Crispaholic

Got my first fill done today at the Hospital Group in Dublin....my nurse found my port no bother and tried to but 2mls in ....I drank 2 mouthfuls of water and got the tightness in my back....so my nurse told me to lay down and she took .5mls out....so in total I had 1.5mls put in today........I meet my sister for lunch .....I ate four mouthfuls and had to leave the food....the waitress asks was the food not up to standard.....I had to lie and tell her I had had a big breakfast.....I did not feel guilt at leaving the food as I could physically not eat any more food....even better I bought all size 14 dresses and tops in River Island today....my sister had to tell me to put back the size 18's I was use to getting....feel great and only 6 weeks since my operation

Hi! Moira, I just read your mail.....I had problem with the vomiting but I got a little bit out seems I had too much fill.....I still vomit from time to time depending on what I eat....some days I can eat a vegtable curry and othertimes I cannot eat even a mouth full without getting sick....it can depend on the time of day I am eating or whether I am stressed or not....I take pharmaton, Calcium and Omega 3 ( when I remember) I also get my bloods done every six months to make sure I am getting enough suplements.....my GP reckons I am getting good blood results as I am taking all the aforementioned supplements....the only thing I lack is Protein and thats because I don't eat chicken or fish....all the nutritionist I went to are a waste of time....I just take the odd protein supplement and try to eat well....however fruit is hard to get down so I blend fruit into a smoothie...that way I am getting all my daily 5......just make sure your vomiting is not down to gall bladder as my sisters surgeon in Belgium recommended that by pass patients got them out when getting the operation....she did not and 1 year later she had hers removed....I know you got banded but it could be a factor.....personally it is hit and miss every day as to what I can eat....hope all is well

Lap band surgery is a taboo subject....but I know three people who have had it and three who had by pass surgery.....the main thing in Ireland is it is far too expensive an option for most people,,,,,and doctors normally tell you you are mad if you mention it....I was only 4 stone over weight when I had mine done...I decided I had had enough of the yo yo dieting and doctors telling me to exercise....i attended a personal trainer for 1 year and paid E5200 doing so and lost only 1 stone so decided after seeing my sister get by pass surgery in Belgium that i would give up battling against genetics....best decision I ever made....although I had confidence I was always letting my weight keep me back...now I still reach for the size 16 /18 clothes and have to put them back as I am now a 10/12 ....you need to sort your head out as well as the physical side...luckily I found a good therapist....sot there i am breaking two taboos in Ireland getting weight loss surgery and attending therapy...I have never been happier in all my 36 years of living....if you can't afford the surgery or cannot wait to jump throught all the hoops the Irish health system wants you to go throught...get finance .....and head to the UK....i would not recommend Belgium as my sister had no post op support and she did have to attend the blackrock clinic after as she had complications with reflux and pain ( turned out to be her gall bladder )...however the Irish doctor was reluctant to help as she did not pay E18k to have surgery in Ireland and had gotten her much cheaper surgery in Belgium...she did eventually get help and have her gall bladder out, she thought the pain was due to her gastric by pass. I on the other hand had a far better experience , even though I had my surgery in the UK i had a lot of post op support with the Hospital group in Dublin and it was reassuring to know I could call into them if I had a problem.

Thanks everyone for the response....at the start it was not easy but with your encouragement and advice I have done very well....I did not have a lot to lose but I had a history of yo yo dieting and weight on both sides of my family....my health has not been better since and my confidence is great ....thanks for the support xxx

Well I had my band fitted on the 1st of July 2010 in Dolan Park in Birmingham and what a year I have had....I was depressed and had no energy....now I can buy regular clothes....have lots of energy and a lovely social life.....best decision I have every made....I know how much I can eat so now I have retrained my brain to cook only what I need and I am not full of guilt when I tell the waiter I have finished and there was nothing wrong with the food.....best decision I ever made

Best of luck....the hardest decision has been made....that is to get the operation done....best decision of my life.....hope all goes well for you....and the people on the site are excellent....they have really helped me at times

I have not drank since my operation in July and I am now thinking how much I would love just to have a cold Coors Light with my friends.....but I was told not to drink beer....I don't think I can drink Vodka and if I drink Guinness it is full of cals .......anyone tried a beer?

Thanks everyone for the advice.....I may try a few bottles in the comfort of my own home....so if it pains I can be at home......saying that I may just be patriotic and drink plenty of Guinness :smile2:

Thanks Melissannde......no I have not peeled them....I bought one of those ready made fruit cartoons in work with prepared fruit.....I threw up after eating a slice of apple, piece of pineapple and two grapes! I will bring a fruit knive with me...luckily in Ireland we don't really spray with pesticides so our fruit is not perfect and shinny as the fruit in the USA :smile2: .....thank you for your advice....I was trying to eat the skins as the dietican told me I should eat the skins for 'crunch texture'.....I just got fed up trying to eat the dam apple I threw it away :thumbup:

Hi! i had my surgery done through the hospital group in dublin....the operation was done by Mr. Sigurdsonn ( probably spelt wrong ) in Dolan Park just outside of Birmingham. I was up and about about two hours after my operation.....he was very neat and the operation was a success.....i can only say I had no problems with his work....he is on the General Medical Council and the hospital group will give you his number so you can research him....best of luck....give me a shout if you have any questions :smile2:

2beskinny.....I would have tested as well....and last night I had the urge to eat a bar of chocolate at 3am so I did....but today I went for a long walk,,,,I am doing ok.....I took indigo girls advice and I am trying to remove all junk food but there are times when I will slowly slip off the wagon.......I on the other hand don't seem to be able to eat good food....pears and apples pain me....but I try to eat them to remind myself that I have the band....losing weight slowly but surely.....your not alone for trying to see if you can eat more :smile2:

Getting a filing in your tooth is more painful.....the banding is not....its the waiting around thats the killer....the operation itself is ok....maybe a bit of wind pain for a day or two after the operation but they can give you liquid pain killer if you do get it....

Thank you Indigo Girl for the letter....I have started divorce proceedings against junk food.....I think the mental issues are also being addressed as to why I seem to not want myself to succeed....your advice came at the right time for me....so I am very grateful:thumbup:

Great advice.....I fell off the wagon today....as I was upset that I only lost 3lbs in a month....but tomorrow I will start again.....food too is my drug.....and it only hit home when food was compared to alcohol.....as a drug.....I would not keep alcohol around an alcoholic....I need to find another fix.....to trick my brain when I am having a bad day.....food always = happiness = sadness.....I need to divorce junk food forever ....its just causing me to be unhappy

Thank you for this post.....I was feeling really upset that I have not lost more at this stage.....like you I would be an emotional eater....I also tend to turn to junk when I am having a bad day as junk food tastes so good.....with the band I can eat junk but not the healthy foods as they pain me.....but after reading your post....I feel a lot better and will start tomorrow afresh......thank you for your post :thumbup:

I went shopping today and bought 5 new tops all size 12 as the 14 has gotten so big.....Did not know myself as I automatically looked at the back of the clothes rail for the larger sizes....still trying to come to terms I am smaller. I also went to my personal trainer....Vinny Mulvey in DCU and in two months since my operation and working out with him I have lost 11cms off my chest.....its great having a personal trainer who supports you....he is focusing on my muscles to make sure I tighten as I lose weight instead of having loose skin. Vinny Mulvey fitness give him a shout as he is good at working out programmes for pre and post operations and is a real positive person....who has supported me all the way before and after my operation

Thanks for the encouragement :biggrin: however it is hard to realize that you don't need to buy larger sizes.....I have to start remembering I am average and not obese weight anymore....shopping is not depressing anymore for me :scared2:

Hello! Congrats on getting the band....I had mine done the 1st of July....the 1st 2 weeks were the hardest.....I am 25 lbs down now and I forget some times that I have had the band fitted....only some foods hurt when I eat fast....which is something I have slowed down....you have done the right thing....I would advise you to try and do exercise. I am with a personal trainer who is helping me get fitter and tone up as I am losing weight.....I now have a lot more energy and I am not obsessing about food as I am keeping myself busy. Best of luck ....it does get easier :biggrin:

Hey! Kirsty, I got my band on the 1st of July....best decision I ever made....only advice I would give is to get a variety of liquids for the liquid stage of your post op diet as you can get bored....get fruit juices and make ice cubes to suck....ice lollies....yoghurts etc....also dissolvable Vitamin tablets for the post op stage as your energy levels can be low as your only on liquids during the post op stage....ask lots of questions regarding post op after care and make sure you walk around after the operation as this helps healing and takes your mind off food ....best of luck :cursing:

Hey...you will be sore as you will be swollen and the swelling around your upper stomach with the band will restrict the liquids for about a week, hence the need for clear liquids post op...once the post op swelling goes down you should be ok but it would be no harm mentioning to your doctor / nurse. Gas pain from the operation can also happen for a few days, it does get better

Glad the responses have helped....actually the scars are the very same as gall bladder scars so the band scars can pass for them.....I am 2 months post operation and no one can really notice that I am avoiding certain foods or eating less...when I go for dinner they just think I am being healthy and cutting out carbs ....I just told some close family and best friend about the operation, at first my dad could not understand as he thought I was not overweight but he supported my decision, now he is telling me how great I look. Other friends think I am just cutting out carbs from my diet and that way no one knows I had the operation, just make sure you have eaten the food before as you do not want to introduce a food when your not too sure how you will react in public....I did go out with my sister and tried nachos and got the sharp pain so I know not to chose them when out with friends....as for worrying about food for lunch time Pasta goes down very easy low fat yoghurts....or slim fast for the liquid stage of your diet.....really you tend to worry that people are noticing what your eating or not eating because your aware of your secret....but really they don't....I have just come back from 2 weeks holidays in Greece with 6 of my friends and none of them noticed the food choices....one only noticed I was not drinking sparkling wine.....so I just said I was detoxing and did not want to drink....follow your own gut feeling....best of luck you will not know yourself when you get it done

Go for it!!!!! Reading your post struck a chord.....I wish I had of thought about it when I was 28 and not left it until I was 35 to get my band. I am just 2 months after my banding and I have lost 25lbs. I am 5ft 5 and I was 212lbs two months ago with a BMI of 34.9% and deeply depressed so much so that I was prescribed tablets for my depression and was referred to a therapist. I did not want to go as I thought everyone would think I was mad...but he really helped me realise I was self destructing...I decided to take voluntary redundancy from my job and use the money to get the operation as my health insurance would not cover the operation. Looking back I would beg or borrow to get the money for the operation the difference it has made to my physical and emotional well being This was the best decision I ever made, I went to see a therapist and he told me it was time to be kind to me and to stop putting my life on hold until I was slim. I had destroyed so many relationship as I was deeply embarrassed and insecure about my weight as I had always gone out with athletic men who were very fit......I decided enough was enough and it was time for action..... I am now 25lbs lighter and a whole different person.....I even went on holiday and did not feel self conscious at the pool.....I have started dating again....I am not depressed I still need to work on my guilt about leaving food but getting over it slowly but surely.....Go for it....no need to be depressed your young and can benefit from the surgery.....it will help the depression, help reduce risk of developing stage 2 obesity related diabeties, heart problems and joint pain.....I wish you the best of luck.....I was you 2 months ago!!!!!!!!!!!........

Do waht feels right for you....your decision is private and only you should chose to tell those close to you.....who cares about your co-workers....say nothing unless they ask you.....just tell them what you want them to know....as for judging you....do you really care what they think??????? If you want to share with a very good co-worker do .....but its none of their business.....and trust me you can get away or avoid them at meal times so they don't know :biggrin: Best of luck with everything :thumbup: