So I've bitten the bullet (if that's the saying) and booked with WLS Group at the Yorkshire clinic with James Halstead. i have been doing so much research and forum reading that it was boggling my head but i feel i have made the right choice from all the info and reviews i have read especially on here.

now that i have actually booked it i feel strangely relaxed as its done there is no more debating and do i don't i. it is going to take a lot of getting used to in terms of a new way of life instead of the mindless inhalation of food that i do now. i have 2 children under 2 and this i am hoping will give me the lease of life i need to enjoy them, i am a low BMI of 31 but have about 5 stone to lose in total and i cant even picture what that will do for me. i hope it turns out to be worth it.

nicola

Hello Everyone,

This is my first blog after discovering this quite amazing website. I have been looking for something like this for a while now.

So, I was banded on Friday 30th March 2012, so 2 weeks and 1 day ago. Only my husband and 2 friends know about my decision.

I self funded, well, me and my husband took out a loan. I am 23 years old, live in Essex and had start weight of 19st 6lbs, following my pre op diet I managed to get down to 18st 6lbs. My surgery was fine, I was surprisingly no nervous on the day of my surgery. I waited quite calmly and then when my time came walked, calmly down to theatre and then when I came round felt ok and was up and walking as soon as the anaesthetic wore off. I then went home less than 12 hours later, feeling generally ok. Unfortunately then I had a bad reaction and had to be readmitted to hospital on the Monday after being sick every 30 minutes or so. Now for anyone reading this who is considering surgery I want to STRESS that I am an exception - this is NOT a common side effect of gastric banding!

From what the surgeon told me, I have a extremely sensitive stomach, combining that with the anaesthetic it caused me a lot of sickness. So when I was readmitted, I needed to be put on a drip as I was very dehydrated, I also had a scan to make sure everything was ok, and had all fluid removed from the band, so I currently have a completely empty band. After this I was able to keep fluids down. I was discharged from hospital the next morning feeling a lot better. However, I did continue to gag for the next 3 days. which was very unpleasant, but slowly got better.

I am pleased to report that it has now been 15 days since the op and I am able to eat, drink and be merry. I have currently lost 25 lbs, bringing me down to 17st 9lbs.

My surgical wounds are healing nicely and I even mowed the lawn today!

I do not regret the surgery, I do worry still, just because I had a bad experience. I am scared of having my first fill, mainly because psychologically I have been associating the band fill with being sick.

I really hope to get a lot from this site, please feel free to contact me if you would like to, its always nice to talk to others, especially since I have not told anyone else,

Thanks for reading!

Much love xx