I have spent best part of the last 30 years overweight. Except for a few years in the early 80's when I managed to loose 4½ stone the rest has been a constant battle with weight. Waking up in the morning and realising that today was the first day of yet another diet is the most depressing feeling imaginable. I've done them all - counting calories, points, slimming class with exercise included, meal replacement, cabbage diets - none of them worked.

Comments like "she may be big but she's got a pretty face" were all too common. I love going on holiday but that in itself was a nightmare. What clothes would I take? - not a lot of choice in size 28. Would I fit in the airplane seat? Would chairs in the restaurants take my weight? What must I look like by the pool or on the beach. The heat and being fat just didn't go together.

Trying not to let the weight get in the way too much I lead a busy work and social life. Lots of entertaining (BBQ, parties, dinner parties, etc), caravanning and I even managed to do line dancing 3 times a week. I have always worked and in the last 5 years ran my own Recruitment Business.

As I got bigger the problems started - aching knee and hip joints, not wanting to go out – nothing to wear and not feeling comfortable in anything. Then my grandchildren were born; looking after them was a nightmare. I had problems lifting them in and out of the car, their high chairs, and the bath and carrying them up and down the stairs. Carrying an extra 2 stone on top of my 20½ stone was impossible. Something had to be done.

I read an article in a magazine about gastric banding and made enquiries in my area. The closest hospital to me was the Spire hospital in Bristol; it was there I was introduced to Sharon and the team. From that moment on everything was clear. I wanted this more than anything.

I had my band fitted in April 2005, the operation went without a hitch and felt uncomfortable rather than painful. I had my first fill in June 2005. Between April 2005 and August 2006 I had 4 further fills and I lost 8½ stone. It took a lot of getting used to. Being greedy I have always eaten large amount very quickly; getting used to a small amount and having to eat slowly was difficult a first and I found myself being sick on quite a number of occasions. Once I got into the habit everything was great and the weight loss made up for the things I couldn't have (like steaks, bread and fizzy drinks).

In September 2006 I had cosmetic surgery to take away the excess skin on my arms and tummy, by a surgeon who was used to operating on people with bands. I felt fantastic. To have the surgery I had to have my band loosened. I couldn't wait to have it tightened back up again 2 weeks later to restrict my eating. Since September I have lost a further 1½ stone bringing my weight to 10½ stone and a size 12 from a size 28/30. I'm going back in September to have a breast uplift – that's all then. I am now trying to find my maintenance level with the band and have just had some fluid taken out.

My life has totally changed. Shopping is my number 1 pastime – I love buying clothes. I love going out and looking after the grandchildren is not a problem - I don’t even think about carrying them around now. I do line dancing, modern jive, salsa and ballroom dancing. My husband has got a new wife or as he says, he's got back the one he married.