As I sit out in my garden on a beautiful sunny morning (in UK) I am thinking about my 6 weeks post-op check yesterday!

From reading so many posts on this forum I had a list of questions and expected to come home with a whole load of 'dos' and 'don'ts' - but there was none of that. So I wanted to share the following.....

I think I've already said in previous posts that I have been lucky with an easy recovery-pain for no more than a week, moved through liquids, puréed food, sifts and now onto solids all pretty easily! I feel too full occasionally but am learning my limits still and have lost just over 35lbs!

But I think about all the people on this forum-the obsession with amount of Proteins vs amounts of

Liquids! How to eat, what not to eat etc.... The questions and concerns it seems are endless BUT I discussed all this with my surgeon who is a leader in the field in this country and I have come to the conclusion IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY!!

I am doing this the easy way-he told me- I am a normal person, the same as before but I have a smaller stomach! And I wanted to remind some of you out there of this! It's upto me what I put in my mouth! I have a balanced diet which includes bread, rice, fruit etc. if I get constipated I can take a bit of laxatives but should remember to drink a bit more! It doesn't have to be just water-I like tea and coffee and fruit juice! I even managed to have some diet coke yesterday and it was really refreshing!

I had this op to escape the crazy world of dieting- and that's exactly what I am doing! I'm finally living life without the worry and it's great! Yes I am mostly sensible-but have had a couple of glasses of wine and a bit of cake and the difference is I can now stop myself going overboard!

My concerned friends are now smiling and feeling relieved when they see me eat a balanced meal or share in a nibble of something naughty!

So I just want to show you-there is an easy way here! So stop worrying and start living! You can do it! I have!

:-)

P.S - just want to point out that I said at the start-I know I am lucky! I know it will not be this easy for all-but this may help relieve some people's fears and concerns!

Xxx

I know that I need to follow my surgeon's and NUT recommendations and i do. When I have tried ice cream, cheetos, and chocolates, I can't stop with just a few, I want it everyday. Every time I see a flamin hot cheeto, I eat it, even tough I know it will bother my stomach. That's my addiction and therefore, I have to keep them out of my house and sight. I can't do moderation, if it's a slider, I know it and will endulge. So I just want to eat to live and that's it. I focus on organic because what ever is going in my body, needs to be clean,after all, I can only eat less than a child's portion. Yes, this is my choice. Plus, my grocery bills are decreasing every day bc I have my family eating this way too.

I'm having a pretty easy time of it too. Yes, we are all expert dieters. What I have to keep reminding myself is that this time it's for keeps! The weight really isn't going to come back. My brain hasn't wrapped itself around that yet. I am not even truly excited about the weight loss so far because i've been at this weight before. I know my brain will catch up, it's just kinda scared to get too excited. :-)

Also a uk person and I get the general overview that the us and uk are very different in terms of this op.

For one they jump through a lot of hoops for the op for insurance and what not were we (or at least I didn’t) pay for it so it’s not so hardcore in terms of the don’ts.

I was never told to calorie count to make sure I got only this amount or that amount of anything.

I was told protein first then if I have room other stuff was never told anything is off limits but of course use my common sense.

For me I wasn’t a overeater/emotional eater so I don’t miss or have them triggers with food and I was honest when asked about my daily intake which pretty much consisted of me drinking coke zero and smoking all day then eating dinner maybe something like a sandwich around 2am.

Which of course isn’t ideal but I would forget the fizzy and smoking curbed hunger and with my ibs I got to the stage I just didn’t want to eat because of my reaction to everyyyyyyyyyything.

I eat well I did before and I do not not pre packaged not ready meals we cook from scratch yes I had takeaways once a week but my house wasn’t filled with junk I didn’t even have chips or candy every day rarely once a week so my relationship with food isn’t a issue for me.

I dunno just reading a lot of posts its like because you have to go through insurance they like to scaremonger you and think well if you’re having this op might as well never drink/smoke/be unhealthy again!

So drum a lot of stuff in your head to concern you.

If you know you have food issues and a bite or taste of something won’t; stop at that then good for you that you know this about yourself and show restraint and control, I honestly thought I would be getting coke and making it flat to drink it but I don’t I have had a bit barely half a can in total from the op forward, I have a can of cherry coke sitting in the fridge I think its been in there 2 weeks maybe 3 took a sip when I opened it and its never been touched since.

Anyway I dunno just saying it seems very different to me in the uk and what I am told and what I should do to people in the us, its less stressful that’s for sure!

lol

This is an interesting topic! I am glad that you've found what works for you and support you in every way. Me? Whoa baby...the thought of eating a little more relaxed or not tracking, scares the daylights out of me! I agree with butterthebean, that a lot of this is figuring out how you got to this point. I know for me it was the food choices and of course the large portions of those foods. I am afraid that if I allow myself those guilty little pleasures, one bite will turn into two, which will turn into 12! I'm almost a year out and have adopted new habits and new favorite foods. I look back at the old favorites the way I do some of my ex boyfriends...better to be left behind :-). I think that in this process everyone has to listen to their doctor, nutritionist and then from that adopt what works for them. Kudos for finding your groove!!

....

I dunno just reading a lot of posts its like because you have to go through insurance they like to scaremonger you and think well if you’re having this op might as well never drink/smoke/be unhealthy again!

....

It's true. Due to increased claims, obese people cost the insurance companies money. Smokers cost them money. Drinkers too. They don't want to spend the money for WLS to get you healthy if you aren't going to live a healthy lifestyle, thereby saving them money in the long run.

But still, IMO, it's the right thing to do....live healthy, that is. It's why I had the surgery. But to each his own....a thin smoker is still healthier than an obese one.

It's very interesting how people read and interpret posts in different ways! As I said at the end of my post-yes I am lucky! I paid privately for my surgery-wasn't heavy enough to have it done in the NHS but was still in need of it! I understand that for some fighting the food habit is hard!

What I hoped to achieve by my post was a little peace of mind for people in a similar position to myself! At no point did I encourage people not to eat sensibly-was merely saying my diet is not purely protein! And sharing that my day does not revolve around how many grams of Protein I eat or litres of water! I drink lots of liquid-and was saying that tea, coffee and fruit juice all count as your liquid intake!

Indeed everyone has different advise and limitations! Surely it goes without saying that everyone should stick to what is good for them personally or the advise of their own surgeon!

This forum is about sharing our own experiences! But thank you for pointing out the obvious and snide remarks telling me to ask people who haven't had enough liquids what it does to their internal organs!

Really! Thank god I'm not a slave to my sleeve or my life before! BUT that's just me!! I say again-I know I am one of the lucky ones!!

Glad people here are brave and happy enough to agree and see this post for what it was intended to be! Put it also in the general sleeve section and didn't receive such positive thoughts! Each to their own was my point - and I am happy to be one of the successful ones! Thanks to my sleeve I have my life back and it's going the way I want it too!! Long live sensible eating and healthy being!!

:-) x

Hi Nicky I like your post and didn't take offense at it. I think your doing a great job for with your weight loss. Everyone here is struggling with their food issues and addictions to food. I am 10 months post op and struggle with sugar addiction. I am also diabetic with blood sugars under control at this moment but know I can't do moderation. Thank you so much for sharing. I hope you don't mind, but I added you as a friend. XOXO!

Hi nicky im from the uk .im having my vsg done on the 20th sept.where in th uk are u from.your post wad a good one.and very true!!

I'm from Surrey in the UK. Had my surgery in Wimbledon! Where are you? Good luck and it'll be well worth it!!!

Im from south wales.i thought I was the only brit on here lol.im glad that im not.and its mad how different our doctors are compared to the american ones.becouse my surgeon said.i dont need to do a preop diet,no protein shakes.and no vitamins hmmm?.so I told him well other people are. and he just laught and said your having the vsg not the bypass. so you dont need all that.did you have a calbration tube to size the stomach.cos mine dont do this either.i asked him how will he know if its the right size for me.he said its down to experience.so we will have to see I guess.how are you feeling.you sound very good an possitive?

I think the Vitamin thing is down to you and your body and food.

Like for me pre op with my ibs I was on:-

B complex really high dose 2 a day

Calcium

Magnesium

Zinc

D3

Folic acid

Rutin which is a Protein supplement

Iron

My levels for everything were constantly low constantly asked if I was taking them and I did twice a day every day plus good food lots of fruit veg everything.

In contrast now ibs seems to have gone and all I take is a multi vitamin once a day and my calcium and D3 effervescent combo.

And of course Protein shake.

All my levels bar my protein are high, normal levels but my iron is higher than normal.

I think once you pass the stage where you’re relearning how to eat food and introducing food slowly to your new stomach you can make sure you eat well and balanced to get all you need right at the start its just broth and Soup and not really much food so some supplements do help with healing and keeping your levels where they should be.

NickyD......you just spoke my mind! You go gurl:)