chrysalis2butterfly

Reading Berkshire uk

Hi, I had the bypass in November 2014 at that time i wore a size 26 and it was stretched to its limits but I wouldn't get a bigger size i was so ashamed of myself. I will admit I was terrified , I was the last lady down for surgery that day (17) and when I woke in intensive care I felt wonderful, yes I had some discomfort but I knew that I would lose my weight and a big emotional weight lifted off me, I swear it helped me recover faster. I was kicked out of intensive care after 2 hours and sent to a regular ward. I had a few problems initially with my new stomach but it was quickly sorted ( i couldn't drink cold water everything had to be tepid or I was sick) but it was the start of the new me . I am now wearing size 14 and I'm still losing weight although more slowly now , I go out and enjoy myself with friends and even wore a bikini on holiday earlier this month ( key hole surgery ,love it no big scars). So if you are still trying to work out which op to go for my vote is the bypass as once it is done that's it, no more filling and adjusting the band , or worries it may slip. you can't over eat because after eating a small amount you are full. The downside is you do need to have a B12 injection every 12 weeks and to take calcium and vitamin tablets. Well whatever you chose ladies ( and gents) I wish you all the best. Chysalis2butterfly

i had my operation on 17th nov, i had problems swallowing Water after the op but it got better after a few days and i was let home but as soon as i started to eat purees the pain returned. i can't swallow a spoonful of food without pain and even swallowing water hurts now. someone said it could be my cpap machine and i should stop using it but as i have sleep apnea i am reluctant to do this. has anybody else suffered from this problem, how long did it last and how did it go away.

Hi, I'm living in the uk and due to have a gastric bypass or sleeve on the 17th November. It sounds strange not knowing what surgery i'm having but i have an appendix scar across my stomach and if i have scars internally i can't have a bypass , so i will have a sleeve instead. It will be the first sleeve in my hospital so i am a bit nervous. It's taken me two and a half years to get to the goal weightfor the surgery and I'm kind of excited BUT couldn't they look at my records, it's my birthday on the 18th so i will be in the ICU for it. sometimes the NHS sucks as much as my ex. I start my liver shrinkage diet on monday, 4 weightwatcher Soups and 4 muller light yogurts, with a pint of semi milk for 2 weeks and NO coffee ( i think i'll die) if any of you good folks have any advice , i would appreciate it

i'm 11 days post op, i had a bad start as i was being sick for the first 3 days, unable to swallow water and released from hospital on day 6 as i was feeling fine. now suddenly i have a stinging pain under my left ribs after i sip water, eat or am walking around, the area is tender to touch but not near the wounds. is this just a minor irritant i should ignore or should i try and find a medical person for advice. sorry to bother you good folks but i figure someone can calm my nerves.

i was warned about the tinny taste in the mouth at my lifestyle classes, we were told to stop using metal cutlery for a few months and it would go away as sometimes it can affect your tastebuds and put you off some foods.

told never to use a straw and in recovery low and behold they offered me a drink with a straw in it !! boy was the surgeon mad when he saw it even though the nurses told him i refuse it, he blew a gasket.

Hi i just had the dr prescibe my meds in liquid format and saved me the hassle of crushing them and finding a suitable substance to help swallow them

Hi my surgery was on the 17 of November 2014 in the uk, i had tons of medical evaluations and mental ones and i had to lose 5% of my body mass, i managed all this, went through surgery and it still doesn't feel real. i still take paracetamol of a night and i ate a puree sweet potatoe which was watered down to Soup like substance yesterday (still rather fancied my daughters spring rolls) finding eating actually causes discomfort, even a small amount but this is probably because its new right ? well it will make me stick to the diet. as i am disabled i have just got a treadmill and today i start walking, hope i dont come off the back i'll never get back on my feet again,

just got back from surgery ( 1 week) but i already know that streaching for a falling nurse call bell is stupid and very very painful. i had forgotten i had just had surgery now im sore and i wont be picking things up either as that hurts too. my advice take it easy the first days or you put yourself back

I'm having my op hopefully on monday ( barring any unforseen holdup) , i dont know if i'm having a bypass or a sleeve due to a former op which has left a scar across my stomach and possibly internal scarring. if there are any uk patients who have had either surgery and would like to mentor or buddy me i would be most grateful as post op info is a bit thin on the groundat the moment( everybody seems to be having the band here).

Hi , i'm having my op on monday hopefully , i'm on my pre op diet of weight watcher Soups x4 muller light yogurts x4 and 1 pt semi skimmed milk. Im glad i found this site as i don't really have a support network behind me as it's just me and my daughter now so i really need some one who has been there done that and got the tshirt to prove it and who can point me in the right direction as there doesn't seem to be a gastric bypass group in my area

Hi pinkcare, i'm having my op on Monday fingers crossed, i had to get rid of 5% of my weight in a year. not sure if you have done that bit yet, then did a 6 week course to change my eating habits, seen a dietian and a phycologist ( thats probably spelt wrong) head shrink to see if you can cope with having loads of loose wrinkley skin, then the guy who will knock you out and the surgeon and the pre op nurses to check your blood pressure and stats. then you wait and wait for three months or more for the date and then there are more blood tests, you will think you are a pin cushion,BUT getting that date and doing the pre op diet all the hard work is suddenly worth all the hassle as the goal is in sight. when you get your date or you need a buddy i'm always on the keyboard drop me a line, good luck

for my surgery and most of us uk patients we have to go on a pre op diet, its either shakes or (as i have picked cos i'm greedy) 4 weight watcher soups, 4 muller light yogurts and a pint of semi skimmed milk. the reason is the liver is in the way during surgery and has to be pushed or lifted out of the way, the diet shrinks the liver size lessening the chance of damage. hope this helps you understand why some do it

Sorry to hear your feeling down Jenn, i'll send you an invisible hug to help you feel better, they work for my family when we can't hug each other. i hope your whizzing round soon

i'm living in Reading uk but my heart is forever in my home town Liverpool. i'm down for surgery on the 17th Nov but it's up to the surgeon if i get the bypass or the sleeve

i'm on day 5 of a 14 day pre op diet, i get to eat 4 weight watchers Soup, 4 muller light yogurts and a pint of semi skimmed milk a day. as there is so much variety i haven't got bored with the food yet but the milk.... i hate the stuff, a definate hold the nose and swallow fast. in fact i'm eating more than i would normally!

Hi Jenn, hope you get over the cold quickly and it doesn't go to your chest, i have my fingers crossed for you and if i could move my legs i would cross my toes too. never thought of suger free jelly or sugerfree lollys ( english names for Jello and popsicals) i've not heard of Vitamin Water , i need to investigate some health shops, i will borrow a mobility scooter on monday and have fun whizzing round the shops looking. i did lighter life a few years ago which was just shakes for months, i survived by pretending that everybody elses food was something gross and my shake was fantastic ( big big lie) but if you keep saying it mentally you start to believe, i dont know if it will work for you but it may make you smile whilst having those shakes. good luck and keep smiling

Hi Jenn and Ladypoohbear, Good luck with your sugery Jenn , I would love to keep in touch with you and see how you are doing, i too had loads of testing and mental health checks to see if we are mentally able to cope with what we are facing, i got fed up and told the dr that i'd lost the plot and my marbles years ago so either give me the surgery or decline me so i could get on with my life, to my amazement she laughed and said i'd do. unfortunately Ladypoohbear NHS hospitals dont permit us to take in our laptops or tablets, in fact other than my wash stuff and nightwear i can't take in anything else, no jewellery no hair products or styling tools and no makeup, i'm not even allowed to have nail polish on my fingers or toes and i will be in a ward with 9 other patients having gastic surgery. i have been cooking beef broth and freezing it in ice cube trays for post op, so today i will be making chicken broth as an alternative, does anybody have any ideas what else i can make, ideas are thin on the ground round here.