Bariatric surgery no.2 thread

[Seriouslyconfused3]

For everyone following from the last thread...

If you’re new please feel free to join in and share your experiences

[quote alldressedupinblue]@SilverOtter How are you doing with the LRD? I must say I'm finding it hard to concentrate at work. One more week and I'll be in surgery [/quote]
I'm on day 6 and REALLY struggling. Last night I came so close to caving and ordering an Indian - the cravings were just unreal!! How I controlled myself, I really don't know😣

Like you, I'm finding my concentration is shot which isn't great as I have an exam on Wednesday 😬

What date is your surgery? Mines on the 2nd. I've got my pre-op tomorrow.

@SilverOtter I can totally sympathise. I'm very proud of you not caving! Just one more week to go for us both - I'm scheduled Nov 1 x

Well done @SilverOtter - I'm so scared of having the sleeve in case I'm not strong enough to resist and end up stretching it or having dumping syndrome etc.

The LRD is tough def more difficult than post surgery but it did help me prove to myself I can do it!! And I do think it gave me a good head start on getting my head in the right mindset! I’m only 12 days post op and cheating post isn’t an option it just won’t go down! I can barely get the required protein shakes and soups in couldn’t even consider anything more! Good luck it’s just 2 weeks prep you CAN do it!

Hi all. Just wanted to post some progress pics to hopefully encourage anyone struggling to keep on going!

First pic is me at the end of 2019 at my biggest (26.5 stone). I had a mini gastric bypass in February 2020 and the second pic is of me last week at 13.5 stone- a whole 13 stone gone in 18 months in my case. My weight loss has slowed now and I know I'll need to up my exercise to keep losing, but to be honest, my goal was to fit into a size 16 and I've achieved that so I'm not pushing myself at the moment.

@nellytheelephantscircus

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What a transformation.

You need a new user name

@nellytheelephantscircus wow you look absolutely fantastic, well done! 👏🏻

@Keepthefocus yeah I keep thinking that nothing can possibly be as hard as this! I can't wait for that first taste of something savoury even if it's just soup. I'm so sick of bloody yogurt!

@MeredithMae are you having the bypass rather than the sleeve?

@alldressedupinblue it might be a bit silly, but it feels so good to know that someone else is going through this on the same kind of timescale to me🥰

X

No, I want a sleeve.

@nellytheelephantscircus WOW! Amazing

Hello again, been lurking along reading about all your journeys to and through surgery. So pleased to hear that though its been tough for many it's been fairly uncomplicated. Your successes as well as the wobbles are really inspiring and interesting. Really starting to get excited to be joining the Post op crew soon!

I'm due to start the LRD end of next week for surgery on the 18th. I'm thinking its going to be tough. I have been given the option of low fat/low cal around 800 daily or milk diet. Apparently I can mix them up so one one week and another the next. I was leaning towards milk but thinking about not chewing for a month or more is freaking me out! So now thinking 800 call, egg salads, soups and ice pops, might be the way to go.

My husband is suggesting we go out for a meal before I start, did anyone else do any "food funerals" before going in or is it not in the spirit of what your about to start do you think?

Hi @HotSteppa yes we went for a family meal the evening before I started LRD. It was more the occasion of eating out together because I knew it would be a good length of time before we would be out eating as a family! It was fantastic! I think “food funerals” are a personal thing. If you think it will help you draw a line before moving into the next phase then do it but not if it’s likely to trigger a binge that runs into LRD because would be destructive to the process. Good luck!

@nellytheelephantscircus Wow wow wow - you have inspired this LRD-er to power through!

@SilverOtter Not long now. Hope you have a good day.

Ahh thanks all. It's actually been easier than I thought it would be overall. Keep going, it really is worth it.

Can't wait to see all of your progress- the first 3 months is amazing and I felt a difference pretty much weekly.

@nellytheelephantscircus amazing achievement, congrats!

does anyone have experience of loose skin post-surgery? seen a lot of talk of it on various social media groups this week (i know, it's a self-selecting sample) and it looks like it can be quite mentally challenging.

I've just got back from my pre-op assessment. The nurse told me to stop taking my vitamins in the run-up to surgery, can anyone explain the rationale behind this?

Yes, I know I should've asked her at the time but I was so anxious and stressing I didn't think it through until afterwards😣

They're just bog standard multivitamins and folic acid.

@vitriolaa I have been left with some loose skin on my stomach and particularly the tops of my thighs. In clothes, not that noticeable but it is when naked.

For me, it was explained before my op that it was very likely I'd have it due to my starting weight and the fact I'm knocking on 40, but it was a no-brainer for me. I know for others it may be more of an issue

will be the same for me i think, @nellytheelephantscircus - i'm 50 and have about 10 stone to lose.

obviously healthy BMI and wrinkly's better than morbidly obese and current total lack of wrinkles.

i think if start treating baggy skin as being inevitable - like with the potential hair loss - it might be easier to deal with when it happens.

people aren't fibbing when they say there's a lot to take on mentally with this. cannot wait for the first person to tell me i've taken the easy way out...

I've got the date for my bypass booked in - 15th of December. Amazing how quickly things can move when you got privately. I'm glad to get in done this side of Christmas as I'll have lots of family around to support me post op.

I'm nervous but excited. My only worry is of the risk of mortality. It's scary seeing the risks in black and white on paper. I've got a 4 year old, and whilst I'm having this op done in part to make his quality of life better as well as mine, I'm frankly terrified at the risk. How on earth do a make peace with it? I know being a bmi of over 50 puts me at risk of lots of things which could kill me anyway, but they're an unknown.

The op itself is the only thing I'm worried about. I'm quite looking forward to resetting how I think about/eat food.

Me and mum just weighed in 1 week post her surgery and I've lost 23lb since she started the LRD and her an amazing 32lb!

It's been hard for her with her tummy hurting and being sore and is struggling to get her 5/6 meal times in and finish them. We've also tried being supportive by having soup/ making soup every day for a meal to have with her.

Hi all hope you are all keeping well! I’m moving on to purée stage - I’m really struggling to eat them they are sitting very heavy on my chest. Anyone else have this issue? I’m eating slowly and no water 30 min before. Maybe I’m making the purées too dry? I was already not getting enough protein but with this I can’t get shakes in as well! Do you think I should go back to soups and shakes for a bit longer??

Hello @Keepthefocus . I'm still pre bypass but I'm sure someone else will be along to talk to you about purée.

@SilverOtter How are you doing on the LRD? I have never looked forward so much to a cup of Bovril!

Happy Thursday to everyone else

Hi @Keepthefocus I found the early purée stage to be quite tough and as you describe, felt a lot of restriction. I mainly had thicker soups for the first week of purée and then in the second week I ate quite a lot of mashed potato with tinned stewed steak in gravy which I mashed with a fork.

It changes all the time, but I think the purée weeks were the most problematic for me.

@alldressedupinblue I'm finding it really, really hard😣 I tried a cup of bovril but I wasn't massively keen (even so, it was a welcome change from yogurt). Im on Day 9, so over the halfway point and counting down to op day on the 2nd!

How are you feeling with it?

@Keepthefocus

Hi all hope you are all keeping well! I’m moving on to purée stage - I’m really struggling to eat them they are sitting very heavy on my chest. Anyone else have this issue? I’m eating slowly and no water 30 min before. Maybe I’m making the purées too dry? I was already not getting enough protein but with this I can’t get shakes in as well! Do you think I should go back to soups and shakes for a bit longer??

The puree stage is difficult and that heavy feeling is something I experienced too.

I found it quite overwhelming introducing food that was in a format (puree/mush) that repulses me. I loathe mashed potato and most foods of that consistency, so for the first week I ate the same things every day - 1 Weetabix with semi skimmed milk, thick Yorkshire Provender soup and scrambled egg.

Do you have aftercare dietician support? If so, it might be worth giving your provider a call.

I've had a stall been stuck at 103kg for the last week s I'm 4 weeks and 3 days post op . Lost a stone and half since surgery nothing in a week !!

@NCForthisxox

I've had a stall been stuck at 103kg for the last week s I'm 4 weeks and 3 days post op . Lost a stone and half since surgery nothing in a week !!

This happened to me too. I was reassured by my dietician that it is completely 'normal'. I'm 5 weeks and 2 days post op and the weight loss resumed for me a few days ago.

Stick with it and maybe stay off the scales for a week