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?

Hi everyone, finally sleeved! Still in hospital after Saturdays op waiting to be discharged.

Feel surprisingly good. Head hunger is real, they've just plonked a huge bowl of soup on my side table and I've had three tiny spoons and feel done but also feel bad just leaving it.

I haven't felt hungry at all yet - trying to have some soup but no desire for any food - v v weird for me but feels quite freeing.

CoronaCurls congratulations .. welcome to the losers bench ! I am nearly 3 years post op and have never had a single regret.

Take it slowly.. you need to just follow the rules.. the ONE thing you will get a lot of and need to learn double quick to deal with is FEEDERS.. you will meet them everywhere. They just can't wrap their heads around 'I'm full' after a few spoonfuls .. they come in every shape and size and will spend their time saying ' you have to eat more or you'll be ill' ... you need to get tough.. but it will be easy because rapid weight loss digs your self esteem out of the gutter and running marathons ! Enjoy ..

I've been doing a LOT of thinking about weight loss surgery, and I'm 99% sure I want to do it.

Spoke to my husband about it tonight, who wasn't keen but was supportive and said if it's what I want etc.

However due to Covid we're just being a little cautious with money, so we've decided to try and diet together. I've said that I'm giving it until Christmas; if I haven't found my diet mojo by then I'm going to book the surgery! Eek

@RalphtheMouth

Hi all, hoping to have surgery next year. I am on the NHS pathway (I’ve been on it since Jan 2019) and should have a decision in a couple of weeks as to whether I will be offered the operation.

It’s really interesting to see how you are all doing and hope to be able to document my journey too. After my husband being made redundant I won’t be able to self fund so fingers crossed I will get the go ahead.

Hi @RalphtheMouth

Would you mind telling me about your journey with the NHS?

I too am wanting to take this route. I have spoke to my GP, who have referred me. I have my first ever appointment booked to see a dietitian end of next month. Would love to hear about your journey so far.

@wibblewobblex
I started with a GP appointment Jan 19 (I’ve seen the dr many times in the past for help with weight loss) so she was aware of my history. I was then referred to the Bariatric team (St Peter’s Ashtead) and saw the consultant there. He explained the programme and what was expected over the year - 5% weight loss, plus online learning sessions covering emotional eating etc and that minimum of 4 of these would need to be completed. Then over the course of last year saw a dietician, physio, psychologist and then again just recently an appointment with the consultant (by phone).

Whole process has taken around 2 years and I am
now waiting to find out whether I will be accepted for surgery. I have no other health issues but a BMI of over 40.

He said if I were to be accepted we are looking at a minimum of 3 more months before surgery.

Still not 100% sure on whether to proceed if offered but realistically don’t see that I have much of an option. Been dieting for over 40 years and metabolism totally screwed.

Good luck on your journey!

[quote RalphtheMouth]@wibblewobblex
I started with a GP appointment Jan 19 (I’ve seen the dr many times in the past for help with weight loss) so she was aware of my history. I was then referred to the Bariatric team (St Peter’s Ashtead) and saw the consultant there. He explained the programme and what was expected over the year - 5% weight loss, plus online learning sessions covering emotional eating etc and that minimum of 4 of these would need to be completed. Then over the course of last year saw a dietician, physio, psychologist and then again just recently an appointment with the consultant (by phone).

Whole process has taken around 2 years and I am
now waiting to find out whether I will be accepted for surgery. I have no other health issues but a BMI of over 40.

He said if I were to be accepted we are looking at a minimum of 3 more months before surgery.

Still not 100% sure on whether to proceed if offered but realistically don’t see that I have much of an option. Been dieting for over 40 years and metabolism totally screwed.

Good luck on your journey![/quote]

wow thanks for the reply. Thats been a long journey.
I spoke to a consultant over the phone last month a few weeks after being referred. Im pretty sure he said that I would need to lose 5-10% of my body weight but the programme would be 6 months. I am hoping it is 6 months and not a year.
my bmi is over 50 so maybe its because of this? I did read that if bmi is over 50, they fast track you? I also have no other health issues such as diabetes.

Why are you not sure about going ahead if you dont mind me asking? x

Hi everyone 👋 great to catch up with everyone's news, especially those who are now post op. I'm now on day 6 of my LRD, covid test and pre-op on Tuesday, sleeve on Friday 6 Nov!! So excited.

Am half enjoying the lrd and not having to make food choices but also really surprised by how much my thoughts and days seem to revolve around food and meals. That has been interesting and has also forced me to acknowledge how much of my eating is either habit or head-related.

This thread is so nice to read and has kept me going towards surgery.

@wibblewobblex
I’m having all sorts of thoughts really, one of the really silly ones is post op. I hate feeling sick and have had three pregnancies throwing up each and every day and have had my gallbladder removed and just felt so sick for weeks after the operation. Daft really but nevertheless it is on my mind.

Also, worrying about if it doesn’t work, what if I go through the operation and still don’t manage to lose weight.

I’m sure I’ll overcome those thoughts and am probably just nervous. Part of me desperately wants it, and I know if I am turned down I’ll be devastated so that really tells me what I need to know.

Sorry for the ramblings!

I do hope you have a shorter pathway, 6 months would be great.

If it helps @RalphtheMouth the anti sickness meds are brilliant

I dreamed about food every night during my LRD!

I'm 5 days post-surgery now and feeling so much better.

I'm not needing much pain relief and all the gas has dispersed - I'm a rubbish burper so I think it took me longer to get rid of it 😆

I'm probably not drinking enough liquid but doing my best - having chocolate slimfast for breakfast. Miso soup is nice too.

I'm still finding the medication hard but that's because I take loads anyway and it all tastes horrible when it is crushed. Only another 3 weeks to go!

I'm really hating the surgical stockings but only another couple of days to go. Not enjoying the heparin injections but my DH is really good at giving them painlessly.

I wish I had known more about all the rubbish postoperative stuff like the meds and surgical stockings, but I'm still glad I did it - it's so freeing not to be hungry any more.

@Seriouslyconfused3 thank you

@CoronaCurls glad you’re feeling better

Would it be OK for me to have a teaspoon of smooth peanut butter?

I'm a week post-surgery and trying to find something I can have to help disguise the horrible bitter taste of my crushed tablets.

@coronacurls you'll have to try & see. Is it low sugar natural peanut butter? Crushed pills are the worst! I'd play safe & have with a squash, as little liquid as you can get away with to wash it down in one.

I'm surprised at some of the diets people have jumped to very soon after surgery (no judgement) but someone up thread was having non liquids a few days out but then also had to stay on strong painkillers for weeks & I'm wondering if they're connected?

Yes it’s interesting how different clinics/surgeons will give their own post op diet advice. I was told no solids for 5 weeks, liquid the first two and purée/soft foods for the following 3. When eating always maintain protein first, then veg and carbs last.

I’ve hit my first stall- please tell me this is normal- the scale isn’t moving

@HyaluronicHippo
I think this is the overall advice from what I can gather after doing lots of research before the op and most clinics and dieticians seem to follow the same vein ? I think of you do this you won't go far wrong
@Seriouslyconfused3
Don't worry about it, it happens to most people. I think if you try not to weigh yourself so often it helps not too panic, I only weigh once a month now and you don't focus on the scales quite so much which has helped me ?

Thanks @luckylady22 sometimes I’m doing it twice a day maybe time to hide the scales for a while. I’m feeling slimmer overall just getting disheartened with the scales

@luckylady22 & @HyaluronicHippo did either of you struggle to get enough calories in at the start. Asking you as you seem to have had similar liquid then puree/soft only advice I got. Since starting my liver reduction diet I've lost 2 stone. In 20 days. (My LRD was only a week) Worried its too fast but averaging about 800 calories a day. My BMI was on the smaller side for procedure too (gastric sleeve).

Any advice from anyone welcome. Don't want to worry for no reason.

@Kamma89
Yes it is almost impossible to get all your calories in at first just focus on getting enough to keep your energy up and the protein. I used ufit protein shakes and also Grahams protein yogurts which gives you 44 grams of protein straight away and if you have lentil soup or soups that don't have a lot of protein you can add in a tin of chickpeas or broad beans which don't really alter the taste but give good source of protein ?

Thanks @luckylady22 - I won't worry just yet then! Energy certainly a bit low. I'm prioritising protein but hadn't heard of ufit or grahams. Protein water has been keeping my numbers up. Will try the chickpeas tomorrow as I find the liquidised meat I'm adding to soups hard to digest.

You can usually get the ufit shakes somewhere on special offer of a £1, if you in the uk Tesco just now are a £1 with club card price and aldi and Lidl do the Graham's protein yogurts at 75p but because not spending as much on food can justify the price and it's good for us too

I got a copy of the Bariatric Bible - I think it was recommended on this thread - it's a good read and very helpful.

I'm not having enough at the moment but it takes me so long to get all my medication in without throwing it up, that food doesn't seem that important!

I love not being hungry any more, it's fantastic but I probably do need more calories- never thought I'd be saying that 😅

I'm on the final straight now... Pre op and covid test tomorrow, sleeve and hernia repair on Friday 😱 Extremely excited but also really nervous - I've done so much reading and research but I still can't really imagine what it's going to be like afterwards. It's really good to hear everyone's experiences here.

Ooh good luck @MindBodyChocolate not long to go at all now. How’s the lrd been for you?