Booked consultation for VSG surgery today. I’ve had enough.

[Worriedmum159]

The permanence of it worries me slightly but I’ve been growing year on year for 5 years. I’m not out watching the rugby tonight because I have no comfortable clothes. My DH is lean like a stick insect but has got his head around how I am addicted to food.

Also currently having counselling for the food thing. Hoping to have surgery in Jan so I can pass it off as a resolution. Needing to lose about 5 stone.

Are you looking at having it done in the UK or abroad?

In the UK. About 15 miles from home.

I'm in your shoes op

5 years I have put on 6 stone

I have 100lbs to lose

Giving myself 2 years to lose it

I can't afford surgery my friend did and is doing AMAZING

@Worriedmum159 have you thought of wegovy or ozempic. I've had great success with ozempic as have many ladies. There are lots of nice threads about it x

I had a gastric sleeve 3 years ago today! It was absolutely the best thing I ever did.

Post-op is hard but so totally worth it.

Pm me if you would like to ask any questions/have a chat.

The expense is a big “gulp” but I see it as a huge investment in myself.

I echo what @SarahC50 says. Look at Wegovy. Cheaper and less invasive than surgery.

I have tried ozempic and genuinely it made no difference to me. I felt exactly the same as before. I’ve carefully researched this so not looking for alternative options at this stage, if I wasn’t desperate, I wouldn’t be doing it and if I don’t do something soon, I will be looking at some serious health issues.

Oh that’s a shame @Worriedmum159. Apparently it doesn’t work for about 10% of people.

I was gutted. I didn’t realise it was that high, I thought I was psyching myself out of it somehow. Which is still a possibility!

@Worriedmum159 - how long were you on it and at what dose?

@Worriedmum159

I was in your shoes exactly 2 years ago.

Apart from I had more to lose, 8 stone.

My reasons for putting on weight, is that I was binge eating because I was severely depressed and stressed.

I felt so uncomfortable, ugly and unhealthy that I researched weight loss surgery and even went as far as getting a quote for a loan but I just couldn't justify paying that amount when I knew it was all a mental health reason for my weight gain rather than a physical one.
I would be paying to restrain my food intake, when my brain would still want to eat.

I decided to set myself a date, and used a calorie counting app . It cost me £3.99 a month and worked out what calories I needed. Slowly, I started doing 30 mins of exercise dvds 4 time a week. I still do them now and absolutely no exercise out of the house. Will never be a gym goer!

My mental well being has improved so much, as has my health and confidence.

I've lost 6st 2lbs to date. I still have 1st 13lb to go, and even though I have done it the extremely slow way (think it equated to 0.9lb a week) I'm still down a huge amount from 2 years ago. The reason I've done it so slow, is because I still sometimes choose food binges when stressed, but in comparison to how I was before, they are far better controlled.

Obviously my reason for being overweight is different to yours and I have no experience with food addiction, but if you know that you won't be able to concur it without surgery, then do it. Do what is best for you.

The physical and mental health benefits have found with weight loss have been life changing.

However you chose to do it, good luck.

I got up to 2mg, 5 months in no real change. I can’t waste any more time tbh. I’m missing out on so much.

@bluescoot when I first started to grow, I did calorie counting and had great results. I just don’t seem to be able to make it work for me anymore although my lifestyle has changed a lot since then. I have a counsellor who specialises in disordered eating and we have talked about BED. You’ve done amazingly well. How do you stop the food noise?

@Worriedmum159 that is such a shame that it didn’t work for you.

it’s good you are working with a counsellor - hopefully that will help you get a handle on things. I’m sure you realise that the mental side is so important.

@Worriedmum159

Honestly, won't sugar coat it, the food noise is there most of the time.

What has helped me:

When craving or obsessing over a certain food, I plan it into my next weeks meal plan.

I try do mind over matter, so if I really fancy a bag of crisps but I've already used my 'snack' calories, i just think to myself, if I've burned 250 cals on exercise, I might as well of just done half the exercise as I'm eating away what I've burnt off. I then promise myself the crisps tomorrow in my 'snack budget'

I meal plan a week in advance. Being prepared is the only way for me as if I don't, I struggle to stay on track.

I've taken a progress picture with every 7lbs lost, I've done this for two years and it's amazing to see where I was and where I am.

I looked into why I was stressed and depressed and tried hard to address that. Not 100% yet but absolutely on my way! I've made lots of small changes that have made my whole mind better.

I visualise in my head how I will look if I keep on calorie counting and exercising and then look at photos of me at my biggest and tell myself I don't have to end up back to where I was.

I keep all my old clothes and every now and again try them on.

I drink lots of water as I think I sometimes just need to use my mouth

Choosing more protein rich foods and bulking meals out with veg if I can.

I don't deprive myself, if I want to go out for a meal or a drink, I do, I just don't have the old mindset of 'that's ruined it, let's just carry on'. I think I used to do that as a form of self sabotage.

Honestly, it can be difficult at times as my husband doesn't need to lose weight and has a physical job, so I actually cook him different meals to myself. I still buy in all his snacks for work too, but he keeps these out the house.

I am booked in for surgery on the 20th November in Leeds and really looking forward to it.
I made the decision in July. Fed up of loosing weight and then it creeping back on. I am 50 and have spent my whole life on a diet.
This is the only way I will be able to keep the weight off.

Thank you for dropping by! What is your BMI? When do you start your pre-op diet and what regime are you following?

Now I’ve decided, it’s like a weight off to be honest. How long was it between your consultation and surgery?

It will be the best thing you ever do. I had a sleeve in January this year weighing 20 stone 12.5lbs. As of yesterday I'm 11 stone 13lbs, just 6lbs from a healthy BMI! I feel amazing, am so fit and active and far more social and outgoing. It wasn't until I lost the weight that I realised how much it was really holding me back, if that makes sense?

Makes perfect sense @Introvertedbuthappy ! How long was between your consultation and surgery?

My BMI is 38.5 and I start my pre op liver reduction diet on the 5th November.
I am booked with a company called Tonic as I liked the aftercare package. I checked Trust pilot and all the reviews and after speaking to them and my surgeon I was really happy.

I could have had the operation earlier but due to holidays and what not I have had to wait until the 20th November. I was offered a date for surgery within 8 weeks of the initial consultation if I could have had it then.

I have probably ruined my Christmas dinner, but you know what, I would have no doubt put weight on over Christmas so at least this way I can't.

Similar BMI to me, I have my consultation on 5th Nov! With work etc, I’m hoping for surgery in Feb. What does your pre op diet look like?

Next hurdle is finding a boots with some scales in to prove my BMI.

@Worriedmum159 basically 2 weeks! I had mine done overseas though as I am an expat so made more sense to do it here. I had been thinking about it/researching it for a good year though. It has really changed my life and my BMI has gone from 46 to 26 so far and I'm still losing.

@bluescoot what a lovely kind and thoughtful post.

@bluescoot do you work from home or office etc? I can’t cope with boredom eating and even though I’ve had no sense of taste or smell for 2 weeks (not covid) I just can’t get a handle on it!

Lots to think about in your post, thank you.

Pre op diet is either 4 slim fasts a day - or equivalent or very restricted foo - mainly protein based up to 800 calories a day. I get a dietician support to guide me through it and advise me and I can ring them up at any time to discuss cravings etc.