Hi from Ireland!

[LindseyGarde07 0]

I am back to work 4 days later, hopefully ill manage it, its a sit down job in a call centre so im hopin that it wont be too sore,. ill say ill manage alright.

watch it on youtube its horrible.

im hoping that i wont be too sick for the first few days, my poor fella will be bored to tears, ill have to give him my nintendo ds to play with when i am in surgery, he addicted to it.. lol..

well at least he supporting me, he says it doesnt bother him that im the way i am, but at the end of the day i hate it, feel like shite, feel tired, feel like a beached whale the whole time. i am pretty too so hoping that i will feel more confident and be able to hold my head up high and feel like i am supposed to feel. its hard to belive i ended up this way, lazy nights in, take aways etc... so easily done..

Im on bebo if you want to take a look its, xxLindsey4Chrisxx.bebo.com

copy that into the address bar and have a look. mind you i dont look too bad on some of the photos(when i was thinner) , not sure if there are any other photos of me showin my true weight, be try anyways.

[lunasa 1]

Hi There,

Haven't posted this thread in ages!

I got banded in manchester in April 2007.

here is my story so far.. Lindsey, I feel l this is important to know, as the past year I have heard mosly successful band stories, with people loosing their weight from the get go.

Firstly..Five years ago I weighed 10 st 8lbs.. had a personal trainer and a body fat of 20%!!! Seven years ago I weighed 17 stone 3 lbs. I white knuckled over six stone off my frame and went from size 22-24 to a size 12 who could run up stairs 3 at a time!

This lasted until I got engaged 4 years ago and then the weight started to creep on. I gained 7lbs the week I got engaged because I 'let my hair down' and I FREAKED out!! NOT FAIR NOT FAIR!! Was my mantra, and I became Very Very angry. I just wanted it gone, I wanted it to be fixed and never look back. It was only a 7lb gain but it drove me to distraction and 18months later on m wedding day I was up an additional stone. In hindsight it wasn't such a disaster, but I was just FED up that my sweat and tears didn't shake that F***ing monkey off my back.

In saying that I was BEE-AUTIFUL on my wedding day, and I cherish those photos!! I gained about a stone on my honey moon, bringing me close to 13 stone. I tried getting back on track and tackling the demon again with weight watchers, Motivation weight loss clinics, hypnotherapy and counselling but I was totally defeated!! Fast forward 2 years and I'm at my lapband consultation weighing 17stone 10!!!

So,I weighed 17stone 10lbs last year at my initial consultation, followed by a 10 day liquid pre-op diet which got me to 17stone at my surgery date.

In the following 4 weeks I lost another stone, bringing my total weight loss to 24lbs in 5-6 weeks. That was it..I did the 2 weeks liquid post op and 2 weeks mushies after that and then went back on solid food.< /p>

To my horror, I felt I was eating without restriction, BUT as I had not had a fill I knew it wasn't anything to panic about. So, because I fly to manchester to get my fills, I didn't make it over until June for my first fill. I was maintaining at 16 stone but hadn't lost a pound since starting back on solid food.

After that fill, once again to my horror I felt no restriction and started to feel quite down that this band was all a cod and I had spent my money on what?

This feeling continued and I said nothing to anyone but it was obvious there was no restriction as I could eat anything, and my mam sister & husband were kinda saying.."what's the story?" And i was feeling mortified, but "dieting" to maintain at 16 stone.

This continues until September when I finally made it over again for my 2nd fill. At this point I was up 4lbs and embarrassed that I wasn't doing as well as 1..I thought and 2...as well as other peoples tickers were showing on this site.

That fill made me feel no different either and I was able to eat Steak, Crisps (my worst weakness) Anything really. WITH THE EXCEPTION of McDonlds or any french fries/ nuggets/chicken gougons.. they were painful and would come back up as a PB.. So hey...I was getting somewhere.

But Nope.. Depression..this band wasn't the magic wand I had told myself it was, I was putting too much faith in it, I didn't want to do ANY work loosing this F***ing weight AGAIN..I just wanted to EAT and LIVE LESS LIKE A "NORMAL PERSON"

There was my problem, I wanted the band to magically transform me while accepting no personal responsibility for my actions either. After all, all I wanted was not to think about this weight loss thing anymore and for it to just happen to me!

So I gave up AGAIN and said..waste of money, waste of time..once again defeated and this is how it is and always will be. My mental attitude was all wrong, I just couldn't face it anymore. So since Sept of last year, with chips McDonalds Gougons etc being my only restrictions I started binge eating again, and binge drinking and could see my face getting puffier and puffier right before my eyes.

In Jan this year my first Nephew was born and it made me face everything again and I decided to come out of my hibernation and contact the clinic again to tell them that I was failing miserably. To my surprise they were saddened for me and that I had gone MIA on them and wanted my over straight away to help me get back on track.

So I joined Weight watchers again..weighing in at 18 stone 3lbs (Jesus!!)

And went to Manchester that week for another fill. This one was aggressive.

For almost two weeks I struggled to get anything but Soup down. I am tight.

I have hope again and I am doing my damndest to get focused and loose this weight realistically and the band IS Helping me this time. I can't eat much, but I still drink too much, and twice in the last 3 weeks I have somehow managed to scoff 8 bags of crisps in one sitting (but it takes hours instead of minutes) why and how did I manage this when I couldn't even get porridge or scrambled egg down? I just don't know, It was total after drink binge eating. But twice in 3 weeks instead of daily, and suffered the consequences of mush crisps in my neck as a result.

I have lost 3.5 lbs in 2 weeks still (Oh wow..big swing..only 90 more to go) But I can't allow myself to think like that.

I am now geting Water back into my daily routine, cutting down on the alcohol and I am STAYING with weight watchers, and If it means ONE pound a week that's what I will take. I am too long doing this to expect starvation and horrible extreme dieting to be the answer to my prayers. I Have to LEARN to do things differently.

For anyone who drives, here is an analogy that describes exactly how hard it is to change being a subconscious/ emotional/ habitual eater.

If you drive, that is something you had to learn to do. At first it was difficult, you had to concentrate, you had to be conscious of looking in your mirrors, changing gears and steering. In the beginning you couldn't talk on the phone or scratch your head while concentrating on driving. 15 years later (for me)

I can drive, talk (even on the phone), scratch anything that's itchy, change radio stations/cd's all while I'm driving because it has become subconscious. All the driving manuevers have become second nature and I don't need to instruct my self anymore what to do coz I just do it.

Now, Imagine UNLEARNING how to drive a car? How can that be done?

That is is tantamount to the challenge I have at hand now.

I have to unlearn how to do what has always been second nature to me, I have to unlearn how to do what has put me in this situation at the age of 32 and that is not going to happen today, tomorrow or even this year.

BUT...IT WILL BE DONE..however slowly, it will be done. I will never white knuckle it again. I will never loose 7 stone again only to gain it back, my will won't let me which is why my will has given me this whole past year of struggling to learn this lesson.

What have I learned? I have learned to begin UNLEARNING. THAT is my weapon and that is what I will do.

SO, I won't be slim for my nephew's christening in May, or for my birthday or for Christmas..But I will be UNLEARNING. AND I WILL BE MY OWN TEACHER, I will stumble and fall, but I will learn to get up and walk on. I will never be perfect but I will be smarter, wiser and happier.

There is my experience. The Band IS great, but it is not plain sailing for someone like me. It is helping me definately, no doubt about that now, but it is not as strong as whatever it is inside me that has been yelling for the last year to get my attention about how to do this once and for all.

That is my epic, my story, and I apologise for the MASSIVE post but it was to show that not everyone has the same experience with the band and that ultimately the issue is MUCH MUCH bigger than a pice of plastic or food a diet.

This is coming from someone who's communion dress was let out because of weight gain at the age of 6.

[zoe484 0]

Hi all

I am new here, I went for my consultation today and on Monday I will find out my date for the op.

I hope it soon as I chickened out two years ago and have regretted since.

My bmi is now 39.1

I believe I can do now especially and read your post has helped

thanks jo:biggrin2:

[LindseyGarde07 0]

wow, that was a long thread, but i enjoyed listening to your story, i do know that its not a miracle cure for weight loss, and i do know that i will have to think again about what i am putting into my mouth, if only i could turn back the clocks and start at the start,,!!

i have done all different diets and failed misserably, i am hoping that i will cop on to the fact that if i continue the way i am goin now that i wont have a long life, i smoke too, tho i did give it up for a few months but when back on it again, due to being depressed about my weight, and the fact that smoking kinda stems the hunger a small bit, but once the op is done im doin 2 do my hardest to stick to a nice and healthy diet.. f**k it, i have paid enough for it, and suffering the side effects of being over weight and fat and the whole lot.! hate it so much....

i feel paranoid and awkward anywhere i go with my partner, he trotts ahead of me and i am panting behind him trying to keep up, and my laboured breathing and trying not to be too red faced when he stops, i cant do hills, my legs grow weak and i am exhausted whenever i try and escalate them and keep up with him, as for the sex life, i feel paranoid the whole time, wont walk around in front of him naked, dash between rooms when i have to and hate the wobbly feeling the whole time i am walking and gettin changed.

i just want to feel confident in my own skin and be able to relax in a nice outfit without having to pull my shirt down to hide my tummy and love handles and stretch marks. and be able to buy nice clothes instead of tents that are shapeless and baggy. id love to be able to go out in a nice skirt and top have people look at me, not coz im fat but because i am beautiful!

[LindseyGarde07 0]

Hi ZOE,

welcome,.

Where are you gettin the op done? mines being done in brussels on the 23rd of April.. :biggrin2:

[ellen 0]

Hi Everyone, Great to see so many new "faces" on the board.

Lunasa, I'm Ellen and I remember you back when I was a lurker. You mentioned in one of your posts that you had gone to HWC in Manchester because they specialised in weightloss surgery. I went there too in September. Again the weight fell off for a couple of weeks (say a stone) and not an ounce after that. Like you, I was kindof waiting for it to happen magically for me, I continued eating mushies and Soup, continued having my half bottle (sometimes two thirds) of wine in front of the TV every night... and forgot to exervise. I was waiting to get more fills and assuming that the restriction would finally make things happen.

Went over in Nov for a small fill, no real change, went over again in Dec, no real change. At this point I was convinced I 'd been sold a pup. On 1st January I dusted down the treadmill and I must say that has made all the difference. Nearly every night since then I have promised myself that if I walk for 15-20 minutes I can stop. But once Ive walked the 20 minutes Im enjoying it and I keep going until 50 - 60 minutes. That made a massive difference. Then I went back in early January for a fill and got a double fill (1ml first I think and a further .5 a few hours later). Oh my God, that was the first time I really realised I had a band. If anything its been a bit too tight and as a result Ive been fairly reliant on Protein Shakes etc but the weight has just dropped off. I do believe though that without the exercise it would have been much much slower and I'd have been so dispirited and reluctant to live wit the discomfort of a tight band that I'd probably have gone back for a defill and reverted to my old habits.

The other change Ive made is that before once kids gone to bed I'd sit in front of the TV from 8-12pm munching titbits and drinking. I found it really enjoyable. Somewhere along the line, since new year, I've changed my habits almost without knowing it. I still sit in front of the TV, that's not changed. But now I have the laptop in front of me and I'm not really concentrating on Fair City or Prime Time, as I'm finding weightloss / cosmetic surgery websites / forums/ thighlifts etc far too interesting. Also, the glass of wine has been replaced by 2 pint glasses of hot Water with lemon juice. At maybe 10pm, I go out to the treadmill for my walk (unwillingly but I do it), and then come back for another 2 pints of water. They say it takes 21 days to change a habit. Almost against my will my habit in the evening has changed. I still allow myself the glass of wine or G&T if I want it but mostly there's no room after the water.

I had an armlift and some Lipo a couple of weeks ago in Belgium and am recovering from that now. I am so happy I had the band as Im no longer terrified that this weightloss is just temporary and its only a metter of time before it starts piling back on. Hopefully if nothing bad happens to my band, you know I feel for the first time ever I can actually keep the weight off. Not quite there yet of course!

Any way, rant over, Best of luck to you all.

Ellen

[Marge 0]

Lunasa

It was lovely to read your post, it sound like you've turned a corner. I hope so and I wish you the best of luck for the future. By the way you write really well, you really create a picture.

I've made an appointment with Dr CdeB for 3rd April. Anyone else going that day I would love to meet with you .

Marge

[ailbhe 1]

I've made an appointment with Dr CdeB for 3rd April. Anyone else going that day I would love to meet with you .

Marge

Me me me!!! And Elsie. We'll all have to meet up. I'm getting the train up and my appointment is at 2pm ish

[Elsie 0]

Hi All,

I couldn't log on for some reason yesterday, I missed loads, this thread was very busy.

Ailbhe: Appointment made with Dr.C. Can't wait for this fill. I'm in my last few days of mushies but dont seem to have any restriction. I'm surviving on willpower alone now. Less than a week now though!!!

Like you I haven't lost anymore weight since liquids but haven't put back on any so all in all, I'm happy. I'll PM my number and make plans for meeting up.

Marge: Well done on booking the consultation. I have no regrets about doing this or having it done it Belgium. If the treatment I've received so far is anything to go by then I'm confident in future treatment. I'll be in with the Dr. around 2pm as well next Thursday. Would love to meet up. What time will you be around?

Ellen: Let us know if you are making an appointment with Dr. C for a fill. Would love to meet. Bring before pix for us. Can't wait to see those arms. (well, if you are willing to show off):smile:

Lunasa: Welcome back!!!! You certainly had a rough year of it, but you seem to have turned it around and learned from it. I wish you every success with the Unlearning. Please don't be a stranger, we are here to support each other.

Lindsey: Welcome and best of luck with the op. My experience is very similar to Ailbhe's, I went to Dr. DeBruyne in Belgium as well. I had a fair bit of pain right after the op but it diminished every day and now I'm out just over 3 weeks and not a bit of pain. I'm even back to sleeping on my stomach. I am hungry at the moment but I seem to have gotten the willpower from somewhere to say NO, I dont need it, I control this. I do need to get of me arse and exercise though. That has been tuff for me.

Zoe484 and CassieJ: Welcome to the boards. Let us know a bit more about yourselves.

Everyone Else: Keep up the good work and if anyone is around town next thursday and wants to meet up let me know and we'll arrange a place and time.

By the way, this thread was a year old on Easter Sunday. Does anyone ever hear from Brenners who started the thread? Would be nice to know if life has changed much for her in this past year!!

Elsie

[ailbhe 1]

It was actually Brenners who brought me here as she posted about the band on another site and someone redirected her here and that's when i found it too though it was another age before I took the plunge. I think coco said that Brenners didn't have too good a time with the band and had stopped posting though I am open to correction.

Anyway folks, myself Elsie and Marge are meeting up for fills and consults in Dublin on Thursday 3rd April. As some of us are meeting already does anyone else want to join us and make a morning of it?

I don't know Dublin so will be relying on my chauffeur Elsie to drive me :smile: but if anyone knows somewhere we could meet up and have a coffee and a chat and make a proper gathering out of it feel free to post and advise a place. It'd be lovely to meet everyone and see all the progress. I know it's short notice but hope some of you can come!

[ellen 0]

Hi Girls

I'm on for meeting. have an appt with Dr C for either 3 or 3.30 , havent got the piece of paper to hand right now. Let me know when and where ye are meeting. Ailbhe, I had assumed you were Dublin based, what part of the country are you in?

Elsie, I'll see what I can dig out in terms of photos - although in my fattest days I was expert at destroying unflattering photos of me and only "acceptable" ones were shown to anyone or made their way into the album! Arms will definitely be coming. Am waiting for Dr Delicious to reply to my email asking when I can take the bandages off. Sure he told me but I cant recall.

Ellen

Ellie

[Alesha 0]

Hey all

HAvent been on in ages. Havent had a minute.

SO will someone PM me if there is anything going on with ACS, I rang there just after i got m letter looking gfor a fill.. They told me to ring back ina week or two when they got a new surgeon.

Thank god, the lbs are starting to come off again. My toe is getting a little better but not much, havent been back to gym yet. Im going next week for sure :smile: .

Any sign of Allure??

Might be up for a meeting Thursday afternoon. I will be in town for my first fitting for my wedding dress . Pm me the details if its going ahead

[ailbhe 1]

Hi ellen. I'm originally from the midlands but living near Galway now in the wesht :rolleyes2:

Roll on Thursday. Was starving all day yesterday :teeth_smile:

[siepie 0]

Lunasa

It was lovely to read your post, it sound like you've turned a corner. I hope so and I wish you the best of luck for the future. By the way you write really well, you really create a picture.

I've made an appointment with Dr CdeB for 3rd April. Anyone else going that day I would love to meet with you .

Marge

Hi Marge,

I have a meeting with Dr DeBruyne on the 3rd, I'm excited and nervous and have a bunch of questions to ask him - if there is anyone travelling from Limerick I'd be happy to meet up with them, I'm not sure whether I will drive or catch the train. My appt is for 12.30pm.

Ailbhe, Elsie, Marge-are you planning to meet up in the morning?

Simone

Edited March 29, 2008 by siepie

[terry777 0]

Laura here Pm me what time and were on Thursday I would love to go talk soon terry