Bariatric surgery thread 3

[HotSteppa]

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

Thanks so much. Really useful.

i have the FB group yes and in contact with another travelling at the same time which is great.
I had that sleepiness after my hysterectomy a few years back. Loaded loads onto my iPad but kept dozing off and couldn’t concentrate. So will probs put a few bits on my phone. Plus kindle and knitting. That’ll keep me amused.

Hi I have a mini gastric bypass booked for the first week of July in the Spire Southampton. Anyone else around that time?

I have booked to have a sleeve gastrectomy on 28 July in London with Marcus Reddy. Feel very nervous!

Today is the day for me! Just waiting to go down! Feeling excitement mixed with the urge to run out the door. 🫤

DH just called to say he’s going shopping and do I want anything. Is there anything you all wished you had in the early days that you’d recommend getting? I’ve already made soup last night that can be strained to a clear liquid and I have some shakes and protein water.
Right now I’m fighting the urge to pack up and leave.

Good luck @JaneIsInsane i’ll save you a spot on the losers bench (it’s a fab place to be!)

you shouldn’t need much, but I would suggest making sure you have enough dressings to change regularly once you’re home! I used hydrocolloid ones from Tesco as they are 100% waterproof and help with scarring 🙂

Thanks @coldandverytired. I’ve just been told they’ll be in for me in 10-15mins!

hopefully @JaneIsInsane is currently having a lovely snooze 😁 it did remind me of the whirlwind of the morning of surgery, I was second on the list, I saw the 1st go past on the way down, then I was told to get changed into the gown; no knickers or bra etc. Got myself sorted, sexy surgical stockings and everything, nervous as hell. All of a sudden a young nurse came running in with a sharpie and gestured for me to essentially flash her 🙈 weirdest moment ever because I just complied and flashed her while she wrote on me 😂

All the best @JaneIsInsane I would recommend getting custard it was my fav thing post op. Xx

If your having a sleeve recovery can be rougher for the first day or 2. But it’s 100% worth it. I had my surgery in January 2022 (BMI 36) and I’m now 6lbs away from a healthy BMI!!

Hello ,first time posting
im just on page one of this thread , about to read through,to get some idea of it all.
I’ve just been referred and been told I’ve an 18 month wait ..
which actually feels too soon for me…I use food when I’m happy ,sad ,bored ,just all the time ,and I can’t imagine what life will be like without the crutch that is food.
i wonder if I could ask a few questions,or maybe they are covered in the previous pages ,..but I’m vegan ,have been for 5 years ,and I’m worried it’s going to be a problem …is anyone else vegan ,can you tell me the foods you ate the first few weeks after having it done .
also ,do the food cravings go away ,when I would usually eat to cope ,do those feelings go away ?…does food loose it’s hold ,it’s power over you ?
i will read on through the pages ,and hopefully someone will answer my questions,or I will find the answers in past pages .x

Im only 5 months out but from my experience and reading Facebook posts it seem that most people stop craving ‘bad’ food initially but after about 6 months a lot will start to feel hungry again and some start to slip up by snacking on biscuits etc.
For the first few weeks most people can only eat very thin soup which could easily be vegan. But after that, honestly, I think getting the right nutrients and enough protein would be hard as a vegan but not impossible. I get most of my protein from dairy and fish. You would need to have a lot of high protein vegan smoothies/shakes. Things like quorn and beans are very filling for their calorie content so you may not be able to eat enough. I’m sure if you are motivated you could find away though.

Morning! Well I’m still alive so that’s goal 1 ticked off! 😆
Thank you for the support, @coldandverytired . Sorry I was too out of it to come back yesterday. I just slept on and off until about half an hour ago. I’m not in a lot of pain thanks to the regular doses of oramorph but I do feel very queasy. They’re giving me antiemetics through the drip though. I’ve already been told off as I couldn’t stay awake long enough to drink anything yesterday so I need to remember to sip, sip, sip. Luckily I’m on IV fluids so hopefully they’ll stop me dehydrating until I can get into a rhythm.
@Twinsandsome, thanks for the custard recommendation. I’ve passed that onto DH.
I haven’t eaten since 5pm Sunday and yet I don’t feel remotely hungry. So odd.

@WeRTheOnesWeHaveBeenWaitingFor , my BMI is similar to yours so I’m not that big for a sleeve patient but just caught in a horrible cycle of diet/gain/diet/gain. Congratulations on doing so well, you must be thrilled. 6mths out are you now able to eat most foods just in much smaller quantities? I worry when I read some people are unable to ever eat veg. That would make me sad.

I can eat all veg and salad completely fine. If I eat too many sugary foods I feel a bit sickly so I wouldn’t eat a full pudding but I can have bit of chocolate. Pasta and bread sit weirdly but I haven’t tried to eat them much because they were my biggest downfall beforehand.
I’m a yo-yo dieter too. I’ve lost significant weight but always re-gain. I carry my weight around my middle and neck so it’s particularly dangerous for me to be overweight. Even now I have a large double chin so I’m looking to go well into the healthy bmi range before stopping losing.

Can I ask what does the LRD consist of?
I have lost nearly two stone whilst I am waiting for my surgery. Just used nutricheck. I am bmi 37 now but have rheumatoid arthritis. Consultants and GP have recommended the surgery as my mobility is getting worse.
I no longer drink but I am getting fed up with the lack of tasty food. I am having surgery in the UK but I am scared with no family members supporting me.

My LRD was basically soups and shakes for 10 days (approx 800 cals). Not too bad compared to what others with a higher bmi had to do. I found it a breeze because I knew the weight I was losing was going for good. I struggled with dieting before I had the op because I’d gained and lost so many times I felt it was pointless. I’m a ‘secret sleever’ as in I haven’t told anyone and I haven’t really needed any support, although I’m a very self reliant person. I’ve had no problems with tasty food. I had a small home made chickpea and paneer curry with salad tonight and then a hot chocolate. It was delicious.

I’ve slept a lot of today. I keep dreaming about food. 😩 When I’m awake I have zero appetite but I keep dreaming about grilled cheese and loaded chicken burgers! 🫣

@JaneIsInsane Head hunger is the worst! I really wanted pizza for weeks after my op then eventually took a bite and realised I didn’t actually want it. How are you feeling now?

Hi @WeRTheOnesWeHaveBeenWaitingFor , I’m doing ok, thank you for checking. My incisions are becoming a bit itchy or rather the skin around them. I don’t know if that’s usual. I don’t have any dressings on them which surprised me especially as I know other people have had dressings. The nurse said you don’t need them with the glue and they heal quicker in the air.
@SavBbunny, I did a food LRD. It was very high protein and very low carbs. I was allowed some good fats like olive oil and avocado but no sugar or fatty foods. I also needed to stick to around 800 calories a day. I don’t really like milk and that was the alternative.

Today I’m finding the liquid stage really hard. I mean, no way could I cope with eating anything more but facing them is just making me queasy. Watery soup and low calorie hot chocolate made with milk is really all I can stomach. I used shakes on my LRD but they all taste far too sweet now. Still only 5 days out so more than a week left. 😩

Im also struggling to spend much time out of bed as I’m just so tired. Im back at work on Mon 20th so hopefully by this time next week I’ll be more up and about. 🤞

I’ve heard people say their tastes changed a bit regarding sweetness after the opp. Could be a good thing if you had a sweet tooth before. It might be worth trying a few brands, they all taste very different. Otherwise, If you have a blender you can make a thin milk drink with a touch of fruit and protein powder.
At this stage all you need to be conscious of is staying hydrated and getting some salt and milk in. It’s really hard TBH and purée isn’t much better. When you get to ‘normal’ foods it’s so much easier.

Thank you @WeRTheOnesWeHaveBeenWaitingFor. I’m feeling really regretful at the moment. I’m hoping that passes but at the minute I’m really wishing I hadn’t done this. 😥

this is the hardest part. The side effects are the worst but you’re not feeling any of the benefits. Once you can tolerate more food and the weight starts coming off you will be so happy, honestly.
I’m going out tonight, never felt healthier, eating Mexican, drinking cocktails and wearing a size 12! It’s worth it in the end.

Thanks for replying. WeRtheoneswehavebeenwaitingfor.
can anyone tell me what happens in tier 3 ?
is it possible some people can go through 18 months of tier 3 and then find they are not approved for WLS
also what if someone did well at loosing weight after being referred for WLS ,is there a point or BMI that the surgery would be refused at ?
sorry if they seem ridiculous questions ,I’m just at the start of all this