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?

I’m allergic to milk so I did a food based liver reduction diet - no refined carbs, no sugar, very low fat - it was just unlimited non starchy vegetables and unlimited meat (with fat removed) and one portion of fruit a day.
Honestly the first few weeks were brutal but it gets easier as you get into the swing of it!

How are you feeling @LaurieFairyCake?? Hope it gets easier.

I have just had my test results back I am covid positive so my operation has been cancled 🙈🤦🏼‍♀️

Nooooo

I've just eaten a Greek yoghurt. No idea if I'm supposed to but it tasted good

Have you got symptoms?

No, This is outing. But when I had to start isolating my sons nursery called and said my son needed to self isolate coz his key worker had covid so I must of got it from him. I am gutted but it is what it is x

So glad you're not ill, I've definitely been worried about Covid with being overweight- it's one of the reasons I decided to do it

I've finished off today by eating lentil soup and dipping Quavers crisps in it

Pretty clear I can't do a liquid diet with no crunch

Still in tons of pain - wakened up literally screaming - it is treatable with pain killers but if I don't do it every 4 hours it really hurts. How long does the pain take to go down ?

I can't bend at all

I was fortunate and didn’t experience any pain at all beyond the first day. I was also able to bend and sleep on my side comfortably.

I think the more I’ve read on the gastric sleeve, the more every individual has had a different experience.

Hi. To all those on here that have had keyhole surgery, did your surgeon inject steroids around the incisions & provide silicone gel/dressings after for scar reduction?

I've had bariatric surgery its the best thing I ever did but you must be aware that you must take vitamins and minerals for the rest of your life, you may lose a LOT of hair and the NHS doesn't cover removal of loose skin which can truly look awful. Research everything about it before you do it.

No steroids around my incisions. No idea if the dressings are silicon gel ones - can't tell

Can I ask Laurie and anyone else who’s recently undergone the surgery, have you shared it with friends and family?

@SilverOtter please listen to or read the Obesity Trap by Dr Feng.

I'm exactly where you are - and was a bit WTF reading this thread and seeing the documentaries. My BMI was 40 at the beginning of the month. I'm down 7kg and I think maybe I can make it work long term. But I'm going to give it a try. I'm going to be a healthier me.

But I'm also aware that surgery is probably the next option.

I'm so impressed by everyone on this thread. And I wish everyone courage

I've told dh/best friend/sister/SIL

But no one else. I can't believe how judgemental people are about this, how on earth anyone can think this is the 'easy way out' is insane.

I genuinely thought I could die doing such major surgery in the middle of a pandemic but I still did it. It's huge surgery.

My family and close friends know, haven’t mentioned it specifically to anyone else, just said, where required, that I’d had some abdo surgery.

Re steroids/dressings, no to both.

Re pain, I didn’t take any pain killers after day one but I did have to sleep on my back for about 3 weeks, lying on my side and/or turning over in the night was v painful for a bit and then it just wasn’t. Weird.

Oh ... and 7 weeks out last Friday. I ran 5 km. It took me forever (50 mins!) but I managed it with no after effects at all. Amazing eh? I was dead proud of myself 😂

Wakened up in pain again this morning and I'm in constant pain unless I lie flat on my back and don't move

I can't drink ANY of the protein shakes I bought because I hate the artificial sweeteners - I have a fridge full of them

I have no idea how I'm going to get my protein in - all I can manage right now is lentil or tomato soup and milk

I'm about to email the dietician and ask if I can go on to scrambled eggs

That's excellent @MonkeysandParrots will be so much fun to watch your time come down on future 7k's.

Sorry you feel so rubbish @LaurieFairyCake. Have you heard of huel? They have a high protein powder (no idea if allowed) but not packed full of artificial flavours. Kind if tastes like cold porridge & v nutritious.

Really glad to hear about your run Monkeys - that's fantastic!

Also glad that the pain when lying on your side went after 3 weeks - I can't lie on my side at all - can't wait for that to disappear

I have heard of Huel - I've yet to try ready brek - I assume it's similar consistency

@LaurieFairyCake Huel is what I used solely for my 2nd week of LRD. My dietician recommended it because it’s plant based without many nasties added.

It’s not cheap but it doesn’t taste too artificial, it’s also not overly sweet which I preferred. Get a taster pack of the additional flavourings, they are worth trying especially if you get the vanilla Huel.

Meanwhile, I was on watered down plain Greek yoghurt (total 5%, nicer than 0%j from very early on, unsure if you’ve tried that? Also, if you get some marvel and mix that in to milk, it’s extra protein. Lastly, you can get protein waters from H&B apparently ...haven’t tried them myself but know people who swear by them so maybe worth trying those also.

Really hope you start to feel better soon, being in pain sucks.

I've took the leap and I'm
Booked on for 22nd October. Dr Hanifi, medical centre , Istanbul. Gastric sleeve. Excited.

It’s funny how the different plans are from different doctors. I was on purées straight out of hospital. In the very early days though don’t worry too much about protein; your fluids and walking are the most important things.

If you can drink milk, adding some Marvel milk powder or similar to it and dissolving will boost the protein

Whoops just repeated what @MonkeysandParrots had already said

I'm not walking at all - have zero energy as clearly starving and surgeon said don't go out for a month

I had less pain yesterday but it's back with a vengeance today in a weird place - under my bellbutton - Googling suggests either muscle spasm or umbilical hernia. Either way I can only stop from screeching in pain if I hold a bloody cushion to it firmly

I am tempted by Huel but if I don't like it I'm screwed - I have about £80 worth of protein drinks in my fridge I hate

I defied the dietician yesterday as the surgeon gave me different advice - he said listen to your body, chew your food - eat what you need to right from the off

She said don't eat scrambled eggs for a month

So I ate scrambled eggs yesterday again - no ill effects at all. I don't believe my stomach has a hard time digesting them as they're so soft

I ate a protein yoghurt earlier and didn't water it down - again tasted fine, went down fine and no bad effects

So today low energy and horrible sharp pain under belly button and not near lap sites

I'm really hating this I'm sure in a month I will be fine but right now 6 days in I wish I hadn't done it

I have lost 10 pounds