FattyPatty

Thank you very much Freckles, and well done on the not smoking. I had always struggled to give up but cut down t 3 a day when treatment started and havent smoked since we found out I was Pregnant. Hello everyone else well done scooby on your 6 stone xx Im gonna have to start moving my weight loss ticker the other way, put on 10lb since defill 4 weeks ago . it has levelled out in last few days thank god so must be fully re hydrated now. Seeing midwife tomorrownfor first ante natal so dont want to start being lectured for weight gain! Take care all xx

Thank you very much Claire, I am utterly stunned still that it worked first time, and cannot wait for the months ahead. I absolutely will keep you updated and I will look into Doula UK Best wishes C xx

Hmm how did I end up with a big fat ad in my post???

Hello all I have been awol for a few weeks, but delighted to see you girls posting on here again as I have some news to share .... I am 6 weeks pregnant!!! First new round of clomid started in August and we hit the jackpot! And it is without a doubt entirely due to the weightloss, which of course is due to the band and the whole reason I had the op in the first place was to fulfill my dream of becoming a mum. Me and hubs are still in shock as together we have been trying for 6 long years and I tried several times before that in the 16 years since I was told it was unlikely to ever happen for me because of PCOS, and yet now my hormone levels are back to normal. The last 2 weeks have been a rollercoaster since we found out as I have been having severe cramps and they thought I was having an ectopic, and then found that one of my ovaries is very swollen to 10cms and has 2 large cysts of 5x5cms and 5x7cms in it, and my god its agony and I am very bloated and swollen. We finally got to see the little blob of a sac housing our baby on the scan yesterday and I cannot tell you the relief, but they they will be scanning me every 2 weeks now to keep an eye on the cysts. So i also had to go and see Freddie last week to get a defill as I'd not been able to keep anything down for 3 days, so literally have a mil left in the band, but luckily I have only gone up 3lb in the last week from eating normally, whereas after my defill in May I put on a stone in that first week as I had been so dehydrated. So, i'll keep popping here to check on all your progresses, and of course to keep you updated on my news, but you will of course all be at your goals by the time I am back on the band wagon in just over 9 months, so i'll be a newbie once again! Very well done Claire on reaching goal, I never quite got there weight wise, but I defo have end goal wise. Good luck and best wishes to all xxx

Hi Charlene Is he advising full defill just because of the pregnancy or have you been having problems eating/keeping food down anyway? Curious as we are starting our fertility drugs at the end of this week all being well so I am very much hoping that I am pregnant before too long but was hoping not to have to have a full defill during the pregnancy. My consultant advised I should if we have a multiple pregnancy and I guess that goes without saying really but I thought you could still have a little left in. Please let us know how you get on when you see Dr Chris at the Clinic. Seems very quiet on here, thought there would be loads of posts to catch up on as I've not been back on for a couple of weeks but I guess it is holiday season. I have only lost 6lbs since my refill at the end of July. Very disappointed, despite not being able to eat much and things getting stuck! I wanted to be as slim as possible for starting on the Clomid, but instead I am concentrating on not smoking and filling up on lots of Vitamins and minerals to get my body ready for making babies, so guess I cant have it both ways. At least I know I have the tool to get me skinny once my babies have arrived. Hope everyone else is ok Best Wishes C xx

Well done Kerry. my boobs are non existent too now, but I am gonna get some new ones once we have been blessed with some babies! I cant waIt to get back in my 14 jeans, only got a couple of weeks wear out of them in May, and I feel so uncomfy and bloated at the moment just from putting 2 stone back on so how I ever managed with the extra 7 odd stone on I will never know! Glad you are feeling better tho and keep up the good work C x

Congratulations!!! I hope that I too get the good news of a band baby on board very soon. Hello everyone else, nice to see freckles back on here, and hello to all the usual suspects and the newbies, hope you are all well Not been on for ages, since last moan of issues following defill in May. I have been a proper grumpy mare!!! Given up smoking, but put on 2 stone in total since my 2.5ml defill on 26th May, a stone in the first few days which was literally all Water going back on, then i was bouncing up and down a few lbs and kept taking water retention tablets to help, and then put on 7lbs in the 11 magnificent days we just had in Turkey. Got back on Monday and went for my refill today and Chris Deprez could only get 1.5mls back in rather than the 2.5mls I had taken out, it just would not take any more and he really did try, so now have 6.5mls. I am gutted that I won't have enough restriction to drop at least a stone in the next 10 days ready for the appointment with IVF consultant on 8th August. Annoyed with myself for having such a big defill even though it was on Dr Chris's advise as I was at the point where I was so dehydrated, possibly malnourished as I couldn't keep anything down and kept fainting, (my fault again for not getting an overfill sorted out) and now I am just praying that the consultant doesn't turn us away as I am over the 12st 7lbs weight limit and 30 bmi limit having come this far. Pearce - gutted to read about whats happened to you, quite a drastic measure to remove the whole band though. What has Dr Chris or Freddie had to say? Can they sort you out again? Best wishes all C xx

Hello all, hope eveyone is well I have been awol a few weeks since the defill, cos it has been horrendous. Terrible pains and trapped wind after eating, many nights awake in agony because of the stomach pains and I have also managed to catch 2 bugs, one sickness and the other down south which I hadn't suffered with at since having the band fitted. I dont remember ever feeling this uncomfortable even when my diet was so full of crap pre the band, and the wind is just awful, my mood has been terrible as well. I have just been a snappy nasty b***h really So I have now put on a stone and feel so uncomfortable so I mailed Freddie and he assures me the weight gain is normal as my body had completely re hydrated, so I feel a little better knowing that, but I have booked in to be refilled next Thursday as I just don't feel in control. He said I can be refilled to a maximum of 6.5mls, (currently have 5mls) as we fly out to Egypt in July and he said I really can't go any higher than that, and defo not back to the 7.5mls as the heat over there will make the band too tight. I just need to get this stone back off, because . . . we have our appointment with the Fertility specialist on 8th August!!!! So utterly delighted that we will hopefully be starting treatment this year and also gutted as had the letter come sooner I wouldn't have had the defill to ensure I was still in or less than the weight range to be accepted for treatment, but hey ho its done now. MMM, thanks for the advise re the diet chef, got myself lots of Soups and porridge so that I am only eating a meal once a day if that, so hoping the weight may start slowly coming down this week any way, as I made the most of drinking alcohol and eating at the IOW festival last weekend and then came on on Tuesday so very bloated and lots of Water retention. Can't wait to get the skinny feeling back again, just hope the 6.5mls gives me enough restriction. Good luck to the newbies and hope the rest of the gang are doing well with losing C xx

Hello All So I went and had my 2.5ml defill on Thursday, to take me back down to just 5mls ready for hols and to get some nutrients and vitamins back in ready to start Fertility treatment hopefully. Chris Deprez was delighted with my loss to that point but said I should not have left it that long of being able to hardly eat and being so sick and sliming all the time. However, I now have absolutely no restriction at all, and whilst I haven't gone mad on the food front, just being able to actually eat and drink and keep it down, I have been feeling rotten since Thursday with huge bloated gurgling gas filled tummy, have been going to toilet 3 or 4 times a day, which is a shock in itself after only going once every week and a half to fortnightly for the last 6 months. (Sorry TMI) Thursday night I couldn't sleep as was doubled over with trapped wind that Rennies, windeez and motilium would'nt shift, and I am burping for England just like the early days, but more guttingly the scales have gone up 6lbs!!! I have lost my comfort blanket of the band, and having the sickness which I know sounds wrong but it does keep in you check, and I think I have made a mistake having the defill. Hoping that some of you that have had defills for holidays may be able to reassure me that this is just my body adjusting to food again and will settle, as I am so uncomfortable and I defo can't afford to start piling on the lbs especially with the Fertility appointment coming up which we had only just got after finally shifting the weight. I know I need to try very hard on my own and make the right food choices but as we know I couldnt do this on my own before which is why I had the band! feeling a bit glum and teary this morning (I'm hormonal as well which doesnt help) but I'd got used to waking up in the morning and feeling sticky out ribs and hip bones and completely dipped in belly before leaping delightedly on the scales but this morning I feel like a little rounded barrell and want to smash the scales. Sorry for rant C x

Nice to see you on here again Garry, hope you are doing ok x SaraP - Sorry to hear that you still don't have restriction and will be going back to Brussels to get sorted, but good for you for having a positive attitude about it all x Scooby - So glad you have restriction, although it takes some getting used to doesn't it! Very much looking forward to my defill on Thursday, and a few weeks of comfortable eating. Anyone else at the London clinic around 12 ish? Hope everyone else is well xx

Thank you Sarah. Hun I was like you last year and didn't think this band was gonna work for me and then I had the 4th fill and bam! I reckon one more and you will be on your way chick, don't give up yet and I am sure Dr Chris will give you some sound advise. Good luck x

Hello all Hope everyone is well and has had a nice weekend. Me and hubs have had a celebratory one, as we finally got the news on Thursday that we have been referred to the IVF consultant again as my weight is now within the guidelines to have the treatment. My blood test results showed normal hormone levels for the first time in 16 years since being diagnosed with PCOS, except for low progesterone so I still don't appear to be ovulating on my own although I have now had 5 consecutive monthly's, which hasn't happened for about 10 years. So after 14 months of this life changing weird and wonderful and sometimes frustrating weightloss journey, my efforts have paid off and we are edging closer to our dream of one day having a family. To say I am delighted is an understatement, and I spent most of Thursday evening swinging between being utterly gobsmacked and speechless to then hysterical crying! We have no idea how long the wait will be to get the initial appointment to see the consultant again, but my doc said the only thing she was slightly concerned about now that may not go in our favour is my age, as I am 35 in 2 weeks, and the 2 neighbouring counties to ours PCT's have just cut their age limit to 34, so if you weren't already going through the referral process or on the consultants books you wouldn't now get in. A little concerned but keeping everything crossed that lady luck is on our side this time, and I'm no longer going to worry about my crinkly little belly anymore as hopefully I will have a little one in residence in the not to distant future! Oh how glad am I that I had this band fitted, just wish I'd done it years ago. C x

Hi Kerry That 5lbs will be off in no time I'm sure, good luck chick x

[ Hi All Claire = You are doing great well done! I too have had some of those comments from people as well who have said that I have taken things too far and dont need to lose any more, but I defo do! Don't get me wrong I am feeling fab with the way I look now, but I still wanna get in size 12 jeans yet. I'm now a 12-14 top and 14-16 bottom and I was in 22-24 this time last year. I have to say though I cannot wait for my little defill and have a proper feed as I am freezing cold all the time, I even sat on the beach last weekend in 28 degree heat with a hoody and padded gillet on and my Hubby and family thought I was nuts, I have also got really achy hips all the time especially when I wake up, and I can sleep for England so I won't mind at all when these symptoms ease and the final few stones of weight loss slow down. I have also really struggled again to keep owt down this last 4-5 days as been really slimey, even drinking has been trial and error, I think TOM is approaching which may be why. I defo think I should of had a defill sooner and struggling on for the last 4 months has been so tough, so I would defo recommend that those still aiming for maximum restriction take it in small doses and not one hit. I think I would have been fine with a final 1ml and not the 1.5ml that Chris Deprez managed to squeeze in at my request. Hope everyone has had a nice bank hol weekend, work tomorrow is gonna be horrible after a lovely 11 days off ho hum Take care all xx

Hello all Hope everyone is well? Just checking in to update my ticker as I've now passed my 100lb loss mark. Slinks sorry to hear about your nightmare fill, thats what I was like in November but struggled on till it eased, probably wasn't the wisest of moves but all worked out well in the end. I have just booked in for a 2ml defill at the end of May which is a treat for my 35th Birthday as we are going to the Isle of Wight Festival and hopefully a lovely holiday somewhere very hot in early July, so I wanted to be able to fully enjoy both, and a nice meal or 2 out before I go and have a refill at the end of July. Cant wait to go buy the holiday wardrobe! Kepp up the good work all and welcome newbies xx

Hello everyone, Check out my ticker, 7, yes 7 stone gone Yahoooooooooooo!!! Thats like a whole person, gone! I cannot tell you how absolutely delighted I am, and the absolute bestest feeling I have had in a long time was slipping into a stunning Karen Millen dress on Saturday that I am wearing to a Wedding this weekend. I cried in the fitting room, and the look on hubbies face when I stepped out in it was amazing! I proudly walked around clutching that bag with pride and beaming from ear to ear all day, and finally for the first time in 16 years felt like a normal person able to go into so many shops and buy anything I wanted knowing it was gonna fit. I had a right old spend up with my first bumper pay packet since getting my promotion, and got 14's & 16's rather than the 24's I was in this time last year. Also my friend had her band fitted today, not by Dr Chris but in a hospital here after being inspired by my progress, and I cannot wait to see the difference this is going to make to her life as well. Lots of people back on the boards, good to see how everyone is doing, and welcome newbies. Claire, your progress photos are fab, well done you! I might get brave and post some soon, if I can figure out how! Slinx, hello, I am confused as when I get updates for this thread on my phone your pic is a dark haired lady? Is that you? and freckles has a different pic too? Take care all xxx

Hi All Hope everyone is well? Nice to see some old faces have been posting again too. So I've managed to lose 7lb since seeing the doc 2 weeks ago, just a stone to go now til she will do the referral letter, yipee! Have a funny week with the band, 4 days on liquids only due to constant sliming and mouthfulls of saliva, not sure what that was, but seems to have passed now thankfully. Had a little glass of champers, yum, last night to celebrate after getting a big promotion at work, and hit the 6 and a half stoneloss mark too so was one very happy girlie yesterday! Today I have been having a mega clearout of me clothes, and getting into lots of lovely bits that have been stuck in suitcases for yonks in the hope that one day I would get into them, but actually some are now too big. Time to go shopping soon for sure cos these bony little shoulders can't hold up size 20 tops anymore! Just realised when updating my ticker that I am just 3lbs off of losing 4 stone since the last fill in November which is fabulous, and 30lbs off of the goal weight I originally set myself of 11 and a half stone. So wierd to think that that really isn't far away now. Keep up the good work everyone Take care C xx

Hi All Blimey its been quiet on here! So had the docs app last week and guess what, she still won't refer me until I've lost another stone and half. I can't believe she won't just do the letter whilst I lose the remainder, as it took 8 weeks last time to get the app. Very frustrating : ( And then this last 2 weeks or so I have had some dizzy spells and actually fainted twice. Have now got low blood pressure after years of suffering with it being sky high, so need to keep an eye on that. Been struggling to eat this last week, and think I have lost a few more lbs but my scales got moved last weekend by my whole family getting on and off them, several times cos they must be magic ! and I cant get them back in the right place, but hubs is weighing at least 5lbs more where they are now so will have to go to boots and wiegh on the machine in there. Happy Bandiversary to all the March bods who still come on here and read, it's mine on Saturday, can't believe its been a year, but I am very very pleased with my progress to date although I was hoping to have done 7 stone by then, but never mind I know I will get there. Take care all x

Ah Thank you Claire and everyone, good to know it's not just me that thinks she was being a tad harsh. Yeah my weight etc is well documented and has been since I was 19 cos of my PCOS etc, and we have already been down the route with consultants in the past, had all the tests etc done including hubs (he's fine, just me that doesn't work) and then it has all ground to a halt again because of the weight, hence why I did this, so feel quite gutted that my efforts are still not deemed to be good enough. Really, really, really hoping that I fall pregnant naturally especially as my monthly's have returned 3 times in a row, which hasn't happened for years! Still don't appear to be ovulating so want to get prescribed Clomid again at least. Just need to shift a few more pounds before I see her on the14th and try and convince her, Will keep you all posted, and thanks for listening to my moans and offering support xxx

Hi all Hope everyone is doing ok? So after feeling very chuffed with myself at my weight loss in recent weeks, I was at the docs on Monday with Hubby following an op to get his dressing changed, and when our Doc came in to check the wound she says straight away to hubby "well you could do with losing a few pounds" then turned, looked me up and down and said "hmmm you could as well"! I was absolutely taken aback and stated that I had lost over 5 and a half stone, she replied "obviously a way to go then"! I was stunned, escpecially as she is not a small woman either, and she then twigged who I was and said "oh yeah the gastric band, it seems to work then" and that I needed to remember to go back and see her about the IVF when I have shifted the rest of my weight! I pointed out that I am just a stone away now from the guideline limit for weight and BMI for treatment and she again looked me up and down and said "Really?". I don't think I have ever been so shocked by someones comment, and the nurse who was tending to Hubs just stood there open mouthed and then apologised for my Doc when she left the room with the final comment to both of us to "get on the salads" Well I booked my appointment with her for the the 14th March as I left the surgery, and when I go back I have a good mind to make her get on the scales as well and see who out of the pair of us is lighter and actually doing something about it! Needless to say I am not feeling very confident now about her response and whether I can now convince her to refer us again as she still clearly thinks I am too fat, Gutted, but fingers crossed eh C x

Hi Kerry After my last fill in Nov I was so restricted I lost 12lbs in 5 days, and went on to do over 2 stone in 7 weeks. It has slowed down again now to about a lb a week, but I think thats ok from the point of view of my skin catching up with the loss! I have been a bit naughtly and had some fizzy drinks this last week as had major cravings for Ginger beer of all things! Although I can't actually remember a time in adulthood that I have ever drunk this before? Quite odd, but I as I struggle to drink so many things I gave in and I have had some every day without problems. Really hope the next fill works for you hun, and liquids only for a little while is a definite way to give the weight loss a boost. Good Luck C x

So sorry to hear about your Daughter Freckles, just awful. Hope they are doing ok considering, and you too of course xx

Do it!!!! You won't regret it and there are plenty on here who can vouch for that and the excellent care provided by Dr Chris and his team. I had my op just 3 weeks after initially contacting Frederik and Dr Chris after he was recommended to me by a friend of a friend and I'd done some research. The package is great and the whole process was hassle free with the hotel and airport and hospital pick ups and drops off all sorted. It is a weird and wonderful journey and massive learning curve, and no it's not always easy but it is absoluyely worth it! Good luck and welcome to the forum x

Hi Laila I had this last year where I had such slow progress, as you'll see from my stats below, and then I had the magic 4th fill and I've not looked back. The weight loss in the last 8 weeks has been dramatic! I have collar bones and tiny shoulders, I have a waist and skinny wrists, and I feel fantastic! I got to a point in November when I thought that this band wasn't going to work for me and that I'd made a huge mistake and wasted a lot of money, and I knew that those who knew I'd had this done were thinking the same. So it is easy for me to say now but give it time and hopefully fill number 4 will be the one for you too. Good Luck xx Slinks - hows your restriction now babe? Well done to all the newbies starting out on this weird and wonderful journey! xxx

Hi Sarah I take Floravital liquid multi vitamin and iron which you can get from Holland and Barratt, think I might need to get some cod liver oil as well cos my joints have become very achy in the last couple of weeks. Good luck for your op. The only money I spent was the meal and drinks the night before the op, the day I came out I managed one coffee in the hotel which lasted all afternoon in the bar and I took cup a soups for the room, so you won't need a lot of money hun. C x