Patient Stories

Tony Davies' Success Story

I always had a stocky build whilst growing up. I played lots of sports, especially rugby. However my weight started piling on when I stopped playing rugby.

By 2004 I weighed 20 stone and it was then I realised that I needed to diet. I tried very hard and at first the weight dropped off, but soon I became bored by the diet and would end up going to the pub, having a few beers and a curry on the way home!!

By 2005 I was up to 22 stone. I struggled to do anything and I would break out in a sweat just walking up the stairs! I noticed that my weight was also getting in the way of my personal life. I was no longer the man my wife married and that hurt me. I decided I needed to do something or I was going to die. I discussed it with my wife and she agreed. I had heard of weight loss surgery, but wasn't sure what it entailed.

As luck would have it I turned on the TV and there was a programme that featured a lady who had had a Gastric Band fitted and was losing loads of weight. It sounded ideal. I did some research regarding the procedure and felt that it was right for me and again my wife agreed.

My next step was to find a surgeon who would be able to do the procedure for me. I searched for lots of companies in the UK but all seemed to charge so much. Then I came across a website advertising a surgeon in Belgium that would operate at a far cheaper price. Best of all was the consultation and follow-up would all be done in London.

I phoned Dr Focquet and spoke with his PA Beryl, she was extremely helpful and arranged a consultation for me. The day of the consultation arrived and I had a list of questions to ask Dr Focquet. I asked every question - and was very pleased to have them all answered. This put my mind at ease. Dr Focquet proceeded in providing me with information on the band and even showed me photos of the actual surgery. I had already made my mind up that Dr Focquet was the man to do the job.

By the end of our consultation I was expecting him to book me in for Gastric Band surgery straight away. However he said that I should go away and think about if this was really what I wanted. I was asked to call in a couple of days if I did want to go through with it. Needless to say, I rang two days later and booked a date!

My wife and I traveled to Belgium the day before the operation and stayed at the hotel that the surgeon recommended. The hotel staff were excellent and couldn't do enough for us. They transported us everywhere during our stay. On the morning of my procedure I arrived at the hospital at 08:30. The hospital was very clean. Upon arrival I was taken up to my room. I shared it with another guy who was also from England and was also having the band fitted.

Dr Focquet did his rounds and went through the operation with me, all the while putting me at ease. He told me to rest and I would be collected soon. Nurses came in and took my blood and completed a number of tests. Then at 11:00 I was collected and taken to have my pre-meds. I remember getting on to the operating table at 12:00, again the Dr. spoke reassuringly. I looked at the clock, it was 12:07 that was the last thing I remembered until waking up in recovery at 14:00.

The op took only forty minutes. I woke up with no pain, but I did feel restricted around my belly, this was due to me wearing a corset. Once awake, I was returned to my room. My wife was very surprised at how awake I was. Dr Focquet visited me an hour later and said that everything went well and he was pleased with the result. He said he would see me again in the morning.

The following morning Dr Focquet collected me and took me to the xray department. He then made me drink a fluid that shows up on the xray. This showed the fluid going through my band - all very exciting to watch. He then gave me the 'all clear' and said I was free to leave. Before leaving he handed me reading material regarding information about the band etc. as well as his email address and phone number saying if I had any problems then to contact him.

I took a while getting used to living with my band. I was used to eating loads but now I could only eat small amounts. In the first two months I lost 3 stone. I felt great. I had a fill done in London and saw the surgeon again, he too was pleased with how I looked. The weight started to slow down, but I was still losing and that was good.

It was exactly one year in April 2006 and I have lost 7 stone. I feel great, I have my life back again and it's a lot easier doing normal things. The main thing for me is that my wife is over the moon - she has her husband back!! I owe all this to Dr Focquet and his team, they are all fantastic.

Here are the latest photographs of me, showing the continued excellent progress I have made since the posting of the last pictures.