Bariatric surgery thread 3

[HotSteppa]

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

Thanks @TheCatOfAthenry and wow, 2 stone down already, that's amazing! Glad you're doing so well. I'm feeling a bit hyper, can't believe that less than a month ago I was reading these threads and just wishing I had the courage, and now it's actually happening in 3 days' time.

I saw the anaesthesiologist this morning and had a good long chat about everything and she talked me through what would happen. I haven't been under anaesthetic for over 30 years and it's the thing I'm most worried about. She's given me anti-coagulant injections to take for the next 3 days - I just injected myself half an hour ago and it felt a bit weird but was fine. They also gave me a plastic thing with 3 balls in and a tube that I have to blow into to make the balls stay up, and I have to do that a few times every day to practice breath control. Not really sure what that's about but hey I'll do whatever they tell me. My blood sugar is still a bit high, my new medication has brought it down a lot, but she said if it's too high on the day they'll just give me a bit of insulin.

I'm going out shopping tomorrow for new pyjamas and a comfy bralette thing to wear in hospital, a bit of retail therapy to distract me from the nerves.

@JaneIsInsane how are you getting on now you're onto the purees - starting to feel hungry yet?

@TheCatOfAthenry 2 stone in 2 weeks? 😲 amazing well done!

I’m really hoping my recovery will be smooth - after my band I drove myself home from the hospital, but am now 20 years older haha. I’ve tacked an extra day on each end in Istanbul because I have a pig of a journey so I want to be well rested. I live in the arse end of nowhere, Scotland so I’ll need some extra time to rest before a long journey home.

I lived in Istanbul nearly 30 years ago and still have friends there - obviously the size of me I’d be too embarrassed for a catch up. 😪

I’ll apply for my passport this week, hoping it won’t be too much bother - my dad got his renewal in just a month.

I received a huge Vinted bundle today in “the next size up” which will just have to do me until the op because I’m never, ever buying clothes this big again. After the op, I’ll recycle this lot into festival tents.

@rainwilder and @StickyFingeredWeeNed 2 stone in 4 weeks! I lost one on a 2 week VLCD to shrink my liver pre op!

I’m on an anticoagulant injection until 6 weeks post op. I was on it for 9 months before, through, from IVF to 7 weeks postpartum, so 6 weeks is doable.

I’m hoping that this time next year I’ll be back at the IVF clinic, all going well. 🤞

What a wonderful reason to lose weight! What’s everyone else’s reasons? I’d like to be able to sprint 😳 and I want to ride horses again. Won’t be sorry to see the back of my giant moonface and 30 chins either!

Hi all,

I've read over this thread and it's definitely helped me make my mind up. I've got a telephone consultation about having a sleeve on the 30th of this month! I'm nervous and excited too.

I've been trying to lose weight since I was 11 and I've been a secret eater since then which merged into binge eating into my teens and from then onwards. I've tried every diet under the sun and always ended up heavier than when I started after initially losing weight. I'm approaching 40 now and I'm having some serious health problems and I've recently been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. It terrified me and I want to be around for my DC in the future.

I'm going with healthier weight and my surgery is happening in Manchester. They've asked for a letter of support from my counselor who helps me with my binge eating and I'm hopeful that she'll be supportive. She's helped me so much with the bingeing but I'm still overeating and my BMI is in the mid 40s so it's very unlikely that I'll lose enough by myself to make the difference to my health that I need.

I spoke to a really lovely woman over the phone who told me that as I was so recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes that I'll have over an 80% chance of the diagnosis being reversed after surgery which I'm so pleased about. I've got everything crossed that I won't be in the 20% but also know that there's a chance it won't be successful.

Is anyone else on Metformin or was type 2 and reversed it? I'd love to hear your stories. I'd also love to hear from any of you who spoke to your children about your surgery as I'm hoping to be honest with them but would like to hear experience from others. They are early teens and we've always been fairly open about things.

Hope everyone is doing well!

@MoiraDavidAlexisJohnny
Hi, I am waiting for a surgery date (nhs). I have two children, 18/23 who don't want me to have the operation. They are scared I might die after I was resuscitated in 2015 due to pneumonia. One of my reasons for wanting the operation is the issues of living with obesity in old age. My father was 23 stone and it was very difficult to care for him. I was his carer and I don't want that for my children.
I was a size 16 five days after my first child (I am 180cm) but developed Rheumatoid Arthritis after my second. The steroids sent me into obesity. I have been fat for 19 years. There are only two fat people in my group of friends. The other lady was on steroids too for fertility.
I can loose weight and I have given up booze but the results are slow, if I am lucky a pound a week. I might only have twenty years left (56) and I want to wear fitted clothes. I spend a fortune importing designer togs from Italy and America. I don't look like me and I get fed up with the assumption I have always been fat (and stupid).

It’s a pound a week if you never, ever, ever take your eye off the ball and spend 18 hours a day thinking about what you put in your mouth. The mental toll is enormous.

I too worry about literally being a physical burden. What if I were to drop dead this afternoon? It would take 4 to carry me out. How many to carry the coffin? Would the coffin actually be a cube? 😂 there’s no dignity in it. I also once read that if you don’t fit in the coffin, they’ll cut your “bulging” bits off to ensure you fit.

I am a little apprehensive about the GA, I’ve had a lot in my life and I tend not to do well with them. But I’m either going to die on the table or I’m going to die young and be chopped up to fit in a coffin.

Has anyone had or is considering the ESG?
move only just heard about it but feel it’s possibly an option for me.

my bmi currently is 30 but I’m a massive yo-yo dieter and generally can get up to 34 and down to 28 I’m back on the upward swing at the mo.

it sounds like there is less risks involved with this but will power is needed to and that’s what worries me if I lack the will power now, how would I find it if I have the op.

@StickyFingeredWeeNed
You are so right. I think about what I am going to eat every waking hour.
I was a hungry person at a size 10. Never been any different. Perhaps the sleeve will stop me feeling that way.

My reason to have the surgery is to reduce my bmi to 30 ( or less) so that I am eligible for a kidney transplant in the future.

I am about to start dialysis and unless I loose a significant amount of weight I will have to remain on dialysis for the rest of my life.

Hi all! Well tomorrow is the big day for me, having my sleeve done at about 12pm UK time. Feeling very calm at the moment but no doubt nerves will kick in when I get there.

I've lost about 10lbs since starting my LSD which is a bonus, and my glucose level has come right down so hopefully there'll be no need to give me insulin before the op now that it's under control.

Good luck to anyone else having their op tomorrow 🍀see you on the other side!

Good luck @rainwilder - looking forward to your huge successes!

@BeginningBridge wow, that’s heavy. When are you planning your weight loss surgery?

I am booked to have the surgery on 28 July so not long now. There is a risk that the anaesthetic will cause my kidneys to stop working but I need to take the chance.

Good luck @rainwilder

@BeginningBridge I hope it all goes well for you, I've had experience of family with dialysis and it's so tough

@BeginningBridge well here’s to a successful GA for you. 🥂although I realise you probably don’t drink! My mum was on dialysis for a couple of years, all done at home but pretty miserable anyway.

@rainwilder give us a wave if you can!

I’m going into town on Saturday to get my passport photos done and get that sent away (online). Then I suppose I’d better get flights booked. I’ve booked a holiday abroad next year for the first time in years and although I’d have worn a cossie and pretended I couldn’t see the looks or hear the comments… I expect I’ll be blending in wearing a regular size. It’s beyond my comprehension really.

did anyone do it without telling anyone? I’m worried they’ll try and convince me not to - I was talking about it a couple of weeks ago with my dad (DM reader) using James Argent as an example knowing he’d have seen the pics. He said “ooof he looks too gaunt”. Can you imagine? People thinking you’re too slim? 😂

I'm a ‘secret sleever’ no one’s knows other than my DH. I just told people I was on a slim fast type diet to have a reason why I was eating for a while. I couldn’t be arsed with the judgement.

Hi all, I'm back home now after having my op on Monday afternoon. All went well, the hospital was amazing and I could not fault the care. They put these puffy wrap things around my legs that expanded and contracted, to keep the blood flowing and prevent clots, and they were so relaxing, it was like having a massage, and when I woke up the next morning all the puffiness in my legs and feet was gone. I'm feeling fine, a little delicate but can move around okay.

I've got blood thinner injections to take for the next week, and some other meds. I don't feel hungry at all and have just been sipping water and diluted apple juice and sucking on ice pops. I cannot stress enough to take a lip balm to the hospital and a dry mouth spray, as your mouth will be SO dry. I got through about four cups of ice chips during the night just trying to keep it wet.

So I'm just home relaxing now and trying to move around as much as possible - I'm not in pain as such but the gas is a bit uncomfortable at times. Oh, I weighed myself this morning and I've lost 12lbs since Monday morning 😮maybe that's what my stomach weighed, who knows, but it's a great start.

Hope you're all doing well, and good luck to anyone else having their op this week.

Wow sounds like your doing really well @rainwilder
The toughest bit of the journey is behind you now

Alas, unless my stomach is located in my gigantic arse I’m not expecting results like that! 😂 brilliant news @rainwilder and I’m delighted you’re safely out the other side and feeling ok.

I’m paying my deposit today and getting my passport photos done at the shop on Saturday. My kids can’t follow instructions for toffee and I don’t want to risk getting my application rejected.

Glad everything went well @rainwilder

I've got my first consultation over zoom with my surgeon this evening. I'm nervous!

nervous I understand, but at least you won’t need to sit through a lecture about “it’s simple really, just eat less and move more” by someone who’s never had a weight problem.

it’ll be fine!

I've just booked in for my first consultation appointment - it's for 14th July and I can't wait. I've been reading this thread for months and to be very honest, I always conceded that I didn't need to go to such extreme lengths or expense and I'd do it on my own.

Well guess what? All that's happened is that more time has passed and I'm even bigger than I was before!

I am miserable. I am grumpy all the time. My husband is suffering. My children are definitely suffering. I'm not the mum I want to be. My life is on hold. I need to make this change.

Congrats @rainwilder look forward to further updates!

not sure who asked but I’m also a secret sleever 🙈 I had my gallbladder out at the same time and just used that as my excuse because people around me knew how badly I was suffering. I’m over 3 stone down in 6 weeks 🥳

I totally understand the feeling of not being the mum you want to be @niki26 I feel the same. My kids deserve better. Hell, I deserve better too!

I've already had a friend be funny about my decision, she's a big girl herself but she's really into the body positive stuff which is fair enough but I'm sure as hell not wanting to die all because of embracing my curves 🙄