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, I popped in near the start then wandered off! I'm hoping you won't mind answering some questions- I'm impressed at how bravely you've all leapt into having it done!

The thing I'm struggling with is the whole 'never again being able to eat normally' bit. Presumably, you get to a target weight, and then need to work out what to eat to maintain that weight. Is that likely to be about 1000-1500 calories?

How does that work practically? Do you eat with the family, but tiny amounts of what they are having, starting with protein then veg?

If you fancy a crisp, you eat one, but then don't fancy any more? You eat half a steak, some mushrooms, half a tomato and a chip?

My GP referred me to slimming world, which I have to do before being referred on. I lost the first few month but have ground to a halt now. I've been prescribed orlistat, which I'm hoping will get me over stall weeks.

I'm really wrestling with the whole 'this is the rest of my life' thing. Covid isn't helping.

I'm torn between thinking bariatric surgery is the answer, and thinking I'd rather stay as I am.

I just can't get a handle on the amount of time and effort 'not being fat' is going to take. Forever.

Sorry that's a bit of a bleurgh! I didn't realise how confused I am until I started writing!

@picklemewalnuts I literally one day thought fuck this I've been on every diet going for the past 12 years (probably longer) and I don't want to do it anymore. If I could be fat and happy I'd have worked out how to do it by now! I had the op within a month of first considering it.

I was actually at the gym when I had the revelation, doing yet another 6 week weight loss programme.

Obviously I still have to do the work but it does take away the option of eating absolutely huge portions of all the wrong things. Also my hunger is completely gone. I still fancy a packet of crisps but I'm not ravenously hungry when I wake up like I was before.

@picklemewalnuts when I go out to eat (pre-Covid) I order what I know I could finish in two sittings, and I put half in a Tupperware and take it home! I’ve no shame about it. So I would order fish with vegetables or lamb shank with mash etc. I wouldn’t order a burger with fries or anything stodgy because I couldn’t eat half of it in one go. But at home I will often have a burger (just the meat) with cheese, salad, maybe a few sweet potato fries. I eat what DH eats but half the portion size.

Unfortunately I can still eat as many crisps as I want as they just slide through! So it’s not a magic wand, you still have to make the decisions about what you put in your mouth. I couldn’t do it without the surgery to help me. I tried for years and years. The bypass honestly saved my life.

Also @picklemewalnuts the reality is if someone has got to the point of needing bariatric surgery they probably aren’t eating ‘normally’ to begin with! I certainly wasn’t anyway although I can’t speak for anyone else.

@picklemewalnuts you've taken the words out of my mouth! Exactly what I've been wondering about a sleeve.

I have four and a half stones to loose to get to my heaviest recommended weight. I mentioned gastric band to him indoors and he just got annoyed cos I don't have motivation and sticking power to be on a diet. Exactly my point!

I’ve had a couple of moments post op where I’ve questioned my decision on a couple of occasions (mostly due to this stupid stall im in) but I’d still do it all over again. It doesn’t happen for everyone but it’s taken away my sweet tooth altogether and I’ve really learned about nutrition.

I’ve am nervous for how I’ll enjoy Christmas tho when everyone else is indulging but am hoping if I can get the scales moving again I’ll use that as motivation

I'm going to Turkey on Jan 4th for a mini bypass.

I feel as though I've learned what SlimmingWorld is offering, that I didn't already do- bread and nuts are severely restricted. Everything else- I cook from scratch anyway, have a takeaway or meal out every other week. blah blah blah.

From here on in it's just sheer bloody slog and deprivation, day in and day out for the rest of my life.

@afaloren and @LadyShmuck , how long until you were eating normally (as in, half servings but actual food rather than liquids and purées)?

@picklemewalnuts I was on purée for four weeks and then I think soft food for another four? But my portion size was still very small for a while after that. I ate out of a ramekin at first and then graduated to a side plate, which I still eat off to help me with portion control because I can eat a bit more now so want to keep reminding myself what my portion should look like

@picklemewalnuts I'm only a week post op so still on the liquids, got another week of liquids and 2 weeks puree then onto solids. So 4 weeks total.

Then it's trial and error on what sits well with the new stomach really!

Thanks @LadyShmuck that has put my mind at ease as I was worried Ekol wouldn't be as nice as Godze as they do seem to put nice pics up! I know it has nothing to do with how nice it looks but I think I'd just worry I've chosen the wrong hospital for all sorts of reasons. I did request Dr Ismail Yamen so hopefully he is available on the day as I know he did have to cancel some a few weeks ago when he was sick.

It feels like it's so long away but in reality only 10 weeks. I suppose I can enjoy xmas/new year etc and then won't have long to wait. I am doing this purely for health reasons but have to admit the odd thought of the clothes I can wear/how I'll look has crept in and it's making me excited!

I spoke to GP yesterday and she's prescribed me orlistat, to get me over the hump.

If I have this deprivation, I want to see results for it!

Is there anyone on here who would be willing to say how much they paid to have a gastric sleeve done? I've been overweight my whole adult life and it IS going to wreck my health at some point.

I might be able to afford it, but don't really know the costs involved?

I imagine from £6000 up.. A family member paid 12.000 for a bypass but that was 10 years ago.
There are groups on Facebook where people have gone abroad for sleeves.

UK price for a sleeve is £9-10k. Belgium is about £6500 and Turkey about £3500.

Belgium would be OK, but I wouldn't go outside Europe.

@joswis - i felt the same. The aftercare and follow up was also a big thing for me and I felt that the UK offered the best on this score. Although UK providers differ of course. FWIW I went with Streamline (as did @afaloren I think) and have so far been very pleased with the overall service.

If you look on lots of Facebook pages, abroad is very popular though so there's lots of info out there if you need it.

I'm also in a mini stall - lost half a pound in last 3 weeks

I'm still eating 700-1000 calories a day - I just assume my body is going what the fuck

I am however losing inches (no idea how that works, makes NO sense to me - it never has) I'm not exercising at all - 2 days a week at over 8000 steps and that's it

The inches thing is definite as I'm wearing a pair of trousers today for the first time - I couldn't do up 3 months ago - they're genuinely hanging off me today - (they're brand new, I've tried to get them on 3 times over the last year!) as I was in such a hurry to get out to work.
They're the Boden Richmond trousers - I can't wear them again 🤷‍♀️

How does it work?!? How can you be slimmer but not be losing weight ?!?

Someone asked about sleeve costs in UK / mine was £16k (including 2k for a gastroscopy so they could see the inside of my stomach)

I don’t get it either @LaurieFairyCake I am exactly the same weight every day- not even an ounce either way- surely it defies science but my clothes are definitely looser...

£9500 for my sleeve btw

Mine was £3000 plus £450 because I had to get my gallbladder removed. I went to Turkey though, however I would have never been able to save/justify the cost in the UK since I'm a student and a single parent.

Where I'm going in Riga it's £4980. I did look at Turkey but I didn't fancy the longer flight. I am not good with flying at all. 🙈

Riga is lovely! Take some time to enjoy it first!

I'd love to @picklemewalnuts but I'm on a really tight schedule due to work