Bariatric surgery thread 3

[HotSteppa]

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

Hi @smegley - I'm 12 days post sleeve, suffered terribly with sickness in the hospital but not so much since I came home - but water makes me nauseous on its own. Milk is going down best.

What has your surgeon said about the sickness? I'm so sorry - it's a tough journey. Are you managing to get your fluids in? I'm guessing not.... I'm not yet so really need to work on that.

Hi @smegley. I am just over 1 year out. I remember those early days very very clearly. Things absolutely get easier. You really are in the shit bit. Once you notice the weight coming off it gets a bit easier to handle, and then the food side will ease, you'll get things you can eat. There is now nothing I 'can't' eat - although my tastes have changed. I can't eat very much, but that's ok, and it's something that changes quite a lot too. I'm 8 stone down now. Baby steps with an eye to the future, is my suggestion. Good luck

I guess it's just a waiting game until I feel better :(
I've been prescribed some anti sickness meds today so hopefully they will help.
Im trying hard to get the fluids down but it's not an easy task is it!
8st is an amazing loss. Im praying for similar results long term!

I had my sleeve op 4 weeks ago. I found the purée stage grim but have now moved onto soft foods which is much easier.
But like smegley I am struggling to drink enough. With 5 small meals a day and not being about to drink while eating or for 30 mins before and after food, there are not enough hours in the day!
I have poor kidney function so I am prioritising fluids but it is challenging!

Hi everyone, please can I join the thread and pick your brains? I'm nearly 46, weigh 330lbs (BMI is 44), tried every diet going in the last 25 years and just can let do it. I have a heart condition and high blood pressure and I know I'm disabling myself.

I have an appt with my GP to discuss WLS, but I think on the NHS it will just take too long, so I'm starting to look at doing it privately. So far I've made contact with Tonic, Healthier Weight and Transform - have any of you used them?

I think I'm probably most focussed on having a bypass, but am also planning to discuss the sleeve with the surgeons as well. I want to lose weight and keep it off and I worry about diabetes. How did you decide which to go for? Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

Hi I had a bypass 10 days ago with Spire Southampton
BMI 51 and 23 stone. I went for a bypass due to a number of reasons, amount of weight I had to loose, and for me personally, the restrictions it would give me post op which I wanted to continue for lifelong maintenance due to my eating habits. I didn't want to go through this for me to be able to possibly regain due to stretching. I also have other medical issues which have led to weight gain and difficulties in loosing.
I researched various surgeons in my area, found one I was happy with and booked an appointment direct with their secretary rather than the company direct.
No complaints so far - team was awesome and great pre and post op care.
Have lost nearly 2 stone already including LRD which I started 2 weeks before my op.

Hi, I've just had my sleeve done at Spire, very happy with the care so far. I'm on day 3 so clear fluids only. I also lost a stone on the liver reducing diet.
I would say I wouldn't have wanted to be overseas during early recovery, it's been mentally quite tough x

Hi Dahlia, which Spire did you go to? I'm booked in at Manchester on the 7th

@Anguauberwaldironfoundersson I went to Spire Norwich. How are you finding things so far?

I had my sleeve done in Spire Manchester in January this year. They were absolutely great. I was a mess, mainly because of the pain meds which make me sick and loopy. I asked to stay an extra night and they were happy to let me.

Thank you @Womble75 and @Dahlia1978 for replying. I think I am probably going to go for the bypass for similar reasons to you Womble, plus I have a hiatus hernia and I believe that with the sleeve you are more likely to have issues with acid reflux.

Thanks Thurst, that's really good to know!

Dahlia1978 I've found it to be ok, my only issue was getting the booking in info from the consultants PA. She kept promising I'd have it by the end of the day and after chasing 3 times in two weeks I finally get... someone else's letter complete with weight, doctors details and address!

I'm hoping they keep me for two nights, I'd like the rest

Just booked my sleeve for 1st week of December, can't decide if I'm nervous or excited. Anyone else around then?

Wowzers @Anguauberwaldironfoundersson that is a massive data breach - please tell me you reported it?!

I’ve been lurking & reading about your experiences as I am seriously considering surgery.

One question that I keep coming back to, and as yet haven’t found a reliable answer is what happens once I reach my target weight/weight range that I want to stay at? How do you keep weight static, and not lose too much or regain again?

I am currently trying to maintain. The thinner you get the less calories you need and the longer out you are from the op the more calories you will be able to consume, so you will eventually find an equilibrium. However, for some people this is thinner than they would like to be. I track everything I eat to make sure I get enough calories and a consciously eat more snacks and higher calorie options (cheese, nuts, full fat yogurt sand milk) .
My restriction will lesson over time so I guess at some point I will need to go back to being careful that I don’t over eat but I’m trying to enjoy the situation for now. It’s psychologically very odd. I feel disappointed when I don’t lose weight even though I'm actively trying not to. Years of dieting has messed me up a bit.

I've not... at least not yet. I'm stuck in a position where I'm due to have my op and I don't want to piss people off. I wouldn't even know where to start with reporting it.

Thanks Thirst, I appreciate you replying. I find the maintenance aspect scary but not sure if that is me just transferring my worries that I have now, if that makes sense.

I wish there was just a magic, easy answer - but I guess we all would love that!

Hi ladies, have been dipping in and out of these threads for a long time and finally asked the GP to refer (they said yes, which I'm slightly mortified about - how did I let it get this bad?!)

Can I ask how long this could take on the NHS? (GP suggested several years) And what's an estimate cost for private op in the UK?

Hi @Bumblebeehum - I was told four years for the NHS. I had a sleeve privately in September and it cost £10,000. The aftercare has been very good.

Hope that helps you!

Thanks Niki, v helpful!

@Bumblebeehum I also qualified with the NHS but I'm 40 this year and after some refinancing we had the means to go privately so it made much more sense. I'm four weeks post op tomorrow and my bmi has gone from 45 to 39 already and I've lost 25% of my excess body weight. I'm so so pleased that I was fortunate enough to go down the private route.

Congratulations!! I don’t think I can wait 4 years, I’m 51 and beginning to get lots of pains that are not helped by being so big. Suspect I’ll be on this thread a lot now!

Hi hope everyone is doing ok at various stages of this journey! I'm now 2 weeks post surgery and doing well, just getting to grips with portion sizes. I've lost 2 stone so far.
Just wanted to add that I went private as although would have potentially qualified under NHS rules, weight loss surgery is not offered at all in my area (well to be exact, the pathway you have to go through to access the surgery isn't available, therefore no surgery!). It's been a massive stretch financially but I personally wouldn't have wanted to go abroad.

Hi everyone, Im needing to seriously consider this now after decades and decades of being overweight and just not being able to stop eating and craving food

Im very nervous about any idea of going abroad but equally dont really have the money to go private in this country, I would have to borrow the money

What are the best clinics surgeons etc in the UK and abroad?

I know a lot of this information is on face book but Im not on facebook and dont really want to join

Also, does anyone have a view about whether ozempic and that sort of medication can negate the need for bariatric surgery? Ive tried ozempic but for some reason am avoiding taking it/keep 'forgetting' to take it

Thanks