Hi, I live in England and had the sleeve done on the 12th May 09. Although I am only a recent sleeve sister I am happy to help and try to answer questions from people in the UK. I did not uses the NHS though so I can't help with any questions on that.

Hi UK Sleevers, my sleeve is booked for 8/04 in Belgium and on my version of a pre op diet. I've tried the upbeat from Tesco and apart from a,little sweet they're great.

So great to find this post, the US ones a good too but nice hearing from some locals lol

Good luck to you DairyFairy,

not long to wait, bet your really excited, I'm wondering, why Belgium? Are you self funding? Ahhh too many questions.

Good luck, and keep us all posted please

Hi Dairy Fairy, how are you feeling about your surgery? I assume you are self funding and that is why you are going to Belgium. How long have you given yourself between surgery and travelling home?

I tried the tescos upbeat and couldn't drink it, I found it way too sweet. What is your pre op diet like? I was lucky with mine, I was allowed 125grams of deli meat or chicken or turkey and unlimited salad and veg just really low carbs. I was so glad because I do not like shakes etc and have really struggled with protein in these early days.

Hi luckyknickers had to go to abroad as in this part of the uk they dont offer bariactric surgery of any kind so had to self fund as well.

I was very excited but my passport still not here and supposed to fly out on 7th so in limbo waiting for it.

I thought I was handling it in my usual mellow way but after another freak out with the kids realised I probably wasnt. The surgeon has given me no prep so had to work out my diet and after care myself but not sure if thats normal for an overseas surgery.

Hi Willow what fantastic weightloss.

My pre op diet pretty much hit and miss but come monday super strict I hope.

Are you keeping a record of inches lost as well as weightloss, I know from another post that the sleevers has shared theirs? And have you settled on your magic numbers of the breakdown of carbs, protein and water?

mother's day tomorrow abd clock's go back, not quite fair lol

Sorry meant to congratulate u lucky knickers on ur weightloss, how's it feeling?

Thanks Dairy Fairy. Has your passport turned up yet?
My pre op diet consisted of a poached egg with one small slice of granary bread for breakfast, 125gr of lean meat or chicken with salad or veg for lunch and for evening meal it was another 125gr of chicken/turkey/pork with either 40gr of rice or 30g of pasta (dry weights) with unlimited green veg. (I wasn't allowed sweetcorn/mushrooms or root veg)
I lost a decent bit of weight on that diet for the couple of weeks I was on it. For Breakfasts I could have had weetabix or cornflakes but I dont eat cereals and dont like milk so poached egg it was.

With it being early days I am trying to make sure I get protein in but not too worried, the main thing is that I eat my surgeon said. Once I start "normal" foods I will ensure I get more protein and stick to low carbs.

Hi @@DairyFairy42

where are you in the UK without bariatric surgery??? I thought most big cities had big NHS hospitals or smaller private hospitals with bariatrics?

.... in this part of the uk they dont offer bariactric surgery of any kind so had to self fund as well.

Hi Willow13

Had passport interview on Sat so fingers crossed as to when it gets here.

Started by two protein drinks a day and will see how I go, probably try veg and fish for tea. Looking at your foods I will probably order in some green veg - what did you eat?

Your weightloss such a great story, will you be doing before and after photos?

Gotta remember to get my daughter to help me take my measurements tonight lol

Hi B2Sleever

Live in northern ireland and they just don't pay for it. I did look at going private here but would have cost £10k and so it just didn't compare.

I am nervous about going abroad especially as they give you so little information, seems a little like pay, go, get done, come home, though that could be normal I guess for overseas.

What about you are you having it done and I guess you've had the band and a swapping over?

Hi DairyFairy, I had lost 50lbs before surgery but the rest has been from the preop diet and the op. I have lost another 4lb this week so I am now down to 276lb. (I wish they worked in Kg on these tickers it would be easier lol.) So it is going the right way.

As for green vegetables, I ate mainly brocolli (I love the stuff so that was easy) but I did have things like cabbage and sprouts on a couple of days but not so keen on them. I was also allowed salads if I didnt want the green veg, I just couldn't add coleslaw or any root veg, but was allowed tomato, cucumber, lettuce etc.

As for pictures I have not had a picture taken in 12 years, actually my wedding pictures were the last pictures I had taken and I wasn't that big then. My accident was 9 year ago and thats when I put the weight on.

Really!!!! I appreciate you probably didn't think that was terribly good at the time Willow, but I've been given the milk diet sheets to start, if, and when, they give me my date.... So, allowed four pint semi - skimmed milk per day, a sugar free jelly, sugar free squash, water and three sticks of sugar free chewing gum, ohhhh not forgetting an oxo, or similar, cube per day!!!!!! That's for the last two weeks before D Day. So, coz I've started to cut again, I think I might go for your pre-op diet. So, beware, I might get on your nerves...

Hiya DairyFairy,

I feel so sorry for you not being offered the procedure on the NHS, there am I moaning about our local health authority, and what we have to do, and having to be BMI 50+, go on a six months course, hit WL targets, and delayed dates, lack of funding, oh, I could go on, but really compared to you I feel very lucky now. I just got so aught up in being envious of people from other areas having less of a minefield to pass through. I going off to count my blessings.

Hi @@DairyFairy42

I had a band for 10 years and it was really successful. I got to maintain normal BMI, yay! then the band failed mechanically and I has to have it removed. Since then, without the band, I've regained weight and am obese again I am going through preop assessments and have a date for gastric sleeve surgery in May... hopefully

Hi B2Sleever

What about you are you having it done and I guess you've had the band and a swapping over?

Really!!!! I appreciate you probably didn't think that was terribly good at the time Willow, but I've been given the milk diet sheets to start, if, and when, they give me my date.... So, allowed four pint semi - skimmed milk per day, a sugar free jelly, sugar free squash, water and three sticks of sugar free chewing gum, ohhhh not forgetting an oxo, or similar, cube per day!!!!!! That's for the last two weeks before D Day. So, coz I've started to cut again, I think I might go for your pre-op diet. So, beware, I might get on your nerves...

Feel free to ask as many questions as you like Lucky. There is NO chance I could have stuck to your pre-op diet, me and milk do not mix I vomit with it. Its not any allergies or anything like that I just hate the taste and texture of it, I dont like it flavoured either, that's part of the reason I don't eat cereals. I can disguise it in something like ready brek so stuck with that for breakfasts after the op.