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.

Yeah, my Bmi was 50 and I couldn't face the NHS hoops my mum had to jump...took 2 years for her. I just wanted it done ASAP. Hence why I went privately. Luckily family lent me the money. But i appreciate not everyone is lucky enough for that

@fountofnoknowledge brilliant post, thank you.

So interesting to hear of your nhs experience.

The nhs bariatric surgeon I went to see privately advised me to not have it done privately as I would miss out on all the nhs dietary and psychological support which was going to be so valuable to me.....

So I have been wondering what all these earth shattering revelations I dont get to hear are.....

Sounds like I'm not missing much....particularly as in my area getting funded would involve, in the words of the surgeon ' going to war with the commissioning group over a period of 2 to 3 years to get approved and then go on a two year waiting list'

I have been watching lots of pre and post op lectures given by bariatric surgeons in the us on you tube hoping to fill in the blanks I've got from missing tier 3, but it sounds like you tube is bettet prep.

I am of course pretty fucked off I have to spend 8k on an operation in a foreign bloody country where I eill be by myself but I didnt have a 5 year fight in me, which of course is what the ctg intend me to think.

Just to add that I've recieved lots of dietary support from the dietition. More than my mum that went the nhs route. So i guess it depends on who you go with.

GuildedLily , Sofabitch and AnythingConsidered - would any/all of you consider taking over this thread and keep it going with the reality of your journeys. ? I have seen so much nonsense in the weight loss boards about Bariatric surgery, which compounds the urban myths about how it actually works or (if you were to believe the scaremongers, it doesn't !)

If you ever search on these boards about surgery you would believe that ;
Virtually everyone has hideous complications, that is if they don't actually die on the table. ! (They fail to mention the likelihood of very early death from obesity related disease) and how they all know someone who knows someone where it's gone 'wrong'.

Virtually everyone is miserable afterwards and puts all the weight back on.

Lumping bands in with Bypass and Sleeve and then telling stories about band slippage and people who liquidise chocolate to get it down the band restrictions. Whilst not understanding how different the sleeve and Bypass are.

The science and long term research simply doesn't support this, so would be great to have some 'real life, real time ' facts.

I will start off with mine .
Age 54

Height 5'6
Weight at time of first GP visit 17 stone 5lb

Current weight (had injections in knees to help me walk as arthritis had left me almost immobile) 17st 2lbs.

Current obesity related health issues costing the NHS money to treat. ;

Sleep Apnea - machine to control breathing at night.

High Blood Pressure - prescription.

Arthritis - approved for knee replacement which I have turned down as there is no point until the weight has gone or I'll just need it done again. 4 monthly steroid injections and physio appointments to keep me mobile.

Incontinent. - already had one repair but the weight has 'broken the sling' he can repair. Again, no point until weight gone.

Constant low level skin infections from rubbing and chaffing costing average of bi-monthly doctors visits for anti-biotics / nurse to clean and dress.

So I am/was 125kg 159cm, which put me at a bmi of almost 50!

No health problems beyond the underactive thyroid that I am sure put me here in the first place. although i'm young, so they were definitely coming.

GP was very unhelpful, I've tried years of slimming world weight watcher etc, lost the odd stone or 2 but always found the groups to be too blergh...I hate talking about weight and food and never quite understood the concept of hi fi bars and gimmicks. anyway i couldn't even get a referral.

Anyway, my mum (who has had a sleeve on the NHS) offered to loan me the money to go private, so I had a free mini appointment, discussed the options, the surgeon recommended the bypass due to my weight, but I didn't want the effects of dumping syndrome, so opted for a gastric sleeve. cue 2 months of eating everything for the last time.

The milk diet wasn't as hard as I was expecting, I made my salty drink with a stock cube in a mug of milk and added black pepper and chilli, it was like a soup and my favourite part of the day. I did 13 days of the milk diet to shrink my liver prior to surgery and lost 5kgs in that week.

The surgery went well no complications. I went down at 4pm and was back on the ward at 7pm, the first 5 hours afterwards were honestly horrific, I was in so much pain, everything hurt, i'm not quite sure how I got through it. but by the morning, I was able to go to the toilet alone and spend a few minutes standing,

I came home on Saturday 2 days after surgery, I am pain free right now as long as I am still or standing for around 20 minutes, however moving/twisting/sitting up/down hurts. I have one stitch that is pulling my abdomen inwards, google seems to think this is common.

Food so far
Friday and Saturday free fluids-just drinking enough was hard, it felt like my chest would burst with every-sip. I attempted 20mls of liquid chicken soup but it just made me feel sick.
Sunday, drinking is getting easier, For breakfast today I had 1 teaspoon of yoghurt and for lunch I blended a fish in butter sauce with some extra milk to make it more liquid, at about 20mls.

Pain is getting better daily but sleeping is a problem as I can't get comfortable. I haven't braved going out the house yet. but am spending 15 minutes of every hour upright and walking around.

My Surgeon called today to check up on me! advised against getting consitipated and to take something pre emptively.

I finding it quite hard to get through all the supplements daily.

quickly too add the hardest part is the head/mind not quite matching the stomach yet... i.e my brain still wanted the cheese toasty that my husband cooked for lunch, despite there being no way of me actually eating it.

i've also noticed i'm not hungry at all.

My story:

2009 - Band Fitted
Start Weight: 130kg / 20st 3lbs
Start BMI: 43.4
Health Issues: None diagnosed
Surgery: Gastric Band - done privately through the WLS Group, who were brilliantly every step of the way
End Weight: 73kgs / 11st 4lbs
End BMI: 24.3

2013 - Band Slippage
Health Issues: fainting, out of breathe low energy, coffee ground vomitting & acid reflux diagnosed with severe anaemia as a result of the band slipping.

Treatment: multiple endoscopy, barium swallow, colonoscopy, camera swallow, 4 x blood transfuisons, 1 x iron infusion, band emptied for 6 months before they finally told me to have to band removed or die (I was advised early on to get it removed but refused as I was (rightly) terrified about weight gain)

Weight: weight gradually increased to 110kg at the worst and an average of 105kg with SW and WW control - but could never shift it down.

2018 - Bypass
2.5 years to get from referral to the op (See earlier post)

Start weight: 110kg / 17st 4lbs
Pre Op Assessment: 104.8kg / 16st 7lbs
Op Day: 101.9kg / 16st

Medication after op:
2 x calcium sachets per day
1 x iron per day
2 x multi-vits per day
1 x lansoprazole per day
Blood thinner injection every day
Soluble paracetamol for pain relief
Codine for pain relief

Operation:
Submitted at 7:30. Weighed, met surgeon, met anaesthetist, had my cannula fitted, attempted to have a blood test (but couldn't get into the veins, so it was done when i was under). Walked to theatre at 10:30.

Op took 2 hours instead of 1 hour due to issues with my veins collapsing (so they couldn't get me under to begin with) and then scarring caused from the band when cutting and stitching.

General knocked me out for hours... I was floating in and out consistently from 1:30pm until around 5am the next day. Saw family, but only shortly as I just wasn't with it.

Vomitted a large volume of fresh blood and a large clot at 1am, which panicked the overnight nurses, but turns out is normal!

Given a mix of paracetamol, codine and Oralmorph in hospital.

Home
Released by 9:30am the next day (yep, that quickly!)

Used codine at night time and paracetamol during the day for first 3 days, then paracetamol at night time only for next 2, then no pain relief thereafter.

Slept a lot for the first few days - dozing in and out each day. Lots of slow walking, pain getting up and down etc. Sneezing, coughing, laughing was a killer for the first week.

Forced myself to sip water every 15mins. Drank from a bottle so I could measure what i was drinking.

Forced myself to do 2 walks a day - literally around the close and extending the block after day 5. Was very slow and very small distance, but got me up and about and out!

Baby wipes/flannel washing each day. Showered on day 4 (wrapped clingfilm around my body to protect the bandages), then daily from day 6 (still with cling film wrap)

Bandages removed on day 9 - was paranoid I was going to pull the wounds apart but it was fine.

Felt much more normal after day 5/6 and now, at day 10, just get the odd twinge.

General stuff

• did LSD (liver shrink diet) as 2 x shakes and 1 meal of less than 300 calories for the first 5 days, then did 4 shakes a day for the last 5 days.

• do your research! WLS Info facebook group is awesome. Has to be your decision about what you have - but NHS are refusing bands these days.

• was warned that band to bypass weight loss is always slower than standard.

• was advised that WLS surgery will only help you lose 60%-80% of your EXCESS weight. Average time to lose excess is 2 years. Surgery alone will not get to your target weight - you will need to move more/eat the right things!!

• was advised to expect lots of plateaus through the first 2 years and weight gain at 3 years.

• not hungry at all, but head really wants to eat (am counting down the next 4 days so i can start on soft foods!)

• have to take 2 x multi vitamins every day for the rest of my life.

• trying not to focus on weight, but rather measurements

• skin issues were a nightmare for me with the band and I am expexting the same with the bypass. NHS will not cover, so saving for work in 3/4 years time. I lost my boobs, ended up with 2 tummies, huge sloppy bingo wings, lose skin around the top of legs/thighs (which prevent me from wearing a standard swim costume), my pubic bone/vagina disappeared under skin - I hated it, but would rather that than the fat I carried around.

• Struggling to get 1pt of milk in each day. Basically using semi skim powder milk in everything and crushing all medication down

• have experienced lots of stigma with the band such as, that's cheating, why should our tax be spent on that (although I'm a 50% tax payer, so shut that right down!) move more/eat less etc. People just don't understand the struggle!

• it took along time for my head/feelings of weight to catch up with my actual body. For months I would walk around in over sized clothes, before realising I should try next size down.

That was long! Sorry.
Happy to answer PM's if anyone has any questions.

Sofabitch I am furious on your behalf. A BMI if less than 1 mark off 50 should entitle you to this health procedure that could reasonably be expected to save your life. The NHS is meant to provide this . The NICE guidelines clearly show you qualify. It is obscene that you have had to pay. No other health issue with the commensurate risk of death would be treated like this by the NHS when there is a clinically and scientifically proven route to reduce mortality. It seems it's absolutely fine to be prejudiced against fat people.
Thanks AnythingConsidered great post. Gives a really good insight into the 'reality'. and proof that this is by no means the 'easy option' !

Yes. I really dont think the NHS are thinking long term here.

Mind you years to jump through hoops thats 2 less years of being overweight.

I'm feeling significantly better today. Actually managed some sleep last night. Water doesnt feel like its getting stuck any more so fluids are going in much better.

I had 2 tea spoons of low sugar high protein yoghurt for breakfast. And I have lost almost 7kg since starting the milk diet.

Still cant bend or twist. So picking things up is tricky. As is coughing sneezing/passing gas.

But considering its only day 4 I'm pleasantly surprised at how good I feel

I'm really interested in all the info that's been passed on in this thread, thank you to everyone. I have always been really against bariatric surgery, but my mum decided to have a sleeve (privately) and asked me to go with her to a support meeting before her surgery. The meeting turned me completely and now I'm wanting surgery myself. My mum's surgery is this weekend so I'm going to see how she gets on. I'm looking at the bypass for myself as I'm much bigger than she is (BMI currently about 43, mum only has a max of 4 stone to lose in total, hence going private) and I think the dumping syndrome is exactly what I need to keep my weight off.

I spoke to my GP about having surgery a couple of weeks ago and she said that to qualify on the NHS I'd have to prove I can lose weight by joining WW or SW. I explained to her that I have no problem losing weight, I've lost significant amounts of weight a few times (most recently 6 stone in 2013 on a vlcd), but have never ever managed get to goal weight or to keep the weight off, not even for a short while, once off the diet. I also said to the GP that if I do go to WW or SW I'll lose weight, then my BMI will be under 40 and I'll no longer qualify, so it makes no sense to me. To be honest, if I do decide to go ahead with it, I'll probably go private so that I don't have to have so much uncertainty and waiting and jumping through hoops. I can access the money, although it was earmarked to go towards moving house costs this year.

Jael003 it's a hard balance isn't it....

People who struggle to lose weight & keep it off, are forced to lose weight and keep it off for 12-18 months in Tier 3 management processes.

Also, lose weight, to prove you can, which reduces your BMI below the minimum criteria, so you now don't qualify

Oh & wait 12-18 months, with significant (& costly to the NHS/state) medical issues because the £10-12k cost of surgery is too expensive!

All very counter intuitive!

Very counter intuitive AnythingConsidered.

I couldn't get to sleep last night for ages so went through everything in my head. I've decided that I do want the surgery but I'm going to wait until after I've moved house as I think it'll be too much to do it first. Once I've moved and know for sure that I have the money available, I'm going to go private, even if it means I have to wait a while.

Hiya

I had a sleeve via NHS last April and it has changed my life.

Took me 10 years (I'm now 35) of doing the WM programme and 3 tier WL programme but I finally qualified and have lost 50kg so far.

Not gonna lie, those first few days were tough and I was lucky I haven't needed painkillers since the surgery but my pernicious anemia (had before surgery) goes a bit crazy when I'm due the b12 injection and need it sooner.

I'm Glasgow based and our programme is now run by WW and aimed at diabetics primarily but think that's had to change due to complaints etc.

I see my surgeon for 1yr appointment check in May- he's gonna kill me as I'm just shy 6 months pregnant. (Yeah that whole increased fertility thing is true and I have fertility issues!)

Jae1003 Don't worry about your BMI decreasing. I asked my Bariatric team about this as my BMI was 41. I wasn't given any weight loss target . And had 3 appointments (of which 2 were entirely pointless) over a 6 month period as my obligatory Tier 3 pathway.
All trusts seem to run things differently but all have the same 'rule' that it is your BMI at the start of Tier 3 that counts. As they are aware most of us can diet for England - it's just keeping it off that we can't manage.

Jae100 and Gryffen welcome to our thread. I am really keen to keep it going with people who have been through Bariatric surgery. As opposed to the normal hysterical response on here whenever it is mentioned.

It remains the only scientifically proven , longterm, sustainable weight loss tool successful for over 95 % of people who undergone it . As opposed to the faddy diets constantly promoted on these boards , which will work, perhaps in the short term but the only real benefit is to the already very wealthy diet industry.

Hey font!

Some diets work for people, weight management and any surgery that's agreed and approved is a lifestyle management change and a new way to eat and be healthy.

Yes we will revert back to bad habits a couple of times but you fair learn quickly with a sleeve and bypass lol.

For people having surgery I can recommend one thing.

Baby spoon
Baby bowl
Baby food processor or blender.

A mini kids youghurt needs added milk to loosen off.

Chew 202020

Apart from that ENJOY it.

Thank you all! Most interesting.

wow this thread has grown.

Top tip, don't cockily think you can walk the dog on day 6 post op... it will fuck you for a few days.

i'm eating really well, today I had ready break and greek yoghurt for breakfast, wetherspoons butternut squash soup for lunch and have just had some blended minted lamb stew for dinner 1 ( I have 2 as you shouldn't go more than 4 hours without eating. so I eat at 8am, 12pm, 4pm, and 8pm). I can eat about 120mls of dinner at most depending on consistancy, if its a bit thick then i can't manage as much. if definitely getting really bored of sloppy food! its only been a week, 4 might be a stretch, although I had one tiny slice of DDs sausage earlier and chewed and chewed like crazy.. i think that was fine.

i'm not really requiring any pain killers as long as i'm at home resting, but walking is still very difficult, there is a stitch on the right hand side that seems super tight and really pulls so after 5/10 minutes of being over taken by old ladies I have to sit down.

I didn't buy baby spoons and bowls as I didn't want to feel infantilised, but i bought some cute small ice cream bowls that hold 150ml and some nice side plates. i just eat with a tea spoon at the moment. I have however found a baby blender invaluable.

anyway....2 weeks of milk diet, 1 week post surgery and I have lost 9kgs!

Bloody hell Sofabitch that's nearly a stone and a half. Can you feel the difference?

Gryffen are you still losing or does it slow down after a year ? 50k is so amazing. How has it changed your life ? What can you do that you couldn't before ?

Whilst I obviously want to look good in clothes that isn't my top reason for having the Op, my top reason is Health and then being able to do the sport I used to do which is impossible at 17 stone . I also loved walking in the lakes, and haven't been able to do that for 5 yrs.. that sort of thing.
Also - not hiding behind other people in photos .. and no more avoiding social occasions because of embarrassment. It's all that kind of stuff.

Interested to know what others have done/hope to do without the weight ?

Can I ask how hard you found the milk diet to do? Would it be worth doing for a week?

I would like to find clothes more easily, to just throw clothes on knowing I will look ok. At the moment I have to be careful with layers and stuff, to try not to look wider than I am tall.

I'd like to know my knees will last a bit longer, and not get sore tired feet from carrying my bulk about.

If I'm real,y dreaming big, I'd like to be able to wear normal shoes, rather than ones with squidgy soles to absorb the impact!!

Hahaha YES !!! 'Normal shoes'. Now that is an ambition

I just got on the scales, sigh. Wasn't going to, but weakened because of curiosity about my bmi. Pretty much 40, by the way. Perhaps a tad more...

Still, I shall dream of those shoes, and give myself a few months to make a difference, then I may go for it. Have you looked into the microbiome business? That's what I'm trying at the moment. I wonder what difference these operations make to the biome?

No i can't feel any difference yet.

For me i just want to be healthier. I never really had major body confidence issues... maybe the opposite of anorexia ... complete denial about my Size.

I might have tried to eat a spoonful of coronation chicken.... that didn't go so well... i really miss flavour. Every thing seems to taste more bland when blended.

The milk diet shrinks the liver so you lose a lot of water. It was really hard mentally to not eat for 2 weeks. I'm not sure I'd do it just as a diet.

I live in my sketchers memory foam shoes..i have like 4 pairs... it didn't occur to me until now that being fat might be why other shoes are less comfy... denial is incredibly powerful.