Anyone know of Dr De Bruyne Chris

[gillian 4]

Mandy...what a friend!!?..i think she sounds a bit bitter or jealous?.they have no understanding of how the band works,and just say what they think,or have heard about the band..she knew you looked good, and is prob worried about you looking even better! thats her problem, not yours!.its awfull when you are just feeling comfortable about yourself and then someone pulls you down isnt it. you are not cheating, it is still hard work...aarrgghhh!. i dont know what you said, but think she owes you an apology anyway, and think if she is true friend she needs to know exactly what this band does for you, and if she is a true friend she will want to know and support you totally x:thumbup:

[gillian 4]

:sad:high anxiety...im so sorry for you, you must be devastated, chris will have done what he thought best. but what a big disappointment. i wish you every luck with your weight loss now, and hope you get some help from your doctor x

[garrymcfall 0]

Hi shoes, one thing I've learned is not to get too hungry, because I try to eat much too quickly when I am. That combined with the pitta was probably the cause of your pain, if it happens again dont fight it keep calm (stress makes it worse) just get to bathroom and let it come up, just leaning over the loo will shift it. If you are going to try any type of bread leave it until the last item to eat sometimes its just not worth it and you possibly wont want it anyway. Its all a learning curve and trial and error.

i would have to agree with mmm on this it is horrible and you panic but it does pass, i had it on friday, its bl**dy sore especiallay when I had eaten the same things on many occasions before.

G

[garrymcfall 0]

Hi everyone, yet again, some very good post. I went shopping yesterday, Matalan, I needed a new top/outfit for last nite, my best mates daughters 18th party, I went to matalan with hubby, and ended up having a panick attact and ended up going home. I have not had a attack for about 12 mths, I got up yesterday morning and felt ace, went shopping and then ended up feeling realy stressed, we had to stop the van on the way home because I was going to be sick, I cant belive I was so stressed. I ended up going bk to matalan on my own got a dress, size 18, a little tight on the bust, but it looked realy nice and i felt realy nice. i ended up having a realy nice nite, I know I looked good, ended up pissed of with one of my mates friends, who when I went up 4 the buffet, said, cant belive you are getting food, thought you could not eat, and you have taken the easy way to lose weight. I then got on my heigh horse and gave her a piece of my mind, cheeky cow, I dont think i have taken the easy option by any means and With a couple of drinks inside me, I told her so. dont think she will be speaking to me again lol xx

wht a cheeky bitch how dare she,i bet she is ugly as well, quite right hope you gave her hell. I bet you looked gorg in yer dress. Gi me her number cheeky ****** ***** *****

gx

[gillian 4]

hi mmm...you have done so well!!..oooh to have to choose between the 14 and the 12!!. i will be there one day!! i know what you mean though about having to stop yourself buying clothes, i too am gonna be concentrating for the next 4 years paying the borrowed money back for the band!

shoes, the advice that mmm has given you is good..i still get it but you do learn to "get a feeling" that something is gonna be hard work.

odge, i had about the same amount of restriction as you without any fill also, it seems that some people do, some dont..were all different..you prob wont need many fills to take you to your sweet spot! x

toppings, welcome to the forum, try and read back some pages, youll get loads of info to help you make your decision x

hello everyone else, hope you have all had great weekend! x

[garrymcfall 0]

Hi All - OK, gotta tell you what happened to me in Belgium - a cautionary tale for anyone heading out there (or getting the band anywhere.) I went through the surgery and Dr. Chris had to stop without banding me because of problems with my liver. I have non-alcoholic cirrhosis. I did inform the doc on the forms of this but did not verbally go into the full history. Nor did he ask - which I think makes us each 50% culpable. As I understood my medical condition - which is seven years old - I had improved to the point where it was a lasting but non-progressing condition. So, I had the surgery but no band. Dr Chris said it was only the third time he had to stop a surgery. It is not only the money I lost (but I was refunded 2K for the cost of the band and, I believe, the doctor's own fees) but it is the huge disappointment - and also the trauma of undergoing surgery for nothing. My disappointment is huge, and I am actually feeling quite depressed about it. As we all know, no one enters this lightly and I believed it to be my real last chance. If I had successfully lost weight on my own, I wouldn't be here! I had so many hopes and plans for my thinner, healthier future. Anyway, please, please, please, do yourself a favour and do not hold back any information whether you think it is relevant or not. I understand and appreciate that Dr Chris stopped my surgery as a life-saving measure (he said when my liver was touched it started to bleed enough to worry him that I could bleed to death - you can't argue with that). But going through surgery for no gain is a serious situation. Good luck to you all - and especially ShellyG and Mairaid who were there with me, also lovely Alan. Shelly, thank you for all your support and I wish you all lots of weight loss and good health! Kathy

Hi there, i am so sorry to read your post you must be devastated but from reading I guess there was no other option, please do keep on the forum, i know it will be hard but there are some inspirationable peolple on here who have lost loads of weight without there band atually doing something (flirty). We all need support in varying levels and although your not banded it always good to know of a sounding block as weightloss is very tough with or without a band.

G

[homecare 0]

Hi All - OK, gotta tell you what happened to me in Belgium - a cautionary tale for anyone heading out there (or getting the band anywhere.) I went through the surgery and Dr. Chris had to stop without banding me because of problems with my liver. I have non-alcoholic cirrhosis. I did inform the doc on the forms of this but did not verbally go into the full history. Nor did he ask - which I think makes us each 50% culpable. As I understood my medical condition - which is seven years old - I had improved to the point where it was a lasting but non-progressing condition. So, I had the surgery but no band. Dr Chris said it was only the third time he had to stop a surgery. It is not only the money I lost (but I was refunded 2K for the cost of the band and, I believe, the doctor's own fees) but it is the huge disappointment - and also the trauma of undergoing surgery for nothing. My disappointment is huge, and I am actually feeling quite depressed about it. As we all know, no one enters this lightly and I believed it to be my real last chance. If I had successfully lost weight on my own, I wouldn't be here! I had so many hopes and plans for my thinner, healthier future. Anyway, please, please, please, do yourself a favour and do not hold back any information whether you think it is relevant or not. I understand and appreciate that Dr Chris stopped my surgery as a life-saving measure (he said when my liver was touched it started to bleed enough to worry him that I could bleed to death - you can't argue with that). But going through surgery for no gain is a serious situation. Good luck to you all - and especially ShellyG and Mairaid who were there with me, also lovely Alan. Shelly, thank you for all your support and I wish you all lots of weight loss and good health! Kathy

So sorry to hear this Kathy. This is one of my worst fears, I have mentioned this earlier on one of my posts that he opens me up and decides he cant do it. I like a glass of wine of a night but have gave this up for past week or two with the exception of Satuarday( friends silver wedding anniversary) to try and get my liver in good condition. Oh what a shame and now its put my fears into reality. J x:scared2:

[gillian 4]

So sorry to hear this Kathy. This is one of my worst fears, I have mentioned this earlier on one of my posts that he opens me up and decides he cant do it. I like a glass of wine of a night but have gave this up for past week or two with the exception of Satuarday( friends silver wedding anniversary) to try and get my liver in good condition. Oh what a shame and now its put my fears into reality. J x:scared2:

try not to worry homecare, im sure youll be fine..while i feel terrible for kathy, im sure this is rare, and like kathy said, chris has only had to stop an op 4 times and hes done near on 4,000 ops. and also, if he did have to do this then it would be for the best for your own health, and at least you would be well in the picture about why as he would explain totally.

[Freckles 0]

Hi girlies, sorry been mad busy, but I AM GONNA HAVE TO CALL IN AT LEAST ONCE A DAY COS i DONT HAVE THE TIME TO READ ALL THE POSTS OTHERWISE. sorry about the caps....

thanx so much shoes, I see you are trying to be good and eating 3 times a day, I'm gonna try to do that too. And stop the booze, thats maybe why I'm not losing.

Have lost a little tghis weekend, gonna update my ticker now.

[homecare 0]

try not to worry homecare, im sure youll be fine..while i feel terrible for kathy, im sure this is rare, and like kathy said, chris has only had to stop an op 4 times and hes done near on 4,000 ops. and also, if he did have to do this then it would be for the best for your own health, and at least you would be well in the picture about why as he would explain totally.

Thanks Gillian but still absolutely cr**ing myself about this. Jx

[gillian 4]

FLIRTY! just seen your liverpool photos and you look fantastic!..only seen a pic of your face before (and you have certainly lost weight from there), but looking at these, i would have never guessed youd ever been bigger!.(cant you put a before pic on to prove to me you were!?) i would be over the moon looking that good!..well done! you must be so pleased with yourself, you deserve it x

[gillian 4]

oh yes, i forgot to say, in this weeks "woman" magazine there are 2 women who have had weight loss surgery and done well, and also for those of you who have fills with wendy at WLS there is an article about sharon osborne, and her weight loss battles. it has quite a bit wrote in the article by "gastric band expert wendy stubbs"..and its our wendy!! x

[gillian 4]

Thanks Gillian but still absolutely cr**ing myself about this. Jx

what date are you going? i was the same as you..good job when its all over and done with! you will be fine x

[gillian 4]

Hi girlies, sorry been mad busy, but I AM GONNA HAVE TO CALL IN AT LEAST ONCE A DAY COS i DONT HAVE THE TIME TO READ ALL THE POSTS OTHERWISE. sorry about the caps....

thanx so much shoes, I see you are trying to be good and eating 3 times a day, I'm gonna try to do that too. And stop the booze, thats maybe why I'm not losing.

Have lost a little tghis weekend, gonna update my ticker now.

hi freckles, nice to see you popping in!..well done on losing some more pounds!.. hope all is ok with you and yours x

[ShellyG 0]

Hi Everyone,

I'm back in the land of the living!! My operation went fine but I am having a few teething problems. Just for the benefit of the newbies I'm going to do a diary of my time in brussels.

Day 1: Arrived at Brussels airport at 9.30am. There was a man standing at arrivals with a ECFS sign in his hand. I went over to him and told him my name, we followed him to a taxi where he brought us to the Campanille Hotel. Hotel quite basic but very clean and you certainly wouldn't be up for much luxury after surgery. Anyway, while I'm waiting to check in I meet two english men who told me they were there for surgery too!!

At 8.40pm there was a knock on the door. An average sized guyed with blond hair introduces himself as Frederik Serneels. He comes into the room and brings myself and my husband through the operation, shows me a lapband and gives me some literature. I hand over €3600. He leaves and tells me there will be a taxi at 6.45am for me in the morning. (all quite surreal)

Day 2: Taxi arrives as promised at 6.45am. Taken to hospital. Take a ticket from a ticket machine and wait for number to be called. Give the details to the lady and she gets a chart together for me. Then taken to the first floor to a meeting room. There Dr Chris arrives to give 5 of us (including Kathy (High Axiety) a run down on the band and what to do and not to do.

We are then shown to our rooms - immaculate with electronic beds. The nurses don't even wear rubber gloves taking bloods or anything. Anyway, quick blood test and ecg then gown and hat and I'm good to go. At this stage it's 9.40am and the girl beside me has already gone to theatre. Then I'm called ( I was 2nd) so lucky me. I was wheeled down to theatre on the bed and then transfered to an operating table. Knocked out at 11.15am and woke up at 12.25pm in recovery. Felt awful. Couldn't catch my breath but they gave me oxygen and that seemed to sort me out. Had a bit of pain so they jabbed me and a minute later......painfree!

Brought back to the room about 1.45pm. The day is a bit of a blur I must be honest. You will find you drift in and out of sleep. The worst part for me was not being able to drink. Mouth was so dry. Every nurse that came in I chanced my arm for a drink! The gave me a sponge lollipop in ice cold Water to clean my mouth.....it was heaven! Blood pressure taken every 2 - 3 hours. You'd want to see the size of the bed pans!! My 5 year old daughters would hardly fit on it let alone an overweight person. Anyway I declined and asked to go to the loo which I was happy I was able to do with the nurses help.Dr Chris popped in about 5pm to say the op went well with no complications.

Tossed and turned all night but no pain mostly discomfort.

Day 3 : Bloods again and blood pressure. Then removal of the drain from my left side (this is to remove any blood from the operating site). Then down for an xray. My xray wasn't the best. I had a slight resistance but Dr chris said no worry as it went down eventually. Then we are called to the meeting room once again. There he tells us about aftercare and the do's and don'ts again. He gives us out our operation notes and band details. I have the 7ml helogast which holds 8.5mls. The operation notes said I have a "mild steaotic liver (basically fatty liver) other than that no other visual pathology".

Discharged at 2pm. Taxi there to meet me to bring us to campanille. Went for a little walk that night.

Day 4 : Time to go home. Felt very nauseous but those motillium melts are absolutely brill. Can you guys get them in the UK? I don't think they're in Ireland yet but get them if you can.

Got home at 1pm and thought I'd try my first meal since Thursday night.....an activia yogurt. Went down ok but about 2 hours later the nausea was unreal. I think it was too thick and I think I ate it too fast.

Anyway, thats for the purpose of the newbies. Nothing hidden. Today I feel much better. Am up and about doing the washing then I'll sit down again for a while . Made a huge pot of veg Soup and pureed it and had that for lunch and it was yum.

The one thing I'll say about the band journey is it's so emotional. It makes you confront your demons. I found myself crying unconsolably to my husband on Thurs night saying how the hell did I let myself get to this. Saying goodbye to the kids was heart breaking. I was brushing my daughters hair wondering was this going to be the last time I'd do that? I know now the fear was natural but at the same time irrational. Fred did ask if I'd any fears and i said "that i'll die on the table". He said Dr Chris has never had a mortality and in the event that something wasn't right they'd cease the operation. He said "what good would it be to leave 4 children without a mother for the sake of a gastric band?". I really respected him for this and from then on I was ok. I felt that Dr Chris priorities were in the right place.

It was awful sad that Kathy didn't get done. She's had such a hard life and she was so upset. I tried to comfort her as best I could but after all I was standing there with my band and my health and she'd been through the op for no band and then given that awful news about the liver. I would wholeheartedly agree with Kathy and tell the Dr anything you think you should. Better for him to be prepared.