diverdiva

I'm still pre-op and have around 6 months to wait. Yesterday I saw the doctor and she gave me a diet sheet (similar to the diet I'm already following), and offered me xenical - which I refused because of those horrible side effects, and then offered me Topamax instead. I took the Topamax. When I got home I researched it on the internet. I can't believe she gave this to me! It's for epilepsy and migraines. Also used to treat bi-polar disorder. There are some serious side effects like hair loss, memory loss, acne, numbness and tingling. If you stop taking it cold-turkey it can bring on seizures, regardless of if you're epileptic or not! I've taken 2 tablets - one yesterday and one this morning, just to see how it is, but am not taking any more because I'm feeling really spaced out and dopey. Ok - I'm not hungry, but it's not worth this strange feeling. One very weird thing - I read in the forums last night that people were complaining that after taking it that soda tasted flat. So I tried it as an experiment - and it's true! 3 hours after taking a tablet I tried a can of pepsi and it tasted totally flat. So weird!

It truly is terrible stuff. I've thrown it in the bin now. I had to go home from work today because I was feeling so ill on it. I can't believe a doctor would prescribe this just for weight loss. I do suffer from migraines, and I really sympathise with those of you out there who've been taking it for years because of your migraines. I'll stick to regular dieting and exercise while I'm waiting to be sleeved. No nasty pills for me!

Hi guys I'm having endoscopy next Thursday and was wondering if I'll be able to drive home afterwards? I don't have any family here and don't have any friends I could ask, and it's impossible to get a taxi without booking weeks in advance, and obviously I don't know what time I'll need it for, so it's not an option. I live about an hour's drive from the hospital. The doctor said I'll be awake during the procedure - which I'm dreading! Right now though I'm more worried about how I'm going to get home!

I had my endoscopy on Thursday and they discovered 'multiple small (5mm) sessile polyps' and 'presence of duodenal erosions' - which I believe are peptic ulcers. The doctor removed 6 of the polyps for histology and the results will come next week. I've been given an appointment for a repeat endoscopy and a colonoscopy and will then see my surgeon after that's been done. I had no idea they would find anything wrong - I don't have any symptoms, or not that I've noticed anyway! So it's come as a bit of a surprise. Now I'm worried that they won't go ahead with the surgery. The waiting list is very long - 6-12 months, so I'm hoping they can fix whatever is wrong in the meantime, but still leave me on the list. Has anyone else had ulcers or polyps? I'd like to ask what treatment you were given and how it affected your waiting time. Thanks

Hi, thanks for your reply. It makes me feel a lot better! I'm amazed they did your endoscopy so close to your surgery date though. I feel lucky now that I'm doing mine so far in advance. It must have been very worrying for you. Good luck wit the rest of your journey

That's really sweet. Thank you! Good luck with your surgery x

Hi Guys Are there any fellow divers out there? I'm told it's safe to dive after surgery but I wanted to know how long it will be before I'll be allowed back in the Water. Also for regular swimming - how long was it before any of you went back to the pool? Thanks Lisa

Best of luck!

Forgot to mention - since quitting diet pepsi I've noticed my sweet tooth has significantly diminished, so maybe there is something in the theory that artificial sweetners cause us to crave sweets. Either way it's a welcome side-effect!

I'm not likely to be getting sleeved for another 6 months, but am giving it up now so that it's just one less thing to adjust to post-op. It's been over a week and so far and apart from 1 slip up (I was at a restaurant and just automatically ordered a diet pepsi without thinking) I've been good. Still got cravings though, although not as bad as the first couple of days. There should be a 12-step programme for soda junkies!

Hi guys If both the sleeve and gastric bypass had been the same price when you decided on having surgery which would you have chosen? Would you still have gone with the sleeve? My hosptial charges the same for both, (US$1450 - I know.... bargain!). I'm on the waiting list, and just need to tell them which one I want when I'm called for surgery. For many reasons I've 99% decided on the sleeve, the main one being that it seems less risky, but out of interest, if the cost wasn't an issue would you have preferred to have the Gastric Bypass? Your opinions would be appreciated!

Hi guys I'm planning to get a nurse to take my picture at various stages while I'm in hospital. I want the photos to be warts and all. The idea is that say 6 months, a year, 2 years after surgery when it's all a distant memory and I reach for that bar of chocolate I'll be able to look back at the photographs and remember what I went through, and hopefully that will stop me from slipping back into bad habits. Has anyone else done anything similar? Did it work for you?

Hi Wheetsin I'll definitely take the nice progress pictures too! Hopefully they'll be the ones showing that all the suffering was worth it! Scuba diver...

Thanks for all your great replies guys!

I'm thinking of the gruesome ones - swollen belly, vomiting, stitches, looking like hell. I'm having my endoscopy next week so I'm going to ask if someone can take a picture while that's being done. I hope I'll never have to look at them again but I'm sure if anything's going to make me put the treats down it will be that!

PS - that's one album that won't be going on my Facebook page!

Thanks Kala And well done you for taking control of your life at such a young age. I wish I'd done this 10-15 years ago - things could have worked out a lot different!

Thanks for your reply, Veda! I agree, it does seem a lot less risky. One of the things I've been worried about with the gastric bypass is the malabsorption - I thought, it might be ok now while I'm still young(ish), but this is for life, and what happens when I'm 70 and a bit senile and forget to take Vitamin tablets..... On the other hand though, I'm worried that I will go through all the trauma of getting sleeved, and in 5 years time put all the weight back on again.... I'm very pleased to hear your surgery went so well. I'm assuming your picture was taken after surgery - you look great!

Hi Everyone! I'm at the very beginning of my journey, so please bear with me. I am 37, single, female, and I live in Doha, Qatar. Currently weigh 259 pounds. I have many reasons for wanting to have the surgery - mainly to improve my overall health, but a big reason for doing it is to improve my confidence. I've always been overweight and always been shy around strangers, but with the right people around me I was happy and outgoing and being overweight wasn't such a big deal. But - I had a major knock to my confidence about 18 months ago and since then things haven't been so good. I'm in a vicious cycle of desperately needing to meet new people, but being too embarassed about my size to have the confidence to join any new groups. So aswell as improving my physical health, which drastically needs an overhaul the psychological benefits will be equally, if not more important. I'm having my surgery done at the local hospital here in Qatar and I'd be really interested to hear from anyone else who's had their surgery done anywhere in the Middle East. So far, I've just had the initial consultation with the surgeon. The hospital adminstration and communication here is very bad, so even finding out how to get the appointment was a traumatic process! But - eventually I got to see a surgeon to discuss my options. The consultation was brief... I was weighed, told I was eligible for surgery, and given the option of Gastric Bypass or Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy. He told me to go away and talk to people who've had the surgery.... unfortunately there are no support groups for VSG in Qatar, so if you don't mind, guys - will you be my support group? But finally - I'm on the waiting list! The waiting list is 6-8 months, which suits me just fine. Time to mentally and physically prepare. In preparation, I'm trying to exercise every day - my reward for exercising every day is to treat myself to a massage at the weekend. If I skip a day I'm not allowed that massage, so it's a good incentive! I'm cutting down on the carbs, cutting down on smoking with the aim of giving up completely before surgery, and I'm trying to cut out diet pepsi! I hardly drink alcohol so that's not an issue. Is there anything else I should be doing? Any tips would be gratefully received! Next week I'm seeing the anaesthetist for pre-op assessment, then later abdominal ultrasound and then endoscopy, which I'm not looking forward to at all! I'd love to hear from any of you and share experiences x

Thanks Kathy It wasn't until I started thinking about stopping drinking Diet Pepsi that I realised quite how much of it I drink! Maybe 4-5 cans a day sometimes. I'm currently down to one or two, and hopefully today is going to be the first DP free day! What you said about carbonated drinks stretching out the sleeve was very interesting. I hadn't even considered that before. I always knew DP wasn't the healthiest drink, but I just figured it's a diet drink, no sugar, and it's not like I'm drinking pints of vodka every day... how bad could it be? Well - you've opened my eyes! No more DP for me!

Hi guys Thanks for your lovely comments and messages of support so far. It's good to hear you're all doing so well on your own personal journeys. x