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Dr Chris also uses the heliogast. it's the one that I have and I think Elsie has too. He asked me what band I wanted and I said i didn't mind. Lil try calling Julie on 00447872963503. She's Dr. Chris' secretary and might be able to fit you in. Again though, you would probably have to pay (€120) as he is seeing his own patients and ACS patients. Maybe ring her and say you're an ACS patient and see what the story is.She's very nice.

Hi all. Just wondering if anyone is up for meeting up on 8th May before fills. Was talking to Elsie (whose broadband is down) and she is so let me know if anyone else is heading for a fill. On another note I've just been told we have to go to ACS for our fills which (to be 100% honestabout it) has me worried. I specifically didn't want to deal with ACS because of all that went on and now I have to. I know it's only for fills but I don't want it to all go belly up and then be left with no way of getting fills. I hope it doesn't happen but I am wary of dealing with a company which has, to be frank, such a crap reputation. I am considering asking if they guy in Galway will do fills only even if not banded by him. Galway would suit me better anyway but I am not one bit happy abou handing over money to a company which provides such poor customer service and after care. :wink2: So that's my rant over! Let me know if anyone is up for a meeting (i promise I won't rant anymore! :biggrin2:)

I am actually starting to look after my appearance again and people are noticing. I'm taking more time on my "beauty routines". Before the surgery I would have just hopped out of the shower, tied my hair in a ponytail and thrown on whatever was clean. now i pluck, preen and apply tan. I put on my make up and style my hair and decide what I am going to wear. It means I have to get up earlier but I feel great!

hi gill. This is totally normal, par for the course. I am banded since late February and in the first 2 weeks(on liquids) I lost 17 pounds which I was thrilled with. Then when I started eating mushies the weight loss stalled for about 2-3 weeks. Basically you are regaining the weight you lost when on liquids (starvation) but this is countered by the fact that you are losing weight if that makes sense. Personally I don't think you are eating enough calories. What did your doctor recommend? Anyway, after about 2 weeks of staying the same weight it started to go down again but much more slowly. I am nearly 9 weeks post banding and am down about 26pounds which averages at nearly 3 pounds per week which I am happy with. I had my first fill 2 weeks ago and am due another in 2 weeks. I have a little restriction but can still eat a good bit so I'm delighted I'm still managing to lose weight. Best of luck and don't get disheartened.

Well all. Dr. Chris emailed me last night Infection of the port is not frequent (only 5 times in 11 years). I do not think this has happened but can not tell 100% is can not see you. Anyway you are well treated with antibiotics. I can see you on 080508 in Dublin to check this out. Did you do heavy weight or did you bend over a lot because this irritates the port although this is not a infection. Thanks. Dr Chris I was doing gardening before the pain worsened so I'm guessing he's right. The pain is almost totally gone now. Still a twinge here and there. So I'm going to keep going with the anti biotics and anti inflammatories just to be 100% sure. And no more bending! Thanks for all the good wishes. I'm so relieved!!! Was terrified I'd have to have the band removed and I don't wanna!!!! Lost another few pounds (am now down into the next stone bracket :biggrin2:) so I'm chuffed. My garden will suffer but I can live with that!

Hi all. Some problems here. The "odd twinge" that I was getting turned into an all out stabbing pain whenever I move. It's ok i I'm sitting down but once I get up it's very sore. It's below my port (about 2" below) and restricted to that side. I went to the GP today who said she thinks it's an infection in the port. I'm not sure as info I can find on port infection says that the port site is red and hot and tender. Mine is none of the above. Even when I press on it it doesn't hurt. The pain fels very deep if you know what I mean. I've emailed Dr. Chris too to see what he reckons. My GP gave me anti inflammatories and anti biotics so I suppose I'll have to wait and see if they work. Hopefully they do as I can't bear the thought of having to go to the local hospital as I am sure they will not be supportive of trying to keep the band. I saw another post on the complication board where the lady had the exact same pain as I am having and it was a condition called diverticulitis which is where pouches form on the intestine and get inflamed. I know I sholdn't be trusting the internet fo health issues but I can't help but feel my GP is adamant that it is the band and is ignoring the fact that the pain is a good bit away from the port site. The bottom of the port just meets the top of the pain site but the main pain is lower than that. I just feel that if it was infection that it would be tender and it isn't. It slightly hurt when she pressed on it but she was pushing very hard and there is an object in there! Anyway, fingers crossed for me girls.......

Hi Damienne. I'm 25 so can't help with the over 60s part of your post but I can tell you that you can have a consult with Dr. de Bruyne in Dublin. The address is Raglan Clinic, fitzwilliam st, dublin. He is next over on the 8th of May. he comes over about once a month and does fills and consultations. Hope this helps. The number to call if you want to book a consultation is 00447872963503 (julie) and she can give you an appointment. I went to Belgium so if you have any questions just shout.

Hi all. Glad to hear you've all been able to get your fills sorted. Can't wait for my next one as restriction is going day by day. I think I'm up a pound but I'm refusing to acknowledge it! Just wondering if anyone else gets pains around the band. I get the occasional sharp pain under my port or on the other side around where the band is. They were particularly bad this morning but are gone now. Just wondering if these twinges are normal. I sleep on my stomach which probably doesn't help matters

Thats great news Geraldine I met Frederick when i was in Belgium. He provides a "package" if you are going to Belgium incl flights, pickups etc. He's nice, very confident and seems to know his stuff. So is Dr Chris de Bruyne their new surgeon or is the other Dr. Chris their new surgeon. Just wondering if I'll have to go to ACS for a fill :thumbup:

Try Dr. Chris on Wilkommen auf der Obesity Assist Website. I don't know if he'd be able to fit you in or even if he is in Belgium that week but if you have flights etc booked and ready it's worth a try. his email and phone number are on the site. Might be worth a shot. If I remember correctly it wasn't Dr. Chris you were booked in with.

Oh Lindsey, thats awful. To get all geared up for it and then have it cancelled. Did they book you in for another date? I suppose these things happen. What Dr. were you using? Is he an independent doctor or did you book through the hospital/a company?

Hi all! Had a big wardrobe clear out yesterday. Am down one size for sure and not far off 2 sizes. Chucked out all the bigger sizes as I am NEVER going back their again. I have a load of clothes from the last time I got down to a size 20 and I'm nearly in them. They are sitting in the wardrobe waiting for me! Hope you are all doing well. I'd love to be going for a fill today but can't get the time off so I'll have to wait until next month. But the weight is still going down at a reasonable rate so i'm happy!

A girl in work said "you're doing really well. You must have lost about 3 stone (approx 42 pounds)" when in fact I have lost just under 2. Yay. At least people are noticing it.

Hi all. Haven't logged on in a while as I'm really busy at work at the mo and have exams this week too so just haven't had a minute. I am actually losing restriction since the fill (boo, hiss) and find I'm eating more (though still not as much as before). Weight is slooooooowly moving downwards but so slowly the scales don't pick it up Roll on the next fill. Still can't eat meat cos it gets stuck and so does bread but most foods go down way too easily! Elsie, how are you getting on? Any restriction at all?

Ryanair flies to the airport furthur out of town. We flew in and because we didn't know our way around got a taxi to vilvoorde. Mistake! It cost us 120 euro!:purplebananna: On the way home we had sussed out the trains etc so we got a train to charleroi town and there is a shuttle bus from charleroi station to the airport (about 10 mins). Total cost was about 7 euro for both of us for the train (takes about an hour) and 2 euro for the bus. So if you fly ryanair just go out of the airport and you'll see a sign for the bus. Get the bus to charleroi train station and look for the train to Antwerp which goes straight to Vilvoorde. The train station is literally across the road from the Campenile hotel if that is where you are staying.

Hi all. I'll second Gerri and Siepie about the meet up. I now know who i am "talking" to. Fill went well. Got 2mls in an 8ml band (info courtesy of LC as I forgot to ask!). Very strange feeling but hopefully it will give me more restriction. On liquids for today and tomorrow so won't really know until I start eating again. Lc thanks for keeping me company and the lift! Got home safe and sound. Hope you all did too. Should really go and do some work :thumbup:

(also posted on the new thread) Coco it seems that the old thread has been moved from "introductions" to the thread "local lap band support" futhur down on the home page. If you look down at that section it is top of the list in "elsewhere". Why they felt the need to move it after a year I don't know. More to the point why weren't we notified?? And if the UK has it's own page why doesn't Ireland. There are plenty of us on here too!

Coco it seems that the old thread has been moved from "introductions" to the thread "local lap band support" futhur down on the home page. If you look down at that section it is top of the list in "elsewhere". Why they felt the need to move it after a year I don't know. More to the point why weren't we notified?? :cursing: And if the UK has it's own page why doesn't Ireland. There are plenty of us on here too!

Weigh day today and I actually lost weight for the first time in 2 weeks! Wahoo!!!! Also booked my holiday for the end of May so I'm going to start excercising now and hopefully lose a bit more weight before then! I want to wear togs and not feel too self conscious. I know I won't be slim but if I could get down to a 20 (size 22 now) I'd be happy out!

Right folks. We need to pick a time and a place. Probably close to Fitzwilliam Street as most of us are heading there for fills/consultations. As I said, I don't know Dublin so if anyone knows of somewhere that we can meet (that won't mind being invaded by a grup of women!) post it here and We can pick a place and a time that suits everyone. I assume morning will be better around 11 or 12 ish?

Hi ellen. I'm originally from the midlands but living near Galway now in the wesht :rolleyes2: Roll on Thursday. Was starving all day yesterday :teeth_smile:

It was actually Brenners who brought me here as she posted about the band on another site and someone redirected her here and that's when i found it too though it was another age before I took the plunge. I think coco said that Brenners didn't have too good a time with the band and had stopped posting though I am open to correction. Anyway folks, myself Elsie and Marge are meeting up for fills and consults in Dublin on Thursday 3rd April. As some of us are meeting already does anyone else want to join us and make a morning of it? I don't know Dublin so will be relying on my chauffeur Elsie to drive me :smile: but if anyone knows somewhere we could meet up and have a coffee and a chat and make a proper gathering out of it feel free to post and advise a place. It'd be lovely to meet everyone and see all the progress. I know it's short notice but hope some of you can come!

Me me me!!! And Elsie. We'll all have to meet up. I'm getting the train up and my appointment is at 2pm ish

EVERYBODY CALLS ME: Ash MY PRIMARY RELATIONSHIPS INCLUDE: My partner and our daughter (aged 5) MY NON-HUMAN FAMILY CONSISTS OF: 2 rabbits I LIVE IN: Ireland. OCCUPATION: Insurance claims administrator. AVOCATION: Reading, travelling, quality family time FAVORITE EXERCISE: Swimming I COLLECT: nothing. I hate clutter and our house is fairly minimalist except for the playroom.

I won't lie. It was pretty sore. Not unbearable but sore. The first 2 days were the worst and after that I improved every day. Everyone is different though. Some people have very little pain. I needed 2 weeks off work! I never watched it on YouTube.. Was afraid it would put me off :scared2: Maybe I will now that it's over and done with. My fella came over with me. It was great as he could carry the bags and help me put my shoes on the first day or two! I felt sorry for him the first few days as I pretty much slept solidly for day one and two. He must have been so bored. He was a bit nervous too and he felt awful as the morning of the surgery he had literally just popped out to get a coffee when they came and took me to surgery. He spent 2 anxious hours worrying himself sick that something would happen and he never said goodbye. Poor guy.