gillian

Hi Suefee, we took the 6 months package as its unlimited fills, and wendy the fill nurse says she tries to get you to a good restriction in 3 fills, you can attend any venue they are at and have it done as little as 2 weeks apart, they visit most of the venues once a month (more in london at harley street clinic).there is a clinic in birmingham i believe too, which would be great for you. you can have 6, 12 or 24 months aftercare. we paid an offer price of £275, there is no rush, so why not wait and see if anymore offers come up on website before you book and pay?. you cant have fill with them till you are 6 weeks post op, so you can leave it till you come home from belgium and your recovered, we have never found any problem getting into a clinic even at shorter notice. even if you just want to do 'pay-as-yo-go' fills they are still only £85, so thats why i just went for the 6 month package. i got good restriction after 3 fill (within 6 weeks),its just loosening off now so will have a very small fill in just over a week. WLS hold support groups, 24hr info and emergency lines, a dietician will see you and a physio will write you a personalised excersize plan out if you want, and its all included in your plan price so i think its a good deal, even if its not on offer at mo.(is it about £350 now for 6 months plan?) gillian x

so will i!! but yes your right slower loss is better for your skin, it gives it time to catch up with your loss if you know what i mean! less sag. x

Shoes!!..you have done amazingly well!!. congrats! x

neither did i! hes a very busy man....but like everyone else has said..i have no regrets about having the op done with chris, the hospital care was excellent too..but the aftercare seems a bit slack, i didnt have any aftercare with dr chris/frederick group, as they seem to try and get you booked in while still in belgium and dont tell you you can go to any provider for fills and aftercare. so its worth a search to see if you can get it anywhere else pre banders, and like mine it worked out cheaper too..Im lucky as it is local to me..but its too far/more expensive for some i know. gillian x

well done wishfull!..thats my next goal...the 13s!..hopefully after next fill ill be getting there! x

band sizes arent shown on your post op info, but on the heliogast booklet you should have got, there is a barcoded sticker with the date and your name on it i think..it says somewhere on it either 'HAGE' or 'HAGA'. the hage band is the heliogast evolution band, which seems to be the most usual band chris uses for women. it takes 7-9ml fill, and the HAGA is the heliogast advantage band, which is for larger patients or men usually..im not sure on this but i think it takes 12-14ml fill. i know i found this out through some heliogast website, and i did state it correctly about 2 or 3 months back. so see if you can find it on the paperwork you were given post op. thats terrible and not right what he said about anyone who knows anything about fills should know what size it is!..how could they know!? it could be dangerous just guessing, and any reputable fill provider would never guess. i know wendy said she would not fill us without this information, so it must be that important Gillian x

well, it would be lovely to see you freckles if you do opt for WLS in Sheffield! me and bigsister are there every month..leeds is good option too, not much further, sometimes we go to both venues every two weeks, as its unlimited fills! x

No I wasnt a model pupil no!..infact i hardly did the pre op to be honest!..oops, gillian x

No didnt see that on TV about dr chris..let me know if you see its on any channel again, i like to see owt relevant!. well, Truro!, beautifull,but prob a long way from a band fill! went to cornwall once for a few hours, think it was looe? i was young, and was staying at my sisters in plymouth at the time. not been back but id like to one day, bet its a lovely day down there today? back to fills, i think it will be a day trip for you yes..hopefully youll not need many..ill still look and see whos nearest to you. gillian x

Well done!..dont think i lost that in the 2 weeks i was on it! x

YEESS!.its back to normal now!..getting emails etc as usual now bobo. gillian x

Hi wishfull, Im fine thanks, but band wise, ive not shifted any weight in last 2 weeks, so need that fill, its in another 12 days though, but been a bit naughty so cant expect anything else really!..as long as i dont put it back on thats one good thing!. i always knew id be doing it slowly..still, its a bit frustrating isnt it, even though its sensible suppose!. hope your jury service has been going well?..at least it will be over with for your holiday wont it?..x

OMG!..i remember that stupid o'time!..i dont reccomemd it..i could hardly walk to start off, it was dark raining heavy and windy wasnt it!..had drive to the airport (charleroi) that was over an hour away, and couldnt see where we were driving!..nightmare!..if you can you prebanders, fly from brussells international at least for your flight back, its nearby, and try to get a flight in the afternoon too...that day you really do start to feel better by the hour, me ,wishfull and bigsister were all on same flight. infact if you can afford it stay one more day...cos that one day extra makes one hell of a difference! anyway wishfull, nice to see you back online"!..your laptop fixed yet or you still on your old PC?, Gillian x

:thumbup: actually sammy...bring that holiday restriction on!!..could cope with ice cream and cocktails diet!!..well be in our bikinis next year then! x

:bored:its still not changed back!!..dont like this new style, want the old format back!!..not getting emails either..i know sammy is the same, hope its just not us?! someone asked about dressings..i got boots ones, they were expensive and not brill...bigsister got some from lloyds called "opsite" i changed her dressings they were really good and a lot cheaper,,think they are lloyds own brand?, lemsip flu strength is a good idea for pain relief. i too got the neurofen melts but they made me cough and heave, but others seem to like them, so just trial and error really. you wont need them for long anyway.get some remegels, they help bit with gas pain, but then again not everyone seems to get that either. but best cover yourself for all eventualities!..my case was like a portable pharmacy! i found a liquid laxative (i got lactolose) was great for getting rid of that gas pain too when it got really bad,,beware youll be on toilet for a while but it sends the gas the other way..if you know what i mean! cos you cant seem to burp it out well!!..sorry for being graphic, but jot that down and remember it..you might be glad of that info if in pain with gas just after op and nothing else works!!!.take baggy stretchy clothes to come home in like joggers or something, and slip on footwear so your not bending down to tie shoes etc..think thats all. gillian x

oh glad its not just mine!!..hope it goes back to normal!.thats nice that your getting holiday in june!..you should have lost a stone by then hopefully if your having two week fills!..ill keep my fingers crossed for you,were going end of sept..i too hope to have lost at least another stone, but i am being bit naughty and not sticking to rules brilliantly, and having foods that slip through easily, instead of proper meals. how long is flight to tenerife?..dont forget your band needs slight unfill if it is 4 hours or over..Wendy will advise you anyway..my flight will be 3 and half to tunisia, so dont think ill need one, but im sure someone (freckles maybe?) said that it does seem to tighten it up a bit even with shorter flight..so im gonna make sure i dont have fill for month before i go..i want to have some treats on holiday! (esp all inc basis!) can always get it tightened up after to lose it again if i put owt on!. have you had two fills now?.im with WLS too, and got good restriction on my third, i too had em every 2 weeks as i have 2 venues near me. im going in 2 weeks and will have tiny bit in, but not been for 6 weeks, as i was doing fine, just loosening off now though, and not lost owt last 2 weeks. Im feeling quite chilled now though and giving myself another year to 18 months to reach target. still got 4 and half stone to go! so 1lb a week will do me fine even, im in no rush as long as it does come off..i have given up the idea of being a beach body this year!..im gonna cover myself up in big baggy clothes this winter, then will reveal myself next spring, like a butterfly from a chrysalis..and people will be amazed!!..ha,that sounded good,i have snapped out of that daydream now! hope it happens! LOL! x

Hi westbourne, it costs about £90 or £95 for a fill with frederick etc, with WLS its £80 or £85.. some of us use fred, some use WLS, but there are other different companies you can use,some like WLS have good priced unlimited fill/unfill packages,like i use. it cost me £275 for 6 months(that was offer price, think its about £360 now,still worth it) and im lucky as it is only 15 min drive from me in sheffield at private hospital. if a private hospital near you does gastric banding, chances are youll be able to get your fill there..its worth searching for anyway..just get someone reputable. where do you live?. ill have a look for your most convenient place for you. it may be that it is a daytrip for you, but hopefully just 3 or 4 times over few months will do it, then just fine tuning every few months. it took me 3 which i had over 6 weeks, but just gonna have it tweaked up very slightly in 2 weeks, as you lose the fat you also lose it from between the band and the stomach, which makes the band appear to have loosened, so even after restriction you still need maintenance. gillian x

:laugh: My format has gone all wierd!..i dont like it, has everyone elses or is it just mine?? it wont move on to next page, but it looks like there is one, font is different, user names look different etc:cursing: aaarrrggghhh!

:laugh: great news Freckles!, your mum is now in the nursing home she likes, thats got to have lifted a bit of weight off you!..lets hope your next fill does the same now! (pun intended!). hope your daughters doing well too..youve not had easy first half to this year have you?..lets hope things are looking up now. Mmm..yes, like Freckles says,its flights over 4 hours that you need a slight unfill for, as the presssure tightens the band. i have only just seen your posts about hiccups, but i knew theyd go, the fill needs few days to settle in, then it seems to feel looser, its shows your nearly there tho!..bet you lose summat this time!. Sammy, glad you got on well with wendy and steve at WLS, theyre lovely arent they. everyone else...Hi, hope your all ok and doing well, and looking forward to shedding some weight this summer! :thumbup:x

thats a coincidence wishfull!..not been on myself for ages, and just told everyone hi from you minutes ago! x

..oh i forgot to say!! wishfull text me and she hasnt got her laptop fixed yet...but asks me to say HI! to everyone and shell be back on soon i think! gillian x

Hello everyone!!..and there are millions of you new prebanders on!!..welcome to the forum anyway! jusy been busy over last 10 or so days, went to windsor with kids to legoland last weekend, it was brilliant..windsor is gorgeous!..lovely shops, and too many lovely cafes, posh food eateries etc...oh and "hotel chocolat"! I opted for no fill at my appointment 2 weeks ago as i had good restriction and lost 5lb in that 2 weeks. but now i seem to have lost some restriction, which is normal, as there is swelling from the fill to start with, so got used to it now!..will have another little one next app,as not lost anything in 2 weeks. been doing our garden all this week as sun has been out. hope everyones ok and doing well?!..and you prebanders...you are in great hands,everything is above board and dr chris, staff and hosp are excellent,you will get everything you need.I was nervous about everything before i went, but would not be again!..I know how excited/nervous youll all be counting the days down..good luck to you all! Gillian x

well congratulations on your decision!..i dont think i would have took the plunge of going abroad if i had not found this site with all the happy banders on it!. money!? it was hard for me to get too, and i had saved a bit, some on a card, some is an overdraft and some a bank loan..ill be paying back for 4 years..but i think what i have saved on my shopping bills/take aways are covering that! (true!). dont worry about going to belgium, Chris, the staff and the hospital are all A1..immaculatly clean, there are no cons with money or anything..i was worried about everything! dunno why now, everyone else says the same too! good luck and let us know when you get a date, gillian x

AAAh, hope your feeling better soon freckles!..boys and there germs eh!..i always seem to catch the kids bugs too. it was good job you didnt go to see your mum as she could have had set back if she had caught it from you.so dont feel bad im sure shell understand. get some vitamins and minerals down you though as your body will not have had anything in it and it will help..i have that seven seas tonic when ive been bit poorly for a few days..got calcium, iron and vits in it..nice orange syrup too. well you have lost 4lb!..its crap losing it through being poorly though init! x

mmm, that sounds nice!...ill come round and join you! bath full of chinese food! x