currently_unsupervised

Thank you all so much! I am moved by the support 💕 I just made a care.com account and found someone. She responded really fast and we spoke. She is OK with picking me up super early and picking me up after surgery. The hospital is a good drive but she does not mind.
Today is my say day 1 of liquids surgery is next week! I hope this thread will help others. I'm new here too lol

I’ll start!

I’m channeling my inner Elle Woods today 😂

Having been here a few months now, it’s become obvious that it’s so different for people having weight loss surgery in the UK. Procedures here before WLS is different. Most of the people over the pond have it through their insurance and this means a lot of pre operation meetings/assessments/work, over many months. In some ways I feel this is good, as people get to learn so much before having their surgery. However that’s not the usual way here in the UK. You tend to learn ‘in the moment’. If you are eligible for WLS through the National Health Service, you may have to wait for a long time, 2 to 3 or up to 10 years unless you are at the stage where your weight is life or death. So, many fund it themselves.
I think this site is excellent for advice and support however it does mainly tend to show what happens in the States, where you can buy certain things and what’s available. So here’s a few things (not exclusive, would love it if others add stuff here too) I have learnt in my very short weeks since surgery.
PLEASE can we all add our own likes/dislikes, UK advice etc etc
Bariatric cookery books are excellent however there are many other options to learn about pre and post op foods. My dietitian is great but I have learnt so much through researching online. There are so many Bariatric Centres all over the world showing what you can eat pre ad post op and as long as you add a dash of common sense, it can work well. For example; if I read from a Bariatric Centre that I could eat tuna on day 3, I would be clicking the X asap!! Centrum advantage chewable Vitamins are lovely and recommended by UK Dietitians for post bariatric surgery. Tesco’s have them on offer at the moment, 3 for 2. They have carbs, but balancing a few carbs for nice tasting Vitamins isn’t going to kill me for the time being. Keep your fridge/cupboard stocked once you know what goes down well for you. Don’t spend too much in advance in case you don’t like it. I spent a lot on liquid Iron without asking around and my god, it was disgusting. I took it twice then threw it away. I could have asked here and go advice but I didn’t. (see below) Use this UK forum to keep in touch with others in the UK to ask for and pass on advice. We aren’t the minority in the world for WLS however we are a small group here. Make friends here, they can be the best support you can ask for! OVER TO YOU !!!

you're not likely to notice the restriction until you move to solid foods. Once you eat something like a chicken breast, you'll notice it! (I still do at seven years out)
however, do keep in mind that your "full" cues may be different. I don't feel "full" the same way I used to. Instead, I have this uncomfortable feeling in my chest - like a pressure. I know when I start feeling that, I'd better stop eating or I'm going to be sorry. Other people have even weirder cues, like sneezing or a runny nose. So it can take awhile to figure yours out. Although again, it may be too early for you to even feel those. It will come..

I was "fortunate" that I was too large to fit on a home scale (or most doctors scales) so I could only weigh at my Doc's office at follow-ups. As a result I didn't see any stalls or phantom weight gains, so the scale never messed with me, so I was never tempted to "change things up" to get the scale moving. I just stayed on plan.
Eventually, when I could weigh at home, I did it for a couple weeks until the novelty wore off, then I went back to only weighing at follow-ups then only annual physicals.
You don't necessarily need a scale for success.
My weight ruled my life for so long that I resolved after surgery I would stay on plan and let my weight take care of itself.
Good luck,
Tek

It’s the beginning of examining what we eat & looking for healthier, more nutrient dense food. But yes, it can be an emotional roller coaster as you realise certain foods you enjoyed (offered comfort?) may be off the menu for a while, and your stress levels are already up as you near your surgery date.
But there are a lot of things you can eat at 1300 calories. It’s about what I eat to maintain (3 meals & 3 snacks). Look for foods with similar flavours, textures & ingredients. Love your granola, try rolled oats (not instant) with some seeds, nuts & blueberries. (Granola is often high in sugar & fat too so another reason it would be off your plan.) I’ve snacked on things like cheese, high Protein yoghurt (look for low added sugar or naturally sweetened with fruit), multi grain crackers, hummus, vegetable crudités, fruit, etc. It’s often easier if you make your own favourite treats as you choose the ingredients & how it’s prepped/cooked. Like you can make a low fat healthier guacamole with avocado, herbs & spices to taste, diced Tomato, celery, a little grated red onion & lemon/lime juice. Lots of recipes about for healthier options. Look for alternatives like cauliflower rice & zucchini noodles instead of highly processed rice & Pasta.
One of the challenging things is reducing your sugar, salt & caffeine intake. Their addictive nature makes withdrawal hard.
It will be all worth it. All the best.