Bariatric surgery thread 3

[HotSteppa]

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

No, not on the LRD - I just followed the regime I was given, rather than thinking about protein at that stage. What are you following for the LRD?

There is a diet plan on the company's website, so basically having scrambled egg for breakfast with a ryvita (their other suggestions are cereal or toast which I dont eat), then lunch will be chicken salad, then dinner is 100g of lean meat chicken or fish then and plain veggies. One piece of fruit and one yoghurt

So yesterday's came to around 550 cals, and I had a few cuppa soups because I didnt have any chicken in so didnt have lunch and I didnt fancy breakfast

Today will be more substantial, had my eggs already

I’m now ten days post sleeve and thought I’d give a progress report.

I’m now able to tolerate a lot more fluid and I’m hitting my protein goals quite comfortably with a breakfast protein shake, soups with skimmed milk powder throughout the day, protein water and another shake at dinner time. I do have to pace myself, though, as my body definitely lets me know when I’ve had too much - my guts get very loud and grumbly, plus I feel gas coming up my throat.

My sleep has improved the past couple of nights, which I’m happy about. Days 1-7 post general anaesthetic were trippy and disturbed.

I’m much happier to be back on pills rather than liquids or dispersing pills in water; the only times I retched and nearly vomited immediately post op was trying to swallow my prescription meds this way. But I’m actually mostly off painkillers now, bar one dose of paracetamol in the morning and one dose of ibuprofen at night. I’ll be on lamprazole (sp?) for a while, but my post op injections (and therefore sexy compression stockings) end on Wednesday 🎉

My incisions are healing well and the surgical glue (Dermabond) is starting to peel at the edges on the three “normal” wounds. The two others are very crusty as apparently I oozed a lot immediately post op, but the nurse practitioner at my GP looked at them and said nothing to worry about. The only concern I have is that one of them is very concave; it’s like someone took a scoop out of my tummy. I hope this rights itself in time. The night time discomfort is lessening every day and I can now sleep on either side with only minor discomfort. This has probably contributed to improved sleep, as sleeping on my back meant I kept waking up with a sore neck!

I can’t get over how cold I am most of the time. I’m usually a very warm person, so it’s bizarre to have flipped this way so rapidly. I’m spending a lot of my resting time in bed just to keep warm!

My mobility is returning to normal, though I’m conscious I should not lift anything heavier than a kettle still. I actually get the most pain when I’m walking, as it’s like the motion jumbles things around and I feel a bit of tugging. I’m keen to start resistance work ASAP, so I’ve started looking into personal trainers to get me started, plus I’ve always wanted to try Pilates. My aerobic fitness is already pretty good, so I’ll build on those foundations.

Mentally, I’m okay. Sometimes the enormity hits me and I feel paralysed with fear, but I’m those moments, I focus on my values and that helps centre me on the why, rather than the what. I definitely don’t feel ready to go back to work yet, though, both physically and mentally. I feel like this seismic shift in my life needs more quiet time, plus my job is pretty stressful, so I fear a setback if I go back as planned this week. I’ll talk to my GP then my manager tomorrow, to set out my reasons before my sick note expires. How did others deal with this situation?

Overall, I’m feeling good. To those about to have the op, just follow the instructions to the letter to give yourself the best chance of recovery. And if you have children, make sure you recover in term time or when you can bring in extra help - that’s been vital for me!!

I was wondering about your next update this morning!!!

In terms of your sick note, I know that I will need 3 weeks off, I wont be able to return to work until Im probably about then, my job is stressful and fast paced. Plus Im interested to hear that you're still quite physically immobile.

Im struggling a bit on the liver diet at the moment. Im not hungry but am so tired that I cant be bothered to eat. Went to bed without any dinner again last night and so cold

What are your protein measurements at the moment?

oh and interested to hear that you're taking an anti inflammatory, I thought you werent allowed to after this operation?

It's really interesting reading the updates thanks eldorado02 😘

bellac11 - I'm dreading the LRD. I have to do 4 weeks and can't imagine the tedium and hunger. At least it's encouraging to hear you're not really hungry, but I completely relate to the fatigue and can't-be-arsedness. How do you manage work feeling like that?

With great difficulty!!

Im just having my breakfast, 2 crisp breads, 100g of low fat cottage cheese (yuk) and 5 slices of wafer thin ham which I dry fry to make some semblance of bacon. I dont really like pork or ham but needs must

All last week I had scrambled eggs and Im sick of them!

Chicken salad for lunch and then fish for tea. Monotony. Yes I could try to jazz things up, but god Im tired and cant be bothered

Plus I was told not to have caffiene, even de caf so just sticking to water but I see on some plans you can have tea and coffee!! But that involves milk so im steering clear.

Hi @bellac11

The guidance I was given was to aim for 700ml protein drinks per day, but I’ve found it more helpful to think in terms of grams, so I’m aiming for 60-70g per day, which I seem to be getting now via my regime of shakes, soups/broths and protein water. I was very averse to shakes the first five days or so, but now tolerate and even enjoy them.

I was told by the surgeon that the lansoprazole was to regulate stomach acid, plus help me tolerate ibuprofen during recovery. Apart from the first 2/3 days, I’ve tolerated all meds, so I seem to be on a regime that suits me.

It’s fascinating how much the LRD guidance differs between providers/surgeons. For example, tea and coffee were allowed (ironically, I don’t drink either!). I only had to do a week, so I could put up with it, but it would have been monotonous after more than that, so massive sympathy for four weeks, @ZestFest

I generally had the following:

Breakfast: 30g porridge oats or two protein weetabix, both with milk, or 1 slice granary bread with 10g low fat spread and 100g berries

Lunch: slim fast shake if at work, or two large eggs plus allotted amount of veg (tomatoes, lettuce, mushroom, courgette, broccoli, cauliflower)

Dinner: 125g chicken breast or white fish grilled with permitted condiments (soy sauce, garlic, spices etc), plus allotted veg (same as abode)

Snack: 100g fat free greek yoghurt or a muller light pot.

There was a milk limit of 285ml per day, so I used about half of it for breakfast, but if I was a tea or coffee drinker, it could be used for that.

It was okay. I felt hungry a lot, though.

I'm so envious of you guys being able to have actual food on the LRD. Mine is all shakes/soups and meal replacement slop. I don't understand why the guidance differs so much between regions and teams. I need to get over myself though and accept it as a necessary evil instead of having this tantrum. 😁

16 days post op and I’m on the purées - get in!

As per the guidance from my provider, I’m doing a very structured process where I replace one meal or snack a day with three (ice) cubes of purée: one protein, one veg and one carb, with a view to adding in more of each serving as I find my rhythm. It is amazing how full I feel after so little food. I’ve also had some equivalent breakfasts, such as a protein weetabix soaked in milk with fruit purée or Greek yoghurt stirred into fine porridge oats with fruit purée. I add skimmed milk powder to lots of things for added protein, and still drink at least one protein shake and one protein water a day.

But I have to be completely honest and say I’m still hungry on a regular basis, which is my biggest frustration with my surgery experience. My hunger is satiated after a tiny meal or drink, but only for a couple of hours at most, so I am trying to be sensible and “eat” every 2-3 hours, so BLD plus two snacks. I’m dreading this being my life now: near constant hunger but unable to quell it. Any reassurance would be gratefully received!

The other new challenge is scheduling water around food, as my guidance says leave at least 20-30 mins between drinking and food. I naturally drink tons of water, and have done so since childhood, so I hate feeling thirsty in these enforced periods. I can see why sticking to a liquid only diet is easier! But I persist and I trust the process!

2 weeks post op and 3 weeks post start of LRD, I’ve lost 10kg, which had put me in the overweight category at last - hurrah!

I’ve also noticed a huge reduction in tingly hands, arms and legs, which used to wake me up several times a night, so that’s amazing.

I have had so many people comment on how glowy my skin is (I don’t wear face make up), which is making me preen inwardly.

My incisions have healed amazingly and I can’t believe how neat they look. All the scabs fell off this week (I may have helped them along a little #sporner) and I’m trialling some silicone scar reducing plasters, but they’re so faint already after such a short time that I’m not remotely worried.

My GP signed me off for another two weeks, which has been a lifesaver for me, esp as the household has come down with various ailments this week. I’m on antibiotics for an infected impaction on my gums, which is lovely, not. And my period finally started today, so I’m interested to see how it goes. I usually have pretty easy periods, but I’m alert for hormonal disruption.

On the whole, pretty positive, with just a few niggles.

I hope everyone else is keeping well x

Well done

Im a bit worried for you (and me) to hear about the hunger. Is today your first day on the purees, do you think its to do with the stomach not really being full of food as such?

Its my fear to be hungry but not be able to eat enough to fill me up

Particularly when Im doing so well on very very low calories and not feeling hungry on them but if I was, I could have a break and eat something. But after surgery I wont be able to do that. Mind you I havent actually lost any weight on the LRD yet, and yet im no where near 800 calories a day. Strange. My clothes dont feel lose and my face shows no weight loss at all.

Ive been reading about the puree stage today as this is the bit that I find difficlt to understand, what to cook, how to measure it all out, how to store it (most of the books Ive got have 10 servings or so), how to make sure its not too calorific and that it wont upset the stomach

Evening all -new here - is this the right place to ask if anyone has had a sleeve revision to mini bypass? If not, I’ll get me coat …

@eldorado02 dont panic too much about feeling hungry a lot of it at that stage is head hunger and the fact on the stage your at your maybe not enjoying what your eating if purée etc. you sound to be doing great x

@bellac11 Interestingly, I’m finding the guidance for this stage here much more helpful than that from my provider, as it gives a sample day of eating for weeks 3 and 4. Let me know if the link doesn’t work!

@Questionsbarisurg thank you for the reassurance. I also read that what I’m feeling as hunger might actually be an excess of stomach acid, so I’m going to speak to my surgeon and ask his advice.

Side note, are any bariatric surgeons female?! Just musing on this!

Thats helpful because that is my provider!!

I dont know why I havent seen that, I thought Id been all over their site

So are you pureeing things up and just keeping it in a pot and taking out a spoon at a time?

@HangerLaneGyratorySystem i asked a similar question a couple of weeks ago. How one ago did you have your sleeve? X

hi @Questionsbarisurg - June 2021. I lost 4 stone but it’s not enough - I have very little restriction and still feel
hungry a lot of the time. What’s your situation?

(I had the sleeve on the NHS and the revision is being offered on NHS too)

Hi everyone. I posted late last year, as I was exploring having surgery, but have a heart condition which I new would cause issues. Thankfully, after private a Cardiologist appointment and an additional test, I've been approved, but have to pay an additional fee for 2 nights in the HDU.
I'm booked to have a sleeve on 28th March, I'm nervous but excited. Looking forward to losing weight and feeling better in myself.

I have my initial appointment with my surgeon next week. Just wondering if there are any questions I should ask?

Hi. I am now 5 days post gastric sleeve. Feeling fine and tolerating my liquid diet ok. I weighed myself last night and have lost ZERO. I’ve probably had a maximum of 600 calories in the past 6 days and have had half my stomach removed! I do feel very gassy/swollen inside.

Water retention, your body is still healing

Ive lost barely about 5lbs or so on the LRD over 2.5 weeks, thats a puzzle to me as Im not even getting 800 cals in

@HangerLaneGyratorySystem oh my if nhs was offering me the mgb I’d jump at it.

I am about 14momths out and have lost 7 stone well 6 stone 12lb but I started out at 27stone so I still have another 10 to lose to have a healthy bmi and it’s so so hard to be eating so little and not losing any weight I had a 13 week stall round 5 months were the scales didn’t move and then slowly it started again but I’ve lost not a lb since maybe 11 months? I just feel in Hind sight I should have had mgb or even full bypass as I know there is more benefits to it with absorption of calories which might have been helpful as I’ve so much to lose. I’ve noticed from maybe 9 months - 11 months my appetite has increased and I am sticking to saucer but I just know as time goes on it will be harder.

what is it stopping you from going ahead with mgb if they are offering it is it the thought of another op? Xx

Im a bit worried about that, because on the LRD Ive barely lost anything and yet my calories are hovering around 700ish a day

In the last 9 days Ive lost 3lbs. Its unbelievable.

@Questionsbarisurg I'm very worried about the second op. I'm currently divorcing, house about to go on the market and I'm a carer for my DD20 plus still working 21 hours a week.

Nearly 2 years ago now I had to have a sleeve as when they began the operation originally they found a lot of scar tissue from 2 C sections all throughout the abdomen so they couldn't move anything. I was quite happy to wake up with the sleeve initially but it became clear very early on that there wasn't much restriction - also I still had the urge to eat all the time.

After seeing what 4 stone loss has done to my hair and skin (I'm 60) I'm thinking christ what a mess I will be after if I have the MGB revision, but then I'm a mess now at this weight and my age. I wanted to travel in retirement but I had to do an internal flight for work recently and I had to be helped down the steps getting off the plane . I've got quite bad circulation problems, at risk of stroke etc - maybe its a no brainer but as I say, I am pretty scared. I had to have hypnosis last time!! I qualify for NHS because of my age and I think my original BMI was nearly 60. Since I wrote my post they've said they want to do the operation ASAP and I've been offered a date in April so even scarier now! I'm in the last chance saloon and I'm knee deep in the spitoon.

Do acknowledge what you've done though, 7 stone you must feel so much better and that loss would make any revision surgery feasible. Would you try again?