Pippa1703

Most of family is eastern European (hungarian) I dont buy into the paranoia of those countries being out to get a quick buck. The care standards are often better than those in British hospitals, the reasons for then being cheaper are practical ones. Wages and cost of living is significantly less, taxes and equipment costs a fraction over there. That's why we have so many eastern Europeans working in the UK. They get their qualifications in their home country and can do the same job here while getting paid over twice the wage.
I'm sorry that member had a bad experience, and i hope theyre ok now, but that's sounds more like poor research, rather than the fact they were cheap/ Eastern European. Pre and post op care will be fundamental factors in choosing any hospital and I'd want those details outlined before choosing anywhere, home or abroad. Counselling will be something I expect to seek out myself anyway as it's not generally offered in the uk as a private funded option.

also to add, the clinics ive been looking at have uk based post-op nutritionists and surgical reps , which is reassuring

I don't think you're being impulsive. I had a moment in mid August where I just had it with my weight. WLS was never ever an option in my mind prior to that point. It was something drastic and invasive "other" people did who had no self control. And yet I have been on some kind of diet every year for the past 15+ years and I was steadily approaching 300 lbs. I knew I had to do something. I simply couldn't do it on my own anymore. I knew in my heart I had exhausted all options. I tried every diet known to man. I called the surgeons office that afternoon and had my 1st seminar with the hospital 2 weeks from that date and my 1st consult with him 2 weeks after that. My insurance required me to jump through hoops so I had 4 months to think about it and research. I read every article, the pros and cons, watched YouTube videos and lurked message boards to get the full picture of what I was signing myself up for. If I paid out of pocket my surgeon would have been able to do my surgery within 4-6 weeks from 1st consultation with him. I was annoyed with the 4 month supervised dieting process because as someone said above, I've been dieting most of my whole life! Lol. But I rolled with the punches and I am currently 6 days post-op and feel this already is the best decision I've ever made. If you have exhausted all options, remain unhappy with your weight, unhappy with the state of your health due to your weight, did your research and desire a healthier happier you...go for it! I'm so glad I didn't wait and got the process going as soon as I did.

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By nature, I'm a fairly impulsive person. I decided to look into bariatric surgery after seeing the gastric balloon on Instagram about 3 days ago, from there I went down a rabbit hole of research and decided if it went down a bariatric road, then the sleeve seemed to suit me most. I'm now looking at clinics and checking procedures, reviews, surgeons etc it's only been a few days and I'm fairly sure I've made up my mind I want this done.
(I'd dismissed it the past as my best friend, sister-in-law, mom and nan all had problems with lap band surgeries, now I know the differences between surgeries)

How long did you research WLS before you decided you were definitely going to go for it? Are there any specifics you'd suggest really looking in to?

I feel like I’ve just been told off! Being smart before you let someone cut out your vital organs is a bit of an obvious point, but granted, you don’t know me, I COULD be an idiot ,so thanks? However, I assure you, i’m not.
In your defence,i don’t think I was very clear, the 2-3 weeks timeline is AFTER you’ve provided all your Medical history and had evaluations. It not just cut and cheque and a cut a stomach.
They have told me the barrage of tests he’d need to do first, including blood test, group blood test and rh factor, biochemistry analysis, (ALAT,ASAT, bilirubin, cholesterol,HDLP,LDLP, triglycerides, INR, APTL, prothrombin, urea, creatinine, (Na+,K+,CL-, HCO3, Ca2+), TTH, glucose, total serum Protein, chest x Ray, fibrogastroduodenosvopy with anaesthetic, heliocobacter pylori test, ultrasound, ECG and Hep C .
A lot of which would be performed at the clinic, if you’re not suitable for surgery when you get there, they return your funds minus a deposit to cover the travel/accommodation of getting you there.
I think your own experience has made perhaps made you a tad prejudice to other processes. Irresponsible and reckless are strong words. I understand the process is different in the US but when you’re paying private for anything, things move quicker, there are fewer stages and hoops to jump because you’re not costing anyone else anything. If someone want to claim a major surgery on their insurance, obviously the insurance company isn’t going to make it half as easy for you as they would a private paying client. This why I need to make sure I’m doing as much research as possible to know I’m making an informed decision. Including the advice they give you for preparing before a surgery.
As as per the Water comment, I meant with meals-I didn’t specify that, so my bad. I’m not the biggest drinker in all honesty though, but I’m aware of the requirements and I’ve done plenty of Keto diets before that require a LOT more than the recommended 1.9litres a day that I’ve seen and managed just fine. Someone pointed out protein water as an option too, because I struggle with the texture of shakes, so that’s an extra incentive to drink.
i know I’m out of other optoins. “One last attempt to do it myself” for me, was at least 2 or 3 attempts ago. I don’t need a huge diet before surgery , just need to eat healthily for health’s sake because my BMI is 35.8 which isn’t far from their minimum requirements as it is.
I’d say i’ve made my mind up to be honest. I’m going to follow the clinic over the next month, there’s a few more people that I’m speaking to that are going for surgery this week and they’re going to be journaling their experiences over the next 2-4 weeks and if i’m Still happy with the regimen , i’m Hoping to call and book this summer

I feel like I’ve just been told off! Being smart before you let someone cut out your vital organs is a bit of an obvious point, but granted, you don’t know me, I COULD be an idiot ,so thanks? However, I assure you, i’m not.
In your defence,i don’t think I was very clear, the 2-3 weeks timeline is AFTER you’ve provided all your Medical history and had evaluations. It not just cut and cheque and a cut a stomach.
They have told me the barrage of tests he’d need to do first, including blood test, group blood test and rh factor, biochemistry analysis, (ALAT,ASAT, bilirubin, cholesterol,HDLP,LDLP, triglycerides, INR, APTL, prothrombin, urea, creatinine, (Na+,K+,CL-, HCO3, Ca2+), TTH, glucose, total serum Protein, chest x Ray, fibrogastroduodenosvopy with anaesthetic, heliocobacter pylori test, ultrasound, ECG and Hep C .
A lot of which would be performed at the clinic, if you’re not suitable for surgery when you get there, they return your funds minus a deposit to cover the travel/accommodation of getting you there.
I think your own experience has made perhaps made you a tad prejudice to other processes. Irresponsible and reckless are strong words. I understand the process is different in the US but when you’re paying private for anything, things move quicker, there are fewer stages and hoops to jump because you’re not costing anyone else anything. If someone want to claim a major surgery on their insurance, obviously the insurance company isn’t going to make it half as easy for you as they would a private paying client. This why I need to make sure I’m doing as much research as possible to know I’m making an informed decision. Including the advice they give you for preparing before a surgery.
As as per the Water comment, I meant with meals-I didn’t specify that, so my bad. I’m not the biggest drinker in all honesty though, but I’m aware of the requirements and I’ve done plenty of Keto diets before that require a LOT more than the recommended 1.9litres a day that I’ve seen and managed just fine. Someone pointed out protein water as an option too, because I struggle with the texture of shakes, so that’s an extra incentive to drink.
i know I’m out of other optoins. “One last attempt to do it myself” for me, was at least 2 or 3 attempts ago. I don’t need a huge diet before surgery , just need to eat healthily for health’s sake because my BMI is 35.8 which isn’t far from their minimum requirements as it is.
I’d say i’ve made my mind up to be honest. I’m going to follow the clinic over the next month, there’s a few more people that I’m speaking to that are going for surgery this week and they’re going to be journaling their experiences over the next 2-4 weeks and if i’m Still happy with the regimen , i’m Hoping to call and book this summer

I don’t think you sound impulsive. Even if you were, the process to get surgery can be frustrating and long. I’ve been considering surgery for five years at least. Only now that my insurance changed is it a possibility for me. I went to a seminar with the surgeon in December, had to reschedule my intake appointment in February, and probably won’t get surgery until June once Ive jumped through all the hoops, and that’s without a 6 month supervised diet. I think that being active in communities like this, discussing your plans with your doctor, and making any changes you can ahead of surgery is a good way to gauge your level of commitment. I wish you all the best with whichever option you choose.

I wish I would have been prepared for just how much my taste for things would change. I stocked up on lots of things that make me gag now (any kind of diet sugar) so all the Protein Shakes and clear Protein Drinks and crystal light and Tomato Soup I bought are going to be donated. I bought cases just to be prepared and had them shipped from Amazon so no returns.

I wish I'd been told that if you get a leak in your stomach (which I did), that you'd most likely be in hospital for an extended time. That really hit me hard and I had no plans in place if that did happen. Disaster! I felt that the surgery really skipped over the topic... it was there, mentioned in the paperwork, but the reality of it is something else. Everyone, even though the chances of you getting a leak are very small, please make sure you do have a plan if it happens to you. I had to fly my mum out from the UK to take care of my kid (who has autism) for 3 months.
Also, I didn't quite realise first time round that there is a honeymoon period with these surgeries. Make the most of them!
Edit: Also, if you are self pay... make sure you know what the costs will be if you do end up in hospital with a leak. I WAS going to do self pay over here in the States and god only knows what that would have ended up costing. I don't know if my insurance would have covered it... I doubt it. When all was said and done, my Gastric Sleeve surgery with complications cost just under a million dollars. Had I been self pay, most likely our family would be bankrupt by now.

I feel like I’ve just been told off! Being smart before you let someone cut out your vital organs is a bit of an obvious point, but granted, you don’t know me, I COULD be an idiot ,so thanks? However, I assure you, i’m not.
In your defence,i don’t think I was very clear, the 2-3 weeks timeline is AFTER you’ve provided all your Medical history and had evaluations. It not just cut and cheque and a cut a stomach.
They have told me the barrage of tests he’d need to do first, including blood test, group blood test and rh factor, biochemistry analysis, (ALAT,ASAT, bilirubin, cholesterol,HDLP,LDLP, triglycerides, INR, APTL, prothrombin, urea, creatinine, (Na+,K+,CL-, HCO3, Ca2+), TTH, glucose, total serum Protein, chest x Ray, fibrogastroduodenosvopy with anaesthetic, heliocobacter pylori test, ultrasound, ECG and Hep C .
A lot of which would be performed at the clinic, if you’re not suitable for surgery when you get there, they return your funds minus a deposit to cover the travel/accommodation of getting you there.
I think your own experience has made perhaps made you a tad prejudice to other processes. Irresponsible and reckless are strong words. I understand the process is different in the US but when you’re paying private for anything, things move quicker, there are fewer stages and hoops to jump because you’re not costing anyone else anything. If someone want to claim a major surgery on their insurance, obviously the insurance company isn’t going to make it half as easy for you as they would a private paying client. This why I need to make sure I’m doing as much research as possible to know I’m making an informed decision. Including the advice they give you for preparing before a surgery.
As as per the Water comment, I meant with meals-I didn’t specify that, so my bad. I’m not the biggest drinker in all honesty though, but I’m aware of the requirements and I’ve done plenty of Keto diets before that require a LOT more than the recommended 1.9litres a day that I’ve seen and managed just fine. Someone pointed out protein water as an option too, because I struggle with the texture of shakes, so that’s an extra incentive to drink.
i know I’m out of other optoins. “One last attempt to do it myself” for me, was at least 2 or 3 attempts ago. I don’t need a huge diet before surgery , just need to eat healthily for health’s sake because my BMI is 35.8 which isn’t far from their minimum requirements as it is.
I’d say i’ve made my mind up to be honest. I’m going to follow the clinic over the next month, there’s a few more people that I’m speaking to that are going for surgery this week and they’re going to be journaling their experiences over the next 2-4 weeks and if i’m Still happy with the regimen , i’m Hoping to call and book this summer

I'm so happy you found even better than what you were expecting for!
I'm having rny on april first. Fools day ha ha[emoji16]
Hope u decide on a date fast. [emoji6]

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Thanks that’s very kind of you to offer but I think I’ve found somewhere that i’ve really warmed up to. I was looking mostly Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia but it was weightlossRiga in Latvia that has caught my attention, they’re extremely upfront about everything.
They seem to have a lot more avenues to social media where you can find real reviews and daily journals of people that are there right now, I been quizzing a lady about the staff and facilities all day while she’s waiting to be discharged after the sleeve surgery she had 36 hours ago! Also, upon enquiry, they sent me a TONNE more information than the other (8?) clinics i’ve Emailed, including a fully detailed eating plan, Vitamin plan and they include a free session with a nutritionist back in the UK once you can eat solid food. Their price covers literally everything from the minute you land to the minute you get back to the airport, hotels, transport etc They outline a typical day-to-day itinerary of how each day would play out and things to expect throughout the duration along with links to their private Facebook page with access to speak with dozens of their own pre and post op patients. I must say, I’m hugely impressed by what I’ve found so far.
I emailed 2 uk companies in London out of curiosity too and got the most matter-of-fact robotic responses that still didn’t answer the questions I asked...which Is good, because I detest going to London!

Ditto ref labour pain, that's probably why my go to place was panting. Walking helped control it and moved on the process of shifting it, but both getting up and sitting/laying back down caused an acute spike in pain. That made me have to screw up courage to go for the walk for first 48hrs. At about 72 hours the shoulder pain just disappeared...pouff. Was bliss. Not sure if I never felt incision pain, or if the wind pain, then the magical relief of it disappearing distracted me [emoji23]. Went home with pain meds I never needed.

Thanks that’s very kind of you to offer but I think I’ve found somewhere that i’ve really warmed up to. I was looking mostly Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia but it was weightlossRiga in Latvia that has caught my attention, they’re extremely upfront about everything.
They seem to have a lot more avenues to social media where you can find real reviews and daily journals of people that are there right now, I been quizzing a lady about the staff and facilities all day while she’s waiting to be discharged after the sleeve surgery she had 36 hours ago! Also, upon enquiry, they sent me a TONNE more information than the other (8?) clinics i’ve Emailed, including a fully detailed eating plan, Vitamin plan and they include a free session with a nutritionist back in the UK once you can eat solid food. Their price covers literally everything from the minute you land to the minute you get back to the airport, hotels, transport etc They outline a typical day-to-day itinerary of how each day would play out and things to expect throughout the duration along with links to their private Facebook page with access to speak with dozens of their own pre and post op patients. I must say, I’m hugely impressed by what I’ve found so far.
I emailed 2 uk companies in London out of curiosity too and got the most matter-of-fact robotic responses that still didn’t answer the questions I asked...which Is good, because I detest going to London!

Thanks i’M not a huge coffee addict, I don’t mind Decaf so this is worth knowing

@Everythinganna that’s great. I’m really not a fan of shakes at all, I hate the consistency of them so knowing there’s a clear Water option is a winner (especially if it’s flavoured because I’m rubbish at drinking water too!)

Wowsers, 1.5hrs! I wouldn’t be able to feel my legs by then! I liken trapped wind pain to labour pains. When I was in labour, that’s the only way I could describe it, like having the WORST trapped wind. But it’s all for the greater good 😕

Look around in Lithuania. I'm Lithuanian, so for me the surgery will be only 1600€, but for foreigner it's around 5000€. If u want I can search more for you. [emoji6]

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I had an "A-ha" moment when I knew that I HAD to do something to lose the weight. I went to a bariatric surgery info session the next day, and I signed up to meet with the doctor. I did no research before I did that. I was so overweight though, that I was miserable. I did some research after meeting with the doctor, but none prior to. Best of luck with everything!

By nature, I'm a fairly impulsive person. I decided to look into bariatric surgery after seeing the gastric balloon on Instagram about 3 days ago, from there I went down a rabbit hole of research and decided if it went down a bariatric road, then the sleeve seemed to suit me most. I'm now looking at clinics and checking procedures, reviews, surgeons etc it's only been a few days and I'm fairly sure I've made up my mind I want this done.
(I'd dismissed it the past as my best friend, sister-in-law, mom and nan all had problems with lap band surgeries, now I know the differences between surgeries)

How long did you research WLS before you decided you were definitely going to go for it? Are there any specifics you'd suggest really looking in to?

I think you’re asking a broader question but I’m going to answer in terms of what I’ve experienced in the first week post op. I should’ve had a more realistic picture of what the first week would look like post surgery. The diet they gave me advanced too quickly for me. If it weren’t for these items I would not have made it through week one as comfortably! When I couldn’t get the Vitamins down I had the Patches. When I couldn’t get the minimum Water AND Protein Shakes down I had the Protein water. When the only “food” I could possibly consume was broth, these K-cups were quick, easy and helped me get in a little extra protein. (And the GENEPRO is probably just good to have all around. You can add it to the cream Soups when you’re ready for extra protein.)
Most people probably knew this stuff beforehand but I learned all this the hard way.
In the hospital a few things and I really appreciated bringing were my extension cord, my heated blanket, robe and a change of pajamas. I actually brought full blown make up bag with eyeshadow palettes and everything which I didn’t even touch. The only cosmetic or toiletries I used was my toothbrush and toothpaste!
Comparatively I feel like I’ve had a more difficult first seven days than others but I have had zero regrets and no regrets phase. I went in after doing a lot of self education and knew it would be challenging. I’m excited for the prospect of looking and feeling better and things are improving daily! I think you will find the same is true for you.

Yep, I had to go thru a 6 month supervised diet with my primary before I could be approved. plenty of time to think it over lol

Still researching about 6 months but pretty made up my mind with the RNY bypass.
There's plenty of information but they say if you need to lose more than 100lbs bypass is best it may be more restrictive in ways.
And yes lapband has been known to have issues over the years..
Just keep doing your research

It doesn't seem like you're being impulsive. You're doing your research. Joining this forum and hopefully others will give you a good idea of people's experiences and not just the clinical information. Most bariatric programs and insurance companies make it a 3-6 month program so that people aren't getting the surgery impulsively anyway. (At least, American ones, I guess I can't speak to how it works in the UK)

Oh, that has easily been a year. or more. I did my share of research, decided to wait and try with weight watchers (again) for at least 6 months. But once the decision was made it was a no-doubt one.
I would seriously suggest to take a couple of weeks, see how it feels for you. Ask around, read up, listen to your heart. It is a irrevocable procedure, and also a life changing one. Are you willing to give up old habits? Do you really feel okay with no more carbonated drinks, careful with what you put in your mouth, never have drinks with your food and so on. You really need that determination, it is not an easy process and there WILL be bumps in the road. Some people have life long problems, others go through it like a breeze, but you will never be the same anymore, that is for sure.

Then again, if the decision clicks, and you are no longer in doubt, I would say go for it, and don't forget to enjoy the ride!

I only had skin on my thighs and hangy breast. My stomach looked great. Be careful and research your surgeon. I don't want you on that show Botched. LOL