Anyone got experience of bariatric surgery?

[Spangles1963]

I am very overweight,my BMI is 41. I am considering asking my GP if I would qualify for weight loss surgery,but I have 2 questions first.

1. Would I qualify on BMI alone? Everyone I know of who's had it (and I know a few) or read about,have all had diabetes,or high cholesterol,as well as being classed as clinically/morbidly obese. I do not have diabetes,or even borderline diabetes,or high cholesterol. I DO however,have hypertension,which is controlled by tablets. I also have rheumatoid and osteo arthritis,which particularly affects my knees,hips and back,so obviously,losing weight would help this issue.
2. Would I get any say in what form of surgery I have? I am desperate to lose weight but am really not keen on a gastric bypass,as I've heard too many horror stories connected with this procedure,and I know it is irreversible. The idea of having irreversible surgery then getting problems with it is not an attractive prospect. I would rather have a gastric band,or a gastric balloon,or gastric sleeve,as I believe these are all reversible if they cause problems. Can anyone out there advise me?

A hobby a week - where did you go? I would like to pay for one rather than NHS.

My mum paid for gastric bypass and it was life changing.

I apologise for not answering your question, but just wonder if you have considered the Cambridge diet? Full disclosure - I am NOT a consultant. I had a BMI of 39.2 and was seriously considering asking my GP about surgery as I had tried absolutely everything diet wise. However, as a sort of last resort I gave myself 3 months on the Cambridge to see if I could crack it. To my surprise it worked and - key point for me - has re-educated my eating habits, which is very pleasing as I now have a chance of keeping the weight off. I am currently at a BMI of 31, so still some way to go, (started five months ago) but it may be worth giving it a go if you haven't already, as I am hoping that - for me - it is a long term solution.

Apologies if you find this unwelcome, but as someone who has battled my weight since the age of 12 - am now 55 - and am at last seeing some progress, it might be useful.

I went with new leaf to Turnov in the Czech Republic. Was great and I would recommend the surgeon there.

Im 10 months into my nhs route of getting a band. Its very long and you have to go many times to see the dietitian and consultant and psycologist. Then go on a course. They want to see you are comitted to it and show this. Ive qualified but waiting on a referal next year for surgery while still seeing my dietitian. Ive lost over seven stone prior to seeing them but still away to go. My hospital go on my bmi before i was refered by my gp. I also have a choice of a band or sleeve or bypass but i want a band. Good luck its a long wait but worth while in the end

delusionsofadequacy - Yes I have heard of issued involved with medications. Someone my DD knows had a gastric bypass and was on medication for schizophrenia. A few weeks after having the op,she went from being stable to having severe mental problems again. On investigation,it turned out that her body wasn't absorbing the drugs,they were just going straight through her. So she had to change from daily tablets to weekly injections. I take Tramadol (I can't take any anti inflammatories such as ibuprofen as they upset my stomach) for my joint and muscle pain (I have osteo and rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia) and 2 different tablets each day for my hypertension. I am worried that I may have problems with my medications and end up feeling really ill again.

this website is the Holy Grail of Weightloss Websites...

www.wlsinfo.org.uk/

I had a duodenal switch in 2010. I lost 87 kg and have maintained my brew weight for 6 years. I would not consider a partial reversal, but please remember that WLS is a massive life long commitment. Even still I have days where food doesn’t sit well after eating, there are some very unpleasent side effects to a DS, I have major vitamin deficiencies that are having long term effects on my health. And remember you will need to be able to eat enough of the good stuff to stay healthy - I need 120g protein every single day due to my rate if malabsorption post surgery. That’s a heck of a lot of food for a smaller stomach.

My best advice would be some serious counseling beforehand to help you identify any underlying issues which may be contributing to your current eating habits. These will all be brought to the fore when you suddenly have a stomach the size of an egg or banana and are struggling to adjust to a new lifestyle. Also, the dramatic change in your size and how you look and how people interact with you has a huge impact. You need to be strong enough to deal with all this in top of feeling like a bus drive over you and setting timers to remind you to eat as you have zero hunger and everything tastes funny.

All that said though I would 100% do it again in the morning. I’ve gone from a size 28 to a size 10-12. Am no longer pre-diabetic, blood pressure is actually low now. I have so much energy and life is so much different than when I had a BMI if 60. Just follow your post-op rules to the letter for life and it will be a total success!

ItNeedsMoreGlitter. - I have never heard of a duodenal switch!

I have had weight issues all my life. Done every diet going and lost significant amounts only to regain. I was 20st.

I had NHS CBT which helped me gain control of the disordered eating. Without this not sure the rest would've been as successful.

I was always absolutely against surgery, my GP referred me and I thought I'd go and see. In a short time it made sense but, as someone else said, the process was lengthy. Once my mind was made up I wanted to do it.

I had some unexpected money and used it to have a private gastric band.

I haven't looked back. It's not a magic wand and I make choices all the time. But for the first time in my entire life I don't feel controlled by food.

I still eat out, drink alcohol and eat what I fancy ( for the first time ever with no guilt!). However now it's small amounts but I'm fine with that.

I'm about halfway through my weight loss but don't worry about it. I know the rest will come off and I'll carry on as I can now.

Best thing I ever did.

@Spangles it’s a sleeve with a huge amount of the small intestine bypassed. Not sure if they’re still being done. It gives massive and sustained weight loss because has restriction and malabsorption. I’m happy with it but it’s really not suitable for everyone. And kinda hard to get to grips with for long term living.

ItNeedsMoreGlitter I googled it and it sounds quite drastic!

Hi Gemini69. Can I ask - do you physically feel the band? Is it like an indigestion pain if you eat certain things that don’t agree with it? Are you “full” for as long as you were before the band - I don’t have to eat for 4-5,hours after a meal but my meals are fairly large! How is the band filled? When you have it filled do yhey have to “operate” or are you awake and aware?

As you can see I have many questions !! Thank you in advance for any advice

Gastric sleeve here, i firmly believe i would"nt be here now without it. Super morbidly obese, 37 stone, bmi 79. Now 8 years later and 21 stone lost i have a life, i can walk, i have a job working 4 x 12 hour shifts a week and i"ve travelled the world. Went private (i don"t think i would have survived the 2 to 3 year wait an the nhs) Money well spent.