Claire's Story: A diary of weight loss

Date of Gastric Band - 11 April 2012
Start Weight - 21 stone 7lb
Clothes Size - 22/24

1st March 2012  - I watched a programme on the TV tonight about someone that had a gastric band, and my husband said to me that may be my only option to lose weight.

Friday 2nd March 2012 - Researched local Hospitals and phoned Spire in Tunbridge Wells for more information. I booked an appointment to see Mr Boyle for the following Monday.

Monday 5th March 2012 - I took a friend with me to my appointment to see Mr Boyle. He was very friendly and asked me about my eating habits, he explained the operation in detail, and the next steps if I wanted to proceed.  He said that I would be very suitable for the operation as my main problem was that I liked large meals and I my diet was high in carbohydrates.

Mr Boyle explained that I would need to have appointments with the dietician, the psychotherapist and endocrinologist, they would then decide if I could proceed with the operation.

In the next 3 weeks I had all the appointments and I decided that I couldn’t just lose weight on my own, I really needed help. My biggest motivation was my 10 year old daughter, I wanted to be a ‘normal’ size and see her grown up. It was an easy decision to make.

I admit that I didn’t lose any weight on the two week pre-operative diet mainly because my diet was already low in fat but it was the amount I was eating.

So I had a date of 11th April for my surgery and weighed in at 21 and a half stone, approx 136 kilos. (My height is 5ft 11in)

 Wednesday 11th April 2012 - The staff in the hospital were great, and I felt very relaxed, no nerves, and no regrets.

I admit that after I came out of surgery I tried to sit up in bed and it was pretty painful, after about 4 days this started to get better. I was on fluids for the next 2-4 weeks and managed fine on this.

 Wednesday 2nd May 2012 -  Today was my follow up appointment with Mr Boyle; I had lost 18lb which I was pretty happy with. The only problem I had now was that I seem to be able to eat more or less the same as before which I was a little confused about. Mr Boyle explained that I would need to wait to have my first band fill before I would get any kind of restriction, which I couldn’t have until at least 6 weeks after the operation.

I did at this point have a bit of a low period as I perceived that it didn’t seem to have worked for me.

 29 May 2012 - I had my first fill under X-ray control, a needle is inserted through your stomach wall into your band, have to say it don’t sound great but I didn’t feel a thing, I had about 8ml put in, and was told that it may need adjusting, but to give it a few days to see how it works. I found after a couple of days I had no restriction so I returned on 7th June to have some more put in. Straight away I could feel there was a difference.

16 July 2012 - Weight 18 stone 11lb, weight lost 38lb. size 20
Nobody said it was going to be easy, and at times I wonder why I couldn’t have done it myself. You still have to have will-power, if you don’t you are only cheating yourself. 

 31  August 2012 - Weight 17 stone 12, weight loss 51 lb, size 18
I am finding it easier to keep my food down, this was because I was eating too quickly,  it takes me up to an hour to eat my dinner, which takes some getting used to. I seem to be more aware of portion sizes, and can’t believe the amount I used to eat. I also look at food as fuel now, which is really what it should be.

I can now fit in the seats in the cinema with gaps either side of me.

I have lost 7 inches from my waist.

I now wear a sports skirt to badminton sessions.

My Judo kit is a size smaller and that’s now big on me.

My daughter and husband are over the moon.

I can go clothes shopping in the same shops as my daughter and try items on together.

Nicholas Boyle

Contact

Medical Secretary:
Karen Mays
TN3 0RD

View on Google Maps

Tel: 01892 800 355

© Nicholas Boyle 2021 | Site by The Web Practice | Web Privacy | Patient Privacy | Accessibility | Contact | Circle | Spire