Contemplating bariatric surgery.... advice?

[Seriouslyconfused3]

Hi as the title states I am contemplating a gastric sleeve. I am a serial yo yo dieter and my metabolism is fucked. I have pcos and have tried Xenical, saxenda etc- successful until I stop using and the weight piles back on.

I’ve seen an endocrinologist and he said that, in his opinion, sometimes surgery is the only viable option. I’d be paying for it myself as I don’t quite meet the nhs criteria yet.

I’m miserable- I don’t lose weight unless I starve myself ie 600 calories a day and then I’m even more unhappy. I’m worried about my health in the long term, but then the prospect of surgery scares me too.

Any advice from those who have been there before?

That’s really good to hear @medicineappstress, glad the nausea is keeping away.

Re food, I didn’t need to purée unless I couldn’t tolerate soft food which hasn’t been a problem.

So I started with scrambled egg, then baked beans, tuna with a little mayo, fish cake, sea bass, baked salmon, smoked salmon pate, tuna pate etc. I can tolerate chicken thigh (as long as i chew it well & it has some form of dressing) so have had that. Dhal is good as is Hummus, mashed advocado & even lightly sautéed tomatoes.

Then I found M&S mini meals and have tried the cottage pie (across 2 meals with baked beans) and fish pie. Both good.

Still having plain greek yoghurt, Skyr, cottage cheese etc. My SIL gave me a huge bag of cooking apples so I stewed them down with cinnamon, mixed spice, agave & some stevia - works well with the yog or cottage cheese if I feel the need.

Hope that helps with ideas :)

That's great information @MonkeysandParrots , thanks very much. Hopefully you worked out that @medicineappstress and me are one and the same!! Well done on your weight loss so far.

My gastroscopy went well - fentanyl was looooovely.... give me more of that!

They found things - gastritis, hernia, scarring so have referred it to my surgeon on Saturday

I very much enjoyed the tuna sandwich and pot of coffee after. And my Covid and MRSA test was negative so that's good to know.

Back in on Thursday for all the bloods and more Covid/MRSA testing before the main thing

Hi all, just popping on because this thread has given me the push I needed. Same as OP, I have PCOS and have tried everything under the sun diet wise. I lost 6 stone on weight watchers back in 2011 but my issue is definitely portion size and I put it all back on.

I haven't been below 16st since 2016 when I had my eldest DS.

Currently having some gynae issues which are being investigated at a private hospital and I'm waiting to get my blood work back today in case thyroid issues are picked up. If that all comes back clear I'll be booking straight in for my WLS. Armed with this thread I've explained to DH (who also struggles with weight) my options and he is fully on board.

I was diagnosed with pcos when I was 18, and spent the next ten years suffering. I wasn't offered any help to manage it apart from I was put on Dianette which helped slightly with some symptoms but not the struggle with weight. I was never much overweight but it was hard to keep it that way. Then while in a stressful job I piled 3 stones on. At the same time we were trying to conceive, we were not entitled to fertility treatment on the NHS so I did my own research and asked my Dr for Metformin . He agreed that it might help me with my pcos if nothing else. I began calorie counting and power walking for 20 mins at least once a day. I lost the weight within 6 months and also fell pregnant. I am still taking it now after having 3 dc, I think Metformin works best for weight loss if you do exercise. My Dr actually says that it should be given to all women with pcos to help prevent type 2 diabetes, which we are more prone to.

My fucking surgery has just been cancelled

No staff as the ones doing it now have to self isolate on return from holiday

So delayed 10 days - annoyingly meaning I have to self isolate from TOMORROW

A whole month inside !!!!

That’s so disappointing for you Laurie. I cant believe how much you’re paying for this treatment, id think it was fair enough if it was five star but...

Oh @LaurieFairyCake that’s awful. Covid ruins everything!

Apparently the assistants are coming back from Greece and the Lebanon

I'm so fucked off with staying inside - had such lovely weather

Are they expecting you to quarantine pre op laurie? Or you’re having to self isolate for another reason?

@LaurieFairyCake that must be a nightmare. I think we’ve picked the worst time to go through this process

Yes, it's solely because of Covid - 14 days isolation

Hi everyone,

I'm new to this thread but have read a lot of the thread, and just watched the linked documentaries.

Bariatric surgery is something that has been occurring to me more and more over the last year. I'm heavier than I've ever been, and have several associated health problems.

I've lost weight in the past (before having children), but when my post natal depression flared up after my first child I began piling the weight back on and things have just got worse and worse.

Just before lockdown I joined a gym and was really optimistic, then obviously lockdown happened and not only could I not go to the gym but I ended up piling on another stone through compulsive eating.

I've just started going to gym classes last week, a couple of pounds have come off and I was feeling reasonably positive about things.
I've got to say that after watching that documentary I feel very deflated, like bariatric surgery is ultimately going to be my only option and that it doesn't matter how hard I try it's going to be nigh on impossible to lose the weight myself and keep it off. I actually feel quite depressed after watching that!

Hi @SilverOtter welcome to the thread. I felt like that myself- I’m waiting for my op date at the moment. Honestly I’ve tried every diet and exercise plan in the book and just get fatter at every attempt lockdown has not been good for me in terms of my eating and exercise so can’t wait to get my new start!

hi everyone. glad to have found this thread as I'm currently looking for a surgeon who is actually operating or can at least get me on to a waiting list. I'm based in Bristol and have a BMI of about 41. GP flat out refused to refer me to NHS for a sleeve so am looking privately.

I completely appreciate that Covid has created a big backlog and I'm willing to wait. But so far I've only been able to contact the Spire in Bristol and they didn't reply to my last message. I've spoken to the Benenden in Kent which sounds great, but is obviously a trek from Bristol.

Does anyone have any recommendations for surgeons in the South or London? I'd just like to get a date even if it's Jan/Feb next year.

Hi @MindBodyChocolate, welcome to our merry band,

I’m 4 weeks post op and I live in Bristol .. I had my surgery privately at The Nuffield.

I’d happily recommend my surgeon - Mr Alan Osborne via eweightloss.co.uk. I had a sleeve and, thus far, no nausea or other not very nice side effects.

If you want any more details, feel free to drop me a pm.

Morning all, I had a gastric bypass in May 2018, went from 21st to 13 and a half over a year.
Had a bit of a traumatic event and stopped following the plan for a while - put back on 2 st but now in the process of losing it again (a stone down in a month).

Happy to answer any questions. Would do it again in a heartbeat.

Gal do you still feel the restriction now?

When you say you gained some weight, was that by eating slider foods such as crisps, chocolates and crackers?

Are you pleased you went ahead with it?

Hi Hippo,

Yes, I absolutely do feel the restriction. I got complacent which is always a mistake! Yes I discovered slider foods and was eating the wrong things. I have found it much much easier to get back on top of things than before the op though - and now only have 2 st to lose instead of 8!
When you eat 3 protein based meals a day, you get full quickly and the weight comes off. What I have had to learn the hard way is other ways to deal with stress. I have a chronic pain condition and have also quit alcohol this year (8 months today!) as I was noticing that I was drinking in the evenings instead of eating. Predictably (in hindsight) i then started eating more rubbish instead of drinking! Hence the gain.

I’m now exercising every day. This is really helping to keep me on track.

I don’t regret my surgery for a moment. Before my surgery I felt like I was dying every day. Now I feel alive again.

thanks @GalOopNorth - it's always helpful to hear about experiences a bit further down the line. 21 st to 13.5 is amazing - well done on that, and getting back on the plan!

Hi all just thought I might pop my head in. I had a bypass in February 2019 and have lost 14 stone, going from 25 to 11. It has not all been plain sailing and frankly anyone who thinks it’s an easy way out can boil their head, but I would still do it again in a heartbeat if I had my time over.

Also happy to answer any Qs Sorry to those of you who have had your plans interrupted by Covid; I feel very fortunate that I had my surgery last year!

Hi @afaloren 😊

What a fantastic success! I agree it isn’t easy, but for me a lot of it has being forced to find ways to deal with stress that aren’t food.

I learned a lot about myself on the journey! I guess a tip I would give to those close to the op is make the most of the first year and try not to become complacent. The surgery takes you down with little effort (no hunger etc) to a certain weight (which is different for everyone) in the first 6-12 months - after that it is up to you whether you continue to lose ... That’s how it was for me anyway.

Hi @GalOopNorthyes and thank you!

I totally agree that it forces you to look for alternate coping mechanisms that aren’t food! The key is making sure those new mechanisms are healthy.

My surgeon absolutely drilled into me that I had one year from the date of the surgery to get as much off as possible. I actually set a countdown timer up in my kitchen to constantly remind myself that I had this window of opportunity to unlearn a lifetime of a terrible relationship with food.

I still love food and if anything I appreciate each bite more now because I can’t sit there mindlessly troughing like I used to! Now I’m in the maintenance phase which is a very different beast but my clinic do a lot of after care so I’m supported. It’s so important to have that I think.

Don’t know why it added a random yes to the end of your name @GalOopNorth sorry

hi @afaloren - you've done so well, it's really good to hear. That's a good tip about making the absolute most of the first year and really going for it. thanks again :)