Mrs J.J

Thank you 1day at a time. Your words have inspired me. It really is a struggle everyday. I honestly thought the only reason that I am overweight has to do with the fact that I LOVE bread. But is not my problem. It´s the food picking. Over the last few weeks I have realised that I don´t have an issue with bread, it´s just that bread was the easiest thing to fill my need atthe time. Now I am still food picking but picking at other foods. I have to sort this problem out in my mind. There has to be a good enough reason why I do this.

People have done this trip alone. I found it to be painful after surgery. I was also very tired and slept a lot. I was going to this band on my own and I was ready in my mind and spirit to do it alone. I thank heaven that my huband insited at the last minute to come with me. It´s from this experience that I can give you and others tips that can help you prepare to do this alone. There is nothing wrong with going on your own, just know that you will have to work a little harder and be independant. You can do it.

Can I ask why you chose to go to India? Also where are you from? I don´t know anything about having the band done there, so that is why I am curious.

Yesterday was not good at all. I´m not watching what I´m eating carefully enough and feel like I´m slipping somewhat. I was tired or maybe just plain damn lazy and didn´t go walking or cycling. Shame on me. Today is a new day. I intend to pick myself back up and work this eating problem one day at a time. I seriously never realised just how bad a food picker I am. This is probably why I gained so much weight over the years. I need to figure out why I do this...boredom, frustration?? I don´t know...but it has to stop! My short term goal for today will be to eat healthy and walk for at least an hour today.

I think you´re being a bit harsh on the moderator. She asked you if there were other members of your family using the same computer. The reason that most forums don´t allow various user names for the same person posting is that these type of users are normally just trouble makers and create all sorts of havoc on forum boards. ' As it was mentioned earlier and by yourself too, the support and advise you receive here is invaluable.

Thank you Melanie and Boos02 for your advise. I will try drinking more fluids and see if this helps me. It can be a head hunger problem. I´ll try watch myself and figure out why it´s only at night that it seems to affect me....

Help Butterflies, I´m eating too much in the evenings. I´ve had my first fill almost two weeks ago and I feel like I have great restriction during the day, but after I have had some dinner, it seems like I am picking at foods in the fridge. While I am picking at more healthy options than I would´ve before the band I think I am over eating. I am so scared I am stretching my pouch. Any suggestions to avoid doing this is welcomed....

Hi arizonagirl, you are far from being a big baby. You´ve just had surgery, this band is not as easy as people seem to think it is. Your tummy has been probed and cut and gas put in it. It will take some time for the swelling to go down, some people are lot more sensitive to the surgery than others. Try take it easy, relax, drink lots of little sips of Water, clear Soups, nutritian shakes, whatever your doctor suggested so that you can help your body heal. I promise it gets better. Hang in there. Congrats on making the healthiest decision in your life. Mrs J.J.

What is your plan to accomplish this? I know you can do it.

So is it going today Jill? Were you ble to do it?

BUMP... anything happening today?

How is your walking going? Were you able to get any time in today?

Ahhh okay, I have an aqaintance here in Sweden with the same name and I was wondering if you were her....

I will not entertain the thought of it not working. This band is working and as long as I work with it I will keep losing my extra weight. In regards to the money, well yes, it is a lot of money, but what sort of price can you put on your life?

Thought it would be good to try motivate each other to reach some goals. I have started a new thread HERE for us to log these goals. We need each other no matter what part of the world we´re from we´re all fighting the same flab war.

Hi Kath, So glad to hear that everything went well with you too. Isn´t it just wonderful how great they all are at the hospital and Dr Chris´s team. Good luck on the next few days, things do get easier and the port pain will disappear soon enough.

Hi Jackie, Here´s a link to some posts that I have writeen and also helpful information on travelling alone to do this surgery. http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f18/finding-thinner-me-66465/ I was banded 1st July 2008, have had one fill and I am doing great. I love my band and love that I am losing this extra weight. Please feel free to ask any questions, I will try help where I can.

You´ll be fine Jackruss, are you going by yourself?

Hi English Rose, I also had my band fitted with Dr Chris in July. He and his team are fantastic. I am a little confused at the difference in pricing though. I went back to Brussels at the end of July with a friend that had her band fitted and she paid EUR 4000 for everything. If I was you I would call Fredrik and check this with him. It could be that there is a miscommunication because of the language differences. You´re in good hands, they are a fantastic bunch at the hospital. The taxi amount to the hospital from the hotel is around Eur 7:- You won´t need food at the hospital for yourself, they will give you soup and biscuits (light toasted bread type thing) the day after surgery. There is a canteen on the 4th floor of the hospital for your husband to get food and drinks. They were not too expensive either. The hotel is nice and clean and the staff very friendly. There is also a small grocery store not too far from the hotel for your husband to buy you some Protein shakes or drinking yogurts or packets of soup. ( from the back of the hotel you will see a bridge, walk under the bridge, turn right, and then all the way to a T-junction, across the road is the store). Good luck!!

Hi Aggie, can I ask where you are from?

You will be needing some extra money for the taxi´s to and from the hospital. Don´t pack too many things, you will need clothes to travel there, then they will give you that lovely hospital gown to wear which you will have on you until Friday. At around 13:00 you will be discharged, so arrange with the same taxi that drops you off at the hospital to fetch you. Use the same clothes you arrived in to go back to the hotel, obviously clean undies, and then get changed into light pj`s for Friday night and Saturday. You could use the same clothes again to go home. Seriously take the smallest bag you have with minimal stuff. You will be sore afterwards, this is normal and you don´t want to be loaded down with extra baggage. Remember you won´t be needing make-up. Also I would suggest that you take a packet if tomato Soup, two or three Protein drinks and melba toast. This is just so that you have some nurishment in the hotel room. Also because you are going straight into surgery you won´t have time to go buy this in Brussels. If you are still in a lot of pain on Sunday and think you can´t cope with wondering around the airport terminals to find your gate, ask for medical assistance, they will organise a wheel chair for you and someone will take you directly through security and to the plane door. They will also arrange for a wheel chair to be available when you arrive back at your home airport. If you have any other questions, just ask, I´ll help with whatever I can. P.S. Dr Chris and his team are fantastic. I cannot tell you enough how wonderful the hospital is. It´s clean, efficient and tell your hubby that you are in the right hands to be doing this solo. (Although it would be better to have someone with you, but I do understand when these things are just not possible).

How do you know if you have a problem with gallstones?

Hi Annika, There are no extra hidden costs that I can promise you. Only if you have to stay an extra night at the hospital would there be additional costs involved. This doesn´t happen very often. Don´t worry about carrying the money, nothing will happen to you. I did it, my friend did it when she had her surgery and everyone else that has been banded by Dr Chris. The only reason he prefers cash is because he pays the hospital straaight away so that he doesn´t have to charge more to have accounts etc. Where are you from Annika? When will you be doing your surgery?

That´s the problem we have in Sweden Jachut. We can get it done for free but it means waiting in a que for 1 to 2 years. I opted to go pay for it myself because I wanted it done NOW. My frame of mind was right and I couldn´t see myself waiting that long. The advantage we in Sweden have is that as long as the surgery is done within Europe (except Switzerland) we can claim the money back from our public health insurance. This is also as long it´s not more expensive than what it would be in Sweden. I still think that it´s great that Australia is giving people the opportunity to get it done.

Grrrrr!!!! Your sister just peeved me off so badly. She obviously knows which buttons to push to really hurt you. To heck with that. You carry on being strong and being the person you are. Just shrug your shoulders and know deep in your heart that you are the better person for taking care of your mom and now yourself too. You are entitled to be good to yourself and be happy. If I were you I would take what she said with a pinch of salt but you need to tell her how much she hurt you by saying "x..y...z" and tell her you will no longer stand for that kind fo talk again. If she cannot treat you with kindness, love and respect then once she has learnt to do so YOU´LL decide to talk to her again. (I have a younger sister that has a sharp sting when she is angry and says things in the heat of the moment that hurt so badly - I keep hoping that she´ll grow out of that, but at 33 y/o, she still hasn´t)