bigsister

.......but if someone had told her there was a Wispa at the side of her bed, it would have been a different matter altogether.....! Bigsister x

Hi Freckles, great to see you doing so well, you look as if you're having a bit of a tipple there - is that why you're looking/feeling so well?! And looks like you had the hairdresser in as well. I'm certain I didn't look that good 2 hours after surgery so you're doing great and it's good to know you didn't have pain for very long. I know you want to recover as quickly as possible for your Mum but don't rush it too much and set yourself back. Great to have you back with us and keep posting with your progress, take care, bigsister x

Isn't little sister the biggest wuss? I would just love to scream as loud as I can when I go in first for my fill and come running out with a piece of liver from the butchers in my hand screaming 'Look what she's done to me'! Might do it, don't tell her tho, bigsister x

Hey flirtylass, 25 is very young - it's less than half my age and I'm not ready to take to my rocking chair yet! But probably a bit old to be taking up the pole dancing lessons - will leave that to the likes of you young things, good on ya though, bigsister x

Hi Freckles, don't you just feel everything is conspiring against you sometimes?! Well your mum is in the best place and you can go off tomorrow knowing she will be ok now, although you will probably still have concerns about her naturally. Will be thinking about you Thursday morning and sending you best wishes, let us know how you feel when you're up to logging on following your op. Take care of yourself, bigsister x

Hey bobobaldy, 2lbs off is better than putting it on, especially if you have been indulging yourself lately so don't be so hard on yourself, you have still done well. Bigsister x

Hi wishfull, getting in a smaller size clothes is the best feeling isn't it? Keep up your progress too. Say happy birthday to Dave for tomorrow and enjoy yourselves, bigsister x

Hi mmm. Since when has a younger sister taken notice of her elder one?! Both gillian and myself had been saying ourselves that we felt we were spending too much time on forum now and should perhaps limit the time we are spending on here so that's probably why she hasn't posted much lately, it does become a bit of a full time job when you become obsessed so understand what fatpants has been saying. I will tell her you have made a special request though. I think she also felt she hadn't had a band put in shortly after surgery - she was describing the same experience you have been feeling and shovelling all sorts in - only in the interests of 'research' you understand! The only thing she appears to have any sort of problem with is bread and potatoes. Will let her know you've been missing her, I will be seeing her tonight, we are having our 'Saturday curry night' on Sunday instead this week. Take care, bigsister x

Hi Shoes, I had my surgery the same day as wishfull and my sister (user gillian) which is 5 weeks ago now. I have lost 1 stone 4 lbs now since the band was fitted. Others have lost more than this in a shorter time I know, but as I had 3 and a half stones to lose before I was in the normal weight range for my height, I am quite satisfied with how its gone so far. We all stayed at the Campanile too, its a perfectly good hotel, nothing fancy but very clean and I found the beds comfortable too which is a bonus. I wasn't too strict with myself on the pre op diet, I didn't eat that much fat anyway before, so I just made some lower fat/healthier choices during the 2 weeks. But if you feel like treating yourself a bit, I would say don't deny yourself, just don't go mad! Know what fatpants means about becoming obsessed with the forum, you start to feel you have to keep up to date and not have pages of posts to catch up on. It is understandable when you are making your decision, leading up to the surgery itself and just after as you want as much info and tips as you can get but I am going to make a conscious effort to not be on here all the time - fatpants has shamed me into admitting I've not got a life, so I'm going to go out and get me one - anyone know where I can get one? Do they do them at Marks & Spencer (need a taste the difference life)?! Hope everyone is enjoying a good weekend, I am going to go out for a long walk this afternoon - see I can do other things! Take care everyone, bigsister x

Woo hoo flirtylass, congrats on hooking up with a hunky fella, you have a great time and great fun, you've waited long enough for it - and don't put yourself down, why wouldn't he want to be with you? Really pleased for you, bigsister x

Hi Shoes, I'm fine thanks, particularly after finding out I'd lost 4lbs this week, especially after gaining 2lbs the week before. I nearly didn't step on the scales as I didn't want to find out if it was bad news again but so glad I did. Although, the first ticket I took out of the machine (in Boots) said I was 5' 4" (I'm only 5' 1" but didn't mind being taller) and stated my weight at 7 stones 9lbs more than I actually am - the tickets were getting stuck inside but for a horrible moment......I should sue Boots shouldn't I for the few seconds of trauma I felt! Hope your pre op diet goes well, once you start doing that, you know you're well and truly counting down and your date will be here before you know it. Take care, bigsister x

Congratulations Flirtylass, you just can't stop losing. I got weighed today and after the big disappointment of putting on 2lbs last week, I have lost 4lbs this week so I'm happy with that and celebrated by buying some new clothes (size smaller!) Pleased that everyone is doing so well and soon all the pre-bandsters will be posting their success too. Keep it up everyone, bigsister x

Hi Tony. I think they prefer cash but it is possible to pay the majority of it by bank transfer. You have to pay a deposit by this method anyway so just ask if you are able to pay more when you do this. Congratulations on making the decision, bigsister x

Hi mmm, I changed my dressings on the Thursday after having had surgery the Friday before, think others have changed theirs after a few days though. Just clean each incision with boiled water on cotton wool and dry with a separate piece. Then use new dressings - mine were 'Opsite' from Lloyds chemist and cost about £2.60 (for 5), they are very good and better than the ones which cost me a lot more from Boots. Freckles - glad to hear you got your Mum into her choice of home while you have your surgery and recover, that will mean you can relax knowing she is happy where she is. And don't consider yourself not one of the 'gang', main thing is we are all going through various stages of the banding process, choose who is doing your surgery. Doesn't matter one bit and if you can pass on some different advice, it's to the benefit of us all. Bigsister x

Hi TC - being able to eat quite a bit and losing at the rate you are is a dream! I feel like I daren't get weighed this weekend now after putting on 2lbs last week, I know I will feel completely de-motivated if I haven't lost or worse still, put any more on cos I really haven't been having that much or having foods I shouldn't (apart from the curry and crumble incident on Sat but that wasn't much at all). Welcome to Garry and Jacksmum - nice to have you join us. For info: I am user 'gillian's' elder sister, I don't wind up or insult other users on the forum just in case you had seen previous posts and thought I was being mean?! (It's an elder sister's perogative!) Hope everyone is well, particularly those recovering and learning to live with their new bands, bigsister x

Agree mmm, if you can't look so good, smell gorgeous! So that's a tip for bandsters to be - go and treat yourself to some lovely shower gel for after surgery, it makes you feel human. When you have your blue stitch out (next Monday I guess?), you will then be able to indulge yourself in a delicious bath, it is lovely and soothing to soak the incision sites. You may need to snip the long bit of the fishing line that goes from end to end of each scar if it feels it is pulling too much but make sure you leave enough length where the knot is in case it needs to be taken out before it dissolves. I had to take my sexy white stockings off at night once I got home as I get too hot in bed anyway and they were itching me to distraction and preventing me from sleeping properly. Heliogast do 2 sizes of bands, both mine and sister gillian's band is the Evolution which is the smaller size - the Advanced is the larger size. You are doing really well with your recovery so keep it up and keep letting us know how it's going, bigsister x PS - Good tip mmm to others about the walking, would have done that myself had I known.

Hi Mmm and welcome back. Pleased to hear you are doing so well, but you are being a bit of a rebel with the choc and biscuits! Never mind the salt in the hospital soup putting you off, it's more like the FOUL taste. I didn't really start with any of the gas/wind pain until the Monday after the surgery but hopefully you might have escaped with just the bit you've had so far. Hope lewisabbeyalyssa (and mum) also have recovered as well as you. Take care and rest and post again soon, bigsister x

Thanks for your answers TC and Mooster. Hey TC, don't congratulate us for not over-indulging, we surely would have if the discomfort hadn't stopped us! Actually even if we were to have had any crumble it wouldn't have been much and all in all would have been far, far less than we used to have. Sister gillian (that makes her sound like a nun doesn't she? nothing could be further from that comparison!) - anyway, she has looked up on the internet and think she has found that there is a reference on the sticker info which indicates what size it is so like you say, think Wendy should know from that. But think I will ask at GP's if they can let me have a copy of the letter like Mooster did just for my own record. Oh dear, the situation with her writing to Dr Chris doesn't sound too good does it? Glad you found Wendy helpful, think maybe me and gillian should have perhaps gone to the Feb clinic just for a check and advice/questions but as we knew we didn't feel ready for a fill yet we decided to leave it until the March clinic. Thanks again for the replies, take care & post soon, bigsister x

Hi TC. Well done on your weight loss, you have lost a quarter of what you need to get to your target already - fantastic! I have only lost 14lbs and I really haven't been eating much at all so don't know why it doesn't seem to be working for me at the moment. Like sister gillian said, I didn't finish my starter last night as I was starting to feel uncomfortable around chest/ribs area and that continued for a couple of hours and so never had the apple crumble even tho I wanted it so much. Like giilian did, I handed over the letter from Dr Chris to my GP the first time I visited her and don't know if the details of the band's capacity was on that. I have got the 'heliogast follow up notebook' which has 2 stickers on the front, one of which is details of the band (serial number, date of manufacture etc) but I cannot see anything on it which indicates how many mls. Do you know if Wendy at WLS found it from your letter or the notebook? It's going to be bit of a pain trying to get the letter back from the doctors I think if that's what I need. Hope your good weight loss continues (and that mine kick starts again!), take care, bigsister x

Hi T. Sorry to hear you have had such trouble lately, I've never heard of gallbladder trouble being linked to gastric band or rapid weight loss before. No fear of that with me I don't think, after gaining my 2lbs back I lost last week, I have lost approx 1 stone in 4 weeks, so it's nothing like as drastic as yours. I haven't been weighing my food, I don't really have time to do that and so as long as I am eating less than before, cutting down on the bad foods and making progress I will be satisfied with that. Good news about your BP dropping (even if you have swapped it for a gallbladder prob!). Know what you mean about the 'spotty' skin on upper arms, I have that too and it has improved, I thought it might be the new shower gel I have been using but it could be cos I am having more Water based drinks as I know that helps too. I haven't noticed any hair issues - yet! For years, my hair seems to fall out quite a lot anyway but not noticed it has got any worse. Now I've said that, watch me wake up tomorrow morning and have left a full head of hair on the pillow! Then I will match my partner - completely bald! Tonight is curry night round at sister gillians - woohoo! Gonna go for the full starter this week after being fine with half last week and will also treat myself to a small portion of her lovely apple crumble she has promised to make again. Have a lovely Valentines Day and weekend everyone, bigsister x ps Shoes - don't be concerned about handing the money over, like everyone says, it is standard practice over there and if they were going to run off with it, I'm sure they would have done it before now. I know it may seem a bit strange as you would know it's a con in the UK but it's nothing untoward in Belgium, hand it over to either Chris or Frederick with confidence.

Hi fatpants, I have been fine thanks and pleased that you seem to be feeling a bit better now. I have lost a stone since surgery, it was 16lbs last week but have got weighed again today and the 2lbs loss from last week appears to have been gained during this week - devastated! Not sure what I have done wrong, have definitely been eating fairly little and certainly not stuffing myself! Oh well, from other previous bandsters, it seems this can happen so will try not to be too disheartened, bigsister x

Hi Englishrose, you have done fantastic - it is 6 months to the day since you were banded and you are more than half way to your target, that's brilliant so well done! Are you still having fills now or did you get to effective restriction fairly quickly? Bigsister x Glad your pre op day went well Freckles, even if you are devastated your new height has now ruined your future career as a supermodel?! Less than 2 weeks to go for you now, will just fly by. Have you got arrangements in place for your Mum? Bigsister x

Hi Sammy, good to have you back after your break. Me and gillian have the same doctor who we saw before booking the surgery and she was all for it. I know a lot of doctors aren't so helpful and understanding though. He will have to know at some point and so it depends on how understanding you feel he might be - it would be good to know you're having it done with his support if his reaction is positive but then not so good I suppose if he has one of those 'well, just eat less & exercise more' attitudes - bet you hadn't thought of that had you?! It will just be a judgement call on your part as to what you decide, but they are not gods (even if some think they are) and if it's right for you and the surgeon is trustworthy (which you know through this forum he absolutely is) then you won't let anyone put you off. Its great your husband is really supportive, that's a real plus. Take care, bigsister x

Just a quick post to say we will all be thinking about you mmm and lewisabbeyalyssa & her mum on Friday and hoping all goes well, I'm sure it will and look forward to your return to the forum with your report on your experience. Take care, bigsister.

Hi Fatpants, think we all know how you are feeling today, we've all been there. My partner also strongly disagreed when I first said I wanted to have the surgery and we had a big argument about it and didn't speak for about 2 weeks during which time I went ahead and booked surgery, flights, hotels etc. I told him just before Christmas and he ended up being ok about it and I bet your husband will come round too. I think mine and gillians other sister didn't agree with it either and think she probably still feels the same way but she has never really had any weight issue and so can't properly understand. Hope things are looking better tomorrow, sure it will because you have made your decision to do something positive for yourself and your family will also benefit from too. Chin up, bigsister x