katieo

Well I went along to my GP, told her I had had enough, burst into tears, told her about the snoring and constant tiredness, the creaky knees(at 28!!) and she said flat out that I wouldn't get funding because I haven't exhausted all avenues, which was news to me cos I thought I had tried everything. She wants me to try Reductil because some of her patients have had success with it. I was dissapointed at first but then she said that if it doesn't work then she will push for the Lapband. I am in two minds about it all, part of me wants to have a good go at it as a final attempt to lose weight without the op and the other part is saying, well we have been here before two years ago and you couldn't do it and even if you did lose some, how would you keep it off? GGGRRRRR I am still thinking about it. Katie xx

Hiya uk bandsters and future bandsters! It's great to have our own thread, I will still visit the other threads as they contain a wealth of really useful info but I have to say when it comes to discussions about supplements, Protein shakes etc I get a bit lost as some of the products are not available here in the UK. Another thing I find is that we have different issues affecting us, one example is the fact that the lapband op itself is not as common here as in the states and people just don't know enough about it. Quite often US bandsters will talk of their family, friends and colleagues being banded but I don't personally know anyone in my home town that has a band and in real time I don't have anyone to share my experiences with. x katie

globally yours I am hoping to get my op done on the NHS, have an appointment tomorrow with my GP, so will see what she says. I do fit the criteria with BMI but don't suffer with diabetes or heart problems(YET!!!)so they may still refuse. I am going to ask to be tested for sleep apnea as I snore baldy and really struggle to wake up even after an 8 or 9 hour sleep, also get very tired in the day, this might just be down to being so heavy but still want it checked out anyhow and if I have got it my chances of getting the band are better.........we will see I suppose! Your weight seems to be going down nicely, well done!!

Hiya hun, i know exactly how you feel, I was at the same point as you two years ago and I went away and tried yet again to lose it on my own and those two years flew by, I am back here now even more miserable and desperate than before and still have that nagging doubt, 'do i really need to take such a drastic approach, surely there is a more natural way of doing it!' but the thing is, i have been trying for over 13 years and have exhausted all avenues, what else can I do now? I either live in misery for the rest of my life or try and do something about. katie xx

Thats great Ann, hope I can keep one down after the op, sandwiches are my favourite food!! I prefer oatmeal and wholemeal to white anyhow so thats a start! Hows your weightloss going hun?

I am having similiar doubts too sldeitrus, if I can't make those changes now, how will I make them after surgery? Part of me says, surgery will give me the kick up the backside I need and also I know that if I don't follow my surgeons advice, my body will be in BIIIG trouble, the other part says, well I have already wrecked my body so whats stopping me from completely destroying it? What I do know is that a band will not get rid of my head hunger, I need some help with that too, I need to learn how to deal with my emotions without trying to stuff them down with food, I strongly feel that if I get some help with both the physical and the mental aspect of obesity I stand more of a chance of winning this battle. Like the other bandsters said, I cannot face another diet, another diet would mean, battling on my own. With the band I feel that I will have someone/thing in my corner. I have never been one to even be able to accept help, let alone ask for it, well this is has to change and it will when I go to my GP on Tuesday. Katie xx

Had not even heard of it!! I just watched a clip of it on utube, amazing!! Would love to try it but my confidence is very low right now :crying: My weight holds me back from doing the things I love and then I eat even more to make me feel better about my passionless life!!! I SOOOOO NEED THIS BAND!!!!

Hi there! I was a member of my local Curves, but I stopped going, will rejoin when I have my band put in as it's th only gym I can go to where I don't feel so self conscious. I am in the UK and figuring that these machine are not here yet, they sound cool though!!

I have a feeling I will really struggle with the pre-op diet, I am hoping that the idea of shrinking my liver for a safer op will help me keep in line!! Katie x

Hi keving, well I was planning to go off to Belgium in January, wanted to go sooner but would have to go alone if I did as my hubby has to sort out his passport, which should be sorted by Jan. I had completely ruled out having the op here because I couldn't afford the prices and didn't want to wait on the NHS waiting list for 2 years. Maincat however told me that he only waited for six months for his op and that the waiting list in his area is now only three months, so I have made an appointment with my GP, will see what she says because from what I hear it is a bit of a postcode lottery. If they say no then I'm off to Belgium in January!

Oh yeah!! How could I have forgotten about the big TT!!!:drool: I'm really scared at the thought of having one done, it's the scars, could live with one across my bikini line but I'm worried I might need a bit more than that and end up with one going up 2 my boobs! I reckon my arms would need something done too :rolleyes2: I'll try not to think about it for now cos it might lead me to sabotage my plans for the lapband, It might not be so bad anyhow, I know I will have excess skin but I always imagine the worst and it really never is as bad. Maincat, you don't seem to have alot of excess skin, looks like you have a great shape!! Katie xx

Excellent Steve!! I reckon I will have that same sense of anti-climax, my life has revolved around my need to lose weight for the last 20 years, when I finally lose all of my excess I know very well I will think "Well I've done it, now what?" That doesn't stop me from wanting it soooo badly though!!:rolleyes2:

sallieanne I'm in Cheltenham too!!! I have decided to have a band fitted after a good couple of years contemplation, still not sure if I will go NHS or private depends what my GP says. Did you have your op on the NHS? Katie X

I was just about to ask the same questions kaytiebugs, hairloss and excess skin are a big worry for me, the food part of it I am sure I can live with, but a bald head(slight exaggeration) and loads of sagging skin I'm not so sure about! I began my research on the Lapband two years ago and now i am finally ready to have it done, I sooo want to give myself the best chance possible of making the band work for me, after reading literally hundreds of posts about nutrition for bandsters, I have to say that I'm with Jachut. We need to eat a BALANCED diet, which will result in us getting all the nutrients we need. Katie x

I'm in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, hope I am in with a chance!! Well they can only say no and if they do I am lucky enough to have the funds to go over to Belgium, the main thing that worries me about going private is if there are any complications and I have to have another op, I won't have the money to pay for it!! Another thing I am not sure on is the whole travelling thing, I don't even have anyone to take with me! My hubby is having problems with his visa here(from kenya)so he not in a position to travel and I don't know how long it will take to be sorted out, my sis has just had a baby so she's out of the question and my mum is such a worrier I couldn't possibly take her along with me. I really don't mind going on my own but my family would worry like mad!

Hi Honey! Just wanted to say good luck for tomorrow, keep us posted on your progress!

I had no idea you could get it done that quickly on the NHS, the stories I have heard about are a couple of years old in all honesty but one in particular that stands out in my mind was about a lady from my home town who was over 25 stone and could hardly walk, she was refused weightloss surgery and then put her story in the local newspaper, eventually they gave her a bypass and she went on to lose 12 stone but it was one hell of a battle for her. I figured I had a big enough battle on my hands as it was so I kinda ruled out the NHS. So it looks like the government are finally taking the obesity problem in this country seriously!!! I am gonna book an appointment with my GP, she was the one who first suggested it 2 years ago, but she did say,"but then it depends on your finances" back then the idea of having surgery scared the hell out of me so I didn't pursue it. You are right, it is incredibly overwhelming when you have alot to lose and I feel totally on my own with this problem, people cannot lose weight for us can they? All they can do is to try and support us in our efforts which is nice but not enough for me to get some life-changing results, having a band will make me feel that for once I will have someone/thing in my corner, a neat little weapon to help me fight this battle. I know it's no miracle cure and that I will have to make changes but I am prepared to turn my life around for the better, I have come to the point in my life now where I am thinking "Come on Katie, you have to grow up and take responsibility for your actions, no more excuses, if you are to live the life you know you deserve to live you need to make some BIG changes" So here I am :smile: Thanks so much for the info maincat, very useful indeed!

You are beautiful Bimbabe!! But I understand what you are saying, when you don't feel good about yourself it doesn't matter what anyone else says, you simply cannot believe it! The loose skin worries me too and also hairloss as I hear it's quite common after weightloss surgery. Katie x

keving, thank you sooooo much for sharing your progress with us, I feel so relieved to see that you are managing to eat 'normal' food and even a glass of wine if you fancy one, after reading many posts on here I was beginning to believe that I would have to live off Protein shakes for the rest of my life if I have a band put in!! I know it might not turn out this way for me, everyone is different, but atleast there is hope! Your results are amazing and attitude very inspiring! Katie x

flirtylass , thanks for your help, will contact Dr Bruyne today, thats such a good deal! I am sure I will come up with some more questions!!lol Maincat, did you have yours done on the NHS or private? I know of people who had to wait 2 years for a band on the NHS waiting list and getting on that list in the first place wasn't easy. WOW you have lost ALOT, about the same as I wanna lose, Last time I checked I was 294 lbs. Katie x

Sounds like a good plan!! I haven't had a band put in myself YET but I read on my prospective surgeons website that you need to eat low fat before op otherwise the liver will be too fatty, there are people on here who's surgeons couldn't carry out the procedure because of a fatty liver, can you imagine that? Getting yourself ready for the big day, going under expecting to come out banded, only to learn you have to go through it all over again!! I think it's great to get the whole family on board, don't think I would feel right eating a very healthy diet and feeding my hubby and kids junk! Have you got a date set? xx

Hi everyone! flirtylass, your weightloss results so far are amazing!! I have been a member of this forum for a couple of years and I am finally ready to begin this life changing experience. Now I need to choose my surgeon and I quite like the sound of Dr Bruyne, just searched him on google and found out quite abit of info,the only thing i couldn't find was his contact details! That might just me being daft though LOL Would anyone be so kind as to tell me how I can contact this surgeons office? Also, is his waiting list long? If I have to wait a long time then I may aswell try for the NHS, long waiting lists is the reason I have decided to go private. Would be sooooo greatful for your help Katie