bigsister

Nice to have you back Fatpants! After surgery, I yo-yo'd between feeling perfectly fine to being absolutely wretched with sickness for a few hours and this ended after about 3-4 days. I had the discomfort of gas pain in chest/rib area and shoulder for about 10 days, gradually improving each day. You will be over the worst now but take it really easy and grab any help you can get. You must have felt a real boost after seeing your loss, well done! Garry - glad you got your unfill & fill yesterday, you're on your way now! Hope everyone else is doing fine, bigsister x

Yes, Garry. Let us know what happened - did Dr Chris suck it out (drain lump) or stick it in (fill)? Or both? Bigsis x

Freckles - you really should have asked my permission before posting my photo! Bigsis x

Hi everyone, Freckles would like us all to know she hasn't abandoned us, she is just so busy at the moment with family stuff etc - she will back with us when things are a bit less hectic - will look forward to it, I'm sure we have all missed her, bigsister x

Hey Mandyf - you go ahead and ask your questions. You are not irritating or annoying anyone, we will be glad to answer what we can. We all understand how important the surgery is and how important it is to get your questions answered. So don't ever feel you can't ask. Bigsister x

Hi Sammy - he probably knows how to use the washer as well, just wait until he's down to his last pair of underpants n socks to find out! Just don't let on you know how to use the lawnmower or drill tho! Bigsister x ps good idea about the lemsip to get paracetemol down.

Hi mandyf. Glad to know you find the postings helpful, even if your boss doesn't approve! Any specific questions you think of, ask away, we are always pleased to offer info or advice. Sometimes you will get more than one view/opinion on some issues which is a good thing. Take care and your surgery date will be here before you know, bigsister x

Hi Sammy & Shoes - me and gillian had our first fill done around 6-7 weeks post banding but I know wishfull got hers done at 1 day under 4 weeks and was fine, so if you feel ok, go for it! You're both doing great and you are experiencing everything we all have so well done and keep it up. Bigsister x

Hi Tanyac, glad you are making progress with your arrangements. I am pleased with the progress I have made, it's not an earth shattering loss but having put in effort previously and not getting any results, I was beginning to wonder if it was my age and I just couldn't lose weight any more. Just glad I had this done now as I think if I'd left it til I was any older, I wouldn't have had it done. Hoping now that the weight continues to come off, I don't care if it's slow and steady as long as it goes in the right direction. Good luck with your money changing quest, hope you get a good rate, bigsister x

Hi wishful, we were told we had a 10 ml band in which had a capacity of 7-9 mls so think it's highly likely you have got the same as us - a Heliogast Hage (evolution). Bigsister x

Hi again Flirty. Yes, me and gillian were told the bands we had in had a capacity of 7-9mls max. Wendy at WLS reckons we will probably have the restriction when we get to 4.5 mls (got 4 in now) but will have to wait and see, you have got 50% more than that and not feeling it! Hope you get some help with it soon so that it's not so hard work for you. Are you still going on the treadmill at home? Anyway, what you doing sat at the pc - shouldn't you be out drinking gallons of Guinness on St Patricks day? My best friend is originally from Galway and she will be out doing her bit, so don't let the side down! Bigsister x

Thanks wishfull, hope you are doing well too. Seems like ages since we were in Belgium doesn't it? Can't be sure yet but have just had a bit of soup after getting home from fill and just the bit I had seemed to fill me up, might just be a bit of swelling tho? Going to try and make some time for some regular walking like you. I fancy going up to Scotland bit later in the year and visiting Edinburgh cos it looks a really interesting place and then go on somewhere after that which has some nice walks - not as long and professional as you do tho. Bigsister x

Hi Sammy/Windygirl! Pleased to have you back with us and that you seem to have done well with your recovery so far. I can't really advise on painkillers cos I didn't really have any once I got home, only 1 lot of Nurofen Melts I think just after leaving hospital but didn't need any after that. Glad you had your Macdonalds meal and waffles etc before your surgery, I indulged myself with what I wanted before but didn't go mad and did make low fat choices so don't feel guilty about it. Make sure you rest as much as possible for about a week as you will feel the benefit and recover better and quicker - if you can stop yourself hovering over the baby dropper! Going out with friends from work tonight, don't know how I'm going to avoid going for something to eat - need to be on fluids only for 3 days after the fill today so guess I will just have to have my fill of 'essential fluids' (White Russians) at the cocktail bar beforehand and then excuse myself before they go for the usual curry. Take care, bigsister x

Hi Flirtylass. Can you believe, no-one turned up on Saturday? How rude! We had to eat all the curries ourselves, we were gutted! Glad you enjoyed your weekend. Been for another fill this morning. Had lost 5lbs since first fill 2 weeks ago, so well pleased with that, 1st 9lbs total now lost since surgery 8 weeks ago. Have had another 2 mls put in and Wendy reckons it may just need a further 0.5 ml to get to 'a good place' with restriction and can have that done in either another 2 weeks in Leeds or 4 weeks in Sheffield. You going for another fill any time soon - are you anywhere near the maximum allowed in your band yet? Bigsister x

Hi again Shoes. It is 8 weeks now and have been able to eat just about anything for the last month or so by trying things gradually. The only thing I haven't had is bread or steak cos I daren't! Had beans on toast tho and that went down ok but chewed it well. As long as you do it gradually, stay on soft foods for a while and then introduce other foods carefully with a bit of common sense, you should be fine. Obviously go careful with things like meat, rice, chips and bread and leave them til last to try if you really want to give them a go. Me and gillian will be back on the liquids from Tuesday for a while following our second fill, it's really hard when you're so hungry but you have to give yourself time and build up to normal foods again just like in the start and like you are doing now. Hope that helps, bigsister x

Hi fatpants, I packed them in my small case which was to be checked in and go in the hold, wouldn't risk them in your hand luggage, they might confiscate them if they found em as they aren't medication you need during the flight. Well, you have a good journey and will definitely be thinking of you on Tuesday morning, post when you're back and feel up to it, we will all look forward to hearing from you as a newly banded 'sista'!, look after yourself, bigsista x

Hi Shoes. If you don't have a blue stitch then that means you don't have one to have taken out, so that saves you a doctors appt. You can snip the ends of the fishing line ones if they are long but dont cut them too close to the skin in case they need to be taken out for some reason. There was part of the fishing line stitch which stretched in a straight line from end to end of the incision also - can be difficult to see this unless you're in the right light - and this can pull on the incision and feel tight. Me and gillian cut this in the middle which released the tension and helped a lot, just don't cut too much off above the knotted part of the stitch. Like gillian, I got a bit fed up of waiting for the fishing line to dissolve (didn't see how it was gonna happen) and so after more than 3 weeks when I was in the bath one night, I got hold of the knots and pulled slowly and steadily and the whole of the length of it pulled out from below the skin. It didn't hurt at all, so if yours are still there after a few weeks and showing no signs of giving up and dissolving, try it. We started having some soft foods like well mashed up veg after about 10 or 11 days - cauli, broccolli, carrot & swede and with a bit of gravy or cheese sauce on. We also started having milky Weetabix or Ready Brek and Petit Filous. In the info we got from WLS where we are getting our fills done, it says on there to stay on liquids for 3 weeks then introduce pureed and soft foods. But it didn't really tell you in the information we were given about when to introduce this did it? If you are feeling hungry, just try some milky cereal (or baby rusks) and build it up gradually from there. We have been ok doing this. Hope this helps, bigsister x

Hi fatpants - have you got a book or magazines packed? Bigsister x

Thanks mmm for working that out for me, I just need to lose a little over 2 more stones to be considered within normal weight range for my height, don't think even I can afford to lose 10 stones! To be fair, I think I dropped most of what I've lost already in the 2-3 weeks following surgery and probably only about 1lb a week since but that's fine by me, I can wait, particularly as I haven't got any restriction yet. Size 14 M&S jeans are equivalent to at least a size bigger at any other shop but even knowing that doesn't dampen my satisfaction at having at normal label. Noticed they had some very nice, trendy aged 4-5 kids clothes as well, so roll on next year when I can wear them, according to your calculations! How is your loss going? Are you finding it hard going at the moment? I have found it quite hard but have been spurred on by my modest loss and new clothes so far! Little sister gillian is finding it harder than I am I think, she is missing things like cream eggs and wispas - well, no actually, she's not missing them at all - she's having them! Take care, bigsister x

Hi fatpants, I really do need some new glasses (they are on order actually) cos was reading your post and thought you said you had had a 'cockathon' this morning! Ooerr missis! Too much info! In case you won't be on again before you go, I will be thinking of you next week, sending best wishes and hope to see you posting again very soon. Mandyf and Mand - glad you've both got your dates confirmed and it really will be here so soon, you won't believe it. Take care everyone and enjoy the rest of the weekend, bigsister x

Hi Tanyac, yes, that is what happens if you don't keep your finger on the pulse on this forum! Me and gillian had first fill Tuesday before last and going for the next this coming Tuesday. Not sure about little sister but I got weighed in Boots today and have lost another 3lbs taking the total since surgery (which was 8 weeks ago) to 1st 7lbs. Not earth shattering but for someone who was beginning to think she couldn't lose weight any more, I am pleased. Was particularly delighted to buy a pair of size 14 jeans in M&S today as well - I know Marks are well known for their generous sizes but it still made me feel good and a bit normal! How you doing anyway? Take care, bigsister x

Hi Mandy. Me, gillian and wishfull all went with Ryanair from Manchester - flying out on the Thursday, op on Friday and flying back early on Sunday morning. Although it was cheap flights, you fly into Charleroi airport which is about an hour away from the hotel/hospital which isn't too bad on the flight out but was hard on the return journey when you're not particularly feeling your best and it's a very early start from the hotel for the flight at about 7am (check in around 5am). On reflection, unless money is really an issue, I would have rather paid more with another airline and gone to Brussells airport which is only 10 mins away. Hope this helps, bigsister x

Hey, if you're coming to our curry night tomorrow, you'd better be misbehaving - it's a pre-requisite! Sheffield's toughest bouncers on the door at gillians to ensure no-one behaving proper gets in! (We know Freckles, Mmm, Fatpants & Flirty are guaranteed entry, their reputation precedes them!) Bigsister x

OMG - have just thought - maybe he is incognito as one of 'us' on here?!! Who do we reckon it is?!

No, I don't remember it either, Mum told me about it.....