American in Scotland...

[kitsonk]

I am a 37yo male who will be having a Gastric Sleeve on the 10th Feb. I have been overweight all my life. A little over four years ago, I went to a residential weight loss clinic and lost 90lbs and was able to keep it off for about 18 months and than have slowly added about 80lbs back on over the past few years.

Knowing I could lose the weight and keep it off for an extended period of time was great, but it was always work. Either I was doing good, being careful about everything I ate or I wasn't doing good and it was a battle. After lots of research, I settled on a gastric sleeve, hoping that it will even the playing field and help me be a more "normal" person.

Having a partner that doesn't have a weight problem has been difficult, but we have been together for 11 years. We discussed it extensively, and my partner, knowing me better than most, knew that the only way I would be able to avoid long term health problems was to do something surgical.

So, here is to the 10th and I will keep all posted of my progress.

[Teedeeme]

Congrats! I had mine November 10th, 2010. Best decision I ever made, but I must tell you there is work involved with this too! Protein, protein, protein and fluids! Getting enough requires work! Then you have to make the decisions about what to eat. Eating healthy in small portions, will take that weight off for sure, but it does take planning. Exercise is a biggey too. Sadly I am slack in that department! Having the surgery, makes those commitments easier, but believe me it still takes a lot of effort and determination. Good Luck!

[Mystic]

Congrats. You have made a good decision but you are looking at it the wrong way. This surgery is a tool. Like any tool it will only work if you work at it also. That means that you will have to watch what you eat and drink. It is not a part time job. We all have to watch what we eat and drink from now on. Try to stay possitive but work at it all the time. Good Luck!

[kitsonk]

Mystic, I apologise, but any forum is limiting in trying to express all the thoughts that goes through ones head. I do look very much like a tool, especially having gotten to a point where I was 95% of the way to my target. There are a lot of tools I have been given, but my challenge is that when my guard is down, I become dangerous to myself. I look at the operation as a "safety net" to make sure that I keep going down the path that I want to go down for the rest of my life.

With the operation on Thursday, I have been through my pre-op screening and have started preparing for the hospital. I am being told that I will be 3 days in hospital and will be back home on Sunday. The pre-operative diet hasn't been fun, but at least I am accomplishing it. I will let everyone know how I get on.

[mike_mcginn]

The sleeve will not prevent future weight gain. All you have to do is start drinking
enough calories. For me at least, the sleeve put the crimp in my xmas binging,
when my head hunger monster tried to take control of what I put in my mouth.
It gave me enough gap to get back in charge, so I didn't hurt myself the way my pre-op holiday binging would have.
You will do great.
/mike/

[kitsonk]

Ok, I am just back from my operation in hospital. I spent three nights and they weren't the easiest nights of my life. It seems that the way my body reacted to the anesthesia was to run a really high blood pressure and a fever for about 24-hours. But I had a good day yesterday and I was feeling quite good this morning, so the Doctor agreed to let me go. I had never been in Hospital before and I can't say that I really was missing out on anything. It wasn't fun, although all the nurses and the doctor were great. Especially having been essentially "healthy" my whole life (or at least not needing to see a doctor often) it was really difficult spending time in hospital, being essentially bound to a bed.

Anyways, I had my first true "meal" this evening, some tomato soup. It was really strange getting half way through a bowl of soup and going "oh yeah, that is enough". I enjoyed the soup, it was quite tasty, but then I just hit a point where I just didn't want to have any more. I will see how this goes ongoing.

The strangest thing is the amount of "gas" I have now, burping all the time when I start eating or drinking things... Hopefully that goes away a bit.

[mike_mcginn]

Sounds like your doing fine. This is quite an adventure.
Keep reading. Now is a time to be very gentle with yourself.
You will feel better sooner than you get better, so no heavy
lifting.
Funny how my tastes changed. When on liquids there were
some soups that I really enjoyed that I can not even look
at now.

/mike/

[tls]

Glad to hear that you are home and doing well. Hope to hear from you in the days to come to see how you are doing. I have about a week and a half to go till my surgery. It is so nice to log on hear that people are doing well..

[kitsonk]

Ok, 8 days in and I have lost 4 inches in my waist (that includes the two weeks pre-op diet) and will have to go buy some new trousers tomorrow. My partner doesn't get to see me until the 24th because my partner lives and works in London and I live in Scotland (a long complicated story) and for various reasons we haven't seen each other since 2nd Feb (only a few days into the pre-op diet). I can't wait, it will be rather shocking I suspect.

While I think I can deal with more food now, it isn't like I want more food. I have been struggling to get a protein fortified fruit smoothy down for the past hour. Hopefully I will be ready for some soup in a few hours. Oh well...

[wiglet30]

I had my gastric sleeve on 16 November 2011 at Spire in Edinburgh. I stay quite close to you in a small village called Pumpherston.

What a nice surprise to look on this site to find someone quite close to where I live having had the gastric sleeve done.

[kitsonk]

wiglet, we can't be too far away, I am in Eliburn! Dr. De Beoux was my surgeon too... The Spire folks are EXCELLENT. Also, if your followup is with Dr. Fred, he is great. I have had him for a almost a year now. Also, Lorna the weight loss nurse is GREAT! I go and see Dr. Fred for the last time in February, only about a month away. How sad is that? Oh well, all good things and that.

Hopefully you are doing well!

[wiglet30]

Hi, I am just along in Pumpherston. Have had a little bother since having my sleeve. I have had trouble with my left kidney so its under investigation at the moment. Have lost just over 40lbs in the 7 weeks I have had my sleeve. I am being looked after by Lorna and Fred. I have to see Fred early in February for my checkup. They are all amazing. How much have you lost since having your sleeve fitted?

[kitsonk]

How much have you lost since having your sleeve fitted?

About 7 stone 3 lbs in about 10 months. My target was 7 stone 2 lbs and Dr. Fred says I could lose up to 7 stone 7 lbs, but I wouldn't want to lose anymore than that.

I couldn't be happier with the results. Hopefully your bother will get sorted out!!!

[kitsonk]

Well, one year on I just had my visit with my Doctor (dietician) for the last time. I got a clean bill of health but he said the Surgeon who performed the surgery likes to see the patients a year on as well, so I have to go back next week for my "victory lap". So 104 lbs lost... I couldn't have asked for more. I am happy, healthy. To think that a year ago I was sitting in hospital, in pain, wondering what I had just done to myself.

For me, any negatives have just become "normal" for me now and I have become very settled in my lifestyle. I am happy and healthy. What more could you ever want?

[wiglet30]

Well done, you have done amazing.

I have lost almost 50lbs in 14 weeks, still feel rough some days but they are getting less and less.

Enjoy your new life which started 1 year ago. Enjoy everything life gives you going forward. All the best x x x