fatpants

Hi Carriejess, Do you know roughly how much your Mum paid for her Tummy Tuck? I got my band fitted in March 2009 and some time since then Chris told me it cost 1500 euros, 3 weeks ago he said it cost 2500 euros? So I'm looking for some enlightenment! Fatpants

Fatpants here! Has anyone had a tummy tuck With Dr Chris? Or anywhere else for that mater! If so, do you have any useful information you can share. Thank you Fatpants

Hi everyone, it's fatpants here! Well I thought that I should share this experience that I have had with whome ever it might help! I was banded on the: 17 March 2009, weighing in at 16 stones 5 lbs. 23/4 weight loss: 12 lbs, fill: 3mls 28/5 3 lbs, 2mls 25/6 9lbs 0.75mls 30/7 6lbs 0.5mls After these fills I felt I had reached some sort of restriction, what ever this may be? My portions were less, I very rarely felt hungry. We went on a 'full board' holiday for 3 weeks in October, I ate what I felt like and only put on 2 lbs and lost this on my return home. However my weight seem to plateau, I still ate the same smaller portions, didn't feel hungry but the weight wasn't budging. At the end of November my sister asked me if I wanted to go on a 4 day diet with her, so I thought why not, it might kick start my weight loss again, which it did....2 days into the 'healthy' diet I got really bad indegestion. 3rd day in the morning I went out before the kids went to school to the chemist to get some Cavonia, and carried on with the diet. I knew that there were some things I shouldn't bew eating with the band, like grapefruit, raw celery & tomatoes, I just thought if I chop them up really well and chew them thoroughly they'll go down fine! Well that night was terrible! I took the cavonia before going to bed, then I got up and got a glass of warm milk, what a nightmare! I was waking up with my mouth full of stuff as well as girdled milk! Thank god Chris was coming to Edinburgh that day, we drove straight down, I was in terrible pain, I thought I was having a heart attack! Within 2 minuites in Chris's office all the pain was gone, he withdrew saline from my band told me to swallow then put some back, he held back 2mls. It turns out I had a blockage, from the 'bad' food, this caused acid to go up into my Oesophagus causing horrendous pain and discomfort. And the moral of the story is: Do not become impatient with the proccess, allow it to take it's own time, you have gone to all the expense of having a band fitted, the weight is going to come off. The more weight you have to lose the faster it comes off, the less weight you have to lose the longer it takes, it will happen in the end! So be patient! Take care everyone Fatpants

Hi garry, How are you? I was just having a look at your photos, what a transformation! You are looking really great! Well done on your progress so far! Takecare Fatpants:thumbup:

Hi Flirtylass, I was just reading your quote, well done on all yous success! You have done really well and are an inspiration to all of us! I see you've has the whole shabang done when it comes to the cosmetic surgery! At first I thought I would just get a tummy tuck done but as the weight started coming off I became aware of the bingo wings, then my boobs started sagging (bit of a shame as they were a nice size as they were!) Can you tell me: Did you get it done all at once or in three different ops? Where did you do and if you are happy to share with me the cost! I would be most appreciated, remember you can always send me a private message on Face book! Takecare now Fatpants :drool:

Hi Everyone, Just back from my holiday and thought I should share my "flying with a band experience" Well before going I was worried that the band might 'tighten' due to the pressure of the cabin. I was due a fill so enquired to Chris, he suggested I have an 'unfill' and confirmed that the band may well 'restrict' due to cabin pressure. After reading up on here and a lot of thought I decided not to get a fill just incase the band did get tighter, but decided against the unfill as I was due a fill anyway, did that all make sense...... Anyway 2 x 2 hour flights (each way) and no further restriction, the band remained the same. We were on full board, so of coarse being Scottish wanted to get my moneys worth! Well I was quite good, coffee and yoghurt for breakfast, a savoury plateful and of course dessert, usually a full plate of a taste of everything! and for dinner a bowl of soup, a smaller savoury plate, and again dessert! I was really worried I had put on loads of weight and couldn't wait to weigh myself on my return home.... 1 kilo! I am delighted, as I didn't feel I missed out or restricted myself at all. I am going to book my next fill for next time their in Edinburgh. I need to loose another 10 kilos before I can get a tummy tuck. Take care everyone! Fatpants:thumbup:

Hi Freckles, How's your ma doing, I read that you had her on a home visit, she must be well? Thank you for all your tips, the thought of taking fizzy with food stuck frightens me! It's bad enough taking water as I feel as if I'm drowning! Anyway I'll give anything a try! Thanks, have a great trip in OZ and don't be having too many Barbies and beer! Takecare Fatpants:thumbup:

Hi Debby, I know what the pain in the left shoulder is, I had it for several weeks after the op. When you have keyhole surgery the surgeon pumps air into the cavity, this way he can see what he's doing, when the op is finished they can't get all the air out so it's trapped in there. In fact the pain can travel into the chest and the top of the back, just above the shoulder blade. It was very painful for me, I took pain killers, but the best way for me to get rid of it for a while was to lie down on my left side with a pillow tucked right into my neck, after a while I could get up and the pain would be gone. Unfortunately, occasionally I still get it but only very mildly, I asked Chris about it he said it was to do with my diaphragm. I think that you should do as Frederick advises. I had 4 fills before I got any kind of restriction, however, remember that the flight is supposed to cause the band to tighten. Take care Fatpants:thumbup:

Hi Homecare, Ye I think I'm doing the right thing, especially now after stuffing my face with pretzels, I really wanted chocolate but there's none in the house so I ate horrible salty dry pretzels, then my hubby appeared with a turkish delight that still went down a treat! Do I feel bad? No, just full!!! I have lost 44lbs since March 17th, not as much as some of the others on here, and not as much as I would have liked by now, it is my own fault though as I still treat myself quite often. Takecare Fatpants

We're going to Hamamet, I am really looking forward to it. I made the decision not to have an unfill, as I am afraid I'll gorge myself! Today I have managed to really stuff myself so if I had an unfill I feel it would be a disaster, I also begrudge paying £180 to take something out then put it back in 4 weeks later! Have a fab time on your hols! Fatpants :scared2:

Not yet but going on the 7th to tunisia for 3 weeks....I'm soooo excited! I know we are not supposed to drink whilst eating, but next time you get something stuck try gulping down some water, one gulp at a time just incase you can't swallow, it flushes the food through, it might be a little bit uncomfortable but it gets the horrible feeling of stuck food away and it's going to be painfully slow going through and painful, so you may as well get it out of the way fast. On the other hand on 2 occasions when I tried to do that it didn't work, and it all came back up! Not good when you are sitting in a restaurant, but it's better out tyhan in! Fatpants:thumbup:

Hi Anitahug, I read what you said in your chat, I have also read other banders remarks about going to their GP and nurse for getting stitches out etc... and they have had a similar reception that you got! I seem to be very lucky, my GP had been through a lot with me trying to loose weight and had referred me for a band on the NHS, I had a problem with the psychologist, she talked down to me and treated me like a dozzy cow, on that day it just felt like the final straw, I should have been on the Jeremy Kyle show because I just lost the plot, my hubby chin was on the carpet. It was then that we decided to go private! Since my op, I got my stitches out by the nurse, she was very kind and polite, maybe I was lucky! ANYWAY..... the reason I am writing is because I wanted to tell you something, did you get your band with Chris? I am assuming yes and that's why you are on here! Chris told me that there had been a problem with slippage in the past so the modified the procedure slightly, now he actually stitches your stomach tissue round the band in 2 or 3 points. So next time you see that b**** you can enlighten her! Fatpants

Hi Shoes, Thanks for your supportive words. Yes, I am really looking forward to our holiday!:thumbup: Fatpants

Hi Shoes, Thanks for that. I know what you mean about the chocolate! That and ice cream is my down fall, since my op I have still indulged a little on those two things, but not nearly as much as I used to! I can't have chocolate in the house, as I just keep on thinking about it, it feels as if I have a wee devil on my shoulder saying "Oh come on, it's waiting for you in the cupboard, it's just sitting there, you better crab it before someone else sees it!" Honestly it sound stupid but I can't relax until I've eaten it! Well I think I'm at quite good restriction now as I am not hungry during the day and I usually have a coffee for Breakfast then a tin of Soup and a yoghurt for lunch, and whatever we're having for tea but half the portion I used to have! I can't anything too hard or that needs a lot of chewing. So I thought that even if the band does go tighter I should still be OK, I was due a fill on the 1st but decided to postpone it till I came, I didn't think of having an unfill! Even if it does go tighter, as longer as I can still drink liquids: Water, soup & yoghurt I should be ok, we're just going on a beach Holiday (hooray!) so I don't need a lot of energy! Thanks for your guiding advice I really appriciat it as I was in a dilema! Take care Fatpants:thumbup:

Hi Gary, Thanks for that, I looked out my wee calorie counting book to see If I can crack this! However loads of things are not in it, I just ate a Muller fruit corner, it tells you everything but the calorie content! Anyway maybe I need a more up to date book, any ideas? How did they manage to fix the leak in your band? Did you have to go back to Brussels? I know you went back once. Thanks again Fatpants:thumbup:

Hi Garry, How are you? Your tracker seems to have shoot up! Well done! From what you have said I am guessing that the BMR Has something to do with calorie counting? I am hopeless at this task, I just can't be bothered, I did buy a wee book once and I'm sure I've still got it so if you would be so kind to do the calculation I'll make the effort to try it out. I guess once you do it for a few weeks you start to memorise the numbers and it'll get easier. I have noticed that since starting going for a gym & swim routine 3 times a week for the past 3 weeks I seem to be losing less weight but feeling trimmer, which is essentially good but very fraustratting when you are so obsessed about the weight lose! I'm glad your Friday fill seems to have done the trick. I think we should be given more guidelines and explanations about why we should or shouldn't do things I think if we understood properly the how and why's of the whole thing it would be much easier. Any way here's the info you asked for: Height: 5foot5.5 Weight: 13 stone 10lbs Age: 46 Thanks Fatpants:thumbup:

Hi Shoes, Remember me, Fatpants? Well I just came on to ask a question, but you have answered it for me! We're going on hol's on the 8th of October and wondered if flying made the band tighter! I can't believe it! You've lost 5 stone 10lbs since the 6th of March! That is amazing, well done, you must be ecstatic! I got banded on the 17 March, I have had four fills = 6.25mls in total, I was due another fill on the 1st October but I had 1 small incident last week when I couldn't swallow, quite scary, the food automatically came back out, this has never happened before. In the past when I have hads food stuck I have normally managed to flush it down gulping water, albeit sore and I am sure not good for the old band area of the stomach! My last fill was on the 30 July, I missed out last month as I was feeling quite comfortable, not hungry, eating smaller portions and slowly losing weight, not as much as you though! I was happy to go for the fill on the 1/10 until the wee incident when I couldn't swallow! So I e-mailed Chris, expecting him to say not to have a fill but he suggested an unfill, which I am not keen on as I don't want to be tempted and put on loads of weight! What do you think? Can you tell me about your weight loss and fills etc.... I just though I would have lost more weight by now, and I am a wee bit disappointed. Before my op when I was on the thread night and day, it seemed to me people were losing on average 1 stone a month over the first six months or so. I keep telling my self that maybe others have more weight to lose and therefore lose it faster in the beginning. I shouldn't really moan as I still indulge on chocolate and ice cream ......... occassionally! When I went on my pre op diet I weighed 16st12lbs, when I went for my op I weighed 16st5lbs, I now weigh 13stones10lbs. Please can you let me know your progress so I can compare! Thanks Fatpants :blushing:

Hi Gillian, Thanks for your message, how are you getting on? Have you lost a lot of weight? How many fills have you had so far, when did you get your band fitted? Sorry for all the questions! i just want to compare myself with other people! Fatpants:cursing:

Hi everyone, I hope you are all doing well! I am due for my next fill on the 28th May, I am looking forward to this as I don't seem to have any restriction after my first fill. The weight I have lost was mostly lost on the low fat diet and on the journey to Belgium. I have lost a few pounds and my clothes do feel a bet looser, my friends say I am looking trimmer. I do feel very well, there are no after effects from the op and the scars have healed very well, any tenderness I had round the port has gone. The only difference I feel so far is that I can no longer gorge myself, actually I'll reword that, I can gorge myself on food, it just doesn't take so much food to feel gorged! In other words I am eating less, unfortunately the bad stuff still goes down, and I'm affraid this will always be the case! Anything that melts on the tongue will still fit through the band regardless of restriction, so all chocaholics beware, the band unfortunately can't stop you eating chocolate! Take care everyone. Fatpants

Hi Jo, Are you going to Belgium for your op? I did enquire privately but the charge £300 per fill! I know they do the op in Aberdeen on the NHS, I don't know if you could get fills there on the NHS or privately. Chris goes to edinburgh once a month to do fills, I got my first fill on the 23 April, my husband and I made a night of and drove down to Edinburgh, I'm going for my 2nd fill on the 28 May, I'm taking the train and coming back the same day, the return journey costs £22.50, the fill cost £90. When I went in April he said it's best to have the first 3 fills in quick succession, so I guess I'll be going back on june 25th. Phone Julie on 07872963503, if shee has no appointments, jush push a little and she'll slot you in, it only takes 5 minutes and some time to drink a glass of water to make sure you haven't been over filled. Any time your in the Ness drop me a message and we can meet up, OK Fatpants

Yes, it's a bit disappointing. I have committed myself to being a marshall for the Race for Life on May 10th, I have to follow the runners round, I thought I would be feeling nice and trim, 2 months after the op having lost close to 2 stone! Little did I know! I have started walking every day to try and get a little fitter, I am managing to walk 3 miles in an hour, my sister say's thats good! Take care Fatpants:wink2:

Hi everyone, long time no chat! Well it has been a long time, I guess before I got the band I was obsessed about this site, I was on it at least 3 times a day, reading to see how everyone was doing, and how you where all getting on and what wee problems that might come up once the band is fitted. Since having the band fitted I guess I am living all those scenarios! From the runs after the lovely liquid they give you ti sip when having the x-ray, the pain from the excess air left in our bodies after the op, to the stitches: wether they should be left or removed, and now I'm on the fills!!!!! I had my first fill in Edinburgh on the 23 of April, I feel no difference from before the fill. I can't eat sausage beefburgar, fishfinger, or any kind of meet, bread and chips get stuck, I can eat small pieces of crispy baguette with butter, pasta and rice are both fine too. I can as much as I want quantity is not a problem, unfortunately! I have not lost any weight since coming back from Belgium, I think that's probably why I have not been on chatting, there's nothing to report! For you girls that wrote to me on face book, thank you! I haven't even been on there....life is so boring...I expected to have lost a stone since returning! I am having another fill on the 28 May, I got 3mls on the last one. Lots of Love Take care all of you fatpants

Hi Garry, it's Fatpants here! I have just been trying to read over the last dozen or so pages! Yes pages! Anyway I saw your dilema about the location of the port and the hema thing (can't spell), well when I was in Belgium Chris told me to come to Edinburgh on April 23, when I phoned to make the appointment I was told it was full, when I told the women that Chris Had told me to come on this day, she told me to come along and wait... so that's what I'm doing, you could do the same. Before I went to Belgium I had a chat with my GP, he has been on the rollercoaster as regards to my weight and all the different diets I have tried he has been there, anyway, I made sure that any aftercare needed would be provided by the GP. I think your GP should be sorting out your haematomy, make an appointment with your GP or surgery nurse and get them to help you. And now the last thing... The Murrayfield Hospital in Edinburgh do fills but their wanting £300, at that rate it's probably cheaper to go to Belgium! Take Care Fatpants