To consider bariatric surgery?

[Ezlo]

I have PCOS and find losing weight really difficult. I'm now at 25 stone and desperately unhappy with my size.

Has anyone had bariatric surgery and would like to share experiences?

I know multiple people who've had bariatric surgery. They are miserable.

I've lost half a stone during my first two weeks taking Mounjaro. You can't expect it to do all the hard for you (nothing can do that), but I've not found myself thinking about food at all. I can just eat a meal and that's it. No urge to snack. I can eat one biscuit when offered, I don't have to eat the rest of the packet.

Weight loss injections are a fraction of the cost of bariatric surgery. I've already saved money just from buying less food!

YANBU to take decisive steps to lose weight but you would be a top candidate for a weight loss injection which has far less risk than surgery.

i have friend who had surgery and while it’s worked and she has kept weight off for four years it’s a battle to ensure no malnutrition and various gastro issues …

@Ezlo it doesn't just suppress your appetite it stops you thinking and obsessing about food, well for many people including me. I used to constantly snack, mindless eating and nothing to do with whether I was hungry. I'd eat because I was bored, tired, stressed and so on. That's all just stopped. I still enjoy food but I don't think about it all the time like I used to.

I was exactly the same. But I don't even think about food now. I eat things that are healthy with a few treats here and there as it's good to relearn good habits. I don't crave anything and can take or leave things like sugar and alcohol, something that would have been unheard of before Mounjaro.

It's completely changed my approach to food. It's unbelievable to me that I eat when I'm hungry and can say no when I'm not.

It does take work, you have to drink enough water and keep your protein up. You can get bad side effects if you don't watch your diet, but I've treated it as a reset and it's working. I'm 4 stone down since April, losing slowly and steadily. I still have 2 stone to go but it feels so achievable.

There are side effects to be mindful of but it's changed my life.

I'd say you need to do a lot of thorough research into the various options. The injections aren't for me because the risk of kidney disease is too risky. And whilst it isn't necessarily representative of anything more than those people, I know 5 people who have used weight loss injections, had great results and then put the weight back on shortly after stopping using them.

I had a gastric bypass. I was morbidly obese with a BMI of 49. I was physically unable to exercise because physical exertion was painful and I would suffer for days after. And consuming less calories didn't do anything as years of yoyo dieting had destroyed the hormones in my stomach that regulate hunger and satiety.

I've had great results and have suffered no complications whatsoever. I eat much smaller portions than I did before but I'm really OK with that because I don't want to binge or gorge myself on food. There's not really much I struggle with eating (fresh cakes, thick breads and very oily foods mostly) so I have everything in moderation. I can physically do anything now and it has completely changed my life for the better. I've lost 72kg, and I'm happily settled at my weight now. I'm mindful of what I eat but I don't deny myself anything, I just manage how much of it I have. I eat out generally 2-3 times a week, again without issue.

I had weight loss surgery. Like others on this thread, I'm a qualified nurse with years of experience in ITU, anaesthetics, operating theatres, and surgical wards (I say this to show that I have relevant experience and was not going into it blind).

I did my research on the type of procedure best for me, and on my surgeon. I learned as much as I could about how it would likely affect my life, and also the risks of the surgery (which the NHS described as "common and safe")

I had my surgery in June and have gone from a size 24 to a size 14. My diabetes is in remission, I'm able to run, workout, and generally function without feeling achy or exhausted. I've had an entirely uneventful recovery and, while I have no idea what the future might hold (who does?!), I'm really glad I did it.

Hi,
I've had bariatric surgery and used mounjaro to shed the last few stubborn stones.

I would 100% recommend trying injections first.
I lost the weight so easily on them and I wish I would have found them before I had 85% of my stomach removed

I can never go back and I do have permanent stomach issues now, nothing out of the ordinary for a sleeve but I didn't consider the impact of this being a lifelong thing.

I made the right decision for me because at that time there wasn't an alternative but now the injections give one.

Why did they stop? Was it not mj, which is approved for life , at a low dose so probably about 25 quid a week, or could they not afford it?

I have been up to 22 stone in the past and started Mounjaro at the end of February.

I've lost nearly 8 stone and it has been life changing. I weigh the same as I did as a young teen!

It makes you indifferent to food generally, whereas before it would be a real challenge for me to turn down food it's so easy now. I don't constantly think about food and I genuinely haven't been hungry since my first injection. If I don't eat for long enough I get low blood pressure and it's my sign to eat. I was eating approx 1200 calories at the start and I now have 1600 calories a day. I'm still losing albeit more slowly and I've another stone or so to go.

I think you need to start with a trip to the GP. At 25 stone, your BMI will be over 40 I assume and with PCOS you may be insulin resistant. It would be good, if you are able to, to get a full set of blood tests looking at HbA1C to check for diabetes, thyroid to check that everything is functioning as it should, cholesterol, liver and kidney function.

You want these tests because

• if you have diabetes or low thyroid then that will be contributing to your weight gain and will make it more difficult to lose weight
• if you do have any health problems it's best to get them under control before they start creating other problems
• and because if you do have obesity related illnesses, in addition to a BMI over 40 you become eligible for things like prescriptions for Mounjaro or other weight loss treatments.

What sort of side effects do you get? Also do you have to be on these injections for life?

Please see a qualified doctor before soliciting advice on here. Your body is too precious to take offhand advice on things people actually know very little about.

Think of all the money you spend on crap food. On a monthly basis, how does it compare to the cost of Mounjaro. You don't need to answer that btw, it's just food for thought.

No one is going to get bariatric surgery or a prescription for weight loss injections without a doctor being involved.

You can have the jabs with Crohn’s, I’m here to tell the tail. They actually have helped with my symptoms which is crazy

At 25st I would be yes.

I had a sleeve at 18st and it is the best thing I’ve done for myself.

I know several people who have had WLS and none of them are miserable or regret it.

Because they'd lost the weight they wanted to lose and didn't want to continue not being able to eat and drink normally. It can become very tiring.

Except they do. There are many online pharmacies who have been shown not to carry out due diligence. And many people who lie to obtain weight loss injections.

There are also lots of unscrupulous surgeons who don't operate in the best interests of each individual patient.

I have relatives on mounjaro who have told me it’s like any part of their brain dealing with food is switched off. They don’t feel hungry or think about food, and they feel uncomfortably full within a few bites of eating. Both were comfort eaters before taking it and often ate without being hungry, but that just isn’t a feature of their lives any more. Both have to set alarms to remind them to eat every few hours.

I would speak to your GP about it. Mounjaro isn’t available on the NHS but your GP can discuss the relative risks of mounjaro and surgery with you and help you decide if either is the right option for you. If your GP advises it’s safe to do so I think it would be worth trying mounjaro first as it is cheaper and less invasive than surgery.

I had surgery a couple of years ago. I tried the injections which work fantastically but I was avoiding putting the needle in and then it became pointless because they would just sit there in the fridge because I didnt like the injection element!

I think if you get on with injections and they work, stick to that as its less intrusive

Having said that, I dont regret the surgery, yes my life is very different now and you have to learn new ways of doing things but thats the point isnt it. The days of me volume eating are over!
Its like having a new life, Im light on my feet, can zoom around, very active, nothing hurts, look good in whatever I put on (sort of), so weight loss however it occurs is a very positive thing.

You do know that's what happens with bariatric surgery?

You can't eat and drink normally for the rest of your life.

How did youu deal with the 10 days of blood thinners after surgery?

I’m on the Mounjaro, and I’m in the 20s (stones wise), and I’m an emotional eater.

Its like the “food noise” but of my brain is turned off .. I have no cravings for crap food, like I used to. It’s incredibly freeing.

side effects for me are, occasional nausea, and burping … but well worth it, as I see my BMI decreasing.

There is a “weight loss injections” thread on the weight loss boards, have a read

…and on the injections, the needle is so fine and so small, it’s in before you know it.

I would really recommend surgery. I'm only a few weeks post op (sleeve) but absolutely no regrets.