gastric bypass newbie looking for advice and friends

[Gerry]

I too love reading through everyone's personal achievements, from where they have started out to how well they are doing afterwards. I've not been on the site long myself, but it has been the single most inspirational thing I have ever come across to help. Really is great seeing how positive people are.

Gerry

 

[Nic318]

Hi

Thanks for your support I can't wait........... for my op, counting down the days!!!!!

Was goign to go and shop for a new outfit for our party, told hubby I will go even if just for an hour but have decided agaisnt buying anything new, I have got loads of nice dresses that I havent really worn, they will do!!!!!!! they are comfortable too, with a few accersories I will look Fab!!!!!!!

Was getting nervous but I have read some of the threads and I agree positive thoughts are what is needed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Will keep you all up to date!!!

Hi Mandy

Thanks for all this that was a great help, only 1 week to go now before my appointment and I'm hoping that they will give me a date for the op. Really looking forward to it cos of all the positive feedback on here but obviously still having niggles because its an operation and worried about what can go wrong. Just trying to keep positive xx

 

[Nic318]

Hi Nic, course you can join us, no need to ask. I thought it'd only be me and Nefer on this thread but there's loads of us now, it's fantastic. I too have been overweight since about 4/5 years old. I think it started when my Mum made cheese on toast one day and I asked for some, been addicted to the stuff ever since. I've always felt an outsider cos I'm fat, more so now that ever but hopefully that's in the past, or will be soon lol.

Now the questions you ask will depend on what op you're having is it a gastric bypass? I have read a lot over the 'net and books. I thought my surgeon only offered the band so was unprepared for him telling me about the bypass. He's recommended the bypass over the band and I think he is right although I was apprehensive and remain so if truth be told. There's still a part of me that clings to the hope that I could do this myself but the reality is I can't. The most weight I ever lost was 4st last year on LL (lighterlife, a meal replacement diet). I am now the heaviest I have ever been at 21st 2lbs. I'm finding that the extra 8lbs I have put on in the last 4-5 weeks has really affected me, I am finding my asthma a lot worse. Sorry, I seem to have rambled on a bit as per usual lol.

Hi Lynn

I'm not sure which one I will be going for I expect it will be the bypass as after reading up all about it and what people have said on here I think that would be the better option for me.

I too did the Lighter Life diet and managed 10 weeks and lost 3 1/2 stone but everybody in my group was cheating each week whereas I'd not cheated at all. Stupidly I thought that I could cheat and get straight back onto it (yeah right!). Anyway it didn't happen and all that weight plus some more came back on.

Anyway only 1 week now till my first appointment so counting the days, I have a busy week this week as I'm away on a training course from Wed-Friday so that should keep me occupied!!

How's things with you??

 

[Nic318]

Hi Donna

Wow reading all that I keep thinking god I can relate to that!!!

I'm looking forward to a "new" me but also worried about the operation itself, only natural I suppose. Just so glad I found this forum and I know I will get all my questions answered here.

I week to go to my appointment, hoping I get the date for the op then too!

Nic xx

 

[nefernefruaten]

let us know the date nic!! i was a little worried b4 the op too cos im a woos we it comes to pain lol... but it really wasnt that bad, its a muscular pain, like wen u do too much excersise (like i knew much about that ha!!) i said i felt like id been kicked in the gut pain the first few days but the more u move around the easier it gets and each day the pain was less. you have even less pain if u can burp and fart soon after the op... i was known as the chemical farter in hospital smells awful but feels so good ha!!! but take it from a woos it wasnt that bad, have positivity in ur heart and the pain will be less.... trust me and the alien on that!!!
Donna xxx

 

[Nic318]

let us know the date nic!! i was a little worried b4 the op too cos im a woos we it comes to pain lol... but it really wasnt that bad, its a muscular pain, like wen u do too much excersise (like i knew much about that ha!!) i said i felt like id been kicked in the gut pain the first few days but the more u move around the easier it gets and each day the pain was less. you have even less pain if u can burp and fart soon after the op... i was known as the chemical farter in hospital smells awful but feels so good ha!!! but take it from a woos it wasnt that bad, have positivity in ur heart and the pain will be less.... trust me and the alien on that!!!
Donna xxx


Hi Donna, I will do, looking on the WLS site I don't think they will give me the date when I go on Monday and it will be another waiting game :cry: but at least I'll be one step closer. I'm excited about the appointment but like I said in another thread I'm really worried about the op itself and being in intensive care xx

 

[nefernefruaten]

intensive care goes by in a haze.... i remember the least about that cos i was asleep most of the time!!
the intensive care nurses are wonderful so kind... ur only in intensive care 24hrs just to monitor you and your given morphine during that period so ur not in pain just sleepy, honestly its nothing to worry about. then its up to the ward out with the catheta and ur encouraged to get up and walk about. u cant have water for a few days but ur ona drip and dont feel thirsty ur mouth gets dry but they give u a sponge and water to wet ur mouth. its a strange feeling wen they give u a thimbleful of water and it takes ages to drink...
you dont feel hungry at all.
honestly the surgery and hospital stay are over in a few days and really not that bad.... i was lucky i was in a ward with 4 other girls who had the bypass so we all supported each other but if you dont have that u have a tv next to the bed with internet access just come on here and talk to us!!
Donna xxx

 

[Lyn8124]

Hi WLS chicks. My appt seemed miles off but now it's 4 days away. I am worried about pain cos I am a wimp but more worried about complications and it not working somehow. I will just have to pray everything goes well.

 

[Thaialina]

Another newbie!

Hello everybody!
I've just come across this thread and joined minimins. I have read everything that has been posted. It's lovely to see that you're all really positive and to know that other people feel like I do.
I'm 29 and 16 6 at the mo. I have been overweight all my life and done loads of diets.The last one was Slimming World, which was great because you cen eat so much, so I lost loads and found out how someone feels being size 10. Bliss. Unfortunately, due to a lot of changesin my life, I haven't been able to stick to it rigidly and the weight has come back. I am now considering a gastric bypass by keyhole but I want to go private to get it done asap despite having to pay (which is a pain).
I have booked a consultation with Dr Ammori at BUPA/Spire Hospital in Manchester. Has anyone else had him for this op?
My family are concerned that it's a risky op, but understand the struggles I have. I love food and at a size 22-24 struggle with clothes shopping etc. It gets me down. I'd love to be able to wear something and not feel like I'm wearing a tent!
Do you know what risk of death I will have at my size? Also, I am a veggie, so can you do the liver diet thingy on quorn instead of fish/meat? Is being a veggie hard post op? I have sooo many questions and am really scared...
I hope that you will be able to put my mind at rest. I think it's really great how you support each other.
Sara

 

[nefernefruaten]

hi lynn, dont even think about the pain or hospital or anything just concentrate on the positives afterwards and all will be fine....

hi sara, welcome!!! every surgeon/hospital gives a different liver shrinking diet and they have nutritionalists on their teams that will advise u on what u can eat as a vegatarian!!! so dont worry!! all will be fine.... yo yo dieting is much more drastic than having the op i think... once they see that this op will make ur life so much easier and happier physically and mentally they will come round!! let us know how u progress!!
Donna xxx

 

[Thaialina]

Thank you very much. It's nice to be part of the gang! How much has everyone lost? How long do you think it will take after the op for me to lose about 8 stones? How long will it take before I can get back to work? I have so many questions but my mind has gone blank! lol.
Speak to you all later,
Sara

 

[Nic318]

Hi Sara

Welcome to the group, I have only been here a few weeks to and its a really great site everybody is lovely and supportive and will answer any questions you have.

I actually go for my first appointment with my consultant on Monday so hoping to get a lot of my questions answered.

If you read other people's threads they have lost at varying speed but everybody is different but it is going to be a lot quicker than SW or WW etc.
They reckon about 2 weeks before you get back to work but some only a week.
Have you investigated the NHS route at all?
Nic xx

 

[Lyn8124]

Hello and Welcome Thaialina. I had thought about joining SW recently. There's a weekly meeting about 12 miles from me on a Weds and I could blag a lift. Only trouble is I have been down the slimming club route before. Most I ever lost was 12lbs. Joined WW in Dec, went once and never went back!

You could potentially lose 8st in as many months after WLS.

 

[Thaialina]

Hi Nic and Lyn,
Thanks for you replies.
Do you know if you can request a size for your 'pouch' to get down to a cetain weight? I don't wanna do it and still stuggle a bit! I know the last bit might be harder to lose so have looked into joining a gym.
I haven't gone down the NHS route because my GP suggests I see a dietician or try pills first. I'm really fed up and don't want to be on a waiing list for ages. It will make me nervous and I'd rather get the op out of the way asap or I will talk myself out of it!lol. Also it's come to a point where I just want to lose weight NOW. I'm sure some of you can relate to that. I 've read about it a lot and the heavier you are the greater risk you're at during the op. The way i'm going I will put more weight on unless I do something about it. I contacted Marcus Landauer (he has a website) who has referred me to BUPA.
Also, do you know if you have to stop smoking for the op?
I have been really concerned about missing food, but since I booked my consultation last Sunday, I seem to have lost my appetite and get bloated quickly. Weird eh? It may be nerves...
I hope you get all the questions answered in the consultation on Monday.
Speak to you soon,
Sara

 

[Lyn8124]

Hi again Sara. I think Dr's make the pouch roughly the same size, about the top of your thumb so it holds 10-15mls food. I know exactly what you mean when you say you need to do this NOW. I am the same. In the short space of time between my appts (about 10 weeks) I have thought I am a lost cause and should just cancel everything. Then I think to myself 'but what if I gave Lipotrim another go' etc. It's me trying to talk myself out of it. This is my last resort, just as Lighterlife was 2 years ago and I am a stone and a half over my starting weight.

Yes, you would need to quit smoking before the op. Smoking and surgery poses a higher risk for blood clots etc. I remember a guy on a prog called Desperate Dieters on Sky tv where a man was refused surgery til he gave up the cigs for about a month before his operation.

I gave them up 3 years ago thank God but understand how hard it is, took me 7 years to get off them. But my being so overweight is a risk for complications too and I would love to shed as much as I can between now and my op date. Just need to stop faffing around.

 

[Thaialina]

Hi Lyn,
I guess I'll have to quit smoking start of May then-joy. Did the man on the TV programme do ok after only quitting for a month before the op?Wot's lipotrim? Liposucktion?
Sara

 

[jammyjaney]

I was told i had to give up smoking, but with having to do the pre of diet and give up i found it all to much. on the morning of my op they asked if i smoked and how many, i said yes but had cut back from 20 to 10. when i saw my surgen he was not happy with me, but would do it as i was young and apart from being overweight had no health probs (high blood etc) but made me promise to give up after as you can cause ulsers in your new pouch!!
I have still not given up, but am only on about 8 a day.

If you can give up do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i do know that some surgens will not operate if you dont!

 

[Thaialina]

smoking-the dreaded word!

Hi Janey (is that your real name?),
Thanks for that. I'm going to try to quit. I've only had a few today and have tried a nicotine inhaler to wean myself off smokes. I'm going to have to try to quit before my consultation on Friday cos I'm sure he will be able to smell them on me otherwisw.lol
How long ago did you have the op? Are you pleased with he results?
Bye for now,
Sara

 

[jammyjaney]

Hi Sara,
Yeah its Janey. I had my op 3 weeks ago yesterday, i had to do the pre op diet before for 2 weeks, so in a total of 5 weeks i have lost 2st4 which is not bad. i am now moving on to soft food so the weight loss will slow down.
If you can give up it will be 100% better for your health - i know i cant really speak but i did get a very big telling off from my surgen at my pre op consultation about it.
Good luck with everything, when are you planning on having it done?

 

[Lyn8124]

Sara- Lipotrim is a meal replacement diet along the same lines as Cambridge Diet, Lighterlife etc. You replace all conventional food with shakes, soups and bars. When I done Lighterlife 2 years ago I lost 3.5st the most ever. Then when I stopped I piled it all back on plus an extra stone. I have tried them all known as vlcd very low calorie diets. I keep trying to recapture my only success but I have accepted now I can't.

Lol, I was just thinking if I went for liposuction, I wonder how many litres of fat they'd suck out? I reckon about 100. :giggle: