NeonRaven8919

I'm wearing a new pair of jeans that are a size 14 (uk or size 10us) I have NEVER been a size 14 in my life! When I was a kid, I went from a kids 6 to a juniors 11 to a 16! Even when moving to the UK as a teenager and taking into account size diversions, I've never been this size. I'm not supposed to wear jeans to work, but my manager was so happy for me, she let me today! (I guess also because my last week is next week) but still. It's been an amazing 7 months! Three years ago, I lost my stepfather, two years ago i lost my mother and I was at my lowest point mentally and couldn't imagine light at the end of that tunnel, and now I'm happier and healthier than I thought I could ever be again! Thanks to everyone on this forum as well when I've spiraled and you've kept me inspired.

That's a wonderful, but sad, story. It's also incredibly happy. You find your way through the darkness and that's incredible!

This a great point! This took a long for me to get to terms with. Just going up slightly while I was on the pre-op diet had me panicking that I would be refused surgery, and going slightly up or the scale not budging after surgery and I was convinced I was a failure. The scale is neither a friend, nor an enemy, but this mindset took some time for me to understand. It is a marathon, not a sprint or *insert favourite cliche here*

Well done! Not being obese anymore is my goal too. I just being regular obese instead of morbidly, category 2 feels really good too as I never in my life thought I could do that!

I'm a London, UK based NHS patient. I've only just found your post, but I've added some hopefully helpful waffle to your original post. I don't have experience of Portsmouth hospitals (only their seaside touristy spots) but in general, I've had only good experiences with the NHS treatment I got. The psychologist visit is usually just a formality because I don't think a ten minute phone call is a really good gauge of someone's preparedness for a life altering surgery. If they NHS has already gotten you past the referral stage, I would imagine, you'll just need to wait until they can find a surgery slot. I was approved in July of 2024 and told that "unless the moons and planets all align, you will likely get your surgery Spring 2025" I guess the moons aligned because two weeks later, they called to tell me it was time to start the 12 week milk pre-op diet and I was scheduled for October 2024. You will probably not have a 12 week pre-op diet. I was told this was a test group trial for University College London Hospital and because I had NAFLD. Don't be too nervous (easier said than done, I'm sure) and congratulations! You've made it this far! You can do this! We're all here to support you!

Hi! Sorry to have found your post so late! There's not a lot of NHS patients on here as this is mostly an American website. I had my surgery in October 2024 on the NHS. I remember the dietician appointment was a video call with other patients before any surgeries were finalised. I will admit that I don't feel like I got much out of it. The main message is eat slowly and prioritise protein first when eating a meal. The session with the psychologist (a ten minute phone call) was probably the least helpful as she just said I need to practice mindfulness and learn others ways to cope with stress other than eating. (Gee, thanks! Where was that advice when I was a fat 8 year old? 🙄) I had a higher BMI than you currently do and the privilege of living in London, so I think I was bumped up a few tiers and fast tracked (I don't know if this true in general, but London seems to get the lion's share of the funding so hospitals are less strict. My Gloucester based friend has a BMI of 44, but because she has no comorbidities, she can't get any weight loss referrals because her BMI isn't 50+) But I digress. Once I had the surgery, it was a year and a half from the initial referral, it's mostly been smooth sailing. I had the gastric sleeve and had no problems. So far, I've lost 39 kg and more fatty liver has improved significantly. My mother had the gastric bypass (also on the NHS). She had a complication, St Anthony's private hospital did the surgery, but the NHS covered it but once they operated again, she had no problems. She never shared exactly how much she weighed with me, but she went from a size 28-30 to a 22 and reversed her diabetes. She passed away in 2023, but if she hadn't, she would be much smaller I'm sure. I've had a great experience so far with my procedure and weight loss. I really do recommend going the NHS route if you are able to do so. Well done on making this decision to change your life! You've got this. Sometimes, just making the decision to get help is the hardest part!

Definitely a win in my eyes, or more accurately, a near win I walk passed a charity shop every day on my way to work and they've had a dress in there that I've loved for awhile (Light grey stripes with neon yellow stripes). I never bought it because it's a size S and I'm not a size S. Still sometimes never think I could be. But still, I admired it from afar. For months, I've seen it in there next to the neon yellow hot pants (I love neon, but I will never be a hot pants person as I don't like the wedgie feeling) I handed in my resignation a month ago and am moving on to new neon green pastures. So I told myself, if that dress is still there on the last day of work and it's the last time I will walk by that charity shop, it must be fate. So I bought the dress. As my mother would say "just because it goes around you, doesn't mean it fits". She was right. It doesn't fit. Yet. But the fact I can even get a size S to go around me is a victory. Something I would never have dreamed. But it WILL fit me. Not just because I believe in fate, not just because no one else wanted this grey and neon yellow eye sore, but because I've quite literally worked my arse off.

Yes, but I have to buy new clothes and some of my favourite outfits look like tents. I just have to learn how to sew and alter things.

I feel so much better! Yes, i did it for health reasons, but I won't lie and say it don't look better now. The only heath problems I realy had apart form the obesity were PCOS os NAFLD (nonalcoholic fatty liver disease). I don't know if the PCOS symptoms have really improved or not since I was asymptomaticfor a long time, but I have been told my liver function has improved significantly because of the weight loss! I used to cycle everywhere when I was bigger, but I couldn't conquer the hills on the bike. (I live in North London, which is basically i smal mountain range compared to the rest of London) Now, I cycle everywhere and I can make (most) hills my b*****s. Just one left that I am training to climb on the bike. I have no reason to take that route except pride at this point. Yes there is long term damage to my knees and hips, but that wasn't all weight related, I just have flat feet and had problems with my posture that was exacerbated by my weight problems. I'm glad I did this and the health benefits are definitely the main ones.

I live in the UK, so what you cam get over there may be different, but I like Myprotein. My favourite is to add the salted caramel flavour with some cinnamon to some oatmeal. But I also really like their chocolate mint and I add that or some of the cookie dough flavour to some milk when I want something a little sweet. I would also say get a good blender. I've done the protein shaker bottles and they just never blend in. I end up with milk and a lump of powder in the mixer part.

Congratulations!

NickelChip, I love your posts! You always have a way with words!

Congratulations on your progress!

Lol! My knees too!

Yes, this is the easy way compared to all the failed dieting. Because it works. If dieting worked, it would be easy. You have a medical problem that requires treatment. This is one of the most successful treatments for that medical problem. Simple.

I was alone. My family all live in the US, I live in the UK. It wasn't possible for anyone to come stay with me. What I did before I went for surgery was set up a space near my bed that I would be able to put all my medications and vitamins, phone charger etc within arms reach so I wouldn't have to bend over or reach. When I came back home, ( I took the bus because I don't drive) I opened my medications and set everything out. They recommend you walk as much as possible. The pain meds helped and as long as you go slow, it's ok. After the first few days, I felt more normal and it was ok.

I take a medication that I've been taking for years and it's small enough that I was allowed to swallow that one whole at first. The medication the gave me for post-op care and nutrition were given to me in liquid form or I was to use the pill grinder that they sent me home with. The multivitamin they gave me was evil though. The only times I've thrown up post-op was those damn vitamins. They were huge liquid capsules that I was told I need to break open and swallow the fluid inside *shudders from the memories* until I was able to eat solid foods. After the first two times I threw up taking them, I called my surgical team and they told me it was ok to wait until I could swallow them. I tried again at 4 weeks and swallowed it whole and it was fine unless I swallow it on an empty stomach, which is tricky because all the pills at first felt like a meal in and of themselves. Once you have your surgery, your surgical team will be able to be more specific about what they recommend FOR YOU as everyone's mileage may vary. I was given three different recommendations in case, one wasn't available when I went to refill or what have you.

I never got information about that either. I was just told the portion size and to eat the protein first. I'm 6 months post op and to be honest, I don't even think about macros or calories except to make sure I get protein in first. That's probably not good for me in the long run, I know, but counting calories has been to much for my mental health at the moment so I've been focusing on portion size and protein.

My pre-op diet was 12 weeks of milk with added skimmed milk powder, and one salty drink a day (broth) (This was the diet my doctor put me on as they are researching it, not some weird fad diet I'd heard about to be clear.) I lost quickly for the first 2 weeks, hit a plateau, gained weight, plateaued, jumped back down and repeat. It's not a straight path downwards, sadly. I did lose the required weight. If you stick with the programme, you will get there. The bus kind of drives it self in terms of where toi body wants to be at.

I've been looking for a new job, which has been stressful since I'm trying to fit interviews around my current job, getting rejected feeling really stuck. My weight is stuck too. Losing extremely slowly the last month. The same kg up and down. I'm constantly craving food because that was my go-to for emotional times. I've not given in, but ih that craving is stil there. The UK financial year starts April 6th so I'm hoping that will mean more companies have different staff requirements and that will food the market with new jobs and that will help my stress.

Same here! Overweight all my life. The only reason I had the surgery at 35 (5 months ago) was because the NHS here in the UK finally approved me for the surgery. They don't cover Wegovy etc for weight loss so this was my only option. I wish I had started the process of getting approved sooner, but it wasn't until I lost my mother and step-father within a year of each other (my stepfather died at age 62 from pneumonia and liver disease that certainly was aggravated by his extreme weight, and my mother died almost year later age 67 from a perforated bowel that they couldn't repair because of her gastric bypass ten years before). While I knew the risks, I knew I didn't want to go that young so I was going to take my health more seriously. I'm glad I did it and have no regrets.