Welshcakes

Hello Leanne
I'm Gill from South Wales. I'm due to have my op on the 22nd, getting really nervous now as its so close.
I'm a bit concerned as everyone seems to have been told to do a pre op diet, but my surgeon said he found it unnecessary as it made very little difference....beginning to have my doubts as I've had no pre assessments or support at all from them apart from the initial consultation, and a letter and phone call confining my operation date.
I'm beginning to wonder if when I get there will it a guy with a carving knife and needle and cotton, and a sledge hammer....😕

Hey, I was sleeved on June 6th recently. All I can say is be brace. At the hospital, ask for pain medicine when your gas pain because really uncomfortable. It will help you sleep better. Bring something to do while you are there, bring a travel pillow that goes around the neck. Drink warm tea before you go on walks around the hospital. Focus on the cute clothes you will be able to fit in, and how great you will look when you reach your goal. That was how my mindset is. When you get home, be active, treat yourself to a pedicure a few days after, and take good care of yourself. You will have a incision with a dent around it, that is where your stomach was taken out, it will bruise around it and will hurt the most out of all incisions. Don't take your pain meds unless you really need them. Have somebody beat you home from the hospital by an hour with prescriptions, get stool softner if it isn't prescribed. It will save your life. Just expect watery poop. They may send you home this breathing tool because of the anesthesia, you gotta suck the air and get it past a certain number, gotta do it so your lungs don't collapse and you get pneumonia. It will hurt to cough, put keep a huge long pillow on your side so it doesn't hurt so much when you cough.

If you have anymore question, let me know.

My surgery is in 6 days (June 22nd) and like you I've been round and round the doubting cycle for weeks, but then if you consider how long I've been in the dieting cycle of loss-gain, loss-gain for over 35 years, then fear of taking such dramatic changes to achieve my life long desire is to be expected.
I've read as much literature, experiences, and facts I can possibly cram into my head
Has it helped? Not sure, knowledge and feelings don't always connect

All I know is I've lived this way all my life, and at 49 it's increasingly affecting my health, and stopping me from doing things I really want to, so unless I'm willing to just sit around and watch life pass me by, its time to give my body a break, it's tired of carrying a double decker bus around.
Time to change for the good [emoji4]

Sent from my ZTE BLADE A110 using BariatricPal mobile app

I'm 2+ years out (26 months since surgery), so take my words and utilize them as you wish. My weight loss phase was painfully slow. It took me 18 months to lose 100 pounds.
Nonetheless, I maintain my weight loss without tracking, dieting, counting, measuring, or restricting. I weigh 118 pounds and maintain on 2000+ calories daily, although I don't really track it. I'm also hypothyroid and insulin-resistant, but daily exercise has kept my metabolic rate boosted.
Here's the real deal...most of us weren't able to adhere to diets for the long haul prior to surgery, so why live like that after bariatric surgery? Dieting, counting calories, measuring food, tracking, and restricting intake are all aspects of the dieters' mentality that I refuse to partake in.
I am not on a diet. I eat freely, but stick mainly to lean Protein because it is difficult to overeat protein regardless of your lack of restriction. We can eat 25 slices of toast (2500 calories) and never feel any restriction, or eat 2 chicken breasts (275 calories) and feel stuffed. It's all about wise choices at this point in the game.
My restriction has also lessened with the passage of time. I can eat 2 fast food double cheeseburgers in one sitting even though I choose not to. I can eat 2 extra large slices of pizza in one sitting even though I choose not to. The type of food we place in our mouths matters far more than the size of our sleeves or pouches.
Sliders, a.k.a. slurry foods (crackers, pretzels, popcorn, chips, bread, cookies) are the root of most peoples' regain problems. These foods turn into a liquid slurry in our digestive systems and you'll never feel full, so you can eat unlimited quantities of them. If you eat sliders, tread carefully and don't fall off the cliff.
You'll notice nobody ever says, "I am regaining after eating 100 grams of protein each day. I eat chicken thighs, steak, ground turkey, and hard-boiled eggs, but the weight gain won't stop." Protein has a high thermic effect; our bodies burn considerable calories digesting animal-based Proteins.
Many of those who regain started incorporating slider foods into their diets. Unfortunately, sliders promote rapid weight gain since they 'slide' past the stomach into the intestines where the calories are stored as fat.
Good luck to you. Let me know if you have any specific questions.

Thank you for your input. I appreciate the honesty. I agree that if one has doubts that they will be able to make the necessary life-style changes surgery may not be successful for them in the long term. I think the struggle for those of us who have lost large amounts of weight in the past only to ultimately regain is that the fear of failure is palpable, and that is what may give us pause. At least that is where my head is. And ultimately, I cannot dismiss the possibility of failure - either in the surgical process or in my post-op journey. I think I would be remiss not to acknowledge the risks and statistics associated with this procedure. I cannot go into this with blind optimism and I have not dismissed the possibility that surgery is not for me. So ultimately, I am hoping to hear from anyone who had similar fears and concerns pre-op in effort to assist me in assessing whether my fears are misplaced, common, unique, warning signs, etc. How about you? Did you have any fears or doubts in the months leading up to surgery?

I think that a majority of people are scared about surgery and doubting it because there are so many what ifs: will I have pain; will I have complications; will I lose weight; will I be able to change my eating habits.
You can ask these questions to 10 people and get 10 different responses. Complications are rare and this is one of the safest bariatric surgeries available. Of course I was hesitant about altering my body, but realized after 40 yrs of dieting I was still obese and I needed to go a different direction. As far as pain, I had very little, just nausea. Transitioning into post-op life, I am almost 4 months out and so far there are just a few things that have been hard. Eating too fast and not chewing enough - both of these you can start working on before the surgery (which I did not). Success so far - I am elated with not having the carb and sugar cravings that controlled my life. My primary food sources are Protein with a few complex carbs. As of now, I can say this is the best decision I have ever made for my health.
The one worry I still have is the long term outcome. I just have to stay focused and realize this is a "forever" change and going back to eating fast and processed foods will only take me back to square one again.
Only you can decide in the end if this is right for you.
Good luck!

Hi Gill

No problem, I'm sure your experience will go just as well

My pre op diet were a variety of shakes and Soups - I did cheat 2 days out of the 2 weeks I ate Pasta and rice on those days [emoji5] but it all went ok after. I also had the option to eat meat and veg as the pre op diet instead but I chose the liquids as I though they'd be easier to make during busy days.

If you have any other questions, feel free to ask, I'd be mire than happy to answer

Hi Welshcakes

Honestly there's nothing to be afraid of 😊
I had my surgery at Spire Bushey in Watford on 6th April 2017 so far I've lost 35lbs since surgery and 52lbs since the start of my 2 week pre op diet

Couldn't be happier - I'm already feeling the benefits of weightloss. For instance when walking to the tube station I'm less out of breath than before, I fit into public chairs better, I've gone down 2 dress sizes (refuse to buy new clothes for now though lol) and am feeling great.
I was in hospital for 2 nights for my op, all of the staff and the surgeon were lovely. Anaesthetic was fine, one minute I was chuckling at the anestetists joke the next minute I was waking up and my surgeon told me it all went well, I even had a hernia that he fixed, didn't even know that was there.
It'll be difficult tp drink much for the first few days but after that you get accustomed to not being able to gulp Water anymore (small sips all the way) - pain from incisions was barely noticable I felt more pain from gas that was stuck in my shoulder joints but even that went away after a week
This will be something you won't regret trust me!