Phoenix Rising

Had to go and see my own doctor the other day and thank goodness I did. He has put me back on my old water tablets, I have lost the extra water weight and another 3lbs ordinary 'fat' weight Hooray! He says I can stay on these water tablets until I have reached the required weight and then he will look into changing them. (He thinks that if I get through and have the surgery fairly quickly that I won't need them for much longer anyway) Thank heavens for the voice of reason. I feel so much happier and know that they will have to accept me now as I have lost the 5% already. I will carry on with the diet until I seem them again though, just to be sure and hopefully lose some more weight so I can really tell 'that woman' where to shove it.

I did two weeks on the milk diet before I was 'officially' put on the milk diet for four weeks. I was doing just fine. Very hungry, but sticking with it. I had lost quite a bit of weight, almost two stones and was reasonably happy. Then, they had to go and change my Water tablets ( it had to happen because I kept getting very low on potassium) The new tablets are just not doing such a great job. The first day on the new tablets I gained three pounds (had to be water) the next day I gained another two pounds (again it had to be water). So I still have three days until I get weighed officially and today I broke and ate some food. All Protein, but still shouldn't have done it. I was so fed up when I weighed myself today (before the food) I had gained 11 pounds since Wednesday, my odeama is really bad, my skin feels so tight and painful and I feel sure that by next Tuesday I will have gained another six pounds of water at least. I just feel so miserable right now. They had told me that if I didn't lose the required amount of weight (which I almost had) then I would not be allowed to have the surgery (british hospital requirement of the NHS). I shall of course tell them exactly what has happened but I have an awful feeling that they won't accept that I had lost the weight. I know they will be able to see I am retaining water but then I was before too. I just don't know which way to turn and am feeling a little desperate right now.

Thanks Oregondaisy, it is a pretty harsh diet but I have been on it before and survived. You get used to it. I am still having a lot of water problems and look a bit like the goodyear blimp at the moment. I go tomorrow for the weigh in and will hear what they decide then. Keep everything crossed for me.

Congratulations!!! Wow, you must be over the moon. I am really happy for you and if I am honest just a tinge green with envy. I shall be thinking of you on the 19th and will want to hear everything about it as soon as you are able to post. Good luck, you are most definitely on your way to a new you.

Thanks KellyL, I am drinking as much as I can and keeping everything crossed for Tuesday afternoon (my appointment with the scales). I really appreciate the positive vibes as I need all the help I can get at the moment. Love the quote you have about shooting for the moon, what film is that from? I know it is one of the golden oldies but can't remember which one.

The milk diet is a strict liquid diet but does not include Protein drinks like the American liquid diet does. Basically I am allowed 4 pints of semi skimmed milk over the day along with 1 pint of oxo and a couple of pints of squash or diet drink. Oh and a sachet of sugar free jelly. We have to prove we can stick to this diet for the four weeks and must lose 5% of our body weight or we are not allowed the surgery. I think things are quite a bit different in America, I just wish I had the money to pay for the op but I don't and will just have to keep jumping through whatever hoops they put before me.

Thank you Niki, I was really discouraged yesterday, but I do feel a little more positive today. I can only do my best and hope they will let me through. Thanks for the encouragement, it is surprising how much it helps when other 'sleevers or sleeves to be' offer their support. I really am glad that this site is here as without it, everything would be so much harder.

Are you in America or the UK? I know things are very different for you in America; in England they really do insist on you meeting all goals or they just won't give you the operation. (NHS funding not self pay). I know that once I have the op I won't have the same problems with the hunger that I am suffering now. I just have to dig deep and keep my eye on the prize.

Well...some days are better than others!!! Today I feel that I am starving and it is a real struggle to stay away from the kitchen. I who have always loved ice cold milk am beginning to get sick to death of the stuff. I suppose everyone gets to feel like this. I guess I am feeling really sorry for myself today. I know I just have to stick with it. When I had my last appointment I asked what would happen if I didn't lose the 5% of weight required, they told me if I could not stick with the liquid diet before surgery how could I hope to stick with it afterwards and I would not be allowed to go forward! Blah. I know I can stick to it, what I was concerned about was my body not giving up the pounds, especially as I am having very little protein! I have spent my life dieting so I know that sometimes my body just won't play fair. Still, I have lost some, but some of it was before they weighed me so eight pounds of my loss doesn't count towards the 5%! I also absolutely hate other people knowing how much I weigh, how daft is that? I know that they are medical professionals but it still bothers me. Crazy I know. On the flip side, my husband is being absolutely wonderful (I have always known I really lucked out with him but he just keeps on getting better). He has started watching his own diet, and bless him has already lost 7lbs. Yea. He says that this way he can feel some of what I am going through, this is a first diet for him, even though he is a little overweight. He is so tall that he looks great regardless I on the other hand am what is commonly known as a 'shorthouse' (that is the polite way of putting it!) and am almost as round as I am tall. He says that if he feels hungry and fancies a snack he just remembers how hungry I must be and ignores the feeling. You just have to love him. Please to keep in touch as I have a feeling that we may get sleeved at around the same time and I know it helps me knowing someone else is going through the same things, at the same time and truly understands. Thanks

Hi, I wondered where you were, hadn't seen you on here for awhile. Mind you, I have been spending most of my time reading old posts. I am so pleased you have broken your stall, I know how hard you have been working at doing everything you can to practise. I too have been trying really hard, and my 'milk' diet is beginning to pay off. It too, is really hard though, and I just wish they would allow us to add Protein to our drinks as I think I would be a lot less hungary and lose more weight. One more visit eh, not long to go now. I shall be sending positive thoughts your way in the hope everything is approved and you get your 'date' at last. Good luck and keep on 'practising'

Just reading through and found this, ahhh... he is definitely a keeper! My husband bought me a treadmill for my fiftieth birthday and now I am on a liquid diet for the next four weeks (required by british hospitals-still don't have a date for my op yet!) he is being so helpful and supportive. Having read some things here about less than helpful and even downright difficult husbands and partners, we are soooooo lucky to have this loving support on hand for us.

My goodness, you look fantastic. I am at the beginning of my journey (not yet sleeved) and weigh well over 300 so when I saw the pictures of you in the 100's OMG. It is possible, it can happen and hopefully it will happen for me too. Thanks for posting your pictures and congratulations again, you look just wonderful.

Just to update you all, on Tuesday I saw the Bariatric Nurse, the dietician and the Clinical Psychologist. The nurse was a little concerned about my potassium levels, (I have a lot of Water retention and am on diuretics) but other than that was fine. The dietician wants me to lose 5% of my weight over the next four weeks, ouch! So am back on liquids only. The Psychologist (the one I was most concerned about) was an absolute sweetheart, very encouraging and although thinks I may find some counselling useful, due to 'some childhood difficulties' has backed my surgery 100%. Yeah. I have a follow up appointment in four weeks time and hopefully if I have managed to get rid of my 5%, I will be given a date for meeting my surgeon. Only after that meeting will I be given a date for surgery. Keep everything crossed for me as the next four weeks will be crucial.

[Congratulations SMG2011, that is fantastic news and so encouraging for the rest of us just starting our pre op diets. I have been following your lead and "practicing" eating the 'after surgery way' too. I have been trying really hard and am noticing some changes already. You must be soooooo delighted to be off your HBP medication. Do you have a date for your surgery yet?

I have this book too, and have had for a very long time. The exercises for batwings and the inner thigh are absolutely brilliant. Of course if mine didn't have a ton of fat on them they would look just great!!! I am planning to resurrect these exercises after I have my sleeve and have lost some of the weight. I know it will help with toning and hopefully with any loose skin. By the way you look terrific if I do half as well when I get my sleeve I shall be a very happy bunny.

Had a letter from the hospital with appointments to see the bariatric Nurse, Dietician and Clinical Psychologist all on the same day, in just over a fortnight's time. So things seem to be progressing quite nicely at the moment. Hopefully they will be able to give me a timetable of events so I can start planning for surgery.

Hello Everyone, I am new to this site and at the beginning of my VS journey. I am English, living in England and have been overweight all my life. I have a huge amount of weight to lose. I had been seeing a dietician for the past six months (with no real success) (had a lifetime of failing at every diet going) and the dietician mentioned WLS. She suggested I speak to my Dr. about this as I have type 2 diabetes and she thought I would definately fit the requirements for surgery (my BMI is 59). I went to the Dr. who was at great pains to point out that WLS meant you could only eat smaller portions and had I thought about doing that????? Despite this he did say he would fill in all the forms to see if I could get approval for funding for surgery on the NHS but not to get my hopes up. A week later I got a telephone call to say I had been approved. Another week later I got my first appointment at the hospital to see the Dr. there. During my time with the dietician (who was a lovely lady who actually listened to what I said) she put me on a 'milk' diet for three weeks. I lost 10lb the first week, 7lb the second and gained 2lb the third week! I have since regained all but 4lbs of that weightloss, even though I have been extremely careful with my diet. I know I will have to lose more before I can have surgery and am planning to put myself back on the milk diet next week. I am trying to lose that 5% people have talked about on here. I am hoping that if I manage to lose that magical 5% they will push me forward for the surgery. Although I only joined this site recently I have been reading avidly for the past fortnight. There is so much useful and interesting information here, and everyone is really generous with their own experiences and knowledge. I hope that my journey details will be equally beneficial to others as it progresses. I chose the name Phoenix Rising as I hope that people will begin to see the new slimmer fitter me rising from the ashes of the old fat unhealthy me. I know I have a very long way to go and look forward to having your help and support. Thank you

Thank you ladies for your welcome. I have sent a message to you SmokeyMtnGal2011 as I couldn't find the piece I put on earlier. Have now obviously found it. I do not yet have a date for surgery and am still waiting for my next hospital appointment which should be when I am told when and how things will happen. The milk diet is liquids only, 4 pints of milk daily, 1 pint of oxo or soup of some sort and tea or squash to drink. Very boring but it does shift the pounds, until you start to eat again. I am not terribly good with computers so could do with some tips on how to do things. Add friends etc. I am sure I shall be bothering you both on a regular basis with questions etc. so thanks for being here.