Matt Z

So, I've had a recent "interaction" with a friend of my wife and I's. I was pretty up front with my skin... and it wasn't an issue at all. By the time you get to the "gear down" portion of the evening, your play date has already felt your skin, through clothing or not... they know what they are dealing with, at least to some extent. And yes... men regain length as the Panniculus fat shrinks. So, I still hate the way I look naked. But, I try not to let it bother me too much and stop focusing on what I look like and start focusing on what your play date looks like, etc. Keep your focus on them and ignore yourself. It'll be ok.

I still can't really run much, but that's like a life time thing, born flat footed so running sucks anyway. Strong, I actually feel weaker. Because I used my weight as an advantage with doing things like moving or lifting stuff. Now, I've lost all that weight backing me up so it's a little odd. I actually had people pick me up, including a small female... that was a trip, getting picked up by such a tiny person blew my mind.

Thank you! I've been taking everything in stride. The mindfulness stuff I learned in therapy has really changed my entire life and outlook on things. It's a daily struggle, but, it's one that has clear benefits! Only one thing at a time and only things I can actually control.

LOL look at you fading away!

It's a mixed bag. I'm happy with where I am, I'm getting to where I am happy with my outward (dressed) appearance. It's progress. Need to get back to the Gym and get some more building done... been taking it a bit too easy lately trying to deal with the other BS.

Here to go, not the best, but eh lol

Yelling is ok! LOL Yeah I swore I'd never break 230, then I did... then I was worried I'd never see Onederland... and I did. Then I thought I'd never see 180... and I did. Then I landed my "Half the man" milestone when I hit 185. I'll see what I can do about the full length photo. At work right now and they are looking at me funny.

Good Day all! I still IF every day! Really don't know how I didn't do this before! It just feels so natural now. Floating between 185 and 190, still right around 18% body fat. But I can wear a medium shirt and a 33 waist Had a bunch of challenges, but I'm working through them.

42 and under are available at most places. Even Kohl's has larger sizes now.

I'm right there with you. I *HATE* the extra skin... that's all I can see and it grosses me out... I love how I look dressed... and I've even started wearing tank tops and much more fitted clothing... but naked... BLAH so gross!!

I went from 370 down to 183 at my lowest... currently sitting between 185 - 190 at 18% body fat. I have minimal issues with skin, sure there is some extra, and I hate how it looks, but it hides very easily. I've got other photos in my profile that highlight the changes. But at the end of the day, it's going to be 100% personal, everyone's skin is different, where they carried their weight, how their skin reacted to the weight etc etc etc.

I have noticed a bit personally, but others have commented the same.

This is so real. On both ends. When I was big, I really didn't have an understanding of HOW big. 370 at 5 foot 9 is big. Now that I'm down to 185... I don't feel as small as I am. I went from a 52-54 pant to a 34. I went from 5xl shirts to a L. I look at my pants and stuff now and I'm like... PFFT those are too small. Yet, they fit just right. I've been told by a coworker that I give myself more room than I need to, like we were removing a monitor from a wall mount, there is a table in front it it with equipment, I leaned over the table and equipment to get to the mount, I was told that I was standing like 6 inches away from the table. I thought I was right on it. I had a time where I was in the gym, doing my own thing, headphones in etc. I saw someone walking towards me in the mirrors so I stepped to the side to avoid them.... it was me in the mirror I saw. It took me a few moments to fully realize what just happened. I saw someone that I did not recognize and I moved to allow them to pass... but that person that I didn't know. Was me. I'm told it gets better with time. My surgery was March 27th of 2018, I've been in the 180's since March 27th of 2019. So, yes it seems it's common. It's quite weird to experience.

That's a fairly old report and does not include the rate of revision from Sleeve to Bypass in the "complications" It also seems to include the dumping in the Bypass but not for the Sleeve as far as "complications". The rate of Sleeve to Bypass revision is fairly high. This also doesn't include or account for the medical advancements that have become common practice over the past several years AND seems to include older post op issues from older forms of the surgery. And, lets talk about the fact that Gastric Bypass happens more often than the Sleeve, thus again skewing the real numbers. Case by case. They would come out about even. Except with the looming revision for the sleeve. I had the band. I needed revision. So I had to have 2 surgeries thus increasing my overall risk as opposed to getting the bypass first which would have lowered my overall risk. Any information, when taken without all facts can seem scary. But you need to look at the entire picture. 273 SGs were performed of which 6.6% (n = 18) were converted to RYGB most commonly due to inadequate weight loss (65.3%) and severe reflux (26.1%). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28416180 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29496440 You've got approx. a 10% chance that you'll need revision to another surgery. So, maybe 1 surgery vs 1 surgery without factoring in revision increasing the risks because now you've had 2 surgeries instead of 1, leaving out dumping for the sleeve but adding it in for the bypass, sure, it looks like the bypass is a much more dangerous surgery. When you factor EVERYTHING in... pretty sure they break even if not a little in favor of the bypass. You still can't undo the sleeve though, no matter what happens. 70-90% of your stomach is gone. Nothing usually gets removed in the bypass, just moved around. Again, either way. Good luck with your choice.

Just remind them that this IS the old you, from before you gained the weight.

There are actually not more compilations with the bypass than the sleeve, this is incorrect. Also, the sleeve is 100% non-reversible, because parts of your anatomy end up in the waste. The bypass is actually reversible in certain situations, the reversal is tough and has it's own complications, but it is possible and does happen. Honestly, I'm really happy that I didn't go with the sleeve (I was a band revision and my surgeon *will not* do band to sleeve due to the increased staple line failure risk) I'm over a year with my bypass and I still am so very happy with it. To each their own, just, make sure you are basing your decision on facts, not feelings. Good luck! The bypass will prevent GERD, the sleeve has a chance of causing it or making it much, much worse. Stick with the facts and figures over feelings... because feelings associated with things we don't know much about... are generally not accurate. I was afraid of the bypass too at one point, because I had the wrong information. I got the band. I really wish I had just gotten the bypass from the get go and not waste so much money on 2 surgeries only because I was afraid of something based on the wrong information. My personal experience here. Good luck with whatever you chose to do!

Revision for issues of this nature are typically covered. But it's all doing to depend on your specific plan, not all FEB BCBS is the same. My revision required a few extra hoops to jump through, but I also have a different provider now than I did when I was banded. But they still approved the revision, I had stage 4 esophagitis and didn't even know it. Good Luck!

I took 2 months off, for each surgery (band in 2010 and the revision in 2018) best thing I did. Yes, physically you COULD be ready to go back, but there is an emotional aspect as well as the diet changes that keep happening up until the 2 month mark or so. I found it was so much better to focus on me and getting to know what I needed post op and all the changes we have to make with our new set up, than to rush back to work too soon and deal with the eventual emotional breakdown over food. Your mileage may vary. But I found 2 full months worked quite well for me.

This is going to be 100% different for everyone. It all depends on quite a few factors, where you stored your weight, how much fat was stored in the pannis, your starting length etc. Most folks will see some improvments around the 2 month mark. I really didn't see much that was worth noting until like the 6 month mark. Now, laying down I've recovered pretty much everything I "lost"... including the realization that I damaged / severed my Suspensory ligament, so I don't "stand" as tall when standing up and but, that's really not a major issue, just another thing that happened while I was fat that I am just finding out about now.

So much yes! The wife isn't always as happy with my new found "reach"... but she did comment that overall everything is much more comfortable from her side of things. The gains are very real...

So, I'm just over the 1 year mark, and I'm down well over 100 lbs. Been floating in the upper 180's now. Still IF pretty much every day. Dealing with some really crazy hormonal / anxiety junk, plus my back is super screwed up. 3 busted vertebrate, 6 bulging discs, yay. That said... I'd rather be dealing with some crippling anxiety and back pain than deal with being overweight! Here is a shot of the wife and I from a Mardi Gras party. I was 194 in this photo.

The **ONLY** reason I can still club/dance... is the alcohol. At work, lol, not so much.

I try to pop in when I can. Sadly with the way 1 person at my work is, they complained that I was "Blogging all day". I've been floating between 190 and 195 ish. Still doing the IF stuff. Lots of clubbing as well! I have some nasty things going on with my back right now though, 3 damaged vertebrae, 6 bulging discs, spinal arthritis. Having the sensation of a blood pressure problem, but every time I check it's just a little low, still working on figuring that one out. Miss you all! Hope everyone is doing well, getting enough water etc LOL.

Sadly with how my access to this page has been restricted during the week due to some super nosey and it seems jealous co-worker, I haven't been able to really keep track of much on this site! But your attention is very much appreciated *wink*

LOL thank you, I'm starting to be able to appreciate how I look, dressed anyway. Not sure if you saw in the other post but... here is the side by side by side. I'm proud of the weight loss, just not super jazzed about how I look naked. Hopefully a full body lift is somewhere in my future, or that this skin will shrink up a bit more over the next year or so.