July 2017 Surgeries

[Jillybean8]

I can't even imagine being 5 stones lighter ... I'm trying to think back to when I was around 18 yrs old as I would be around 5 stones lighter then than I am now but that was when my weight was going up and up. I'm trying to think of it going down and how much better it will feel.

Do you feel any different in a practical way?
lol... not quite sure what I mean by that. I suppose, just day to day things which you notice.
Are you having any problems of excess skin? After how much weight loss does the excess skin become a problem?
Sorry for all the question - I'm having absolute kittens about how I am going to react afterwards.
Jill

I’m nowhere near my goal but I’m 5 stone 5lbs lighter and honestly, it feels amazing x

 

[Julia56]

I've lost 8 stone since my surgery in January. I've still some to go so excess skin is not much of an issue yet.

One thing I would recommend is Dermol 500 lotion as a soap substitute. It doesn't dry your skin like soap does and can be safely left on the skin in the creases.

Difference in a practical way? Hell yes. Everyone has noticed how I move more easily. I don't have to look for chairs in waiting rooms without arms as I now fit in all of them. I can bend down to weed the gravel. My grandchildren can sit on my lap because I now have one. I have more energy for everything, including a deep clean of the house.

I've had rare complications but I'm still glad to have lost this much weight.

 

[Jillybean8]

I've lost 8 stone since my surgery in January. I've still some to go so excess skin is not much of an issue yet.

One thing I would recommend is Dermol 500 lotion as a soap substitute. It doesn't dry your skin like soap does and can be safely left on the skin in the creases.

Difference in a practical way? Hell yes. Everyone has noticed how I move more easily. I don't have to look for chairs in waiting rooms without arms as I now fit in all of them. I can bend down to weed the gravel. My grandchildren can sit on my lap because I now have one. I have more energy for everything, including a deep clean of the house.

I've had rare complications but I'm still glad to have lost this much weight.

Oh heavens I hadn't thought about things like using different soaps! Thanks!
Chairs - yes that will be a good thing. I go to the coast often and most of the outdoor restaurants have the same type of metal chairs with arms and they are unbelievably uncomfortable. It will be nice to sit back and relax. Ha... not that I will be able to eat any of the food for a long time!
And bending down to weed - that will be a novelty for me too! At the moment I can only do the raised flower bed I have!
Many thanks!
Jill

 

[Laaux]

You’re doing fantastic!! Well done

 

[Julia56]

Oh heavens I hadn't thought about things like using different soaps! Thanks!
Chairs - yes that will be a good thing. I go to the coast often and most of the outdoor restaurants have the same type of metal chairs with arms and they are unbelievably uncomfortable. It will be nice to sit back and relax. Ha... not that I will be able to eat any of the food for a long time!
And bending down to weed - that will be a novelty for me too! At the moment I can only do the raised flower bed I have!
Many thanks!
Jill

The soap is only something to think about if you can't shower or you end up with serious skin creases. I broke an ankle a few years ago and have had complications from that and the gastric bypass that has meant I've had months of strip washing.

I've always thought that people who end up with infections and ulcers in excess skin creases have not looked after their skin well enough. Not necessarily their fault. I was prescribed Dermal 500 lotion a few years ago when I had a leg problem and have used it ever since.

The first few weeks of learning to eat again are really tough. Follow the guidelines you are given to the letter. Your innards need time and gentle handling to heal. That extra mouthful after you think you might be full is always a mistake. I will probably never eat cod again after I was over ambitious and it stuck in week five.

I can now eat anything that I want to. I eat really well. I eat protein first, then veg, then carbs. Carbs make me tired so I avoid them until my evening meal.

I didn't get morbidly obese by eating takeaways or junk food. I'm not going to try to analyse why I got that way here but I have always enjoyed cooking and am known for my hosting skills and feeding people. I thought I would have to put all of that part of my life aside and focus on myself and limited eating abilities post gastric bypass.

We've had three course dinner parties, I've done complex recipes that I had never tried before. I cook with butter and cream and really good natural ingredients. I eat very small portions and enjoy every delicious morsel.

So there is food enjoyment in the future, it's just different.

 

[Jillybean8]

The soap is only something to think about if you can't shower or you end up with serious skin creases. I broke an ankle a few years ago and have had complications from that and the gastric bypass that has meant I've had months of strip washing.

I've always thought that people who end up with infections and ulcers in excess skin creases have not looked after their skin well enough. Not necessarily their fault. I was prescribed Dermal 500 lotion a few years ago when I had a leg problem and have used it ever since.

The first few weeks of learning to eat again are really tough. Follow the guidelines you are given to the letter. Your innards need time and gentle handling to heal. That extra mouthful after you think you might be full is always a mistake. I will probably never eat cod again after I was over ambitious and it stuck in week five.

I can now eat anything that I want to. I eat really well. I eat protein first, then veg, then carbs. Carbs make me tired so I avoid them until my evening meal.

I didn't get morbidly obese by eating takeaways or junk food. I'm not going to try to analyse why I got that way here but I have always enjoyed cooking and am known for my hosting skills and feeding people. I thought I would have to put all of that part of my life aside and focus on myself and limited eating abilities post gastric bypass.

We've had three course dinner parties, I've done complex recipes that I had never tried before. I cook with butter and cream and really good natural ingredients. I eat very small portions and enjoy every delicious morsel.

So there is food enjoyment in the future, it's just different.

Julia,
Thanks so much. My friends here are all fond of having dinners. Not that I host very often as I hate cooking but I have been learning more this year and can do a few things. I think when I can eat solids again I shall have to experiment with exquisiteness over quantity.
Seeing your weight loss numbers is very inspiring! I hope I can do as well!
Jill

 

[Julia56]

I love that description and will steal it, "exquisiteness over quantity".

 

[Jillybean8]

I love that description and will steal it, "exquisiteness over quantity".

lol Thanks Julia... it's my plan for when I can get back to solid food!

 

[Barne]

I'm glad to hear everyone is doing well! I came here to see how you're all doing

Since my surgery on July 28th I've lost 4 stone 8lbs and I'm delighted! Still a long way to go but I'm feeling so positive. I'm eating lots of salads and hitting the gym at least 3 times a week! I hit a 3 week stall which sucked but then I went right back to losing which was brilliant.

My goal was to lose 5 stone by Christmas so it's looking pretty likely that I'll hit that goal yay!

 

[Maria61]

I'm glad to hear everyone is doing well! I came here to see how you're all doing

Since my surgery on July 28th I've lost 4 stone 8lbs and I'm delighted! Still a long way to go but I'm feeling so positive. I'm eating lots of salads and hitting the gym at least 3 times a week! I hit a 3 week stall which sucked but then I went right back to losing which was brilliant.

My goal was to lose 5 stone by Christmas so it's looking pretty likely that I'll hit that goal yay!

Well done, that is amazing xxx

 

[jj87]

Hi all. Had surgery on July 18th. Since pre op diet on the 5th I've lost 5st 9lbs. Best thing I've ever done expect have my daughter. Still need to do better with water and eating new things but getting there.

 

[Maria61]

Hi all. Had surgery on July 18th. Since pre op diet on the 5th I've lost 5st 9lbs. Best thing I've ever done expect have my daughter. Still need to do better with water and eating new things but getting there.

Fantastic x

 

[Julia56]

Great, it's incredible how much a difference to your life it makes.

 

[Jillybean8]

This is all so encouraging.... I'm still scared for Tuesday but much less than I was!

 

[Barne]

This is all so encouraging.... I'm still scared for Tuesday but much less than I was!

How are you doing?

 

[Jillybean8]

How are you doing?

Hi Barne,
I'm sorry I don't know how to link to the post I put elsewhere so I am pasting it here. Apologies for the repetition folks.

Please be aware that these are my thoughts right now and I am aware that when I feel better and see progress, my thoughts may change. I'd never had an operation before and it was stressful. I wish I had had more information.

Tuesday - checked in at 9. Put in gown, and wheeled down to waiting area at 10.
Left alone crying til 12ish
Woke up to the anaesthetist yelling Breathe, breathe.
Taken to Intensive care. The nurses who moved me onto the bed were a little too strong and whacked my head off the headboard.
8pm friends came to visit. They were allowed in for an hour. Intensive care bed was really comfortable but the machine they had me hooked up to which took my blood pressure with a sleeve on my right arm was really strong and the next day I couldn't close my hand as my fingers had swollen to sausages and the hand was bright red with white knuckles. The machine was also connected to sleeve things on each calf which inflated and deflated all night to prevent thrombosis. So... no real sleep but things were ok.

Wednesday - Anaesthetist came to give the all clear for me to be moved up to the ward. I as lucky and got a room to myself. People can visit from 7 am to 10 pm so as soon as I was in a room which was 2:30pm I had visits and things were ok. A friend stayed over night with me but neither of us got any sleep as nurses were in and out all night.

Thursday - Low Moral. Desperate to sleep. uncomfortable. Had a few wanders up and down the corridor with my drip and drainage pot. Sick of my life. A doctor came in and said maybe I could go home but then saw I still had a lot of blood coming out of the drainage tubeAnother friend stayed and the nurses weren't in and out between 12 and 6 am so we both got some sleep.

Friday - Morale much better. Wandered up and down the corridor more happily - just with drainage pot. No drip today. No pain. Just discomfort. Got set free at 3pm. Home - excited for my own bed.
Had problems putting the injection in my leg which prevents thrombosis. Have to do this every day for 30 days.

Saturday - Too uncomfortable to sleep. Really fed up. Injection has made a big lump in my leg and is all squishy. I got scared and went to the local doctor. Doctor and nurse were really nice and assured me everything was progressing well, my wounds were healing and I just had to be patient.
Feeling much better today but scared of today's injection. Friend came and showed me how to do it at an angle and did it for me and didn't feel a thing.

So.... all in all the food intake is going well. I tolerated soup and juice in hospital. I'm now on a diet of alternating actimel type stuff and tiny protein shakes made with semi-skimmed milk. 8 little meals a day and water. I've only managed half a litre so far but i still have a couple of hours.

At the moment if given the choice, I don't think I would go through it again, however I am sure that in a few months when there is progress, I will feel more positive.

There is so much stuff they don't tell you - like... you breathe with your lungs and with you stomach too so they gave me a machine to practice breathing and I had to do it a few times every hour to get my lungs up to a certain capacity - which I did.

Taking the drainage tube out is the strangest most horrible feeling (apparently mine was in really deep) but the sensation goes away quite quickly.

I'm still not sure what I feel about the whole thing.

I didn't do it for aesthetics - I did it because I have diabetes type 2 and I really want it gone. This has been good so far. I was having an injection at night of 60 units, another of a different type in the mornings and a pill in the mornings. The doctor has taken away the morning pill and morning injection and I am only using 30 units at night. The Doc said to reduce this little by 2 at a time until my sugar stabilises. I am really happy about that and looking forward to being able to come off the meds when I have lost enough weight. The doctor is happy about it too

OK I have tried to be really honest about everything here. I'm sure things are different in other hospitals. (I'm in Spain) I know the pre-op diets certainly seem to vary wildly.

Hugs and good luck to everyone.

 

[Julia56]

Good for you being honest, the first few weeks were horrific for me. Hang in there, it does get better. Truly, it does.

 

[Jillybean8]

Good for you being honest, the first few weeks were horrific for me. Hang in there, it does get better. Truly, it does.

Thanks Julia.
I shall try.

 

[Julia56]

Just take it day by day. Sip water, as much as you can. Don't rush your food choices, stick to the advice. I tried a bit of cod way too early and I rarely eat fish now. That first egg was amazing.

I think most people think "OMG, what on earth have I done to myself" to start with. It's tough, it's not an easy option. We wouldn't do this if there were other realistic choices but it works.

Even with all the complications I've had I think it was a good thing for me to do. I've got a normal life back again.

 

[Jillybean8]

Julia56,
I think I am starting to feel better about having had the operation. Did you rush any other food choices? I seem to be desperate for cheese at the moment. I got a bit of my friend's sliced cheese about the size on a finger nail and let it dissolve in my mouth. that was an hour and a half ago and no ill effects so far. I shall try not to do things like that but... it was so satisfying. Just having something a little different.