Gastric band or bypass!

My sister had a band op done in Belgium. She thinks the op cost £3,000 plus flights and hotel etc. I can pass the surgeons details on if you like?

She see's the surgeon sometimes in London for post op appointments as he has a clinic once a month I think.

I can also put a link to the the forum she uses which she says is really helpful.

I have seen horrer storys about going to a diff country for surgery that scares me more than having it done over here to be honest. But no harm in looking a send it over please. thanks hun x x

I think she would recommend it, she has lost about 6 stone I think.

Our hospitals are just as bad if not worse sometimes arent they?

My sisters repsonse

tell her there are as many horror storiesd aout the nhs ! Tell her the hospital i stayed in was immaculately clean, 3 nurses to each patient...superb care, would highly recommend it to anyone. People only ever tell the horror stories never the good ones, gets right up my nose that does. She needs to speak to someone who has had it done ! If shes intereste she needs to investigate it thoroughly and find a surgeon who has been recommended, not just listen to 'horror stories'

website is www.wlsinfo.org.uk meaning weight loss surgery. this is for ALL types of surgery including bands, bypass, rny etc....requires a £15 registration fee but is well worth it. I found my surgeon on here.

Wow ur really trying to sell it lol wroth thinking about eh. I will look at the links and if i have any questions i will let u know thanks hun ?

What has the Dr said about you not loosing weight? Have they got you to write a food diary of what you are eating and take it to them?

What is your weight and height (or whats your BMI if you prefer nto to say your weight)?

Sorry for all the questions, just want to look at things properly for you

I have done the food diary and i didnt cheat and not put things down. I need to drink water where i dont i drink coffee like its going out of fashion (slaps hand).

I have been to see the diaticion and she was stumped as i seem to eat a good ish diet i have breakfast a light lunch and a fair dinner.

I know i need to exercise more i am going tp pick up a excersice bike that i have got from free cycle on sunday so i aim to be on that every night.

I am 18st but my highest weight was 22st but now what ever i seem to do dont work even hubby has said about all what i have tryed and its all failed.

I will take any advice and help i can get the gastric op is the last thing i want to do. I had thought about out for a power walk but have no one to go with and would feel sooooooo silly on my own lol.

I use https://www.verywellfit.com/calorie-counts-and-nutrition-facts-overview-4581869 to keep track of my calories. Plus it tells how many calories I should have each day. Try that for a couple of weeks and see how you get on.

As for the power walking, I use my mp3 with my favourite fast songs to get me walking quicker. I sometimes just go out for 20 mins but half of that is uphill, so sweating loads by the time I get back in the house. Just even starting going round the block. Sorry can't help more. But you have lost 4 stone so well done on doing that, that's quite an achievement.

Has the doctor/dietician advised/tested for anything else?

Has the GP said whether any type of tablets may help?

Have you yo-yo dieted in the past at all? This can cause problems with your metabolism

My dr is not all that im over weight i got to deal with it thats how it feels all the drs i have seen have the same attitude. Diaticion cant really help as i am doing everything i need tro do.

I have had tests done but they dont show much.

I just feel so alone and fat.

I have been on tablets and lost a bit but side affects have made it so i have to stop them. yo yo diets i have been on diff ones but i have never found one that really dose suit me its a shame i dont have anyone close that i can do this with.

Sorry to hear this, I would try changing GPs before going as drastic as surgery, see if a different GP can help you

I have been referred for a duodenal switch on the NHS. Different PCTs have different criteria- have you seen www.bospa.org -that will tell you what your pct criteria is.

A duodenal switch is a relatively new procedure where the stomach remains essentially intact but part of the bowel is removed so you only absorb 30% of that fat from your food. An RNY (usually referred to as a bypass) is where they create a pouch out of the stomach. A band - they just put round your stomach to make you eat less.

tbh you need to look at your eating habits and decide WHY you are fat to know which surgery wil work for you. If you just generally eat large portions then a band would be ok as it would resrict your portion sizes. If you eat a lot of sweet stuff then a band may not work for you as it will just slip through the band and you wont lose as much weight. It may be worth looking at the stats for different surgeries- I originally was interested in the band but when I found out more about it, I discoved a karge percentage of people were still struggling with weight loss and many had not actually lost that much weight.

To get my referral on the NHS- I did the following: have been seeing various dieticans in the community for the past 12 years, had counselling; had specialist counselling in an eating disorders unit; had specialist counselling with a dietician; 2 gym referrals; weight watchers, slimming world, low carb diet (monitored at the hospital); I also had to demonstrate how my weight was affecting my health- e.g. I have high blood sugars (borderline diabetic), painful knees and hips, breathlessness, blah blah blah the list goes on. Basically I had to demonstrate how having the operation would save the NHS money in the long term rather than leaving me as I am.

I am due to have a sleep study in the next couple of weeks also to check for sleep apnoea.... I have been warned it will be a long wait though... at least a year.

As for costs: you are looking around 7-8k for a band and about 10-12k for a bypass or duodenal switch. www.bospa.org has lots of info but it really is not something to be entered into lightly.

Just a thought is there anyone in Harlow here that would fancy a power walking buddy? I just dont want to go out on my own sad i know but i know i need to get out more! just a thought.

Hi Hunnybird.

My friend had a gastric band fitted in UK 18 months ago. It cost just under £8000. She has to pay £100 everytime she needs it readjusting too, which is fairly often (it can become looser, or get an air bubble etc, which need fixing)

She has lost weight, but i have to be honest and say she would have lost the same amount by eating less and moving more, which is in effect what she is doing with the band anyway. It was not a drastic weightloss like you can see with a bypass, so for me, it just showed that she ate too much even though she thought she ate ok.

Sorry to be blunt, but maybe you are eating too many calories? I too thought i ate the right amount, but am shocked at how much less i need to consume to lose weight, and believe me, i am far from starving myself.

I guess the positive about a band or suchlike is that it 'prevents' you from over eating, however, you can still 'cheat' if you want to. My mate has been known to liquidise chocolate as liquisd do not make you feel so full.

I am taking reductil at the moment as i know i eat too much and find it hard to know when to stop, for me, these tablets have worked but i know i need to retrain my brain to tell me to stop eating when full and not carry on, it is not easy! I think though, the key to my weightloss has been the exercise, i need to do that, and i don't enjoy it, but i make myself do it.

I don't think there is an easy answer to weight loss, a lot is dependent on our attitude and the way our brain has been 'trained' to think about food.

Good luck Hunny, and i hope the above does not offend you.

x

Hi Ginger no, no offence taken hun i am open to all help i dont have and wont have any money to go for an op any time soon, I am just so fed up with feeling the way i do all the time. I have been on tablets and they didnt do anything for me. I know i need to look at what i am eating more but i am honets i dont cheat, I really do try.

I am picking up a exercise bike of free cycle tomorrow so the evenings will be spent on that and i might just breave going out for wlaks on my own as i dont know anyone in harlow that will come with me lol.

I think i need to find a really good diet and stick to it so if you know of one that is easy (as im not the brightest perosn in the world) i would be greatfull.

Thanks girls x x

Hi Hunnybirduk,

Why don't you give Paul McKenna's - I can make you thin, book. I read it a couple of years ago and it helped me a bit with re-teaching myself on how to know when I was full. Knowing the signs of hunger and just being thirsty, getting out of bad habits.

It won't do any harm to have a read. I know you said you have written diaries but did you write down the calories/weight. The reason I say this is because, although on the face of it my diet was relatively okay (apart when I'm having a chocfest), but OMG the portions were huge. Especially spaghetti bolognaise (huge), I got a shock to the system when I worked out much a 'normal' should be. But tbh I have got used to it now and it does fill me up rather than eating way beyond being full.

Sorry for the rabbling on. but I hope some of it helps.

Oh, one more thing. Really start with the exercising. I've been on 'diets' before and did no exercise and although I lost some weight, the exercise does help.

Hi July, I did have pauls book somewhere but i didnt really read it i tryed the cd but mu kids kepted coming in so didnt get the full affect. i will give it asnother go. so how do i work out the calories and weight of things im usless at this sort of thing and wuill take any help hun. i need to lose a lot of weight!!!! thanks hun x x

Hi Hunnybird, Sorry you're having a hard time, I know what you mean about not having anyone to go out with, its annoying but you've just got to do, its not as scary as you think!!

I'm currently doing slimming world, is it something you would think about doing? They have recently changed it and now have an extra easy plan, that means all free food on red and green (so meat, pasta, veg, potatoes, ricee etc) are free so you can have as much as you like, not like the old plan where it was either meat or pasta/rice in one go, you can have it all in 1 meal. You still get 15 syns to use for things like choc, or sauces etc, and you get 1 of each healthy extra.

I've done slimming world before and found that it made me think about food all the time, constantly planning what I was going to have next, but now as you can have most things at each meal, it just basic, heathy, cooking from scratch eating. I really thought hard about joining but my sister was doing it and told me all about it. I'm really enjoying it and have lost 7.5lb in 2 weeks!! I've got loads to loose and feel like this is something that I will continue forever without feeling like Im on a diet!. Its teaching me good healthy eating with small treats when I want them.

I hope that helps, might be worth one final last try, with all your effort before resorting to costly, drastic surgery xxx

Take care lovie xxxx

If you want an online diet buddy, whether or not your doing slimming world, im up for it! I'd like someone who is in a similar boat to chat too when I'm having good and bad days, we could set small goals togwether and keep each other going, totally up to you though!!!

Hi sunny day i am up for an online buddy r u on msn at all?

I think Ive just signed uo for it, what do I need to do now?!??!

Ok send me ur email for it and i will add u

If you let me know when you've done it Ill delete it from here!!!

edit - i think I have added you !!!

I know someone (2 in fact) who have had the bypass. I don't know anyone with the band.

The one i know very well paid about £10k for it and the results have been trully phenomenal. (the other lady looks amazing too, but i don't know her well enough to discuss the details)

She did a massive amount of research and decided the bypass was considereably better than the band. more major surgery initially; yes, but far less after problems than the band assuming it all went well and much more successful results

She had it 2 (maybe 3?) years ago, and has lost 8 stone. yes. 8. Her skin has all shrunk back and she won't be needing any tucks etc. She's in her 50s as well, so that's pretty good going. The wieght loss has settled and she's been a stable size 12 for about a year now. (she was a 24)

She can eat and drink what she likes and rarely (ok sometimes) gets sick (all self inflicted from over doing it. Bread is hard to digest - but she still puts away a fair amount of it!!)

The recovery was slowish but manageable. Her surgeon was Mr Feinnes (the explorer's brothers / actors' uncle) in London. He pioneered the proceedure. Not sure which hospital. Perhaps it would be cheaper elsewhere. Dunno.

I am DESPERATE for one as well but H won't even discuss the matter without getting verbally abusive.

The lady(ies) i know have totally had a complete restart at life. Unbelievable transformations - inside and out.

If i could, i so so so so so so would.

Hope that helps.

Hi,

If you go to the website I posted on page 1 - calories something or other (I can't remember it offhand). I'm sure other people may post ones that they use, so try them all out and find which ones suit you best. Its free to register. Put all your info in. age, weight, height, etc. It will calculate how many calories you need to lose 1-2 lbs a week. It's a bit boring to start with having to put in all the info for everything that you eat, you have to weight things out to start with but if you eat a lot of the same things, its not too bad after a couple of weeks. It also has a bit where you can put in any exercise you made do as well.

As for calories - mine are 1450 a day. dividing that between eg. 3 meals a day which is 483 calories per meal. but usually for breakfast its more like 200-300 calories, lunch can be 300-400 calories, then approx. 500+ for main meal and then the rest is for snacks. I also try and eat something every 3 hours, a piece of fruit between each meal, otherwise when it comes to lunch time end up having a much bigger lunch than I really need.

As for the walking, I know you mentioned you didn't really want to go walking yourself. I used to hate it. I then started walking somewhere, if you get what I mean. I would walk to the library, walk into town, walk to sil/shops but go the really long way round, rather than exercising.

hth

Let me know how you get on.

Just to play devil's advocate here, but if you are seriously considering spending between £3k and £10k on invasive surgery, why not spread out the cost and employ a dietician and personal trainer? Not only will you lose the weight but you'll be fit as well. Especially as you're 'only' 18 stone - it's not as if you're housebound.

Hope the robust comments don't offend but I wouldn't personally consider surgery (and the associated risks) unless I was going to die without it.

Hi Laura

I would recommend you join a specialist forum such as www.wlsinfo.org.uk so you can chat to people who have had surgery of all types, both on the NHS and self funded. You'll then be able to get a good idea of the real pro's and cons. Weight loss surgery is quite an emotive subject and peoples reactions can often be their personal ones without considering what might be right for you.

I had a gastric band in 2003 and have lost about 10st, best thing I ever did! I also know lots of people though the wlsinfo site who've had all different surgery types. Some have done brialliantly, some not so well and some have had complications.

Its important to do your research and go into something like this with your eyes wide open.

Take care

Do u know i never thought about a personal trainer how would i go about getting one!! (thick icon) i really would love to do the weight loss without surgery. Maybe a trainer is the way to go. good thinking.

And will go on the websight for calorie counter and give that a go.

I picked up an exercise bike today of free cycle (no computer on it though) so i am to do that every night for an hour.

Thanks for your help girls x

Sorry to hear you sounding so low, I felt the same this time last year. I was always tempted by those rubbish ads for fantastic diet products that promised the world. I knew it was all rubbish bu I wanted a quick fix and wantend to believe what I read.

But then something Baron said made sense. I realised the easiest (and only) way to loose weight was to Eat Less and Move More. I didn't dare go out walking etc, I felt a fat fool. But we got a wii fit. Ok I know many (Baron included ?) will say its not very taxing but I felt any exercise was better than nothing. I also started calorie counting, looking for ways to improve my diet whilst actually keeping it normal - ie what i liiked and wanted to eat.

Exercise wise - have a look at your council Gym. One here does a Dr's referral programme. For £50 you get 12 weeks unlimited off peak use of the gym incl classes and 4 sessions with a personal trainer. nce completed you can become a peak time member for the price of off peak.

Diet wise - can we help you? Have a look at what you're eating, work out where you're goiing wrong. Give you ways to improve?

I feel very strongly that we shouldn't diet to loose weight. We should change our life style, in such a way we will stick at it.

I hth a little, and if there's anything else I can do please let me know