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Hi - just about to start tier 3

juliep

juliep

New Member
Hi,
My name is Julie. I'm with Luton and Dunstable and have started on tier 3. I'm a failed gastric bander which I paid for myself in 2009. I originally had a telemetric band privately with healthier weight and went from 21 stone to 13 stone. It then snapped inside me, and I had a replacement in 2010, but it's never worked and I have ended up putting on all the weight back on and more. I don't know what I weigh but it's more than a bmi of 50. I also have a couple of diseases that affect my mobility and cause massive fatigue and pain, and I have sleep apnea, so I take a cocktail of drugs and steroids to keep going.
I'm about to start my milk diet for tier 3 tomorrow- I am so scared of failing again - family and friends were so happy when I lost, that when I have regained I can't stand the pity. I'm not sure that I want surgery (and fail), but I doubt my ability to manage without help of some form of restriction or appetite suppressant. I also have no idea if the NHS would pay for any revision surgery - I'm broke but my referral has been through NHS.
I'm also really worried about the milk diet. 4 weeks sounds a long time.
 
Hello, welcome and good luck!
 
Hi, I am a fellow L&D Tier 3 and have jsut finished 4 weeks milk diet. Have to say had the same issues as you that 4 weeks seemed a long time. To be honest it is the easiest diet I have ever followed, never felt hunger and some days was struggling to drink it all. Make sure that you have plenty of fluids e.g. diet coke, diet ginger beer or whatever flavours you like and use them as whenever you feel like food. I found the first couple of days the worse as you worry about it, but just take it day by day and the 4 weeks will pass and the results are very rewarding.
Stock cubes in hot milk makes a good warming lunch or supper. I found oxo where not very strong and used Knorr ones instead. Bovril cubes are very good. You can add dry spices like chilli, paprika & dried herbs (put them in a little hot milk and leave to soak till next meal and they are much better) to add flavour.
ian
 
thanks Ian. These are all really good tips. Do you know what happy after 4 weeks? Do you carry on or go onto refeed process.
 
Hi, yes I am on the food reintroduction diet of approx 1200 calories. Didn't manage to stick to it for the first 10 days, but have talked to myself and are back on track.
 
Hi and welcome
I'm also L and D, you will be assessed for eith 1 year or 6 months depending on your BMI, as Ian says after milk diet you go onto food reintroduction, you must lose 5% of your body weight which you will on the milk diet, after the assessment period you will have an MDT meeting then hopefully meet the surgeon and get a date, my assessment is a year which is up in June so I've had several appointments but only ever seen the dietician so far, good luck and I agree the milk diet was relatively easy my favourite was hot milk with chicken oxo Mmmmm just like chicken soup and sugar free jelly made with only 7 fluid ounces water then made up to a pint with milk Mmmmm
Good luck with your journey
 
Does the diet have to be a milk diet? You can follow a range of pre op diets here in Birmingham including a "real food" diet where you can have certain amounts of different types of food per day that range between 800- 1000 calories.
The pre op diet is what i worried about the most until i found out about the real food diet because im not a big fan of milk and im definitely a savoury girl. With how high my BMI is i have to do the pre op diet for 6 weeks when the time comes. drinking milk for 6 weeks would be my worst nightmare!
 
hi @_Victoria_
At Luton & Dunstable it is seems to be part of Tier 3 , that you do the Milk Diet (Low Calorie Liquid Diet) for 4 weeks to help you lose a minimum of 5% body weight. It also shows if you can tolerate a high protein liquid diet which you would need to follow before and after surgery.
 
wow, i think its so strange how places do things so differently when we're all going through the same thing.

My first appointment was with a dietitian - i was referred to them by my GP. She said i had to be a part of a weight loss program minimum of 3 months but usually its around 12-14. she didn't specify a tier so i don't know if that was one or not. over the 13 months i was in the program i had a few appointments with her, an appointment with a consultant, a sleep apnoea test and that was it...

They say they want us to lose weight but don't give us diet plans or a specific number to aim for. I even asked my dietitian for a diet plan and she told me they don't like to give them out because they want you to show you can make healthy choices on your own and not have to rely on plans at that stage. If they see you losing weight consistently they refer you for surgery.

My last appointment with my dietitian was on December 19th, she told me she was going to refer me to the MDT team and then 2 weeks after that i got a letter from them saying i meet the criteria and that i had been invited to an information seminar that was on January 16th and then by February 14th i met my surgeon for the first time and have been put on a 6 month waiting list and will have to then do the liver shrinking diet for 6 weeks before surgery.

It's so confusing because obviously this is a support forum so everybody on here wants answers to questions but its hard to know which is the right one because there's so many different answers! lol At least we all know in the end we're heading towards the same destination which in itself is comforting. A lot of the time the thought of surgery and life after surgery is all consuming for me so its amazingly helpful to be able to come here for advice and to read through peoples diaries for inspiration and also motivation! :)
 
_Victoria_ said:
wow, i think its so strange how places do things so differently when we're all going through the same thing.

My first appointment was with a dietitian - i was referred to them by my GP. She said i had to be a part of a weight loss program minimum of 3 months but usually its around 12-14. she didn't specify a tier so i don't know if that was one or not. over the 13 months i was in the program i had a few appointments with her, an appointment with a consultant, a sleep apnoea test and that was it...

They say they want us to lose weight but don't give us diet plans or a specific number to aim for. I even asked my dietitian for a diet plan and she told me they don't like to give them out because they want you to show you can make healthy choices on your own and not have to rely on plans at that stage. If they see you losing weight consistently they refer you for surgery.

My last appointment with my dietitian was on December 19th, she told me she was going to refer me to the MDT team and then 2 weeks after that i got a letter from them saying i meet the criteria and that i had been invited to an information seminar that was on January 16th and then by February 14th i met my surgeon for the first time and have been put on a 6 month waiting list and will have to then do the liver shrinking diet for 6 weeks before surgery.

It's so confusing because obviously this is a support forum so everybody on here wants answers to questions but its hard to know which is the right one because there's so many different answers! lol At least we all know in the end we're heading towards the same destination which in itself is comforting. A lot of the time the thought of surgery and life after surgery is all consuming for me so its amazingly helpful to be able to come here for advice and to read through peoples diaries for inspiration and also motivation! :)
Click to expand...

I am sure that when you get a date for surgery, the hospital will provide you a liver reducing diet plan.
 
I am craving toast really badly today but that's in my head. Physically I'm not hungry which seems bizarre seeing as I am only having milk. I'm on day 5 - only another 23 to go!
 
Hi, I know what you mean about cravings had a few over the 4 weeks. Glad you are resisting giving in to it. Yes it bizarre, that only drink milk means that you are not hungry but that is probably because it is protein rich , but low carbohydrates which means your blood sugar will be fairly static through the day which helps. Also drinking all that liquid helps control the appetite.
Ian
 
_Victoria_ said:
It's so confusing because obviously this is a support forum so everybody on here wants answers to questions but its hard to know which is the right one because there's so many different answers! lol At least we all know in the end we're heading towards the same destination which in itself is comforting. A lot of the time the thought of surgery and life after surgery is all consuming for me so its amazingly helpful to be able to come here for advice and to read through peoples diaries for inspiration and also motivation! :)
Click to expand...

The only right answer is what your surgeon or their team have told you, these are the hoops we must jump through to get the surgery. As @Ian2Big said, the milk diet really shows the team how committed you are to making this work and prepares you for the post op diet.

My hospital, Coventry, also requires you to follow the milk diet for liver shrinking, it does include yogurts too but no jelly or stock cubes. They have tried many over the years and know that this works and does what it should i.e shrink the liver so that its easier to move to get to your stomach on the day of the op.

Personally and from what others have said, its nice to not have to think about food.

Its good that you get a choice but many of us don't. I hope you get that date soon :D

juliep said:
I'm trying to take it hour by hour..but that's week one done.
Click to expand...

Keep going, you're doing fantastic! :D
 
Someone drove into my car today - both the driver Side doors crumpled and car a bit juddery. I really could do with a big chocolate bar now.
 
juliep said:
Someone drove into my car today - both the driver Side doors crumpled and car a bit juddery. I really could do with a big chocolate bar now.
Click to expand...
You don't need chocolate. U think you do .ur stressed about the accident. .I hope ur ok .just think what this journey is going to do for you .Don't throw the chance away by eating rubbish xxx
 
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