Countdown to Balloon Launch

[Yvessa]

My dietician got real antsy when I mentioned that i used my fitness pal to her, whoops.. Took a lot to persuade her that it was just so I could keep track of my protein levels....cough cough Hehehe. Once I get the bypass I will look at her way a lot more seriously though. She did say at the time that the target of 50BMI is what is messing with my head at the moment and that as difficult as it was I was to try not think about it..... Yeah right lol

I know what you mean. Ultimately they will recognise that the responsibility for our success or failure rests on us. And we need to feel comfortable with whatever we choose. My hope is that once I hit goal I just won't count but still follow the rules.

 

[treacles1977]

You've all done so well ladies, it must have taken you a lot of strength and willpower to work with your procedure. I look to your positivity to see that I can do it.... I know that is going to be hard, but you are testament to how successful you can be.

It's hard for my friends who have never been my size, to imagine why I would want to put myself rough this. They see me as me, and suppose they can't Imagine me looking like anyone else!! Or a thin version of me! But likewise, the constant struggle and dislike of myself, I realised that I had to take control, get on beard with what ever plan I w going to follow and make some real changes. Who knows, maybe I can start to like myself a bit more!

I am not telling anyone.... Only my mam knows, I don't want anyone to get involved. It's my journey and I'm happy to have you guys to walk with !

Rebecca

 

[treacles1977]

Clearly I meant get on board!!! Not beard!!! I don't have that problem! hahaha!

 

[cb4]

Clearly I meant get on board!!! Not beard!!! I don't have that problem! hahaha!

You are so right!!
Only my mam and husband knows!!!!
I don't know how I have managed to keep it quiet!
I suppose a lot of people would say I lost it because of the balloon!
But it's possibly 50% the balloon and the rest is me making positive changes in life!
But now I'm not willing to allow anyone take that hard work from me!!!! I have done it regardless of how. It was my blood sweat and tears that went into it.
But you have to love yourself before you can love others and you are the only one that's going to look after yourself too.
You stay positive and get thinking how great you will feel in a smaller size clothes. What will other people say!!!! How happy will u feel!
Remember positivity and honesty with yourself will get you to where your going.

carol b

 

[cb4]

Sorry femfrankie!!! Knew it someone had the refil balloon.
Haven't seen rosemcnose on here in ages!!!!!!! Hope she's keeping well. Xx

carol b

 

[femfrankie]

Sorry femfrankie!!! Knew it someone had the refil balloon.
Haven't seen rosemcnose on here in ages!!!!!!! Hope she's keeping well. Xx

carol b

That's ok hun lol ... As tiili quite rightly says the NHS don't do the Spatz balloon. Have wondered myself where Rose is as its been a couple of weeks since she was here.

 

[cb4]

That's ok hun lol ... As tiili quite rightly says the NHS don't do the Spatz balloon. Have wondered myself where Rose is as its been a couple of weeks since she was here.

I paid EUR4500 to get mine done and I wish I had of got more value for the money I spent!!! Sounds much better the Spatz! But at the same time, I was told I could loose 2-3 stone if I tried super hard and he wasn't hopeful for anything after that!! So I'm down 3 stone and have another 9 weeks or so to go ?

carol b

 

[treacles1977]

Carol, 3 stone !!! Is amazing !!x

 

[femfrankie]

Century club here I come!!!

Another target achieved and a new member arrives at the doors of the century club . I really can't believe I have come this far. :angel09:
Treated myself to a size 24 linen (no stretch) summer trouser from Asda and they fit lovely ... Happy happy happy!!

100lbs, 7st 2 lbs, 45.3kg gone forever!!! Just another 117lbs, 8st, 53.4kg to go

 

[treacles1977]

Congratulations xxx

 

[femfrankie]

Thank you treacle. It's been a lot of hard work but to be honest I owe a lot of it to many of the people on this forum who have been not only supportive but truly inspirational. I don't think I would have got this far on my own. For that I am truly grateful. Xx

 

[Yvessa]

Just think hon not only have you achieved that but you are inspiring others too

 

[femfrankie]

Thank you Yve x

 

[cb4]

Another target achieved and a new member arrives at the doors of the century club . I really can't believe I have come this far. :angel09:
Treated myself to a size 24 linen (no stretch) summer trouser from Asda and they fit lovely ... Happy happy happy!!

100lbs, 7st 2 lbs, 45.3kg gone forever!!! Just another 117lbs, 8st, 53.4kg to go

Great to hear femfrankie it's great when u can get a lift like that keep up the good work xx

carol b

 

[tiili]

Thanks Femfrankie.. I appreciate your honesty (though it wasn't exactly what I wanted to hear lol Iam feeling more and more than I may need to contact my consultant and ask for a two-step procedure instead (so balloon followed by surgery). Don't even know what type of surgery I would be best suited for.. I am quite anemic so am apprehensive about a bypass but I do not like the idea of all the fills etc that comes with the band.

So sorry to hear about your previous scare with anesthesia! I'm sure everything will go smoothly this time, you've done so well with your weight loss. Eight weeks - wow that is soon!

 

[femfrankie]

Thanks Femfrankie.. I appreciate your honesty (though it wasn't exactly what I wanted to hear lol Iam feeling more and more than I may need to contact my consultant and ask for a two-step procedure instead (so balloon followed by surgery). Don't even know what type of surgery I would be best suited for.. I am quite anemic so am apprehensive about a bypass but I do not like the idea of all the fills etc that comes with the band.

So sorry to hear about your previous scare with anesthesia! I'm sure everything will go smoothly this time, you've done so well with your weight loss. Eight weeks - wow that is soon!

Thanks tiili ...I feel it's always better to be upfront and I am glad that you see the need to consult with your team again as regards what is best for you. They will guide you as to what is best. I had it in my head that the sleeve would be the way to go for me but I didn't realise that because I suffer from reflux and have several hernias this for me was not going to be the best WLS to have and it could pose problems later so hence the bypass. The band was never going to be an option for either of us. So here I am & It's amazing how time flies.. It has been 6 months since my first contact with RossHall when I was told funding was granted initially for the balloon and then for the bypass as long as I met their target of 50 BMI. It was a tall order because with a bmi of 65 that meant I had 6st to lose & even more so because it had taken me 10 months to lose just 1st7lbs prior to that app! Can't say I was exactly enamoured to have the balloon first as I just wanted to be done and dusted but due to health problems that idea was never going to pan out. The idea of 6 months with the balloon felt like a life time away but I can honestly say the past 4+ months have flew in and it feels surreal to know that in under 2 months I may well be done and dusted . Scared witless but so excited and raring to start the next stage in my journey now xx

 

[Yvessa]

Tilli, are you certain about needing the balloon? Unlike frankie I had my op at a bmi of 60 - we suspect it is because I was younger with fewer comorbidities. I would also consider whether going straight to bypass or sleeve is an option.

 

[MsGB]

Hi,

I'm booked to get a balloon on 29th June, I have to decide now whether to have the spatz or not. Can you offer any advice?
I have been reading your posts and you have done really well.

Thanks in advance
Lou xx

 

[tiili]

Tilli, are you certain about needing the balloon? Unlike frankie I had my op at a bmi of 60 - we suspect it is because I was younger with fewer comorbidities. I would also consider whether going straight to bypass or sleeve is an option.

Hi Yvessa! I don't "need" the balloon per se as my bmi is not over 50 (right on the border), but with the waiting time for surgery being what it is with NHS in London I'd rather kick start the new habits with a balloon and get my bmi down further to reduce the surgical risks.

I was offered the balloon by my consultant as a "soft start" as he could see I was rather distressed by the thought of surgery. He specializes in balloons and says he has had several patients who have lost over 50kgs using balloons over a year, year and a half. At the end of the day it all boils down to how much calories you take in and how much you use up - it's just a matter of what tool you need to help you control that. Balloon is admittedly a much less effective tool than bypass etc but can according to him be a tool that works for the right person.

I may well end up asking for surgery. I just feel so unsure about what is the right path and am terrified about making the wrong choice. Obviously in an ideal world I would like to get control of my overeating by myself without having to "butcher" my insides and having to suffer the long term effects that can come with it. But am I just kidding myself that I can do it this time if I get a little help? I don't want to lose a bit and then put it all back on and end up in the same position a couple of years later and think "I had my chance, and I didn't take it".

I used to think getting surgery would be sooo nice (when I read about other people doing it) - but now that I am actually sitting here faced with that option it has all become so real and so scary. I have read on here about other people who have fought for YEARS to get funding and the support of their gp etc - and I feel guilty and ashamed for hesitating when I am being offered what others desperately fought for for years. But I can not help it.

I'm not scared of dying per se. On the contrary I have often longed for it. But I am scared of what that would do to my parents (and I have a slight phobia of doctors and hospitals..think it has to do with my control issues). They do not know anything about this and I can't tell them. They live abroad so can't be here anyway, and there is no point in them worrying. Plus - I'm ashamed.

Maybe it's all about baby steps..I went to see the doctor and opened up about my problems, which for me is a biiig step. I then went to see the bariatric consultant. An even bigger step. Once I have the balloon and see things moving maybe surgery will feel less daunting.

Thank you all for your support xxx

 

[Yvessa]

Hi Yvessa! I don't "need" the balloon per se as my bmi is not over 50 (right on the border), but with the waiting time for surgery being what it is with NHS in London I'd rather kick start the new habits with a balloon and get my bmi down further to reduce the surgical risks.

I was offered the balloon by my consultant as a "soft start" as he could see I was rather distressed by the thought of surgery. He specializes in balloons and says he has had several patients who have lost over 50kgs using balloons over a year, year and a half. At the end of the day it all boils down to how much calories you take in and how much you use up - it's just a matter of what tool you need to help you control that. Balloon is admittedly a much less effective tool than bypass etc but can according to him be a tool that works for the right person.

I may well end up asking for surgery. I just feel so unsure about what is the right path and am terrified about making the wrong choice. Obviously in an ideal world I would like to get control of my overeating by myself without having to "butcher" my insides and having to suffer the long term effects that can come with it. But am I just kidding myself that I can do it this time if I get a little help? I don't want to lose a bit and then put it all back on and end up in the same position a couple of years later and think "I had my chance, and I didn't take it".

I used to think getting surgery would be sooo nice (when I read about other people doing it) - but now that I am actually sitting here faced with that option it has all become so real and so scary. I have read on here about other people who have fought for YEARS to get funding and the support of their gp etc - and I feel guilty and ashamed for hesitating when I am being offered what others desperately fought for for years. But I can not help it.

I'm not scared of dying per se. On the contrary I have often longed for it. But I am scared of what that would do to my parents (and I have a slight phobia of doctors and hospitals..think it has to do with my control issues). They do not know anything about this and I can't tell them. They live abroad so can't be here anyway, and there is no point in them worrying. Plus - I'm ashamed.

Maybe it's all about baby steps..I went to see the doctor and opened up about my problems, which for me is a biiig step. I then went to see the bariatric consultant. An even bigger step. Once I have the balloon and see things moving maybe surgery will feel less daunting.

Thank you all for your support xxx

I can't tell you what to do - I can only tell you what made me choose the bypass. I was 30 stone, teaching full time and then coming home to family life. I was exhausted all the time - we'd have dinner and I'd fall asleep. That's when I was diagnosed with sleep apnoea. And it finally hit me that no matter what diet I tried, no matter how motivated I was, without significant help I would lose the battle. My mobility was getting worse by the day and I just felt like I was killing myself. I wasn't scared for me. But for my family, my daughter and my partner who both depend on me. I went to my gp who had been offering surgery for some time. I got funding and the rest is history. I couldn't have done it without the op.