To turn down weight loss surgery

[Fatgirlslimgirl]

Name change for this.

I’ve gotten to the point where my weight is dramatically effecting my life.
I feel depressed and out of control.

My BMI is 43 and I’m 18 and a half stone :(

I have some major issues with food, I binge and generally eat rubbish.
I’m always so exhausted and I know it’s down to my extremely poor diet.

I can either be 100% healthy or 100% unhealthy.
There is no inbetween.

I just cannot seem to control my weight and at this rate I will just keep getting bigger and bigger.

I’ve tried Slimming Groups, Calorie counting, various apps, but have little success.

I contacted my Gp in hope that they could offer me some support with my out of control eating.

I was referred to a 12 week programme of exercise and healthy eating and as long as this is maintained for a set period, then I will be referred for weight loss surgery.

I didn’t ask for this and it’s really not something I want.

I don’t see how having surgery is going to help my mindset with food.

I’m out of control and surgery isn’t going to help that.

Today so far, I’ve eaten - (and yes I’m aware this is terribly bad)

2 slices Wholemeal toast
6” Subway (chicken and bacon) on Italian bread
1 pack of dorritos
3 chocolate cookies
Handful of chocolate buttons

I have such an overwhelming need to binge.

Am I being stupid turning down the weight loss surgery? Should I just go for it?

I think we (overweight people) should be offered therapy, because it's definitely a mental health thing. Weight loss surgery won't fix the underlying issue of WHY you over eat...

urgh im in this cycle. The only way I cannot binge is not to have any 'treat' food in the house. I probably need a good psych

@FooFighter99

I think we (overweight people) should be offered therapy, because it's definitely a mental health thing. Weight loss surgery won't fix the underlying issue of WHY you over eat...

@FooFighter99

I couldn’t agree more.

@Hankunamatata

I’m the same. I don’t buy it, but then I will go to the shop or order a Deliveroo.

It feels very compulsive.

I also find low carb works pretty well. I don't do keto, bit just cut out all grains, pulses, refined sugars and nearly cut out white potatoes.

Typical day would be:

Chia pudding or fruit, yoghurt and cream or eggs and avocados

Soup or salad

Steak, cauliflower mash and pepper or blue cheese sauce

Snacks: cheese, nuts, fruit, veg

Cauliflower or broccoli rice is pretty good. Courgetti as well instead of pasta. It does work and you get in a lot of nutrients, as you fill up on fruit, veg and protein instead of starchy carbs.

I need to get back on it actually and might start another thread!

If it was that easy not to be overweight and control what you eat you wouldn't have posted
Seriously consider WLS if you've been offered it
I had Gastric Sleeve surgery this time last year and it's changed my life, a complete turnaround.
If you're not sure just research it thoroughly, it took me 2 years to decide and I went private.
If you've been offered it on the NHS then seriously consider it, it's not an easy way out, it's bloody hard work, and you have to be mentally ready.

Being referred to a specialist clinic is also a way to access properly supervised Saxenda treatment on the NHS. Perhaps that might be something that helps you whilst addressing the reasons you have the sensation of that gaping hole you are trying to fill with food?

I was nearly 22 stone. I'm now 15 and still decreasing; I'm doing OK without medication, surgery, specialist referral or any magic fix diet plans - sometimes something just clicks into place and it becomes something you do, rather than something you can't, but for others, the additional help from a specialist can be what triggers that switch, whether it's due to medication, therapy or surgery.

Ive had weight loss surgery and it’s completely switched off the need to eat in my head. I’ve lost 5.5 stone so far and it’s changed my life, my relationship, my parenting, everything. Without this there is no way I could have lost weight, I didn’t realise how much I thought about food/eating/bingeing before but that background chatter in my brain has gone and I feel amazing. I’ve done coach to 5k (before 2 flights of stairs knocked me out) it gets rid of the hormones in your stomach that controls hunger and not feeling full and my Brain feels reprogrammed. It’s been life changing

[quote Fatgirlslimgirl]@Hankunamatata

I’m the same. I don’t buy it, but then I will go to the shop or order a Deliveroo.

It feels very compulsive.[/quote]
That’s it isn’t it. It is a mental health issue. You’re addicted to food and you’re using it to fill some sort of ‘hole in your sole’. It’s an immediate/ short term response to satisfy some sort of emotional need.

Other than psychotherapy have you tried antidepressants like Sertraline? I know they can (not always) have a tendency towards weight gain but it might help manage the compulsive element?

You don't necessarily have to have Bariatric surgery but this will also give you access to a specialist Bariatric dietician and possibly Saxenda treatment if you're eligible. It'd be quite some time before you got to the top of the surgical waiting list anyway and you can work with the dietitian in the meantime before deciding whether to go ahead, a lot of our patients have subsequently declined surgery after having a lot of success with Saxenda whilst waiting for their planned Bariatric surgery

I've had a gastric sleeve at the beginning of the year and I've lost 6st and it COMPLETELY changed my attitude to food. I was a horrific binge eater and lived on shite, I've gone from 18st to 12st and still losing 1-2lb per week.

I would highly recommend it to you & there's a book written by Denise Radcliffe (leading NHS expert) which is very illuminating

I don't think it's necessarily a mental health issue, certainly not for me anyway. But I do think there's definitely some sort of underlying problems that needs addressing first. For me it's sleep. My sleep is a mess and when I'm tired some switch flips in my head and I just can't stop eating high energy foods, even when I'm so full that I feel physically sick. I have sleep apnea and getting treated for that made a huge difference, but it's still a problem, just not as bad as it was then.

I binge eat. You don’t have to have surgery and I don’t agree that dieting or learning about nutrition will help. I know plenty but it doesn’t stop me. What you need is therapy to learn why you binge eat. The better you feel about yourself, the less you’ll do it.

No bariatric surgery is a quick fix, all types need real commitment and can fail if the eating recommendations are not followed.
You are very lucky to get referred at that weight/BMI, I have been higher than that and refused any input, so why not accept it and see what they can offer.? The psychologists will not authorise surgery if they feel you cannot address the binge eating.
The book recommended above "Living with bariatric surgery" by Denise Ratcliffe is a good place to start as it discusses realistic expectations, suitability of procedures, etc as well as how to progress

I had a sleeve 3 years ago. I went from 95 to 60kg. Life is easier, people treat you completely differently and clothes fit off the peg. I have never been happier. And if anyone starts the whole passive aggressive "taking the easy way out" they are I'm politely told to fuck off.

My comment was meant to be supportive. I hope it was taken as that, not a criticism.

I disagree. I haven't had to change anything or make any effort since my sleeve. I eat what and when I want, just small amounts. I have3 t had to work at it at all. I had it done on a Monday and was back at work the following Sunday, I flew home after two days.

I had gastric bypass just over a year ago on the nhs with a similar bmi to you and for me it’s been amazing.
However if binge eating is your problem (as it was mine but I spent years before the surgery trying to fix this and managed to get to a good place for a year or two before surgery I just couldn’t shift the extra weight I had put on previous years of binging without help and I had wrecked my metabolism) then this surgery will 100% not help with your binge eating.
It does for the first maybe 3 months as you can barely eat and you can’t cheat even if you wanted to.
But then you heal and time goes by and suddenly one day accidentally you find you can binge again and if you’ve not done the work mentally before then you will spiral again.
Now that I’m a year out I could substantially binge if I wanted too.
A lot of foods that are typical foods that someone that binges may reach for (crisps, biscuits, cakes, chocolate, ice cream etc) are slider foods and so you can eat big quantities of them very easily without feeling the restriction that surgery gives. For instance I could (but wouldn’t) easily eat a whole tube of Pringles or a large bar of chocolate, or a big bag of wotsits and wouldn’t feel in the slightest full/any restriction.
If you think about it things like wotsits melt in the mouth and done take up much room in the stomach and so they don’t give you the restricted feeling- but you still get all the unnecessary calories of course.

Surgery is great for some people when/if you feel mentally ready, but it is honestly just a tool and you can cheat it VERY easily if you want to - it’s not the answer to solve your bingeing if you feel that’s your biggest problem I would advise you against surgery.

I haven't had to change anything or make any effort since my sleeve. I eat what and when I want, just small amounts.

Can’t you see that for some people, just eating small amounts would be a huge effort?

Op, I know of several people who are prescribed semaglutide ( Ozempic ) it's actually for diabetes but it's just been licensed in the states for weight loss.

It is available in the uk too off licence ( it's around £150 pcm ) from various dr's. It works just like a gastric band I.e. you can't overeat otherwise you'll feel sick. It makes you full on very little food. If you stop taking it it stops working so if you hate it you can stop.

It works, there are lots of Facebook groups about it - I know of 3 people who have lost several stone this year on it. They eat what they want just an awful lot less of it.

There were side effects such a thyroid cancer in rats, my endocrinologist has said it's so rare but they have to put it as a side effect and being obese/having diabetes is an awful lot worse for you. This is one of the first things people throw up about ozempic and yet it's so rare - being 18 stone is going to be a lot lot worse long term.

You don't have to have invasive surgery, there are alternatives. I too was 18 stone 4 lbs I'm now 11 stone 11 lbs with a bmi of 27. I can't tell you how much my life has changed and I was just like you, binging and unhappy and literally the bigger I was the more I ate.

I gave myself type 2 diabetes as I was so overweight for so long I really hope this post is of come use to you Op, I could have written it myself a few years ago. Whatever you decide good luck.

@PurpleDaisies

I haven't had to change anything or make any effort since my sleeve. I eat what and when I want, just small amounts.

Can’t you see that for some people, just eating small amounts would be a huge effort?

Errm no OBVIOUSLY because I DID eat vast amounts before. I just had a fish finger and spoon of mushy peas for supper which is more then enough. The sleeve is kind of the whole point of the post

And a yone who has had bariatric surgery will agree dumping syndrome is a great deterrent. I once had an hour on the toilet with cold sweats from a handful of wotsits. Never again.

@Draggondragon unfortunately/fortunately (not sure which applies really) dumping syndrome is not guaranteed- for example I’ve never dumped after eating anything sugary etc. So it can’t be relied upon and is not an automatic symptom!

You are very lucky, it's awful but easily avoided. I used to eat a six pack of crisps in a sitting and now I can't remember the last time I ate one. But I don't miss it, I seem to naturally not fancy cakes and crisps and stuff.

If anyone wants therapy they can have it but it isn’t a given it will work or that it will be helpful.