Sleeve gastrectomy update.

[Germgirl]

Thought I'd just post a quick update: I had my op on 12 May, just over 8 weeks ago.
The two weeks pre op and about 3 week after were hideous. The pre-op diet made me feel terrible (but I did lose a stone and a half) and post op I jus felt awful.
I was horribly constipated, was re-admitted to hospital at one point for enemas and 'manual evacuation' which was incredibly painful.
I really did wonder if I'd done the right thing.
However, now, 8 weeks post op, I'm eating normal food, albeit very small amounts, drinking plenty of fluids and I feel pretty good :)
I've lost nearly 4 and a half stone in all and have shrunk a lot! I am wearing clothes if grown out of years ago and have had to get rid of loads of things that just don't fit any more.
I still have a long way to go, as of this morning I weigh 20 stone 9lb. Which is frankly disgusting but is better than the 25 stone plus I weighed 10 weeks ago.
I don't know is anyone is contemplating having weight loss surgery, I'd be happy to answer any questions about it to the best of my ability. :)

FOUR AND A HALF STONE?!?!? That's amazing. Wow! You must feel a different person.

I'm a big chicken and can just tolerate a dentist check up or smear so I know I'd never do something like that, but I'm fascinated.

Did you need time off work? Have you been open about it with people? Were you out cold for the op?

I had 4 weeks off work. I've told most people at work & they're supportive. To my face anyway :)
I tell most people tbh, if they think I took the 'easy' way out then they're totally wrong, but I don't really care what they think.
I do feel different but I'm still very very fat, and it's hard for me to see a difference although I know I look different. I only have one small extra chin now rather than about 6!
I was under general anaesthetic for the op and in HDU afterwards. It's quite a serious operation & obviously because of my size I wasn't in great shape for the anaesthetic, but they looked after me well & it all went fine.
It should take about a year to lose the extra weight, I will never be small, maybe a size 14 - 16, I know that's massive to some people but I started out at about size 32 so to me 16 is small! I just want to be able to buy clothes in normal shops, when I saw my surgeon before the op I said 'I just want to be able to buy my knickers in sainsburys!' She laughed but I meant it. I'm fed up of being fat & unhealthy. I had to do something, I was very lucky to be given the opportunity to help myself and now I'm trying my best not to bugger it up!

Wow well done - an op is not an easy way out!

Thanks for the update, and good luck on your continued journey

It always fascinates me when people have surgery for weight loss, i wonder if long term you will be able to maintain eating well and staying healthy as you lose the weight because of the operation not because you changed your lifestyle if you see what i mean.
I have lost nearly 7 stone in a year by counting calories and totally changing the way i think about food, but with surgery i think will you educate yourself regarding long term health or just eat small portions of still unhealthy food?
Im sure you feel great and well done for taking the plunge.

I have and still am re-educating myself. I eat a far far healthier diet than I ever did before. I have to eat protein first so that I don't become ill and therefore mainly eat lean meat, eggs, cheese and milk. I also eat far more vegetables (mainly salad) and fruit than I ever did before. Carbs come a very low way down my list of things to eat. I haven't eaten pasta or potatoes since the op and I don't really intend to. I've had the odd tortilla chip and some crackers with cheese but not many at all.
I have been overweight all my life, been on every diet, tried diet pills and sian by other things. I lost 6 stone on weightwatchers but it all went back on again.
I needed the op, it took away any choice about how much I could eat, yes, I could 'cheat' by eating high fat/sugar foods but at the moment I don't, and I don't intend to start.
I understand what you say about re-education being the way forward, you're completely right but alongside that reeducation I need the willpower. And the op gives me willpower I never had. Basically if I eat too much I will be in pain and probably be sick. That's a pretty good motivator.
Well done on losing 7 stone and re-educating yourself. You clearly have more willpower than I ever had. I'm impressed.

Yes i also don't eat many carbs as they don't fill you up for long, i also went to diet clubs and what a waste of time that is! I don't get the mentality of "being good" getting awards for losing half a stone and the likes.
The amount of people that keep going back amazes me!
In my opinion you need to decide for yourself what works, every food item has nutritional info on it so why go to a church hall or pub to get weighed?
I find that i stick to my plan as i write down everything i eat daily, some might find that boring and restrictive but not as boring and restrictive as being fat was!

Hi Germ Great to see you are doing so well. I remember your thread when you were just getting over the op.

I don't think surgery is an easy way out at all and there is a lot to do in educating yourself. As I've told you I know someone who had a gastric band, has lost all her weight and done amazingly because she changed her mental outlook, behaviours and eating. I also know someone with a bypass who thought the op would be a magic wand, did not follow the dietary and behaviour advice but assumed things would just happen and now has severe limitations on her life as a result. Keep doing the right things now and you lay the best foundation for your slim and healthy future

I'm still trying to diet and exercise as I am too cowardly to take the step you have. Hope things keep going well

Hey germgirl, well done!!!! I'm having a gastric bypass on 6/8 and can't wait to buy clothes in Primark lol!! I too think the surgery gives you will power

Twothirdsamidwife
Surely surgery doesn't give you willpower it simply takes away choices?

Hi Calm thank you :) you're not cowardly at all! Maybe I'm the coward for taking the 'easy' way out, we all do what we need to do. Healthy eating an exercise is the way to go really isn't it? I've just been given a tool to make that a bit more possible for me.
midwife good luck with your ip

Oops! Posted too soon! midwife good luck with yourOP !! :) you'll be fine. I'm not going the lie, the pre-op diet was horrible - mine was milk, soup & yogurt, by day 3 I couldn't look at a tin of soup so it was just milk & yogurt. But I got through it.
The few weeks post op weren't nice but now I feel good. You will be fine. Pm me if you want to chat or moan! :)
popcorn maybe the op replaces willpower, it certainly boosts it, if that's by making you feel awful when you overeat then so be it!
Sadly some of us don't have iron willpower, we need a bit of a boost.

Re eating / cheating it's break time at work. In the past I'd have bought a cooked breakfast in the canteen as a 'treat' for working at the weekend. It's all deep fried & incredibly fatty.
Nowadays I could probably manage maybe half a sausage & some scrambled eggs. But I didn't, instead, this morning I cut up some strawberries and melon & I've just had that.
So I am making better choices. The sleeve makes me think about what I'm putting to my body, rather than fill it up with rubbish I'm really trying to eat better.
I lacked the willpower to do that before, now I don't. I don't know why my mindset has changed but it has, and I'm glad.

A woman i work with is getting the same op in august as she has no willpower she says.
It is a good thing that she is tackling her weight but it just concerns me that its more a mental thing than actual food if you see what i mean?
My mantra now is "its just food" don't look at it as cheating, treats or otherwise, its just food.
Treats are new clothes, makeup, a book, a long soak in the bath with nice bubble bath, food is just fuel.

And it's great that you have that attitude. I don't. The op makes it far far easier for me to think like that because in a way it takes the pleasure away from eating. I have to eat small amounts and therefore can't ever have the 'high' from a binge again.
I needed help to feel that what. Willpower alone was never enough for very long.

Feel that WAY.
Bloody phone.