Bariatric surgery thread 3

[HotSteppa]

Relocating to shiny new thread for all those going through or considering weightless surgery in all its forms.

14 months post op for me
Well done everyone that's had the surgery

Brindle Bridge, I'm a renal nurse and have known several patients on dialysis have VGS for weightloss in preparation for transplant, if your bmi is >35 with comorbitities then the GP should refer you to start the NHS work up process. It's long. But I can think of a couple of patients I have known who told me they were fast tracked because of their CKD. Don't let them put you off :)

It might be a bit different if you wanted to go privately as imagine they are more risk adverse and you would likely need closer follow up in terms of your blood monitoring post op.

@ThreeWiseBuddhas

14 months post op for me Well done everyone that's had the surgery

Hi @ThreeWiseBuddhas, would you mind sharing whether your surgery was successful and if you've had the desired weight loss outcome?

@RevisionSurgeryQ

Hi I had Sleeve surgery and just under an 8 stone loss which I'm very happy about.
No major problems, literally sailed through the surgery and recovery, still follow the 20/20/20 rules etc
It literally saved my life

@HotSteppa Thank you! I think his negativity was about concern about the effect a General Anaesthetic and an operation would have on my kidney function, but in reality I am not sure I need his support if I go privately? I am approaching the need to have dialysis but not there yet (borderline stage 5).

I feel that the sooner I have the operation the better so I don't feel I have the time to wait for the NHS waiting list/preparation. So it looks as if I will have to pay.

@ThreeWiseBuddhas

That's a fantastic weight loss! It really is helpful to know that people are happy with their outcome and that, in a lot of cases, it's life changing/life saving.

Congratulations

[quote RevisionSurgeryQ]@ThreeWiseBuddhas

That's a fantastic weight loss! It really is helpful to know that people are happy with their outcome and that, in a lot of cases, it's life changing/life saving.

Congratulations [/quote]
Thankyou

@BeginningBridge I hope you find the WLS a great experience so you can be eligible for the transplant quickly.

I'm still at the ummmming and aaaaaahing stage. As I've mentioned before, my friend who had a sleeve has lost 10 stone then gained most of it back on- and still struggles with nausea and burping/indigestion all the time.

Hi, wondering if I could get some opinions. I asked my GP to refer me to the hospital on 12th Oct but have heard nothing so far. I’ve already chased it up once and was told that the referral definitely went off, but I can’t see it on my medical record on the NHS app.
I didn’t see the GP face-to-face, it was a telephone appointment and I told him my weight over the phone, and he worked my BMI out as 54.
Now, what do the NHS class as your starting weight? The one the doctor tells them on the referral or do they weigh you at your first hospital appointment? I’m at my biggest ever right now and want to start losing some weight as it’s making me really uncomfortable, but I know that sometimes having a BMI over 50 can help speed things up a little in the NHS route to surgery. Because I don’t know when my first appointment will be, it could be months yet, should I ask the GP if a nurse could weigh me and have a record of my highest weight on my file? Would that be a good idea or not?

[quote MeredithMae]@BeginningBridge I hope you find the WLS a great experience so you can be eligible for the transplant quickly.

I'm still at the ummmming and aaaaaahing stage. As I've mentioned before, my friend who had a sleeve has lost 10 stone then gained most of it back on- and still struggles with nausea and burping/indigestion all the time.[/quote]
WLS is not a magic wand. We have to be committed to working with whatever surgery we've had and make changes.

The WLS threads on MN show countless members who have lost weight and kept it off.

Not everyone will lose/maintain and not everyone will regain all of their former weight. We are all different and it's never wise to base a decision on one person's negative experience.

Nausea/burping/indigestion can be treated/managed with medication and eating a suitable diet.

Also, the gastric sleeve is not the only WLS option.

So happy I did this. 2st 3lbs off and just going into my 4th week post op.

Yes it’s hard, yes it takes planning and focus but I’m already seeing a difference and feeling a benefit.

I’m going to watch this thread. Taking tentative steps towards thinking about WLS. I lost 3 stone a couple of years ago with willpower and exercise and was really in the swing of it and then lockdown hit, I couldn’t get to the gym and I slipped back into old habits. I’ve got a BMI of 40.7 and am only 5ft2 so look like a weeble. I’m not sure what to do.

Evening. I have been referred to the weight management clinic by my doctor as my weight is really starting to get me down and I literally just sobbed for my whole doctors appointment.
I have an assessment with a group in February with a dietitian and psychologist.
The group session thing scares me a bit as does the psychology.
Has anyone had any experience of this and let me know what's entailed please?

When the leaflets and appointment came it was all very bariatric surgery based so I wonder if this is the route they're going down as I did mention on the phone I was 3 clicks away from going to Turkey!

I have a consultation booked with a private WLS provider (UK) so hopefully I will have a date booked in soon.
I’m not sure if they will suggest sleeve or bypass. I’m leaning towards sleeve because it’s less invasive and no absorption issues. But equally don’t want reflux or weight gain in the future. I’m hoping the surgeon will steer me in the right direction. Does anyone regret having a sleeve/bypass or wished they had made a different choice.

Hey everyone! Really glad I've found this thread...!
I am just waiting for a surgery date now. I literally can't wait! I believe it will be mid February 🤞🏼

I have struggled for well over 18 months with TTC.. constant chemical pregnancies and seeing so many pregnancy announcements around me 24/7 has been so hard. I can't wait to be able to finally loose some weight and get as healthy as possible for mine, DP's and my future children's future!!!

Hi need a bit of advice posted before about my mum. She had a sleeve done late November with a lot to lose and since the liver shrinkage has lost 4-4.5 stone. But she's plateaued for about 2 weeks. When/ if have any of you hit plateaus and how long did it take to break through them.

due to have my op on Sunday, assuming it doesn't get cancelled . definitely anxious, even about the pre-op on Thursday, but think I'm as ready as I'll ever be.

as I understand it, @FrustratedTeddyLamp, that sort of plateau is totally normal and how long things take to start moving again varies person to person. water intake seems to be a big factor in keeping the weightloss going.

I've got everything crossed for you that it goes ahead as planned @vitriolaa.

Mine is booked for the 21st Jan and I'm getting more and more anxious that it'll be cancelled.

How is everyone else doing?

thanks @Brindille!

had my pre-op today, and apart from Healthier Weight having booked the wrong op with the hospital (not a big deal fortunately) I feel a bit better having been there and met the nurse etc.

didn't realise I'd have to do a blood thinner jab BEFORE the op though!

I have booked privately to have an op in Manchester on the 18th of Jan. I’ll have to travel from Newcastle so it might be a bit of a difficult journey back home. @vitriolaa I’m also worried about covid cancellations. Must be a nightmare if you’ve done the LRD to be told it isn’t going ahead. I have my fingers crossed for you.

Good luck all with ops booked. You won’t regret it.

I’m 6 weeks post op and just shy of 3 stone weight loss. Thrilled!

Hi all - I’ve been following this thread for a while now and have got loads of info from it so thanks so much! I have more or less decided that I am going to get a sleeve. I have done a fair bit of research and have weighed up the pros and cons and the more I think about it now the more I feel it’s the right move for me. Almost 20 years of battling with my weight has me fed up. I would like to do it as soon as possible because I am putting off starting a family to do this. I live in Ireland and have been looking at going abroad. I was looking at Turkey but more recently am leaning towards Nord Bariatric in Lithuania. I’d be grateful to hear of anyone’s experience either there specifically or just abroad in general please? I have an active job and don’t want them to know that I’m going for this surgery but will need to take some time off presumably. Any ideas for what to say instead of ‘weight loss surgery’ would also be welcomed please! Thanks to everyone for this post, I’ve really found it so informative-have been glued to my phone reading it the past few days!

The Bariatric surgery Facebook pages have lots of people who went abroad to get the sleeve, I’m sure you can get some advice on there.
I plan to be having a ‘hernia operation’ or gallstones if anyone asks. I’ll have to do a bit of research so I sound like I know what I’m talking about. Although I recently had an op because of a ectopic pregnancy and I just told work I had a ‘procedure’ under general and didn’t specify. No one asked.

op done yesterday, off home shortly - just waiting on medication.

definitely sore and uncomfortable, but amazed by how manageable the pain is.

very good experience thus far!

Amazing! Well done @vitriolaa
What it like having soup/drinks?