juliatabor

Hi I'm just wondering how long it takes before I will be able to go from eating mushy food to normal textured food? I'm 2wks post op, had fluids the 1st week, mushies the 2nd week and last night I ate a few bites of soft flaky salmon and the pain was TERRIBLE. it lasted for about 15 mins,I felt really sick and eventually I did a couple of burps bringing up a load of frothy slime( sorry to be so graphic) and the pain eased off. I think the food mustve got stuck. I thought I'd chewed it up enough and was really shocked at what happenend.I'm scared now at the prospect of going onto solid food Does it take a long time to gradually wean back onto proper food? And also will i be able to eat salad? I love a nice salad! What about crunchy food like apples? Any advice would be appreciated, thanks! Julia

thanks for replying.Im encouraged to hear how you're getting on. Sounds like you're doing really well. I will make sure I chew my food better I think!

No you are def not being a wimp! I was in agony after my op and so were the other ladies who I was in hospital with.We were all shocked at the level of pain we were in becoz no one had said it would be so bad. The good news is that with every day that passes the pain will ease a bit so dont worry. If you need pain relief take it, make it as easy for yourself as u can. Im 2 wks post op now and pretty much back to normal, but believe me I was in agony afterwards. I'm surprised how quickly the body bounces back to life. i think the thing is to be nice to yourself, give yourself plenty of time to do rest and recover and you'll be absolutely fine. All the best! Julia x

Hi Stace I'm 2 wks post op now and in that 1st week had agonizing pain in just the same place as you, i thought something was badly wrong to be in so much pain. It came in waves and was very intense. I got in touch with my doc and he said it was quite usual and it would go in a couple of days. He was right! As suddenly as it came , it went, so try not to worry. All the best Julia x

not got hosp number but you could try Frederik, he'll be able to tell you. +32 (0) 472 01 90 91 Julia x

yeah mine were itching too, horrible. Much better now stitches are out and the fresh air can get to the skin. I'm putting pure aloe vera gelly on the skin to help it heal and hopefully reduce the scarring. Julia

Hi I'm nearly 2 weeks post op and last week I had a few days feeling like you. I wondered if I was lacking in nutrients and calories and so upped my intake even though I didnt feel like it and also made myself drink much more Water. It was hard and still is getting 2 litres down me in a day but it did the trick, i think i was dehydrated. I'm sipping out of a water bottle from all day. Good luck . hope you feel better soon. Julia

Hi Rockout This is a great website, i'm sure you'll find it a huge help. before I was banded I spent hours and hours reading all the posts etc and also asking people a million questions. People are very friendly and willing to help so ask as much as you can, it will help you reach the right decision for you. Good luck! Julia

Thank you very much, I have just updated my details, great! xx

Enjoy your mushies! lucky you. i could murder a scrambled egg! Ive been meaning to ask you, how do you add the bit under your posts that says 'banded on the blah blah by Dr de Bruyne and your starrting weight' ? I think its helpful for other people to see and I'd like to add it to mine, but I cant work it out! thanks! good luck with the stitches by the way. i hope that nasty little blue port one's ok. love Julia xx

Hi mrs J J its so good to hear how you're getting on, i find it fascinating comparing notes ! what are you now...10 days post op? still on liquids? you must be looking forward to having mushies, I know I am ! Ive been feeling quite horrible the last few days, dizzy , lightheaded, really hungover and all I've wanted to do was lie down. I thought it might ve been due to such a low calorie intake and dehydration so yesterday I upped my Water and forced more nutrition down even though I didnt really want it and today I feel normal! I'm finding it hard to get enough down me being full up all the time. I never thought I'd have that problem lol!! are your stiches out? mine are tugging like mad, cant wait to have them taken out next week, although after the pain of the op I will never moan about minor irritations again! Im not surprised you were exhausted working till 3pm, I was knackered walking 5 mins up the road with the dog. I cant believe Dr Chris said do 2 30 min walks a day. surely he didnt mean straight away?! I'd be ringing for the paramedics! I will try a little one later. Keep in touch ok hope you have a good day lots of love Julia x

Hi Tanya So lovely to get your message! how are you? I'm 6days post op and on liquids still and its ok. Boy what a week it's been! I'm pleased that now I can just get on with it though I am still haunted by the trauma of those 1st 12 hrs after the op, its still too fresh in my mind. I cant remember when you were banded and where you are on your journey? Can you remember what it was like a week post op ? Id appreciate any advice you could give me for this stage. Talk to you soon ok lots of love julia ps WOO HOOOO !!! lol

Hi Jiggy glad you emailed frederik and things are moving on and its great you've got a date, you know the 12th Sept will soon be here. Yes iam on fluids and it's really ok, I'm quite enjoying it. You dont really get hungry and also becoz Ive had pain actually in my stomach from the op I ve not wanted to put anything in my mouth becoz Ive been too afraid of it hurting even more. so quite honestly for the moment food has lost a lot of its appeal !! Thats pretty amazing for me as a compulsive over eater ! I'm day 6 post op and today is the 1st day I've felt human, it's so nice! they tell you to drink 2.5 litres of Water a day so I;m trying hard to do that. i'm sipping constantly all day out of a water bottle. You cant take big gulps, only little sips spaced apart becoz it's important not to stretch your new litle pouch and its all very tender in there.they say after having 100 ml wait 15 mins before having more coz you're just too full up. What else? I got a juicer and am juicing fresh apples and carrots, and am having acouple of teacups a day.. muller light yogs, slimfast drinks, Soup (no bits), liquidizied porridge, smoothies and once a day I have a tot of pure aloe vera juice, its supposed to be very good for healing the body on the inside. today for Breakfast I'm going to try very liquid weetabix but I'm too full up after my 100ml apple juice Lol!!! keep asking loads of questions, the more you are prepared the better. lots of love Julia x

I m seeing Dr Chris for my 1st fill in wks in london. You asked about work, well I do a bit from home so I'm not going out to work as such. i think if i was I'd prob be looking at havinga week off, certainly no more, If I really had to push myself I could prob be out and about and pretty much back to normal in a few more days, but no heavy lifting for 3wks. Hope that helps love julia x

Hi Jiggy If there's any possible way you can take a companion over with you when you have your op my strong advice would be to do so. Like you ,I was considering going over on my own and was perfectly happy to do that but my husband insisted he go with me. If there was one thing I was grateful for it was that. Doing it alone would have been impossible.Travelling over to belgium was no problem but coming home there was NO WAY I could have carried my own bag, not even if it was a case on wheels. The other ladies who'd had the op at the same time as me and were travelling back the same day were also the same, so i know it's not just me being a baby. Apart from the practicalities of not being able to carry your bag, I found it a very frightening experience being in so much pain in a foreign hospital etc, I was so glad my husband came with me. I would have been in terrible state otherwise. Saying that ,if it really is impossible for you to take a companion the only thing you could do to get round the bag carrying problem is to leave it there. Sounds mental but if you only took the bare minimum in a not very special hold all/case it's something to think about. I really dont want to put you off in anyway at all becoz I am 100% glad Ive got the band and think its an amazing opportunity but I think it's only fair to be honest , and I wish I;d had more of an idea what to expect straight after the op. I asked Dr Chris would I be in much pain the next day and he said ' yes you will be, it is hell and you will say to yourself what have I done?' He went on to say that this is normal and evryone feel the same but it does get a little better each day and he's right. He is an honest man and tells you exactly as it is. today is my 3rd day post op and I'm much better, still got pain ( it takes 3 weeks to heal he said) but feeling much more normal in myself. All the best with your plans and preparations for 9th Sept. Find out as much as you can, it helps and please please try and get someone to go over with you. Take care Love Julia x

no idea which hotel I'm afraid. Best thing to do is contact frederick

Hello Mrs J J How are you doing post op now? I'm 3 days behind you, just got home from belgium. What i cant believe is how much pain I was in for the 1st 24hrs. I was so frightened, i thought something mustve gone wrong. How did you find it? I'm experiencing frequent pain behind my breastbone actually in my stomach, it hurts after swallowing any liquid, a bad indigestiony pain.did you get that and if so is it getting any easier? I hope you're doing well and making a good recovery. Any tips you can give me would be much appreciated! Thanks julia x

jiggy Hi If you want more specific info on price breakdown in brussels just ask ok. you might be interested to know that Dr Chris is offering a package for 4000 euro ( includes op, taxiis, hotel etc) the contact is his manager frederick serneels (vry nice guy) email is frederik.serneels@ecfs.be If you dont mind me saying if I had any advice for someone going abroad for the band it would be this.. stay an extra 2 nights in the hotel after discharge from hospital and do not even consider travelling home that same day even if you have a companion. There is a lot of pain and you feel terrible afterwards from a very deep anaesthetic.I didnt think I'd be fit to travel today ( the day after discharge) but I did manage it in the end. It wasnt just me being a woos with the pain, all the other patients I went in with said the same.We were shocked at the level of pain afterwards. Happily though, 48hrs on it is much more bearable and I feel that I'm def over the worst. I hope I havnt put you off,that's not my intention at all. I just wish I'd known what to expect immediately after the op, I think it's better to be prepared. Julia

Hi Jiggy I'm not sure. The advice Dr Chris gave me was to stay an extra night in the hotel after being discharged from hospital. If you were having the op on a tues you'd be discharged on the wed afternoon at 1pm, stay an extra night in the hotel wed night and then travel home thurs. He said if someone was travelling with you it would prob be ok to travel home the same day but not if you were on your own. You might be feeling rough after the op I'm going with my husband and I,m staying an extra night aswell. I'm a big woos with pain, feel sick as a dog after anaesthetic so I'd rather err on the side of caution, but thats just me. Here's the breakdown of costs initial consultation = £ 100 Operation 3950 euro = £3120 at current exchange rate hotel 3nights 182 euro = £144 at current exchange rate eurostar to brussels = £75 per person post op band fill in UK = £80 a time ( 4 is average I'm told) yearly xray in Uk = £85 its a couple of euros to catch a train from the Brussels eurostar station into the town where the hosp/hotel is. Also I've allowed extra money for taxiis to and from the hotel to hosp, hotel to train station etc. I couldnt find flights cheaper than the eurostar. And actually if you book your eurostar ticket in plenty of time you could get it cheaper than the £75. If I'd have booked it a week earlier I could have got it for £48. pretty good! The sooner you book the better. I hope that helps. Please ask anything you want, I dont mind at all. I had pages and pages of questions so I know wot it's like! Better go, got to catch the eurostar to brussels!! Julia x

I'd be delighted! I will post the info u tomorrow before I go . Julia

Ok third time lucky! I hope I manage to send this post this time. I keep pressing the wrong flipping button and sending half a message!Anyway here are the websites i found. i dont know if there are any others www.obesity-assist.co.uk and www.europesurgery.co.uk Dr Chris is one of the few doctors who will operate if you have a BMI of 30 plus. most of the others are 40 or 35 with 2 co morbidities. I saw him for my 1st consultation 3 wks ago.My BMI is 32 ish and actually I'm going to brussels tomorrow for my op on Fri. I've had a few questions I ve needed to ask him over the weeks and he replies to his emails immediately which is very reassuring. I have found him to be very upfront and helpful.If there's anything else you want to ask me im happy to help although I'll probably be in a better position to answer questions once Ive had the band. I'm home on Sunday. All the best with your investigations.I'[m sure this forum will help loads. Julia

Good luck to you too Kathy! 5 days to go! hope it goes well Julia x

Hi! 3 more sleeps! I had to chuckle coz Ive been counting my sleeps too! Ive got 7. All the very best for Monday Julia

Hi Ginny Have tried to respond to your add to friends list but dont know if I did it right! Def not ignoring you, am just rubbish on the computer! Obviously I said yes! Anyway how are you doing? I was thinking about your predicament last night and imaging myself in your shoes ( it wasnt difficult to do and you know why!) and I am convinced you're doing the right thing for your health and safety. It has crossed my mind a million times what am I going to do if my bulimia kicks in at some point in the future once I've been banded. It's a serious concern. You must have been through hell and back worrying about your situation. Anyway, I hope you're doing ok. When things have been tough for me inthe past the best I can deal with is on a 'one day at a time' basis or else I'd have gone mad! Take care Julia x

Hi Mamareid How are you? Ive just found your post and am chuffed to bits. I'm a Christian, follow a 12step program at Overeaters Annonymous and am going to get a band fitted nxt week.4th July. Ive got a few unresolved issues and wondered what you thought. Within OA, I have only told my sponsor wots going on, she's fantastic, but it is a dilemma whether to make it public knowledge within the group about me getting a band.I cant decide whether if dont say anything I'm deceiving everyone or whether it's my own private business and no one else need know. What do you reckon? How are you getting on with your band? I'd love to hear from you! Julia x