ailbhe

Well, I'm only banded a month so I can't really say for certain whether it was worth it or not! But so far I feel it was. I'm sure some of the longer term bandsters will let you know. I think I asked a similar question and it was a resounding YES.

Know how you feel Lindsey! You'll get there. Just be warned that the first 2 weeks after surgery are liquids only and 2 weeks after that it's mushies (anything the consistency of baby food). Then you can eat normal food again. The weight fell off me the first 2 weeks but I haven't lost anything since (nor have I gained which I am happy about as it doesn't feel like I'm limiting myself really). I eat when I want, try to make fairly responsible choices, eat as much as I need to to feel full etc. But if I am somewhere where I can't eat sensibly I can eat there too and the difference is I don't feel like I've "blown" my diet because I'm not on one. That is the main difference for me. Lets say before the band I was on a diet and with a friend and went to McDs. I would think "oh to hell with it, I'll treat myself" and eat all around me! Then the next day I would think "in for a penny, in for a pound. I've blown the diet this week with the McDs so I'll just enjoy myself and worry about it next week. And so I fail on the diet and never resume it again! :scared2: With the band I am in the same position (in McDs) but this time I know I can eat until I'm full but it won't take much. I order a hamburger and fries and a water (as I can't drink fizzy drinks). So I eat the meat from the burger. By the time I finish that(if I manage to) and a few fries I am full and everyone else is also finished as it takes so long for me to eat. Therefore I don't have to watch them eat! So off I go feeling satisfied, knowing it probably wasn't the best thing for me but hey, I ate so little of it that it doesn't matter. I don't know if that makes any sense or if I am just rambling but I have a whole different mentality to food since I got the band. I am not dieting, I am not suffering, I am not longing for things and seeing some food as bad iykwim? I am not punishing myself I suppose. I am just eating. I love food and I love eating and I can still do that (within reason) but I feel satisfied when I am finished which is the big thing for me because I HATE being hungry :w00t:

I do get hungry but amn't able to eat much in one sitting. Can't eat chicken, it gets stuck. If I eat too quickly it gets stuck. I'm eating normal food but sticking to soft stuff. Nothing too tough. I'm finding I can eat more these days but I'm due my first fill next week so I'm hoping that will up my restriction again.

Hi Lindsey. I'm not sure about the other doctor. It is just Dr DeBruyne that does fills in Dublin as far as I know but he deals with other peoples patients. Does your fee include after care or fills? If not then you could still go to Dr Chris for fills. I paid €3400 but that was literally just the operation. No fills or aftercare included. What hotel are you staying in? I stayed in the campanile which was just a few minutes from the hospital. Have a few tips for there if that's where you're staying. Hospital is fine, really clean and comfortable. Facilities are much better than Irish hospitals and all the nurses speak English. Is it the AZ Jans Portael (I prob spelled that totally wrong!) you are going to? BTW I am 5ft 7 and was almost 19 stone before op. 17 and a half stone now.

Hi Lesley. Dr Chris has a surgery in Dublin once a month where he does fills and consultations. Fills cost €120. If you have any questions about Brussels feel free to ask. There are a few of us here who have been banded there so we'll do our best to answer you.

God girls, the treatment ye are getting is apalling. I can't get over it. Hope it all gets sorted for you all and you get fills galore Speaking of fills, Elsie, you all set for Thursday! I can't wait!

I know! I was in tesco yesterday and all the eggs were half price. My other half (skinny) wanted to buy some but I refused (yay me). Thank God because when we got home we decided to get rid of all the boxes from the eggs (bin night) and we have a small box overflowing with eggs and bars. It's not fair!

HEy all. Hope you all had a good weekend. I was home visiting the family and listening to how fab I look :cursing: I had a good weekend though I did have a few drinks sunday night and picked at some chocolate too, My daughter got 8 easter eggs so I am trying to find a way to get rid of them! I refuse to allow her to eat them all even if it is over a few weeks (trying to save her from a lifetime of weight watchers!). Her bio-dad(as I fondly call him - haven't seen him or heard from him since I was 3 months pregnant, about 6 years ago) was very big (18 stone at his biggest) though he had lost all that by the time I met him and the fact that I'm on here tells you about my build! So she is tall and slim but looks like she would easily put on weight if you know what I mean. I don't want to giver her an eating disorder but I want her to be healthy and I don't think eating her weight in chocolate would be a good idea! Am looking forward to my first fill. I still have restriction which is great but I am finding myself eating more and more often (still a fraction of normal portion sizes though!) I had to go shopping at the weekend for smaller trousers (I love my band !):biggrin:

I was banded just over 3 weeks ago and while I do get hungry I have just started back on normal food and find I have great restriction. Get full very quickly and food gets stuck if I eat too much or too fast. I had luch with colleagues today and only managed half a childs portion and I feel I ate too much. I'm stuffed. I knew I wanted to stop eating but loads of people were there and have all been commenting on how little I've been eating so I was trying to eat as much as possible. Stupid I know but nobody in work knows I've had the band and I want to keep it that way. Feel awful now though :wink2: First fill is in 2 weeks (almost 6 weeks post op) so hopefully I get more restriction as although I can't eat a lot in one sitting I get hungry quickly.

Hi all, was banded on Feb 26th and have been very good sticking to liquids. Started on mushies a few days ago and my weight loss just stopped. I'm probably eating less than 1000 calories per day. Weight loss has been stuck at 17lbs for the last week. Now I know I shouldn't be complaining as 17lbs in 2 weeks is great but I'm slightly afraid that this is where I'll stay and I'm not due a fill for another 4 weeks. How can I not be losing weight???? I'm being so good, have good restriction and am eating 3 meals per day plus loads of Water. I haven't started excercising yet as I'm still a bit sore but I do have more energy and am always up doing something. Did anyone else get stuck?

I thought that about how efficient everything was in Belgium. We were in the city centre a good bit and I didn't see one traffic jam! Same with visiting melsbroek. I asked at the hotel reception for a taxi and as soon as I said Melsbroek the guy said "ah you are going to see ze doctur". Taxi driver knew where the house was and we were waiting 5 minutes to go in, in there about 15 minutes and taxi arrived about 2 mins after it was called. I think "ze docturs" are big business over there and they seem to think we're all very rich "English ladies". I had to point out to the nurses that them calling me English was the same as me calling them French. They got the point! Best of luck today Ellen with the tuck'n'suck (I don't mind saying it, I have no shame! :shades_smile:) Dr Chris is in Dublin on April 3rd. If anyone wants the phone number to book a fill (€120) just give me a shout and I'll pm them with it. Think it'son his website anyway.

All three please Coco. Though I might need more time than a year! I brought my 5 year old to the local parade. Last year she whined that it was cold etc but this year I had a plan! The parade route runs right past my office so myself and the other 3 gals I work with arranged a little party upstairs for the kids with them hanging out the windows. No standing for hours, getting wet or hungry and we were able to see everything. Only dowside was being in work over the bank holiday and seeing the pile of work on my desk Oh, and trying to pretend I didn't want all the yummy food they had. I've told them I'm on a diet so they weren't too pushy but the admiration for my will power was a little guilt inducing :thumbup:. Oh well.

oooooh. intrigued by yummy doctor. Might go and get some PS just to meet him Room service and all! Glad to hear it didn't hurt too much. Have loads of stretch marks there so I know I'll end up with bingo wings! And I'll be tucking my apron into my knickers. I can see it now!!! I'll start saving now! Elsie, how are you going with the mushies?? I'm finding I have less restriction now that the swelling is going down. Weight loss has pretty much stalled. Sigh. So I'm looking forward to my fill. Now, I just have to remember to book the flippin' appointment! Is Monday a bank holiday in Belgium? Probably not. I might try ringing then. The only time I can ring is work hours and I can picture me on the mobile with a bad connection shouting "a fill. Yes. I had a gastric band...." at the top of my lungs while my colleagues eavesdrop. Monday it is......

Hi Elsie. Mushies at last! Yay! I've been eating Tesco low fat baked baked potatoes with cheese (2 mins in the microwave so handy for work, just leave the skins! The cheese isn't proper cheese either). I made shepherds pie and spaghetti bolognaise (but no spaghetti). I find anything with mince easy to eat. And mashed potato mixed with turnip/mashed carrot/parsnips/beans etc. And scrambled egg. I'm not sure if they count as mushies but I didn't really know what else and I was sick of soup! I googled baby food recipes (for the 6-9 months plus sort of age) and found some inspiration on a few different sites. The main thing is (even when you're starving) eat really slowly. I made the mistake of wolfing down my food one lunch time and it just lodged in my chest. It was really sore! Enjoy! PS I can't wait to be able to shop in River Island, Oasis, Bay and (for a treat) Brown Thomas again. (I was a size 14 before having my daughter 5 years ago and I miss "skinny" shops!)

Yay! It worked! I basically ate about 7 small meals yesterday! After dinner I totted up my calories at was at 900 (after what felt like non stop eating) so I had some full fat soft cheese on crackers (good for protein) and this morning was down 2lbs!!!! Yay!!! So basically I was eating too little (not usually a problem for me!) so I am trying to eat more than 3 times a day now. Have been grazing all morning so far (smoothie at my desk and have been drinking my way through it all morning where I used to have a bit for breakfast and then nothing until lunch). Nice to see the scales move. It's weird though as I feel I am eating loads to lose weight!

Hi Marge, I see where you are coming from with your concerns about going abroad. I was given a card to carry with me giving the details of the type of band, positioning etc should I ever be involved in an accident. I was also advised if I have any immediate concerns to go to my GP or hospital. I was given a letter to gove to my GP which outlined the procedure and aftercare and Dr. Chris is very prompt at replying to emails and phone calls. I feel myself, if I had a slippage I could fly to Belgium at a day or twos notice and be fitted in by either Dr, Chris or his colleague Dr. Dillemans. As far as I am aware they alternate weeks in Belgium (as Dr. Chris also operates in Dubai). In the case of a severe emergency I have my GP and A&E. Worst case scenario is I go to A&E with a severe problem and they remove the band instead of readjusting it. I am prepared to take that risk (when you consider the band in Belgium is €3400 and the "aftercare" available in Ireland appears to be quite poor at the moment). Even my GP remarked that she had another baded patient and the letter I gave her from doctor Chris was more than ACS provided.

I haven't been counting calories but at a guess I would say I am averaging about 600-800 calories per day so I think I'll increase that. Maybe have a glass or two of vino and some ice cream! :huh2:

I've reached a plateau too. Been stuck at 17lbs since last week. This is week 3 for me so it's reassuring to know it's common. My weight loss is since the day I was banded. I didn't have to do a pre op diet so I was the same weight as always (well, actually I was a my heaviest) when I went for surgery. My 5 year old is very concerned that I won't be getting an easter egg. Think I'll buy a cream egg as a treat and let himself eat most of it!

Thanks all. Good to hear I'm not alone! Have great restriction which I am truly grateful for. Ate mashed potato and swede last night and should have eaten slower as I only had a tiny bowl and was so full 5 minutes after. Hopefully something kicks off soon and the weight starts coming off again.

I considered bypass and discussed the issue with my surgeon who recommended the band. I'm only 25 and want more babies so the band was the one which would allow pregnancy with the least amount of complication. That did it for me!

OK here goes........ I had one ice cream (low fat) on day 4 as we were out and I couldn't find anywhere that served Soup (and I DID try) I had half a twix stick because I was dying for some chocolate. I had half a milkshake. I had an oat bar which hurt when I ate a bite so I didn't eat it. And I had 2 chips (french fries). It looks awful when I write it down. Not even 2 weeks post op. It didn't feel that bad when i was doing it but now that I've seen it written down I'll be more careful.

I went home to visit family. Haven't been since before my band and everyone (even people who don't know about the band) commented on my weightloss. BMI has gone from morbidly obese to obese. My family are all big eaters and getting together is an excuse to stuff our faces I was able to resist everything (I'm still on liquids) so I was very proud of myself.

Hi all. Sorry to butt in on the ACS stuff but just wanted to congratulate Penny on the decision to go with the bypass. Penny, it can't have been an easy choice to make and I'm glad you are happy with your choice now. How was Florida? Where in Ireland are you geting it done? Loughlinstown? I hope it all goes well for you. I know you won't be a "bandster" but I hope you drop in now and then. And I really hope you find a forum for gastric bypass that is as good as this one (it's a fountain of information).

Hi all. I was banded 2/26 and have been on a liquid diet since (soup, yougurt, juice etc). This morning when I got up I felt light headed and have felt that way all day. Today is my first day back in work (office job-not strenuous) but my brain is a bit muddled and I feel faint when I stand quickly or bend over? Do i need more Protein or would it be something else? Help!