UK Local Lap-Band® Support

Hi katieo
I am having my banding done by Dr Dillmans at the St Jan Hospital in Bruges, Belgium. Hopefully on the 8th March. I will probably go over on the ferry from Hull to Zebbruger. I dont know if I will take the car or get the train to Bruges. Bruges is a lovely place to visit so I may go over for a few days before and have a little break before the opp.

:hungry: Hello uk LAP-BAND® type people, I'm having my surgery (sheffield) in a few weeks and beginning to get anxious! I haven't told any of my family as they'd think me mad and the gossip would be rife.. so I feel like I have this huge secret. I'm hoping I'll be able to drive myself back from the hospital.. any support from fellow bandsters would be great. Thanks
annie

I'm sure everything will go fine for you! It's not as bad as it seems when you are waiting.

My only advice I will give you is when you have taken your sedation tablet keep thinking positive thoughts. Think about what you want to dream about when you are under. It has been shown to make your recovery from the anasthetic(sp?) quicker and easier. I don't know how true it is, but it certainly worked for me. I got up pretty quickly after the op and was walking about a lot sooner than the other girls. It is important to get mobile as soon as possible.

I used pink elephants and fairy castles as my image. Lord knows why!

Keep in touch and let us know how it is going for you

Suzannexx

__________________


Banded 24th October 2006. Chimay Belgium.
19/09/2008 - 161lbs. I'm in shock, I am now only 14lbs away from my dreamed of goal
17/12/08 - 147lbs. I've done it! I am now 10st 7bs, size 12!!! It's taken 2 years with a lot of blood, sweat and tears.

Annie, it might be sense for you to get someone else to drive you home. Are you having a stay at the hospital first?

Your nerves are perfectly normal, so don't worry about that. Is there anyone you can confide in. I know how hard it is when you have to keep such a big event secret. Just remember you are doing this for the good of your health and your own well being. If your friends and family don't want to see you happy and healthy then it is their loss now yours. It is really your own personal journey and you are very brave to be taking such a life changing step.
Keep looking at the positives and you will find the negatives having less and less influence.
If you need a shoulder to cry on or just a little bit of support, you will always have us here.

Keep your chin up

Supportive hugs

Suzannexx

__________________


Banded 24th October 2006. Chimay Belgium.
19/09/2008 - 161lbs. I'm in shock, I am now only 14lbs away from my dreamed of goal
17/12/08 - 147lbs. I've done it! I am now 10st 7bs, size 12!!! It's taken 2 years with a lot of blood, sweat and tears.

Hi

The idea of the UK forum sounds great.

I sympathise with the way you are feeling. I talked through with my husband the songs that I wanted for my funeral and to explain to everyone how my life had become so miserable that it was the only option left open to me. I took the guilt off him in case anything would have happened in surgery.

I also justified it in my own mind as I had two friends who put themselves under the knife to have a breast reduction and one an enlargement. Now they took the same risks and they were just for enhancing their already perfect figures! I made the choice to enhance my life!

I have told select people and they have been the most supportive and they are the people who have walked the weight loss journey with me for such a long time that they appreciate that I have not taken the descission lightly.



I am so new to all of this that I would not know where to start but would be happy to join.

I had my surgery in Birmingham uder the sugeon Mr Sigurrdson through the Hospital Group.

The after care has been very scarce. I have not received any follow up appointments and have been told that the contact I had following my consultation has now left and has yet not been replaced.

Feel they have had our money and now they are avoiding the calls when I just want to have a couple of very simple questions answered.

Good job I found this forum!

Just my luck that the new electronic band has just come to England when I have had the old one fitted!

Weight loss is going ok I started at 19 st 1 and on my scales at home I have gone down to 17 st 11.

I have experienced a major upset stomach since surgery so that may account for the extra weight loss.

I am just so pleased that I have taken the step in the right dirrection for the first time.

:clap2:

Hi Anne,
When I had my band back in Jul06, another girl whom I share a room with had it done the same time as me and she had a friend with her who drove her to Belgium and drove her back the next day. She told me later that it was the worst journey of her life, all the bumping in the car gave her loads of pain. If your hospital and your home is not too far...... but if it is, I would suggest you have a friend or family drive you. Would you be staying 1 night at the hospital at least?:omg:

Ah Saggi,
I remember that journey well. It was funny because the whole experience felt more like a holiday than serious hospital surgery. That was until the hour journey back to Brussels. On the way we talked like we weren't complete strangers. On the way back there was pain filled silence.
That makes it sound dramatic but it was the only day that I felt really rough.

So having a friend drive you or getting a taxi would be a better idea!

__________________


Banded 24th October 2006. Chimay Belgium.
19/09/2008 - 161lbs. I'm in shock, I am now only 14lbs away from my dreamed of goal
17/12/08 - 147lbs. I've done it! I am now 10st 7bs, size 12!!! It's taken 2 years with a lot of blood, sweat and tears.

thankyou so much for your responses - my god! it's like i have this huge weight (in every sense of the word) not wanting to admit to anyone what I'm doing.. and feeling aprehensive about it. I've read everything I can and tend to home in on the negatives, I'm a single mum with 3 kids (one at uni) so I have responsibility for them too. But I've come this far I can't quit now!! I'm staying overnight in hospital and it's about an hour from my house.. I shall just have to get loads of liquid painkiller and hope my automatic does the job.
UKAngel I'm having my op through the hospital group too - very nice people but I have wondered who was in charge! my contact gave me her mobile number and said I could call her at any time. Anyway will keep you posted - am trying to do 3 meals a day and from a confirmed 'grazer' it's very hard - next week slimfast I suppose then the opp...!!
annie

Good luck Annie,
It may be tough to go from grazing to regular meals before the band, but I am confident that you will feel such a difference with the band, that you will feel fantastic.

Mind you Pancake Day has been tough I managed to eat a half of a wheat free pancake! Still that is defintely keeping the pounds off and possibly losing :p

__________________


Banded 24th October 2006. Chimay Belgium.
19/09/2008 - 161lbs. I'm in shock, I am now only 14lbs away from my dreamed of goal
17/12/08 - 147lbs. I've done it! I am now 10st 7bs, size 12!!! It's taken 2 years with a lot of blood, sweat and tears.

Anniegs

I am sure you will be fine.
The hospital group were amazing before the surgery and at the hospital in Birmingham they were great but the aftercare seems to be a little hit and miss. Though I have received a dietician appointment today for two weeks time so hopefully I will get a couple of questions answered.

Its such a big life descision that it is quite nice to share it with some people that are close to you. I have shared my secret with only three of my closest friends and have managed to smudge the truth around everyone else.
Because I have been on continual diets around work colleagues for years they have not found it strange that I have been drinking slim fast shakes for the last two weeks.

No one has even commented!!

When did you say your surgery was planned for?

ukangel - I'm booked in for 6th march at sheffield, I haven't heard a dickie bird from the hospital group and have a big fat cheque waiting for them. Omg! I've bin on 'Houson Bandster' web site some of the horror stories are really freaking me out! I'm doing three meals a day at the mo and having a banana milk shake every day.. ahh so this is how to diet..?

Does anyone know of follow up care in or near Cambridge? Thanks

I don't know of any near Cambridge but there is a few in London. I've lost the details but I'm sure someone will be able to help. Did you have your band done in the UK?

__________________


Banded 24th October 2006. Chimay Belgium.
19/09/2008 - 161lbs. I'm in shock, I am now only 14lbs away from my dreamed of goal
17/12/08 - 147lbs. I've done it! I am now 10st 7bs, size 12!!! It's taken 2 years with a lot of blood, sweat and tears.

anniegs

You will be just fine. It is the best thing I have ever done and I am only two weeks into my new life. I feel liberated that I will never fail again at dieting because I am never going to have to diet again. I am now going to eat like a thin person!!!!! Small portions. It is so liberating. My clothes are just begining to show the difference and it is amazing.

The hospital group will be on to you fast enough to get in touch with you when they want your money. They offer great sales pitches and are really smooth gaining the sale its at that end that I feel they lack a little with the aftercare and advice. I think they have a problem with retention of staff and also like my husband says they have had our money.

All that said The Droitwhich Spa Hospital is lovely and the staff are amazing. They should be for the amount that you pay!!!! Hope that is where you are going. Do you know who is your surgeon? Try not to frighten yourself too much by looking at different sites be confident with your descision. It will be worth it in the long run.

Hi LibertyS,
I do have a provider in London (very good one) but limited availibility of appts, long journey. Logistic of getting kids and dog sorted in order to be gone 6-8 hours. I ask around every now and then just to see if anything is available up this way. Thus far, not yet. Banded in the US.
Thanks for your reply.