Countdown to Balloon Launch

[femfrankie]

I am extremely fortunate to have had my balloon via NHS as I need to get my BMI down from 68 to 50 before I have a gastric bypass which will also be funded by the NHS. It's sitting at 54 just now so I think I'm well on the way Cost for the balloon varies somewhere between £3500 & £5000 I think.
The majority of my weight loss has been prior to the balloon. In total I have lost 5 & 1/2 stone. I achieved this by maintaining a healthy eating regime and portion control. I always eat off a small tea plate with a small fork and teaspoon concentrating on lean protein first then vegetables then carbs ... If I have room. The option of filling up on veg/fruit doesn't work with the balloon as you technically run the risk of stretching the stomach and therefore losing resistance. Concentrating on good lean protein fills you up for longer . I also make sure I drink loads (almost constant) which keeps you hydrated and fills you up too but without the risk of stretching as it doesn't sit in the stomach long enough.
I will say this though ... Your head has to be in the right place for any bariatric procedure and especially with the balloon. If you do not change your eating lifestyle it will be doomed to failure.
I use the app " my fitness pal" to keep me on track... I have found that it's not foolproof though as my dietician pointed out. It's daily protein level of 45 is too low for my diet for example I should be closer to 75/90. I also have mine set for 1200 cals a day but most days I do not get above 900. I don't feel starved & I am losing weight and I don't use the spare cals to eat unhealthily... That's one way that bad habits become reformed . I use the app simply as a guide but in the beginning it shocked me into realising just how some seemingly what I thought of as healthy foods was anything but!
Once i had the go ahead for surgery I started my new healthy eating way of life. i didnt have a last hoorah meal either. I was just so bowled over about getting my funding lol.
I hope all this helps you x

 

[cb4]

I have a 6 month balloon and its in two months now. Have lost 18lb. In total I'm down 6 1/2 stone in two years and a month.
I have another 1 1/2 stone to loose to get to my goal!
My balloon in Ireland cost EUR4500.
I'm not sure if it was worth it!
I don't feel much restriction. But I do think twice, three times and if I'm honest 100 times about eating bad food and most of the time I pick the good stuff!!!!! It is a mental breakthrough for me to choose an egg over mc Donald's!
It's all in the head some got to do with the balloon!
Can feel it bouncing around every so often lol!!!!
Think I will miss that bit
You deffo have to have it in ur head to want to succeed!
Only my husband and mother knows!!!! Sisters, kids no one knows!!!!
So support is just from two people and yous on here although I am going back to my provider next week for a lot more direction!!!!
I will make it to 12stone!

In purto RICO at the minute going for a walk now, had healthy dinner last night, healthy breakfast before a cold dip
Off out for lunch now.
Love to all xx

carol b

 

[marmary]

Hi girls

Im really worried that my habits dont change!!!
My husband says that its not gonna work for me as Im not eating much, just unhealthy! I think I do eat alot!
Im tired of being the fat person among friends and family!! I have to do something about it and hope that the balloon can help me.
Do you think its possible to maintain the weight once the balloon is out after a year? Will you feel full after a small amount or will u go back to big portions?? Im so worried about that?
And do u think we need to keep dieting for the rest of our lives????
Femfrankie: well done girl! Best of luck to you!
Cb4: carol I hope u have a wonderful holiday. I dont even dare to dream of having a bathing suit on!!!

 

[cb4]

Hi girls

Im really worried that my habits dont change!!!
My husband says that its not gonna work for me as Im not eating much, just unhealthy! I think I do eat alot!
Im tired of being the fat person among friends and family!! I have to do something about it and hope that the balloon can help me.
Do you think its possible to maintain the weight once the balloon is out after a year? Will you feel full after a small amount or will u go back to big portions?? Im so worried about that?
And do u think we need to keep dieting for the rest of our lives????
Femfrankie: well done girl! Best of luck to you!
Cb4: carol I hope u have a wonderful holiday. I dont even dare to dream of having a bathing suit on!!!

Mary!!!! You seam so worried!!!!
You need to decide what u want and if its going to help you!!!!! Once u find the passion for loosing the weight then u will be on the track to slimming down!!!!!
I am still on two minds weather it was money well spent or not!!!!! I question myself all the time!!!
But I know deep down that it was worth it! I have cut down on portion size and am closer than ever before to my goal weight!
I'm also learning to say no to some junk food simply because I'm thinking more of how it's effecting my life!
I do think I done the right thing and can work so much harder from here on in!!! I can not only do this half arsed!!!! I've got another 20 weeks or so with the balloon!!!! I'm going to kick ass when I get back and give up the excuses!!!
I deserve to be the best I can be!

I hope u make the right decision for you!!!
I suggest u take a bit of time alone with the photo albums and have a good look at pics of ur self and decide if its worth it!!!!
I know the size I am I still feel huge!!!! I'm a size 16 moving into a 14!!!!! I still feel sooooo big!!!!
But I can tast 12 stone and I know I will get there!!!! Soon
Xx

carol b

 

[marmary]

Hi Carol

You are right. I need to focus. I have already decided to lose weight and will do everything. Im just worried that I get back to old habit of fast food and large portions. But I have to do this and lose 35kg!!
Xx

 

[cb4]

Hi Carol

You are right. I need to focus. I have already decided to lose weight and will do everything. Im just worried that I get back to old habit of fast food and large portions. But I have to do this and lose 35kg!!
Xx

Positive thinking marmary!!!!!
I heard that only 2-5% of people who loose a lot of weight actually keep it off!!!!
That's scary!!!!! But I know if I'm positive I will manage to keep the weight off.
I'd say I will fluctuate a lot but once I keep an eye on the scale then I will be fine!!!
I have a friend that spent at least 7 years fighting on and off to get to goal weight in weight watchers and managed it and every month will go back just to keep check. She does go up about 7lbs and then looses it again. But she just makes sure she watches it!
We can do it

carol b

 

[femfrankie]

Once the balloon is removed the resistance is gone. Your stomach will still have a void that can be filled so yes if you go back to old habits then the weight will go back on. The concept of having the balloon is that in the six months that it is in you learn to eat both healthily and in moderate quantities & once it is removed you carry those ideals forward. The same can be said of any bariatric surgery.... They are tools to get us to recognise a healthier lifestyle & they can all be a failure if abused.
I remember my first bariatric dieticians appointment in dec '12. I felt like I was in bereavement as I realised that my whole way of eating and my enjoyment of food was dead and buried. I love cooking, I love food BUT I still do I just don't eat the same quantities and when I cook the good "nice" stuff I get enjoyment from watching others enjoy it. Last night is the night (Wednesday) when all the family come for dinner. I still eat off my small plate... Roast beef with Broccoli and one small new potato..i forgo the yokie pud. This is the only day I will do dessert and yesterday it was apple crumble. I had the apple but not the crumble & nobody noticed or complained that it was sweetened with Splenda. The crumble had real sugar full of carbs n fat so that was best avoided. You learn how to make healthier changes and choices. Don't get me wrong there are days when my head is screaming at me to have that chocolate or greasy pie. I have managed to dodge those cravings so far but the desire when it happens can be very strong. I just keep reminding myself of what I have achieved and is that pie worth throwing it all away?
At that initial dieticians app I was in complete denial mode as to what I was putting in my body. Yes on the whole my diet was healthy but .... I rarely drank. I would go till 4pm without eating and then suddenly realise wow I am hungry & then gorge myself, ridiculously. I could pack an horrific amount in those 2 hours until I felt sated. Friday night would be an indian or Chinese carry out & Saturday was coffee and cake out followed swiftly with a chippy. Looking back I feel quite disgusted at myself but at the time I couldn't see the problem.
Although in denial I had already made the commitment to change. It was incredibly hard but not because of the lack of food it was totally the opposite! For years I had barely ate meals, a throwback to shift working since my teens I think. Now I was expected to eat small and often....breakfast?? What is that? Meat or fish midday? Now that took a whole lot of getting my head round! Snacks in between awww come on now! Dinner was a doddle because this was always my only regular meal. It was just smaller and healthier. Because I was eating small & regular I never had that wow I'm hungry feeling again. I must add though that real hunger is totally different feeling from the ohhh I could go something really nice feeling otherwise known as head hunger..... It's something that you need to be aware off because head hunger can scupper any healthy eating plan.
So at this point I urge you to take a serious look at your present diet and be totally honest with yourself. Do this on your own so that you have nobody to get defensive with. Look at how often you eat, what you eat, when you eat and what you drink... Do a diary even. This is why I love my fitness planner as it does it for me .. I just have to put what I have eaten in and it calculates lol. Look at how you can change and take it from there. You will be appointed a dietician when you go for the balloon and she will keep you right but Before you go for that balloon get the head part sorted and you will be well on your way. Otherwise you are wasting good money. Sorry for being blunt here but it just fact. Good luck mamary xx

 

[pooh71]

Hi girls

Im really worried that my habits dont change!!!
My husband says that its not gonna work for me as Im not eating much, just unhealthy! I think I do eat alot!
Im tired of being the fat person among friends and family!! I have to do something about it and hope that the balloon can help me.
Do you think its possible to maintain the weight once the balloon is out after a year? Will you feel full after a small amount or will u go back to big portions?? Im so worried about that?
And do u think we need to keep dieting for the rest of our lives????
Femfrankie: well done girl! Best of luck to you!
Cb4: carol I hope u have a wonderful holiday. I dont even dare to dream of having a bathing suit on!!!

Hi marmary
The balloon needs dedication and change of lifestyle if its going to work for you. As does any WLS. It's not easy.
I had the balloon in last year for 6 months. First three months were great (apart from initial sickness), and I had the restriction I needed. I ate loads before and had bad habits. I lost two stone. BUT, after three months I noticed I could eat more, and lo and behold, bad habits started coming back and by the end I was eating normally. When the balloon came out, the weight lost went straight back on.
So, it really needs you to focus and work with it to succeed. I just didn't have focus that at that time obviously, although I thought I did!
I now have the sleeve and I'm totally in the right place mentally and know I can do this. If only I'd been able to do that with the balloon I'd have more weight off now!
I just wanted to tell you my experience to show its not all plain sailing unless you are really committed to this.
I wish you the best of luck with what you choose, and stay positive. It can be done as the ladies above have shown! X

 

[femfrankie]

Why am I?......

Well I'm a third of the way through my balloon experience & just under 2 stone down. My weight has been like a yoyo this week and I am still not at my next target grrrr tomorrow is my weigh day so hopefully I see a result then.
I was asked by my mum yesterday if I felt better. Yes and no.... I am more agile and a bit lighter n quicker on my feet but I HURT. My back is killing me, my knees are aching and slipping, my hands and feet feet are stiff and sore, my frozen shoulder seems to have returned, the reflux is a pain in the butt, my skin is like sandpaper and my hair continues to thin......
Can someone please remind me why I am doing this please?

 

[cb4]

Well I'm a third of the way through my balloon experience & just under 2 stone down. My weight has been like a yoyo this week and I am still not at my next target grrrr tomorrow is my weigh day so hopefully I see a result then.
I was asked by my mum yesterday if I felt better. Yes and no.... I am more agile and a bit lighter n quicker on my feet but I HURT. My back is killing me, my knees are aching and slipping, my hands and feet feet are stiff and sore, my frozen shoulder seems to have returned, the reflux is a pain in the butt, my skin is like sandpaper and my hair continues to thin......
Can someone please remind me why I am doing this please?

Ah poor u femfrankie!!!!!
It's just not fair!!!
I'm away, nice n hot! My hands were swolen yesterday cramping and so sore! So much for the heat helping!
I think all the pain and aches is to remind u how bad it is for the body to have had that two extra stone on it. The body's shrinking and getting used to less all round. The hearts getting an easier job as well as the lungs, this will take time to feel better!
Hang in there! Your doing a fantastic job! Xx

carol b

 

[Yvessa]

Well I'm a third of the way through my balloon experience & just under 2 stone down. My weight has been like a yoyo this week and I am still not at my next target grrrr tomorrow is my weigh day so hopefully I see a result then.
I was asked by my mum yesterday if I felt better. Yes and no.... I am more agile and a bit lighter n quicker on my feet but I HURT. My back is killing me, my knees are aching and slipping, my hands and feet feet are stiff and sore, my frozen shoulder seems to have returned, the reflux is a pain in the butt, my skin is like sandpaper and my hair continues to thin......
Can someone please remind me why I am doing this please?

Because you want your bypass which will ease your reflux. Hang in there honey.

 

[RoseMcnose]

Mary why don't you do a strict diary of your eating for two weeks and go and see a dietician. Have them review your diet and see what they say

You will then know if your husband is right and you can address it or you can show him that he is wrong and he will support you.

You have to be so strict and honest though and everything that passes your lips must be recorded.

 

[femfrankie]

Ah poor u femfrankie!!!!!
It's just not fair!!!
I'm away, nice n hot! My hands were swolen yesterday cramping and so sore! So much for the heat helping!
I think all the pain and aches is to remind u how bad it is for the body to have had that two extra stone on it. The body's shrinking and getting used to less all round. The hearts getting an easier job as well as the lungs, this will take time to feel better!
Hang in there! Your doing a fantastic job! Xx
carol b

Awww so sorry Carol but hope you are enjoying the break despite this.
I know my feet are complaining because I am now on them more. When I worked I was on the go & on my feet all the time and suffered greatly with plantar fasciitis (sp). After forced retirement because i was much much more sedentary they stopped hurting after a while. Now it's back with avengence. I think i am also fed up with people asking me when i am going to give up the sticks now that i have lost so much and done so well and surely i must feel better for that. I am extremely proud of what i have achieved and yes i do feel better but in a lot of other ways I'm worse!. To those that ask when I'm going to throw the sticks away I want to scream well its no bloody time soon anyway but I'm too polite and people don't want to here that part. its not helpful that i just cannot tolerate the painkillers right now due to the reflux. There's nowt worse than constantly burping your tabs back up :yuk:

Because you want your bypass which will ease your reflux. Hang in there honey.

You have no idea Yvessa but that thought is soooo keeping me going. I think my hormones are all to pot as well which isn't helping. I am having another acne outbreak, I'm grumpy, headachy & generally down. But I know that this will pass .
Thank you ladies for all the support it is so much appreciated xx

 

[Yvessa]

You have no idea Yvessa but that thought is soooo keeping me going. I think my hormones are all to pot as well which isn't helping. I am having another acne outbreak, I'm grumpy, headachy & generally down. But I know that this will pass .
Thank you ladies for all the support it is so much appreciated xx

I know the feeling. I did the milk diet for four weeks than an other two preop - it was the thought of the op that kept me going. Are you taking anything for the reflux?

 

[femfrankie]

Yes lanzaparole twice daily. It helps but I think the hiatal hernia is the main problem The balloon giving permanent fullness keeping the stomach valve open technically ... But who knows all I know is that it's a pain in the butt lol

 

[Yvessa]

I do feel for you honey - reflux is horrid. I was lucky as mine was never too bad, and post op I have only had it once and that was because an antibiotic got stuck. Seems I can't cope with capsules, but can have horse pills?? The bypass is a funny fiend.

 

[Yvessa]

Just a thought, but have you ever tried peppermint capsules?

 

[femfrankie]

Never heard of them lol but certainly will have a look out today when I am out.. Thanks hun xx

 

[marmary]

Mary why don't you do a strict diary of your eating for two weeks and go and see a dietician. Have them review your diet and see what they say

You will then know if your husband is right and you can address it or you can show him that he is wrong and he will support you.

You have to be so strict and honest though and everything that passes your lips must be recorded.

Rose thanks for the advice. Sounds good. Will try to do it from today. Xx

 

[femfrankie]

As I posted in the thread http://www.wlsurgery.com/chit-chat/152150-new-wardrobe-required.htmlI thought I better show off one of my outfits hehe. Weight still stuck at 22st... God I hate it when I stall but I feel better in my new clothes from M&S

http://www.wlsurgery.com/members/33024-albums2592-picture16203.html