Hi everyone!

I'm Shelley... 32 years old and mum of 4 mini me's! I have been contemplating surgery for a few years now and have finally made the decision to go ahead! I'm based in the UK but will be having my surgery privately as these surgeries are not easily available on the NHS. After my initial consultation last week my surgery has been booked for 12th April 22 with my pre op taking place on the 25th March! A very quick turnaround which is great for me as i'm a bag of nerves!

I found this forum while google searching for other peoples experiences, thought I would join, say hello and share my journey.

Welcome, Shelley, and good luck on your WLS journey. There are a lot of good topics and conversations here so feel free to explore the threads to learn about what to expect after surgery and to find answers to a lot of questions you may have.

Hello Shelley, I am in the UK too, there are a few of us on here. Congrats on getting your date so quickly. It took me 8 months from my first consult which was about 5 months too long. It is normal to be nervous but you will find that its unnecessary. The only thing that I was unprepared for was the tiny portions that I can eat. The time I waited for surgery left me time to read lots of the posts on this forum, I went back 10 years. It has really helped me. I had a 3 week preop diet that I found tough but I knew from here that if I managed 4 days then it would get easier, it did but I could not wait for the surgery to come and end it. Good luck and post away

Thank you both!

SummerSeeker its nice to see others from the UK on here too! ah yes the pre op! hats off to you for doing 3 weeks! Mine is 2 and I am dreading it! Also worried about the 4 week liquid only diet too. I don't drink milk and I haven't found a milk substitute that I like either so that stage is going to be interesting!

Oh lordy 4 weeks of liquid only ! I forgot that. After a week I could have strained soups and broth and things like Bovril. I was so cold that I was thrilled with my first warm drink. Also milk shakes, coffee and such so it was not as bad as it sounds. Dont bother what you dont like now, your taste buds will change and you can find something you can accept. I have never managed any protein shake or protein water, I am so glad that I did not invest in many.

Hi Crinkles, I'm in Ireland and 3 months post sleeve. The information on this site has been a godsend for me - there are lots of very knowledgeable folks about who are generous with their time and knowledge so whatever question you ask someone will have the answer. I hope the time to your surgery flies in. The first couple of weeks post op is hard but once you get past that you'll never look back!

Hello Shelley and welcome. As mentioned there are many great threads here. One that I think is especially helpful to calm the nerves immediately before surgery is called “weirdest non scale victories”

Thank you all!!

This is something I have been thinking about for many years. Like most others I have battled with my weight since childhood. It's quite a relief in a weird way that I am doing this. Happy to have found a site where everyone is supportive and going through/gone through the same thing.

Hi Shelley, cheers from Texas! I'm somewhat new to the forums and 55 days post sleeve surgery. In my honest opinion, this website is much better than most resources as the people here have more than likely experienced what you will be going through. I know that has been the case for me. Similar to yourself, I thought about surgery for a long time and finally took the plunge. Now, almost 2 months post-op and its the BEST decision I've ever made in my life.

Once I had picked my surgery type and started down the path, the best advise my doctor gave me, which I will gladly share with you: "stay off the internet searches of the procedure (ie: what happens, complications, side-effects, etc) and focus on you and the changes the journey ahead will bring." That info was really important because the internet is full of articles that will make you question things...lol.

Enjoy the journey and kick some butt!

On 2/13/2022 at 4:15 AM, Crinkles said:

Hi everyone!

I'm Shelley... 32 years old and mum of 4 mini me's! I have been contemplating surgery for a few years now and have finally made the decision to go ahead! I'm based in the UK but will be having my surgery privately as these surgeries are not easily available on the NHS. After my initial consultation last week my surgery has been booked for 12th April 22 with my pre op taking place on the 25th March! A very quick turnaround which is great for me as i'm a bag of nerves!

I found this forum while google searching for other peoples experiences, thought I would join, say hello and share my journey

Hi Shelley! Congratulations on making this big decision. I found this website before I had surgery too, and absorbed SO much information, then relied on the "veterans" for much of my guidance as my doctor was located out of my home country. I think having realistic expectations is important. I remind people new to surgery to remember that WLS is really about a year long process. The day of surgery is just day 1. For the first 6 months, you'll be taking care of yourself in the form of feeding, hydrating, moving and resting your body, as if you are nursing a valued patient. Be kind to yourself. I quite honestly feel having this surgery was in the top most important things I have done for myself in my life. I wish I had done it many years ago. Best wishes and let us know how your journey unfolds. We're all here supporting you!

Welcome!

If you don't drink milk, you may be a bit limited. It depends on why you don't drink milk. If you are vegan, then the protein water won't work as it has whey protein in it. If you are lactose intolerant, you may find that some of the drinks with whey protein will be okay, as will lactose free high protein milk.

I would recommend bone broth, again, that will only be if you eat meat products. Also, pho, hot and sour, and tom yum broth can be awesome too. I didn't have 4 weeks of just liquids after surgery, only 1 week, then I could have yogurt. After two weeks I could have things like refried beans, which were great. Will you be able to have purees? There are many foods (like bean soups) that can be pureed. I would ask your surgeon what they recommend for you since you do not drink milk.

I believe there is a vegetarian/vegan thread on here you can check out.