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Weight loss chat

A space to talk openly about weight loss journeys and challenges. Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. You may wish to speak to a medical professional before starting any diet.

Gastric Bypass in 2 months

452 replies

fontofnoknowledge · 18/04/2018 07:44

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.

OP posts:
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Sofabitch · 24/05/2018 11:39

I think because I still can't and eating them makes me feel really sick. I'm mostly just feeling really sorry for myself. Last night I actually went out and bought 2 kfc hot wings. I ate them really slowly and carefully, they were so good and were enough to stop me feeling sorry for myself..I'm not entirely sure the nausea and pain after was worth it though.

However on the upside the self pity has past today. And the towel after my shower met at the bottom! And I'm in a size 20 pair of trousers!! So the gains are real and showing.

So there is definelty swings in emotions. Low points and high points. I think on the whole the highs are well outweighing the lows. Yesterday was the first time in 5 weeks I've really had a what have I done moment. And I think a lot of that is to do with the nausea I've been suffering which has been making eating anything unappealing for a few days.

fontofnoknowledge · 25/05/2018 11:40

Aww sorry you are feeling so down Sofa.. hopefully the joy of a towel meeting both ends (something I dream of !) is just the beginning of a whole pile of 'firsts' that will become more exciting than any food possibly could .

One of the psychology sessions in my Tier 3 was about dealing with 'mental hunger' and the methods for replacing the need to 'reward' with food. Is there some 'thing' (activity, experience or item ) that you can't do, have or truly enjoy until you lose a bit of weight - that can now be done/achieved since the weight has come off. ?

Sort of thing suggested in the sessions .. painting nails, new clothes, activity like sailing, riding, country walk that are impossible when severely obese.. or that you felt too shy to do like swimming.
Of course activity levels should increase anyway and many of us exercise out of need rather than enjoyment so this isn't quite the same thing. The advise was that it has to be something you really want to do, that can replace the reward response created by food.

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Sofabitch · 25/05/2018 19:45

Thank you. Today is much better. I made enchiladas with the children and managed to eat a small amount. So that was nice to sit with my boys and eat.

I did treat myself to a full body massage as a reward for loosing 3 stones! I've never done that before.

Great advice about finding something new for a reward. I shall have to give that some thought. Shopping is definelty a big plus for me. But I'm trying to be restrained until my weight settles.

Magpiemagpie · 27/05/2018 09:14

I’m just adding to this my father is diabetic and was extremely overweight
He was offered surgery but refused it - he felt to old
His doctor put him on vitosa a injection for weight loss and he has lost over 5 stone since Christmas I’ve never seen him so slim in my life
So if anyone is diabetic and considering WLS might be worth asking your doctor about this
He off it now but his weight has stayed stable

Highhorse1981 · 27/05/2018 09:17

the body had an inbuilt mechanism to stop you losing more than 10% of your bodyweight and statistically only 1 in 800 people can do it.

Complete bollox

How do you explain the millions starving in the holocaust. Utterly and completely emaciated due to food deprivation

fontofnoknowledge · 27/05/2018 09:57

Highhorse1981 Where did you see that nonsense written. ? Whoever wrote it sadly has no understanding of horrible diseases like Anorexia where people literally starve themselves to death.

Anyway , back in the real world .... ! How is everyone managing. AnythingConsidered , SofaBitch ?

Please try to get back to us ARoomSomewhere. We would love to hear how you are getting on, wether you had the surgery or not. Each one of us who is either waiting or done it , have had the exact same thoughts as you. I know I have. Not having the surgery is an equally valid decision. Please let us know how you are.

GuildedLilly , I think you went to Belgium on the 21st for your mini Bypass ? Which means you should be home/on the way home ? How are you doing. ?

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Sofabitch · 27/05/2018 11:24

Hello all!

I will add that the bodies metabolism changes dramatically with anorexia. My nan suffered her whole life and only had to eat 600cals a day to put on weight. There is still so much we don't understand about weight and the way bodies processes energy.

Anyway. I'm doing great! I've lost 20kgs at my weigh in this morning! So pretty happy.

Eating is getting much more normal. Just small portions. This morning I had a single poached egg on half a piece of buttered toast for breakfast. And I'm just about to have a latté as a milky drink snack.

My next big mental goal is under 100kgs ...so 5kgs to go!!!

Sofabitch · 27/05/2018 20:26

Feels like a big turn today.

Today is the first day that I haven't felt like I've had to force myself to eat.

Downside is...I've been grazing. Picked at the kids dinner. And ate a couple of their sweets.

So now I need to work on reforming habits.

Highhorse1981 · 27/05/2018 20:35

OP, Upthread, one of the early posts. Ridiculous poster!

fontofnoknowledge · 27/05/2018 20:38

Work on those rewards sofa.. No sweeties.. you'll dump !!
But maybe you have to and it will put you off forever !

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Sofabitch · 27/05/2018 21:06

Omg 3 Haribo strawberries is 150 cals!!!

My protein has been great today though.

I'm really hoping not to get dumping. It was one of the advantages of the sleeve for me.

Breakfast poached egg on half a piece of toast.

Lunch the prawn mayo out of a prawn sandwhich.

Dinner, sashimi tuna and salmon. With 1 piece of DHs deep fried chilli squid.

Snacks, cappachino, edamne beans, 3 harribo strawberries and about 5 chips.

The first day since surgery that I've topped 600cals

QOD · 28/05/2018 02:09

Dumping is GOOD!
Reigns you in

Yeah I had to go to bed for two hrs as I ate too much crispy chicken skin. Serves me right and reminds me and stops me

fontofnoknowledge · 28/05/2018 07:57

Hahaha live that QOD !
I think you are right about the 'reminder'.

It's so difficult when like me you are still waiting . You imagine what it will be like and are desperately hoping this will be the miracle cure for your out of control appetite.
I am really lucky in that I am not fussed by sweet things. Never been a big sweet eater, can't remember when I last had a cream cake / sweet pudding except for a cornetto last week.

My downfall is savouries especially good bread ! and simply eating too much and too fast. I am hoping the op (don't know wether Sleeve or Bypass until the day due to scarring) will curb the portion size and bread snacking.

I put all my weight on in the last 8 yrs having been slim all my life. So desperately hope WLS will reset my body and mind after the steroids I took for years began this out of control eating causing joint pain and subsequent lack of exercise.

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Sofabitch · 28/05/2018 08:02

Tread is something i've been too scared to eat by itself yet, apparently it bloats and can leave you very uncomfortable with the sleeve!

how will the scars be different ? aren't they both done by
Laparoscopy?

QOD · 28/05/2018 08:13

Think she means that sometimes they can’t do bypass due to internal scarring
/adhesions and have yo revert to sleeve

Sofabitch · 28/05/2018 08:57

Or she's taking part in the clinical trial where patients get randomly assigned a surgery type on the day

fontofnoknowledge · 28/05/2018 11:11

Hi Guys, QOD is spot on . I have huge extensive internal scarring. Had a failed attempt at Sleeve last year overseas. The disappointment was unimaginable. To wake up on a trolley to find my 'life changing' OP had been nothing more than a laparoscopy. It was the clinics fault not the surgeon. I had sent them photographs of my external scars and assured me they had spoken to the Surgeon. They hadn't. He met me the night before the surgery, took one look at my patchwork stomach and said it would be unlikely at best and impossible at worst. Given the time he had. He was a jobbing surgeon from a University hospital who did WLS on Saturday. 6 surgeries a day. He took one look inside me a could tell immediately it would be like untangling Japanese knotweed! . He was kind enough to take good, 3d colour photos for me to show another surgeon. I went back to my private surgeon, who is pre-eminent in the field . He said he would be prepared to do a sleeve or bypass on the NHS where the clock doesn't tick . So got me put back on the NHS pathway (Which I had been chucked off when I had decided to go abroad)...

I am nervous but hopeful. The deal is that he will decide what's best once he can see the exact situation.
It's been a very long journey.

OP posts:
Sofabitch · 29/05/2018 11:54

wow that must have been really hard to deal with! i'm glad the NHS are picking the case up though... does that mean you lost your money for surgery you couldn't have! that must be so gutting :(

I really hope it works for you this time.

I'm browsing gym classes at my local leisure centre.. wondering if I have the confidence to join!

fontofnoknowledge · 29/05/2018 17:49

No, I didn't lose it all. I lost £900 of £5200. Plus my cost of flights (and I paid for a friend to come too) so lost about £1300. I cannot blame the surgeon though. He told me 'had I seen the photos of your abdomen I would tell you not to come'. It was the clinics admin who were to blame.
I also don't want to put anyone off of going overseas. There were 6 people in my group. All the other 5 had successful surgeries and the medical care, clinic and nursing were exemplary. I was just very unlucky.
I would just advise that if you have or suspect you have extensive scarring or ANY kind of medical abnormality - make sure the surgeon knows not just the clinic.

OP posts:
Sofabitch · 29/05/2018 18:53

That's really good that the finacial hit wasn't too bad. Have you got a surgery date yet?

Stop press!! I just went to the gym!! Did a 30 minute HI IT class...am feeling rather proud of myself!!! Could not have done that 6 weeks ago!

notapizzaeater · 29/05/2018 19:20

I can have a sleeve or a band on my medical insurance..... still deciding which way to go

Sofabitch · 29/05/2018 19:49

The band is being rapidly dropped for being ineffective unless you only have a small amount of weight to loose.

notapizzaeater · 29/05/2018 19:51

No I have 10 stone to loose 😢

Sofabitch · 29/05/2018 19:54

The same as me then.

My surgeon said he wouldn't recommend the band for someone as over weight as me. The sleeve has been amazing so far though. A lot of mental struggles. But not being able to physically over eat has been amazing.

Its taken me 6 weeks to be able to eat without major issues though. But now nothing seems out of bounds.

And the weight loss has been spectacular

AnythingConsidered · 31/05/2018 13:56

Notapizzaeater I would strongly advise against the Band.

I had the band fitted and had to have it removed 2 years ago. It caused 2 years of issues before i finally couldn't take it anymore and had it removed. I am 2 months ish out of having a bypass as a replacement.

Of the people I know with bands, 8 of the 10 have had issues &/or removals.

Like Sofa, I am now back to normal & nothing is out bounds (the band had lots of restrictions). I am getting steady weight loss (about 2 lbs per week) and enjoying the advantages the bypass is giving over the band.

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