A few weeks ago I had my 2-year follow-up consultation with the Bariatric team at St Vincents. I mentioned that I was concerned that I was regaining weight after losing 40kg after my gastric bypass. They suggested that I might like to try a drug treatment to see if that helped me out, which was Ozempic (also known as Semaglutide or Wegovy). It’s a medication often used for the management of Type 2 Diabetes – but is also used for long-term weight management. The drug is NOT cheap. It costs €150 per month, and (for weight loss usage) it’s not covered under the Drug Payment Scheme here in Ireland ..read more

It’s close to 2 years since my Gastric Bypass surgery, and my initial weight loss after surgery was over 40kg (about six and a half stones). However, over the last year I’ve put nearly 9kg (nearly one and a half stones) of that back on! My current progress Looking at it one way, it’s good news – because I’ve only put on 9kg in a year, which is significantly less than I would have gained without the surgery. Without the surgery to limit what I can eat, I could have easily gained the full 40kg (and probably more) back within the year. However, I’m not happy that I’m gaining weight again. I don’t ..read more

The Irish Times ran an article this week entitled Flawed weight-loss operations abroad creating ‘huge problem’ The article states that there is currently a waiting list of over 400 people in Ireland needing bariatric surgery, and that some of those people are accessing faster treatment by paying for surgery abroad, in places like Turkey and eastern Europe. However it seems that some patients are experiencing complications when they get back to Ireland, and according to my surgeon Prof Helen Heneghan, who works at St Vincent’s Hospital Dublin, they are presenting to Irish hospitals and need urg ..read more

It’s exactly one year ago today that I went into St Vincent’s Private Hospital in Dublin to get my Gastric Bypass surgery. It’s been a strange year, what with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, but it’s also been a great year in terms of prioritising my health. My weight loss surgery was never about being slim, because I’m not. I’m still obese. But having lost over 40 kg of weight, I’m a lot more healthy than I was before. And I’ve significantly reduced the risk of life-altering (or indeed life-ending) diseases. And that’s much more important to me! My obesity disease is under control. I’ve lost w ..read more

It’s almost a whole year since my Gastric Bypass surgery, and so this week I met with the Bariatric physician for a check-up. We talked about my progress in losing weight over the last year (around 41 kg or 6 and a half stones), but mainly the conversation was about the physical, medical, mental, emotional, and psychological benefits that the weight loss has brought. The consultant was keen to re-state that bariatric surgery is not a tool to make someone thin – it’s a tool to help make someone more healthy. Losing all this weight has dramatically decreased my chances of getting diabetes, heart ..read more

I had an appointment with my endocrinologist today, and I was delighted to learn that my hormone levels are now back to normal! I had been referred to the endocrinologist a couple of years ago by my oncologist when it was noted that my Testosterone levels were quite low, and I also had noticeable Gynecomastia (enlarged breasts in men). Subsequent blood tests confirmed that my Testosterone levels were low and my Prolactin levels were high. Testosterone: What it is and how it affects your health What is a Prolactin test? Hormone treatment I had a scan done on my pituitary gland (a part of the ..read more

I’ve been hovering around the same weight – give or take a kilo – for the last 6 weeks. And, more worryingly, for the last 4 weeks my weight has actually been creeping up! I had been making good progress, and in first 7 months after my gastric bypass surgery I managed to lose 40 kg (over 6 stone) in weight. But since then my progress has stalled. And I kind-of know why. Too much snacking and bad snacking My main meals have pretty much stayed the same. I’m eating the same breakfast, lunch and dinner as I usually would – with an emphasis on protein rather than carbs. However, I’ve got into the r ..read more

I picked up the term Empty Calories a few years ago when I was trying to lose weight by going to a slimming club. It was used to describe foods that are typically high in sugar and fat, but have little or no nutritional value. When comparing foods and deciding what to eat, I find it important not just to look at the number of calories in isolation, but also check on what vitamins, minerals, protein, sugar, and fibre are in the food. There are certain foods, like cakes, chocolate, ice-cream, sweets, crips, sugary drinks, and especially alcoholic drinks that are all high in calories, but have ve ..read more

Today marks the 8-month anniversary since my gastric bypass surgery, so I thought I’d give a quick update. Since surgery I’ve lost a total of 41 kg so far – that’s nearly 6 and a half stones, or 90 lbs. I’m delighted with the progress so far, and am continuing to lose weight – albeit more slowly than in the first 6 months. My BMI has also dropped below 35, so I’m officially not ‘morbidly’ obese any more! Food I’m eating normally now, and there aren’t any foods that I can’t tolerate. I’ve also not experienced dumping at all. I asked the dietician about it, and she said that I’d definitely know ..read more

It’s close to 2 years since my Gastric Bypass surgery, and my initial weight loss after surgery was over 40kg (about six and a half stones). However, over the last year I’ve put nearly 9kg (nearly one and a half stones) of that back on! My current progress Looking at it one way, it’s good news – because I’ve only put on 9kg in a year, which is significantly less than I would have gained without the surgery. Without the surgery to limit what I can eat, I could have easily gained the full 40kg (and probably more) back within the year. However, I’m not happy that I’m gaining weight again. I don’t ..read more