Hi from Ireland!

[Coco 0]

A BIG HELLO to everyone from a very tired and fed up mum who is seriously considering having LapBand surgery. Im 36 living in Co Waterford and i've been lurking on his site for the last month or so. Okay guys I really don't know where to start, i've about 6stone to lose (im 16stone/5ft 4in) tried absolutely everything over the years, no success - well lose a stone, gain two stone - know what I mean? So here I am, seriously thinking about surgery, so any advise on where to start? Financially I will probably have to go abroad, as i'm fairly sure I couldn't afford surgery here in Ireland. Any advise that anyone has to offer would be very much appreciated!!

Thanks Again,

Ger

Hey Ger,

Welcome to the site, you've come to the right place there is loads of information on here good bad and indifferent. The main thing to do is research, the band is one of a few types of weight loss surgery available. Check out shawsomers.com he is a doctor in England that is quite well known and very experienced in all types of WLS. If you do opt to have the band done abroad make sure you can get your fills and aftercare in Ireland and check out what they cost. Good luck and keep us posted. :eek:

[sotired 0]

Many Thanks!

Thanks Coco, will be sure to do plenty of research! I note from many comments that Dr. Dillemans and Dr. Chris De Bruyne seem to be highly rated, and from following the links have found their own web-site. Prices seem reasonable, although I know I would have to include travel and accommodation etc... Anyone recently gone down that route and if so would you recommend it. I would also have to travel on my own.

P.S. I dont suppose by any chance can it be done on the HSE here, (prob. not)!

[Coco 0]

Many Thanks!

Thanks Coco, will be sure to do plenty of research! I note from many comments that Dr. Dillemans and Dr. Chris De Bruyne seem to be highly rated, and from following the links have found their own web-site. Prices seem reasonable, although I know I would have to include travel and accommodation etc... Anyone recently gone down that route and if so would you recommend it. I would also have to travel on my own.

P.S. I dont suppose by any chance can it be done on the HSE here, (prob. not)!

Hi Ger,

I don't know about surgery abroad as I had my band done in Dublin through Advanced Cosmetic Surgery. The surgeon who did mine is now retired and they have a new Polish (I think) surgeon doing the ops now. As for the HSE, I was on the weight management waiting list in Loughlinstown in Dublin for 3 years and I recently got a letter to say an appointment was available. (Too late as I had already had the surgery). So you can apply through your gp to go on the list but as far as I know they are the only weight management clinic in the country and thats why the appointments take so long. It might be worth the wait though. Keep up the research though, at the end of the day its your health, and thats what matters.

[Dini 0]

wow for the 1st time in ages i've clicked onto our site and i've had to read back on lots of post. was great.

welcome: Ger, Marge and country girl! were a great bunch here ( if i do say so myself!!) any question or if you just wanna chat PM me your number and i'll give you a shout.

Coco, what happened to you? where did the total unfill come from. were you having problems? I've sure you'll be fine and not but on too much weight. and with luck it will only be a very short time you'll be unfilled. lots of love coco.

Allure, firstly Hi. Hope your well and not working too hard. Secondly its about time you got that bloody xray. when will you be having it? at least you'll be able to find out whats going on with yuor bad and get it sorted, i'm super excited for you. get this band up and running and have you a skinny minni for your wedding! i'm sure once the band is sorted the weight will start dropping off in no time. xxxx

Twinkle-Toes all that talk of holidays the other day and i had to go book myself one!!!! have you made an appointment for a fill b4 you go away? i hope you get it!! have a fab time away! have a few drinks for me!! :eek:

Laura, Kirmit hope you guys are well!

.........................................................................................................................

just did my usual monday weight in. i lost 3.6 lb haven't done that in ages. The fact i've been ill has worked to advantage a little !! i've just looked behind em and i can see a little monkey (annafrancesca my daughter) will a real cheeky smile on her face so i'd best geet off and see what she's been up to. have everyone has a great day. i'll check back in later.

xx

[Debb 0]

Heya folks

Well, I was banded on Saturday and I lived to tell the tale! Thanks for everyone's support, and it was good to read everyone's experiences. I actually feel like I've been kicked by a horse (tho I don't know what that actually feels like, I'm guessing a bit like this!). Didn't suffer too badly with gas after the op. But I'm finding it hard to sleep cos I usually sleep on my side. Anyway, its highly amusing to find that I have absolutely no appetite and am feeling full so that I can't finish a whole Actimel and half a cup of Soup does me! I know this is due to post-op swelling and that my capacity for food will increase as the swelling goes down, but its a weird feeling not to be craving food!

Coco, sounds like a bit of a shock that you got a complete defill. Did Jan do it? Funny, I was probably knocked out following my 7.30am op while you were there at Owenstown House having that done! Hope it all goes ok for you.

I met someone on the ward who was there having her band removed after 10 months as she had suffered from acid reflux constantly since being banded and had only managed to lose 2 and a half stone. She felt she couldn't continue on in so much constant discomfort with the band. A bit gutting after shelling out all that cash, but she was very positive about it and felt glad that she'd given it a go. Fair play to her, don't know if I'd have been so fine about it.

Anyway, I'm feeling pretty wrecked so will sign off now, talk soon.

Deb

xx

[allure 0]

Hi allure , good to see your back again. you probably dont remember me , we met in owenstown house one day and you gave me your number so i could get on this site. It has been a great support to me. I have been watching out for a post from you to see how your doing. Sorry to hear your having a tough time. Keep the chin up , you will get there . congrats on the weight loss. Good luck with xray.

I am so glad that you found the site and that you have found it beneficial. I have gotten great support here in the past but gave up for a little because I was so disillusioned with my own banding experience and didn't want to create any fear for those who were considering getting banded or were recently banded. I know that the band can work as I see it working well for loads of the girls I've met on this site. We must meet up because as far as I can remember you only live down the road from me (and Coco for that matter!). Despite the fact that I didn't post on the site I did get continued support on the phone from the girls I had met up with previously. This is really important if anyone else who is reading this is having concerns or problems, either post here or pm us old timers!

Coco - as ever thank you for your supportive words! I did reach around and give myself a supportive slap on the back! I didn't get a confirmed appointment for an x ray today but the Nursing Manager, Phena has promised to call me with one in the morning. I got a chance to talk to her for the first time today and she was quite surprised to hear that I had 7ml in my band and that I had problems on Friday night (described in a previous post if anyone is interested). It made me wonder did no one other than Tara monitor our charts and progress?

Anyway I have another concern, did you say that the x ray is in Blackrock and not the Beacon Hospital. Bit of a problem there as I have told nobody about my band, except himself, but sure isn't it my best friend who checks the patients in to appointments in Blackrock - might pose a wee bit of a problem for me!!!

[allure 0]

Ger, just to let you know that I have spoken to a few Irish people who opted to get banded abroad but went on to feel that it might have been easier to get it done locally. They found that the costs of travelling for the initial banding and then going back again for fills plus the accomodation added up to much the same in the end.

Another consideration is that you can apply on the MED 1 to get a sum of it back, someone mentioned €4k! So that is a substantial chunk that you would get back. Your local Credit Union would lend you the money, that's how I funded my operation, and they repayment is done to suit you. I am intending to put the €4k off it when I get mine back.

If you go back through this thread there is a lady in Clare who went abroad and you should pm her to ask about her experience.

[twinkle-toes 0]

h dini , cant wait for holidays , i got an appointment for friday morning with lou the nurse, i will let you know how it goes......

[Coco 0]

h dini , cant wait for holidays , i got an appointment for friday morning with lou the nurse, i will let you know how it goes......

Hey TT, see you have an appointment with a nurse called Lou, could that be the same nurse who worked for ACS before and left. Has she returned, if so, I found her to be a terrific nurse who was very helpful and understanding. I do hope its the same nurse.

[Coco 0]

Hey All,

Hope this post finds you all well and losing shed loads of weight.:) As for poor moi, nare a drop of Fluid to stop the bread going down, :help::help::help: I am going for my xray on Thursday morning but don't get to see the surgeon until Saturday. I just want a resolution to this band issue and until then I am struggling with the fight between bread v anything else.:eek: On the one hand I'm beating myself up over my lack of willpower and on the other I'm thinking well if I had willpower I wouldn't have had the op in the first place, I feel I'm in a lose lose situation. If I don't get a resolution on Sat. with the fine Dr. Yan I will not be pleased. And you don't want to get into a situation with Coco when she's not pleased. Oh god, I'm already talking in the third person.:paranoid:paranoid:paranoid:paranoid.

Deb I'm so pleased you're feeling so well, believe me you could be feeling like you've been trampled by lots of horses.:biggrin1::biggrin1::biggrin1: Enjoy the feeling of fullness while it lasts, and I have heard of peeps who have had that feeling for up to six weeks, mind you they are in the minority, but we live in hope. I was thinking of you while I was being defilled. But enough said about that for the mo! Anyway you will get better with each passing day and the day you feel like a pizza is the day that you'll be back to normal.:biggrin1::biggrin1: Best wishes and keep an eye on that scales, it will make you smile.

[twinkle-toes 0]

Hi coco , yes its the same nurse , when i rang for the appointment they

told me she was taking over from tara for a while and that she worked for them before...:clap2::clap2::clap2:

[Debb 0]

Hi there everyone

Today is the first day I've felt a bit more like myself, managed to have a decent sleep last night which has obviously helped! I really am so surprised that this op has taken so much out of me, I didn't expect to feel this wiped out - just as well I'm off work for the week, how can anyone go straight back to work after having this done?!

Coco, hope you're well, stop beating yourself up about the eating, like you said, if you'd excellent willpower you wouldn't have been banded - I hear that!!

Allure, it was good to read your posts, sounds like you've had a bit of a battle with the band. Still, look at what you've achieved in spite of it.

Scrambled egg for me today - yum! I was so fed up just with the lack of texture of the yogurts and Soup of the past few days. Can't wait to get these stitches out on Sunday and then back to work on Monday... well, not really too enthused about going back to work on Monday, but will be nice to get back to a normal daily routine, the daytime tv is doing my head in!

Keep strong

Debb

[Coco 0]

Hey Everybody,

Hope you're all doing really well. Had my appointment with Dr Yan this afternoon and the good news is that the band is in the right place and working normally. He says that I have to have small fills and that basically for me having 3mls in my band was too much and that I should just take it slow and work my way up the fill ladder gently. As you know I had (at the repositioning op) 3mls in, then 6 weeks later I had a 1ml defill, then I had a .5ml fill two weeks after that and then I saw Yan last week and he took out another 2mls. That left me with just 0.5mls in and today he put back 1ml. Now I have 1.5mls in and am on liquids for a few days.

I bumped into Lu at Fitzwilliam Place yesterday by chance, and I told her what was going on with the heartburn, excess acid etc. and we had a good chat and a tip she gave me was to have a glass of milk in the morning before anything else. That should turn the stomach more alkaline and prevent heartburn and acid attacks. It was good to speak to her and she put my mind at rest. Unfortunately she is only working part time at the moment as she has other commitments.

I'm hoping this fill keeps me away from the bread as I put on 4lbs in the week. I won't of course be trying any bread for a few days as I'm on liquids but I'm sure the bread devil will sit on my shoulder before the week is out.

[Coco 0]

Read this I tried to just post the link but I couldn't get it to stay.

Adjustments

How to Tell When You Are Perfectly Adjusted

You are losing 1-2 pounds per week.

If you are not losing 1-2 pounds per week:

A. You may need an eating adjustment

1. Are you eating 60 grams of Protein a day

2. Are you eating 25 grams of fiber

3. Are you avoiding all liquid calories

a. Soup can be sign of “soft calorie syndrome”

b. Alcohol contains a lot of calories – 7 calories per gram

(1) It’s also a stomach irritant

c. fruit juice is just sugar water

4. Are you making healthy food choices from a wide variety of

foods?

a. Are you avoiding soft foods

b. You can’t just eat what’s easy

c. cheese is glorified fat

5. Are you drinking 6-8 glasses of Water a day between meals

6. Are you eating too much junk

a. chips, chocolate, nuts, ice cream, Cookies and other highly

processed junk foods are too calorically dense to be regular parts of a

healthy diet. But don’t avoid them completely to the point where you

feel deprived.

b. Stay out of fast food places

7. Are you getting in two servings of Calcium daily

8. Do you always eat the protein first

9. Then the vegetables or fruits

a. Five servings a day

b. Potatoes are NOT a vegetable

10. Is your portion size appropriate?

a. meat or fish

(1) 3 ounces – the size of a deck of cards

b. Vegetables

(1) ½ cup – the size of your fist

c. Starch

(1) If you eat the protein and the vegetables first you don’t need

much

(2) Avoid: rice, potatoes, pasta

11. You might try avoiding artificial sweeteners

a. Some people think that artificial sweeteners stimulate the

appetite

b. They are HUNDREDS of times sweeter than sugar

c. They teach you to like things too sweet

d. There is no evidence that people who use them are any thinner

than people who don’t

12. Avoid most diet foods

a. Real food usually tastes better

b. Real food is more satisfying than low calorie substitutes

c. When you are only eating a tiny bit the caloric savings is not

that great

(1) Use a teaspoon of real butter instead of a tablespoon of diet

margarine

(2) The body has no way to break down artificial fats

a. They may go into permanent storage

b. Some people think liposuction is the only way to remove

hydrolyzed fats from the body

B. You may need a behavior adjustment

1. Are you eating only when you are hungry?

a. If you’re not sure drink 8 ounces of water and wait.

2. Are you eating three meals a day?

a. With maybe 1 or 2 small snacks

3. Are you sitting down to eat?

4. Are you eating consciously?

a. No distractions, turn off the TV, put the book or newspaper

away, pay attention to your food and your companions

5. Are you eating slowly?

a. Put the fork down between bites

b. Take 20 to 30 minutes to finish a meal

c. Taking longer might cause the pouch to begin emptying

6. Are you taking small bites?

a. Tiny spoon, chopsticks, cocktail fork

7. Are you chewing well?

8. Are you drinking with your meals or too soon after your meals?

a. Practice water loading between meals

b. You won’t be thirsty if you are well hydrated before the meal

9. Are you stopping at the first sign of fullness?

a. Sometimes it’s a whisper: not hungry, had enough

b. Hard stop versus soft stop

10. Do not eat between meals. Stop grazing.

11. Do not eat when you are not hungry

C. You may need an activity adjustment

1. Are you getting in 30 minutes of physical activity at least 3

times a week?

a. Over and above what you would do in the usual course of your day

b. Could you make it 4 or 5 times a week?

c. Could you make it 45 or 60 minutes?

2. Are you taking advantage of opportunities to increase your

physical activity?

a. Taking the stairs instead of the elevators or escalators

b. Walking on the escalators instead of riding

c. Parking your car further away from the entrance

d. Getting out of the car instead of using the drive through

e. Getting off the bus one stop before your destination

f. Washing you car by hand instead of the car wash

g. Playing with your kids

D. You may need an attitude adjustment

1. Are you committed to your weight loss journey?

2. Are you totally honest with yourself about how much you are

eating and exercising?

a. Log your food and activity on ww.fitday.com for 3 days

3. Are you using food inappropriately to deal with emotional

issues?

a. Have you identified what the emotions are that drive your

eating?

b. Can you think of more appropriate ways to deal with those

emotions?

c. Are you willing to seek help from a qualified counselor?

4. Are you attending and participating in support group meetings?

5. Have you drummed up some support from your family and friends?

6. Have you dealt with saboteurs realistically?

7. Do you have realistic expectations about the weight loss

journey?

8. Are you still obsessing about food, weight, dieting, eating?

a. Obsessive – compulsive thoughts

(1) Obsess about something else

b. Perfectionism

(1) All or none, black and white thinking

c. Patience with the pace of healthy weight loss

9. Are you acknowledging your successes with non-food rewards?

10. Have you learned how to take a compliment?

11. Are you giving up diet mentality?

a. Stop weighing yourself several times a day or every day

b. Stop dieting

c. Stop depriving yourself

d. Stop defining food as “good” and “bad”

e. Stop rewarding and punishing yourself with food

12. How do you feel about all the changes taking place?

E. You may need a band adjustment

1. You feel like you are making healthy food choices in appropriate

portion sizes but getting hungry between meals?

2. You can still eat white bread, fibrous vegetables and large

portions.

3. You are having to struggle to lose

4. You are gaining weight in spite of eating right, exercising and

having a good mind set.

F. You may need your band loosened

1. There are times when you can’t get fluids down

2. You are vomiting too much

a. How much is too much?

3. Do you have frequent reflux or heartburn at night?

a. Do not lie flat or bend over soon after eating

b. Do not eat late at night or just before bedtime

c. Rinse your pouch with a glass or water an hour before bedtime

d. Certain foods or drinks are more likely to cause reflux:

(1) Rich, spicy, fatty and fried foods

(2) Chocolate

(3) Caffeine

(4) Alcohol

(5) Some fruits and vegetables

a. Oranges, lemons, tomatoes, peppers

(6) Peppermint

a. Baking soda toothpaste

(7) Carbonated drinks

e. Eat slowly and do not eat big meals

f. If you smoke, quit smoking

g. Reduce stress

h. Exercise promotes digestion

i. Raise the head of your bed

j. Wear loose fitting clothing around your waist

k. Stress increases reflux

l. Take estrogen containing medications in the morning

m. Avoid aspirin, Aleve and ibuprofen at bedtime

(1) Tylenol is OK

n. Take an antacid (Pepcid complete) before retiring

o. Try other over-the-counter heartburn medications

p. See your health care provider

4. See your health care provider immediately (or call 911) if

a. You have a squeezing, tightness or heaviness in your chest,

especially if the discomfort spreads to your shoulder, arm or jaw or is

accompanied by shortness of breath, sweating, irregular or fast

heartbeat or nausea. These could be symptoms of a heart attack.

b. If your symptoms are triggered by exercise.

c. If your pain localizes to your right side, especially if you

also have nausea or fever

d. If you throw up vomit that looks like black sand or coffee

grounds. Or if your stool is black, deep red or looks like it has tar

in it. These are symptoms of bleeding and need immediate attention.

(Note: Pepto-Bismol or other medications with bismuth will turn your

stool black. Iron supplements can also make the stool tarry.)

e. If your pain is severe

This was written by

Jessie H. Ahroni, Ph.D., A.R.N.P., C.D.E., B.C.-A.D.M.

All site content copyright Malcolm Bywaters and WorldWyldWeb.com 2003

Web Site Design WorldWyldWeb.

[GenaO 0]

Hello! I was just wondering if anyone's grocery bills decreased as weight loss ensued???