started it all. sorry this has gone on a bit.. sorry if its not that clear.. i am so happy for you guys that it has worked for.. but am so distressed that my journey has been so negative.. as you will all be aware, the more negative the feels the more junk food i want to eat. and the more of a failure i feel (am sure that sounds familiar to a lot of you).. This band is just not working as it should. with kind regards and best wishes

HI everyone its good to read your comments. and thanks for all your support ,, its appreciated... i am waiting to hear back from my surgeon.. i can eat lots again..... i am worried because they told me last october the band was full up .. totally.. and if they add any more it will distort its shape... !!!! i have the swedish lap band,, is anyone familiar with this..... ?? the surgeon never mentioned it was a large band... onwards and upwards and best wishes to you all

thanks every one for the tips and info.. does anyone experience what i have.. banded in may,, 3 fills under fluoro, and i have been told the band is totally full up. and my restriction isn't very much.. its seems that if teh band is full up.. that it !! the band has nothing left to offer me regards paula

Dear Karen (and others).. i think i have something like you mention. I was banded in may.. no restriction.. i am now on my 3 rd fill (which was done at the end of sept -- no restriction on 1st fill and a little on the 2nd) and the doctor told me the band is now totally full up !!!! and he can't add anymore or it will be distorted. i have no support from the hospital who did the band. and i see no one.. basically i have given up dieting. and i have only lost 13 kgs in total. hardly life changing.. i spent a lot of money on my op and feel so fed up, you know the story the more fed up i am the more i eat. i do have some restrition.. immidiately after my 3rd fill it felt really tight and i was so happy and i lost weight. but its slacked off. its just kinda happened, i could eat more and more. i can't eat as i did before. but i can eat a 6inch sub if i wanted. i have never had productive burping.. it if feels uncomfortable i put my fingers down my throat and it comes up. .but that isn't very often.. sometimes i get a really uncomfortable feeling after i have eaten. and i am sure i can feel it passing through the band.. its a big passing through feeling.. not a dribble.. !! at my 3 rd band fill appointment (under fluoro) my doctor told me he was surprised as the band was looking loose, and last time he filled it - it was tight. i asked how this could happen.. he didn't know. .. i am sure it has gone a lot looser again...........as i can feel it.. when i say loose, its firmly on my stomach, but the whole the food goes through got looser.. i don't come on this site anymore. as i feel unmotivated and a failure.. and my band doesn't work in the way anyone else's does... i am earting far too much junk food and not exercising either. basically i know its got to be in my head,, motivation and all that.. but he medical issues regarding my band are just not working. i have written a huge letter of complaint to the hospital and i await their response.. i have some control in my life but not enough. hence i wanted the support from the band,, its september i was over joyed as i thought i finally had proper restrition. but that has passed away again. and with the band already completely full i have nothing left !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! its just rubbish anyhow on a more positive note, christmas is coming and i wish you all a good one.. thanks for you support. like i said i dont come on the site too often.. as i feel like a failure. but its good to find a link like this to post stuff one

Hi everyone i haven't been on this site for a while, because i feel disheartened. I am glad for all you guys out there who have found success with your band.. but i have not. and i search for any threads similiar to mine, and i just end up feeling a total failure.. and then i feel very sad. its 7 months post op.. and its not going well. no restriction post op.. and after 10 days on liquid i managed an egg sandwich very easily. 1st band fill. no restriction 2nd band fill. some restriction but this subsided after 2 weeks. 3 rd band fill.. well i was delighted it seemed to work. restriction and feeling of being full i have never pb'd and after the 3rd fill if i ate too much it was painful so i i just put my fingers down my throat and it came back up... which was painfree. however i am now 7 weeks post 3 rd band fill and again the feeling has subsided all fills have been done under fluoro... and after the 3rd fill the doctor told me the band was full up. and he could not add anymore Fluid or the band would be distorted. after the 3 rd band fill i was full after about 4 to 5 desert spoons of food. now i can eat double that...!!!! i am very upset that my band just doesn't seem to work properly as my fills have been under fluoro I and the doctor can cleary see on the x ray that the band has not dislodged.. the doctor said that my stoma (i think its called that the area which my band covers) was tight after the 2nd fill but by the time of the 3rd it looked loose .. he didn't know why.. my hospital has offered no more support. i have now written them a huge letter asking what they are going to do. because i did have restriction and now it has gone.. help.. i feel more and more fed up each day, i was self funding and this has been a huge waste of money.... any suggestions anyone... ?? any one live near london who has any ideas of anyone i can see (which will be cheap ) the more fed up i get, the more i eat chocolate and rubbish junk food, which slips down so easily.. i still have some restriction with regard to bread.. but can eat a whole slice and a half of bread in one sitting, and i could only eat half a slice 7 weeks ago i welcome any support and comments.. i would love to come on this site and for once have good news. but i just don't seem to have the same experiences as anyone else kind regards Paula

Dear Lap banders. i hope this email finds you well.... i haven't been on the site for so long. as i feel such a failure with the whole band process.. but decided i would re-visit,, my story goes on a bit .... but has any one else shared my experience. as a private paying patient i had my band fitted in May 07. Post op i had no restriction what so ever and ate an egg sandwich on day 11 which went down fine.. Had my first band fill. still no restriction. had the second one in july, and i had a tight feeling, and some restriction but not much. however this tight feeling mostly left me after a week or two. i never forced food down, and never pb'd,, but if i ate a sandwich it would be fine, i just needed to eat slower.. i think i could feel the food passing through my stoma a few mins after i ate it. i stopped if i felt full. but it takes a lot for me to feel full. This level of restriction certainly wasn't enough to make me feel full for longer or to make me feel full quicker. like i said i ate the food , then felt it push through my stoma a few seconds later. i must add i have never eaten if it hurt.. sometimes i felt a bit uncomfortable after eating meat. so i just ate slowly or stopped. so i have had my 3rd band fill 3 days ago.. the doctor has told me i have a 6 ml swedish lap band, but its not an exact science and the amount they add to it varies. i have had my fills done under fluoro , and now have 10.25 mls in my 6 mls band. the doctor said he can't put anymore in or it will distort the band. This really confuses me. I ask the questions and the medics tell me the band is like a balloon so it inflates. The doctor said he was surprised as my stoma was tight on fill 2 ,but at the start of fill 3 it was much larger.. he had no explanation as to why this would happen. he then went on to tell me there are other proceedures around (this was like a stab in the chest.... as a private paying patient i don't have another £8000 to pay for more surgery !) and i don't want more proceedures i want this one to work. so i as i said , i am now on the last band fill !! that's is , its full....... no more saline can be added. and if i don't have restriction now. then thats it !! i am so upset .. since the 3rd fill i am feeling tighter. but am too afraid to eat properly just incase i dont have restriction. i have been having Soup and Protein shake (my medics dont recommend liquid diet after the fill, as i am aware the american doctors do), i have had a few mouthfulls of ham and chicken, bread, and it feels tighter.. but i won't know for sure until i try and eat a meal.. at the minute i am grazing (which is bad) i know. as those calories creep up. has anyone else found the band just doesn't work.. i would love to feel tight, and to pb...sounds odd i know, but then i would know my band works. as the fills are done under fluoro I know the band has not fell of or anything. i have never forced food down my throat. i have probably ate far too much, but the band hasn't stopped me . so its not done its job !!! if medics tell me its only a tool one more time, i will cry. i am no fool. I am a failure in the weight loss department and a failure at sticking to diets.. hence i wanted the surgery to help me. and to give me restriction. thanks for reading this.

Hi Ronnie thanks ever so much for your reply.. its tricky,, they hit the port, as i can see it myself on the x ray........ i will ask them about a leak, not sure how the can check it .. i don't feel as if they are a very supportive medical team. i just end up feeling more and more like a failure !! you take care

thanks for explaining all about the fills. can i ask you a question.. at any stage in the process did you ever think the band wasn't working.. i have just had my 3rd fill - its early days. but the medics have said i have a 6 mls capacity ,swedish band, and there is no more room in it. so they can't add anymore saline.. they say its now got 10.25mls in it.. i feel a bit tighter when i drink ,but haven't tried a proper meal as yet, as am worried i won't feel restriction and i will be so upset.. i never pb'd .. or anything, i am worried this band has been a waste of time and money well done on your success

HI everyone. thanks for the interesting thread. can anyhow help ?? had my band fitted in May.. no restriction.. had first fill. again no restriction. so haven't lost hardly any weight , and in fact been fed up and eating rubbish.. or eating for england as us UK people like to say :biggrin1:. had my second fill 3 weeks ago.. well i did feel something.. when i ate 'thick' food.. ie meat, boiled egg, bread and rice it felt like it got stuck .. and took a few seconds to pass that hard lump feeling in my chest.. i was so excited to have a feeling.. it wasn't painful but kinda odd, and uncomfortable, i tried so hard to stay 'in tune' with my body, but i could still eat lots if i ate slowly and almost everything would go down.. eating a full bowl of Cereal was really easy. I haven't measured my food in cups. but i know its still a really good amount of food i can eat. and yesterday,, horror of horror's, that feeling has gone.. i can now eat a whole french baguet (forgive my spelling).. and for lunch i had a pretty big jacket potatoe and salad with prawns.. i only have a little feeling of hardness in my chest.. and not much of a full up feeling, i can still eat 2 slices of bread in a sandwich. I havent once felt so full up i will pop. or had anything like a pb ? i don't see how my band could of fell off, on x ray 3 weeks ago it was all ok.. I don't understand how that feeling has gone.. i haven't forced food down myself.. or been sick or anything. i was so happy thinking i was getting near to restriction. but in the past few days i feel like i have given up again.. my jeans felt looser last week, but this week they have gone back to normal size. i feel so envious when i hear stories of how people can only eat a tiny amount.. i think it must be so easy to be positive if the band is working for you and you see the weight coming off. but its so hard putting yourself and your wallet through major surgery when not much happens.. i struggle so much not having restriction. i was so much happier last week, and just don't understand how where that feeling has gone. i have asked my surgeon how much is in the band.. but i didn't get a very straight answer, so have now written to the hospital asking for more information. he said it was a 6ml, swedish band, and the first fil they put in 4.8mls, when i asked how much they put in during the second fill they said about 3 mls.. well according to those figures the band is over filled, and i don't see how that can be. but that also makes me worry , as if its is over filled then there is no room for any more fills and the op has been a failure !!! oh dear ........ i would like to be a success and have my ticker go down. but its been the same for months !!! good luck to you all kind regards

Thany you so much Terri Doodle for explaining all of that to me. i definately think i have some restriction now and a pouch, and now i have to learn how to eat.. its a bit tricky really... just a new learning process i guess ... and of course i am already missing food, which sounds crazy !!!!!!!!!!!!! but in the matter of one day i can go from eating whatever i like to not.. its great i have some feeling, just odd ! if that makes any sense what so ever :-) i shall keep reading and learning from this site, it teaches me all i need to know thanks again.

Hi soulfull grandma. you are not alone !!!!!! i had my op in may. lost a bit of weight, then put it nearly all back on.. had my first fill.. nothing ! so put more back on !! talk about disappointment.. !!!!!!! i know exactly how your feel !!!! i had my second fill 2 days ago. and i can feel something. not sure what, but was really hard to swallow chicken. kinda got a lump deep down in my throat. i love this site, i learn so so so much from it.. i have not found my hospital very useful at all, and infact they just make me feel worse as i put my weight back on and feel like more and more of a failure and they appear more and more surprised that the scales go up !! i am just hoping the funny feeling i have is the start of restriction ?? not sure, i cant still eat a whole bowl of bran flakes.. ?? Its so tough ,, i just want to get this sweet spot everyone talks about. its so tough being patient !! because for me, there is a nagging feeling that it won't ever work.. i wish you lots of luck, and am sending encouragment. and a little nag to get down the gym .. i went today for the first time in almost 2 weeks, so am feeling smug. te he . x

Hi everyone, I have just had my second fill, its not been the best experience so far as post op and after my first fill i had no restriction. Now i have a feeling , but don't really understand it ??? I can eat lots of soft food, ie a whole bowl of bran flakes, but when i ate some chicken breast i felt this hard lump lower down my throat. and it took a second to pass, and each mouth full was the same . is this a good sign ? am i on my way (at last) to getting some restriction ? i do hope so ? And what is that hard lump feeling,, i thought the food would drop into my pouch, then i would feel full? i still don't feel very full, but just finding some things harder to swallow. and sorry to sound ignorant, but what is my stoma? I just don't seem to understand why i get this hard lump feeling ? is it the food reaching my pouch ? i don't think it can be the food passing through my pouch ? as its immediatly after i have swallowed? thanks for sharing your knowledge.

Hi everyone, been searching the net for a while to find a forum so am pleased to have found you. am feeling very alone right now and would love to hear from anyone! I privately payed for my lap band , and am 6 weeks post surgery .... i payed £7,600 at BUPA - which is a well known uk private hospital .. a big ouch to my wallet . The op went well, the hospital was great. I managed the liquid diet for 1.5 weeks (i was asked to complete 4 weeks). I came off it having an egg sandwich which went down nicely (much to the horror of my surgeon). But was starving on watery Soup. I have felt no restriction what so ever and had my first band fill 2 days ago. I asked the doctor how much liquid he put in , he said 5 mls, and the band can take 10mls , but they dont fill it right up ever (bit of alien language for me really). So the moment i have been waiting for, for many years has been a huge let down!!! I dont feel at all restricted on what i can eat. I can eat the same amount as pre-op. Although i am forcing myself not to. I can drink as much Fluid as i like, downing a pint of Water is no problem. I feel so let down by everything. My hospital told me i would only be able to manage a cup full of food,and i would full up at the top of my body... i dont feel any of these things. only difference is a little more wind. If it wasnt for the fact that i saw the band on the xray machine at the 'fill' appointment and if i couldnt feel the port in my side when i bend over, i would never believe i have had surgery. I feel very alone and that my expensive surgery has been a failure and a waste of my life savings. Just want to give up and eat lots of food (which is sadly my life long way of dealing with stuff) I have just started self funding Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to help with that side of stuff, but my body just isn't feeling full as i was lead to believe it would. And will take a while i guess to sort out my head with my overeating. I have a BMI of 37 kilos - so not heavy enough for gastric bypass op, hence i chose the band. I am 5ft 7 and weigh 104 kgs, pre op i was 109 kgs. my weight loss has been due to the restrictive pre - op and post op diet .. nothing to do with the band at all. right now i feel like it has been an expensive waste of time. And i dont know anyone else who has had the procedure so cant ask their advice. i would be so grateful to hear if anyone has had a similiar experience, is there any light at the end of the tunnel ? should i demand more support, when and if will the hospital decide to do another band fill. I only get one more fill in with my package price of £7,800 so will have to pay for others. many thanks to you all.

Hi all thank you for your message and encouragment. Its must have been almost 6 weeks since the first fill and i reckon i am eating only a little bit less than pre-op. i am due to see my surgeon this week for the first time since the fill. not looking forward to it at all, i think he will go on about how its only a tool etc etc, and he will be surprised about how little restriction i have. i am going to try to demand another fill.. i will let you know how i get on . but i know i will feel like a failure.!! oh and weight loss , i haven't had any. i havent put on, but am staying about the same. how do others manage.. ? life is full at moment .. i am in process of emmigrating from uk to nz, and its a lot of work and stress, and emotional ties and guilt about leaving my family etc, my job is full of stress and i have a terminally ill grandmother, not that i am moaning about these things at all !!! i just feel stressed an tired at mo. with very little time to focus on diet and gym and planning food. i know that i am also extra stressed worrying the band doesn't work. so more and more stress leads to more and more eating..i know some people will say 'make time for you' etc, but the realists out there will know that outsides influences are very real and they cannot be pushed to the side. i know they will always be there.. but sometimes they a lot more harder to deal with than other times. i went to a support group the other day, the people were all very nice, but it was a mixed bunch who have all had surgery paid by the National health service as their weight was significantly bad for their health (i was self funding), i guess they were all about 8 stone more than me to begin with.. the group didn't fill me with confidence. 2 of them had their bands removed and now have 'sleaves' as they didn't work. One woman has a band with restriction but has only lost 3pound in a year !? and the others had bypasses but were still pretty large people.. there was one woman who the band had been a great success for. and another band person who was on her way to losing weight. none of them have ever been able to eat what i can 'post op'. .. i can still eat a full plate of food, bread, carbs etc, and a can of coke . I worry that people think i am forcing it in, but there is no way i am doing that. its goes down just at it has all my life the only difference i really feel with the band is i have more wind from the downstairs area, sad but true , ha ha so i guess i will see what the doctors says this week,, oh dear i worry this email sounds a litte 'feel sorry for me'. soz its not meant to. i will ask what type of band i have, i know its the swedish band, but don't know much it holds , how much of a fill i have, or if its horse shoe or all the way round. ? i think the more i know the better i will feel. and i defo got to shop around for the price of fills, or wil have to donate a kidney to pay for them, does anyone know how much a kidney ways,, may be a quick way of losing weight, ha ha . cheerio and thanks for your much needed and much appreciated support.

just thought i would drop you a quick hello . i am 7.5 weeks post op.. (god i am still counting in weeks ) i can understand you are afraid of the risk, and you sound like you are very alone with all the thoughts and feelings regarding surgery. I am not sure about the risks, other than my surgeon told me that the healthier you are pre - op the risks of any complication drops . i have always been pretty healthy, so i had no complications at all. infact i was amazed at how well i was,, i took painkillers for about a week. i was poorly straight after the op, but spent that day in hospital, and when i came home i guess i slept on and off for about 2 days, but after that i was really fine, sore but fine. walking around and going to the shops and stuff. I think the aneasthetic made me feel more ill than the surgery. I guess i am not very good with advice, but just wanted to try and give you a little support. One thing to consider is ... does you weight stop you from doing the 'mum' things you would like to do with the kids.. I am not a mum ... but i hear so many people say its rubbish not having the energy etc to do fun stuff like swimming, playing in the park etc. Also, i was told that being obese takes about 10 years off your life,, so this is also some food for thought (excuse the pun :biggrin1:) your home life sounds pretty tough and negative, so i am not surprised you feel down about your weight as well. i have no regrets about having the op. I have just had my first band fill and i am not experiencing restriction as yet, but i have learned from this site that it can take several fills for that to happen. take care , you sound like you are a strong person but its hard to be strong all the time, isn't it ?

Hi everyone, hope this message finds you well I had my first fill just over a week ago, and felt nothing, and was so upset, and this site really supported me. i have to say this week i have tried to be more positive (4 gym visits and lots of planning of meals) i think i am feeling fuller than pre-op but can still eat a lot. i spoke to the hospital who appeared shocked that i don't feel very much, and they asked if i can eat the same as before ? I told them that i haven't tried to eat a 3 course meal so don't know exactly, but i can still eat a big plate of food. Is it just me ? But if i hear any more medics tell me its just a 'tool' and not a miracle i will scream. My tool isn't doing its job, if it were an electric drill i would take it back to the shop. I want another fill asap, but have to wait until i see my surgeon in 4 weeks i feel a bit powerless ! its hard to keep my motivation going ... i am a Cereal yo yo dieter. can anyone explain why it can take a while for your body to feel restriction after the fill ? this confuses me.. as the fill is immediate i thought the bodies response would also be ? its been over a week now, so i am sure i would feel something by now. i haven't a clue what PB feels like, as not had anything like that. am trying to motivate myself to go to the gym today !! but its not going to plan so far :rolleyes

Hi Kleta i am 7 weeks pop tomorrow, 4 weeks post op and i was almost back to normal and went on a back packing holiday ,and no problem carrying my pack. i have had a little numbness by the wounds but that is almost gone. the biggest scar, on my left side, where they do most of the work and put the port in , and the bottom scar where the camera went in were stitched on the inside with a bit of glue on the outside, they had little waterproof dressings on so i could shower,, after a week the dressings came off and the scars are just a line, its amazing no stitching scars. the other 3 little scars were glued, which i kinda came off in the shower or i picked it :embarassed:.. the big scar is only just over an inch (on my left side) the camera scar is only about half an inch and the 3 small ones (where the tools are put in) are tiny just about a centimetre (you can see i am english i go from metric to imperial please feel free to ask anything take care

thanks for the welcome 'big as life' , i am obsessed with this site. ha ha .. i love it . 37lbs that is loads.. well done mate. have you ever lost that much before ? Kleta, i cant tell you how easy my surgery was. I was in pain when i came round from the op, but was out of it most of the day on morphine.(was fab ). My tum was sore but only when i moved to get up to use the loo, the worst thing was the sick feeling de too morphine and anesthetic,, but they gave me meds for that . the looked after me so much ! they also gave me antibiotics just in case, i think this is routine in the uk and post op,, not even a hint of infection.. my scars have been wonderful. the top cut was under the middle bit of my bra which rubbed a bit (god i could never go without a bra i would prefer the rubbing:biggrin1:) and it opened a bit, but the nurse just put some tape on it.. and it was cool. of course i worried if i sneezed and coughed i would split open ,, think i have seen too many movies . but i have been so happy about it all and healed so well. if you like i am more than happy to take some pics and post them on the site (i would normally be ashamed to show my body but i reckon this site is my new family), just say if you want a laugh,, i mean look ! i reckon in a years time you won't even see the scars, they will fade away to nothing. my surgeon told me he changed his gloves 3 times during surgery to ensure the band was sterile. maybe a question to ask your surgeon. the surgery only took about 1.15hrs, so he must be a quick changer .

Dear ladies and gents its so good to share our thoughts on our post op worries that comment was wonderful about 'air in tyre's' is so good. Allwright, how did they hit side of your port ? that sounds painful ? did they do it under fluro scope thingy .. ? with my new found confidence today, i phoned my nurse, she assured me she will speak to the consultant about my large appetite. i explained how i was feeling and how much i can eat, and i was so dissapointed when she told me i may have caused damage when i ate my egg sandwich 1.5 weeks post op. If it wasn't for this site i would be so upset thinking i had failed and ruined everything.. although deep down in my healthy body i know i haven't. as i have never had pain or anything.. i didn't eat a 3 course banquet, i just couldn't cope with watery soup anymore. Think i am going to have find someone else for after care.. they say the after care is important, but i think they are making me more worried than confident, and now i feel naughty and blamed. And if they tell me one more time i have to control what i eat i am going to scream.. that is if my mouth isn't full of salad and brown rice... wouldn't it be nice for a medical person to be a bit more positive. Sorry i am having a winge.. but its not quiet the service i would led to believe i would get.. and I just found out , future fills are £400, about $800 usd,, is that the going rate ? sound pretty steep to me.. i am going to have to do some research i think.. i wont be able to afford to eat every again at this rate maybe that is how the band works in an alternative kinda way :heh: on a more positive note, i dragged myself to the gym at 7am .. hooray. with the help of everyone i am feeling so much more motivated today. sod the medical team.. i will try really hard, and keep moaning until i see my surgeon.. and if they tell me to be patient,, i will assertively and kindly say.. 'patience ,, it took me several years to have this operation i don't want to be patient i want to get on with it' wow i have winged so much today.. i must be back on track !!! tracy keep up the chunk chicken breast.. although it does sound as tasty as cat litter .we have been sabotaging ourselves for years so we are going to fall off our new wagon sometimes ,, and we just have to heave ourselves back on. .and in time when we are slim we will be able to hop back on :biggrin1: (all i have to do now is tell that to my nurse so she can be a little more understanding, i don't want her to collude with any naughty behaviour.. but i do want a bit more support and information) take care everyone

here here for that !! you are right,, we get hot, but we cover up ,, its just so uncomfortable.. i do envy slim people so often.. its mad. i haven't started missing food yet - as not got correct band adjustment so trying to do it but can still eat too much, its so hard to mentally prepare for it.. how do you prepare for a loss when you haven't lost it.. i just don't know ?? but yes the thought of being normal is a winner.. just the thought of sitting on a train and just taking up one seat.. if i had a penny everytime i choose to stand up as i take up too much room on the seat.. its will be wonderful. we have to hold out for that dream !! as for the scars six 6 post op, and they are kinda red.. but they are not bad at all !!!!! i reckon give them a year and you really won't notice them much at all, my stretch marks are much worse. good luck