My Journey

[stacey148 0]

Hello, I have had my band for a few years now but have had various ups and downs so here is my journey...............

As a teenager I was always a healthy but as I hit 19 my weight began to creep up and up and it was discovered I had polycystic ovarian syndrome which was the doctor said was the trigger for my weight gain, I carried on gaining weight and then I fell pregnant with my son at 23, I actually lost weight while I was pregnant, however after having my son my weight began to creep up again and after lots and lots of research I decided I would have a Gastric Band, so I flew to Brussels and had one fitted by the most amazing surgeon Dr Bruno Dillemans , this was back in January 2006, once back in the UK I had a first fill of 3ml which gave me a small restriction, however my partner and I had to move to Northern Scotland and at that time the nearest place I could get a fill done was a 5 hour drive away, at this point my band just got forgotten about, I kept saying I was going to go but just never got round to it due to various things and my weight then began to creep up again.

I then moved back to my hometown of Torquay and went to see my G.P who advised me that she would put me forward to have further treatment through the NHS which I was not expecting but pleased about, it was a long process of visits with dieticians, specialist etc, and then the day of the band fill came, I was so excited, but it was not to be , my portal is in a funny position, so I was referred to have my fill under x-ray, I had 5mls my first fill and it was to tight, I couldn't swalow my own salivia without feeling like my chest was being crushed and being sick, I had 1ml taken out and went on to lose 2 stone, I then went back and had another fill up to 7mls which was tight and it took me a while to get used to it but once I learnt my do's and don't's I was ok with this and went on to lose 5 stone, I was over the moon I hadn't been that slim since I was 19 i'm now 31..!!, then I fell pregnant by mistake, I had to have my band totally deflated which was ok, I could of had a couple mls put back in but decided not to and was very careful with my eating during my pregnancy and ended up just gaining 7lb which I was over the moon about.

My problems started once my daughter was born, she was born in November 2011 and with a cold winter I sat in most of the day on my own bored and eating...!!! my weight has shot right back up again so I begged for an earlier appointment with my specialist nurse, who tried to fill me but again I had to go under x-ray, I had 6ml put in and felt restriction for about a week then it seemed to slack off so I requested another appointment which I got 5 weeks after my 6ml fill and there was only 3ml still in, so it is thought I may have a small leak in my tubing...!!!!!!, I am now at the point where I was filled up to 7mls 10 days ago, which is a mega restriction, which I like, but i'm now just waiting to see if it slacks off to see if I have to have my tubing replaced....!!!!

So there is my journey so far, I came so far but am backk where I started and my journey is just beginning again...!!!

Wish me luck xxxxx

[ilikebunnies 48]

Thanks for sharing and best of luck to you!

[Cazzy 725]

Welcome stacey and hello from London i know some who have had minor leaks in the US their docs have filled their bands with a silicone which can help block a small leak if u have one and its small, not sure if they do that here in UK but might be worth investigating if you have to, otherwise u should be ok if the NHS is picking up your bariatric care that if u need something replaced they should do it .. Sounds like u know what u are doing as a veteran bandster but if u need any other help just ask

[stacey148 0]

Thanks guys, the lovely patient man who fills my band under x-ray did try to see if I had a leak by injecting some contrast in but he couldn't see but said it may just be a 'seep' when I asked what would happen he said they would just replace my tubing, hoping it won't come to that and that the band was just playing up after being empty for a year and shifted about during pregnancy..!!!!