Bypass2Freedom

I am in the same boat with not having had surgery since I was younger so I really can't remember what it was like to go under! I am really glad to hear that you don't remember anything and it wasn't a scary experience! Also congratulations on your weight loss so far!

Heya! My surgery is next week, but my birthday is about 3 and a bit weeks after that, so I have been asking myself the same question! My plan is to make everything as non-centered around food as possible. I am hoping to go to an animal experience so I can pet some capybaras, and then just see my family and watch some movies or something! Don't get me wrong, it feels weird that this will be the first birthday in like 28 years where I haven't had cake, but at least I should be feeling happier for the first time in many years! Where I have lost something, I will also gain! Happy belated birthday ❤️

This cracked me up! 😂Congratulations!!

Heya! I started my pre-op diet a week ago and it was so hard in the beginning, but I promise you it does get so much easier after the first 2-3 days. You got this!

My skin is breaking-out like a b***h I am used to my skin being a bit funny as I have PCOS, but I have proper broken out in spots all over my chin and one on my cheek and it is insane! Did anyone else's skin do this? I am on day 5 of my pre-op diet. Finding it much easier to manage now as everyone said! One mistake I have made though is only ordering one flavour soup I thought I would like, and it turns out that it just makes me gag now 🤢

It is awful! I can't wait for it to calm down - but it just keeps coming 😂 thank you for the hope!

Heya! I completely get the nerves - I am definitely feeling it too! It is only natural to feel that way, it is a big step we are taking I started my pre-op diet on the 30th May, so I am almost a week in. The first 2-3 days were really hard, I won't like. Cravings were biting my ass, and the pressure headaches were unreal. That being said, it does pass, and then it is pretty manageable. I don't feel like I am struggling as much at the moment! You got this!

My dietician said I am only allowed meal replacement stuff so that it has all the vitamins & minerals I need in them, so no other soups I am gonna have to grit my teeth with it I think! Almost there for sure! I can't wait for it to be over haha

@pamela It is so annoying isn't it! I literally just feel so gross, but I know it'll pass How are you finding things?

My boyfriend is just cooking for himself, but it is really weird to not eat with him at dinner time & also seeing him eat and thinking "I really wanna smack you right now" 😂

So glad to hear it was a success and that you are doing well!

I am wishing you all the best for your surgery! I have mine on the 14th so I will let you know how it goes and we can keep in touch if you like? I haven't had surgery since I was about 2-3 years old! I am DEFINITELY taking my crocs, and they will be put in sports-mode for my shuffles down the corridor haha. I second the no more back pain!

That is amazing! How are you feeling?

Good luck for today! I will be thinking of you! ❤️

So, I started my LRD (pre-surgery diet) today, and I am really seeing what is meant by 'head hunger'. I had my shake this morning at around 8:30am, and I am sitting here staring at this protein bar (which is my snack), really having to think about WHY I want to eat it. I keep flitting between: "I am hungry, I should eat it", and then just drinking some water and realising that actually my "real" hunger is quite minimal at the moment, but my cravings, my "head hunger" is telling me I NEED to eat that bar. So far, I haven't, and I will try and stay away from it until I actually am hungry, but it is quite intimidating to realise how strong my cravings actually are. Does anyone have any advice around cravings and if it gets any easier?

Dupe

I am definitely doing the same! No more coke zero and energy drinks or prosecco for me. I am just getting in the mindset that I can't have them again - which is okay! Thank you so much I am definitely going to try my best!

Thank you everyone for you advice! I have been reading through it whilst struggling and it really helped actually. Yesterday was my 1st day and oh my god, one minute I was fine and the next I was an over-emotional, sensitive mess! The morning was completely fine, and I didn't feel too bad until about 4pm. Had a massive drama with my evening SlimFast shake - I didn't realise it needed skimmed milk, and by this point I was so done mentally but I still dragged myself to the shop. Got back home. Realised I'd bought semi-skimmed milk, which nearly brought me to tears 😂 My boyfriend had to go to the shop for me in the end 😅 Either way, I am gonna try and not spiral so much mentally today 😂 I had no chewing gum to hand, but I did have a few snacky pickles which are very low calorie! Thank you all ❤️

@SamDS100 Hey Sam. I am also from the UK - I think contacting your surgeon may be a good idea, but if you can't get in contact with them, try reaching out to Simon Monkhouse. I believe he is on Instagram as @weightlosssurgeon and he is more than happy to help with any questions people have in my experience

@Calli it is a strange feeling isn't it! I feel that although there are things we won't be able to do for now, the things we WILL be able to do because of having this surgery will be amazing. I am need of a shopping buddy...I may have to ask my mum haha!

Both of these things are going though my head!! I can't wait to be able to tie up my trainers without my tummy and my ten tonne tits getting in the way 😂 I definitely was eating whatever I wanted before I started my pre-op diet today!

I just started my liver reduction diet (pre-op diet) today, and I am hoping it'll be okay! 😖 I know I get so dizzy & nauseous when I am severely hungry, so it will be interesting to see how this goes haha. It feels surreal now that surgery is so close, and I am at the beginning of the *real* countdown now. I keep looking at things like chocolate and other snacks that are still in the house (due to a snacky boyfriend haha), and I am thinking...usually I'd give into my cravings, and just eat what I want, but I CAN'T. It is both difficult, but liberating.

Commenting on this now as I have just seen it pop up! I am probably just a cozy gamer at heart - I play things like Animal Crossing, Sims 4 etc. But I also love Baldur's Gate 3 & I have been playing World of Warcraft since I was about 13 😂 For the Horde! ❤️

So after my revelation yesterday, I had my weekly therapy session. I have been going to therapy for almost a year now, mainly to help with my PTSD, and now moreso to address some of my trauma when it comes to my weight, and how that effects my emotional eating. I brought up my thoughts to my therapist, and she agreed that it is self-perception, not how my loved ones are seeing me. I'll be the first to admit, that I don't particularly like being emotional in front of other people, and in the entire year I have been attending therapy, I have only cried in front of my therapist 2-3 times. I found it quite hard to hold back the tears during this session (though that didn't stop me) - I realised that I have only really scratched the surface of the trauma I have from past relationships, and how that has completely tattered my self-image. More than anything, I realise that now more than ever, I need to address this as I approach the beginning of my weight loss journey. It is becoming more and more apparent, as everyone says, that surgery really is just a tool. It will give me that initial kick to lose weight so that I see the physical benefits: I will be in less pain, more able to get up and move about, more energy. I will *hopefully* feel more positive in myself and more confident. But the rest of the work, well, surgery can't do that for me. I am responsible for changing my behaviour & attitude, and I think for me at least that starts with being kinder to myself. I can't remember a time where I have been kind to my body, in how I treat it, and how I think about it. I realise that if I want to be successful on this journey, I need to work on me as a whole, body and mind, or else success isn't something I'll be able to achieve. Old habits would creep in, and my expectations would be too high. I am now attempting to drop the mindset of: "when I am skinny everyone will love me, and they will all treat me better and I will be an amazing person" - because truly, that has been my internal narrative, and I didn't see it as a negative until the other day. I need to rework it into: "I am me now, and I will be the same person on the inside even when I have lost weight. Those who I care about already love me and treat me with respect and care, and anyone who doesn't, isn't deserving of knowing me. Regardless of if I am 20 stone, or 11 stone. I am worthy of love". So, time to put my words into action 🤞🌸

😖 I am a bit concerned as to how I will cope with the pre-op diet! I know I won't cheat or anything, but I find that when I don't eat enough I get severely dizzy, nauseous and very faint. I'll be at work too, so I am just going to try and stay behind my desk 🤣 I hope everyone is doing well!