Dr Mignon Belgium

[anon 1]

Well Good morning!

You were certainly up late last night!

Work day for me today, I have a 1001 things to get done before the end of play today!

Pink Elephants eh? I for one will be thinking tropical beaches, palm trees and turquoise seas!! I just love being on the coast!

Are you back to work today?

[libertysuzanne 1]

Good Morning to you to H

I don't currently work at the moment. There is no job I can do due to my disability. That is hopefully going to change in a couple of years as i am training to be a speech and drama teacher, if I ever get my butt into gear lol.

That was actually one of the main reasons why I got a loan to get the op done. I have something called Hypermobility Syndrome, which can mean severe painin the jooints. I suppose you could say it's a bit like arthritis except we have a problem of dislocating joints....ouch. Hence why getting this bothersome Fat (urrgggh I still hate saying that word, the girls having the op with me, told me it was important to recognise it was fat and not to be ashamed.) off my body would make life a lot more pain free! Huzzah!

Mind you have to do the school run today...ho hum.

I may be imagining things but I think that my glasses are starting to look a bit to large for my face, odd thing to notice I know lol.:clap2:

[anon 1]

sounds painful, does the doc think it will get better with weight loss?

I was always led to believe that if you had hypermobility more 'padding' around the joints protected against further dislocation???? Still, I guess that there's a difference between 10lb of padding and 60lb of padding. .... Do they still have you wringing out towels in an effort to shorten the ligaments in the shoulders?

Hows the eating going? Did he put any Fluid in your band at the time of the op? Lots of people have mentioned 2ml fills when the band is fitted????

Just curious. Have you booked your first fill yet?

How's the pain side of things?

11 weeks until I pass over to the losing side!!!

If you're doing teacher training then I guess that you had your op done during half term, What an ace idea! Wish I had half term!!:think

I hated school but you know it's not really the issue here, I just want 13 weeks holiday a year!

[pilko 0]

Hi Suzanne

I just wandered if you have any tips on the pre-op diet which I start a week today! It is just plain yogurt I can eat, does this mean horrid natural yogurt or can I have fruit flavoured with no added sugar?? Any advise on this would be great.:help:

Also how does your port feel?? Can you feel it? and how big or small are your scars?? and how you getting on with the post op diet, have you lost any weight since the operation??

Hope you don't mind me asking and can I say since your email on your return I have been able to sleep as normal......I kept having nightmares about the trip but you seem to have put my sub-conscience at ease....:notagree

Sarah

x

[libertysuzanne 1]

Hi Sarah,

Don;t worry, I am more than happy to answer your questions, I'm glad my email has helped to put you at ease!

1. The week of yoghurt, now there are many mixed views on this part of the diet. Out of the five of us, only 2 did the yogurt - they had flavoured yogurt instead of plain. 1 had reall problems with just eating yogurt, so she had yogurt during the day and a slimming evening meal, the other carried on as if she wasn;t having the operation. As for me, as I have real issues with yogurt I went and had two slimfast and a Soup a day.

We all had the operation. Jane pointed out, that they recommend the yogurt diet, it isn't a requirement.

Personally, I think it's good to get into the mindset you need for the rest of your life after the op, hence why I did the slimfast and Soup. It is really up to you what you decide to do, but I felt a great sense of achievement controlling my appetite without the band!

2. The operation was straightforward, I still have the dressings on, you have to keep them on for 8-9 days. I could feel the port when it was first put in, but now it's just a part of the body and not noticeable. My best bit of advice is to be a relaxed as possible for the op, think PMA - Positve Mental Attitude. It will help with your recovery from the operation. I imagined pink elephants when they put me out lol.

3. You will find it quite funny when you are allowed your first meal of soup and a Protein drink, I don't think any of us managed to finish it, despite the fact that we thought we were hungry! For me it has basically been that way since, even drinking Water makes me feel full!

4. Much to my suprise I have managed to lose at least 16lbs already (last time I weighed myself was at my sisters on Saturday, I don't have a scales in my house), again this will be different for each individual and to be honest, I am a little worried that I have lost so much. I have only been in touch with Jane since getting back to England, she said that she had also lost 9lbs, which is great. I just hope that I won't put it back on, but that is the next step to learn to trust your band.

5. useful bits of advice.

Take a heat pad or cool pad whichever you prefer to help with the pain if it gets really bad. Rest assured you are on a drip of paracetamol after the op and they will help you rid the pain as best they can.

Do take a pair of pyjamas, it's nice to get out of the surgical gown, makes you feel more alive.

Don't forget your toileteries and your towel. I did so I borrowed it from my hotel he he.

If you want to you mingth want to take a french dictionary with you. I found my pigeon french really helped, the nurses and doctors are so nice, it's a compliment if you try and speak thier language, but again that is a personal choice. I enjoyed the challenge. Most of the nurses do speak good english. Of course, you will also have Deirdre as your liasion officer (couldn;t think of another title for her), she is Irish and fluent in French. Also, she will bend over backwards to help you, you couldn't meet a nicer woman!

Have you booked your hotel yet?

I hope this info wasn't to long winded for you and if I think of anything else I shall put it up here for you.

Kindest regards

Suzannex

[Heb 0]

Hi,

Can I join you please?

I'm having the lap band done on the 7th with Dr Mignon in Belgium. I started my pre op diet today, lots and lots of natural yogurt, yum!

I'm beginning to feel quite nervous about the whole thing now. I think I'm most worried about travelling back home. I'll get the eurostar to london and then the train up to leicester (where I live). I'm travelling alone and I'm worried about how I'll feel.

Anyway, thought I'd best introduce myself.

Heb

[libertysuzanne 1]

Hi Heb,

I travelled on my own, when I had the op. You're right the most exhausting thing is the journey back. Eurostar is fine it's the madness of the british trains which are exhausting.

I was worried when I set off, but Deirdre soon put me at ease and meeting other people having the op really helped. In some ways it seemed better having no-one there. The women who brought their partners with them, were fairly isolated where as us adventurers had each other for support. We didn't have to worry about anyone else, far more relaxing.

Welcome to the Dr Mignon Club

[Heb 0]

Thanks liberysuzanne, that's very good to hear.

Well done on the weight loss so far.

Heb

[libertysuzanne 1]

Thanks Heb,

There is no one more suprised than me at my weight loss. I could have done a merry jig on the scales! I just have to concentrate on not putting it back on!

The funny thing is, I really feel like exercising, which I know I can;t do for a month, I haven't felt this way for what seems an age, even my joints are being kinder to me.

I have to confess though....... I ate a funsize milkyway! 72 cals and let it melt until it was liquid, now i know how some people can cheat the band. Thankfully it is the only day in the year I have sweets in the house! I have already nagged myself, but I feel it is better for me to fess it here as well. I think if I stay honest on here, then I will stay honest with my changed eating habits!

Sx

[Heb 0]

I wouldn't worry too much tbh as long as it was liquid!

Am I right in thinking that I should only be having natural yogurt? I've just read through all the information and I can only find it written that I should be only eating yogurt. TBH, I'd rather have a flavoured yogurt as the natural isn't nicew at all.

Heb

[libertysuzanne 1]

In one of my earlier posts today, it tells you of the varied eating routine of me and the rest of the women had as there pre-op diet. You can have fruit yoghurt as long as it is low fat.

Chat later

Sx

[anon 1]

hello!

Think one of my posts didn't get through, dunno why! Computer must be having a dickie fit or summet!

Love your avatar S!

Do take a trip down to Boots it'll do you the power of good to know how much more you've lost so far!

Hx

[pilko 0]

Yeah I have put a few posts on here since, and they have not come up, their must of been a problem. Never mind...Thanks Suz for all that info your a star and welcome Heb your in the right place, not long for you now, when do you set off and how is the pre-op diet going, am I weird it's just i can't wait to start it!

[libertysuzanne 1]

Pilko, you are definitely not weird! It is perfectly natural! You are on the way to getting back the control over your body. I know I was very quick in making my decision about having the op, simply because I wanted to lose all the weight that was bringing me down and causing me pain! Yet one of the women waited two years and did an ocean of research. I wish I had that type of control. I'm rather spontaneous!

Although very glad I was spontaneous about this, still feel it's the best decision I have ever made. It's a relief knowing that I can make sensible decisions *he he*

I am more than happy to help, I found it really helped me having people to speak to that were in the same boat!

Thank H for the compliment, as for Boots, I'm still a coward. Shall wait till the end of the month lol. At least if I have put on a couple of pounds I can convince myself it's only natural lol. I may succumb as I do have to go and get a post box for my door, my doggies have decided that mail is a tasty thing to eat! Pets at home is on the same trading estate as Boots lol.

[Heb 0]

Site seems to have had a few problems, I think it's working properly now.

I'm on day 4 of the pre op yogurt, Deidre sent me an email today saying I can have flavoured yogurt, yay, I've been having plain until now. The pre op diet is going ok, I've not slipped up at all, yogurt, yogurt and more yogurt here! I'm making sure I drink quite a bit of squash so that fills me up and gives me some sugar etc. Managed to loose 6lb in 3 days which isn't bad.

I was really looking forward to starting the yogurt as well, I think that's helped with staying on track with it. I think my stomach must have shrunk quite a bit and my liver must be the size of a walnut I hope I find it this easy after the op.

I leave very early on Monday morning, I think I'm more nervous about leaving the kids than I am about the op, I've never been away from them for more that 1 night before.

Suzanne, get yourself down to boots, I'm want to know how much you've lost!

Heb