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?

At the moment I’m mainly just walking (10k-16k steps daily) but i will be starting a new regimen over Christmas when I have a bit more time. I’m thinking doing some aerobics, Zumba and boxercise type work outs

Do any of you post op ladies suffer from lipoedema?
And if so did surgery help with this.
I am certain I have this. I have been thinking about surgery for a while now and am wondering if it works with lipedema which is a fat cell condition.
I am obese all over, morbidly to be honest but my legs and tips of arms are massively out of proportion with the rest of me. I am struggling with mobility which is common with this condition hence feeling I need to do something fast.
Diets never work longterm for me. I lose weight at first, then it slows right down and I have to reduce calories further to lose and end up failing again.

www.lipoedema.co.uk/

That should say 'tops of arms'

Don’t have lipoedema but WLS surely can’t hurt it? Even if just to reduce the rest of your body weight to make your mobility a bit easier and improve your overall health.

@Seriouslyconfused3 I'd love to know if your new regime makes you want to or need to eat more. Please report back next year :) 10-16k steps seems like loads to me already!

@Kamma89 I’m just over 4 months post sleeve.

6 weeks after the op I started c25k, graduated mid November and have just been out for a 5km run this am. I am slower than a slow thing on a slow day but I don’t care. I try to run 3x a week so maybe a couple of 3km’s during the week with a longer run at the weekend.

I also do a couple of strength training sessions a week, normally with a PT but sometimes in the gym. I used to do this pre op too.

Because of the exercise that I do, I find I need to eat more. I’m unsure of the calorie count because the dietician has asked me not to track and to try intuitive, eat the rainbow eating instead. However, I’m sure I’m up around 1200-1500 cals a day.

I’ve lost 51lb so far, another 50lb to go to get to a healthy bmi.

That's interesting @MonkeysandParrots. Doesn't seem to have negatively impacted your weight loss either, that's a huge loss!

hi everyone, good to hear updates! i'm 5.5 weeks post op and (including LRD) have lost 2st 5lbs. Not meteoric, but better than I have ever managed before, and still going. I've had a week's stall in this - unbelievable not to lose weight when you're eating 800 cals a day.

Someone asked about exercise - my surgeon told me to do 90 mins walking a day which is obviously quite a lot! so I just do my best to be active - walking kids to and from school instead of driving and I've started going to the gym. I'm going to do the couch to 5k after xmas. I understand it as a way to keep your metabolic rate up and hopefully avoid stalls.

good luck @Seriouslyconfused3 with your target - fingers crossed for you. you're very close.

I started my LRD yesterday. It was nowhere near as hard as I’d thought. I had four slimfasts, two cups of bovril and 2.5L no added sugar squash. I had a moment mid day sat at my desk where I felt peckish and wanted something crunchy but I think that was habit rather than hunger.

Also had a call from the bariatric nurse at the hospital today, she went through some things with me.

I’ve got 7 shifts left at work until I break up on the 28th Dec, and don’t go back until 25th Jan.

The personal trainer called me on Sunday too, told me about starting to increase my daily steps as I’m not allowed to do proper exercise until 6 weeks post op.

Woop woop I hit the first target I set myself! This latest stall didn’t last long thankfully.

@MindBodyChocolate I’m aiming to start couch 2 5k over Christmas too!

Well done @Seriouslyconfused3 !!!!

@MindBodyChocolate thats pretty meteoric if you ask me :) have you ever lost that much before in such a short time? Well done! And congrats @Seriouslyconfused3 you must be so pleased!

I am now down 50 lbs at 8 weeks, which is such a huge seeming number but still have so far to go. It's crazy, didn't notice myself getting that big on the way up!

Well done everyone - it's really encouraging to hear everyone's updates.

@Kamma89 - I am beyond pleased with my progress so far. I've never lost more than 2 stone by myself and I feel so much better already.

Just popping in with a little update. I'm now 6 weeks out and 2st10lb down since the day of surgery. I feel absolutely fine, still never hungry, not had any sickness or really anything to complain about!

Scars are still very very noticeable and dark but I'm not a good healer.

I do find I'm wishing my life away. I want the next stone off every day ha!

Hope everyone is well

Wow some brilliant updates from everyone/ glad it’s going so well! I do still find myself hungry now but it’s definitely genuine hunger rather than just w need to graze constantly

Had a call from the hospital today to set up zoom call with dietician and psychologist (the education session) next week, then potentially anaesthetist and surgeon the week after. Was told I could have it as soon as January and they have some vacant slots. Scared but excited!

That’s brilliant @RalphtheMouth I think we all get scared- I was convinced I would die and nearly cancelled the whole thing

Thank you @Seriouslyconfused3. You’re doing so well, good luck with C25K.

I don’t want to tell my boss and colleagues at work but will obviously need some time off. Thinking of saying I need to have my gallbladder removed. Did you all tell your work?

I am working from home so am thinking I can take two weeks sick leave then just work from the sofa if still uncomfortable. Does that seem realistic?

@RalphtheMouth can you take sick leave for elective surgery? I didn't tell work, took 2 weeks annual leave & while I could have gone back after 7 days, I'm glad I had longer, unless any complications you probably/hopefully won't be uncomfortable after 2 weeks anyway.

@Kamma89 not sure actually, I’ll check. May do the same and take holiday.

My sickness policy didn’t say anything about elective surgery and I have to say, I find it a bit of a loaded phrase when talking about weight loss surgery. I guess it was elective for me in the sense that I wasn’t going to die the next day if I didn’t have it, but to my mind it wasn’t a choice if I was to avoid the chronic illness of diabetes and other associated problems with obesity.

I said I was having abdominal surgery and if pressed I said I was having a hernia repair. Maybe don’t use gallbladder as an excuse as you may need it actually removing later!!

I took 2 weeks sick leave and don’t feel bad at all. I’ve had surgery to improve my health and as a result am hoping to avoid lots of time off work in the future.

Thanks @MindBodyChocolate. I think I’ll go with the same line as you, abdominal surgery - I have actually had my gallbladder removed about 20 years ago!

Got my appointment with the dietician etc in the morning and have told my immediate family about the operation so it is all becoming very real.

Good luck @RalphtheMouth - hope the dietitian appointment went well. I don't think it truly became real for me until I was lying on the anaesthetist's table :)

How’s everyone feeling about potential Christmas weight gain? I want to enjoy myself and have a treat but I’m nervous I’ll gain weight. Any tips for first Christmas post vsg?