Gastric Bypass in 2 months

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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.

Well. My reading suggested the bypass was more effective but the sleeve had less complications. My surgeon recommended I had the bypass. But I went with the sleeve in the end.

You really need to prepare something before you go. Esspecially if you are on your own. Do you have a hand blender?

Yes re blender.

I was surprised he said bypass as my bmi not that high.
I guess surgeons have their preferences.
why did you go sleeve in the end?

Well its the most effective and the most evidenced. So I guess that's why.

I chose the sleeve because I know 2 people that have had great results on it.

Thanks.x

It never rains tho.

exH has just been diagnosed with Angina this afternoon.

Cant decide if that means i should cancel (we have two kids an no family) or it is even more important.

Aroomsomewhere. I think it's even more important you go for it. I am due to have nine next month. I started this thread for people like us, on the journey.

It's been amazing to have so many kind folk who have gone down this road to give us the 'real' story of the post op ups and downs.

Like you, we have all been on this path a long time. Like you I am scared witless and incredibly excited in equal measures. The one thing that I have learned from all the reading, research and especially this thread... is that not a soul has ever said they regret it..

I have seen the occasional thread on here about WLS and it's always the same. A couple of positive posts and then those who know nothing about it will pile in with horror stories of ' my sisters aunts cousin new someone who died'... 'knew someone who's bowels exploded ' blah blah blah.. so I wanted a thread for people who had been through /about to go through it.
The result of first hand knowledge is that it has changed their lives 100% for the better.

You are just about to start a brand knee life. Obesity is the killer. NOT the surgery. Look at the clinical evidence for weight loss for those with a BMI over 40. Only 1:600 and something successfully diet to a healthy BMI. Of that tiny tiny percentage, over 85% put it all back on and more within five years.

This is your chance to get off that merry go round OP. !
Good luck tomorrow. You WILL be fine and you will be asking yourself what you were worried about in 2 weeks time!
Please keep coming here and letting us know how you are doing.

I think I've just my referral back a few months 😢 moving from Leeds and Manchester and it's restarting all over again. Oh well I need this! So may I join in? I have to do the low carb diet before the surgery when I get there and I'm terrified! It's a lot of milk!

Good luck today @ARoomSomewhere.

I Agree..Go for it. Even more important now. What time is your admission?

I agree that I don't regret it ( i might have in the first few days) but now I feel so free from my food addiction.

Bit late in responding ARoomSomewhere, good luck today.

The fear is normal. When asked if I had any questions just before my op, my instruction to the Surgeon was "to do a good job" and to the Anaesthetist "make sure i wake up".
Both were quick to remind me that they have done 2 operations (not just WLS) every day for 15-20+ years. This operation is as common to them as us driving the car!

The pre-op diet is not about weight loss. It's about shrinking the Liver so that it is small enough to be moved in surgery. They need to do this to get to your stomach. They know if you have/haven't followed the diet when they get in there... be honest with yourself and your surgeon about how you have done with the pre-op diet. It seems they rarely cancel (based on WLS forums), so I wouldn't worry, but giving your surgeon info really helps them with their prep!

As Sofa mentioned, the first few days are hard. There is some pain/discomfort but this quickly subsides. The physical hunger completely disappears and the mental hunger takes a week or two to go as well. I have had WLS surgery twice - it really bloody works!

Be honest with yourself about your fear. You do need to be committed to the operation and the after life the op has. This doesn't mean you can't ever have nice things. Some things are a complete no for evermore, some is small things in moderation, some you will be allowed but your body will just reject. But you need to make sure you follow your dieticians/teams advice.

I am 5 weeks out (first review appt at hospital this morning) and have not had any dumping at all. I am watching the sugar and fat content of the food i eat to prevent dumping (see an earlier post!)

I am eating "normal" foods but small portions and lots of lots of chewing. I haven't avoided the stuff I used to eat before - I just don't want to eat it. The taste or desire or want for it has gone. Tomorrow I will be having a bit of cake at a wedding celebration - but it will be a small portion compared to the 2-3 slices in would normally have.

The success of the operation and the benefits to your health will come based on how you work WITH your WLS. With what you have described, you will see huge improvements to your current health issues - the apnea, the joint problems, are both fixable from the surgery.

Good luck. Be strong for yourself (even if you have to fake it atb first) and come back and tell us how it goes. In two weeks you will feel so very, very different. In 4, like another person!!!

Welcome HoneyBee - fingers cross the referral does not mean you have to start all over again.

The Milk diet sounds worse than it actually is. The first few days suck, after 3-4 days you justvget on with it, but by the end you will be sick of milk - but you focus on the end goal. A chance to lose 70% of your excess body weight!!

To answer your post from a few days back font I have done the following:

• work know I have had an operation. They know it is stomach and digestion related and will likely result in me losing weight. I shared what i have to do with the pre-op diet, the 2 weeks liquid and 2 weeks soft food afterwards and then tiny portions and slow eating process. I haven't explicitly said WLS, but i am sure some of the team have worked it out!

• closest friends know I have had a Bypass. Some have asked me outright about what it means/entails, all have been supportive but most are ignorant to what actually happens and the changes one has to make.

• closest family knew about my previous band & so this is just the next step.

• I have a family member who is a consultant at one one the Slimming Clubs (overweight herself but making huge progress) who considers it cheating. Sadly, she doesn't realise that lots of WLS patients will use the Slimming Clubs to keep them on track, but her ignorance is stopping her from being a truly great consultant. But that's her problem!

I am getting comments about the weight loss so far, but most are assuming it's because of the operation and more activity I am doing.

So upshot is , I'm not keeping a secret, but I'm not shouting about it from the rooftops!!!

How did you get on @ARoomSomewhere?

1 month today since my surgery! I have my check up today. I'll update with my total weight loss on return as I don't want to jinx it by checking at home first....how's that for some crazy mental hang ups from slimming world days! A little park of me wants to re join slimming world and get all the awards ;) how am I doing it I'm just sticking to the plan dear .

@GuildedLily when do you fly for your surgery? How are you feeling? Has the pre op diet gone well?

Check up yesterday went great. I can move to real but soft food! Although I went th m to a bbq last night and ate a chicken wing a bbq rib 2 pieces of potato salad a piece of courgette and a baby carrot! It was all so go. I just chewed everything super well and no problems.

I'm finding I'm starting to really crave flavours. Lunch yesterday was a crackerbread topped with goats cheese, pesto, and sun dried tomato! Yummy.

I've lost 18kg, which is 27% of my excess weight apparently! Sounds good when said like that!!!

Sofa that's fantastic news and what a huge weight loss induct a short time. Congratulations.

Has your head caught up with your weight loss yet? My clothes are looser, but i still see myself as a size 24 when I look in the mirror!

No my head hasn't caught up yet. That might take a bit longer. I'm very pear shaped and I guess my overall shape is the same. A lot of my stuff is too big...Or now fits where I had been in denial. So I'm kinda back to where I was a few years ago I guess.

Maybe another couple of months and I'll start needing to buy new clothes

Hi all, can I join in please?

I’m booked in for a gastric sleeve on the 14th June, very nervous about it all, especially the anaesthesia as I have never had a general before. Also, a little concerned about staple line leakage. I’ve been googling for what seems like forever. But I definitely feel it is the right decision for me.

Welcome @Meralia. I too was petrified about staple line leak, I think its an inevitable fear as it does happen occasionally.

Which pre op diet are you following?

I have a 2 week LRD, which is quite flexible after reading others!

I can have meal replacements (no more than 800 kcal per day)
Or low carb and low fat meals
Or a mixture of the 2 as long as it doesn’t exceed the 800kcal goal. I’ll probably do meal replacement drinks (apparently Tesco do some good ones) for breakfast and lunch and then a meal of healthy solid food for dinner.

Sofabitch, you’ve done so well so far, you must be really pleased.

Hello Meralia welcome to the WLS club.

Your LSD sounds fab - the ability to have solid food was the bit I missed most in my diet and combining both, sounds fab.

Where are you having your op done? The time will fly by and before you know it, you will be out of hospital & home!

Wow that does sound flexible. Although in some ways I liked the milk diet. No choices to make and no food at all, so no temptation. I think if I could strictly follow a low cal diet for 2 weeks I would probably be a better weight in the first place.

Although something about knowing their is an end makes it easier.

I am pleased. But it also doesn't feel real yet. And i still feel like a little bit of a fraud.

I’m having it done at Spire. Have my meeting with the dietician tomorrow, so that should be interesting.

Yeah, I’m worried if I’ll have the self discipline to be able to stick to the LRD as there does seem to be quite a lot of choice, I may just opt for a complete meal replacement option. I can use the Tesco ones or slimfast so a little bit of choice there.

I’m a little concerned, I have an 11 month old who weighs 27lbs, my husband can have a few days off after but nowhere near 2 weeks. I’ll have to try and rope people in to help.

Don’t feel like a fraud sofabitch, weight loss surgery is definitely not an easy road.

How is it going for you anythingconsidered? I’ve just read that you’re 5 weeks out, do you need to have b12 injections?

I’m going on holiday at the end of July to Spain so hoping I will not still be on liquid foods by then.

I went with spire too. I've found them to be fantastically supportive.

I'm almost 5 weeks out and I had sushi for lunch. But inky really tiny bits. I'm still finding something's are causing problems. Amd last night I drank a glass of water too quickly... must have trapped some air because it came straight back out!

Technically I'm supposed tp be on mushy food... But i figured as long as I chew really well it is all fine.

I definitely couldn't lift anything heavy for the first 2 weeks. And it wasn't great in week 3. But I'm fine now.

I am 6 weeks out on Thursday. It's has flown by!

I love the bypass. I am now 92.5kg. Was 104.8kg pre LRD. So chuffed with my progress. It isn't as fast as other WLS people tend to experience but the hospital warned me it slower for band to bypass conversions, so it's meeting my expectations! I'm also hoping that slower weight loss will mean my skin gets some time to react/adjust.

I lost all my muscle and (buried under fat) definition in the 6 weeks i couldnt exercise. So last week i started again and am trying to do exercise bike 3 x a week (2 miles each time), a PT session once a week, focused on rehabilition & building up core strength and aerobics (at lower levels) every other week. Fingers crossed that also helps with skin!

Food is going well. Back to "normal" foods for a week and a half. I am having 3 small meals and two snacks each day. Focused on protein rather than calories. Averaging around 700 calories per day. I've not had any dumping/side effects so far, though i am definitely more windy than pre-bypass!

Like Sofa, I am chewing everything within an inch of its life & eating slowly to make sure i don't overeat.

Water content is gradually increasing (up to 1.5-2 ltrs per day now), though it hard not to gulp drinks in this lovely weather!

Medication is:

• iron 10ml per day
• calcuim/bit D one sachet per day
• 2 x multi vitamins per day (split)
• Vit b12 injections every 3 months

I'm having a mentally tough day today :( I'm really craving foods I just can't eat. It's hard going.

How do you deal with that Sofabitch ? Do you eat ? Do you distract yourself ?