I had a gastric sleeve and lost 8.5 stone AMA

[Pickledd]

I've gone from BMI 41 to 21.

[checkanothertime]

What do you eat in a typical day now?

And are you happy in yourself now?

[PuttingOnTheKitsch]

1. How long ago did you have it done?
   
   
2. Has there been an issue with excess skin?

[WingingIt101]

Do you have any regrets / downsides?

Obviously the weight loss and subsequent health impacts that will have are great, but is it all good or are there things you hadn't anticipated / make you wish you had lost weight a different way?

Was it in the UK / abroad?

Did you have NHS support or private healthcare? (No judgement either way just interested)

Did it hurt?

[CalculatingSuccess]

Do you still crave foods? How do you feel now? How much did it cost?

[tonystarksrighthand]

Can you ever eat normally again?

[Inkpotlover]

Is there a lot of excess skin and what can you do to rectify that if there is?

[TheLovleyChebbyMcGee]

What was the first step you took? Did you ever felt judged for going down this route?

I'm debating surgery myself as I just can't see how to get put of this slump I'm in. But I just don't know where to start.

[Giggorata]

How do you maintain healthy bowels, roughage, enough water intake, etc?

[WhoopItUp]

@Giggorata

How do you maintain healthy bowels, roughage, enough water intake, etc?

I wonder this too.

Have you had much hair loss?

[WhoopItUp]

How much can you actually eat??

[IGoWalkingAfterMidnight]

Was this private? What did it cost?

[IGoWalkingAfterMidnight]

How difficult was surgery? How long until you recovered?

How long did it take to lose 8.5 st?

[FatGirlSwim]

I want one but petrified of general anaesthetic. Talk me into it!

[userxx]

What was the reason for overeating and does surgery remove that behaviour?

[Pickledd]

I had it done in Turkey really wouldn't recommend but I wouldn't say UK or nothing. I still can't eat very much I'm on Proton pump inhibitors and probably will be for life as I get reflux didn't really have it pre surgery. It's completely killed my appetite it seems to be a mixed bag on results. Some never get to healthy BMI a small amount lose massive amounts and reach lower bmis most stay upper end of healthy or overweight . I wasn't a grazer before surgery more I'd eat my daily calories and more in one go more of a binge eater.

So for breakfast I will have 1 slice of danish bread toast with a poached egg , smoked salmon. I drink lots of milky drinks and milk to assist with calorie intake. I have to eat 6 times a day to try and stop losing more weight so I wonder how much I was actually eating before. It's a really big effort to eat now so many times a day , I feel like a naturally slim person which is weird. If I have a sandwich I generally eat half minus crusts then the other half about an hour later.

I had excess skin removal done in Lithuania and it went really well. I'm two years post op and if I don't stick to actively trying to eat multiple times and milky drinks I still lose weight. It's been a bit too successful but that doesn't happen for most people to be honest. I will never eat normally again but you get used to it.

[Pickledd]

@userxx

What was the reason for overeating and does surgery remove that behaviour?

I over ate because I like food 🤣🤣 and I was greedy. It removes the grehelin hormone in the stomach mine hasn't grown back. if I get hungry rarely I will have a little meal and be full off a very small portion. I cannot physically binge as my reflux goes bad and I regurgitate food which is gross.

[AndrexPuppy]

Interesting that you wouldn’t recommend Turkey, @Pickledd . The Foreign Office has had to issue a warning to UK nationals travelling to Turkey for cosmetic surgery/medical tourism purposes because the safety record is so terrible.

www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/turkey/health

[Pickledd]

@AndrexPuppy

Interesting that you wouldn’t recommend Turkey, @Pickledd . The Foreign Office has had to issue a warning to UK nationals travelling to Turkey for cosmetic surgery/medical tourism purposes because the safety record is so terrible.

www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/turkey/health

No I really wouldn't recommend turkey , I had subsequent skin removals in Lithuania and it was a completely different . I had a fabulous experience and the hospital was better than the NHS here, the nursing team had 3 nurses and just me and 1 other patient. I actually go out there for other stuff if there's a waiting list on NHS my DH also had dental treatment . Very modern clean and spoke fabulous English the food was also lovely, fresh fish , vegetables really hearty food for healing.

[ThePastKnocks]

@Pickledd what are the pros and cons?

How much skin did you have removed and where? How many surgeries did you have? Could it have been avoided with a well rounded exercise routine?

[Gingerkittykat]

Why wouldn't you recommend Turkey, I'm thinking about going there later in the year for WLS?

[Pickledd]

Pros are I'm the slimmest I've been in since I was a teen. I can run jump I'm very physically fit , do pull-ups and it's not hard work to stay that way at all. I've weighed my self again and BMI has gone down to 20.7
Cons: you will never be able to eat normally or have a pig out ever again, I had a Chinese takeaway last night and literally had a small saucer of meat noodles and a couple of chips I was stuffed for hours. It's not that bad now but at the beginning I found it very upsetting. I also need to be disciplined about not losing too much weight now as it's gone the other way. I have to ensure I eat multiple times a day and drink mily drinks. This is a rare thing and doesn't happen to most people. I take multivitamins and will for life.

The questions about constipation , I had that at the beginning when swollen. I can chug thin liquids to my hearts content so keeping hydrated is no issue. I can't have fizzy drinks or it makes me feel sick. I'm no longer constipated at all I used to have IBS with pain and smelly wind that's gone. I fart much less 🤣
I had a extended tummy tuck with lipo suction to flanks ,muscle repair and Mons lift where they lipo your mons pubis. I had 4kg removed my breasts are still an E cup and look ok not worth an uplift. I'm going back again for lower back lift perhaps next year to lift my bum up but surgeries are long recovery so I'm not sure exactly when. I'm thrilled as my waist is now 26 inches and my tummy is completely flat. It was definitely worth it I've never been so happy with my body even Vs when I was slimmer in my teens.

Loose skin cannot be removed with exercise you can, create muscle underneath but the loose skin will always remain , it's been stretched out like a balloon then deflated so with massive weight loss you will have more of that effect..I also had a DD so had a mum pouch.

Turkey was a completely different experience I went to a very popular supposedly the best surgeon so paid much more than the going rate there. The staff didn't really speak any English , I felt very vulnerable ,the actual rooms are nice when you go the operating department I saw people getting operated on and I woke up during and straight after surgery which was very scary. It felt like a meat production line.

I've also had little assistance afterwards the coordinators were English but seemed more interested in making money. Some had more serious complications but were ignored really, had to be fixed on the NHS. I've had no real long term very serious complications which I'm happy about.

When I went to Lithuania it was completely different staff all speak perfect English very professional and it wasn't a meat production line. They don't have a big following on social media or anything . I also had multiple followups with the consultant. If I could go back I would of spent that bit more and gone there. I don't think it has to be UK or nothing but Turkey definitely feels more cowboy.

[Betterthistimearound]

Hello, new to this thread....seems Al in all you've had a fantastic result without too bad of a time.im due a consultation tomorrow with a UK bariatric surgeon and I'm almost 100% sure I'm going to proceed already.a lifetime of yo-yo dieting and now menopause has absolutely at the end of my tether and I just want to feel fitter and lighter...I have a couple of questions of anyone can help?

1. Does Hrt get affected by GS surgery?

2.Are anxiety/panic symptoms increased after surgery?
Thanks in advance

[Pickledd]

@Betterthistimearound

Hello, new to this thread....seems Al in all you've had a fantastic result without too bad of a time.im due a consultation tomorrow with a UK bariatric surgeon and I'm almost 100% sure I'm going to proceed already.a lifetime of yo-yo dieting and now menopause has absolutely at the end of my tether and I just want to feel fitter and lighter...I have a couple of questions of anyone can help?

1. Does Hrt get affected by GS surgery?

2.Are anxiety/panic symptoms increased after surgery?
Thanks in advance

It depends on the surgery if you have a bypass oral medication absorption is effected. My if you use the patch or cream its fine. The sleeve doesn't effect oral absorption it's why I chose the sleeve .. I've seen menopausal women have good results but it tends not to be as drastic as younger people. My mood personally dipped post surgery

[Betterthistimearound]

Thanks for answering honestly, I'm using hrt patches and sertraline for panic attacks and would like to continue to do so, I take from what you have said that this would be possible?

[Pickledd]

@Betterthistimearound

Thanks for answering honestly, I'm using hrt patches and sertraline for panic attacks and would like to continue to do so, I take from what you have said that this would be possible?

I take Sertraline and loads of other medications , the sleeve doesn't effect absorption of food or medications its purely restrictive . Your surgeon can give you more advice they recommend the bypass if you eat lots of sliders so crisps chocolate or if you have reflux . Sleeve is for massive portions you normally lose more weight with the bypass.