Londoner

Welcome to the May bandsters Pat! Today is my last day of work before being banded and I hope I can concentrate. I go out to Brussels tomorrow (Thursday 4 May) morning for a consultation with Dr Dillemans, then am banded 7:30am Friday 5 May! I come home on Monday after a final check up with the surgeon, but am taking my laptop with me so I can update everyone with how my surgery goes. I am really scared and keep having moments of doubt (I read the guilt thread yesterday and SOOOO related), but know deep down that I wouldn't be undergoing major surgery and spending lots of money (I am self pay) if I hadn't properly thought this through. I am making the right decision for me. May 2006 is a very good month - just think where we'll all be in May 2007. Bring it on!

Hi all May is here! This is so exciting I can hardly eat (ha ha I wish that were true). I just wanted to say to all the early May bandsters that I am thinking and praying for you all. I've added a couple to Stitchy's list below: May 1 - Hope, LindaV, SleepyJean, txpeach May 2 - VelvetKiss, DrewsLou May 3 - Kelli May 4 - De Ann, LuLuLacy and Angie May 5 - Londoner, who else? Can't wait to get the first reports back from today's surgeries. xo

Hi all I have been lurking here for several months learning lots from all of you, and am now scheduled for lap band surgery next Friday 5 May in Belgium with Dr Bruno Dillemans. - Is anyone else getting banded on or around the same date? - Is anyone else from London, or the UK? - Has anyone else been banded by Dr Dillemans? One minute I am excited and the next I am anxious ... I just wish it were the morning of surgery already. Thank you all! xo

Thanks Suzi! Great advice about the pain meds... will definitely ask for some of those particularly as I'm going back to work quite quickly. My surgeon hasn't put me on any pre-op diet though - I was interested to find out if anyone else has had no pre-op diet? I know this is a U.S. site so it's not likely that many people here will go to Belgium for their banding, but I'd love to know if anyone else was banded by Dr Dillemans and if his usual approach is to do no pre-op diet? This site is so much better than anything I've found based out of the UK so hope you all don't mind a foreigner in your midst! I've noticed a few other foreigners too so they must have come to the same conclusion. xo

Hi Sleepyjean You're not a topic killer at all! In fact I was very interested to read your response to "how are you mentally". I am also seeing a therapist, even prior to my decision to get banded. I really like being invisible and as I live in London feel I can wander the streets quite anonymously. I'm not sure what all my "issues" are but have been lighter & more attractive in the past and have found I miss the anonymity. Once you are no longer invisible you have to handle all the people around you in a way that previously you didn't have to. I also think I have used my weight as a cop-out for lots of things ... the excuse for ways my life isn't going how I want it. So the reason I'm not in a relationship is how I look ... or I'd be the president of the company by now if I didn't have this weight issue to deal with. I'm looking forward to working on issues with my therapist - and I predict that being banded will make my issues much more "visible" to me because I won't be able to hide behind food and eventually won't be able to hide behind fat. I wish it were sooner too..! xo