Hi from Ireland!

[roe 0]

Hi Paulina Iknow what you mean about the sore stomach. like I said I was there on friday and lu had a terrible time getting the spot in my port. when were you banded? about the scales this was my first time to have lost weight in weeks, but it didnt show up acs scales. I was very disapointed I had worked my ass of to loose those 5 lbs.I have 3ml in my band now and still no resstrictionsa yet. well just hang in there it will come soon.luv roe

[kermit 0]

hi guys great to read the successes and the lovely advice from people when things aren't going very well. I have to say a huge thanks to Emerald and Coco for the fab and confidence boosting posts. I am digging away at the Christmas pounds and it is slowly working. I am really fighting the chocolate cravings every day but have given up the bread (once my biggest weakness) completely so I am proud of that. Roe and Paulina - keep hanging in through the bad times because it goes in swings and roundabouts (I am learning the hard way!). My latest fill has really shown me what restriction is supposed to be like. I thought I had restriction before but now I find that I am PBing if I don't chew the Protein like mad - meat and nuts. I can't manage food in the morning (feel nauseous at the thought of eating) but I have porridge at 12.30. Does anyone have a tip for light/easy/ quick morning food? I need to address this cos the afternoon after school is a killer - when I get home I just want sugar in any form and end up prostrate on the couch for an hour and it's downhill from there...the rest of the day I am insatiable and crave food! Any suggestions gratefully accepted guys :-)

[Coco 0]

hi guys great to read the successes and the lovely advice from people when things aren't going very well. I have to say a huge thanks to Emerald and Coco for the fab and confidence boosting posts. I am digging away at the Christmas pounds and it is slowly working. I am really fighting the chocolate cravings every day but have given up the bread (once my biggest weakness) completely so I am proud of that. Roe and Paulina - keep hanging in through the bad times because it goes in swings and roundabouts (I am learning the hard way!). My latest fill has really shown me what restriction is supposed to be like. I thought I had restriction before but now I find that I am PBing if I don't chew the Protein like mad - meat and nuts. I can't manage food in the morning (feel nauseous at the thought of eating) but I have porridge at 12.30. Does anyone have a tip for light/easy/ quick morning food? I need to address this cos the afternoon after school is a killer - when I get home I just want sugar in any form and end up prostrate on the couch for an hour and it's downhill from there...the rest of the day I am insatiable and crave food! Any suggestions gratefully accepted guys :-)

Hi Kermit,

Delighted to hear you're at your sweet spot. As you have found out its not all fun and games in the beginning,:thumbup: but it is just another learning curve with the band, the most important thing to remember is to stick with it, don't go for band friendly foods, ie. mushies/soft foods. You will lose more weight if you learn to live with your band and that is simply eating normal foods (though bread is a gonner) and chew and chew and chew some more. Wait till the first spoonfull goes right down, not just down your neck, before you take the next spoonfull, this will avoid PB's and sliming, I'm a vegetarian though I do eat fish sometimes, but I have heard that eating meat and chicken can be difficult when you reach your sweet spot. Mincing your meat can help but avoid putting caloire laden sauces to ease the passage of meat. By all means use a sauce but just check the calories first. My band is also much tighter in the mornings, and to be truthful sometimes its all I can do to get a latte or tea down me. For a healthier Breakfast, try some Innocent smoothies (currently on offer in Tesco/Dunnes 33% off vg value:biggrin2:) which you can mix with some natural yogurt. That way you're getting your fruit and dairy into you at one meal, and its easy to sip away at while you're getting ready for the day. For a take to work lunch ryvita crackers with a filling of maybe tuna/egg Mayonnaise but finely chop up some Tomato and spring onions and add to the mayo, you could also have a mug of Soup to start your lunch this is a really warming and fill you up lunch which is low carb and should keep your sugar levels even till dinner. Don't underestimate how filling a cup of milky coffee (low fat milk) can be when you are very hungry and need some time to prepare something, its been the saving grace for me on many a day. Good luck and continued success to you.:eek:

[Elsie 0]

Hi All,

I went to my GP last week to let her know of my plans to go to Belgium for Lap-Banding and she advised me that the Beacon Hospital in Sandyford are now offering the Lap Band Procedure. You will need a referal from your GP. The cost is EUR11,500 which includes a year aftercare. I went for a consultation today and met the surgeon, Robert Stuart and also the nurse and a dietician. It took nearly 2 hours. Lot of questions, making sure you are suitable and ready and know what to expect after the procedure and also that you are realistic in your expectations.

I also met Chris DeBruyne in Dublin last Friday. That consultation was no where as long as the one in the Beacon but very informative. Was sent away with some reading materials. I was impressed with both Dr.'s and now have a tough decision to make.:smile2:

I would probably be inclined to go for the Beacon, even with the MASSIVE price difference but when I asked would a reoperation be covered in the case of slipage or erosion they couldnt give me a 100% guarentee. The surgeon would fight for a free re-op within the first year but at the end of the day it was up to the hospital. He was confident that it would be but not 100%. After shelling out eur11,500 I really couldnt afford a cent more if anything was to go wrong. Where would that leave me!

Will let you know what I decide.

Elsie

[PrincessLK 0]

Hi All

Sorry haven't been in touch in the past week or so. Well I got to see Jan on the day he was leaving, he rang me from Owenstown and asked me to come out before 1pm when he was leaving. I rushed out as I thought he was either gone for ever or the month that they all said he was def going for and he told me that he would be back on 11th Feb! Anyhow, as I still hadn't felt restriction after 5 fills, I asked him to take out what was in my band to see where we stodd and it turns out there was just 1 cc in there. So he put another cc in there and told me to see him when he got back for another one as he'd prefer to do it gradually. That was fine with me, he's so nice. In the mean time I had written to ACS about my concerns regarding after care and being told that Lou would look after us when at the end of the day she's not a surgeon. I got a call back from Kim saying that Jan would be back as he was contractually obliged to look after me as he had operated on me but that in the mean time I should see Lou and that she really is capable and not just a nurse but a gastric band specialist and that Jan would send patients to her that he had difficulty with their ports etc. and that Jerome had fully trained her in.....so I went to see her last Friday, it took her a long time to find the port and she did a lot of pulling back and forth with the needle once it was in the port. She gave me another cc so I now have 3 cc's in my band. I drank a glass of Water before I left and was fine. I felt a little restriction over the weekend, but could not eat bread at all. So I was happy with this gradual development, then, I went for breakfast with my bother yesterday and oh my god!!! I ate half an egg and almost a full sausage (I don't think I chewed properly) and a piece got stuck, I was in so much pain I had to excuse myself and go to the bathroom, on my 3rd visit I had my first experience of PB'ing and sliming!! I was so happy! I had started to think that it was a myth that this band was inside me...it feels so good to know that this tool is there now and will help me lose this dreadful weight. So I am another 3 pounds down since Friday and delighted. My hair has started falling out so I need to make sure I'm getting all my nutrition. My best friend is a dietician and she said that we should all make sure to go to our GP's at least once a year for a check up and ask them for blood tests to test for Iron, B12 and folic acid etc...So I'm going to do that this week. I'm feeling very motivated and positive now, like I'm finally on the road - 4 months later! She gave me a diet sheet of what we should be eating every day for nutrition so I'll copy it and post it up. Oh yeah, about Lou, I was really sore for 2 days after my fill and really sick and nauseous for one day....so I think I might just stick with Jan in future.

Hope everyone is getting on well.

xxx

[Coco 0]

Hi All,

I went to my GP last week to let her know of my plans to go to Belgium for Lap-Banding and she advised me that the Beacon Hospital in Sandyford are now offering the Lap Band Procedure. You will need a referal from your GP. The cost is EUR11,500 which includes a year aftercare. I went for a consultation today and met the surgeon, Robert Stuart and also the nurse and a dietician. It took nearly 2 hours. Lot of questions, making sure you are suitable and ready and know what to expect after the procedure and also that you are realistic in your expectations.

I also met Chris DeBruyne in Dublin last Friday. That consultation was no where as long as the one in the Beacon but very informative. Was sent away with some reading materials. I was impressed with both Dr.'s and now have a tough decision to make.:scared2:

I would probably be inclined to go for the Beacon, even with the MASSIVE price difference but when I asked would a reoperation be covered in the case of slipage or erosion they couldnt give me a 100% guarentee. The surgeon would fight for a free re-op within the first year but at the end of the day it was up to the hospital. He was confident that it would be but not 100%. After shelling out eur11,500 I really couldnt afford a cent more if anything was to go wrong. Where would that leave me!

Will let you know what I decide.

Elsie

Hi Elsie,

Wow, that's great news to hear about the Beacon doing the band, but you're right the aftercare is very very important. I don't like the sound of this "not quite 100% sure" about the repairing of a slip. At the end of the day any qualified surgeon can do the op and until we choose one and have it done really its in the lap of the Gods which one is best. In my humble opinion I would seriously consider Belgium, if you have more questions for Dr Bruyne, based on the meeting up in the Beacon, get back on to Belgium and get your questions answered. At the end of the day if you have to fork out for the repair of a slip it will be a damn sight cheaper in Belgium. Everyone puts so much effort into checking out the operation (me included) but at the end of the day its the aftercare thats equally important. Also, you are very young, what about when and if you want to have children, will they charge you to defill you and then refill you after the baby is born? If so will it be the same rate as new patients or will you have some sort of discount as you're a returning customer so to speak. These are all things to take into consideration. At the end of the day the hospitals and dr's are doing it for the money. Choose wisely and good luck with your decision.

[Coco 0]

Hi PrincessLK,

Congratulations on your first PB:lol::wink2: Gross I know but at least you know that you're on your way. Welcome to the losing side:biggrin::scared2:.

[Coco 0]

Hi Girls, you know you need to get your Protein in if you don't want to lose all your hair. So go to the Health Store and get a good Protein Drink I recommend SPIRULINA SOYA Protein Drink. It can be mixed with slimline milk or juice or Water. Its low on calories and high in Protein and Vitamins. You can buy one portion packets in different flavours to find your favorite before you go to the expence of buying a big tin. So that's my tip of the day.:scared2:

Some Recipe Ideas:-

Barley Pot

2tes spoons veg oil small clove garlic, peeled & chopped

small onion peeled and chopped 1 small carrot peeled and diced

2 celery sticks, washed and finely sliced 1 teaspoon Paprika

300mls Veg Stock 200g can chopped tomatoes 20g Pearl Barley washed

1 leek washed, trimmed and finely sliced 1 Parsnip peeled and cubed

175g cauliflower florets 1/2 teaspoon chopped rosemary

Heat the oil and fry the garlic, onion, carrot and celery for 5 mins. Stir in the paprika and continue frying for a further minute. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer gently for about 40 mins or until the vegetables are tender.

A really warming filling dish which can be mashed coarsely if your band is tight or if you are on a mushy phase.

Puy Lentil Moussaka

375g can Puy lentils 1 lg Aubergine wiped and trimmed

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus a little extra for brushing 1 small onion peeled & chopped

1 small red pepper thinily sliced, 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 tsp dried mixed herbs

50g sun-dried tomatoes drained of oil and finely chopped 350ml bottle passata

50g Cheddar cheese, grated 25g wholemeal breadcrumbs

Pour the lentils into a strainer and rinse under cold Water. Put to one side. Slice the aubergine into rounds and place under the grill, brush lightly with olive oil, grill until

golden turn over and repeat the process. Set the cooked aubergine aside.

Heat the oil and gently fry the onion and pepper until soft. Stir in the garlic and turn off the heat. Place half the lentils in the base of an ovenproof dish, top with half the aubergines, half the onion and pepper mixture and half of both the sun dried tomatoes and passata. Repeat the layers. Mix together the cheese and breadcrumbs and sprinkle over the top. Bake in an oven preheated to 180 C or gas mark 4, for about 30minutes, or until golden and bubbling. Serve with a mix leaf salad in an oil and vinegar dressing.

You can swap the lentils for minced beef if you like.

THINGS TO PUT ON YOUR CRACKERS/RYVITA

Hummus

400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed sml clove garlic, peeled & crushed

4 tablespoons of Tahini (sesame-seed paste) juice of half a lemon

A little greek yogurt

Place all the ingredients into the bowl of a food processor and blend until smooth. Enjoy.

Avocado & Cottage Cheese

1 medium sized ripe avocado 100g cottage cheese

Cut the avocado in half, remove the stone, and place the flesh in the bowl of a food processor. Add the cottage cheese. Blend until smooth.

Butterbean Spread

200g can butterbeans, drained and rinsed, 2 tomatoes skinned, salt & pepper

Place the drained butterbeans in the bowl of a food processor. Cut the tomatoes in half and remove the seeds, chop the flesh and add the Tomato to the butterbeans and blend to a smooth puree. Season to taste. Fresh corriander or parsley tastes good in this too.

Tuna/Salmon/Egg mayo Salad

Sm can tuna or Salmon or 1 Hard Boiled Egg mashed

2 Spring Onions (Scallions) washed and sliced

1 Tomato Skinned Seeded and Chopped

Finely chopped lettus leaves of your choice

1 tablespoon of Low Fat Mayo

Salt & Pepper to taste

In a bowl mix together your tuna or salmon or egg add the other ingredients and mix together adding salt and pepper to taste. Fresh herbs like corriander/parsley added are really nice also.

Boursin & Bean Slices

2 Tbsp Boursin Cheese, 2 tbsp canned red kidney beans/mixed Beans, rinsed drained and mashed with a fork.

Mix together the Boursin Cheese and the mashed Beans. Spread evenly over the slices of ryvita/crackers.

Sweet Treats

Peanut Butter and Banana/Jam

Spread 1 tbsp Peanut Butter on a Ryvita or Cracker top with mashed banana or Jam. Enjoy.

Cream Cheese and Honey

Spread 1 tbsp Phillidelphia Low Fat Cheese on Ryvita/Cracker top with Honey.

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[ellen 0]

Hi Everyone

Coco, those recipes are delicious. Thanks.

Elsie

A friend of mine enquired recently at the Galway Clinic and was told that the cost of the band there is 15,500! I got him to ring back and double check it was for the band and not the bypass as it seemed so high, but they confirmed it was for the band alright. It includes lots of pre-op tests and a 4 night stay in the clinic. Not sure why one would want to stay in for 4 nights though just for a band....

Best of luck with your decision. I wonder who is the surgeon in the Beacon and what kind of experience has he had. At least with De Bruyen you know youre getting someone very experienced....and of course the price is nice.

Ellen

[Coco 0]

Hi Ellen,

That is expensive, and you're right why would you want to be in for 4 days. Mind you Galway is a lovely part of the country :wink2:. The most important thing to find out is what aftercare you have in the event of a slip. What happens if the band does not work for you, do you have any comeback. In light of whats happening to ACS paitents and the uncertainty we face I would recommend having a written contract informing us of what the payment covers and what aftercare is being offered. At least with ACS they provide yearly checkups on the band. I've not seen that anywhere else, and I was covered when my band slipped. So as far as I'm concerened when these hospitals are offering the band their price has to made up according to the package and if we are being asked to pay huge sums like that just so we don't have to fly to Belgium whats the point. :scared2: Having an experienced surgeon doing your op, finding out what his rate of slippage is and what the aftercare includes, they are the main questions to ask. In my humble opinion.

[Coco 0]

Hi All,

Just a quickie, have any of you checked your PM's? Particularly those of you who haven't posted in a while but check in and out without logging in.:mad:

[PrincessLK 0]

Hi Girls

I've just copied and pasted what my friend sent me with regards to nutrition after the band is fitted as promised. Hope this helps:

you really need to be making sure you're getting enough nutrients - your intake may have been excessive before and unbalanced, but you would have been taking in alot of calories,so probably were getting most of the nutrients you needed anyway. now you need to be more careful when you're restricting calories, and when you've had a band.

what you want to make sure is that you are getting enough good quality Protein.< /span>

You need 2 portions a day.

1 portion = 2oz lean meat/chicken (size of a deck of cards- about size of a chop or half a large chicken breast)

3oz fish (slightly larger portion that deck of cards)

2 eggs (max 7 per week - but if high cholesterol stick to max 4-6 per week)

9 dessertspoons cooked beans/peas/lentils

3 oz nuts (you could use a good quality nut butter on toast as one of your protein portions - would be very filling, but nut butter is very high in fat, although its a good type of fat, still calorific. so you could do this occasionally)

make sure you are also getting 5 fruit and veg daily (can be a mixture of fruit and veg)

1 portion = 3-4 dessertspoons cooked veg (not including potatoes)

or 1 tennis ball size of fruit (e.g. 1 medium apple or orange or banana. If smaller fruit, e.g. 2 kiwi/mandarin/plum or 10-15 grapes or 10 strawberries etc..)

fruit tinned in juice is fine. try stewing eating apple/pear also - v. nice. or grilled fruit. or homemade smoothie.< /span>

the other thing you need to ensure you're getting is Calcium. You need 3 portions low fat dairy to ensure you're getting your 800mg calcium daily. 1 portion = 200mls milk (1/3 pint) or 125g yoghurt or 1oz cheese (matchbox size - stick to low fat versions, and max 4oz/week while your cholesterol is high).

Then for fibre, choose wholegrain carbs e.g. granary/wholegrain bread, porridge, wholegrain cereals, brown rice, brown Pasta, potato with skins (if clean). Also try cooking Quinoa (pronounced 'keenwa' - dead easy to cook, lovely with soy sauce and salmon and stir fry).

go for 4-5 portions daily. 1 portion =

1 slice bread

1/2 large pitta

3 dessert spoons cooked pasta or rice

1 weetabix / oatabix or shredded wheat biscuit

3 tablespoons cereal

1/2 mug (40g) porridge oats made into porridge

2 oat biscuits

2-3 ryevita

use fat sparingly - any fat you do use, make sure is monounsaturated. e.g. olive oil and olive oil spread. Avocado also a good source of monounsaturated spread, so add it to salads etc.

Also make sure you're getting 2 servings of fish / week - at least one should be oily (herring, mackerel, sardines, trout, pilchards, salmon, fresh tuna)

hopefully that helps. remember to check your B12, ferritin, Haemoglobin and red cell folate at least annually!

[Coco 0]

Hi Princess,

Great post, very informitive. It makes the job easier when we have constructive guidelines. :smile: Its not always easy to get the Protein in with the band, a lot of people find eating eggs, meat and chicken difficult when they reach their sweet spot. :thumbup: Fish is usually easier but not everyone likes fish. The best advice is to go to your GP twice a year and check your levels of Vitamin/Iron/B12.:hurray:

[Gerri 0]

Hi all, Thanks for the nutrition information Princess. Just a quick question for everyone, I sent in my ACS receipt with our tax returns and the tax office have got back to our accountant asking for a letter from the doctor saying I was recommended for the surgery!I emailed ACS and got a call today from Kim saying they can send me out a receipt but the doc could not write a letter as I went to them. Has anyone had any problems putting their procedure through their tax returns.

Thanks

Gerri

[Coco 0]

/www.itv.com/Lifestyle/ThisMorning/Health/Remotecontrolweightloss/default.html

Hi Girls,

Here's the link to the This Morning programme which showed a girl who has lost 9 stone in the past 12months with the remote control gastric band, (Easyband) which is adjusted by remote control instead of a needle and saline.