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?

Two weeks for me

Just jumping on to say sleeved in November last year, now 6 stone 4lbs down

Wow @TrueFriendsStabYouInTheFront that is amazing!! Well done!

My lovely friend died about 5 years after her bariatric surgery, aged 45. I think she had a bypass. She died from malnutrition/ vitamin deficiencies. She weighed 6 stone 9 when she died.
This is an uncommon complication but not unheard of in the literature so do ask about it when you see the consultant so you are making sure you are fully informed of risks.

Thanks @einsteinsfinewine that’s one of the reasons I was wary of the bypass if I’m honest

I’d try a KETO diet first. A lot of people find it sustainable because they don’t feel hungry.

@EmpressoftheMundane I think that people who are considering this have pretty much tried every diet already. I certainly have.

Yep tried that one too!

It was low carb and low fat so mainly soups, yogurts and lean meat and veg as I didn't use shakes as I don't like milk and drinking lots of water. Since having the op I do now use protein shakes and actually don't mind them and it helps with the protein intake as that is very important for your health after surgery. I also take forceval multivitamin every day and you need to speak to your GP either before or after surgery to ensure you get the blood test( 3 months, 6 months and then annually) to check that you are not deficient in anything. It is also recommended that you take Calcium + Vit D and Iron tablets you will have advice from a dietician whether you're with NHS or private and even when you go abroad most companies offer this support and also ongoing

I am also at the start of this journey. Currently on a 3 year waiting list to be seen so starting to explore the possibility of going private.

Can I ask those of you who travelled abroad for surgery - where did you go and what was covered by the fee. What sort of follow-up was provided?

Privately here (Ireland) will cost between €10-20k so could be cost prohibitive sadly.

@luckylady22 thanks for the tips I hadn’t given much thought to vitamins etc- do you know if you can continue taking existing meds if in capsule form or if they need to be taken a different way?

Hi @NotAnothetOne welcome to our group. If your looking for tips on going overseas there are some brilliant fb groups with recommendations from people on clinics and surgeons etc. I joined with a fake profile so my family and friends wouldn’t see my posts but everyone on the forums are so helpful

I was advised that I would need to crush existing meds when I first enquired but then it depended on the size. One of the tablets was fairly small and the other one was larger so they gave me an alternative for the first 6 weeks(supplied at clinic) that was much smaller so able to swallow. Also got a chewable multivitamin for first 6 weeks too (Holland & Barrett) and then was able to swallow larger tablets.

Thanks Yorkshiremum for your comments on here, they've been very helpful and enlightening.

I'm at a BMI of 42 now - weighing in at around 18.5 stones - tried every diet going and am sick of it now.

I think the only way I can lose weight is by surgery but I have a few debts that I want to clear before I have to take another loan out to pay for the surgery.

I was referred to the T3 obesity service like someone said earlier on. They said you "should" lose 5% of your bodyweight in 12 weeks if you followed their recommendations. I followed their recommendations (as well as sitting through their 'how to read a food label' lessons) and on my 12th week I had lost 6lbs instead of the 12 that would have been 5%.

They said because I hadn't lost 12lbs I couldnt be referred to the surgeon for the next phase! They said I could get re-referred to do the T3 course again! I just found it ironic how someone was referred to them for surgery because they can't lose weight but how they then wouldn't refer me to surgery because I didn't lose weight.

I went abroad purely due to cost as it was anything from 10 to 13k in the uk. My gastric sleeve cost me £3750 in Turkey and that included everything except flights. My husband came with me, we were picked up at the airport and taken to a large private hospital in Istanbul we had a large private room and he stayed the whole time with me. I had all the pre op tests done next day bloods, chest x ray , endoscope etc then surgery that evening. My husband was fed breakfast, lunch and dinner and coffee, juice etc. We were at the hospital from the Friday night until the Tuesday afternoon and they looked after us so well. Dr ustun came in every day to see how I was and I was constantly monitored. We were then transferred by taxi to a hotel (amazing!) and stayed there until the Thursday morning when we were picked up again by taxi and taken to airport. I got all my food (shakes) at hotel but hubby had to pay for his meals at hotel ! That was the only extra cost we incurred so fantastic value. I have regular contact with them and have zoom calls approx once a month with dietician and coordinator Adam who I spoke to before booking and also Dr Ustun joins sometimes to see how we are doing. I did a lot of research and a couple of the companies who got good reviews were KCM clinic in Poland, New leaf in Czech Republic and I went with Istanbul bariatric clinic. You can join Facebook groups to get an idea of how people are doing and get lots of helpful advice.

How do I even start narrowing down the options? There's at least 5 clinics in my area (S Wales). Or should I go to my GP in the first instance?

I put several enquiries in online and looked at reviews. But if I’m honest the clinic I’ve gone with was recommended to me on here!

Yeah definitely look at reviews as much as you can and a recommendation from someone who has had the procedure and has been happy with everything is better than anything it takes a bit of time to get all your info and do your research but it is worth it and if you're going private you won't have to wait that long till you can get the op

You've got insulin resistance. Read the obesity code and get yourself on a low carb or keto diet and consider reading the kindness method or attending Overeaters Anonymous. This is just a very drastic fix and won't address the underlying reasons for your weight and eating. No one should be surviving on 600 cals a day. It's not how much you eat it's what you eat that matters. Xx

Have pm'd you luckylady22

@DoorbellsSleighbellsSchnitzel I’m v close to you, just over the bridge. My operation is likely to be in around 6 weeks, really liked the consultant, am meeting with the dietician and psychologist next week. All reviews are positive through my research so will let you know if I also recommend when out the other side!

Fantastic - thanks @MonkeysandParrots, that'd be great.

My op has been postponed- bloody Covid. Now end of July but it wouldn’t surprise me if they postpone again I know it’s silly but just feel so disappointed

Disappointed for you OP and it's understandable to be disappointed as you'll just want to get it over and done with !

Thanks @luckylady22 I’m just having a sulk I know it’s only a few weeks difference but I was so excited! And I have to go somewhere over 4 hours away now too

Oh no! That's really disappointing! Stay positive though - you'll get there eventually!