Getting bariatric surgery in March!

marmot

After being on a waiting list for three and a half years I've finally reached the light at the end of the tunnel and am going under the knife for a gastric sleeve operation in March. I can't tell you how pumped I am because I'll finally be able to re-take my life after being severely overweight for several years.

I gained a ton of weight after being put on meds for bipolar disorder and it made exercising a painful chore. I'm looking forward to the pure pleasure of just going out for a hike in the woods again or taking my canoe for a spin in the river. I'm also looking forward to fitting in cars that I'm too big for at the moment and taking a Scion FR-S for a test drive.

My heaviest weight was 475 on a 5'10" frame so we're talking about a potentially life-saving operation. I've been on a pre-op 900 calorie supervised liquid diet for two weeks (with four more weeks to go) and so far I've already noticed a difference in the pain in my knees and my diabetes symptoms have also disappeared.

My goal weight is 200. Has anyone else had gastric surgery?

KateWild

No I haven't had this surgery, but all the best I hope you can get back into hiking again soon and your recovery goes smoothly. Kate xx

punkofnice

Well, here's hoping it all goes well for you. Regards Unky Punky

jgnat

For encouragement, here's our local expert:

http://www.drsharma.ca/

quellycatface

You've done brilliantly. I know how it feels to be BP. All thes best of luck on your operation and your post op journey.

Keep us posted. X

cofty

I hope that all goes well for you. Being able to get out walking again will also improve youir weight loss and fitness.

All the best.

marmot

Thanks for the support! It's been so embarassing not being able to do so many of the things that I used to love to do, lord it'll be nice to walk the dog again without getting winded and having back and knee pains after one block.

Right now the liquid diet is pretty rough. I don't like sweet things to start with and having to drink four sickly-sweet chocolate shakes a day is gross. The cravings for real food just around bedtime can get pretty severe but so far I've been able to push through them.

skeeter1

I'm happy for you. Please keep us posted on your progress.

What are your plans before the surgery? I ask because someone I know is looking into this, and is having to show the doctors that she is exercising and eating better before the surgery. She also has some sleep apnea & heart issues that she's trying to control better before she goes forward.

marmot

I had to first get a referral to a specialist from my family doctor, then a screening appointment, then a three and a half year wait, then lung tests, sleep apnea tests, assorted blood tests and finally a seven-week pre-op liquid diet to shrink my liver in preparation for the surgery.

LisaRose

I am glad you are getting this surgery, I hope everything goes well. It's not the solution for everyone, but it has helped a lot of people. Just be careful to follow your doctor's advice and you should be fine. After all this time it must be a tremendous relief to have the surgery scheduled. People who haven't had weight issues don't know how debilitating it can be and how hard it is to lose that weight.

I have a much more minor issue, one of my medications caused a forty pound weight gain, which is a lot on my 5'3" frame, three sizes, I had to buy all new clothes. I have successfully taken off weight before and kept it off, but it is much more challenging with all my other health problems plus the medication which keeps my appetite turned up constantly. I have tried and failed at various diets. I am on a restrictive diet already due to my medical problems (no soda, juice, chocolate, most fruits, spiciness, coffee, tea, alcohol, nothing acidic) so the thought of giving up even more things is daunting.

But I am determined to get this weight off this year. Instead of starting off with a drastic change, which causes my conditions to flare, I am making one change per week. Week one I gave up Ice cream. Week two was to wean myself off of most sugar, no more cookies, my weakness, I eat a very small handful of nuts instead. The next week I started adding more vegetables, lots of them. This is challenging, it's so much easier grabbing a cookie than making vegetables. My solution is, once a week I saute a mix of veggies, put them in a container with seasoning, a little olive oil (vinegar would be good to, but I can't have that), a very small amount of pasta (I use gluten free rice pasta). This makes a nice cold veggie salad that I have for lunch each day with whatever protein I have leftover from dinner, or tuna or lunch meat. This week I gave up cold cereal, which I had been eating too much of, so instead I have oatmeal or eggs, which have less sugar and stay with me longer. I am not just trying to loose weight but improve my blood sugar, which is a little high lately.

Again, I hope it goes well for you, keep us informed and let us know how you are doing. If anyone else has weight loss tips I would love to hear them.

Getting bariatric surgery in March!

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