summerseeker

I had to save. It cost me around £12,000. The NHS in my area had stopped doing this surgery as they said it was not essential surgery and they had a huge back log because of Covid. Lots go abroad because it is cheaper. I was too timid. Most private hospitals in the UK offer interest free packages, cheaper than a bank loan.

Totally me

Yes thats so true. I could not eat chicken for 2 years. My stomach says cooked salmon is still off my menu. Pork is ok if its lean. I am 2 and a half years out now.

My 10 year passport has two years to run on it. I have wondered if I could accidently on purpose, set fire to it. I have had a lot of strange looks going through passport control. I have to answer lots of I.D. questions. It was a lousy photo to begin with and she looks nothing like me now. Every time I go away, I hold my breath until I am let back in the country. Roll on 2026

I don't think the fact that its pureed helps. It already looks like something you wouldn't eat. I just couldn't. I skipped this stage. I made vegetable soups that were thicker than my liquid ones. I added cheese that melted in. Made them with some milk instead of all stock. It worked for me. Never be afraid to go back a stage for a while. We can not all have the same healing curve.

I live in the Uk, so we do not always have the groceries that you have. Do you have Heinz soups ? Cream of chicken always boosts me. I have real bad acid reflux so Tomato soup is a no no which is a shame because it was a go to. TBH I still eat lots of soups, they are easy, quick and gentle on my prone to tantrums tummy. Homemade mushroom and bacon and carrot and lentil are the go to's at this time

Homemade milkshake, pho and chicken noodle soup with the noodles strained out. I also strained any tinned soup.

Well done for getting the surgery you so badly needed. Its amazing isn't it. A little word of caution though, You will be eating tiny amounts and this will not sustain hard core exercise. You might get dizzy and nauseous, always carry a drink or a protein shake and a snack. I still do this and still need them now and again

You both look so much younger. If we had, couple of the year like at weight watchers, you two would defo get my vote. Thank you for sharing, its made my day

Lord have mercy $65 for a buffet ? Each ? Love the look of the focaccia though, yum

I had immediate loose bowels the moment I woke from surgery, it went on for a few hours. I certainly got myself moving in more ways than I expected. After that I didn't go for 15 days. I will not lie, it was tough. TMI moment, I had to put on rubber gloves and deal with it. I still get very constipated. Its my new hell. Keep on top of your Miralax regime and add some fibre to your diet if you can. Protein products and iron tablets add to constipation for some of us.

I went with the Spire group in the UK. My package lasted 2 years so I had all the help I needed. I paid about £12,000 as well. I had excellent care. I know of people who have gone to Turkey for the surgery and have no after care. I have heard on here that others have had aftercare. If you are going that route its a question you may need to ask. As this surgery affects us all differently its impossible to help others when specifics are needed. Only a bariatric dietician can help. Turkey is advertising the surgery for £2000, I don't know if I would risk it though.

I eat anything I want. BUT, Luckily I have never liked fast food or potatoes. I can't eat fried foods. I still have a fierce restriction. These things help keep me on track I don't buy chocolate because I still can eat a huge amount. Once I open a bar its all mine till its gone. So apart from these exceptions, I eat anything and everything. I have been on a diet all my life and I wanted to change this mindset. I try to eat well 90% of the time as @NickelChip said.

I did very little exercise and lost on 1200 calories a day. I am maintaining on an average of 1500 a day. I still have a relaxed regime, I walk a few miles a week and work in a very busy charity shop once a week. I am retired so you can see work and exercise didn't help me. I still have a fierce restriction so the calories are ok for me. I once had a stall of 3 months and then dropped 7 pounds overnight. I began to think that I had finished my journey. Everyone is so different and its heart breaking if you compare yourself to others.

No I don't take measurements. I really wished I had started this at the beginning of my journey. I just love that I have an excuse to buy new clothes again. It has taken me a while to like clothes shopping because I was not used to having too much choice. Now I am hooked

I lost for about 2 years then I decided that I felt ok with my weight and size. I then increased my calories to 1500 a day and I am stable at this weight. I don't do strenuous exercise, just gentle walking. Oddly enough I have dropped a size in the last 6 months ?? but no weight.

Hello and welcome into the forum. Congratulations on getting so far along. Your stomach has a huge cut and stitch line, it is swollen and will take a while to heal. It is tough to progress through the stages with all this but just try your best. It is ok to go back a step for a few days. The pressure in your chest is because it cant all get into your stomach at the moment. Sip slowly If you get more nausea you may need a PPI

Cucumber, lettuce, carrots, boiled beetroot, leeks, baked squash, roast cauliflower. Early out I had to get my veg in by making different vegetable soups and blitzing it. I had a cup as one of my 6 tiny meals a day. Any soup with added cheese was a particular favourite. Broccoli and stilton, onion and cheddar, carrot and cilantro { see I have been on this forum for so long that I am now using the American } lentil and vegetable and Gazpacho are still my favs. Raw veg other than lettuce tend to fill me for too long. I had some carrot batons this week and I was burping all evening, very unpleasant

Just put a few teaspoons of milk powder in your cup of skimmed milk and add your nut butter and blitz. Half a banana gives fibre. Add some Greek yogurt or protein yogurt when you are eating more. Just do it to taste.

Whoa, for that much money I would want it to be full of milk and be Cleopatra every day.

Yes I am the same. I have a lot of lower body skin that seems to weigh heavy. If I had the surgery I am sure I could reach it. BMI does not account for this. You do look good. So go learn to maintain now haha

Another milestone in your journey. So incredibly well done. You have worked so hard for it. You must be the poster girl for your team. Are you going to push on for the secret goal now ?

Just wow. You have smashed it. My advice for what its worth would be. Give yourself time to adjust to being smaller. I am into my 3rd year post op and still look in the mirror and wonder at my size. I have always been big and it has taken me a while to adjust to not being the focus of everyone's eyes. With clothes on I fit in this world now. Without clothes ? at your age, I would get the surgery. At my age I am ok with the skin

Everything you are about to do is new. I won't lie for most of us the first month is tough. Not because of pain but all the new things that need learning. The two main things are - Your first will be drinking. You will have a tiny stomach to begin with that will have a swollen stitch line. This makes sipping drinks a full time job. The more liquid you can get in you, the better you will feel. Secondly its going through the food stages. Just do your best. Be prepared for some foods to repulse you. Don't bulk buy. Use you team post surgery for the big questions and worries and this forum will give you great guidelines and advice. I read a lot of back pages of the forum whilst I waited for the surgery. It hold masses of information. You will only find help here, we don't criticize. We all did the surgery, we all managed the process, you will too. You don't need to know everything right now.

Hello @Selki Even I had these at 60. I was tearful and touchy. It felt like PMT. I hadn't been pre warned about these and when I asked on here, I was quickly answered. Once I knew the cause it was easy to accept the feelings and move on. The symptoms don't last long, about a month in my case. I had to say sorry a few times to my husband. Good luck with your surgery, it has so many benefits you will be amazed.