jojo33

Hi all, It was good to meet Freckles in Manchester for the fill, and GOOD to see Freddy again! :frown: Ignore Freckles when she says she has a miserable face, she's lying!! Looking forward to hearing from Kerry and how her experience was. Paul, I was exactly the same when I came round after the op in recovery, shaking and shivering like never before and fighting to take the oxygen mask off, I think the nurses got a bit pissed off with me to be honest, I wouldn't wear the mask or the tubes up your nose later on, kept insisting I knew how to breathe oxygen in all on my own thank you very much!! I don't do coming round from anaesthetic very well!! I had the space blanket too. Isn't it a weird feeling not being hungry? It passes after a week or so unfortunately, lol. Had my first fill yesterday, and as expected I don't feel much difference, bring on 4 weeks when I can have another.

Freckles - Ok you miserable old fart! (don't believe a word of it) hopefully see you there hun. I'm 5'6, dark curly hair and may well have a dark-ish green coat on. Garry - Thanks hun, I still have a long way to go, slow and steady. I hear what you are saying about the soup. After the op I wasn't hungry at all, probably because of the swelling, and could only manage HALF a tin of soup!! I'm guessing that's what restriction feels like? Wannabe - Just to clarify, when are you planning on setting off home? You are in hospital the night of the operation and until early afternoon the day after, then they like to see you the following day just to check everything is ok. Are you sayig you want to leave Brussels the day after your op? I'd personally say that's too soon (and people reckoned I handled it better than most), but everyone is different. I'd advise going getting the strongest dissolvable co-codamol you can get or equivalent. The paracetamol they give you at the hospital is ok, but I found my co-codamol to be better. Kerry - somehow I managed to forget you were going this week!! Good luck honey, though I'm positive you won't need it. x Paul - Update please!! I'm bursting to know how you got on hun. Hope you aren't too sore. x

Good going hun, happy for you that you've got your sweet spot again! I've got ages to wait for my sweet spot :thumbup: but I'll try to exercise patience! First fill on Thurs, hope it gives me at least a few days of being extra good, another 6lb and I'll be under the next stone, and lighter than I've been in a good few years. It'll hopefully give me the motivation to be good without much restriction.

Freckles, Frederick has come back to me with a time for Thursday, 2.30pm. Looks like we might bump into each other after all!! I'll try to get there early. x

Paul, Good luck to you, you are setting off tomorrow right? Everything will be fine I'm sure, all the best to you and anyone else booked in for Tuesday! I look forward to hearing of your experience. x The shaving thing, men do have to, but I'm pretty sure you won't have to as a woman unless you have any hair on your belly. The lowest cut they make is above your waist line. July, you don't need any tests before you go, you just need to fill in a medical questionairre. There is no real delay if you have the money ready, just email Dr CDB or Frederick and ask them what dates are available. I booked only 2 weeks before. With the package, everything is sorted out for you. You just tell Frederick what flight you are due in on and he arranges a taxi to pick you up from the airport and drop you off at the hotel, which is already booked in your name. However, something to be aware of, the sign the guy at the airport holds up is very hard to read. It has the ECFS symbol on it but is only black and white so not easy to recognise and it won't have your name on. (we ended up at the airport for nearly an hour wondering where our ride was!!) I've put the logo below but don't know if I've done it right. Food to take, I only took cup-a-soups and didn't end up even having those, I really wasn't hungry at all. I had a few cups of tea and coffee (take your own cup!) and a couple of yoghurts from the restaurant in the hotel.

Like I said I haven't booked it yet, and as I've never been before I'm not sure what kind of times are available. The earlier the better for me really, I'd like the option of getting back early and getting nearly a full day's work in if possible? I thought we went through a local woman to arrange? I need to look back through my literature I think! Any info you have would be appreciated.

Me hopefully!! Not booked it yet, but it's 11 March or 8 April, don't want to wait that long. May see you there. x

Hi Jean, I'm the same as you, no weight loss for just under a week now, but it's to be expected, it had to slow down some time! I've started eating proper food now, so I've had the same as you, I wouldn't call it heartburn (I've suffered a lot from heartburn in the past and it doesn't feel the same) more like the food isn't shifting and i've got some in my throat that won't go down. I'm guessing it's because I'm eating a little too quickly or trying to eat food that is too solid too soon. I'm trying to slow it down again, last night was very uncomfortable for a few minutes after eating some fish, veggies and onion rings. The last little bit of food I had came back up (not vomit as such) and I was fine. I need to stop eating the high sugar slider foods though, too many choccies recently!! Starting a new week with hopefully a new attitude! Not booked it yet, but I'm still considering going for the March fill.

Jean, I'm still getting quite tired too, but the pain is easing by the day and I already feel like I have a bit more energy. I'm thinking of going to the March one if I'm honest. I've started to want real food again for the last couple of days. Can't eat very much yet but I reckon in the next few days the restriction from the swelling will have totally gone. I don't fancy waiting another 6 weeks for a fill! I don't want to lose the momentum. x

Hi Jean hun, how's it going? Are you back at work now? Stitches - I went to see the nurse at my doctors surgery on Monday morning. She removed the one blue one for me, didin't hurt a bit. She also trimmed as much as she could off the dissolvable ones for me, but I'd already done most of them myself. I felt a bit unsecure (only way I can think of to describe it) afterwards, so put a plaster over each of the main wounds. That felt better. I take it off at night to get some fresh air to the wounds whilst I'm not moving around so much. I don't think Friday is too long to wait, so long as it's not feeling tight and uncomfortable. Love to you both. xx

Wow well done!!! Don't be getting too thin on us now!! Seriously, congratulations, loads of

Folks, For those of you starting your pre-op diets, my advice would be don't worry too much about it. The main thing is to cut out the fat, but I don't think you really need to restrict your quantities providing the food you eat isn't high fat. I didn't stick to my pre-op diet well at all, I had no surgery complications but there was a comment on my notes to take back to the doctor that my liver was quite fatty (your liver rejuvenates itself very quickly, which is why you should be able to get rid of the fat in it within 2 weeks) As for post op... 11 days out and I still do not have hunger at all. Amazing. I still crave stuff that I like, but half a bowl of soup gets rid of my cravings no probs! The only bad thing I've let slip back in, those crisp breads, with philidelphia on them.... lovely!! But I only have one a day, so I'm sure it's not going to kill me and one is enough!! Bobo, AMAZING success, well done you!! What did you do to celebrate? x

Well done Jean! :wink2: Wow, mash and pasta already, I wouldn't dare yet!! lol. Jonnie says hi to both of you and it was lovely to meet you. x I'm going to phone my doctors tomorrow to see about stitches etc. I've been a bit soft, I re-dressed the 3 other wounds but I haven't dared touch the two main ones, they still have their original dressings on!

Well I'm back on the soup again today. Felt too uncomfortable last night to carry on trying more solid stuff yet. And to be fair, I do get full off half a tin of soup, so I'm happy to carry on with it. Still quite painful getting up / sitting down etc but not too bad the rest of the time. I feel a bit "stooped over" but I'm struggling to feel comfortable standing / walking straight, people keep asking me if I've hurt my back. I still have a feeling of tightness round my ribcage, particularly around the port / drain area. I think some exercise would help... I might try parking further away from work and taking a 15 minute walk in tomorrow, providing it's not icy. Tracy, can I be nosey? As you are the same age as me, I was wondering if you have roughly the same to lose? It would be good to track my progress against someone else who has the same goal and is the same age. It would probably motivate me too.

Painfully!! Lol. Not really that bad, I'm a bit of a softie. Getting there though. Had my first non-liquid food tonight, only a very small quantity and chewed it until it was definite mush. Still think it's a bit early in hindsight and might go back to the soup tomorrow. Good on ya if you've found a better exchange rate, I wish I'd shopped around a bit more.

Thanks Paul, I'm proud of my ticker so far, lol. Best rate for money is Travelex online, but max they will deliver is the equivalent of £2,500.00. If you have a local Travelex outlet, you can order more for pick up. I did the max through Travelex, then the rest through Post Office online. Hope this helps. x

Kerry, That's what I miss too, bread mainly, I'd love a sandwich, but I don't crave it as such. The good news is that toast is ok as far as I'm aware. I could really do with a big list of "dos and don'ts" really, as I haven't a clue what I can and can't eat, the literature they give you is about as clear as mud. No red meat but mince is ok, chicken but then I heard people on here say they can't tolerate it. :sad: Can I have chips soon?? lol, in small quantities of course!

Do you have a B&M bargains nearby? I found them in there, but they are called Holland Toast, same stuff though.... lovely with jam on. Glad I found them, was missing chewing and getting so bored of soup, nesquick and peach yoghurt. Any advice on what to start eating after liquid diet is over? Is porridge and rice pudding ok? Anything else to vary the taste?

I'm sure you'll be more than fine, time really dragged for me beforehand too. Your son will love it, my friend who came with me loves lager and he's missing Brussels like mad now (keeps on about his affair with Leffe!!)

Thanks J, I know mine is going to slow down soon too, I'm just amazed that a week out (the swelling must have gone down a bit by now) I just don't feel hungry at all, I'm having to make an effort to eat enough to keep me going! I'm of the opinion that the end of your weight loss SHOULD be a slow process, so don't let it get you down at all, just think it's still going in the right direction. :w00t: I noticed some of the ignorant, negative comments on the Daily Mail website too. I was half inclined to have a bit of a rant myself... may do that later. :sad:

Yes I was. I went back yesterday. It's been ok, but not easy. If you are on your feet all day a week would definitely be a good idea. I've had a few moments where I've just wanted to go home and crawl into bed. Thank you, I intend to! x

2plus4, that weight loss is from the start of my pre-op diet. I think I've lost about 7lb since the op itself. Don't be too hard on yourself, we all go through the same with regards wanting to eat everything prior to the pre-op diet. I slipped a fair few times even during the 2 weeks before I went. The main thing is try not to have too much fatty stuff, helps with the surgery if your liver isn't fatty. You'll be amazed like I am afterwards, I've never known until now what it's like not to be hungry, I'm actually having to make a conscious effort to have enough each day, very odd. Obviously this will change as the swelling goes down but I'm enjoying it for now. Wasting a lot of brews etc having to pour half of them away because they've gone cold now that I drink so slowly! :confused:

Thanks Kerry, I'm really pleased myself. Didn't think it would be dropping off this quickly. I know it's going to slow down sometime soon but what a boost to get rid of that first stone or so! I'm now officially lighter than I have been in 3 years or so. My next goal is to have got rid of enough for it to be very noticable by the end of May. That's the next time I'm going to see my parents and I haven't told them I've had it done. Are you really excited? Scared at all? Everyone is lovely over there, try not to be too apprehensive. x

Uh-oh, I found them circular holland toast things they gave us in hospital to eat the day after the op. Been on soup etc since I came home, but these things are soooo nice with jam or honey on, and they're allowed coz they dissolve so well!!! Oh nooooo!! :confused: But, mmmmmmmm chewing is great, I've missed it. Hahaha

I know how you feel, as do probably all the people who use this site!! I didn't necessarily mean go to the gym though, a good walk is one of the best forms of exercise. Leotards, I'm laughing at the thought of myself in one!! With regards going back to work, I was banded on friday and am due back at work tomorrow. I could have maybe done with another day or two, but I'm sure I'll cope. I only sit at a desk all day. Carrie, sounds like you need a hug hun :thumbup: I personally have forgotten what relationships are if that's any help (12 years of singledom) and I'm not expecting being slim to change that. Just think how much better other aspects of your life are without carrying around all that extra weight. x Jean, WOW well done!!! 16lb!! Hope you feel better.