Gastric Bypass in 2 months

[fontofnoknowledge]

I would like to know if anyone on here has had a Gastric Bypass. I have jumped through all the hoops and am now just waiting for surgery date which should be in the next 8 Weeks. I would like to hear from anyone who has had a Bypass or Sleeve . (Not a band it's a very different Operation) .
It appears to be a very taboo subject on MN - (I have even felt the need to name change) and despite there being hundreds of threads on the latest diet, there is surprisingly little about the only scientifically proven longterm sustainable weight loss treatment for those with obesity or morbid obesity.
I am after any advice for the immediate post op period and the process of moving from liquids to solids and any other advice really.

So i've lost 30kgs or 66lbs or 4.5 stone in 12 weeks

Things sounding great for you sofabitch, not so good at this end; have squeezed past the 100kg point, but weight loss has ground to a halt - only 2kg down in last 4 weeks which is crazy slow when I’m eating next to nothing. Am feeling absolutely exhausted too - feels like my metabolism has sunk to nothing to counter low calorie intake. Can’t even climb the stairs at a normal pace and thought I’d pass out when I used the tube yesterday. Have gone back to protein shakes as primary intake to ensure protein up and carbs strictly controlled. Hoping it’s just a blip but suspect my DNA is working very much against me. Everyone talks about the 3-6 mth golden window of weight loss, I’m hoping that’s not true and I can keep on cranking down.

Hey everyone. It sounds like a great load of positive stuff is going on - along with some struggling. (Sorry to hear you feeling so down TheBlessedcheeseMaker - have you spoken to your Bariatric support team ? Had follow ups ? Thyroid tests etc ? 2kg loss is not that much based on your description of food intake)
How much have you lost over what period so far ? Chin up. This too will pass ! X

Hi tentatively dropping in. I was recommended coming over from my own thread. I've been referred to the bariatric team by my GP, as I'm too fat for the weight loss group run by the council .

I'm ready now. I'm so utterly exhausted, we went to the local city today and I was so sweaty and gross and none of the shops we went into had anything that remotely fitted me.

I'm 27 in a week and I feel 87. I weight19 stone 3 currently, I've lost 2 stone by myself since May, but I'm glad I've been referred it feels like a huge weight off (pun intended)

Hey all. Thought I would check in as it's been a while...

Down to 87kg now. That's 13kg since the op and 23kgs since Jan 1st. (3 stone 8 lbs in old money!!)

Feeling really good, enjoying exercise & getting lots more comments now. Even able to get a couple of size 12/14 in the shops with larger sizing!!!

@Font you're doing so well, has your DH adjusted /caught up with your new eating habits. It was only afte reading your post I realised my hubby version of a small portion was still significantly bigger than I could actually eat! With that much weight loss, is your mind still a little behind what your body shape/sizing actually is? I really struggled with that when I had first had the band done all those years ago!

@Blessed I second Fonts comments about getting in touch with your bariatric team. Also, might be worth trying to up your calorie intake (especially through protein). My team kept banging on and on about needing at least 1000 calories a day - something to do with needing enough for your body to function and a balance between healthy intake and good food makes it easier to lose weight. Counter intuitive I know, but I definitely notice bigger weight losses when I have eaten well & consistently (and lots of water)

@Sofa how are you getting on? Any more news of a date?

Blessed, my weight seemed to really plateau at around 100kgs, that seem to take forever to reach! hopefully its just a blip. besides 2kgs in 4 weeka is still 0.5kg a week, and only just below the 3-6kg a month thet suggest in the first 6 months.

Although saying that my mum hit 98kgs at 6 months and hasn't lost a thing since, she's tall though so that gives her 60% excess weight loss and a bmi of 32. her bariatric team said sometimes that can just happen.

12/14's!! thats amazing, i'm still in an 18-20 trousers, but i can now wear a 16 top/dress if its not fitted on the hips. I also found my wedding dress in the loft, it fits... so i'm the same size now as i was at 18... so i will soon (hopefully) be thinner than i have ever been as an adult!

I did an amazing before after picture of my in the bath and wow I can really see it in that picture.

welcome on board @Fattygettingthin its a long journey but so completely worth it. I'd recommend it to anyone, it has changed my life.

I was googling the cost of a body lift this morning, how is everyones skin ? mine isn't as bad as I was expecting yet...maybe it will get worse as I loose more? mostly my tummy and tops of thighs when I lay down. but (TMI) I can see my pubes now ;)

So this week's weigh in takes me down to 86kgs exactly, and I MOVE FROM OBESE TO OVERWEIGHT on the BMI scale.

I know it's still overweight, but compared to Obese Category II when I started, I'm so chuffed!

My skin is starting to feel the impact of 4 stone weight loss in under 6 months.

I've completely lost my boobs & have started to wear padded bras for the first time since I was a teenager!! (already saving to fix that problem)

My bingo wings are flappy & empty despite the great guns my PT has helped me develop. The worst area though is my tummy... It has split into an upper empty sack (which is split into two chunks) and the lower belly overhang/skirt.

The lower belly/overhang I was expecting and it's fine cos I keep it wrapped under flowy dresses, sucked in by Spanx or smoothed out in trousers.

The top belly is a different story however, and so I'm finding myself having to me careful about tighter tops or dresses, so that I don't end up with 2 bulges spoiling the look.

I am absolutely not complaining, it's just something to adjust too & i would much prefer to have to deal with this, than the challenges being 4st heavier brings.

The bit I was expecting that doesn't seem to be effecting me, is the inner thigh/leg. I had heard that this skin becomes very loose, but I seem to be avoiding that so far!

Surgery will be something I would definitely do, but will need lots of years of saving or a lottery win!!!

Hey Anythingconsidered , great post ! Really grateful for the 'warts and all' update. So important for everyone on this journey to know the reality.

I am still waiting for the date of my (very) long awaited op. By the time line on the website for the folk attending my Bariatric unit- it seems it's about 4 months after the MDT where I got my go ahead. So hopefully should receive letter around beginning of August with Op in September/October.

I too am fearful of the saggy skin but it is so far down the list of worries that it doesn't really register. Of course I care about the 'look' of me - but the overwhelming, number 1 wish is to be able to DO stuff.
I carry almost all my 5stone excess on my abdomen, so I look like I'm permanently 11 months pregnant. This causes stinking backache and makes me give up even gentle exercise like walking after about 15 minutes.
It's losing this that I am most looking forward to. The thought of having to fold my stomach skin into my pants is nothing if I can go for a walk, play a round of golf, not have a stroke, not get diabetes.....
The rest is just window dressing !

I can't wait to get the weight off me, especially in this heat. My op date has been moved to 21st September as my family wouldn't be around on my original date to help. These next few weeks need to hurry up.

Hello all I hope you’ll let me join with a brief message.

I have not read the whole thread yet and I am planning to start my own thread nearer to the time so that you can keep me company on my journey / ask me questions in real time -but I am having my VSG (sleeve) on 27th Aug with New Leaf in Czech Rep.

Just under five weeks to go!

I’m going on my own which I am not too bothered about- I am hoping that there won’t be too much of a language barrier!

My surgeon is Dr Cierny who has carried out many of these and I liaise with a lady in the UK called Amanda.

Stats - 5’6 17 st 2 37 years old

Tried - every diet. Can lose it but put it back on...

My mum had a bypass in January and she’s lost 9 stone since then. I’d be happy at 10.5...

That’s all really - I’m not quite nervous yet but I imagine that will kick in soon enough!

..... anyone?

Sunshine how exciting that you now have a date. The count down begins and it will absolutely fly by.

Remember to try NOT to do a "last" of everything. Last Indian, Chinese, McD's, Ice Cream, family size crisp bag etc. The temptation is really strong but it only results in weight gain and then added pressure before the op to get the weight back off... And let's face it, if weight loss was easy for us, we wouldn't need surgery!

So excited for you and looking forward to taking about your journey in the other side.

Mollie that's great news and such a short wait too. No wonder you are excited!!!

I have no experience of traveling overseas (both band and bypass were done in the UK), but have read lots of good experiences. Out of interest - how long are you out there for? what happens the first couple of weeks post op? What happens with your long term care/follow up?

Your mum had done amazingly. That's huge weight loss in a short time. Did she travel for hers too? I know everyone journey is different, but with your mum having had the bypass so recently, you will have the advantage of someone close to talk too when the inevitable uncertainty kicks in after the op!

Lovely to see new people joining the thread. Fontofknowledge look at the service/support you generated for everyone!

Hi anything

Mum had hers done at the Spire. She was a lot heavier though but she’s a shadow of her former self - off three sets of obesity related medication and she can now actually move. It’s changed her life!

I go over to the hospital in the Sunday - I get someone to pick me up and then it’s an hour to the hospital. Once I get to the hospital it’s checking in to my room (I paid extra 300 euros to have private).
I then have several pre op tests such as - X-ray , lung capacity test, bloods, stress test, camera down the throat (with heavy sedation) and height, weight, fat percentages etc

Then I have my op in the Monday, recover in hospital until the Saturday morning where I fly back.

Some places let you stay in a hotel for a few days after but I preferred this option.

I have two weeks off - so I’ll be in Czech for a week and then at home recovering for a week. Have already booked to have my stitches out on the Wednesday I’m back (9 days after surgery) and my dr has been very good about giving me lots of things on script - Forceval, Biotin, Calcium.

Dr will follow up with monthly weigh ins and blood tests and quarterly b12 injections as needed.

Hello to the new joiners - it is a good journey to be on, believe me.
Still struggling to shift weight at this end but surgery & diet team all say I’m doing the right thing so am just ploughing on. Still at same weight as when I last posted but psychologically in a better space purely by dint of being able to wear some summer stuff from the back of the wardrobe that has hung there for a good few years. Am also getting lots of compliments - my face shape has been the most dramatic change as far as others are concerned - I’ve lost my moon face and found my cheekbones. I have to keep reminding myself that I am still fat in ‘real terms’ because I’m my mind I am Cindy bloody Crawford.
Next thing I want to achieve is to get out of ‘chafe’ pants. Will have to wait a while I imagine because of the plateau I’m on, but I will get there.

Finally got my date a few weeks ago for my gastric sleeve surgery. Started my liver shrinking diet today and its so hard but ill do it. Surgery is August 14

@Darkestnight, How is the milk diet going? I found the first few days the hardest. my top tip for the salty drink is stock cube dissolved in hot milk, add pepper/paprika/chilli (powered) to taste and you can almost pretend its a cup of soup. was my favourite part of the day. I found in the first week the jellies were my life line. So use them.

@Mollie85 Good luck with the journey. I was too scared to go abroad, but I know it was significantly cheaper. I didn't have any stitches to be removed, the inscsions were really small. But there is no way I could have returned to work after 2 weeks. I really needed the 6 weeks to recover and get to grips with drinking. I was barely eating/sleeping at that point and felt quite exhausted and weak.

@AnythingConsidered I actually did have a last of everything. and still lost 1kg in my pre-op month. but i didn't go crazy, just ate all the things that I thought i might not be able to for a while, and of course with the sleeve there is no last of anything, as i can now eat everything/anything I want again. just really small amounts.

@fontofnoknowledge just my take on the saggy skin...mine is no worse than before, in fact my stomach has less over hang now, but when I lay down there is a lot of gather at the tops of my thighs. I think my overall shape is the dame as before, but just smaller. @Anythingconsidered I too am wearing a lot of spankx (and Padded bras) now are they seem highly effective for the softer looser fat/skin that I have now. Well done on hitting just over weight and not obese! thats a big marker for me. being just over weight is my ultimate goal weight,

As for me, I'm doing pretty well. Down to 92kgs which puts my BMI at 35.9 with a 33kg loss so far ( a little over 3 months). I really want to loose another 20kgs at least though. Hoping thats not too unrealistic as that gives me a bmi of 28.

I have to keep reminding myself that I am still fat in ‘real terms’ because I’m my mind I am Cindy bloody Crawford. this is me

i never thought i'd feel like a model at size 18, but its so far from where I was!

@sofabitch
Thanks for the message :)
I’m someone who left the place I lived to move abroad and I travel alone so it’s not really a bother to me I live alone also so I’m fairly independent - I’m actually looking forward to it!

I’ve known 6 people to have bariatric surgery and only one person didn’t go back to work after two weeks (my mum took three weeks off for a bypass) but I have a very sedate office job where I sit for 7 hours a day so I’ve got a lovely new cushion and will go from there. I’ve saved five days holiday should I need it

Tomorrow I will be able to say “I’m having surgery this month”... the nerves will kick in soon I am sure...

Hi all.

I had my sleeve at the end of Jan. Recovered really well and was eating normal food by a couple of months after. Just teeny amounts obvs.

Including the preop diet, I have lost 102lbs.

Was 19st 5lbs on 20 Jan. Size 24
Now 12st 2lbs. Size 14-16
I'm 5"3 so one more pound until I'm officially no longer obese! Just overweight.
Goal weight is around 9 to 9.5 stone but I'd be happy with 10st.

I started going to the gym after about three months and now go 3-5 times a week which I think has really helped. Obviously more calories burned and I am also getting muscles. Good for my mood as well I think as job is sendentary so just sit all the time and rot if I don't go.

I had my sleeve privately in the UK as I couldn't be arsed jumping through hoops and could (just) afford it.

Sorry was 19st 7lbs on 20 Jan.

Darkest night, my top tip for both pre-op and first couple of weeks post-op is sugar-free ice pops. I got through loads and only stopped when I replaced with frozen protein yogurt (the Arla protein yogurt I think tastes too thick fresh and much better when mixed with a bit of milk and frozen).

@CrabbityRabbit...you have the same height and starting weight as me!

I'm weighing in kgs though. Which feel like they go slower!

The frozen ice pop/yoghurt tip sounds good. I didn't think of that. Although i do sometimes have a mini milk as a treat these days.

@Mollie85 your surgery is this month!!! Good luck.

I know!!!! 27 days away eek!!!

I might need a bit of hand holding so will probably start a separate thread when I leave here - will post pics too of room etc if anyone is interested?

It will be a good way of documenting everything so I can look back on it too

So reassuring reading all these stories... this thread has been so good for me