Crispaholic

Hey.....I got my fill done 11th of August....restriction was good for the first week and has been with some foods....I even managed to survive my trip to Greece....however it was a little tricky leaving coke and beers my friends had bought for me.....but I survived and even managed to lose another 3 lbs

Before your first fill you can eat normally....the band is only in place with no restriction....the slight restriction post op is due to being swollen....trust me after your fill you will feel like you have a band....but even your first fill will only last a week or two so you will need to get another fill within the month at the start........you will be glad you had the operation once you have your fill.....your only human and you will have good and bad food days.....but once the fill has occurred you will not be able to binge / over eat as you will get a sharp pain in you back / shoulder blades......if you try to eat pass this pain it will be near impossible.....keep your chin up you will do well

Excellent....its hard to forget how your journey started and where you are now.....I am so impressed with your story...thank you for sharing your story

Its only natural that you panic....I know I did.....but when you get your fill you will start to really lose the weight....before my fill I felt I could eat normal and it was I who was keeping myself on a diet.....but when I got the fill ...I really could not eat some things....some people need a few fills until they get the restriction they want....so don't panic....Sandy is right think positive....I started back with my personal trainer to distract me....food was always nice and a comfort now my relationship with food is changing....and for the better.....you are doing great

Great....I got mine done on the 1st of July....and I feel a new woman.....hope your doing as well as I am

I think thats crazy.....after my operation I was on liquids for 2 weeks...they just advised me that once you could suck it through a straw then it was ok to eat.....I took vitamins that diluted in water and I took celebrity slims protein shakes....I was also told I could drink any drink which they give old people who cannot eat when in hospital ....I think its called Complan ......I also had soup broths.....and soya yoghurts / custard which is a natural source of protein ......I think a week of clear fluids is drastic.....and this will make you lose weight quick but not help you rebuild body muscle and tissue post op.....I would just take the shakes like I and others have done....my doctor encouraged me to take protein drinks as he said I needed my body to recover and aid the healing of the wounds

Hey....I had my operation on the 1st of July....I called the nurse in a panic....telling her I could eat normally.....she told me that until your first fill you can eat normally and need to be careful as you can put on weight at this stage......I felt cheated as I thought why did I do the operation when I can eat normal.....Boy was I wrong!!!!!!!!! I had my first fill on Wednesday went to have lunch with my sister.....I barely ate 4 bites of Nachos and I felt the pain in my back....I also tried to eat crackers that evening and got a pain in my back....you will notice the band when you have your first fill at 4 to 6 weeks after your operation....

Hi!....you have done great sticking to the diet....one day at a time....I am telling you it will be well worth the weight when you have the operation.....I did not have to do a pre op diet....but the 2 weeks post operation fluids was ok.....I got frozen fruit and got my blender and made smoothies....made with plenty of ice and skimmed milk....I also did the Celebrity Slim shakes which were lovely unlike the slim fast shakes they are made on water and taste nice....I also made ice cubes to suck on made from tropical fruit or low fat blackcurrant cordial dilute drinks

Hi! All, I travelled from Dublin to Dolan Park in Birmingham for my operation on the 1st of july 2010. Best decision ever I paid E7000k to get it done throught the Hospital Group. I found the staff at Dolan Park excellent, I had had my gall bladder out in 2007 in the Bons in Dublin and the care I got in the UK was far superior. I have lost 16lbs in 5 weeks - I get my first fill tomorrow The best thing is I did not have to wait months..be sent to a psychologist or a dietican who would analyse me.....I knew what I want to get done and I did not have to pay over the odds to get it done....Blackrock Clinic was over 12K and paying for after care......I have had great support and could afford to get the operation done in the UK. I was home the day after my operation and all has been well since ...best decision I ever made.....

Thanks for all the private messages in relation to this post.....I have now gone from 15 st 2 lbs to 13st 11 lbs since my operation since the 1st of July.....everyone has been saying how well I look and how my face has slimmed.....today I bought a top and had to buy a size 12...............I think I was 26 years old when I last fitted into a 12.....I cannot stop smiling and feel great however crackers now = pain not pleasure

I think traveling to the UK from Ireland is easy you are less than 40 mins on a flight and have English speaking staff who you can research on the GMC lists.....and the follow up clinics in Dublin after the surgery are very well run

I have been contacted by a few people about my decision to go to Birmingham for my surgery.....I was only away for one night in hospital and was home without anyone knowing I had gone......I was called by the nurse when I got home after being certified fit to fly by my surgeon in the UK. I paid E6995 for my operation in the UK with one years free after care. I could not believe that the Blackrock Clinic just wanted E380 just for a consultation and then it would be E12k for the surgery.....the Galway Clinic was E15k and then I would have to pay for aftercare..... I believe that Irish hospitals and surgeons are deliberately frightening people into not going abroad .....I had the best of care in the UK and better care than I had in Ireland when I had my gall bladder out in 2007. I would recommend heading to the UK....if you want to get the operation but have been unable due to inflated Irish prices....seems Irish prices need to be aspirated

Thanks Mimi I tried four small crackers and a slice of cheddar today.....by God I was barely into cracker number three when I got the pain in my back.....I so wanted to finish eating but could not.....had to wait 5 minutes before the pain went......I never thought a cracker could be so painful :wink2: Will have to see how the crisps go ....but I doubt I will be able to eat a small can of Pringles now.......saying that feel great and everyone is saying how great I look

Thanks Mr.Hips....however I could have done with that advice about 20mins ago....ate Carr Water table cracker and a slice of cheese.....and the pain in my back said it all....all well no gain without pain :thumbup:

Hey I got my band on the 1st of July and will get my first fill on the 11th of August......I feel I can eat loads and have not really felt restriction..I get scared that it has not worked....I have lost 16lbs....but feel like I still have to restrict my diet as opposed to the band restricting it....I have sugar free yoghurts, jelly (jello) and drink a lot of water before I eat. I really miss pizza....do you know if you can eat it? or do you have to avoid it like you do with bread,rice and meat?

I was up 2 hours after my operation and I flew from the UK back to Ireland a day after my operation. I would have been fine to work, however due to the fact that you are on the liquid diet post op your energy levels can be low so you may want to take some protein shakes and vitamins to build yourself back up. I was back with my personal trainer 3 weeks after my op doing cardio but no weights for 5 weeks after