LVikingFan

How is your new life? I am down 90 pounds, I just saw a 1 on the scale for the first time this week. 199.8 but I will take it. I admit I wasn't as good as I could have been for a few months, but I am back to seriously sticking to the program and I have seen the scale start to move again. On the other hand, even though the scale wasn't moving, my belt was. I have gone from a snug 50 waist pants to 38's that are now loose. My wife bought me some size L shirts that I argued with her were going to be too tight. They fit perfectly. My biggest victory though was at a family event I mentioned my weight to my 31 year old, very fit, son, I weigh 5 pounds more than he does. As my wife said to me, "Honey, when I look at you now I don't see a fat guy anymore....you are normal." I never thought normal would be so good!

Love the hiccup story. I had them too, the worst pain of the entire journey. Lasted almost 24 hours. Thankfully I can also say they were the only complication of my whole journey so far, And it is only 2 days to my 1 year surgiversary.

My one year Surgiversary is coming up on July 22. I initally lost about 65 pounds in the first 3 months, then lost weight very slowly over the next 8 months for another 25 pounds. I was really kind of bummed and decided that I had lost all I thought I would until about 2 weeks ago when I just started losing again. I have lost almost 10 pounds in 2 weeks. Has anyone else had a similar experience? Not that I am complaining, because I would really like to lose another 20 pounds. But all that being said I can't believe how much better life has been. I have to say I don't like to think that I am thin, just that I am now normal.

The most important thing to do is relax. It is kind of painful to sit down so you are tensing up. Take the drugs and they will help you relax and might make it easier to go. The catheter isn't really that bad, so if it gets painful from not going get it. It is lots better than being in pain.

Let me weigh in for the men here. I am 5'7" and weighed officially 295 when I had my surgery 6months ago. I wore size 48 pants (but I had a really comfy pair of 50 jeans). Today I am 216 and wear size 40 pants, but my wife suggested I get 38's next time because these are pretty baggy. I wear size large shirts down from a 2X. And I am so much happier!

My doc says no drinking 30 minutes before, during the 30 minutes you are eating, and none 30 minutes after. When I was first sleeved it made it kinda hard to get enough liquids in. Now that I am 6 months out I can drink quite a lot, and I do. Iced tea all day long!

I am a strong believer in Isopure. At first I would sip one bottle slowly for most of the afternoon. Now I just drink it down, I like it cold. I also have the shake mixes and I have a home delivery service that now has a high protein nutritional drink that I get. I just mix them all up and try to have something different each day. I also have some of the protein bars that I use when traveling. I am almost 6 months out now, and I am able to get most of my protein from my diet, but I still want to make sure I have enough.

I was glued too. It must be very popular, my Grandson is having cleft lip surgery at the end of the month and they were told that his lip would be glued too. I am sure that there will be internal stitches, but it sure will help keep the scarring down. I only can even see the biggest incision that they actually removed my stomach through. All the others have faded away to nothing!

I went to three different doctors seminars. One of those was at the hospital my wife works at and if I had chosen him I would have had zero copay.I just did not feel comfortable with him, and when I went in for my first pre-op exam he was so rude that I walked out. The doctor I eventually went with shares the office with my PCP. I had hours of consultations pre-op to explain every single question my wife or I might have had. He offers free support group follow up and insists that you come for regular check ups for 5 years. I liked him because it didn't seem he did the surgery and then forgets about you. I have also never met a person at support group who has one bad thing to say about him. My wife is getting sleeved by him this summer.

I was really tired for about 3-4 months. I had no complications, but NO ENERGY! The only thing abnormal about my bloodwork has been a really low Vitamin D. I am now taking Vitamin D and trying to go outside more often and catch some sun. I am fortunate that I am retired and don't have to get up and go to work, because I really don't think I could have. Don't give up, the first few months are hard, after all this isn't a "miracle cure". I am now almost 6 months out, down 80 pounds and have accepted the sleeve way of life as my new normal. At first it seemed like that was all I thought about, but now I am living life and food is not my #1 thought. The B12 and Iron would probably give you a little boost. I just take a sublingual B12 and chew up a childrens vitamin with iron each day.

My doctor explained that the digestive tract is one big long tube. When you fill it up it empties. Pre-op we had to have it empty. Now the amount of food we are putting in takes a lot longer to fill it up, so it will need to be emptied less often. But be careful, I don't mean to be indelicate, but as others have posted here, never trust a fart!

Hi. My husband was sleeved back in July and has really learned a lot from you guys. Now I am considering surgery too. I have lost about 50 pounds just following the diet he eats, (but admittedly eating a little more). I am going to start my 6month diet as required by our insurance company this month. I am wondering, if I continue to lose weight on my own will they turn me down for the surgery? I am still diabetic and have high blood pressure. I need to lose about 100 more pounds to be healthy. I know that I can't continue eating just the little bits without some sort of help, like a sleeve.

You look great, even at your heaviest. Exercise is the key to keep things tightening. Your age will be in your favor. I was told years ago that drinking milk helps the skin stay tighter. I don't know if it is true or not. Good luck in your journey.

I agree that the kids menu options are usually not healthy choices. I tend to order from the appetizer menu and even then I find I bring home leftovers. If we are going out and taking the grandkids, which is usually the case, I order a regular meal, split it with my 4 year old granddaughter and then bring the leftovers home for lunch the next day.

Congratulations. What a beautiful story!