Still unsure, looking for some more advise

Hi Hellsbells,
I had my sleeve 6 months ago. I read and researched weight loss options including surgical options for about a week after I was diagnosed with severe osteoarthritis. The only treatment is a knee replacement but I am only 42. Thus maintenance was the only solution to pain control and weight loss the only obvious chance at reducing the pain and prolonging the surgery. I phoned to make an appointment with a bariatric surgeon and was seen with 2 weeks. I went in to speak with the surgeon about my options and left the appointment with a theatre date of 10 days later. So it was very quick - 4 weeks between it crossing my mind as an option, to being sleeved!!
6 months later I have lost 33kgs and know that I could not have achieved this without the surgery. I have no regrets but sometimes do mourn the loss of being able to eat a "normal" meal. By that I mean sometimes I crave being able to go out, order a meal and eat the lot. It's my mind struggling to let go of the past I think.
When I first had the surgery I, like everyone, had to have fluids only, then pureed foods, then soft foods, then anything. However, I transitioned through this stage very quickly (about 3-4 weeks). Since then I can eat anything I like. I choose protein first and foremost at every meal. But I can eat anything! Just much, much less. I am used to it now. I see the enormous volumes of food that others eat, such as when we go out for dinner and it makes me feel sick! My mind shift in relation to food has been amazing.
Yesterday I ate
Breakfast - up and go with multivitamin, B complex vitamin, glucosamine, fish oil and calcium tablets.
Lunch - forgot to eat any! (usually have 2 cruskits with a cheese slice and a 90gm tin of tuna)
afternoon tea - handful of peanuts
tea - chicken breast and 4-5 chips
supper - 1 lindt chocolate (I got a box for my birthday :))

Last week we went out for tea. I don't order anything from the kids menu because quite frankly the choices are usually rubbish! So I either order what I want and share with someone else if they are happy to, wait for everyone else to order and then "steal" a bit of theirs when it arrives or order a meal of my own and take home the leftovers and finish it over the next couple of meals. The meals where we often go are enormous (even to a non-sleeved person - is it any wonder we are a nation of fatties when you see the sizes of the meals!) so none of my family minds if I take a piece of their lasagna or steak or whatever. I just put it on a bread and butter plate. I can eat at the same pace as my family, ie, as they are finishing their huge meals I am finishing my tiny one. I do feel a bit self conscious when out with others but am trying to think about the company more than the food these days. Only my family know that I have had a sleeve.
I have no regrets! I would do this surgery again in a heartbeat and only regret wasting the last 20 years of my life on one diet or another only to ultimately fail and put all the weight back on again, and then some. Last year I was a size 22 and now I have size 14 new jeans that are already baggy in the bum!
I can seriously eat anything - pizza, steak, bread, nuts, anything - just much smaller amounts. And the volume hasn't changed for probably the last 4 months. I think it took about 2 months for my tummy to settle down to its permanent capacity. Something I wasn't prepared for was the hairfall. I wasn't warned about that and it was a nasty shock.
I don't want to convince you to have this surgery - that's your decision to make and journey to work through - this is just my point of view and how I feel.
Best of luck with your choice.

hellsbells wrote:

Have you had an opportunity to go out to dinner yet? How do you deal with that, reason I am asking is that I am not telling any family (only mu husband and sister know) or friends or people at work, dont they ask questions ?? How long does it take you to eat??

I have only just started to go out and eat. I find it hard if I try and find something in an eatery for lunch so usually I don't bother. Today I went out with my hubby for lunch. He ordered a lamb sandwich and had it cut in quarters so I could have a quarter. He also had chips but between the both of us we didn't finish it all (he is not a big eater anyway). Saturday night was my Mum's surprise birthday party and the first time I have seen aunties and uncles in a very long time. To say they were surprise with the weight loss is an understatement....lol. I don't think they could believe it. I have only told my Mum, Dad, Sisters (4) and a few close friends. At first I was worried about eating in front of others but I just ordered a entree size meal and thought if anyone asked why I didn't have a main I would just tell them that i wasn't feeling hungry as I had been eating during the day. I don't really take my time eating anymore. Once I am full I stop. You will know when your full. You only need to have that one experience of having too much and you wont do it again so you will know when to stop. The hardest thing I find is not being able to drink while I eat. I just make sure that I don't have any fluid before a meal and wait 10minutes after a meal to have a drink. Like I said before I am eating everything as I was before just in a small size now. My day today has been 1 weetbix, m/t cup of tea, lunch 1/4 lamb sandwich, afternoon ssshh don't tell 2 lolly things (See still dealing with the head) and dinner was a piece of toast with avocado and tomato. I usually have a proper meal but tonight I had to rush my dog to the vet :(

Anyway enough rambling.

Hope this all helps.

Nic

Hello Hellsbells,

When you have been reading about the sleeve, have you tried Youtube.

I have been watching a few people on there. Most (not all) of the people I have found on there are in the US. And they must do things a little differently there like they don't seem to see dietcians.

But most of the struggles seem to be the simlar to the ones I read about on here.

It really is great to hear feedback like this, so I know that I am not the only one that thinks and feels this way.
I think because the date was offered to me so quickly, it feels a bit rushed, but as I said, if I had to wait too much longer, I might pull out! But would then regret that next time I went clothes shopping in a 'normal' size clothes shop.
Have you had an opportunity to go out to dinner yet? How do you deal with that, reason I am asking is that I am not telling any family (only mu husband and sister know) or friends or people at work, dont they ask questions ?? How long does it take you to eat??

Hi Hellsbells

I had all the same worries as you. I am so very happy with my decision now but back when I was waiting I was a nervous wreck. Many times I nearly pulled out of going ahead. In the first few weeks all I could do was have water, clear soup and tea ...but that was only two weeks or so and I survived. Next was the puree/mush stage for a few weeks so I was having milk, sustagen, pumkin soup, avacodo, cottage cheese etc....and I survived it. Then as weeks went on I found I could eat different things....cruskits, crackers, tuna, salmon, white of egg and now I can eat anything just smaller portions. I am happy eating smaller portions. I don't miss out on anything because I just eat it. I love that I don't have to stuff myself to feel full anymore. I love even more that I can now fit into a size 12 pair of pants. I love that my husband and I have the most amazing relationship now (not that it was bad before, just different). I love that I can play with my kids more then sitting on the floor like a blob.

This choice is yours and only yours. You have to do it for you and only you. But to tell you the truth I never want to be the old Nicki who did not care about herself. I never want to go back. I am still the same me just a smaller, happier, healthier version.

Now, don't get me wrong it is not all about just eating small amounts cause that is only a small part of it. It is a tool to lose weight not a miracle cure. It is still hard work and I still struggle with lollies and the occasional biscuit but I am still learning.

Good luck with your decision.

Nic

Thanks guys for the responses so far, this site is amazing, and I have been reading as much as I can in the last few days, but I am still wondering if I am doing the right thing??
Weight is 104kg and am 171cm high, gives me a BMI of 36, which Jon said was acceptable for surgery. I dont like the sound of the band at all, so if I go ahead, it is definatley going to be a sleeve.
My main concern is the permancy of it, I know that sounds weired, as who would not like to be permently thin!
But have any of you gotten too thin?? I know the food restrictions in the first weeks will be a challange, and the bloating and sorness etc, but I have had three kids, two by c section, and a hystractomy (hope that is spelt right)
Plus a tummy tuck 10 years ago after my first son stretch me (he was 9.9 born), so think I will handle that side of things. But what about long term, do you eventually get back to eating normal, but just smaller portions?
I have done all the diets, and excersied, but the weight always comes back on, and now with health issues, high blood pressure, swelling legs, diabeties etc all looking at catching me soon, I just want to do something that is going to work and change the way that I am living my life at the moment. I dont have an issue with who I have choosen, and I am going to St John Of God in Subiaco, so know that will be fine, its just the permancy of it all.
Can someone come back to me and give me a run down of the actual foods that they ate, and what they are eating now, plus how long does it take you to eat the food. (how do you go when you go out to resturants with friends)
Sorry for rambling, but this site seems to be the place to be to find out all the answers.
One more thing.......I only saw Jon last week, and he has given me the date of 7th June for my operation, which is great for me, as if I had to wait much longer, I would probs chicken out...........and this makes me wonder if I am doing the right thing........