NeonRaven8919

My LRD is a 12 milk and broth diet. But I went to the latest dietician meeting with me NHS MDT and they said that from three weeks before surgery, I can do soup and yoghurt. Each NHS trust seems to have different diets. I am assuming you're not in the UK so your doctor will probably say something different. I think the general consensus is, no to low carbs, no fat, no sugar and keep it at 800 calories a day.

I've done a few of the "weight loss workshops" that they offered, but it was yet another weight loss diet attempt that failed. I think it was called "apples and pears" and they weighed us, gave us a few tips on healthy eating and criticised the slightest and then left us to to run around the gym for an hour. It was more like a creche for fat adults and very patronising. They offered some counselling, but she didn't want to listen to me talk about anything but food, which isn't really helpful if emotional eating isn't really about eating.

Welcome! I was approved for the sleeve back in May so I am new to the journey, (still Pre-op) It's always nice to have new perspectives here.

No such scheme in my LA sadly. London is really expensive.

I took up cycling about two years ago. It's exercise and a cheap method of transportation. I got an e-bike as I don't have the fitness levels (yet) for an "acoustic" model. I found it's good for knees as they can go a full rotation but without putting weight on them since the saddle takes the weight. I also agree with water aerobics. My gym used to have a class I went to, but I can't attend since it's at 11am on Monday now and I have to work.

Oh that's really soon! Congrats! I felt the same way when I got called to arrange the surgery date so soon! I think I felt really thrown is becaus the first thing they did was out me on a 12 week diet very suddenly and I didn't have time to prepare and had to throw out good food and buy new things for the diet. I think also it was the fact that getting that call means it's finally happening! Especially as you've been on the NHs waiting list for a long time. It's not just a vague idea of soothing that will happen on the future anymore but a real thing that you have to prepare for. It's scary and exciting! I didn't think to ask any questions, but since my mother went through it back in 2008, I knew already about the surgery and the complications.

Well done!! You look amazing!

I was approved in May, and told my surgery date would be maybe summer of 2025. Then they called two month later and told me it would be October of 2024. Maybe it will be sooner for you! Are you NHS as well? I'm glad it went well for you!

I've been told by my doctor that I'm behind the weight I should be losing. I should be done to 116kg (255 lbs) by now. I really was starting to worry as the weight on the scale kept going up, but then I suddenly went down to 117kg. I had to stand on the scale twice because I couldn't believe the number. It was so easy the first couple of weeks of the pre-op diet and now it doesn't seem to be working as quickly. I'm still doing what I need to, but it's not been easy. I've also been told by my doctor that after surgery, I won't be able to ride my bike for 6 weeks! This is more difficult than not being able to eat solid foods for weeks. My beautiful noble steed (her name is Angelique Iolanthe) will have to be in storage for 6 weeks. 7 more weeks until the surgery. I've been reading more articles and doing more research on the sleeve. I'm not sure if that easing the anxiety or adding to it. Thanks to everyone for sharing your stories! It's one thing to do research and read medial information, but it's so much more reassuring to hear from people who have actually lived it. Even hearing the not so glamourous parts of life post-op.

I've been struggling to keep up with the diet so I thought I would try to focus on all the things that I hope to accomplish from the surgery so that I can remind myself what better times I have to come. Not just big things like better health but also the smaller things that I think are just as important. 1st: Sleep! I want to lose enough weight to sleep well. I don't have sleep apnoea yet, but my doctor says I'm at risk because of my weight and even without the sleep apnoea, it's still really hard to get comfortable and lying on my back definitely affects my breathing and my spine. 2nd: Activity! I ride my bike everywhere and I enjoy it, but I would love to do other things without pain in my knees. I go to concerts a lot and usually need to stand because no one sits at rock concerts (unless it was like when I went to see the Scorpions last month when the average age of music fan was 56 so it was all seats). Standing for a long time hurts and then I can't enjoy the concert as much as I was hoping. Maybe be able to lose the ebike and get an "acoustic" bike. 3rd: Fashion! Being able to shop at cheaper stores. Plus size clothes comes with a plus size price tag. Years ago, (teenage years) I bought a t-shirt that was a size 16. They had the same t-shirt in the "plus size section" (also a size 16 and the exact same size) and it was £2 extra for the same amount of fabric. And as someone with a more alternative sense of fashion, not a lot of plus size clothes have skulls and flames and vampires and things like that. They tend to make plus size clothes with puppies and kitties and cutesy things. There's nothing cutesy about me.

Good point! I've been working on a jumper for over 2 years (entrelac an complicated) If I ever finish it, would be too big.

I did an NHS weigh loss education session before I was approved for surgery and one last week after I was approved. It was basically the same session twice and most of it was what to eat after the surgery. It's informative, but it's not really new information that I didn't have before. It's very clinical. I agree that hearing other peoples' stories is much more helpful.

Not yet. I need go clear off a place for the machine to go first. But I do crochet and knit and make my own jumpers. When there's less of me, I guess will need less yarn to make myself something!

I hadn't even thought about this! I guess it just never occurred to me to feel good about myself! I've always been the bullied fat girl somintried to keep my head down and stay quiet.

Well done! You look great! Congratulations on your hard work!

I'm exactly the same. Even starting to talk to somebody, I would panic wondering how they could really like me, and delete the dating app. But this is definitely something I want to do. I want to go to more concerts and music festivals, too. All the standing is painful and makes me not enjoy the show. Less weight on my knees and I can stand longer and do more

I'm going back home to the US in November. (I'll be 6 weeks post-op then) I fully plan to take an empty suitcase and hit walmart and the thrift stores. And also stock up on Tylenol since you can get bottles of 100 over there and only packs of 16 and only 2 at a time here without a prescription. Always handy to have around.

Off topic, but I'm from Montana originally before I moved to the UK! Nice to meet another Northwest coast person! I know Bozeman well! You look really good! Congrats!

That's a really good analogy! Obesity is the only disease people seem to think it's ok to comment about "the easy way out" and it's usually people like my neighbour who is thin as a rail, gains 1kg in a month and shrieks about how fat she's gotten. In other words, people who don't have a clue. If you got a hip replacement so that you could walk without a wheelchair, that's an operation that makes your life easier, but no one says that's taking the easy way out!

I think the revision has just kickstarted the weight loss again? I'm still pre-op, but I think if you've had the sleeve years ago, the body might be acting as if it's a new surgery? But congrats on the new progress!

I had my presurgical assessment and they said I would need lansoprazole. It sounds like a pasta dish so I was really confused! 😂 I'd never heard of it, although I have vague memory of my step-dad being on it for a short time. Congrats an all your progress! You look amazing! I really notice a difference between your old profile pic and your new one!

I think it's to save beds for people really in need that can't walk the short distance to the hotel. My mother had the gastric bypass in 2008 and the sent her to a private hospital because there were too many people and not enough beds. A problem typical of London hospitals and my hospital is right in the centre. I assume in smaller cities it's not necessary.

I don't mind the cold shoulder all the time, but yes it's too much! Either have a sleeve on the top or don't!

Yes! Pockets! Although lack of pockets isn't exclusive to plus sizes. That's just women's clothing in general. They don't want us to have pockets so we can't carry the tools to dismantle the patriarchy! 😂

Of course! That's so typical!