NeonRaven8919

Thank you!!
That is so amazing to hear how your confidence has grown, and you seem to be rocking with it entirely! Omg I can't wait to be able to wear a bikini one day!!

Absolutely love your style!

I tried to go via the NHS route and I was refused - I went for stomach I think it was at the time and if i recall they refused me as I had my hernia fixed already. 😕 Though I am glad I as refused now because in going privately I found an amazing surgeon and I am sooooo happy with my results of the ops I had over a decade ago - I had an amazing surgeon in Kent (Not sure he still works in Kent tho he is here https://martinjones.org.uk/ I feel going privately you are able to talk more about what you want to achieve and really feel heard, you are not rushed and if you feel at ease with your surgeon, you can say 'I need this' as I did - And get what you asked for, even if he had never done this op before as in my case when he found it in a book for the outer thighs as inner thigh surgery had not tackled the problem of sitting in a puddle of skin) I think when I first saw him he thought I was a head case as I was in tears - Losing weight after being fat all your adult life is a very emotional thing and to be honest I was a different human after the surgery than I was on the day I met him. I had lost a ton of weight, and had a lot of skin to remove and over a couple of years he took such a lot of skin off 🙂 There are some pictures on this site - But am happy to update any pictures if you need any, and tell you what happened in the Ops I had... He is very much a perfectionist and exceeded by a million percent what I expected from the operations after seeing things on TV and on many sites. If I ever needed an op like these again I would always want to go to him, as his work is amazing...

Neither did I!! But I have been told it is a postcode lottery I am not confident but I have everything crossed and I will keep you updated! xx

I didnt know it was even possible on the NHS anymore so I am so keen to follow this thread. Fingers crossed for you x

One for my UK family ❤️
Recently had a referral made for plastics in the UK via the NHS - now I know the likelihood of this being approved is extremely low - the GP making the referral even said to me it is entirely dependent on what clinician picks it up, as we are at their whim/bias, even telling me a story of how one woman had her loose skin removal referral denied because the clinician stated that because she paid for her RNY privately, then she could afford to pay for plastics...how awful!
Either way - has anyone actually had their plastics on the NHS, and if so, what was your experience like?
If not - have you paid privately in the UK and if so, where did you go? I have been looking into Ian Whittaker!

I was an early adopter of sparkling Water too but I let a lot of the bubbles go first so it was semi flat. Plus I sipped on that glass (500ml) for a few hours. I turned to it as plain water started to become heavy and difficult to drink so sparkling water gave me an alternative to predominately plain water. I still do this almost every day.

I actually gave up a lot of carbonated drinks years before my surgery (except for soda or tonic water as a mixer & champagne). Carbonation is terrible if you have reflux (GERD) of which I had a mild case so it is something to keep in mind especially as you have a sleeve. I’m not a big or regular alcohol drinker any more either & I can’t recall the last time I had soda or tonic water as a mixer. Still have the odd glass of champagne - maybe one or two glasses a month.
As for being able to take large gulps, drink large volumes of liquid or take multiple sips at a time is an individual thing. Personally I can’t gulp any more nor can I take more than 2 or 3 sips at a time. (E.g. had trouble swallowing a med last year - 4 attempts then up came all the water & the med I had finally swallowed.) Regularly sipping doesn’t bother me. I never feel thirsty or at least never so thirsty I need to take several gulps or down a whole glass at a time.

It comes down to what you and your tummy is happy with you doing in regards to how much liquid you can swallow at a time and to carbonation.

18 months post op, RNY, and I drink sugar free soda daily, not that I should, but I do. And I don't have any issues with it. I can gulp Water if I have an empty stomach, can't gulp soda, but I can sip it like normal and I love it. I even drink it with a straw. Everyone's experience will be different. I waited at least 6 months before experimenting, and I would recommend going very slow, a sip or two at a time until you know what will happen.

ok...
first: DISCLAIMER...we are all different and will experience life and all its awesomeness in different ways. what *I* go through is in no way indicative of what YOU will go through.
with that said, I am closing in on 7 years post-op (sleeve) here is/was MY experience:
- i accidentally found out that i was able to GULP a whole bunch of liquid at around 3 weeks post op (i was super thirsty at the time), and have no problem doing it since.
- i was cleared for ALL food/drinks at 1 month post op (except alcohol..which was 6 months**).
- i started drinking carbonated drinks (i.e, Perrier or Soda Water) at about 1 month post op) and had no issues, and i could even GULP it! i did not drink sugary carbonated drinks much at this time...except for tonic Water, which i had with my GIN or VODKA. ** i drank maybe 4-5 partial gin/vodka tonics in the time before i reached GOAL at 7 months post op.
- since reaching goal (like 7 years ago!), i have regulary drank carbonated drinks (real sugar and artificially sweetened) almost every day. i also have some sort of alcohol every day, but that's a different story, ha!
- i have maintained BELOW my stated goal weight (127 lbs) since achieving it more than 6 years ago.
- i am currently 103 lbs, and eat admittedly not the healthiest, but i exercise like a m-f*cker so i think it all evens out.
Edited to add: for those that my think i'm like way underweight, i'm barely 5'2" so my current weight is actually "healthy" for my height (at least that's what BMI and my doctor says, ha!)

Sort of. I've always dressed a little more alternative/gothic, but considering most of those fashions don't come in plus sizes I've mostly just made do with black leggings and black tops. Now, I'm a size 14 (uk) so I can actually start buying and wearing all the clothes I've always wanted to wear!
I do think that I've gain more confidence since I lost weight and that means I've starting taking more time and put more effort into makeup and hair etc.

Sort of. I've always dressed a little more alternative/gothic, but considering most of those fashions don't come in plus sizes I've mostly just made do with black leggings and black tops. Now, I'm a size 14 (uk) so I can actually start buying and wearing all the clothes I've always wanted to wear!
I do think that I've gain more confidence since I lost weight and that means I've starting taking more time and put more effort into makeup and hair etc.

Sort of. I've always dressed a little more alternative/gothic, but considering most of those fashions don't come in plus sizes I've mostly just made do with black leggings and black tops. Now, I'm a size 14 (uk) so I can actually start buying and wearing all the clothes I've always wanted to wear!
I do think that I've gain more confidence since I lost weight and that means I've starting taking more time and put more effort into makeup and hair etc.

Sort of. I've always dressed a little more alternative/gothic, but considering most of those fashions don't come in plus sizes I've mostly just made do with black leggings and black tops. Now, I'm a size 14 (uk) so I can actually start buying and wearing all the clothes I've always wanted to wear!
I do think that I've gain more confidence since I lost weight and that means I've starting taking more time and put more effort into makeup and hair etc.

I for one feel like I am constantly changing my style, whether that is my hair colour, the kinds of clothes that I wear, my make up etc!
Anyone else feel like they are constantly playing dress up and having fun seeing what suits them after weight loss?
For reference - I have just dyed my hair pink & have included a picture of my birthday outfit from Saturday!

@Arabesque I feel that! It is weird to look back and think of how much effort I put into trying to hide/disguise/conceal my body via clothes when in reality, I don't think anyone but me really cared!
A wardrobe of timeless, statement pieces...now that sounds interesting & I'd be so curious to see what kind of statement pieces you have! Sounds fabulous!
Clothing addiction is definitely something I think a lot of us have now that we can wear more in different sizing's - you aren't alone haha!
Thank you! ❤️

Most definitely! Finding my new style when I lost weight was very exciting. I used to wear a lot of architectural/structural clothing with volume, panels, angles darts & folds to give interesting shapes so more avant garde. Partly so people would look at the clothing not my large body.
Became obvious pretty quickly that I didn’t have the body to support these designs (being short didn’t help either). I was drowning in the volume of fabric & being overwhelmed by the designs. I had so much fun going on shopping sprees to stores and boutiques to try on different styles just to explore and see what now suited & not always to buy.
Now I tend to go for sleeker more fitted clothing much like your body con pink birthday dress. I like some volume but have to balance it with a fitted top or fitted bottom or in the cut or fall of fabric. Still like things with a difference in fabric or cut & generally don’t follow fads or trends so have a wardrobe of timeless, statement pieces.
Some sadness though as some designers/labels I used to love wearing are too big now (in style &/or size) but am very happy to be able to wear designers I used to wear when was smaller in the past or coveted. (Yes, I have a clothing addiction and spend too much on clothing).
PS - Your new pink hair is very flattering on your skin tone. Perfect colour choice. ❤️ And happy birthday!

Hi!
Sorry to have found your post so late! There's not a lot of NHS patients on here as this is mostly an American website.
I had my surgery in October 2024 on the NHS. I remember the dietician appointment was a video call with other patients before any surgeries were finalised.
I will admit that I don't feel like I got much out of it. The main message is eat slowly and prioritise Protein first when eating a meal.
The session with the psychologist (a ten minute phone call) was probably the least helpful as she just said I need to practice mindfulness and learn others ways to cope with stress other than eating. (Gee, thanks! Where was that advice when I was a fat 8 year old? 🙄)
I had a higher BMI than you currently do and the privilege of living in London, so I think I was bumped up a few tiers and fast tracked (I don't know if this true in general, but London seems to get the lion's share of the funding so hospitals are less strict. My Gloucester based friend has a BMI of 44, but because she has no comorbidities, she can't get any weight loss referrals because her BMI isn't 50+)
But I digress.
Once I had the surgery, it was a year and a half from the initial referral, it's mostly been smooth sailing. I had the gastric sleeve and had no problems. So far, I've lost 39 kg and more fatty liver has improved significantly.
My mother had the gastric bypass (also on the NHS). She had a complication, St Anthony's private hospital did the surgery, but the NHS covered it but once they operated again, she had no problems. She never shared exactly how much she weighed with me, but she went from a size 28-30 to a 22 and reversed her diabetes. She passed away in 2023, but if she hadn't, she would be much smaller I'm sure.
I've had a great experience so far with my procedure and weight loss. I really do recommend going the NHS route if you are able to do so.
Well done on making this decision to change your life! You've got this. Sometimes, just making the decision to get help is the hardest part!

My group session was for the first initial information session and group psychology initially information session. but everything else was one on one or in person with a few team members.

I'm glad your moving forward! As I mentioned before, my friend who lives in Gloucestershire is trying to get surgery, but their NHS trust requires either comorbidities or a 50+ BMI which she doesn't have. It's really tricky when each NHS trust has so many differnt rules so any progress on the path as slow as it seems, is good.
You're on your way which is a good start! Keep us updated!

Hi, NeonRaven!
Thank you so much for your reply and sharing your experience! I find it so helpful to hear how other NHsers have experienced the process since it seems so much more elongated from the U.S. process. And you make such a good point about the London privilege - now it makes more sense why I’ve seen more internet presence and response from London NHSers. (And quite a few from the far north of England as well!)
About three or four years ago during my annual diabetic review, my nurse had suggested bariatric surgery and that gave me a lot of hope - she was able to refer me for Tier 3.
I had my dietitian appointment yesterday and it went really well! It was about 30 minutes and went over the Tier 3 lifestyle changes, continued lifestyle changes (balanced meals, regular exercise, blood sugar monitoring, weight maintenance, etc), medications, and then any questions I might have. She was very positive and said she would be recommending me to go forward for surgery when the MDT meeting happens 🥲 (once I meet with the next consultants - psychologist, anaesthetist, bariatric nurse, and surgeon - how soon? No one knows.)
Needless to say, I am so relieved, so happy, and so excited to be moving forward even if it’s one step.
I’ve found out that my hospital trust now does their “one-stop” clinic as separate virtual appointments, rather than in-person. (So, perhaps it will be quite some time before that MDT meeting?) And then the endoscopy and ECG will be done at the pre-op assessment once a surgery date is confirmed.
I am so glad to hear your NHS experience has been so good and positive. I am so sorry to hear about your mother's complication and her passing, but it is so hopeful to hear she was able to put her diabetes into remission (that’s one of my big hopes!)
Congratulations on your weight loss and wishing all the health and success! 💕
PS - funny enough, I have not had any group sessions whatsoever in this process. I am wondering if I’ll have a group session with the bariatric nurse?

That's a wonderful, but sad, story. It's also incredibly happy. You find your way through the darkness and that's incredible!

Definitely a win in my eyes, or more accurately, a near win
I walk passed a charity shop every day on my way to work and they've had a dress in there that I've loved for awhile (Light grey stripes with neon yellow stripes). I never bought it because it's a size S and I'm not a size S. Still sometimes never think I could be. But still, I admired it from afar.
For months, I've seen it in there next to the neon yellow hot pants (I love neon, but I will never be a hot pants person as I don't like the wedgie feeling)
I handed in my resignation a month ago and am moving on to new neon green pastures. So I told myself, if that dress is still there on the last day of work and it's the last time I will walk by that charity shop, it must be fate.
So I bought the dress. As my mother would say "just because it goes around you, doesn't mean it fits". She was right. It doesn't fit. Yet. But the fact I can even get a size S to go around me is a victory. Something I would never have dreamed.
But it WILL fit me. Not just because I believe in fate, not just because no one else wanted this grey and neon yellow eye sore, but because I've quite literally worked my arse off.

Definitely a win in my eyes, or more accurately, a near win
I walk passed a charity shop every day on my way to work and they've had a dress in there that I've loved for awhile (Light grey stripes with neon yellow stripes). I never bought it because it's a size S and I'm not a size S. Still sometimes never think I could be. But still, I admired it from afar.
For months, I've seen it in there next to the neon yellow hot pants (I love neon, but I will never be a hot pants person as I don't like the wedgie feeling)
I handed in my resignation a month ago and am moving on to new neon green pastures. So I told myself, if that dress is still there on the last day of work and it's the last time I will walk by that charity shop, it must be fate.
So I bought the dress. As my mother would say "just because it goes around you, doesn't mean it fits". She was right. It doesn't fit. Yet. But the fact I can even get a size S to go around me is a victory. Something I would never have dreamed.
But it WILL fit me. Not just because I believe in fate, not just because no one else wanted this grey and neon yellow eye sore, but because I've quite literally worked my arse off.

Size UK16/US12! So proud! Also, these are actual jeans not pull on stretch pants!

Yes, but I have to buy new clothes and some of my favourite outfits look like tents. I just have to learn how to sew and alter things.

I'm a London, UK based NHS patient. I've only just found your post, but I've added some hopefully helpful waffle to your original post.
I don't have experience of Portsmouth hospitals (only their seaside touristy spots) but in general, I've had only good experiences with the NHS treatment I got.
The psychologist visit is usually just a formality because I don't think a ten minute phone call is a really good gauge of someone's preparedness for a life altering surgery. If they NHS has already gotten you past the referral stage, I would imagine, you'll just need to wait until they can find a surgery slot.
I was approved in July of 2024 and told that "unless the moons and planets all align, you will likely get your surgery Spring 2025" I guess the moons aligned because two weeks later, they called to tell me it was time to start the 12 week milk pre-op diet and I was scheduled for October 2024. You will probably not have a 12 week pre-op diet. I was told this was a test group trial for University College London Hospital and because I had NAFLD.
Don't be too nervous (easier said than done, I'm sure) and congratulations! You've made it this far! You can do this!
We're all here to support you!