Gastric Band - Kent/London

[fastestfatfluffer]

Hi,
1st evening reading posts / info etc - what a vast amount of knowlege/experience !

I'm 41 / 21 stone and about to embark on gastric band surgery. Typical yo-yo 17st-21st, recent years less success. In last 12 months I've attended gym with a personal trainer 3 times a week. Not lost an ounce, but for a fat bloke I sure can run fast now ! I've never felt fitter - but still cannot find clothes apart from the likes of stumpygeezer.com / ebay...

My Doctor has referred me for band funding and it's in the (alleged) final stages. However, after doing a LOT of research and now reading a ton of posts here, I'm decided upon this course of action, funding or not.

I just have a few questions to pose if I may :-

1) Can anybody recommend a surgeon/hospital in Kent/London plse. I'm paranoid about MRSA, poor surgery etc. Really would appreciate some advice.

2) What is "dumping" - 1st I've heard of it on here, I'm really naive sometimes - is it throwing up / eye of a needle ? (which end plse)

3) I want to exercise after surgery - clearly without my innards evacuating themselves - any comments on roughly how long before I can return to my trainer/Gym ?

4) With a band, will I REALLY lose the urge to raid the biscuit tin after eating my evening meal ? (I eat a good healthy meal - then spoil it with 4/5 bourbon creams..). I'm hoping I'll feel fuller for longer.. Naive again maybe ?

I've read LOTS of posts this evening - some are truly inspirational and I can "feel" the support here.

Apologies if I've asked lots of dopey questions, but I sure would appreciate any feedback.

Regards,

Mark

 

[michelle7272]

Hi,
1st evening reading posts / info etc - what a vast amount of knowlege/experience !

I'm 41 / 21 stone and about to embark on gastric band surgery. Typical yo-yo 17st-21st, recent years less success. In last 12 months I've attended gym with a personal trainer 3 times a week. Not lost an ounce, but for a fat bloke I sure can run fast now ! I've never felt fitter - but still cannot find clothes apart from the likes of stumpygeezer.com / ebay...

My Doctor has referred me for band funding and it's in the (alleged) final stages. However, after doing a LOT of research and now reading a ton of posts here, I'm decided upon this course of action, funding or not.

I just have a few questions to pose if I may :-

1) Can anybody recommend a surgeon/hospital in Kent/London plse. I'm paranoid about MRSA, poor surgery etc. Really would appreciate some advice.

2) What is "dumping" - 1st I've heard of it on here, I'm really naive sometimes - is it throwing up / eye of a needle ? (which end plse)

3) I want to exercise after surgery - clearly without my innards evacuating themselves - any comments on roughly how long before I can return to my trainer/Gym ?

4) With a band, will I REALLY lose the urge to raid the biscuit tin after eating my evening meal ? (I eat a good healthy meal - then spoil it with 4/5 bourbon creams..). I'm hoping I'll feel fuller for longer.. Naive again maybe ?

I've read LOTS of posts this evening - some are truly inspirational and I can "feel" the support here.

Apologies if I've asked lots of dopey questions, but I sure would appreciate any feedback.

Regards,

Mark

HI THERE,
you obviously know that all areas all differ regarding waiting times ,etc.
also i asked about the band but was told by my surgeon i was too big for band and the bypass was the way to go.so you may find depending on your bmi that they may suggest other alternatives.
sorry cant help about the hospitals in your area.i went to nuffields in leeds which is private but my surgery was funded by the nhs.there they was very precautious about mrsa. 1 week before my op i was given a disinfectant to wash in head to toe every night and some cream to put up my nose twice a day.all this to prevent mrsa.
dumping.......aint had it myself yet...
its when you eat something high in sugar you get a sugar rush which can make you sick,dizzy and you may need to lay down until it passes.
i hope you mange to find the answer to your other questions sorry i couldn't help more. michelle7272

 

[alliecat]

Hi,
1st evening reading posts / info etc - what a vast amount of knowlege/experience !

1) Can anybody recommend a surgeon/hospital in Kent/London plse. I'm paranoid about MRSA, poor surgery etc. Really would appreciate some advice.

2) What is "dumping" - 1st I've heard of it on here, I'm really naive sometimes - is it throwing up / eye of a needle ? (which end plse)

3) I want to exercise after surgery - clearly without my innards evacuating themselves - any comments on roughly how long before I can return to my trainer/Gym ?

4) With a band, will I REALLY lose the urge to raid the biscuit tin after eating my evening meal ? (I eat a good healthy meal - then spoil it with 4/5 bourbon creams..). I'm hoping I'll feel fuller for longer.. Naive again maybe ?

Hi Mark.
Welcome to Minis. You will find loads of support here. I am having a band fitted privately in Norwich on July 14th. My BMI is 41, I was told by my surgeon that as I am only 35 he thought this was the best option for me, and they have a monthly support group here for follow up support which you have lifelong membership to.

I was initially asking about bypass as I have a very sweet tooth and can eat unlimited amounts of cakes, biscuits, choccy etc and was worried that they would slip through the band and because of the dumping that you may get with bypass I thought that perhaps that would be better for me. My surgeon said that in fact you can still eat lots of sweet stuff with the bypass, but you have to be prepared to accept the consequences. He has a lady who has been bypassed who still eats a tub of ben and jerrys a day and is happy to live with constant diarrhoea as a result! I think that with either the band of the bypass you will still get head hunger and cravings for those bourbons - surgery is not an easy option and you will still need some willpower my friend!

Re the dumping, I think that only happens with the bypass and not the band. I am not sure about the exercise thing but I can find out - I have a consultation with the specialist nurse on Friday. I asked about driving and was told as soon as the anaesthetic is out of my system (48hrs) I can drive again!

Hope some of this helps. I am sure others will post and give you lots of info too. Good luck and keep us up to date with your progress

 

[mandy-1975]

Hi Mark

I had the bypass 5 weeks ago, I have not regretted it, I have had dumping and it is wher you go light headed and feel sick and I usually have to sleep for a while after..... but at present I am being sick with most things....

I wasnt allowed to drive for 2-3 weeks your insurance doesnt cover you for two weeks after surgery apparently, I was told i wasnt allowed to drive until i could do an emergency stop!!! it does differ though...

Hopefully someone will be along very soon to answer all your questions much better...

Welcome to minis

 

[shelbell]

Hi Mark,

Yup you don't get dumping with the band, only with the bypass. This is because its not to do with the size of your stomache, but because with a bypass food goes directly to part-way down your intestines, which aren't capable of processing the sugars and fats. so if you eat high fat or high sugar foods you get dumping syndrome which like others have said consists of dizziness, fainting, nausea, the runs etc.

I'm a northern monkey too, so can't help on the hospitals sorry. The best thing would be to just research research research! Make google your best friend lol. If MRSA worries you, then when you find a hospital or two that you are interested in call them and ask what prevention measures they take for it.

My understanding with the band is that yes, you do feel fuller for longer. Neither of the surgeries though will get rid of mental/emotional cravings, thats something you are going to have to learn to deal with yourself.

Good luck with the funding app, hope it goes through for you!

Shel

 

[wannafitonplaneseat]

hi im from kent and im having my bypass done by shaw somers on the nhs and this will be at the st richards hospital in chichester.i will be back on later if you want more info as i seen your post thought i would post quick reply,if i can help further i should be about after 6pm ish

 

[shelbell]

ooooh he's the (rather cute) doc on the fat doctor isn't he?

 

[shelbell]

re-reading your post Mark, you're doing this NHS, so in all honesty you probably won't have a choice in surgeon/hospital, it will be whoever your PCT contracts out too.

 

[georgina]

hi mark well had my bypass a year ago and have lost just ova 8 stone so far i went private and i live in wales, have u considered a bypass with ur sweet tooth lol, but either way its worth having done, dumping is awful trust me ive had it u get a feeling of very heavy flu like symptoms and sweating u may even be sick but u just have to sit or sleep it out im afraid, its to do with a sugar rush because of the bypass, but ur having a band so i dont think u get dumping with that, anyway good luck and if i can help anymore let me know ok xxx

 

[wannafitonplaneseat]

ooooh he's the (rather cute) doc on the fat doctor isn't he?

hmmmmmm yes he is im soooooo lucky

 

[fastestfatfluffer]

Many thanks for the replies - really helpful.
Fortunately I don't have a mega sweet tooth - just not really in control of the amounts I eat...

Whilst my Dr has recommended me for funding under the PCT, I'm actually in a quandry whether or not I ought to pay for this myself. Afterall, I've done all the eating to myself ! Perhaps the PCT could do with the money to look after far sicker people. Might sound kinda weird, but that "guilt" is lodged in the back of my subconcious.

Hopefully with a band, "dumping" is unlikely to be an issue. But after reading LOADS more on here, it would appear that an Endoscopy is required prior to banding surgery ?

I had one about 10 yrs ago as my Dr wondered whether I had a stomache ulcer at one time (not the case) and the "small tube, you will hardly notice it" was in fact about the diameter of a hose pipe. I'm a bloke - pain and discomfort is not something we do well.

I wonder if Endoscopy is a pre-requisite to surgery ?

I'll keep reading through the mountains of postings on here - all very interesting.

Thank you all for your assistance !

 

[fastestfatfluffer]

hi im from kent and im having my bypass done by shaw somers on the nhs and this will be at the st richards hospital in chichester.i will be back on later if you want more info as i seen your post thought i would post quick reply,if i can help further i should be about after 6pm ish

Thanks - sure would be interested in your progress / updates - all the very best for your op.
Mark
ps: such a good nickname - I flew out to USA a couple of years ago and JUST fit into the seat and JUST got the seatbelt on and I mean JUST. The sweat was pouring out of me and the flight attendant had to REALLY look to check that I did have the belt fitted - it was buried half into me. Since then it has cost me a fortune to fly as I book club seating now, as they accommodate the fuller figure.

 

[mandy-1975]

Hi Mark....

I personally think you have as much right as any of us to have this on the nhs..... yes ou did get fatter yourself but sometimes things happen beyond our control!!!

It is really up to you, i would see what the pct say and they may say no and then you will have to pay yourself, if it is what you want!!!!!

Good Luck....... you will be fine,

I had an Endoscopy a few weeks ago and was so scared nearly walked out of the hospital refusing to have it.... untill the counsultant came in room.....

they must of give me double the dose or something.... i never felt a thing!!!!!!! LOL the bit i hated the most was the spray that went down my mouth.... that was foul

 

[shelbell]

when i was in endoscopy they gave all the patients a pre-med so your memory of the actual event is very hazy. that with the numbing spray makes it much easier.

That was about 14 years ago now (OMG) and one of jobs was cleaning the scopes. How scary is that? A 15 year old work experience kid responsible for making sure the scopes are clean! No wonder MRSA is such a problem.

 

[mandy-1975]

wow...... You are so funny........

The nurse told me to just listern to her.... i don't even remember her talking to me.... i just remeber waking up 3 hours later... feelign extremely tired......Im sure they knocked me out cause they knew i was goign to panick

 

[shelbell]

I don't remember anyone having a problem with the scopes the time I was there. I watched loads (going both ways lol) and I used to love the laparoscopys because on the end of the scope was this red light and you could see it going down the throat through the skin.

 

[mandy-1975]

your mad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[shelbell]

well duh lol. its the prescription painkillers honest!

 

[Fattyfattyboomboom]

Hi Mark.
Welcome to Minis. You will find loads of support here. I am having a band fitted privately in Norwich on July 14th. My BMI is 41, I was told by my surgeon that as I am only 35 he thought this was the best option for me, and they have a monthly support group here for follow up support which you have lifelong membership to.

I was initially asking about bypass as I have a very sweet tooth and can eat unlimited amounts of cakes, biscuits, choccy etc and was worried that they would slip through the band and because of the dumping that you may get with bypass I thought that perhaps that would be better for me. My surgeon said that in fact you can still eat lots of sweet stuff with the bypass, but you have to be prepared to accept the consequences. He has a lady who has been bypassed who still eats a tub of ben and jerrys a day and is happy to live with constant diarrhoea as a result! I think that with either the band of the bypass you will still get head hunger and cravings for those bourbons - surgery is not an easy option and you will still need some willpower my friend!

Re the dumping, I think that only happens with the bypass and not the band. I am not sure about the exercise thing but I can find out - I have a consultation with the specialist nurse on Friday. I asked about driving and was told as soon as the anaesthetic is out of my system (48hrs) I can drive again!

Hope some of this helps. I am sure others will post and give you lots of info too. Good luck and keep us up to date with your progress

Hi there,

I noticed you said you were in norwich. I am in lowestoft and am currently looking into getting the band done but for places in norwich. Would you mind telling where you have chossen? I have looked in having the band for about 6 months now, and my husband seems to be supportive of me, so I am considering taking the plunge. I too like Mark had a personal trainer and was loosing weight, but not much. I was actually quite shocked. I worked out 3-5 times week, and was also using body chef which limited me to 1200 calories a day and it didn't do much. And most times my calories were less than 1200 a day as the evening meals weren't exactly to my taste.
Sorry to digress, anyway, any help on the norwich area would be great.

Thanks
J

 

[alliecat]

Hi Mark,

I am having a band done, no endoscopy for me! Not standard procedure pre-op as far as I am aware. Hope that helps x