Have you had barriatric surgery?

[Bumpdebump]

If so, what kind did you have? And did you have to wait ages for the operation? Interested in hearing people's experiences. Thank you.

Hi there
I am recovering from a gastric sleeve op was on Thursday. Not going to lie I feel rough right now it's not the tummy pain it's wind and general yuck feelings.
Trying to stay hydrated is hard.
Only clear liquids for two weeks.
I went private because I was desperate and couldn't wait two more years for NHS.
Please ask me any questions I'll try to help.
Do think carefully about going overseas my surgeon spends his NHS time correcting those ops especially turkey. It's cheap for a reason.

Hi maxbabi. Hope you feel better soon. What kind did you have? A sleeve? Where did you go for yours and how much did it cost? I'm getting to the desperate stage. I can't cope with struggling this much and food forever and it's really ruining my life. I can't really afford it but I could stick it on a credit card. Or two.

Bypass
Nhs
8 years ago
20 stone to 12 and now 14.
Chubby normalish

Well done for losing so much weight How long did you have to wait on the NHS?

@maxbabi how long from first consultation to op, privately?

It was about 10 months. Psychiatric checks and counselling plus dietician reviews plus had to lose some weight to prove you could
I always could lose a stone or two - then put on 2 1/2 etc
I picked a central London hospital that has a great name for private as well as nhs and the after care is amazing

Thanks @QOD. Which hospital did you use? Would appreciate a private message if you don't want to share publicly

Done 🤙

Hi
I went with healthier weight in London. My mum paid as I couldn't afford it. They do a finance plan too.
I saw the consultant within a week of calling then did a ton of googling and research joined fb groups etc. The consultant and I discussed whether sleeve or by pass. I trusted and liked him so went ahead.
The length of liver reducing diet depends on your size. Mine was 3 weeks of under 900 calories a day. I did lighterlife for the most part and list 2 stone.
So around 4weeks from call to operation.
I have 24 hour support and the care in hospital was excellent.
Every day I am getting better. And hopefully smaller!

Glad to hear you're feeling better @maxbabi! Dare I ask how much it cost?

10k
Yes expensive but I desperately need to lose weight so I can have my hip replacement and it was not happening. Too much pain couldn't exercise etc etc.
Yes overseas can be cheaper but after having it done here in UK there is no way I would want to travel. I'm a single mum BTW.
Most clinics offer finance. I am feeling so much better but missing food and every time I put the TV on people are eating!!!
After surgery you are on liquids for up to two weeks then thicker liquids the pureed food. Its a long process and taste buds can change too. I will have to take vitamins forever. Its not an eady fix once on solid foods intake is small but you still have to focus on your diet.

Thanks @maxbabi. I have a friend who is having it done but that's likely to cost her £15k so that sounds reasonable!

I had the gastric sleeve in 2014 - went from 140kg down to 70 - currently I’m sitting on 84kg as I’m nearly 18wks pregnant. Best thing I could have ever done after over a decade of health issues (PCOS, Endo, Insulin resistance) nothing else was going to help me. I’m in Aus and it set me back $6k here (so probs £12k in UK terms).

What's the recovery time like? Am just thinking about work and what time I'm likely to need off.

Been told one to two weeks off work but it would depend on how physical your job is and if you could work from home.
I can't shower for 10 days so would hate to have to go to work like this!

SamStephens, other way around. The Aussie dollar is worth less than the GBP, so the conversion is more like £3.5k in the UK.

You got a bargain!

Oh silly me, I always forget which conversions are close to double and those that are less!!

Recovering physically was less than 2 weeks - it was keyhole surgery and I’d had three before due to the PCOS and Endo so I was used to it. Getting used to a new way of eating took a few months, but you get there.

I remember feeling despair at folks in the group sessions who’d ask questions like “but if I melted a couple of snickers in the microwave and drank them I’d be ok right?” Like no.. that’s not what this surgery is like!!

Just been on the scales and in one month I have lost 35lbs. That's since the start of the liver reducing diet 1st April. Pretty exciting long way to go but it's a start.

Melted snickers urgh!!!

That's amazing Max!

@samstephens @qod I had a consultation today and am meeting another surgeon next week. Seriously considering it all.

Do you ever miss having a proper three course meal? What's Christmas like?! DP and I love spending hours in the kitchen making dinner and mixing cocktails, drinking wine and all that good stuff. Obviously this is partly why I am so fat (although DP is thin!), but do you miss it? Can you still have a slice of birthday cake (once healed etc)? Can you go back to drinking water with dinner? Have you got scurvy? Surely you can't get five/seven portions of fruit and veg a day? Do you really only have a starter when you go out for dinner? So many questions!
It just seems such a HUGE irreversible lifestyle change.

How are you getting on @maxbabi? I've booked my surgery!

Bumpdebump that's fantastic news where are you going?
I'm doing really well thanks. Just past 4 weeks still on pureed food and soups. I have lost 3 1/2 stone since 1st April.
Gradually trying new foods to see how my body reacts so far so good. It's weird I don't really crave food I do get hunger pangs then they go away and my portion sizes are so small. I just managed a tin of tomato soup (really craved it).

Sent you a pm @maxbabi