SnowDaisy

I am seeing a surgeon tomorrow for advice on a revision so will take it from there. I always believed that the stomach could never return to its complete original size so that is why I was so shocked at what my gastro doc told me. He said it looked large and normal sized so that combined with my short lived restriction I would be very curious to know what's what inside. I need to research more about the fundus...it looks like it might play a huge part too. Thank you for your help Xx

Thank you for your response. I will check out the VSG revision and or failure. Just my opinion, but I don't think the 45 in stapler refers to the bougie used. Maybe more to do with the staple line perhaps? Good luck with your continued success. Thanks again for responding. Xx

Hi Bella All the best for Tuesday...I, like you have various medications to take because of other medical conditions, I will be 2 months post op on Sunday and I have lost just over 37 lbs and I have not had any problems taking my medication at all...I did spread them out as much as I can though. As for those injections, they are really easy to do and if you pinch the flesh on your lower abdomen and insert the injection there it will not hurt...it's so painless and safe that I let my grand daughters do them for me, one of them age 8 and the other age 11. My surgeon doesn't like pre-op diets either and I have been informed that this is because he believes that we are better able to cope post-operatively because we have not deprived ourselves of the nutrients that some post-op diets would leave us. (He told me to lose about 7 lbs if I insisted on dieting prior to the op; and that was about 9 months prior to the op)...I wonder if we have the same surgeon?...Mr Ameet Patel at Kings. My surgeon also likes his patients to stay on liquids for 6 weeks post-operatively and getting enough Protein was hard at first...but I used Myoplex Diet shakes made up with soya milk and that helped a lot...I could only manage one sachet per day at first and this was split into 3 portions...the soya milk helped to make up the lost calories and gave me extra protein too...I increased to 2 sachets eventually...in between I had Marmite drinks or an Oxo now and again...I kept a bottle of Water by my side all the time, even in the car and have have had no real problem getting my 1 - 1.5 ltrs in per day. I started eating little bits of solid food now, and some foods are proving a little difficult but it is a bit of trial and error to begin with...just remember to stop when you feel full, and believe me you will feel full quickly...I have been given a booklet regarding diet after the operation and this is an adaptation from Weill Cornell dietary advice for Gastric Sleeve Patients. Just give me a shout if you need to know more. All the best for your op and look forward to hearing from you soon. Snow xx

I did ask this question to a member of my surgical team and they said that it didn't really apply to Sleeve patients as much as it does to Bypass patients. How do you guys have your fluids?...Do you make sure you don't drink anything 20 minutes before and after your meals?...Or do you just drink whenever you want? Snow xx

I had them every day whilst in hospital and I was given a course of 14 days worth to do myself at home. My surgical nurse said that if anything was to go wrong it would be within the first 10 days after surgery, blood clots being one of risks to overweight patients. It was really easy to do and you can't push the needle in too far. I did the majority of them myself but my husband, my son and even my 2 grand daughters of 9 and 11 had a go. I let them as it really was that safe. I was told to put them in the lower abdomen as it wouldn't hurt that much in that area, plus I was not to inject to near to surgical wounds. Snow xx

What an inspiration!...Well done...You look fantastic. Snow

This on my web-site and it helped quite a few so hope it helps you too Plateau?s Fact and Myth Sometimes, during the phase of rapid weight loss after gastric bypass surgery or any wls, many patients may find their weight loss is stalled. Talk about discouraging. The daily ritual of weighing and celebrating another pound gone has turned into depressing torture because the scale just won?t move- the dreaded plateau has arrived. One reason for the plateau is physiological. The body reacting to the restrictive caloric intake sends out a signal to start burning less stored fuel. In other words, the metabolic rate (the rate at which the body burns fuel) is reduced as the body attempts to conserve fuel in reaction to a state of famine. Your body is hanging on for dear life to it?s beloved fat. Face Down The Dreaded Plateau: There are things we can do to face down the dreaded plateau. The first is to avoid beating up on ourselves or regretting the decision for WLS. Simply accept that a plateau is part of the natural course of weight loss and this too shall pass. Plateaus can last two to four weeks. Try to be patient and consider your body is simply taking a rest from the hard work of losing weight. Avoid snacking during the plateau. Old eating habits that caused obesity may resurface as we comfort our disappointment with extra Snacks or make unhealthy food choices. Try to avoid this type of self-sabotage. Keep in mind, a plateau is a difficult time emotionally. I can recall feeling, ?I really didn?t deserve to lose all this weight anyway, so I may as well eat this or that.? Avoid the self-pity trap. Re-examine your commitment to healthy eating and exercise. Sometimes a plateau can be busted simply by returning the very basic principles of living after gastric bypass. One nurse-dietician suggests a return to pure Protein for 48-hours. That means eating only eggs, low-fat cheese, chicken, tuna, turkey, etc. - nothing processed. The science behind that is the intake of pure amino acids (protein) will boost metabolism and force the body to burn stored fat. Another way to feel proactive in plateau busting is to kick-up the exercise program. Add an extra half-mile to a walk or an extra set of repetitions to the strength training program. Any little change will catch the body off guard and it just may respond by dropping a pound or two. And of course continue to drink clear fluids, specifically Water, to flush the body of toxins and fat. Counterfeit Plateaus: Now, What about the plateau that lasts longer than four weeks and you still have lots of weight to lose? These are referred to as ?Counterfeit Plateaus? in the health community. Most counterfeit plateaus result from miscalculations or forgetfulness on the part of the dieter. For example, maybe we are forgetting to avoid starchy carbs or processed snacks. Maybe we are eating a tiny dinner and an hour later eating another tiny dinner? Perhaps we?ve fallen out of the habit of exercise. Little slip-ups or forgetfulness can become quite costly if we let it go too long without correcting the behaviour. Take a hard look and find ways to improve habits and boost weight loss. Water/Fluid Retention Plateaus: Too much salt in the diet will cause a water retention plateau ? avoid prepared Soups or other foods that have excessive salt. A Fluid retention plateau is the result of insufficient water consumption so the body retains fluid to compensate. Remember, drink the water. Plateaus are Temporary: Remember, plateaus are temporary. As discouraging as it may seem at the time it will pass and it is a natural part of the weight loss journey.

Hi there I'm from London and I am new to the site..so hello everyone. I am due to have my sleeve in April or thereabouts. I was wondering if you were told what size Bougie they were going to use on you? Snow xx

Hello fellow Brits... I am due to have my Sleeve in April (cross fingers, God willing, touch wood). I am from London and a King's patient. Snow x

Thank you for your replies. I'm not sure what size my surgeon will decide to use on me, but I understand that he uses anything from a 30 upwards. Every time you read about people stalling or not losing weight after WLS pouch size is quiet often named as a possible cause. 32 seems to be the most popular size Snow xx

Just a suggestion but why not try uploading your face into some of the pictures in Face In Hole website. FACEinHOLE.com - Who do you want to be today? There are so many different pictures to choose from and you'll have fun finding what suits you. I uploaded my face inside loads of different pictures and it's given me a good idea of what suits me and what doesn't. Have fun. Snow xx