Bariatric surgery thread 3

[HotSteppa]

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

@JaneIsInsane keep going it gets better. Itchy incisions is good means they are healing. In a couple of weeks you will be flying mines was 1 week liquid, 1 week purée and 1 week soft and then normal foods ad each stage flew past. Keep getting plenty water xx

@JaneIsInsane you’ll get there, it’s not much fun at this point and we’ve all been there. I promise it will get better though, food gets easier and you start a new relationship with it that might shock you a bit. I don’t see food as a comfort at the moment, I can quite happily forget to eat! You will become more disciplined with eating meals at set times etc and this bit will be a distant memory. The most important thing at the moment is staying hydrated. I’m back on normal food but quite often just have a protein shake for lunch if I’m busy. You’re doing great!

Thank you so much @WeRTheOnesWeHaveBeenWaitingFor , @Twinsandsome and @coldandverytired
I think I’m just feeling sorry for myself as everything tastes yucky and I’m feeling miserable. I’m definitely not getting 2l of fluid in either. Most like somewhere between 500mls and 1litre. I really hope I’m not getting dehydrated any further. I’m going to set some alarms on my watch tomorrow to remind me to drink. Thanks again for the support. It really helps to hear from those who’re further along the journey and doing so well!

Any advice for travel insurance?

Hello everyone. Just discovered this thread and keen to join in. I had a laparoscopic RYGB 4 days ago (I’m in Ireland, BMI 35 with hEDS and severe back pain and my insurance covered it locally.)

So far, I’m astounded by my lack of interest in food. Normally if I’m eating less (even due to illness), I’m wanting to watch Come Dine With Me all day.

Pain well controlled. Working my way slowly through water and protein milk.

How is everyone?

Hi @TheCatOfAthenry! Started singing Fields of Athenry in my head when I read your user name as I worked in an Irish bar as a student. 😆
I’ll be day 7 tomorrow. Feeling a bit unsure as I’m not really enjoying liquids at all. I’m not at all hungry but they’re making me feel quite sick. It’s not so much the eating of them, more the thinking about them and facing them in front of me.

@TheCatOfAthenry, sorry, half my post disappeared. I has also asked how you were? Sounds like you’re doing great for just 4 days post op! The lack of hunger is bizarre, isn’t it?
1wk down for me! 🔔

I'm gearing up to join you all on the losers' bench! Booked in for my sleeve at the end of June in Dubai. Got a stomach ultrasound in a few days to check for gall bladder issues, and then start my liver shrinking diet.

I've been thinking about this for a long time, but getting diagnosed last week with diabetes, it was time to take urgent action. I just hope my blood sugar is under control by the end of the month, it was sky high. The metformin is playing havoc with my stomach at the moment. Not sure quite how that's going to go once most of my stomach has been removed!

I'm excited but nervous!

@JaneIsInsane lovely to meet you! We’re practically surgery buddies! I used to live in the Athenry from the song years ago. Nice place. Moving to Scotland at the end of the summer. I’m getting on well with water, but timing my nausea meds for right before some high protein milk. I was advised by the dietitian to prioritise water, then protein. I’ll be on 2 weeks liquid, 2 purée and then slowly introducing solids. How about you? Did you have the sleeve or the bypass?

@rainwilder good luck with it! It’s a big step, but so far, for me, it’s been totally worth it.

Anyone else decide to have it done after reading the Andrew Jenkinson book?

Name change fail! I’m both CatofAthenry and BackInBits. I’ll try to make myself cat more permanently

Hi, I booked yesterday to fly out on 5th October at Godze Hospital in Kusadasi; I notice there has been a couple of people on this thread who have been sleeved by Dr Fikret Beyaz.

I'm actually sick with anxiety at the thought of the aftermath. I'm not worried about going to Turkey or the surgeon or the hospital, but I'm frightened to death I'll be one of the people who stuff goes wrong for. In fact, if I carry on feeling like this I probably wont even need weight loss surgery as I'll lose weight through not eating and worrying.

Now my mind is also trying to con me into thinking I'm not that big - but my BMI would say otherwise at 43.

@WitchesWalk I didn't bother with insurance. normal travel insurance was pointless as I was having surgery, medical shield was recommended for health travels but if I'm honest I just never got round to it and thankfully didn't need it.

Nice to see some new faces- good luck to all on your exciting journey! I'm 6 weeks post surgery today, I went to Antalya, Turkey and about 18kg's has gone forever, I'm back to life as it was pre-sleeve, all except food, which is no longer a big priority, I often forget to eat because I'm not hungry, I can happily go all day with a protein shake at lunchtime, I still cook for the family but I don't snack while I'm cooking and I've adapted our family meals so that I can usually have the same, just in tiny quantities.

The recover can be hard at times, both physically and emotionally as it's a big change, but from someone who's though the worst now, It is worth it!

Hi everyone. Sorry, I’ve had a sickly child at home and didn’t get a chance to post. Day 11 for me and I can’t wait to finish the liquid diet on Monday.
@TheCatOfAthenry, I had the sleeve. I didn’t want the bypass as I was worried about the long term issues with malabsorption etc and my surgeon thought it was too extreme for me and that the sleeve was a better option. But it’s best to be led by the surgeon. How are you feeling now? I may move on to purées this weekend rather than wait until Monday as I’m really struggling as the moment.

I started purée a day early and it was fine. Some people go to purée straight away. If your keep liquids down well and not experiencing any pain or problems I’m sure you’d be fine but you can always ask the dietitian if your not sure.

@JaneIsInsane hope your child is feeling better!

My surgeon recommended the bypass because my problem isn’t losing weight as much as keeping it off and apparently the bypass has the best evidence for that. Seriously, I’ve repeatedly lost the same 3-5 stone so many times. Just hoping to keep it off this time. I start purée on Tuesday.

Hi all, I hope everyone is doing well. My sleeve op is one week from today. The surgeon tells me I'll have the op in the afternoon, stay in the hospital overnight and be discharged the next day all being well. Had a doppler ultrasound yesterday on my stomach and also my legs (I have lymphedema), and all was okay. I feel like a pin cushion from all the blood tests, but it's reassuring that they're being so thorough.

I've ordered in some of the MyProtein clear whey isolate in various flavours and am assuming that will do me for the first few days when I get home. Any other suggestions would be gratefully received. I plan on making some sugar free jelly to keep in the fridge when I can have some texture, and also some protein shakes.

I've gone back and started from the original thread and it's been so inspiring reading about all your experiences, I can relate to so much of it. My current weight hovers around 20 stone and my BMI is 44, so I have a lot to lose. I would be delighted to get down to about 12/13 stone. I just want to be able to move normally and dress normally again, and not have my weight control every aspect of my life. I wish I'd done this years ago, but this year something just clicked in my head and made me take action. I really hope it works for me. I'm flying back home this Christmas to visit family for the first time since COVID, and for them to see me at a healthy weight and looking good will just feel amazing.

Welcome @rainwilder where are you having your op?

I went to turkey for mine nearly 7 weeks ago and feel well and truly out the other side now, still learning about what I can and can’t eat and changing my lifestyle but we’ll save you a seat on the losers bench!

good luck, hope it all goes well for you!

Thank you @coldandverytired and I'm glad you're doing well 7 weeks on. I'm trying not to think too much about the surgery at the moment, just want to get on with the rest of it. How I wish i could magically fast-forward the next 6 months!

I'm having my op done in Dubai. I almost booked Turkey to try and save a couple of grand, but in the end decided to stay local - the hospital is just 15 mins from my home - and I have been really pleased with the surgeon and clinic so far.

Getting more bloods taken on Weds, and then meeting with the anaesthetist on Friday morning. I've spent more time in hospital these last two weeks than I have in the last 10 years I think!

hello lovely losers! 😁 I've been making enquiries this morning as I'm nearly at the weight I was BEFORE I had my band in 2006 🤦‍♀️. The surgeon has recommended the bypass which I was kind of hoping for because I want some of that malapsorption goodness!

Only minor fly in the ointment is that I'm supposed to come off contraceptives - BUT... it's a mirena and my cervix sucked up the string years and years ago - and, because I iz fat - the NHS won't remove it under GA and my cervix won't open for even fucking Moses! Any advice? Magic spells?

Planning to book in for October as 1) single mum and it'll need to be when they're away with their dad, 2) need a few months to save up and 3) I don't even have a passport right now!

@StickyFingeredWeeNed no advice I’m afraid but I’ve heard of a lot of people having the revision (band - bypass) surgery and getting good results. Octobers not far away I’m sure the time will fly by.

well I booked it! 😁 it’s now or never really because at 50 I’m not suddenly going to get a handle on my eating am I!?

although it’s a few months away I already feel like a new chapter has started and his time next year I’ll be 6 stone lighter!

@StickyFingeredWeeNed I never got told to stop contraceptives, was on the mini-pill, carried on even in hospital, now that I'm less of a fatty I'm back on the combined pill to help with peri symptoms.

Right in that case I’ll ignore it. Nobody will know unless they scan my uterus and it’s been in there so long there’s probably higher levels of hormones in London tap water! 😂

@StickyFingeredWeeNed no one even asked tbh, I know another girl who travelled and had her op the same day was also on the mini pill 🙂 But we did both bleed unexpectedly in the week following surgery due to hormone imbalance but so did fellow patients who weren’t on the pill so 🤷🏼‍♀️ Not sure if the mirena has any metal components- if it does they might need to know; they inspected my plastic nose stud forensically to make sure it was ok to stay in but no-one asked about a coil. I also had a ct scan on day 2 for a leak test so may be relevant for that???

get your passport in ASAP! We waited 14 weeks for my son’s, it arrived on Monday and he flies out on his lads holiday on Sunday… it was very close to ruining 12 people’s trip as he was the lead traveller!

How is everyone? Thinking of you @rainwilder . @StickyFingeredWeeNed exciting times!

I'm just over 2 weeks post bypass. Started on purée this week. Including pre op diet, I’m down over 2 stone and my BMI is now 31.2. Back pain is already so much better and my mobility has stretched from “can sit upright for a few hours and walk 100m on a good day” to “can do the shopping as long as someone else lifts the bags.”

First post op review the week after next. I’m feeling good about life.