gmanbat

Zephyrhills. Had my surgery in Ohio,

You are most welcome here!!!! If I were a betting man I'd put the whole wad on you getting to goal and beyond. You will blow through the inevitable stalls and break the tape. My wife had the bypass, I had the sleeve. I am 64, she is 62. We have both gone beyond goal. We have never let the scale be more than an object to satisfy curiosity. Our closet has been the main indicator of progress. I have dumped mine 3 times and she 4 or 5 times. We have been reliant on thrift stores. This forum is an interesting place. This is where the rubber meets the road. The spectrum here ranges from breeze through experiences to dire complications. The same questions are asked over and over but those of us with patience answer them because of the humanity in us. Being a physician I am sure you understand. Welcome again!

Hi Jesse, My wife had the bypass, I had the sleeve. She is doing well, so am I. It seems the "gold standard" bypass momentum is shifting a bit toward the sleeve according to what I have been seeing. If you google comparisons you will see what I mean but be sure to note the dates on the articles. Here's one: http://asmbs.org/201...hed-procedures/ Researchers from Cleveland Clinic Florida reviewed safety outcomes of more than 2,400 of their patients who had sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass or bariatric and metabolic surgery between 2005 and 2011. This study found sleeve gastrectomy had the lowest complication and reoperation rates of the three procedures. The rate of a gastrointestinal leak, considered a serious complication, was three-tenths of one percent (0.3%) for sleeve gastrectomy versus four-tenths of one percent (0.4%) for gastric bypass patients. The percentage of procedures requiring reoperations due to complications was 15.3 percent for the gastric band, 7.7 percent for gastric bypass and 1.5 percent for sleeve gastrectomy. On average, patients had a BMI between 44 and 48, were 46 years of age and had at least two obesity-related conditions, such as Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. A third study on sleeve gastrectomy conducted by the Naval Medical Center in San Diego found while gastric bypass patients lost more of their excess weight after the first year, 72.3 percent versus 63.7 percent, there were no statistically significant differences in excess weight loss after two and five years. This study examined 486 patients, half had gastric bypass and half had sleeve gastrectomy. “Sleeve gastrectomy has proven itself to be a safe and effective option in patients with morbid obesity and this procedure should be considered a primary procedure for weight loss and obesity-related disease improvement and resolution,” said Robin Blackstone, MD, President ASMBS. My surgeon tried to get me to do the bypass like my wife but I opted for the sleeve not wanting any malabsorbtion and knowing that I had a mind to workout like an athlete for the rest of my life, which I have followed through on. This has as much to do with mind and heart as it does with body. Welcome and ask away, lotsa decent folks on here. Edit: The Cleveland Clinic in Florida is one of the best anywhere. My surgeon in Ohio studied there and they are sent cases that others can't handle.

Here's the idea: Take a picture or movie clip, same place, same clothes, same lighting, same camera or video camera, at about 1 or two week intervals. You could stand still or just turn all the way around and it changes every revolution. Put the pics or clips all together and at the end of a year you will have a neat history of your transformation. If you wear the same clothes you may have a hard time keeping them on but use belts and clothes pins. I wish I would have thought of this.

Hang in there, grateful1! Keep us posted.

They did...they are so uncouth! When I cleared my mouth I told them so.

Movies were major eating places for family and I. Major transgressors of theater policy, we emptied out the purses, (3 ladies in the family...makes for lots of room), and filled them up with various noshes at different times. Among our smugglings were dollar store junk (cheetos, candy bars, m&ms, nuts, chips, Jerky, etc.), fried chicken, sausage and cheese, Taco Bell stuff, Subway stuff, cans of pop, etc. Now we go in with....water....maybe a Protein bar. Now we can concentrate on the movie..too bad most of them stink.

Like having a team from MIT fix your computer problems and after they are done have a neighborhood kid on retainer in case anything goes wrong.

Is this your PCP?

I wore a catheter and bag for several weeks during the first part of prostate cancer treatment. I have the utmost compassion for folks who have to wear them all the time. Some folks pay a heavy price just to stay alive. The catheter I wore then was of greater diameter and quite irritating. The operation catheter was smaller, not a problem.

Oh, sorry, it's just one of the perks. Enjoy!

When your mind gets made up your tastes follow. I preferred brunettes because of a bad experience I had with a blond early on. I married a brunette and have been as happy as a clam with her. When she began turning grey she decided she wanted to be blond. Not being a control freak I supported her decision. I have overcome my aversion to blond hair. Just one of a multitude of ways she has changed me.

Wow, that is the truth, Dianne! Rapid weight loss especially brings out the curiosity and concern. Remarks by people are interesting to analyze, (why they said what they said), but not to worry over.

Then there are the folks who defend obesity as a civil rights issue. "Love yourself the way you are" taken to ridiculous levels. We have brains to change the way we are if the way we are is destructive and can be changed. Obesity kills, I gladly gave up my "right" to be fat.

Amazing! I was thinking this very thing the other day after eating a pitiful amount of food. I was full, of course, because I have a little tummy. Then the guilt set in like it always did when I had the same feeling with my big, stretchy belly. Somehow, a deeper level of consciousness came over me and I realized that the guilt was a ghost from the past. "I have eaten within guidelines", I told myself, "Wake up!" I have other ghosts from addictions past: drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, promiscuity, that come to haunt me from time to time either with guilt or invitations to return to prison. I realize and rejoice that I am not that man anymore. I turn on the lights, they vanish.

http://www.advancedw...iatric-surgery/ Caffeine after Bariatric Surgery We are often asked if caffeine consumption is appropriate after bariatric surgery. The answer, as with most dietary issues after weight loss surgery, is that moderation is the key to a successful post bariatric surgery lifestyle. If the patient is able to keep their consumption of caffeine at a reasonable level, it usually does not pose a significant issue to their post-surgical lifestyle. http://www.webmd.com...myths-and-facts Caffeine Myth No. 5: Caffeine Has a Dehydrating Effect Caffeine can make you need to urinate. However, the Fluid you consume in caffeinated beverages tends to offset the effects of fluid loss when you urinate. The bottom line is that although caffeine does act as a mild diuretic, studies show drinking caffeinated drinks in moderation doesn't actually cause dehydration. Don't agree with your doc, obviously, but you will not be harmed by his advice. I have never experienced a decent decaf so I would be interested in the responses.

Welcome!!

1 1/2 years, 130 pounds, kept it off.

My wife got pretty thin in the hair department and bought a wig. She looked great in it. She has since come back to about 85% of pre-surgery thickness. She doesn't wear the wig much any more. She never had lost it all, she only lost about 30% of her hair thickness .

You ARE winning! My best wishes for you!

I milked my operation as long as possible for laying around, sympathy and special treatment. If you can, take it easy. You have been through a lot.

Fantastic! Stuff like this makes my day. I am so happy for you!

I disagree. I think it was a great statement!

Nutrition Facts Serving Size 1serving (34 g) Per Serving % Daily Value* Calories160 Calories from Fat 63 Total Fat 7.0g 11% Saturated Fat 2.0g 10% Sodium 190mg 8% Carbohydrates 25.0g 8% Dietary Fiber 1.0g 4% Sugars 14.0g Protein 2.0g You will be able to eat an oreo a while after sleeving but it will not be a big deal to you. I can eat one but get very little pleasure out of it not to mention that the abundant sugar nauseates me. I do, however, get a great deal of pleasure out of seeing my belt buckle without a mirror.

Oh, my! What an inspiration! You look good! Congratulations!