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

The sleeve has definitely the right option for me. My surgeon thought (given my bmi) a bypass might be too extreme. I have been a perfect case for the sleeve- minimal pain, quick recovery etc but everyone is different so do your research. Definitely ask surgeons for their advice too- mine was super helpful.

One thing I will say though is get mentally prepared. I thought the lrd was hard and then was in complete shock for the first few weeks after- I was very emotional and exhausted. Reading blogs, I think a lot of people feel similarly afterwards but thankfully it does pass.

Hi @MiniGBypass - good luck with your journey! It’s a difficult time but hopefully by May things might be easier.

@Neversleepingever - the band and balloon aren’t too popular now. The nhs generally won’t do either as they don’t represent value for money. So if I were you I’d focus on the sleeve and the bypass. There’s a version of the bypass called the mini bypass which is becoming very popular as it involves one less join and gets very good results.

I’d recommend looking at the Streamline surgery website as they have loads of information about the 2 types of surgery. Also my surgeon Mr Ali Alhamdani has done some videos which I think are on Streamlines site or if you google him they will come up.

Ultimately it’s your choice - both get similar results if used properly. FWIW I had the sleeve and am happy with my choice.

Thank you @MindBodyChocolate

Hi everyone, I'm trying to do a bit of research in to surgery. My bmi is 34.2 and looking online you need to have bmi over 35, does anyone know why they won't do it if your bmi is obese but not over 35

@Ahahahstop

It’s likely to do with risks vs benefits. I’d assume there’s a body of evidence that says they risks of obesity have a statistically significant increase when the BMI is 35+.

You’d probably find someone to do it though, maybe abroad, you’ll have to enquire.

@Neversleepingever

I don’t think there is a “best” surgery, it’s based on individual need. I wanted to the sleeve but my surgeon advised against it as I already suffered with reflux, and the sleeve is know to cause reflux in some people or make it much worse in people who already had it. I took some time to think and agreed to go with his recommendation of the bypass.

At present the bypass is still considered to gold standard of weight loss surgery, for how much longer I’m not sure since people are having such fantastic results with the sleeve and the mini bypass.

I would try not to be too rigid in what procedure you’d like as you might find your surgeon makes different recommendations based on your BMI, past medical history or any previous abdo surgeries you’ve had.

My recovery from the bypass has been super straight forward and simple, probably comparable to the recoveries of people I’ve seen who have the sleeve. I don’t have any comorbidities like diabetes or anything so maybe that’s why. The only minor thing I have is the reflux which is completely cured with Lansoprazole (especially the high post op dose).

@AnnieSnap I went abroad, I couldn't have justified the cost in the UK, I felt guilty enough spending the 4k it cost me as it was.

Honestly, I'd do it again to save the money. The surgeon was very experienced and was transparent about complication rates. The pre op tests were thorough and extensive so I felt as confident as I could going into surgery. However I will say it was lonely at times and I did want to come home from about 2 days post op!

On the day I travelled home (4 days post op) I felt fine, it was 2 flights then a 2 hour drive and it wasn't a problem.

If you want to DM me, I'd be happy to chat with you about it.

Ah ha!!!!! I have officially been referred!!!!! I emailed the gp and threatened to put a complaint in. I shouldn't have to get nasty to get what I am in desperate need of. I meet all the requirements.

2 weeks later I got a letter with a video call appointment with the local obesity clinic. Appointment is at the end of April. I'm over the bloody moon.

I have been limiting my options to surgery in my own county due to lockdown, but might have to consider adjoining counties to speed things up.
Manchester is about 50 miles away which is doable for the surgery, but a little inconvenient for follow up appointments after lockdown.

Hi @PUER125 - all my follow ups are by zoom or phone anyway so I wouldn’t worry about that. I’m in Bristol but travelled 2 hours to London and never regretted it.

I'm really pleased to se etjis thread I got a letter yesterday inviting me for my gastroscopy in just over a week. I'm shitting myself tbh!

Last September was the 10th anniversary of my gastric sleeve (I paid about £10k privately, sleeves were less common then than they are now I think). Hands down one of the best decisions I ever made. I’ve had no problems at all health wise and although I can now eat an awful lot more than I used to I’ve maintained fairly easily. Went from a BMI of 43 and am now 22/23. Just wanted to pop on and wish you all lots of luck!

@MeerkatMadness do you mind me asking how old you were when you had your surgery?

Not at all, I was 33.

@PUER125

Like the PP said above, follow ups are all online/phone at the moment.

I had my surgery in Manchester but live in Nottingham. It was a bit of a pain driving to and from Manchester a few times in the week before (for pre op and then my covid swab and then on surgery day) but we managed it. But I don’t think I’ll have to go back to Manchester again now, unless something dramatically changes with covid and they decide to make follow ups face to face again.

I can recommend Mr Bilal Al Khaffaf who operated on me at the BMI Alexandra in Cheadle. He’s a consultant upper GI surgeon and an honorary senior lecturer at Manchester University, as well as involved in loads of world leading research in GI Cancers and things like that. I felt safe in his hands, knowing that my procedure must have been incredibly straightforward for him in comparison to some of the abdomens he’s operated on. He also consented me for other things prior to theatre in case he found anything untoward such as a hiatus hernia repair, and other different types of WLS in case my bypass wasn’t possible, so that I would still come out with a WLS procedure ultimately.

Check out the prices with BMI directly and Tonic though, as the BMI bariatric nurse seemed to indicate it might have been cheaper if I’d gone with them direct, but tbh I went with tonic for the 5 year aftercare.

@Okokokbear

I'm really pleased to se etjis thread I got a letter yesterday inviting me for my gastroscopy in just over a week. I'm shitting myself tbh!

You’ll be fine. I was scared of having one, but with sedation, I was hardly aware of anything and it’s over in minutes. It’s the start of your jouney

@LadyShmuck where did you go for your surgery abroad?

I'm 30. 5"10 and 17st4lb my BMI is 34 I believe.
What do you think my chances are for getting it on the NHS? I actually phoned my GP a couple of months ago because I'm at my whits end. I just can't lose weight. I've been on one diet or another my whole life. I'm miserable.

GP is investigating for Polycystic overies because I struggle so much to lose weight. I have a scan for that at the end of this month.

After giving birth have pretty severe prolapse and birth injuries that I'm awaiting surfies for. Being so overweight is really bad for the prolapse.

Do you think any of that would out me into the the NHS category?

@Neversleepingever I'd say your chances on NHS are slim to none, I think they only do over 35 with comorbidities unfortunately.

I went to Gozde Hospital in Turkey, booked through Get Slim in Turkey. They will approve at BMI 30 and above. My bmi was 48 (shocking, I know) I'm down to 38 now.

Its good value through them I think, although I know there's a bit of a stigma about having surgery in Turkey.

It's a shame because even in the (awful) course they make you do they admit that diets on the whole dont work. But obviously they have to limit supply because of money. So have a cut off which feels random. My bmi has slowly crept up. It was no more easy to lose weight and keep it off at 32 than 35 or 38.

Im on the NHS pathway it's very very long and covid hadn't helped. I feel awful and ashamed about it. But I totally get that being at the end of your tether. I just think some people think you're not trying hard enough or eating the wrong thing. But I know when you struggle with weight it's not that simple.

I'd see what you can do with the GP first. Really lay on how it effects you. I was quite lucky in that I had a gp who understood I wasn't just not trying.

@Ahahahstop

Hi everyone, I'm trying to do a bit of research in to surgery. My bmi is 34.2 and looking online you need to have bmi over 35, does anyone know why they won't do it if your bmi is obese but not over 35

Do you mean on the NHS? My previous answer sort of addresses this.

I had a bmi of 43.5 and had a flat out refusal from ‘obesity expert’ at the gp surgery to refer me. So I went private. Fortunately I could afford it but it will always rankle with me that I didn’t get it done on the nhs. I am convinced it will mean I don’t develop type 2 diabetes like the rest of my family so I would have been a good investment!!

So I’d say it’s highly unlikely you’d get it at bmi 35 or less without significant co morbidity.

Just thought I’d drop in and say Hi as have just found this thread. I had a bypass a week ago today.

Privately, never tried NHS as my GP is monumentally unsympathetic in general and I didn’t want to wait, I’d spent long enough debating it with myself. It was affordable to me so went for it.

Surgery was at a private hospital in London. Had surgery about 8pm and went home 2 days later.

Have lost 1 stone 8lbs since starting the LRD 3 weeks ago. Generally finding it ok but constipation is an issue

Mentally and emotionally I haven’t yet fallen out of love with food and still crave it but I think this will pass over time and once I’m not just on thin liquids.

I though about having this but was put off when went to see surgeon. Two things, he said I would need to quit alcohol straight away and that he had a patient die six weeks after op abd they don’t know why.

Also, is it possible to follow a vegan diet if you have this operation?

@DrPhilYourGuts

It gets better, don’t worry.

I’m six weeks post bypass today and have graduated to my normal textured diet today too. I felt a bit “lost at sea” emotionally those first few days and weeks, knowing it was such a long time until I could eat properly again and having to just sit with my negative feelings instead of being able to squash them with food. But don’t worry, your next stage will probably be complete apathy to food and feeling like it’s such a chore to have to eat. But that gets a bit better too eventually.

Food isn’t as exciting as it once was, and I can’t get a whole days excitement out of the anticipation of what I’m having for dinner like I used to, but I know the end results will be worth it. It’s a cliche but it’s very much a shift to eating for survival/nutrition rather than whatever we were doing before that led to our weight problems.