eholmes89

Please see my post further down -forgot to mention I’m also Easy Midlands and Woodlands is based in Kettering on A14.

Hi Nat theres so many great private options in the U.K. and yes it’s a lot of money! And a loan I will be paying for the next three years. But I’m so happy! I don’t regret it one bit. (Had my surgery July 2021 and i reached target weight feb 5th - total loss of 6 stone) i got a loan via my bank as the finance offering was better than the finance options the hospital was doing. So I would say just shop around for that. also I interviewed three surgeons from three of the top named hospitals before I decided which one I felt was best for me. so spend some time researching the market. I went with Mr Sutton at woodlands hospital - part of the Ramsey group. I’ve had no problems at all. After care team was top level, no complications, surgery was quick, team were amazing. No complaints one bit!! i highly recommend. Paid £10k with 2 years after care from surgeon and team and a lifetime support line (dietitian)x

Hey to all my U.K. friends! So I’m 6 months post op and 2lbs from my personal target weight! Which I’m so happy about. Starting weight 15stone current weight 9stone 9 However I have some of that pesky flappy hanging skin on my lower tummy. Not as much as I expected which is good. I’ve managed to tone my top half of my belly giving it some definition. I also have two flaps of skin that once housed my breasts 😣 how soon after a sleeve has anyone else had a tummy tuck or breast uplift and who with? im doing some quotes at the moment to see if it’s viable as I feel ready is there any feedback from anyone in this situation? thanks

It seems we aren’t alone and many of us are in the same headspace. when I’m having a ‘positive polly’ day. I pop on some tight clothes, do my hair, put make up on and feel great and remind myself how far I have come. I look back at photos from a year ago and create comparison photos to remind me actually how lucky I am that I have managed to get through this. My health is much better. I am much happier in general…. however we all have those days where we feel a little bloated or chubby. Clothes don’t seem to feel right, we find bits of skin or something we never noticed before that now starts to annoy us and we concentrate so hard on the smaller issues such as that damn scale!! I also crave attention from others to tell me how skinny i am and how great I now look.. i guess the conclusion is —— it doesn’t matter what size you are. What the scale says… or how your clothes fit you. We will ALWAYS find flaws and bits we aren’t happy with. We looked at ‘skinny’ people and longed to be them because from the outside we assumed they were perfectly happy with their bodies.. truth is they had hang ups just like us.. maybe just not as noticeable. but we will continue to work towards changing our minds.. we changed our bodies and now it’s about learning to live and LOVE our new us… (can you tell I’m having a positive polly day )

This is exactly it… I am slap bang in the middle of the ‘green’ BMI. So in theory I’m where I need to be..but I want to hit an exact number.. I guess this where practising good mental health comes into play…

This is very true and in my sensible half of my brain I know this! However in that vulnerable side that needs to see the scale to believe it, it’s struggling. 😬

Mando, I can’t even explain how much this post means to me! Thank you for posting it! I thought I was the only one in this very rocky annoying boat. 7 months out for me - I’ve lost 73lbs. Dropped 6 dress sizes, and yes I will even agree that I look great! However…… I am 7lbs from my end goal… since before Xmas I have been bouncing up and down the scales 2-3lbs and can’t seem to shift anything. i have days I loose a lb - get excited and then jump back on a few days later and it’s back there again 🤨 I have had very supportive family and friends however they don’t understand why I’m so frustrated. Because they just see that I’m ‘skinny’ now and should just be happy. i am happy.. but I want to reach my goal. I have adjusted my meals. Increased my protein intake. Increased my water intake… I’ve started exercising (mainly walking and sit ups) I can see a difference in terms of my body is changing still, I’ve lost 1/2 inch in my waist, but nothing has moved on the scale. So although I look more defined I still want that scale to change! I think this is just the final mile and it’s a struggle when you see the scale move every week for the past 6-7 months for it to stop is a bit of an anticlimax. But it’s gotta stop at some point right? Maybe this is the weight my body is comfortable with and I need to get used to us… the only comfort is that I haven’t ‘gained’ weight … Keep going you will get there…

Trust me I would have it higher if it wasn’t for my partner putting a ban on it being any higher due to the crazy energy prices. 🙄🤭

I’m glad im not the only one. The one thing I miss about being a larger lady is being warm…. im forever cold… unless I’m in the shower or in bed. Which I can’t do all day - although it sounds amazing! In the U.K. at the moment we are sitting about -3c most days. (Around 26F) so I’m pretty chilly. I’ve pumped the heating up to a balmy 20c(68F) in the house but I also need to wear: thermal leggings - normally used for skiing 2 pairs of socks and lambs wool slippers Pair of joggers vest top tshirt hoodie body warmer (gilet) and I have a hot water bottle strapped to me. i drink a lot more coffee now because I always need a hot drink in hand. im holidaying in sunny Orlando in 38 days and I can not wait for some heat! Although I’m sure I will be freezing while indoors when my partner cranks the AC on. He’s a typical Brit that sweats at the site of the sun (he’s also ginger so suntans when he opens the fridge) So packing woolly socks, and hoodies for my Sunny holiday! Oh how times have changed….. 🤪🥶

Oh yes this is a lesson learnt with time. Something I’m still learning now… I’ve always been a fast eater, due to short school or work breaks in previous years. I’m never a metre away from Gaviscon! Because it’s a life saver when this happens. Everyday is a school day getting used to a new way of living… I’ve only really ever had one proper episode of ‘dumping’ and that was at Christmas, I got too greedy and I very much regretted that moment! It’s the only time I’ve vomited since surgery. we are all going through this together.. this is why this forum is so nice, it’s a great place to discuss these things with people who really understand. i just always had that final goal in my mind and pushed through.. but still I’m teaching myself each day new boundaries. 😊

Oh god I miss guzzling water!! I have a fibre supplement I got from my pharmacy it’s called ‘ Ispaghula Husk’ it’s an orange powder in individual sachets and I have one a day mixed with water. It’s helped ease the constipation! However I’m still only going once a week. I try to have weetabix a few times a week for breakfast - I can only manage 1 though. they say to eat more fibrous veg! But when you try and get the protein from meat it doesn’t leave much room for veg! Constant battle lol 😂 drinking and eating is a strange one… I do try and avoid it. Sometimes I do sip water but it can bring on some pain so try to avoid it as much as I can. But yes agree.. it’s hard to eat and not drink at the same time!

Sure. You are only about 3 weeks post op? So still really getting used to it all.. I would say with time your tolerance for sweeter things may return. I was always a savoury person! You would be guaranteed to find me at the sandwich’s and sausage rolls at a buffet!! so I don’t miss it as much as others maybe do. Have you looked at savoury protein shakes? Using plain protein powder? Like mixing in with soups? (Perhaps that’s what your already doing) protein is always a worry: even now I have to make sure my meals are protein rich.. because I still eat such a small amount. I struggle with fibre, that’s my downfall. Which has caused some very painful incidents with toilet habits!! So now I also have a fibre powered drink once a day. At first it seems overwhelming, but it becomes a way of life. 🙂 babybels, chicken fridge bites, protein yoghurts.. that’s how I managed. To be honest sometimes even now I don’t reach protein goals as I should. just keep trying best you can.. your stomach will feel much better as time goes on and you will be able to manage much more. i went from drinking 2-3 litres of water a day pre op! And now I can barely manage 1litre Across 12 hours! But it’s getting easier. 🙂

Hey!! Yes! Absolutely! For about 4 months I couldn’t stand any thing sweet! I would feel instant nausea! 6 months along and my tolerance has got better. I can’t drink sugary drinks, chocolate milkshakes etc.. but can now eat biscuits. However I can’t even eat solid chocolate anymore 😷 I did try some branded protein bars, desserts etc but when they were too sweet for me. Its not a terribly bad thing though… and now I don’t miss it anymore. i never tried the Grenade drinks for protein, might take a look. I find the strawberry or vanilla UFit protein drinks the most palatable. I also have Upbeat protein water which has a nice fruity flavour without the sweetness. i did also recently find a B12 water which I throw into my daily liquid intake to help boost the vitamins. It’s called Getmore. I find them on Ocado. Im glad there is a lot more out there now in terms of options for protein shakes etc.. because it can get boring.

Hi Charlotte! amazing! They are a fab team and the nurses were amazing during recovery. im doing really well now. I can eat anything in moderation. Still small portions but I’m really happy how it’s gone. yes those first few months were certainly difficult, but remembering the end goal gets you through. Speak with the team if you have any concerns, I assume you have Jane as your dietician and she’s lovely and will help with any advice you need. it’s all about changing your relationship with food, which took me a good few months. I felt i was missing out for a while, but now I can eat out with family, and I navigated Christmas well. I still enjoy food, but I have a different respect for it now. just hold out and take your time and let your body tell you what it needs. Remember vitamins and I also still take baricol for my B12 which Mr Sutton recommend. I’m reaching 1000 calories on a good day but still have restricted days where my stomach just doesn’t allow anything so I stick to protein shakes. Here’s a before and after. (I’ve lost another 6lb since the after photo) i want to loose another 8lbs but it’s slow going now and just letting my body do it’s thing. good luck in your journey! Any advice needed let me know.. loads of lovely people on here to chat to. xx

I used Ramsey Healthcare at the Woodlands in Kettering. My surgeon was Mr Sutton and bariatric nurse was Emma. They were and are an amazing team. Yes I paid a premium, but I have so much after care and lifetime support. I interviewed 3 different surgeons across the country before I made my decision and I am glad I chose him. Within 6 weeks of first consultation I was in and having my surgery. i had my surgery in 13th July, I weighed 15 stone. I now weight 9 stone 10. I have had no complications at all! I used a bank loan to fund this as the interest rate was more favourable. It did cost me £10k but it’s the best money I have ever spent! i also have an on hand dietician and an app which has lifetime support and contact with a range of professionals good luck in your journey!! 😊

Hey July buddies! how are we all. So Im coming to the realisation that my body is starting to plateau! For the first time. Yes I’ve been very lucky I’ve lost weight every week since surgery, sometimes 1lb, sometimes 5lb. however the last 3 weeks I’ve been sitting between 149-147lbs. It goes up and down. Sometimes daily! i started at 210. So I’m really happy with what Ive achieved!l so far! However I kinda wanted to be around the 138 mark as a overall target. my BMI is now in the green for ‘normal’ does this mean I’ve hit my end goal? Is my body telling me that’s it now? i mean I can’t complain I’ve gone from a UK18-20 to a UK8-10! but I’m still a little disappointed. either that or I need to just bide my time and wait. I’m hitting about 1200 calories on a good day - 600 on restricted days. But have notice the last few weeks I can eat a little more per portion. perhaps I need to exercise more.. if im honest I don’t do much… im not good at exercise 🤦🏻‍♀️ just leaving this here as I complain to my family and friends and they think I’m being weird and just thought you guys would understand where I’m coming from. xxx

Me too! Chicken just doesn’t sit right! I’ve tried it shredded, in Mayo, in gravy.. nothing works. Even when I look at chicken now I feel nausea! ground beef is tolerated better but I was a fan before surgery so it’s a struggle now. I’m loving fish though.

Well done Bill! You look so much happier and healthier! Good for you! 👏🏻

Hi Tony! you sound like me! I miss bread so much! Toast, sandwiches, baguettes 😩 all my favourite things! but the same here, couple of bites of bread and I’m reaching for the Gaviscon! i might try a really saucy chicken salad, and see if that helps. i am also leaning more towards fish, soft white fish, prawns. It seems to go down nicely and it’s flavoursome. Gonna miss a fishfinger sandwich though! I’m not missing sweet much either, you would always find me at the savoury end of a buffet 😉

Chicken. Yuk. my favourite meat now makes me want to vomit! Even watching other people eat it… im 16 weeks out and this has been a thing the last 3 weeks. Prior to that I was fine. steak, beef, lamb, pork and bacon are all fine. However i’m now not as interested in meat as I was before and simply eat it for protein. From the get-go I can not handle sweet stuff… no way. Even sweet drinks or protein shakes are a no no I’m also going off anything with flavour lol 😂 spices, garlic, herbs. I don’t like cream or heavy sauces. I am turning into one of those ‘fussy eater’ types I used to despise because I would eat everything! i just crave plain pasta with cheese.

Yes I’m interested in this too!! I had two cocktails on my 10 year wedding anniversary and it was very obvious I was drunk! I’m a cheap date now apparently. Is this just me that has two drinks and can’t speak? Or will it improve? 😁

Any of the july crew loosing interest in certain foods? i have completely gone off chicken! I’ve tried it so many ways and it just doesn’t digest nicely ☹️ Also egg whites… no thank you. Sugary stuff.. don’t even bother. i was never fussy with food before (obviously) but now I prefer a simple diet. No sauces, no over powering flavours… or it gives me nausea! Also watching food programmes on TV makes me want to vomit. Strange.

Love this!!! Although I never experienced it I did hear rumours of weight limits on some of the water rides at Volcano bay in FL? I avoided it last time I was on holiday in Florida to avoid embarrassment.. however I have a trip booked for Feb now the borders are open and I’m so excited to experience the US as a slimmer me. New hurdles and challenges lay ahead as eating my weight in pancakes and Olive Garden was my all time fave!!

Ahh I see. I’ve been having excruciating right shoulder pain since my surgery. Waiting for a musculoskeletal consultant appointment at present. But I had heard this could be a sign of gall inflammation - but I have no other symptoms so my assumption it’s a trapped nerve maybe. good luck with Thursday! I hope everything goes well for you x

You’ve done really well! Can I ask what symptoms you had that led to the decision to remove your gall bladder?