Gerry

TKDBEAuty, that's great going so far - I hope I can loose that much so quickly. I'm not that fussed with the oxygen mask over my face when I'm waking up, because I know I am waking up, not being put to sleep. I guess it is a kind of fear of being deprived of the ability to breath of my own free will that worries me. I get that feeling like when you stick your head out of a train or car window in the wind, where it's being forced into you

In the past, when Doctors (and there have been numerous Doctors) have said to me "loose weight or die", I kept thinking that there were plenty of big people who were older than me. My ex-mother in law was very big and also very inactive. I thought if she could do it, then so could I. I didn't look at her life. She never went out, never done anything for herself and everyone (her own children included) used to say how lazy she was. I didn't want to live my life like that.

I got very down about it some months ago, and really did feel that I wanted to stop now (as in take my life). I was even planning how to do it. Now I have come through that, and it has made me more sure than ever that I want to live and get my life back. I have lost my Mum and Dad in the past seven years, and I know how that has left me feeling, and I don't want my children left without their Mum. I don't want to leave them on their own. Their natural Dad has health problems of his own with a reduced life expectancy, so if he goes I need to be here for them.

I am already constantly thinking along the lines of "when I've had my op and started to loose weight" etc. I really want it so badly. Also to show those who have turned their back on me and given me up as a lost cause over the years. I'd love to bump into them afterwards. I know it would be better if I could have lost the weight through diet alone, but that has never worked for me. I think I can feel just as proud to be doing it this way if all else has failed for me. It's a huge decision to take, but I am confident that they will take care of me at the hospital. Operations don't scare me as I've had so many.

I'm now eagerly awaiting 21st April when I need to phone my GP and get her to call me back to let me know if she has been able to find out anything about the funding yet. I really hope so.

Watch this space.

Thank you so much for your very encouraging response, and once again well done for your progress so far. Please do keep me updated on how your weight loss is going, I'm really interested as I am 21 stone myself at the moment, so we are similar starting weights

Gerry

letmeout

Hi Gerry, Hope you get your op if you really want it bt thought I'd just mention another option to you. My consultant suggested I have surgery and my GP agreed but I felt a bit afraid-so I tried Accomplia ( a tablet from the GP). I had good weight loss - 2 lbs per week- but started getting massive panic attacks. It was a side effect of the tablets so I had to stop taking them. Put it all back on again ( had lost 2 stone). My health was getting worse so I accepted that I would need to have the op- then I came acros the Cambridge Diet. Saw my GP who okayed me for sole source. The weight loss has been fantastic ( except when I fell off the wagon for 10 days) and I feel fantastic. My BMI is now under 40 ( was over 46!). I'm so glad I gave this a try first!
Apologies for sticking my oar in- especially if you have already tried a VLCD.
If I do not suceed at CD I will have the op- I'll die if I don't but am very happy on my bars and shakes so far.
Wishing you all the very best-MA

__________________
Let Me Out-
says the skinny woman inside




WI 6.3.09:22st 12lb -14lbs
WI 13.3.09:
WI 21.3.09:
WI 28.3.09:
Goals:
Stick it out for a week Done
Lose 10% of start weight-34lbs
Lose 14lbs Done
Under 22st
Under 21 st
Under 20st

Gerry

Many thanks for your reply MA,

I tried the Cambridge Diet some years ago, without success Also have tried Xenical the weight loss tablets, again without success. I've hit rock bottom where diets etc are concerned, so my last option is WLS, which is what I am now hoping to have.

You are doing really well on yours, keep up the good work

Take care

Gerry

letmeout

Hope all goes well with your surgery- keep posting and I'll keep an eye on you!!

__________________
Let Me Out-
says the skinny woman inside




WI 6.3.09:22st 12lb -14lbs
WI 13.3.09:
WI 21.3.09:
WI 28.3.09:
Goals:
Stick it out for a week Done
Lose 10% of start weight-34lbs
Lose 14lbs Done
Under 22st
Under 21 st
Under 20st

Gerry

Thank you Let Me Out. It's been great to have so much support on here.

I took the plunge and told my closest friend last night (male friend). I had been doubtful of his support as he had previously stated that he wasn't a supporter of these type of operations and that it wasn't needed in my case (I think at that time he was trying to be kind about my weight). Anyway, rather than tell him so that he could interrupt and start telling me how foolish I was, I wrote it all to him in an email. He's read my views now and seen that I would really appreciate his support and has written back and told me that I have it, so I am really pleased that it's another hurdle I've got over.

Gerry

TKDBEAuty

hi gerry!
great news that your friend will support your decesion.... i too had tried every diet inder the sun..... my op was the best decesion i ever made. i wished i would of done it years ago..... but at least im on my way now. weighed myself this morning and im now down 2 stone and a half. cant believe it.... and i can see the difference... i wore a skirt yesterday i havent been able to wear in 4 years....... thats the positives of the op........ there are alos negatives... like not being able to eat certain things... or when you have had something before and it was ok... try it again and for some strange reason your new tummy decides that it doesnt like it..... its a small price to pay...... but i dont mind. i have had my struggles even after op...... tears, frustrations..... went through like a mourning period ... can you imagine that over food? wow how crazy life is, but i am getting through it... so i think anyone can. when i crave a certain food that i know i cant have now...... i just try and think of something else, do something to keep me occupied... the craving passes..... and i move on. one thing that is keeping me motivated is my mom and aunt are coming here from the states on sunday for the first time........ and boy are they going to get a surprise... im thinner went from blonde to dark, i look and feel terrific... hopefully they will walk pass me... lol..... its amazing what 2 stone and half can do for you. dont give up... and if you are sure op is what you want........ then go for it.... i know im glad i did. will be watching, hoping and praying that you get the news you want on the 21st. keep us posted .

tkdbeauty

Gerry

Hi again tkdbeauty,

I'm hoping that by this time next year, I too am saying that having the op was the best decision I ever made. I'm made up that my friend is supporting me (and have written to tell him so).

I bet your Mum & Aunt won't recognise you. Do they know you have had the op? I bet they will be full of praise and encouragement and telling you how good you look - and rightly deserved too!

Like you, I'm looking forward to wearing smaller clothes. I do have a pair of jeans that I used to love wearing, but haven't fitted into them for years. I hope I can again some day, although most of my clothes are all about the same size. I got rid of most of the ones that didn't fit as I grew out of them. So for me, I'm looking forward to going shopping to buy some new clothes.

I'm not sure if I will actually hear from my GP on 21st, but that's the date I have to phone in to let her know how my knee is doing, and there is a possibility that she may have heard something, although I think I just have to leave a message and my phone number and a message for her to call me to let me know if she has had any luck with the funding. I guess that depends on if she managed to put in for it before she went away. I really hope so.

I'm like a kid counting down to Christmas now - counting the days before I can phone her

Do let us know what your Mum and Aunt say when they first see you!

Gerry

Lyn8124

Hello there Gerry. I hope you get good news soon. I too am looking to WLS as a last resort. I've been on Reductil (10mg couldn't sleep at night, 15mg had a bad reaction where I couldn't breathe properly for an hour ), Xenical (couldn't eat low fat enough for it!) and Acomplia which was the absolute worst. I got an ugly itchy rash on my arm, felt very down and really hungry all the time. Plus Unislim, Weight watchers, LL, LT and CD.

Now I am worried about sticking to a pre-op diet. Worried to the point that I am thinking of just forgetting about it but if I do that I will be 40st by time I am 30 (in just over 3 years!) I will just have to do it, no other choice. Lock myself in the house with no food and money, just CD packs.

__________________

If you can think it you can become it, if you can dream it you can achieve it!!!

Gerry

Sorry to hear that you've had such a rotten time of it Lyn.

I've tried Xenical, calorie counting, Cambridge diet etc, but nothing works. My problem is that my disabilities mean I can't exercise. It sounds like SWL may be what you need if nothing else is working. Have you seen your GP to ask about having it done? I'm getting all eager and can't wait now.

Keep us informed

Gerry

letmeout

Hi Gerry- well done ntelling your friend. I'm so pleased your friend is supporting you -it took courage to tell him.
Take car
xxx

__________________
Let Me Out-
says the skinny woman inside




WI 6.3.09:22st 12lb -14lbs
WI 13.3.09:
WI 21.3.09:
WI 28.3.09:
Goals:
Stick it out for a week Done
Lose 10% of start weight-34lbs
Lose 14lbs Done
Under 22st
Under 21 st
Under 20st

nefernefruaten

hi gerry,
i had exactly the same guidelines so i automatically qualified, i didnt ask my gp i told her lol... i said i need a gastric bypass this is the surgeon ive chosen this is the hospital hes at could u send a refferal letter please.... and she did!!! my surgeon started off at st. georges in tooting but moved to university college hospital near euston. his name is mr albriec fiennes. he was excellent a little eccentric but i liked that... just be positive that you'll get it, see youself being told your getting it and see yourself getting slimmer believe it in your heart and it will happen. i truly believe in the power of positive thought!!!! it truly is amazing tho... the most i ever lost was a few stone on w.w and that took months and was really hard. with the bypass the weight drops off the first few months, it takes time to adjust and its not easy but it changes the way you eat without the willpower most overweight ppl lack. you do go thru a stage where you miss being able to eat the way you did but it passes and the weightloss the dropping clothes sizes the increased fitness and wellness makes the missing friend food worthwhile.... diets are just that.... short term diets most you cant maintain for life the bypass physically changes the way and what you eat for life so it isnt a diet anymore.... im gonna think positive thoughts for you and i know all is gonna go well for you....
Donna xxxxx

Gerry

Thank you so much for that very encouraging post Donna. I have actually felt very positive about the prospect of SWL since I made up my mind to have it. I don't know if the fact I have been so positive is anything to do with it (I hope so), but I weighed myself this morning and I am down to 20st 9lb 6oz. It's nice, but I am not overly excited as my period is due in about a fortnight, so I dare say I will put weight on in the lead up to that, and I do fluctuate a few pounds here and there anyway. I know just after Christmas I was over 21 stone (my heaviest) and I did have a record of it somewhere, but do you think I can find it. I want to know what I was at my heaviest, which that note would tell me, but it's done a runner on me.

I can't wait for 21st to come round to phone and see if my GP has any news on a referral. If I do end up at the same hospital as my friend, then that would be Charring Cross. I looked on their website yesterday and it says referrals are seen within four weeks, and surgery is usually 15 weeks after being aproved - so not that long at all. By my reckoning, that would be just after my holiday which would be ideal. Still, I'll have to be patient and wait and see.

Gerry

Gerry

Just found the record I was looking for about my weight.

On 20.04.07 I weighed 21st 5lbs 5oz
On 11.04.08 I weigh 20st 9lbs 6oz

Seems like I have lost 10lbs in the last year then. Big deal I know it won't last on it's own. It never does.

Still, here's to the future

Gerry

Gerry

Oh my God, why does the time go so slow? I know my GP is still not back from her hols yet, but I am tempted to ring the surgery and ask if there is any news about my referral! I'm so impatient. It seems like everyone else on here is moving forward and I'm stuck with my feet in the sand

I'm going to be so disappointed if I phone next Monday and she says "no news yet"

Gerry

Taz

Phone the surgery! You shouldn't have to wait to see a specific GP, all information should be available to any GP in the surgery.

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