bigsister

Hi Freckles. Think the main thing I would be concerned about would be the trust and safety issue, which you say you have got in the UK surgeon. Also on the plus side, the price will be a fair bit lower, especially if you factor in flights and hotels and also, like wishfull says, you will not have the additional hassle at an airport which is definitely a consideration. And you would get 2 fills which would save you around £200? All worth thinking about. Would he be able to offer you a date to suit yourself quite soon? I reckon if the manufacturer were to find the old band faulty, they should be agreeing to foot the whole bill this time (+ compensation!), will you be able to get a copy of the report they make on it? Make the decision which feels right for you - I'm sure after a bit of thinking, you will know - and let us know as soon as you decide. Take care, bigsister x

Hi everyone. Yes, thanks, bigsister is fine and thanks so much for everyone who has mentioned us and been sending their thoughts. First in line for us to think about and send good wishes to is Tamisu, hope it all goes as well for you. Then shortly after it will be TC's turn. You are in such good hands, no need to worry on that score. All your medical needs will be well met. Agree with sister gillian that for the first 18 hours, felt quite 'ropey' and wondering how I would be able to leave the hospital in a few hours time but just a short while later, felt fine and virtually no pain at all - just a bit of discomfort more than anything else. Have to say here though that probably one of the reasons why I did feel rather rubbish early on could be cos the bottle of pain relief put up to go through the drip didn't go through so had nothing for a number of hours! Wishfull mentioned the hospital food and to be honest, think I would prefer the x-ray barium to the awful Soup they serve up - it really is that bad - no wonder they had to invent some decent chocolate to make up for that c**p! Have started this afternoon with a bit of pain/discomfort which goes from chest-neck, gillian has been same too and not sure if it is because we have been troughing down the soup a little bit quickly - think it feels a bit like an air lock? Thought we hadn't done it too quickly, but on reflection, may be we need to take it down a gear. Agree with gillian that the sexy surgical stockings are a real plus and worth the 4.000 euros alone and will certainly be wearing mine well after I need them - they are driving my partner wild with desire! (Pity for him about the no sex rule until you're down to size 10 then - he'll just have to look but no touching!) Have done an injection myself this morning, no problem, can barely feel a thing. We flew into Charleroi which was fine going but the journey of about 1 hour back is not quite as good and unless money is a real object, I think on reflection, I would have preferred to pay a bit more and fly back from Brussells which is only 10 mins away. Don't think they seemed very well organised at Charleroi as there were very big queues at various stages and they took ages to go down, and although me and gillian managed, we felt we could have done with not standing around so much in one go. Think we may have requested a wheelchair had we known. Also for info, remember reading on forum that taxis don't run early in Vilvoorde but when I was checking out of hotel around 4.15am, the receptionist asked me if I needed a taxi. I queried this and told him I thought they didn't run this early but he confirmed that they did. If anyone thinks of any question at all, please do so and if any of us can answer, I'm sure we will asap. Thanks again to everyone for being kind, hope other recent bandsters inc TL & Miss Flump continue doing well, being an inspiration to us and keep posting with their progress for a little while yet, good luck with your fills! Love to all & thanks again, bigsister x

Just a quick post before my last minute preparations. Many thanks to everyone for their kind wishes and thoughts and to Freckles for sending the info - all much appreciated. Will hopefully be back on by this time next week to let you know how it's gone and how it's going. Give us a thought on Friday - I know you will, you're a caring lot. Back soon, bigsister x ps I'm only going to make sure little sister (gillian) doesn't get up to too much mischief you know.....!

Well, far from feeling excited, I feel like a harrassed mum and nannan who needs more time. It will all come together though even if I will feel exhausted. If I'm not there for the flight, don't go without me! See you thursday, bigsister, x.

Hi TC, will keep fingers crossed for your blood pressure. Will probably not be on here again until post op now as I will be busy getting ready tomorrow night after working all day. I reckon wishful is top of the class as far as pre op diet goes, me & gillian are poor runners up I think! Will post as soon as possible after returning home on Sunday, take care, bigsis x

Hello Freckles - I asked if you could send me this info as well and left my e-mail address in a post yesterday afternoon. I know I am gonna sound stupid here but what is a 'pm'?

Hi Freckles, would appreciate if you could send me the info, my e-mail is gail.ward@btinternet.com. Many thanks for sharing this.

Thanks TL, you are doing really well, particularly impressed with your dedication to the exercise class - well done! Hope that we are able to give something back to the forum shortly in terms of experience/answering questions and that it will be half as valuable as the info etc you & Miss Flump have recently posted. Although, I think you have given such a comprehensive & informative step by step guide that I don't think there's anything left for us to report on actually! Thanks again, bigsis x

Hi Miss Flump, glad all appears to be going well for you. You aren't going to desert us now for Facebook are you (two-timer)?! Not sure if I will be able to 'work' Facebook, it is one of those new fangled things that I'm probably too old for and be a bit scary for me! Will give it a go though when I get a spare few minutes. One question I have for the recently banded is whether you are able to use your mobile phone in the hospital? I know that you are now able to do this in UK hospitals but not sure of the rules in Belgium. Grateful if someone could advise me about that? Thanks, bigsister x

Hi TC. Think you will see from my sisters reply that the pre op diet was thrown to the wind last night with a curry, choc and to follow, a baileys/ice cream/cream smoothie (low cal of course) - well, if you're gonna blow it, do it in style I suppose! Hoping the bit of effort I have put in over the last week or so will still count though, have not had any butter or cream which I would normally and been making low fat choices in some areas. I booked surgery towards the end of Nov and I weigh exactly the same as I did then. Being borderline BMI, I wanted to put a little on if anything (mad, isn't it?!) so there was no chance of being turned down but Christmas hasn't been the blow out I anticipated, I was quite restrained (apparently). Working flexi comes in so handy for things like this doesn't it? I will only need to take one day flexi as the others will be covered with what I have left in leave. All being well we will be back home next week, hopefully in not too much discomfort but if I am unable to post again before you travel, the very best of wishes for a smooth procedure and will be thinking of you on your date. Take care, bigsister x.

Hi Freckles, no-one minds answering questions on here, we have all asked them and had them answered by another user. Charleroi airport is approx 55km (sorry, don't know what that is in real money - miles!) from Brussels according to some info I've got. We are going to share a taxi I think to the hotel which will be quite expensive but costs will be shared. Then I believe the hospital is approx 10 mins away from the hotel Campanile. Hope any of this helps with your arrangements, bigsister x.

Hi Freckles, me, gillian & wishfull are flying into Charleroi with Ryanair and quite cheap flights but I think it is further away than Brussels airport.

Hi Freckles, you will still have 9 days once you come back off your holiday to do the diet which will still make a difference. I agree, grab it if that's the only doubt you have, bigsister x.

Hi TC, thanks for your good wishes, same goes here for you as you are not far behind us. Glad you got a good deal on your euros, my son advised me to get mine just over a week ago as he reckoned it was not going to improve for some time so I ended up getting the worst rate possible I think! Will tell him to hand his Xmas money back to make up for his bad advice! I haven't had much time to feel nervous (unlike sister gillian who spends all day looking at n posting on this forum!), I am too busy having to put extra hours in at work so that I can take enough time off to recover. Its a bit unfortunate it has come at the end of a leave year for me but wasn't going to wait until it was more convenient! Take care, bigsister x

Hi wishfull, my pre op diet not going very well I'm afraid. I have tried to cut back in some areas but don't want to lose too much cos my BMI is about borderline anyway so don't want to get there, having lost a bit and then them refuse to do it, would be traumatised if that happened! I am hoping the fact that I don't have so much fatty stuff in my diet anyway will mean my liver is not too much like a big greasy lump! Roll on next Thursday, bigsister x.

Well I told Glyn (partner) that you weren't allowed sex following surgery until you were down to at least a size 10! Best not let the men get together and find out any different!

Her 'office' = the pantry!.... bigsister (to gillian)

Hi Freckles, I didn't know about the age thing - glad I have booked now cos I am age 51 (same as mmm) and never knew there was a price hike or even a question mark over doing it on 55+. Feel so sorry about the problem you have had with your original leaky band, it is hard enough saving up in the first place, then psyching yourself up and the discomfort of surgery without the problems you have had. It stinks that no-one is taking responsibility and you have to stump up again (particularly with a 'fine' for your age!). Hoping that mine, gillian's and wishfull's goes like text book next Friday and that yours will too once you are booked in, I'm sure it will with Dr Chris, we all have the greatest confidence in him. Take care and keep posting with your updates, bigsister x

Hi naomi j, sorry to hear you had a bad time of it with your personal life at the end of the year - there is never a good time to find these things out but Christmas can certainly make it seem worse. But well done for being positive and feeling more confident, it just goes to show that this is much more than just about how you look. Hoping it's a better year for you, I'm sure it will be (for us all in fact) and keep up the good work, bigsister x

Hi Jojo I haven't weighed for a day or two as the last time I weighed I had gained 2lbs. I am pre-menstrual so have put it down to that, but all my cravings have appeared like an old friend and yes I want to demolish everything in sight.... I did actually go back to Curves for the first time this evening and explained to the instructor that I had to take it really easy. As the pressure was off, I found I quite enjoyed the experience - first time in ages. I haven't been since I started the pre-op diet in Dec, and I have a cough and sore throat so had a few reasons to take it easy. It says in the literature that you are ok to go walking and cycling 2 weeks after surgery so I guessed a gentle 30 minute workout (avoiding the sit-up machine) in Curves would be fine. As for Bristol on 22, yes I booked direct with Frederik whilst in Brussels and am due for the 2.45 slot. I actually don't finish work til 1.15 that day and its a good hour and 15 mins away if traffic is good so I'm not sure you'll still be about. It would be nice to put a few faces to names though. Dr Chris told me in Belgium that the appetite only starts to decrease after about the 3rd fill, so I am not expecting miracles til then. Maybe you will start to feel it after this one Jojo. I'm gonna be seeing my students for the first time tomorrow and know they will have expected me to have shrunk before their very eyes. It's time for some tough talking to them I guess - to ease the pressure on me, lol. I actually bought a magazine over Christmas with Fern Britton in and it shows pics of her over 2 years losing the weight. I'm thinking of taking that article in with me. Pity she kept on saying she was a size 18 all those years ago eh. I sort of knew I wouldn't be one of the lucky ones who had the weight just falling off them - it never has with any other diet/exercise regime I've followed. At least I've made a start back on the ol' excercise. They do recommend 2 x 30 mins a day :wink_smile: As for bad vibes, well it is nice to be faced with all the facts, not just the positive ones as you say Gillian, as it doesn't make you feel like a failure when you don't follow the norm. I'm not gonna weigh again til Sunday so I'll let you know how I do then..... TL Hi Trop Lagoon, I think you are a saint going to an exercise class this early on, and I'm sure you will reap the rewards before long. As long as it happens, I will be pleased with a slow but consistent loss, although it is true, everyone would like instant results but it took a while to put on in the first place and is bound to take time to get if off - it is a marathon and not a sprint! Slow and sure is good, keep up your excellen effort and try not to get disheartened, it appears the results speak for themselves - there is only a very small minority who don't get fantastic results and I'm sure you will be counting yourself in the majority later on in the year when you are posting a great weight loss to inspire us all. Keep on doing what you're doing (which is great by the way), bigsister x

Hi Miss Flump. Thanks so much for making your videos, they are great! Everyone who has been recently banded has been so much help in the way they have documented everything and it is appreciated so much. After seeing your video, I don't feel quite as nervous now which is thanks to this and also reading Tropical Lagoons diary which both include all that practical info we really need but haven't thought to ask about. Keep us posted on your progress, we will be watching eagerly. Thanks again, bigsister x.

Thanks for a quick reply lilykay, much appreciated. Hope you are doing well after your brilliant recovery, bigsister x

Hi wishfull, I changed mine on Weds at M&S at 0.9942 (no commission) but my son informed me later that day I could have got just over 1 euro to £ at Thomas Cook. However, not sure if this would have cost commission which is a consideration -particularly if charged as a % on the amount you are changing? The rate seems to have been going down daily and I think it may be best to change sooner rather than later if you can as the situation is not likely to improve until after March at the earliest (according to son who follows these things with a keen interest, but not a financial expert I hasten to add). One question I have for recent bandsters is about the electricity supply in Brussels - will I need a 2 pin adaptor for phone charger etc in hotel? Thanks, bigsister x

Hi mattyllew and welcome. Thanks for the info, it's all welcome and everyone has something useful of their own to add, particular thanks for the advice about taxi costs and would have been about the exchange rate if I hadn't arranged mine a couple of days ago (damn!), it would have made quite a difference. No doubt others will benefit from your tip about this though who haven't exchanged yet. Glad to hear you are doing so well and look forward to hearing about your progress - won't be long before myself and sister are adding our own soon after 16th Jan. Take care and keep posting, bigsister x.

Hi TC, our Mum (mine & gillian's) seemed to be all for our surgery, we didn't need to convince her it was the right thing for us - I think it's because once we are banded, her shopping bill will halve as we will not be raiding her fridge and pantry like vultures! In fact, I'm surprised she didn't suggest it before we thought of it! Many thanks to TLagoon for the e-mail of her experience as echoed by everyone else who has received it - think we will all nominate you for the forum's award for 2008 - it was full of useful and much needed info, a great support reference. Take care everyone and have a fantastic 2009, bigsister x