Sadie

Wee update..... Lower body lift done 09.01.10 - unbelievably sore, worse pain ever, but would do it again!!! (had vacation in Florida 6 wks after surgery - flying from Scotland - 9hr flight - did theme parks, wore bikini, felt fabulous!) 7lbs of loose skin gone 14cm at front 10cm at sides, 2cm on back. Band slipped 03.17.11 - no pain but couldn't eat or drink for 4 days. was awful..... Went to operating theatre that night, and band was put back into place. Have gained 25lbs in 2 months.... not happy...... Bariatric Team told me a patient put on 14lbs in 10 days so don't worry about my 25lbs......!!!! Band now has 3mls in it..... another fill tomorrow....... I REALLY need restriction. This extra weight is annoying the hell outta me..... although everyone says I look better, healthier etc. I admit I feel better, permanent heartburn is now gone....no night reflux.....feeling permanently cold is gone and DH prefers me like this! Gonna get rid of this 25lbs over the next 6 months.... BTW Brachioplasty hopefully in the next 6 weeks..... yay! Sadie

I know I'm not posting this in the correct section, but thought I would share my news with my fellow victorious valentines. Having lost 115lbs since my banding on 02.02.08, I'm starting on the plastic surgery journey, with a mastopexy booked for tomorrow!! I'm not having implants, having been big chested all my life, now the weight has gone, the boobs have too! I figure I can live with a B/C cup, this is from a G cup! Next will be either an extended tummy tuck or belt lipectomy, hopefully in Jan/Feb '10. Possibly arm lift too, if DH agrees! Keep fingers & toes crossed for me! Sadie :frown:

Well, here's a quick update on what's been happening.... Maxtopexy was completed beautifully. I am extremely happy with them! I'm now a 34E - I was a 44G at my biggest so woo hoo!! Although I paid privately for the mastopexy (£5,000), I was able to get a consultation through the NHS (National Health Service) with the same surgeon. My family Doctor had referred me for a tummy tuck, but when the PS examined me, he said I would get a better result with a lower body lift... I could have kissed him. And what makes it taste all the sweeter is that I don't have to pay for it! PLUS, he said he'll do my arm reduction too through the NHS, saving me around another £3,000. The lower body lift should be within 6 weeks.... :biggrin:

I was banded in Edinburgh, Scotland on 02.02.08. To date I've lost 115lbs! Tomorrow is the start of the PS journey at long last. I'm starting off with a mastopexy. I'm being admitted at 7.30am tomorrow and should be out on Wednesday at 10.30am. No drains will be used either, great! At the biggest I was a size 44 G/H, now I'm a 36E but I've lost a lot a of breast tissue and the Plastic Surgeon reckons I'll be either a 36B/C. I'm not bothered about implants, been there with the big chest, don't want them again! DH is more of a butt man anyway! I'm sure he would rather I was having butt implants as this has disappeared too. Anyway, I can't wait until tomorrow and hopefully I'll have either an extended tummy tuck or belt lipectomy scheduled for Jan/Feb possibly with an arm lift too.....:frown: I'll update with progress soon..... Sadie

Thank you for all your kind thoughts! I appreciate it. Well, I'm back home now, all done and dusted! I was taken into the operating room around 10.20am and was all done by 1pm. Everything went extremely well, I am really pleased with them. The Surgeon, Mr Hamilton, was fantastic. He's going to do the rest of my surgery too hopefully. I have no drains in and no dressings either. I have stitches around the nipples that are to be removed next Friday. My DH is amazed by them, he's only seen the saggy ones! The kids say I look slimmer too! From getting on the scales to morning of surgery until today (2days) it looks like I've lost 6lbs! Granted I haven't ate that much, but I'm dying to know how much came off the boobs! I must ask next week.... Anyway, will pluck up courage to post pics soon (my sister didn't believe the after pics were mine!) Sadie :wink2:

Before picture of me playing the role of a patient for a website. Ugh! New co-workers didn't believe it was me!! 2nd picture taken last month at Eilean Donan Castle, where the film "Highlander" was filmed. The Isle of Skye is in the background. Beautiful part of Scotland!

Hi Dundeedawn I'm in Edinburgh myself, although born in Dundee and brought up in Carnoustie. I have family in your area and visit every 6 weeks or so. I was banded on the 2nd Feb this year and have lost about 6 1/2 stone so far. Good luck on your journey. Spire Murrayfield in Edinburgh do fills, both under x-ray and just in clinic. Let me know if you want the number. Sadie

Will see you there Elaine, I was banded in Feb at Spire Murrayfield. I too am looking forward to meeting everyone to see how they are doing! Sarah

It's my 7 month bandiversary today! I saw my Bariatric Nurse and Surgeon for a check up this morning. They are extremely happy with my weightloss so far. They asked how much more I was hoping to lose, I said another 40lbs to which they said no, that's too much. They said I was to get to a weight I was happy with and could maintain. I asked about PS too. Again, I could have a TT now but if I am still losing weight there wouldn't be any point. I think possibly another 20lbs or so and we'll look into scheduling a TT. Sadie:biggrin:

I had a fabulous NSV yesterday. Went to Next. I had seen a pair of jeans I really liked. Hubby said try on the size 14. OMG they FIT!!! I am so proud. Tomorrow is my 7-month bandiversary and I was wearing size 24 jeans pre-op! Yay me!!!! Sadie:biggrin:

Hi Bernie, well done on your band and good luck in your weightloss journey. I recall for the 2 weeks post op I lived on Complan, clear or strained Soups, yoghurt, Water and coffee. I had around 200mls at a time. Remember, this is a time for healing, not to lose weight. Don't expect to lose much, you don't have any restriction (unless your surgeon put some saline in your band during the op), until you have your first fill. Sadie:biggrin:

Hi Sadie...YAY is right! 60 pounds gone - that is fabulous! And (nosy soul that I am) I really would like to know how your TT journey progresses. Have you already met with a plastic surgeon? Not yet. How did you find him/her? I work with the Surgeons who put my band in and I've known the PS since he qualified. Relative to the cost of the band, is the TT more/less/about the same? The band was self pay at £7950 (british pounds). The TT is around £5000.

As a VV who doesn't post very often, I thought this was a good thread to say hello to fellow VVs, frequent posters and like me, very infrequent posters! As for my band, as of today I'm down 80lbs, yay! Another 40lbs to go then TT! Hasn't been easy, a lot of frustration but I would do it all again tomorrow if I had to. Although I don't know any of you, and I live in a different country from most of you, we're all on the same journey and I love reading about everyones ups and downs. Keep up the good work everyone! Sadie :smile2:

Amazing to have lost that weight without surgery. :omg: Good for her!:clap2: Casualty star Rebecca Wheatley: 'How I lost HALF my body weight' | the Daily Mail

My 1st fill was a week ago - 13th March - I had 5ccs put in a 14cc band. Initially had 4.5ccs, no restriction. Went up to 6ccs, too much restriction so 1cc out. The following day I didn't feel any different. Was told to come back today for another fill. I had to have a barium swallow first and the Radiologist told me he didn't want to put any more in the band - he turned the x-ray screen to show me the barium sitting in my oesophagus! I was surprised as I don't feel much restriction, but it was sitting there slowly dripping through the band for me to see! I did see the Dietician too, I've lost 5lbs since last week! She wants me to keep a food diary until I see her again in 2 weeks to make sure I'm getting enough Calcium, Vitamins etc.

I was finally banded at Spire Edinburgh just over 2 weeks ago and I couldn't be happier. Everything has been perfect (so far!) from the initial consultation to the weekly phone calls to see how I am doing. I cannot recommend the whole team highly enough. See below for stats so far. The highest weight was at New Year. I had decided to have surgery last October and was told I could have it before the New Year but I was in New York in November and wanted my "last normal" xmas! I kinda wish I had gone ahead with it when I came back from New York now! I would have been further ahead with the weightloss but nevermind, its coming off now, thank god!! Sadie:biggrin:

JaxBandster.........................March 11th Sadie .................................March 13th

Just to let you all know that everything went perfectly with my operation on the 2nd. I was admitted at 1.30pm, walked to the operating room around 3.10pm, DH said they came for my bed at 4.30pm, told him the operation went fine. I remember waking up in recovery with a lot of referred pain in my left shoulder. I wasn't taken back to my room until around 6.30pm. I was up and walking within an hour. Overnight stay in hospital (standard procedure here in the UK). Showered the following morning, saw the Anaesthetist and the Surgeon, who both said it was a text-book operation! Was discharged around 11am. I only had Water the first 2 days (all I could face), now on clear Soup etc for the next 3 weeks. Back to the hospital tomorrow just to see how I'm doing and then first fill in 5 weeks! The post op diet is fine. I think I'm used to not eating now. Although it doesn't help that DH is sitting next to me right now eating pizza Hut!!! Sadie

Hi everyone! On reading everyone's dates on another thread, it looks like I have the honour of being the first bandster in February!! (op on 2nd Feb) I'll introduce myself, I'm Sarah, 34 (35 on Feb 11th), married with 2 children. I live in Edinburgh, Scotland and I've been overweight all my life. I first looked into surgery 8 years ago but was told I wasn't too overweight! If only I had a crystal ball back then - I've put on another 70lbs since then! Anyway, I started my pre-op diet last Saturday, 2 weeks before the big day. Its actually not as bad as I thought it would be. I've lost around 18lbs in the last 3 1/2 weeks anyway so I'm doing ok. (must update the ticker!) I'll keep you posted as to how things go. Would love to hear the differences between the UK and USA bandsters. Here's one to start off, my surgeon told me I'm off work 8 weeks after - I have desk job! Sarah :smile: