My gastric band adjustment history........

I have realised I have not really documented on here my adjustments (fills and aspirations).  I know many bandits want to know what others have in their band - everyone is unique, of course, and just because two people have the same sized bands and the same amount of saline in their band does not mean they will have the same experience of satiety & satisfaction.

Also, numerous factors affect the apparent 'restriction' provided by the band; including:

• weight loss/gain (less/more fat around the band and stomach will result in less/more pressure being placed on the tissue under/around the band);
• water retention (effectively 'plumping up' the tissue under/around the band);
• atmospheric temperature (heat can cause body tissues to swell - potentially including the tissue under the band);
• emotion (it is no coincidence that 'feelings' are often described in physical terms; butterflies in the tummy, gut wrenching, stomach turning etc);
• water distribution in the body (resulting in many bandits feeling 'tighter' in the morning);
• and potential swelling/bruising of the tissues under/around the band due to vomiting/food regurgitation.

My Gastric Band Adjustments

30/12/2011          +4.5ml                    = 4.5ml      (added by Mr Hewin at surgery)

09/02/2012         +1.0ml                    =5.5ml

09/05/2012         +0.5ml                    =6.0ml

26/09/2012         +0.25ml                  =6.25ml

22/07/2013          -5.0ml                     =1.0ml       (aspiration of all removable saline before surgery)

27/09/2013          +3.5ml                    =4.5ml

24/05/2014          +0.5ml                    =5.0ml

20/07/2014          -1.25ml                   =3.75ml     (aspiration due to being in red zone due to heat)

Today is my tittiversary........

One year ago I had my breast uplift operation.  I am chuffed to bits with the results. The mastopexy scars have healed, and faded, better than I could ever have hoped.

I love that I can go braless and that my boobies stay up on my chest where breasts are 'supposed' to be.  On my recent holiday in Mexico I only wore underwear twice.  Such freedom!

Holidaying in Mexico July 2014

I had my band aspirated today! HURRAH!!!!!

Such a relief!  I was fortunate to come across the details of Dr Kai Rabenstein and his lovely wife Jaci online [fillprovider.net]  Jaci has a gastric band and Dr Kai (an anaesthetist) trained to provide gastric band adjustments; between them, they provide numerous services for pre and post op bariatric patients and (oh joy!!) one of those is gastric band fills and aspirations.  As they both work full time they run their clinics mostly at weekends which is perfect for me.  

Dr Kai, very generously, agreed to see me at 10am this morning (Sunday) and I was very impressed with both his and Jaci's knowledge, understanding, compassion and sensitivity concerning band issues.

Dr Kai spent time assessing what I had in my band already, and considering how much to remove.  I very much appreciated his concern to get things right for me with regard to getting me out of the red zone (imperative) but without pushing me a long way away from the green zone.

Dr Kai removed all of the removable saline from my band and I was able to drink (the heavenly glass of very cold water Jaci had brought) easily.  Bliss.  He then put all but 1.25ml back into the band.  I could still drink :).  He put another 0.25ml back in (meaning I had 1ml less than when I had arrived); drinking caused gurgling and I could feel that the water was 'pooling' above the band.

Dr Kai and Jaci involved me in a conversation about what would be the best amount to remove.  We went with 1.25ml out of the band.  I had 5ml in there and now have 3.75ml.

It was a breath of fresh air to meet practitioners so well informed.  My experience of some (possibly all) of the 'fill nurses' at THG has been that their knowledge about how the band works, and good band nutrition, is patchy at best.  Kai and Jaci have a clear understanding of all things band :)

Indeed Dr Kai explained to me the physiology behind - when I am in the 'green zone' - my band being tighter in a morning.  I have always wondered why that is.  In short: whist we sleep water, that has gathered in the lower part of the body during the day, is redistributed throughout the body causing the stomach to become slightly 'plumper' with water overnight - resulting in a narrowing of the passage into the stomach where the band is placed .  As the day progresses gravity pulls the water into the lower body again - effectively loosening the band...... 

Jaci and Dr Kai are very much involved in trying to improve access to bariatric surgery and are keen to provide support and advice and support to bandits / bandsters struggling with their band. 

If you are within travelling distance of Hastings (where they live) I thoroughly recommend them to you.  Even if you are too far from them to visit if you need advice / support you might consider a telephone or Skype consultation and their website fillprovider.net, is very informative and an excellent read for anyone considering a gastric band and for those of us already banded.  

Although it is a 4.5hr round trip for me I will, almost certainly, be using Dr Kai and Jaci in future.

I'm struggling :(

Misery of a too tight band.......

I've been back in the UK for almost a week.  My band has remained very tight and - to be honest - it is total misery!

I tried to get an appointment for an aspiration with THG on Monday but was told there was no nurse at my local clinic that day.  They could have potentially offered me an appointment for Tuesday or Thursday; due to being away on business all week I had to decline.  

I very much understand that - from their point of view - it would appear that my need cannot be that great if I choose to not attend when they are able to offer me an appointment.  I run my own business however and I am away from home much of the week. cancelling work would have a devastating impact on my income, my professional reputation and ultimately my business.

I am struggling to get even water to go through the band and food is pretty much impossible - ice cream, chocolate and crisps are all I have eaten in two weeks!  Not good on any level and certainly not good band / weigh maintenance foods!

It is taking me all day to drink - tiny sip by tiny sip - half a litre of water and half a litre of milk.  Both have to be ice cold to go down.  Usually I drink, at least, 5 litres of water and black tea per day.  The weather even here in England is hot and humid so dehydration is a significant risk.

The situation has improved very slightly over the last 24 hours but is far from tolerable!

It is also difficult trying to work and travel with the constant risk of my needing to regurgitate the last sip of water (and other sips that are sitting above the band).  Getting ice cold water when I'm driving the length of the country in a heat wave is also tricky (especially when it takes hours to drink small bottle so even if its ice cold when I purchase it, it isn't by the time I've drunk an eighth of the bottle).

I am also RAVENOUSLY HUNGRY!!!  I guess because the band works, in part, by stimulating the nerve endings at the top of the stomach every time a piece of food travels through the band (and each swallow of food can take numerous peristaltic motions of the oesophagus) that with my stomach having swollen to effectively 'close up' under the band the brain has stopped listening to the nerve endings' signals because they are constantly being triggered!! 'Satiety' is effectively absent for me right now.

Red zone is a bad place.  I don't ever want to be here again.

I'm looking into other options for getting an aspiration.  I am out of my aftercare package with THG and I do have choice with regard to the provider I use.

I need to get this sorted - and sooner rather than later; as well as it being miserable, ultimately, I am also at risk of band slippage and/or pouch dilation.  

Eeek....  I don't want to think about that.  Will look at some lovely photos from my holiday instead:

    

I'm missing the sea and the swimming :(

Mexico band hell

¡Hola!

I'm in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico on holiday with my lovely husband.

Today is our last full day of a two week break, we fly home tomorrow evening, and I will be relived to get home. Don't get me wrong this place is glorious. The hotel is pure luxury, the people are very friendly, the area is stunning, the weather is scorchio and the food and drink are superb.

The problem is the heat has caused my band to tighten. I was fine for the first few days, and okay for the first week (although I did have heartburn towards the end of week one). For the past 5 days however the temperature has soared and my band has become unbearably tight. Food is a no-no and at times even water won't go down.

Yesterday and the day before it was taking me 2 hours to drink 500ml of water (usually I can down a pint of water in seconds) and even then I was usually regurgitating it back after all the effort of getting it down.

That is no trifling matter in this heat! I'm constantly on the verge of dehydration. Today I realised that hot drinks make the issue worse (in the UK a cup of tea in a morning eases a tight band) and that milk is a godsend! I have had 8 glasses of milk today (as well as 2 litres of water).

I have barely eaten all week and today out of desperate concern husband bought me a magnum ice cream. He said the look on my face as I ate it and felt it go through the band was priceless! Ice cream and milk go down easier than anything else (even water).

I'm gutted this has happened here in Mexico. I feel ill with it and my band is actually hurting me at times. And aside from all of that the food and cocktails here are to die for! Mexican food is my absolute favourite and for the first week I was loving the chilli peppers, guacamole, salsa and scrummy meats. Not now though :(

I am avoiding alcohol too. Don't need to be dehydrated further but also it causes horrible acid as it sits above the band.

In short Geldof is causing me misery! I will definitely have a complete aspiration before travelling somewhere hot in future.

Despite that husband and I have had an amazing holiday.


X

¡Hola! from Mexico

Husband and I are here on a two week holiday.  It is glorious here and I am loving being able to wear a bikini - I know I could have worn a bikini when I was bigger but I would not have done so - and having the energy and capacity to tolerate the heat and remain active.

My boobies are now fully healed after the uplift surgery almost a year ago.  My breasts sit full and round up on my chest where breasts are 'supposed' to be and, for the first time since I was 14, I am able to go braless.  I haven't worn underwear since we arrived here.  Bliss!

Here are some snaps:

View from balcony

Hubby and I having fun in the sea

The Lobby bar - my favourite place to sit

Me

Reading on the beach

Caddying for hubby playing golf

<3

Secrets Vallarta Bay - Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Happily I am losing weight quicker than I gained it.................

Although, terrifyingly, I managed to gain 11lbs in a mere 4 weeks (up to 13th April).  I have, thankfully, managed to shed 10 of those gained lbs in 3 weeks.

A very good week...............

I've stayed away from rubbishy carbs, only eaten when I was actively hungry and stopped eating when I was no longer hungry.

The result has been (over 6 days) a very pleasing 5lb weight loss; ½" loss from waist; ¾" loss from tummy; ½" loss from hips; ¼" loss from both thigh and upper arm.

28th April 2014

4th May 2014

Here's me being chuffed after measuring myself, and then trying on holiday bikinis, this afternoon.

I'm a happy bunny

After my breast mastopexy (uplift) last July, and then small augmentation in January, my boobies are now fully healed and I'm very pleased with the results.  I have, round, pert breasts (they pass the 'pencil test with flying colours!) that sit up on my chest and remain there when I remove my bra :)

Before my breast surgery I was a size 34F.  I am now a size 34F/G.  Exactly what I had hoped (note: breast uplift usually results in a reduction of 1-2 cup sizes, the augmentation op was to replace the volume lost in the mastopexy).

My scars are healing/fading beautifully (I had a full anchor lift); they are much less obvious/red/visible than I had anticipated (yay!!).  Scars are already fine and pale and, I'm hopeful, will fade more and more over time.

Being able to chose bikinis with no support is a total joy!  I have bought a few triangle bikini halter tops in size 18 (no more extortionate cost for cup sized bikinis - yay) and they fit well over my boobs but each of the back straps will need shortening by a couple of inches.  I'm waiting until closer to my holiday before I get my sewing machine out to make the alterations (I might lose a bit more 'back fat' between now and then).  Size 12 bikini bottoms fit fine but I am hoping the slight bulges of flesh at the waist band will be long gone before we jet off!

I need to recommit to my vibration plate - and I will starting tomorrow.   May will be a month of focused exercise to firm up my muscles (June is a crazy work month but I will try to do as much as I can then too).

Hubby and I are going to Mexico for two weeks in an all inclusive, adults only, luxury resort.  We fly out on 28th June the day after my 40th birthday; hubby's birthday is 29th June :).

Who knows I might even post a holiday bikini shot (or two).

Making progress.......

............thank goodness!

I have managed to keep away from refined carbs and both weight and inches are reducing.  I am back in control of my eating and hunger is much lessened (phew!).

I am eating small portions, only when I am actively hungry and eating mindfully.  Most meals (one or two per day) I leave food on my plate.  If I feel hungry and am not able to sit down and have a small, mindful, meal I eat something like piece of cheese or spoonful of sugar free peanut butter.

5lbs and an inch from my waist shed in the last two weeks.

I feel thinner and less 'yukky' (when I was gorging on carbs I felt sluggish and headachy much of the time); and I am not obsessing about food all the time.  

13th April 2014

28th April 2014

I'll update next weekend.  x

Fell off 'the wagon' and got back on....................

............ Having committed to refocusing, quitting refined carbs and working with my band, I lost 5lbs and posted about it on here.   

I then went on a total carb bender!!  It lasted around a month and resulted in my regaining the 5lbs I had lost and a few more into the bargain :(.  I reached the highest weight (13st) I have been since I got to target (11st 6lb) almost two years ago.

My lowest weight was 10st 12lbs (last August/September); and although I know I was 'too thin' then I am appalled that I gained 2st 2lb (30lbs) in little more than 6 months!!!!

It was as if I were deliberately trying to sabotage myself.  Stuffing down as much high carb rubbish as I could.  Day after day thinking "I might as well eat as much sugar (basically what carb is) as I want - I've ruined the diet for today and I'll start properly tomorrow"; of course "tomorrow" did not come..............

I run my own business and, since Christmas, I have been working 7 days per week and the 70+ hour weeks were really taking their toll on me.  There was a point a month or so ago that I was close to burn-out and I guess I - subconsciously - reverted to an old coping mechanism: FOOD!!!!

SUCH AN IDIOTIC THING TO DO!

I've had a serious word with myself.  My work schedule has eased a little and I am now (two weeks and counting) eating well again.  I will weigh and measure this weekend and update the blog then.

Getting back on track........

In the past two weeks I have cut out the carbs and refocused myself on eating well and mindfully. Once sugar is out of my system I don't crave it and I only want to eat when I am physically hungry.  

THE RESULT: 5lb weight loss and 1.5" lost from my waist. 

I have re-read (actually listened to the audiobook) of 'Why we get fat and what to do about it' and that has been so helpful in reinforcing what I need to do.  If you haven't read that book I very much recommend you do.  Then, once you've read it, read it again. And again.  

The result of reading 'Why we get fat and what to do about it'

If only...........

Weight gain!!

I adore hippos but I do not want to resort to looking like one again..........

I have fallen back into some old and bad habits.  Namely eating food that is worthless (refined carbs, sweets and the likes) and eating for reasons other than physical hunger.

I have, this week, had a serious word with myself and refocused myself on my weight, the reasons I lost the weight in the first place, and the many benefits of being lighter and healthier.

I have weighed and measured myself (something I was avoiding doing) and - significantly - I have updated my tickers to reflect the gains and how far above my goal weight I now am.  

THE HORROR!!

The result of my having fallen into 'old' and 'bad' habits!

I am feeling very ashamed of myself.  Part of me didn't want to update my blog.  I think it's important that I do though.  For me and for anyone reading who might be considering a gastric band.

-------------------

My BMI was 23 in August, after my first breast op.  It is now 27!  I have gained 23lbs (almost 2st!!) in less than 7 months.

Because my size 10/12 clothes still fit I have duped myself into thinking that I no longer have weight issues.  

I need to fully recognise that I will always have a weight issue.  I'm a food/carb addict in recovery. Like other types of addiction that means I will always need to be vigilant and to abstain for the most part.

To refocus myself I will:

• weigh and measure myself weekly;

• only eat when I am physically hungry, "if the problem is not hunger the solution is not food!!";

• eat small portions of food, chew well, and STOP eating when I am no longer hungry;

• cut out refined carbs;

• regularly update my blog and ticker to keep me accountable;

• get a band fill* (the band is there I might as well use it);

• recommit to exercise;

* I have a band fill booked for Monday 24th March (due to my business commitments I couldn't attend any sooner).

I'm sure I'm not the only person to totally agree with this!!

laparoscopy scars - two years on...........

Scars two years post-op