Patient Stories

Amanda's Success Story

My name is Amanda and I was banded by Dr Marc Focquet on 23rd January 2006.

I am 38 years old and I have three children. Having a gastric band has totally changed my life. I was a classic yo-yo dieter for many years. I always succeeded in losing a stone or 2, then I would pile it back on and more besides. I have lost count of the amount of times I joined various slimming clubs, always having the best intentions, and then failing miserably after a few weeks. It was a constant cycle of destruction.

That all changed when I made the decision to make an appointment to see Marc at his consulting rooms in Central London. He made me feel very relaxed, and I felt comfortable knowing I was dealing with a surgeon that has carried out this procedure hundreds (?) of times before. The time between the initial consultation and the operation was around 3 months, and I set off for Belgium on the Eurostar the day before the operation.

My experience of the hospital itself, the nurses and the overall care I received is a very positive one. The staff are extremely efficient, they speak English, and I always felt safe in their hands. That's not to say that making the decision to have the gastric band, and that being in hospital is not a daunting one. I took my parents with me, and I think it is a good idea to have a friend or relative with you for reassurance, both before and after the operation.

The operation itself was very straight forward for me, and I came home the day afterwards. There is a little discomfort, but not enough to stop me doing the crossword on the train back from Brussels!

My weight loss really gathered pace after I had my second fill. I thought it would be immediate, but it is trial and error to get the restriction just right - so it important to be patient, as the band is a tool to assist your weight loss.

I also decided to have some counselling too, to come to terms with the weight issues that had been with me over the previous years. I found this very beneficial.

That's not to say there are not bad days. There are some days, especially if the band is tight, that I feel there is nothing I can eat - but there is always our trusty friend - soup - to fall back on when there is a bad day! Also, there are times when I have eaten the wrong thing, perhaps some chocolate or some sweets, but I don't worry about that any more because I know that it was nothing like what I used to eat, and I just eat healthily the next day.

I still have around 10 pounds to lose to be in the normal weight range for my height, but it is not a target I am obsessed with. I feel really good about myself now. I can look in a mirror and smile and I can shop for clothes wherever I want. It really does not get much better than that for me! I am proud to be a 'bandster'!

If you have any questions Amanda can be contacted by email on m.coburn@sky.com.