ShellyG

Hi Everyone, I havn't been on the site for a while. Got my band with Dr Chris in June '09 and have lost 5.5stone so I'm delighted. Slow but steady road. Well done to all the new bandsters...best decision. I am writing to the patients from The Haven Clinic in Stillorgan Dublin. Apparently these people have travelled to Hungary for their bands and the aftercare has shut up shop and some of the patients are having complications and are feeling deserted. Wendy from WLS says she is happy to take over the aftercare for these patients. If you need any further info PM me and take it from me you couldn't be going to a better person. By the way, for any new bandsters that go to Wendy it doesn't alter your guarantee with Dr Chris as if you've only ever gone to Wendy and something goes wrong with the band that is due to fault in fills, WLS are well insured to pay to have it fixed, though to my knowledge this has never happened. Wendy offers so much more than a needle, she gives you diet sheets and her scales tells what % of fat or water you are carrying, she's become like a second mum to me!!! Anyway, continued success to all.X

Hi everyone, Not been on for a while. Hope you are all doing well. Are you a granny yet freckles? Saw the room it's fab, you can never have too much pink!!! Hope you are doing ok Garry, hats off to you on your approach to the whole saga. Hope the weight is dropping off for you. *******INFO FROM WENDY************ Had my second fill today, she put in 1.5mls so now I have 4.5mls in the 7mls band. I'm down 2 stone now so I'm ecstatic. I mentioned to her about the reservations people have about going to her for the fills and making the guarantee with Dr Chris void.. She said she has a guarantee from Chris that any patients that come to her for fills will still in fact be fully covered in the event of anything going wrong. If however you went to another fill provider and then her then you wouldn't be covered (unless it's fred of course). Also wendy mentioned that she is insured for 11 million so she's well covered. She said in the event of a problem (like garrys)she would send the patient back to Chris and he & she would come to an aggreement re costs. Hope that puts peoples mind at ease. wendy is just so lovely, even if I was to lose my guarantee i'd still go to her! She doesn't rush you at all, the lady before me today was in with her for 30mins, she really takes her time. Also, Wendy is a granny now!! Her daughter had a baby girl yesterday, she was 7lbs 1oz and her name is Isabel Daisy. She showed me photos..............she's gorgeous but it doesn't put the goo on me!!! I had a great laugh with her about Gillian and big sister. The first time I met her I told her I knew you girls from the site. She said the sisters are like her voice and they are lovely people so your names go before you girls!!!

Thanks Mags for that. It does make me feel better....I knew I joined this site for a good reason!!! The support is great. I thought I was going to lose my mind. I was moaning to my hubby earlier today about eating so much and he said " I think you better get back on your site for support". Hate to say it but he was right. Thanks anita, I think it's July 28th in Belfast. I'm going to travel up as I'm in a really bad way. I'm off to a wedding too in August but unlike mags it won't be a size 12!! I wish.... Anyway I left a message on the WLS answer machine earlier so hopefully they'll get back to me on Monday so I can book in for next week. Great to know they are defo going to be in Belfast as I was looking up flights to Brussels I was so desperate. so thanks again anita.

Hi everyone, Haven't been on for a while. Almost 6 weeks post op and i'm really struggling. I've lost 16lbs but this week I put on a pound and I just can't stop binging! Today I ate a bar of dairymilk, 3 pkts of crisps and 3 slices of brown bread!! I'm out of control. I'm feeling so down. I've been doing my walks and will keep that up but I read on the site that Wendy won't be coming to dublin in August. Does anyone know if she's still going to be in Belfast on July 28th? don't know what I'll do if she's not. Also did anyone else just have an enormous appetite 5 to 6 weeks post op??? HELP......................

That's great news garry I'm delighted for you. Can't wait till I get to that stage, I'm still a nipper at all this!!!!

Hi Sammy & welcome to the family!!! Julie tosh is connected to Dr Chris, she's the new manager for fill appointments etc, so the literature Dr chris gave me says. I don't know much about Bridget I think she's an agent who works on commission. WLS seem to be good for aftercare so I'm gonna go with them. It's much better value and Odgemodge says they have a special from July 1 for £270 which is a really great price. Hope this helps you.

Hi homecare, Yes the hotel does have hairdryers, I know my room defo did anyway. Best of luck for Friday, make sure you have a final feast tomorrow and a few glasses of wine as it's not gonna make a difference at that stage!!! Can't wait to here how it goes. Will you wish Timeisnow good luck too in case we don't cross paths before the op. Laura, oh you must be so upset. Would you not try to lose a few pounds and get the BMI to under the 50 mark then the op would be ok. My bmi was 47 and I was ok, just an idea. Also, Dr Bruno dillemans is supposed to be the best for gastric bypass, it's around €7,000 but remember you don't have the aftercare the rest of us have. Also, Dr dillemans does bands also. I'm so sorry, I can't begin to understand how devastated you must be but keep the chin up......where there's a will there's a way!

Hi sola, It depends on your own circumstances. If you had someone who was willing to go I'd say it'd be best to bring them. That's just my personal opinion, I know there are some very brave people on here that went it alone. After discharge I was very weak and a bit emotional so I really appreciated having my husband there. Even for the practical side of getting drinks etc, and going through the airport on the way home. Don't know if that's what you want to hear though!!

Hi toppings, The Campanile hotel is where most of us stayed. It's fairly basic but comfortable and clean. It's one mile from the hospital and 2 miles from Dr Chris' house in case of any emergency. It's a defo no to fizzy drinks. Don't know about the stomach exploding......hope not!!! I heard the only time to drink coke is when something is stuck as the bubbles break it up. Get it done as soon as you can, the sooner you get it done the sooner you're a loser!!!

Hi Kathy, Happy to say I don't have the breathlessness or the nausea. In fact if anything my breathing has improved considerably! I have mild asthma but since the op I haven't taken the inhaler as I don't feel I need it. Go to the doc as you said, best to get these things checked. If I was to diagnose you i'd say it's stress and possibly panic attacks. You have gone through so so much physically and mentally in the past 2 weeks so it's bound to effect you someway. I haven't heard from Allan other than his post to say he got the clot removed, really hope he's on the mend. Haven't seen Mairead either, must pop in to say hello soon. Take care of yourself.X

Good Luck Sara & Pixie, will be thinking of you on Tuesday. Alex I was much the same as jo and didn't get much pain either. Mine was mostly discomfort. Keep taking the pain killers - you can take solphendine (or any other paracetamol) and nurofen together as one is paracetamol and the other is ibuprofen and rest as much as possible. The liquid stage is a nightmare and I have to tell you honestly it only got worse for me as the days went on. Jo just said 10 days, i only could manage 8 days but on the ECFS booklet Fred gave me it said one week but yet dr chris letter said 10 days. I'm craving all the things that made me this size but hoping they'll pass. But yes seeing the scales move makes it all worthwhile!

Homecare, Kathy would tell you herself she knew she has liver problems. It was not caused by alcohol and certainly not by a couple of glasses of wine!! isn't red wine supposed to be good for you!! I had similiar fears that they'd find something when they opened me up, i'm a bit neurotic, if I have a headache i think it's a brain tumor! OK worse case scenario...IF and a very big IF there was something there wouldn't we be best knowing about it NOW so we could do something about it???? Perhaps Dr Chris saved Kathy, hopefully that will be the case that she's caught this in time. Your fears are totally natural and don't think yourself stupid for having them, you're only human. If we don't chat before Thursday, I'll be thinking about you on Friday and will wait in anticipation to hear your journey. ShellXXX

no homecare, brekkie is not included! sorry

Hi homecare and timeisnow, You'll be absolutely fine though I know exactly how you feel, it's stil so fresh in my mind!!! You'll be surprised when you get there and meet the others who will be operated on the same day. In our group, two partners even went out to dinner together on the Friday night. Everyone is in the same boat, all worried for their partner/friend whatever and they will support each other. In my group I was 2nd check in, 2nd to be taken from the meeting room, my bed was bed 2 and I was 2nd to be operated on!!! Hope you both get to share a room. Are you going with Frederik TIN? Don't know if he give preference to the bookings he's taken. I asked him not to leave me till last, he said the operating list in done in the theatre and he doesn't choose but I think this is a little white lie! Don't forget that mug, it's a great piece of advice already given to you, you'll be so glad of it, also take a few teabags, the ones in the room were caramel....yuk! esp after an op! TIN don't know about food, our flight said it would be 1 hr 40mins but we did it in 1hr 15mins both ways. Didn't get food but could buy sandwiches etc so you'll defo be able to get something. Trying to re live the whole thing to give you any help but I'll keep it in my focus and will get back to you if I think of anything else. I'm doing great now I have food again!!! I had a weetabix in lots of milk, then a half a fish pie OMG it was heaven. I feel like i'm human again!!!!

Hi Laura & Welcome, Frederik does the fills in Dublin once a month. Also alot of the people here go to WLS and they come to Dublin (Swords) once a month too. WLS offer a 6mths aftercare for £349. Frederik is in Pembroke street and is €120 per fill. I just got banded last week and as much as I'd like to stay with Frederik, the fact that Flirty (an inspiration to us all) had to get close to €1,000 worth of fills I feel the WLS is much better value plus I believe they have a dietician to set out a diet to suit you. I'm just coming off the liquid stage post op which is so so hard. Had to watch my hubby and all his family eating chinese last night followed by meringues, cream and stawberries!!! I got through it so I'm proud of myself. If you've any other questions just shout someone is bound to have the answer.

Hello Alex and welcome. Like yourself I don't usually go on forums but I'm so so glad I did join this one. The people here are THE best! I was banded last Friday by Dr Chris. I posted my journey on pg 341 if you'd like to read what happens when you get to brussels etc, that's if you booked the package directly through Frederik or Dr Chris. If you booked through Bridget the taxi's are not included. Best of luck, you lucky thing getting done so quick.

Wow Jo, that's a brill weight loss, congratulations. Also, bobo well done to you too. can't wait till I'm losing that much. I'm craving food badly today. Trying to convince hubby I could have a tuc cracker with philadephia on it but he was having none of it!! I know it's for my own good and my stomach needs to heal but can't help wanting!!!!

Thanks for that Odge. I've tried it but don't know if it's working. Thanks to you too Vikki, I emailed Allan the link you sent me so hopefully he'll be joining us soon!

Thanks Garry I will pass on your details to him. He's joined the site but can't seem to find our thread. He says he in alot of pain and feels really miserable. I remembered you had a haematoma too so I thought you might be able to put his mind at ease. Thanks you are so kind. Would you be able to tell me how to put my ticker on? I have the ticker done but just don't know how to paste it into this site. Thanks

Hi Allan, It's Michelle. Try and find the thread "anyone know chris de bruyne" and you'll find that guy I was telling you about. If you can't find it by that click on my name and click recent posts and it should take you to that post.

Hi Kathy, I'm feeling grand today. Getting a bit better each day. Weighed myself today and i'm down 6lbs since last week but do bare in mind I practically havn't eaten anything since last Thursday night. In total I'm down 10lbs since I started my pre op diet. I emailed Allan last night and he's in a lot of pain. I told him that garrymc had a haematoma too and he should join here and have a chat with him. He said he's feeling a bit down and can only eat slimfast. Anyway, weight aside I think the first thing you should do is get to see a specialist about the liver. Once that's cleared up it'll give you the strength and head space to go forward with the diet. I know what you weigh but you really don't appear so big and you carry yourself so well. I agree with gillian about Mags post, it truely was lovely and came straight from the heart.. Take this few days to relax and chill (weather is good so I'm assuming you didn't go back to work!!). You have me email address so mail me anytime and everyone else here is so supportive to so at least you have someone to talk to. Love ShellX

Hi Everyone, Thanks so much for all the lovely comments. I was the know it all over there......thanks to you guys!!! My hubby was amazed how much I knew like there was a C & A in vilvoorde (thanks gillian!). He kept telling me "no there's no C & A", don't know if that was just that I didn't spend any more money!!!. I love C & A and we don't have it anymore in Ireland. Also thought of you garry when I saw the bikkies in the room, i didn't get to sample them though, should've taken them home with me. Thought of you suefee when I was waiting to go into the operating theatre......did feel like running myself i must declare. Fastmelts are at the ready...thanks flirty!Anyway, I am so very thankful to each and every one of you for helping me get this far. To be honest I don't think I would've gone ahead with it if I hadn't read this site. One favour to ask......can anyone tell me how to do my ticker??? I have the ticker part done but don't know how to put it onto this site.

Hi Everyone, I'm back in the land of the living!! My operation went fine but I am having a few teething problems. Just for the benefit of the newbies I'm going to do a diary of my time in brussels. Day 1: Arrived at Brussels airport at 9.30am. There was a man standing at arrivals with a ECFS sign in his hand. I went over to him and told him my name, we followed him to a taxi where he brought us to the Campanille Hotel. Hotel quite basic but very clean and you certainly wouldn't be up for much luxury after surgery. Anyway, while I'm waiting to check in I meet two english men who told me they were there for surgery too!! At 8.40pm there was a knock on the door. An average sized guyed with blond hair introduces himself as Frederik Serneels. He comes into the room and brings myself and my husband through the operation, shows me a lapband and gives me some literature. I hand over €3600. He leaves and tells me there will be a taxi at 6.45am for me in the morning. (all quite surreal) Day 2: Taxi arrives as promised at 6.45am. Taken to hospital. Take a ticket from a ticket machine and wait for number to be called. Give the details to the lady and she gets a chart together for me. Then taken to the first floor to a meeting room. There Dr Chris arrives to give 5 of us (including Kathy (High Axiety) a run down on the band and what to do and not to do. We are then shown to our rooms - immaculate with electronic beds. The nurses don't even wear rubber gloves taking bloods or anything. Anyway, quick blood test and ecg then gown and hat and I'm good to go. At this stage it's 9.40am and the girl beside me has already gone to theatre. Then I'm called ( I was 2nd) so lucky me. I was wheeled down to theatre on the bed and then transfered to an operating table. Knocked out at 11.15am and woke up at 12.25pm in recovery. Felt awful. Couldn't catch my breath but they gave me oxygen and that seemed to sort me out. Had a bit of pain so they jabbed me and a minute later......painfree! Brought back to the room about 1.45pm. The day is a bit of a blur I must be honest. You will find you drift in and out of sleep. The worst part for me was not being able to drink. Mouth was so dry. Every nurse that came in I chanced my arm for a drink! The gave me a sponge lollipop in ice cold water to clean my mouth.....it was heaven! Blood pressure taken every 2 - 3 hours. You'd want to see the size of the bed pans!! My 5 year old daughters would hardly fit on it let alone an overweight person. Anyway I declined and asked to go to the loo which I was happy I was able to do with the nurses help.Dr Chris popped in about 5pm to say the op went well with no complications. Tossed and turned all night but no pain mostly discomfort. Day 3 : Bloods again and blood pressure. Then removal of the drain from my left side (this is to remove any blood from the operating site). Then down for an xray. My xray wasn't the best. I had a slight resistance but Dr chris said no worry as it went down eventually. Then we are called to the meeting room once again. There he tells us about aftercare and the do's and don'ts again. He gives us out our operation notes and band details. I have the 7ml helogast which holds 8.5mls. The operation notes said I have a "mild steaotic liver (basically fatty liver) other than that no other visual pathology". Discharged at 2pm. Taxi there to meet me to bring us to campanille. Went for a little walk that night. Day 4 : Time to go home. Felt very nauseous but those motillium melts are absolutely brill. Can you guys get them in the UK? I don't think they're in Ireland yet but get them if you can. Got home at 1pm and thought I'd try my first meal since Thursday night.....an activia yogurt. Went down ok but about 2 hours later the nausea was unreal. I think it was too thick and I think I ate it too fast. Anyway, thats for the purpose of the newbies. Nothing hidden. Today I feel much better. Am up and about doing the washing then I'll sit down again for a while . Made a huge pot of veg soup and pureed it and had that for lunch and it was yum. The one thing I'll say about the band journey is it's so emotional. It makes you confront your demons. I found myself crying unconsolably to my husband on Thurs night saying how the hell did I let myself get to this. Saying goodbye to the kids was heart breaking. I was brushing my daughters hair wondering was this going to be the last time I'd do that? I know now the fear was natural but at the same time irrational. Fred did ask if I'd any fears and i said "that i'll die on the table". He said Dr Chris has never had a mortality and in the event that something wasn't right they'd cease the operation. He said "what good would it be to leave 4 children without a mother for the sake of a gastric band?". I really respected him for this and from then on I was ok. I felt that Dr Chris priorities were in the right place. It was awful sad that Kathy didn't get done. She's had such a hard life and she was so upset. I tried to comfort her as best I could but after all I was standing there with my band and my health and she'd been through the op for no band and then given that awful news about the liver. I would wholeheartedly agree with Kathy and tell the Dr anything you think you should. Better for him to be prepared.

I'm doing ok. Just cut out all the crap and eat 3 meals a day, odd bit of fruit. I emailed fred today, to my surprise a detailed schedule came back, saying he hoped i was well and sent me copy of the logo that a taxi driver will be holding up in the arrivals hall for me. He said taxi will take me to hotel and he will see me there between 8.30pm & 9.30pm. OMG it's all so real now. Still nervous but yet excited.

Hi gillian, Congrats on the weight loss. Thanks for asking about the 6 month package, it's really funny cos wendy never offered me the 6 mth package when I spoke to her on May 27th. After homecare getting the package I emailed wls today explaining that 12 months would not be financially viable but i would be really keen to go for the 6 mths and if it was at all possible. About half an hour later colleen called me. Very nice lady. She said that she would give me the 6 mths package, they normally encourage the 12mth one but if that's what i could afford at the moment it wasn't a problem. I'm almost certain she said they were going to stop the package for new bandsters but decided against it. so any of you who want the 6mth deal ring them now and pay the deposit like homecare. I told her as I'm going for the op on friday i'd leave it till next week to pay her, she said that was not a problem as my 6 mths wouldn't kick in till 6 weeks post op. I'm really really happy now, i think that's a good omen for me!!