UK Sleevers

[Malaika 50]

Hi everyone,

I have just been reading through the recent posts and found it all really interesting.

I have just got home after having emergency surgery on Monday night on a strangulated hernia and am even more convinced than I was last year, when I had the original hernia surgery (it's all a really long story), that they are absolutely useless when it comes to proper dietary advice.

I am still having my sleeve op on July 13th, thankfully, and cannot wait to get my slipped band out. I just don't think that the surgeon or the nurses really appreciate the problems I have had with this slipped band. I was retching and vomiting so much last week and over the weekend on an empty stomach (the indigestion would come from nowhere regardless of whether or not I had eaten or drank) that I ruptured myself and ended up with this strangulated hernia. Directly after the op they were wanting to administer me various tablets despite me repeatedly telling them that taking anything could cause me to start retching again. So they brought me a bowl to be sick in!!! That was what ruptured my stomach so eh??? I ended up getting quite panicky and then they toook notice and did administer my medication intravenously in the end.

Have been discharged though, despite not really being able to eat (although tbh I have tried some Soup today and am ok and not had any indigestion or reflux) and told to follow the milk and yoghurt diet prior to my sleeve surgery. When I told the sister that the m and y diet had really constipated me 2 years ago and that I had been told I could introduce a bit of dry toast, soup etc she told me that was rubbish and that I was to follow it exactly! I told her that I was not going to risk getting Constipation so soon after hernia surgery and that I wold take the surgeon's advice on that! Am going to do the same as I was advised two years ago though as that was good enough advice then.

They have all really annoyed me as they just don't seem to have a clue. I was discharged from hospital yesterday without them giving me any advice on my recovery nor them even inspecting my stitches, so it's just a good job that I am sensible and know that I need to take it easy and keep an eye on wound and keep it clean.

Anyway, I shall be having my band revision two weeks on Monday and will no doubt be back here asking for your advice again as I'm not relying on the hospital to be particularly helpful diet-wise!!!

All the best to everyone

Love Helenxxx

Dang girl you've really been through the wringer ... I hope and pray things are only positive for you from here on out.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

Hi everyone,

I have just been reading through the recent posts and found it all really interesting.

I have just got home after having emergency surgery on Monday night on a strangulated hernia and am even more convinced than I was last year, when I had the original hernia surgery (it's all a really long story), that they are absolutely useless when it comes to proper dietary advice.

I am still having my sleeve op on July 13th, thankfully, and cannot wait to get my slipped band out. I just don't think that the surgeon or the nurses really appreciate the problems I have had with this slipped band. I was retching and vomiting so much last week and over the weekend on an empty stomach (the indigestion would come from nowhere regardless of whether or not I had eaten or drank) that I ruptured myself and ended up with this strangulated hernia. Directly after the op they were wanting to administer me various tablets despite me repeatedly telling them that taking anything could cause me to start retching again. So they brought me a bowl to be sick in!!! That was what ruptured my stomach so eh??? I ended up getting quite panicky and then they toook notice and did administer my medication intravenously in the end.

Have been discharged though, despite not really being able to eat (although tbh I have tried some Soup today and am ok and not had any indigestion or reflux) and told to follow the milk and yoghurt diet prior to my sleeve surgery. When I told the sister that the m and y diet had really constipated me 2 years ago and that I had been told I could introduce a bit of dry toast, soup etc she told me that was rubbish and that I was to follow it exactly! I told her that I was not going to risk getting Constipation so soon after hernia surgery and that I wold take the surgeon's advice on that! Am going to do the same as I was advised two years ago though as that was good enough advice then.

They have all really annoyed me as they just don't seem to have a clue. I was discharged from hospital yesterday without them giving me any advice on my recovery nor them even inspecting my stitches, so it's just a good job that I am sensible and know that I need to take it easy and keep an eye on wound and keep it clean.

Anyway, I shall be having my band revision two weeks on Monday and will no doubt be back here asking for your advice again as I'm not relying on the hospital to be particularly helpful diet-wise!!!

All the best to everyone

Love Helenxxx

This is going to sound so obvious it's stupid but please do try your best not to vomit AT ALL between now and your surgery date. If you have a slip and a lot of inflammation they may not be able to revise you to a sleeve at the same time as band removal. You need for all the swelling to go down in order to have a safe revision. Risks are already triple for a revision vs. if you never had a band. Swelling makes it much worse.

Milk and yogurt? (eye roll)

[charliesunspray 0]

Hi Helen, you poor soul, I wish you all the best.

I'm generally a big fan of following proper medical advice, but it's true that the nurses on a general surgical ward in the UK often don't know what they're doing with bariatric surgery, or anything unusual. Nursing staff, even sisters, can be very rigid in going by the book. I mutinied a few times after the initial sicking up of that pill and made sure I checked with either the consultant or the dietician before I did what they told me. In particular they didn't seem to understand that "nothing but clear fluids" means "no huge pills".

As for the milk and yoghourt diet, my consultant told me not to bother as she was happy to do the surgery without me going through that. Maybe at 22-odd stone I wasn't as obese as some who do it, but I thought it was an interesting difference - I missed all the pain that a lot of people seem to go through trying to maintain a really horrible diet. And I don't seem to have had any worse after effects than others, to judge from the boards. But maybe I was just lucky with my consultant; I wouldn't advise trying it if yours says differently.

I have to say, having tried and failed miserably to stick to milk products only after the op, I certainly wouldn't have managed it with my whole stomach and ordinary appetite beforehand!

[Jane_J 117]

Hi Helen, I would take WASAs advice as she has hadf a revision and knows the operation and care surrounding it like the back of her hand. Trust the advice from her and ignore uninformed nurses. I hope you feel better soon.

Hugs, Jane

[Bornagainbabe 4]

Thanks everyone. Yes, I am being very, very careful now in what I eat and am sticking to foods that I know will go down easily. Am making sure I take my lansoprazole regularly and am supplementing with Benefibre and Lactulose to ensure I don't get constipated again. I shall try and adhere to my surgeon's prescribed pre-op diet as much as I can but I will be sensible. The hospital have sent me home with senna laxative tablets to take and yet last time my hernia was operated on that was not advised!

My friend is a nurse and she is helping me to draft up some notes to take into hospital with me that will help the staff and give them the info they need to hand regarding my op on Monday and my issues with sickness and Constipation regarding my hernia repair. No doubt they won't have a clue and will be treating me solely for the sleeve op (have no faith!). I shall be insisting that all my pain relief etc. is administered iv rather than risking being sick on tablets. I shall pack my own dissolvable paracetamol to give them if they start messing around as on Monday when I insisted that I wasn't taking tablets they left me with no medication for more than two hours. Can't believe they tried to make you take tablets, charlie!

I have already told my husband to ensure that they take me to the bariatric ward after theatre as I am being admitted to another one first with the promise that I will go up to the other one. I know that that doesn't always happen and they put you where they have a bed but I shall be as vocal as I can be in assuring that my needs are adequately met. What else? Just stay as healthy as I can and get past this op to the other side....

Thanks all. Your advice is greatly appreciated.

Helenxxx

[Hychap2009 0]

Hello everyone,

How good and how pleasant it is to find you UK sleevers. I'm a newbie so I look forward to participating in this sub forum. I'm a pre-op and a foodie like a lot of people on these sites. In my preparation I've spent time trying to source some of the food products commonly used by our WLS American cousins. I've discovered Total (FAGE) oh it's so fab. and versitile. Hope i'll like it as much when I'm post op. Did any of you source any of the food products used by the American WLS community, or did you just adapt the foods that you're use to?

Regards

Hyacinth:thumbup:

.

[Bornagainbabe 4]

Hi Hyacinth, I have been following my surgeon and dietician's advice so far and mainly sticking to that although I have been incorporating some Protein shakes as I am not sure if I am getting enough Protein. The information on here is brilliant though and I have been supplementing the info I already have with advice and ideas given here and on other US sites regarding the op - they have been doing it longer than us and have far more experience than we do. Jane has mentioned similar in another thread I think.

When is your op?

Helenxxx

[chillihot 0]

Hello all,

After joining almost all the american sites someone on another site told me about this one and said there were a few Brits on here

My name is Elaine and I am 40 married and due to have my sleeve op on Dec14th at Charing Cross Hospital in London on the NHS believe it or not !I am really excited and feel like it is a whole new start for me.:party4:

It sounds like a couple of you have a bad time but on the whole the info on the sleeve op is positive

I hope to keep in touch feel free to PM me I will reply to all

Thanks

Elaine x

[Jane_J 117]

Hi Elaine,

Welcome. How did you manage to get the NHS to do this?! Well done you!

Good luck with the op and also with the pre-op diet.

All the best,

Jane

[Hychap2009 0]

Hi Elaine,

Welcome. How did you manage to get the NHS to do this?! Well done you!

Good luck with the op and also with the pre-op diet.

All the best,

Jane

Hello everyone.

I've not visited here for a long while. Just out curiosity is it not normal to get WLS on the NHS. I'm having mine on the NHS London Kings College Hospital. Or is it different depending on which part of the UK you live.

[Jane_J 117]

I have heard that its very difficult to get on the NHS and it involves loads of waiting on lists.

I decided as I had some spare wonga to get mine done privately in the Czech Republic for a touch over ?5,000. I still had to pass a load of tests but they were all done on the same day and I could get it done and over with minimum disruption to my work. Plus I had a surgeon who has experience of many staple lines. I was very pleased with the results and I am still losing. It's brilliant to be merely slightly overweight as opposed to morbidly obese.

Good luck with your op, I am sure you will find it the best thing you have done for yourself for many a year!

Jane :thumbup1:

[Hychap2009 0]

I went on the waiting list Jan. '09 and was told the waiting list was 6 months. Unfortunately for me I've had so many set backs and only this week had to have my surgery postponed again. I was scheduled for 30th Nov. but i've developed a bad cold that has turned into a throat infection due to the post nasal drip - this in turn has triggered my asthma, so I'm at home trying to get well. The hospital would not carry out surgery under these conditions and needs at least a 4 week gap between the end of the cold and the surgery date. So, I'm looking at Jan. 2010 before I'm likely to my surgery. It's been so frustrating as the same thing happend last month, I reached my hospital bed, but because my chest they sent me home - too risky, that Oct 19th. My journey so far has been so dramatic.

[chillihot 0]

Hi Elaine,

Welcome. How did you manage to get the NHS to do this?! Well done you!

Good luck with the op and also with the pre-op diet.

All the best,

Jane

Well you wouldn't believe it but they offered it to me !!!!

I have other conditions Asthma , PCOS , High blood pressure ,and last year was given a BiPap machine for sleep apnoea after discovering I had secondary polycythemia (blood condition ) and very low oxygen saturation so my consultant suggested WLS and as soon as I agreed I seem to have been fast tracked as others I have spoken to at the hospital clinic have been waiting 2 years or more in total and have to travel miles fortunately I live in west London and Charing Cross Hospital is the home of Imperial Weight Centre UK's first Academic Health Science Centre (AHSC) and the largest trust in the country. I had my first consultation about it in July 2009 and my surgery date is Dec 14th ......maybe because of pre existing conditions or it could be the good old postcode lottery .....but I think they think it will be an investment and save the NHS money in the long run ...:lol0:

Anyway I am so excited about it I tell anybody who will listen and for the first time in my life I am happy to tell people my weight .....bizarre and my friends all seem really curious

[Bornagainbabe 4]

Is Mr Ahmed doing yours Chilli? I know of people getting it on the NHS but like you they have other health issues. I was very lucky in getting my revision done on the NHS and the surgeon told me that it would definitely not be offered to me again if I backed out. I didn't have serious health issues but I did have a slipped band that was causing me a lot of pain and discomfort as well as well constant vomiting as a result of the reflux. I had had surgery the previous year on a huge abdominal hernia so perhaps the PCT reckoned that it was in their best interest to fund the revision rather than me regaining all my lost weight and having further hernia problems. I was lucky anyway as here in Sheffield no one, without other health issues, is considered for bariatric surgery with a BMI of under 50!

Hi Hyacinth, not seen you for a while. You have really been through it lately haven't you? That was my worst nightmare having a cold before my surgery date. I hope you finally get your surgery in Jan though and can be on your way. It must be so frustrating for you xxx

[Hychap2009 0]

Well you wouldn't believe it but they offered it to me !!!!

I have other conditions Asthma , PCOS , High blood pressure ,and last year was given a BiPap machine for sleep apnoea after discovering I had secondary polycythemia (blood condition ) and very low oxygen saturation so my consultant suggested WLS and as soon as I agreed I seem to have been fast tracked as others I have spoken to at the hospital clinic have been waiting 2 years or more in total and have to travel miles fortunately I live in west London and Charing Cross Hospital is the home of Imperial Weight Centre UK's first Academic Health Science Centre (AHSC) and the largest trust in the country. I had my first consultation about it in July 2009 and my surgery date is Dec 14th ......maybe because of pre existing conditions or it could be the good old postcode lottery .....but I think they think it will be an investment and save the NHS money in the long run ...:lol0:

Anyway I am so excited about it I tell anybody who will listen and for the first time in my life I am happy to tell people my weight .....bizarre and my friends all seem really curious

Hi, you could almost be speaking about me. I have uncontrolled high blood pressure and have done for around 20 years; diabetes type 2 taking 2 types of insuline and metformin;Nightmare PCOS, asthma, Diverticulitis and Planta Faciilitis. Life sucks most days, but by the grace of God i'm still here. Like you it was my Diabetic Consultant who referred me for this surgery has she thought the only way to improve my health conditions was to lose weight and it surely was not going to lose weight on my own. Initially I was so scared, attended obesity clinic from there was sent on a series of test (it seemed as if I lived at the hospital) i was there so often - because of my asthma I had to become an out patient at the respiratory dept for months and was also tested for sleep apnea (clear) that God. I have a heart murma so this was checked - have some damage to my kidneys - Oh I so need this surgery for my health. I think its available to anyone on the NHS if they have co-morbities. My BMI is 52 and i'm only 5ft 2in. I have two surgery postponements - bad time of year for me, I'll always catch colds about now because of the weather.

I've made the decision not to tell people about my surgery. I say people but I mean people outside of my immediate family members and a few very close friends. Anyway, i'm potentially looking at a January surgery.

Congrats on your December date.