night before....

[L0ckerz]

Thanks for the regular updates, I am being banded at THG next Friday, 3 August. So helpful to hear your experiences. Good luck for a fab weight loss journey. Tracey xxx

You will be fine Tracey ... I was banded today at THG first one in at 8.15 and I couldnt praise them high enough! By 10.40 I had an email with my dietician appointment on already, I can go home now but decided to wait for some traffic on the M6 to clear first, save sittin in it id rather stay comfy until its cleared. What surgeon are you havin? The nurses are so so friendly and my anethisist was lovely they put you right at ease xxx

 

[Tracey1404]

You will be fine Tracey ... I was banded today at THG first one in at 8.15 and I couldnt praise them high enough! By 10.40 I had an email with my dietician appointment on already, I can go home now but decided to wait for some traffic on the M6 to clear first, save sittin in it id rather stay comfy until its cleared. What surgeon are you havin? The nurses are so so friendly and my anethisist was lovely they put you right at ease xxx

Hiya. Pleased it went so well. I'm with Surrgudsson Nervous but just want it done. Let me know how you get on, and hope you recover quick - so pleased it is done for you. Tracey xxx

 

[L0ckerz]

I had Dr Siggurdsson he's lovely ! The best iv heard! I'm home now the only thing is niggling wind pain but it's not painful more annoying and uncomfortable more than anythin ... How you gettin on with your Pre op diet? Xxx

 

[gonnabethinner]

Hve been reading with great interest. So sorry about your bad experience, I must confess I would have though you would have got much better treatment as you went private, I think you did the right thing complaining. Also if they promise you something i.e. xray refils they should honour their promise. Keep us all posted on your progress. Good luck all of you.

 

[Galaxy47]

I have gone and joined the gym on Monday at our local sports centre and it covers all the council run gyms in our area so can swap and change about as needed.

I have had my first induction on Monday and the instructor was reading my medical history and of course I had listed bariatric surgery he asked me about it and I said that I had, had a band fitted. He then went on to tell me that he didn't approve of surgery and that he had got a guy down from 36 stone to 19 stone in 14 months with diet and excercise alone. Then went onto say that dieting with RC, SW, WW did only work when you were following their diet but when you went to eat 'normally' you would put the weight back on. He then went on to say that should follow a low GI diet that consisted of eating brown carbohydrates at every meal i.e. brown rice, brown pasta, brown bread, porridge and sweet potato not altogether I hasten to add...and that I should be eating more than what I already am he told me that breakfast should consist of cereal, 2 eggs and fruit - told him that I could not eat any where near that much even before the banding, my breakfast was a bowl of cereals occassionally a piece of fruit with it. Thankfully hubby has his induction with another instructor - we met him the other night when hubby joined and was so much more friendlier and seemed more approachable than the one that I had. But hey ho as long as we lose the inches/weight then thats all that matters.

On Wednesday we enquired as to how much it cost for an adult swim for hubby and was told £4.80. So if he went swimming with me 3 times a week or more then this would have been much more expensive than paying £28.95 for the gym, so he signed up too (which anyone who knows my hubby nearly died with shock as he is a chocoholic and never eats anything healthy at all. His idea of 5 a day is chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate, he argues that cocoa is a bean, and a bean is a vegetable so he is having his 5 a day!!)

OMG!! the first time I got in the pool I thought okay its been a while (31 years to be precise) and thought that I could just get in and swim got half way down the pool and breathed in some water, started coughing and went to put my foot down but couldn't touch the bottom which panicked me further. Hubby swam at the side of me, so kept talking to me, but by the time I had swum 1 length I had swallowed more chlorine filled water and choked numerous times.. but eventually I started swimming a bit better, although can't do many lengths at all. Am totally unfit :sigh: although we did swim for three quarters of an hour the first night and last night I managed to do 8 lengths although didn't cough and splutter as much and the pausing for breath isnt as bad.

To be fair I have never been a strong swimmer but thought it was like riding a bike that you never forgot, I haven't forgot how to do it, I just have lost my confidence in the water.

My size has previously put me off and as I got bigger then my confidence went even lower. Its a bit weird to be honest because even though I have lost some weight I would never have dreamed of getting in the pool at that previous weight, but now I have seen other people getting in the pool and they are on the larger size it has inspired me more. I think now if anyone wants to think or say anything about it, I am at least attempting to excercise and tbh I have not felt conscious at all and neither has hubby.

With my band at the moment I feel no restriction at all. I am eating a cereal bar and a banana for breakfast and having toast with 2 eggs for lunch for my evening meal I am having a salad with either chicken or ham on. My weight is slowly going down and I have lost a further 2lbs, I think this is more to the portion size and not really the banding plus the fact that I have been excercising more this week.

Will have another weigh in on Wednesday next week and see how much I have lost by then (hopefully it is a downward spiral).

 

[lolalou]

Debs your husband sounds a gem. So supportive! Well done you! I just cancelled my membership which sounds the same you have got as I was working away too much and not getting enough use out of it. I used to be able to do aquafit as part of my membership and that was great x

 

[Galaxy47]

So the weight loss is now flat lining haven't budged a pound on my scales but as I am now excercising more or less each day then hubby has said that the fat is turning to muscle and muscle weighs more than fat. So I am hoping that this is correct.

Today is my second band infill, the last one was 2.5mls in what my surgeon had said was an empty band but 'the butcher' stated there was already 1ml in there taking my band to 3.5mls.

Whatever it is at now I don't feel any restriction at all most days don't feel hungry although have noticed as we were excercising later in the evening last week due to hubby working a later shift...after we had been to the gym I felt really hungry but we just had a bowl of cereal afterwards which alleviated this.

I think also that I am not eating enough calories per day...some days have been around the 500/600 a day which I know is not good at all and think that this is more likely to be the reason as to why not losing any more weight I am trying consciously to increase this to a more reasonable amount but how much is this???

On the plus side though my jeans are hanging off me, I was laid on the couch the other evening and hubby asked if I had my jeans undone, to which I replied 'nope' they are fastened still, I promptly jumped up to show him he has said that he can tell that I have lost inches as well as weight and other people have mentioned the jeans thingy too. We went out for a family meal the other night and I would have normally polished off quite a bit as it was a carvery and we would have had desert too...I struggled to finish what was on my plate and felt like I couldn't eat another thing.

Will update again once I have been for my second fill.... hopefully it won't be as bad as the first and the bonus is this time that it is with the practice nurse...and not the one from before.

 

[Galaxy47]

Debs your husband sounds a gem. So supportive! Well done you! I just cancelled my membership which sounds the same you have got as I was working away too much and not getting enough use out of it. I used to be able to do aquafit as part of my membership and that was great x

He is a real gem, it may have taken us a long time to get where we are but it was well worth the wait...31 years to be precise but thats another story....

We went to the pool the other night and there was some aquafit on, I said to hubby that we could do that but as he would have been the only bloke then I didn't think he would be too keen.

Hows your weight loss going??

 

[Galaxy47]

Returned home from Leeds clinic and Petra was wonderful she explained everything to me about the different sizes of needles and how one needle flexes which is more suitable to people who have their ports lower in their abdomen.

Petra said that she would be using a shorter needle and we discussed the amount that was already in my band at the time of the operation and that as I had a large band then she would infill this to 5.5 mls, she gave me a drink of water to see if there was any restriction etc but this went down fine and that she was happy to see me in three weeks time for another fill. I was told that if I wanted a hot drink then I could have one downstairs if I wasn't too sure about the infill but that I shouldn't experience any further problems.

She confirmed that I could go back at anytime over this next week and gave me her availability and said that if I had any concerns at all then I could give her a call at anytime.

I spoke to her about my weight not going down for the past couple of weeks or so and said that it was down to me excercising more and not to get too disheartened as it would come off.

Petra also told me that even though I have had no problems with eating anything then I may begin to start to have problems especially with bread and beef and that this would eventually subside.

I was also told that to eat a Sunday lunch without gravy as this takes more chewing and this in itself will make me feel fuller sooner. As the gravy helps the meal to slip down much easier.

Petra also told me liquids for 1 day, sloppy for 2 and then can eat normally again. The needle still stung a bit but on the whole I feel loads better this time than the last time. Next time she said that she would carry a respiration to check the fluid etc. think thats what she said anyhow....(ya know how you come away thinking one thing and get home and think did she say that!??!?!) but thinks thats what its called anyhow, its where she takes out the fluid to check flow etc.

So soup it is for tonights tea, although haven't eaten anything all day, its my fault as couldn't eat for 4 hours prior to infill and as I got up late then didn't have enough time to have anything, although I have had drinks of sugar free dilute juice and cups of black coffee. Just waiting for hubby to come home and can't make up my mind whether we are going to the gym or for a swim or both....

Today I actually feel that things are moving forward in a more positive way.

 

[top_kat]

What an awful first fill experience, must have made you dread todays, but at least it was much more positive

 

[Galaxy47]

What an awful first fill experience, must have made you dread todays, but at least it was much more positive

Yes I was pretty anxious about the second fill but thankfully it went okay and Petra was much more approachable and informative than the previous nurse.

 

[Galaxy47]

Am at moment waiting for the dietician to ring me, I have a list of questions to ask especially as I am returning back to the company that I previously worked covering on a maternity contract, they have offered me a full time post albeit on a month by month contract...still better than being at home all the time.

Last night went to gym and we went swimming did 12 lengths and felt so much more relaxed in the pool than I had previously and felt that I swam better and my technique has improved slightly, the tummy muscles definately ache this afternoon but that is a good thing.

Will update more when I have spoken to dietician.

 

[Galaxy47]

Dieticians appointment went really well we discussed about the portion size etc and that I was struggling to have more than 600 cals a day. Said that I should be aiming for around 1400 cals a day and at the lowest should be 1200 cals.

As I don't feel hungry at all apart from when I have been to the gym, she advised me to eat little and often and try to eat a soya yoghurt or piece of fruit mid morning and afternoon.

She then told me that she was really pleased with how I was doing and that it had only been around 2 months since I have had it done, it helped me put everything into perspective and in total have lost 2 stone in that period of time, okay 7.5 lbs of this was the gain that I had put on over my holiday but even the scales showing 21lbs at the moment and still sticking there she said that as I was going to the gym then it may take the scales sometime to catch up and that I would feel that my clothes were looser on me or that I was having to move a notch on belt.

On the whole am pleased with my progress so far, did feel a bit disheartened as not lost some weight for a while but know its going in the right direction.

The dietician has arranged for me to have my appointment early morning on the 4th of September so that I can go into work a bit later (new job allows flexi-time so that shouldn't be a problem at all), and even told me that they can do Saturday morning appointments if that is better for me which will be as I will be working full-time.

Onwards and downwards....

 

[Galaxy47]

last night we didn't go swimming and walked the dog instead, Hubby is feeling very tired as I think he has cut down on food too much too soon and has low energy levels even my dad said that he looked tired. He has said that he is feeling very tired and tbh so am I.

The answer was that we would get a takeaway :flirt2: so we opted for chinese, when we got home from the takeaway it smelt gorgeous, I had crispy beef and fried noodles it slipped down far too easily and before long I had eaten most of the portion of both.

I paid the price though last night was awake until 1.30am, I then went to bed and tossed and turned as I felt really uncomfortable and at 5am I got up again (OMG!!! it was dark at that time!!) felt really thirsty and had a drink of dilute juice at 6am I thought that I had better get into bed and try and sleep.

I feel really bloated and really uncomfortable, I feel very tired and really lathergic - lesson learnt the hard way but on the plus side it has put me off eating another chinese.

Back to the healthy eating and have now downloaded my fitness pal to hubbys ipad so can access it easier and quicker and will start logging my food/calorie intake otherwise the weight lost already will start creeping back on.

 

[Tracey1404]

Thanks for your recent posts, learning more every day - especially the slider food rules. At the outset I thought gravy etc would be okay, but realise now it is almost a no no. Glad your second fill went well, I have my first fill on 7 September. My port feels quite low too so hopefully they will know what they are doing!! T xxx

 

[poshlady]

Galaxy47 I have just read your latest posts and thought i would comment - I have been struggling to lose weight recently and was getting really disheartened thinking I have spent all this money and it is not doing anything! Spoke to my nurse and she aid that I need to eat a snack morning, afternoon and evening and have smaller portions for breakfast, lunch and tea and it has made a huge difference I think because I am keeping the hunger at bay with the snacks then I am not eating much at meal times and feeling the benefit of the band. I was getting annoyed that I was not losing lots and then the nurse reminded me that it is a tool to help us lose weight slowly and steadily about 2 pounds a week and not loads in one go!!!!
Keep going with it and make sure you have the snacks you will notice the benefit of them.

 

[snack]

Look at it this way ladies 2 lbs a week = 104lbs a year that's over 7 stone in a year slow and steady is the way too go, this coming from the most inpatient person I know lol OMG I'm turning into my mother !!! :/

 

[Galaxy47]

Galaxy47 I have just read your latest posts and thought i would comment - I have been struggling to lose weight recently and was getting really disheartened thinking I have spent all this money and it is not doing anything! Spoke to my nurse and she aid that I need to eat a snack morning, afternoon and evening and have smaller portions for breakfast, lunch and tea and it has made a huge difference I think because I am keeping the hunger at bay with the snacks then I am not eating much at meal times and feeling the benefit of the band. I was getting annoyed that I was not losing lots and then the nurse reminded me that it is a tool to help us lose weight slowly and steadily about 2 pounds a week and not loads in one go!!!!
Keep going with it and make sure you have the snacks you will notice the benefit of them.

Thanks for that, my dietician had told me to eat a yoghurt or a piece of fruit in between my meals. I am trying to do that and have been taking in a small salad no where near the size I used to take when I worjed there previously and have made sure that I have fruit with me.

My first week back at work went by really quickly although over the weekend have started to feel hungry which is a strange feeling since I haven't really experienced hunger feelings since I have been banded.

On the weight loss front I haven't lost anything else although last week we never managed to swim or go to gym due to husbands working hours. I know I could have gone on my own but with it been my first week back I was feeling really tired too.

Am happy with the way things are progressing and I am noticing that even if the scales aren't showing a loss my jeans that I bought in the sales I can now get into and thats a size smaller.

Look at it this way ladies 2 lbs a week = 104lbs a year that's over 7 stone in a year slow and steady is the way too go, this coming from the most inpatient person I know lol OMG I'm turning into my mother !!! :/

Snack - yeah your right 2lbs per week is 104lbs per year, I think though I have become a bit obssesed with the scales instead of thinking about the clothes and how loose they are feeling. I am sure that it will come off if keep sticking the rules and ensuring portions are smaller than previously and keep on excercising besides dont want to lose it too much as this gives time for the skin to go back...

 

[Galaxy47]

Had my third infill today so I am up to 7.5 I think, they are going a lot better and I try and relax a bit more so the needle doesn't hurt as much either that or I am getting used to it.

Petra told me liquids for two days and then sloppy for two and then back to normal eating. I still don't have any problems eating anything I like including roast beef which is known to cause problems. She said that if I experienced any problems when I started eating normally then I could go back and have some taken out of my band. At the moment the infills are 2mls at a time, having said this though it is a large band - 14mls I was told initially that it may be 9 or 10 mls before I have any restriction.


I haven't been weighed for some time as I am trying not to obsess too much about what the scales show. I went back to my old job about 3 weeks ago and someone who was in and out of the office on annual leave for the first two weeks, commented that I had lost weight so I felt pleased at least someone had noticed and I did tell her that I had lost 2 stone altogether. The whole office is weight obsessed and all skinny minnies but hopefully will be joining them shortly..well a couple of months or more and will be in at least two sizes smaller (she says!!)

During my last dieticians appointment I advised that I would be returning back to working full time and the dietician booked me an appointment for 8.40am on the 04.09.12 and again on the 25.09.12 I emailed back asking if the appointments with the dietician was for the same time. I never received any response.

Petra rang me with regards to my appointment which was booked for the 25 September to advise that whilst she is in clinic at 8.40am it was only to do paperwork and she saw clients at 9am. I rearranged my appointment for that and also spoke to her with regards to my appointment which was to be held today and asked whether a dietician appointment had been set up at the same time as that was what was mentioned at my last appointment with the dietician. I was told that there was no availability showing for the dieticians at that time although she would look into it and get someone to ring me back, I never heard anything from anyone.

I rang last week to check when my next dieticians appointment was as I hadn't had any confirmation of when this would be. I was told by the receptionist told me that she would look into it and ring me back - this never happened.

Yesterday I had a message to ring Colin yesterday at Dolan Park. I rang when I got home from work and was told that he was on another call and that no appointments were set up for a dietician. The woman I spoke to said that she would ask Colin to ring me with an available appointment. I never received a call back although I received an email at some point of yesterday evening but I did not see that email until this evening when I returned back from work, this email stated that my appointment was a telephone appt with the dietician at 10.40 this morning and that I had to allow 1/2 an hour each side for the appointment.

In the meantime I attended my appointment with Petra (this morning) and advised that I did not have any dieticians appointment set up. Petra told me that she would email the dieticians at some point today to inform them that I could not take an appointment until after 5pm as I am driving home between 4.30 and 5pm and that I could not take any calls in office hours as I have various clients attending appointments. I then receive several missed calls to my mobile at 10.40am although as I am in an appointment with a client I cannot answer these calls. I then receive a voice mail stating that it is Amy the dietician calling I then receive an email stating that my telephone appointment was in fact set up for 16.40 today.

I came home and rang Leeds and spoke to the receptionist I was told that Amy did not work at the Leeds office and she took my home number and said that she would get someone to call me back. Its now 7pm and so far no-one has rang to give me any information whatsoever.

I have noticed too that my insides are a bit sluggish and keep meaning to get some laxatives to help mother nature along. At the weekend though we were out at the seaside and hubby decides he wanted a burger, now normally I wouldn't entertain anything like this but relented and ordered a chilli burger. It came with red hot chilli sauce on it, it was that hot that when I drank my coffee it burned my mouth...needless to say it had the desired effect and I couldn't keep off the loo for the remainder of the weekend. My stomach which I thought was still rather rounded disappeared and I have been left with a relatively smaller stomach. I just didn't realise how much was in there tbh....sorry its not a good subject to raise but its part of nature blah blah....but I was wondering as anyone else experienced a general slowing down??

Will have a weigh in next week and update my figures on the 12th of September cos that will be 3 months since my op date.

 

[poshlady]

In response to asking about food passing slower - I have noticed a real difference. I have Crohns Disease and due to this I have an ileostomy so for the past 10 years I have been used to things rushing through me!! but since the band was fitted I have noticed that things don't pass through like they used to, and some days like you at the weekend theres alot!! lol what a lovely topic to be discussing!!! I am glad that I am not the only one - i was thinking of ringing up the bariatric group to ask about this.