Bariatric Surgery- waiting for a date

[carbibarbie]

Hello, I’ve read the threads (1-3) on bariatric surgery which are now full and closed. I wondered if there was a number 4 and if not, can we make one? I am waiting for a date for sleeve surgery and would love to talk to others in a similar position or those who are further down the line and get any advice on offer! I’ve got two children (5 and 7) and I’m worried about looking after them post surgery when my husband is at work. How long after could you drive and what was recovery like? Many thanks.

I’m 8yrs out in August. Driving, I think I was driving after about 2 weeks. I was defo back on the school run for September (very local 1.6miles door to door). My son went to my parents for 2 weeks before my surgery (was a good thing as I was HANGRY) and then my husband was at sea and came back day I was discharged. I needed help at home initially for the first day just getting out of bed or off the sofa as I was moving slowly! My son was 7 when I had it done and I explained I’d had an operation to make my tummy smaller so I could be healthy. He found it hilarious that he was eating more than me. We still now often share a meal or I get a starter if we are all out and I’ll have a couple of chips off his plate or hubbys plate rather than my own.

I can’t tolerate cold drinks at all now, I’ve never had a can of coke or similar since my op. I main line tea and can go all day on tea but I also get gastric dumping syndrome and that comes on out of nowhere so I keep spare clothes in the car and at work as I’ve been caught out a couple of times. Some days my stomach is fabulous and I can eat and drink anything, other days nope! Not happening.

don’t push yourself with food. Listen to your body and stop when it says stop. Stay on top of your vitamins and your body will thank you for it. I’m constantly malnourished despite eating but that’s a small price to pay for being healthy.

im currently on mj as some weight regain is normal and i had to cancel my second operation (always planned for sleeve and bypass later) due to covid and the things changed and i no longer qualified. Mj has been a game changer and has put me right back to the early sleeve days where i eat next to nothing.

plateaus are normal. Take photos, your shape will change even if the scales don’t.

make sure EVERYONE knows you cannot have ibprofen and no blind ng tubes. First thing I told my work when I started (well medical lead and boss) and it’s in my health notes on my phone. Husband and son both forget so I do periodically remind them that any accident and they have to say gastric sleeve even though it was years ago.

I had a sleeve about 5 years ago. Recovery was absolutely fine. Just don’t overdo the food and follow the phased return to eating. Also, it won’t fix any emotional issues you may have with food (if you do). I can eat and drink anything now, but a smaller amount. I lost about 7 stone. I wish I’d done it years before.