I live in London, UK and would really like to meet anyone going through this process. I am self-paying so I don't get any support from the NHS and it's starting to feel a bit isolating. I'm SO grateful to this forum! I don't know what I would do without it. It's been so informative and supportive. ?

Hi I am uk and 2 years post op self funded. I’m up north so not near London but always happy to chat and support x

Hi... lovely to hear from you! I'm really struggling at the moment... weight is stalled - Think because I'm on beta blockers which are notorious for weight gain! And today I decided to eat off piste - completely mental! which has really annoyed me! lol... how are you doing? how did you manage to get through it?

I'm really loving this forum!

Al ... x

Hi! I am also from "up north" and loving this whole experience.

I had mine done on the Nhs but it took two long years and lots of hoops to jump through before they said yes.

I live in the US, but will be visiting family outside Oxford for two weeks in May 2019. I’d love to attend a meetup if one happens then. Obviously I can’t speak to anything involving NHS, but the post-surgery experience is about the same for everyone.

One thing I am hoping to do while there is go to Alton Towers and ride all the roller coasters I wouldn’t have been able to ride before the surgery!

On ‎12‎/‎12‎/‎2018 at 6:40 AM, Alpaca55 said:

I live in London, UK and would really like to meet anyone going through this process. I am self-paying so I don't get any support from the NHS and it's starting to feel a bit isolating. I'm SO grateful to this forum! I don't know what I would do without it. It's been so informative and supportive. ?

Hello, there is a very nice and supportive group running at Spire Bushy Hospital/ North London (normally is free for their patients), I suggest you give the nutritionist a call to check if you can attend, she is very nice; here is the link with her contact number https://www.spirehealthcare.com/spire-bushey-hospital/consultants/ms-gill-cuffaro-n1002767/

I am thinking of having a Gastric Sleeve at this hospital (self pay) and I attended their gr last year to listen to people's experience, it was very good session and people are very friendly and open. I really hope I will have the courage to have the procedure done, food addiction is messing my life, I am a low BMI but with no hope of manage the weight on my own, however I am getting cold feet every time I am thinking of the surgery. I am new on the forum and your post is since December 2018 but I am sending you the link in case you still need it. I hope you are doing well with your weight loss journey. All the best!

Hello Anad... thank you so much for you post! Yes I will definitely see if I can attend the group! I am slowly losing weight and also inches... I’m definitely not a fast loser but I’m ok with that... I have binge eating disorder and am petrified that I will sabotage my weight loss ... are you any closer to deciding whether you’ll have the surgery? ?

Hi my dear, I was looking at your profile, you are a real fighter going through so many health problems and being so brave. I am sure you are a very strong person!

Eating disorder is a real struggle… I am also having bulimia nervosa, In 2017 I had therapy under NHS (St Ann’s Hospital London) it was very helpful but I don’t think I will ever sort this thing out completely in my head L. I am still struggling with weight loss and chaotic eating.

This is the reason I was thinking that the sleeve will help with the loosing weight and hopefully I will learn normal eating again.

Did it help you with that? I imagine cravings or binges it will not disappear over the night but still it must be much less than before, no?

I checked with the Spires Bushey Hospital last year and they accepted me but we could not find suitable date (as I have children and my husband’s holiday is not flexible), on top of that I got very scare not of the operation itself but scared that I will be sick or depressed after, hair loss, etc (I must have read too many comments on forums).

I really want to have it done this year but can’t get over these fears…. L

However everyone seems to be much happier after gastric sleeve and it’s probably not bad at all… is it?

I wish you well xx