imgonnaloseit!

Fantastic! Good for you! Glad you did it without feeling deprived, too. That can make the journey a whole lot easier. Keep the positive lights shining.

Hi all Looking for advice on exercise. I see so many people saying they exercise 4, 5 or 6 days a week for 60 minutes. I find it hard to fathom that after being overweight and sitting on our asses for years or decades - boop!!,... you have sleeve surgery and now want to exercise like Jack Lalane.... well, it's hard to believe. Here is my reality. I smoked 2 to 2 1/2 packs of cigarettes for 42 years. I quit 14 weeks ago with the assistance of Chantix. I quit so I would be eligible for WLS. I have been obese for most of my adult life. I have never, let me repeat that, NEVER, been into exercising per say. I loved playing sports, softball, volleyball, basketball, frisbee, swimming, etc but sit-ups, push-ups, crunches, jumping rope, etc. was not for me. As I got older and fatter, and it was harder to breathe and move (weight gain, smoking and now arthritis in my knees, hips and back) even the sports I loved to play became too much for me to be physically able to do. I mean, my weight and arthritis can make it difficult to walk thru a flea market or on the beach without putting me in excruciating pain for a day or two. On top of that Aleve is the what the orthopedic doctor has told me to take for the arthritis (and it is the only thing that helps). I would love to hear from the "older folks" that have arthritis or perhaps made the bad choice to smoke for 40 some-odd years or their others whose weight makes them short of breath... please how does the sleeve work for you and just what do you do for exercise and how often. I mean I would love to be able to able to play volleyball or softball or basketball but, seriously, is that a reality for me? And the fact that I can't do much (at least 'til I lose the first 40 or 50 lbs) physically - will that be discouraging mentally/emotionally for me because of lack of weight loss? I am pre-surgery and still struggling with the question of bypass or sleeve. I would prefer the sleeve but want to be REAL about the results I should expect -- will I be able to lose the 120 lbs I need to lose with the sleeve?

I think this is normal, Optimist01, to go back and forth... at least that's what I have been telling myself about my own see-sawing. I am see-sawing back and forth about sleeve or bypass. I used to see-saw about whether or not to have surgery. I am not a big mirror person. In other words, I never, I mean NEVER look at my own reflection in mirrors, windows, chrome, nothing! I know I'm obese no need to confirm it by looking at my reflection. I recently took pictures of myself... well, those pictures show me that I am a LOT larger than my mind sees me! So the see-saw is over about surgery or no surgery. From my own history of yo-yo dieting I know I need a tool to lose this weight. Heck, I took Chantix to stop smoking after 42 yrs, I was finally ready to stop smoking and it worked. I see this surgery as my 'Chantix' for weight loss because I am finally ready to make the commitment to lose weight forever. In my heart I know the answer just as in your heart you know the answer. Sometimes we ask questions because we need to hear others' validations for our decisions. Good luck to you.

Oh my gosh, ONLY 25 lbs in 5 weeks! tsk, tsk.... WHADDAYAKIDDINME? That is SUPER - no wonder you're tired! Major surgery, then a boatload of weight lost in a short amount of time, sounds like your body is trying to recover from the trauma it has been through. Seriously, how much did you think you would lose in 5 weeks? I think you are doing FANTASTIC! Especially without getting much exercise because of your joint problems. I had just posted this morning wondering what the reality was of losing weight without becoming an exercise nut. I'm late 50's, 270 lbs, just quit 42 years of smoking and have arthritis in my knees, back and hips. I wondered if the sleeve would be a good surgery for me since I don't forsee me being like Jack LaLane until I lose 40 or 50 lbs. After reading your post, SIGN ME UP FOR THE SLEEVE! Go easy on yourself - look at the positive and pretty soon you will outshine those young whippersnappers on here!

Wow, I think you are doing great! I have been reading postings and yes, people continue to lose (I am pre-surgery, so personally, I cannot give you my experience) beyond the 1 year and even 2 year mark. The only thought I have that might help you, did you keep a food journal? If so, compare what you ate for the first 6 months to what you have eaten for the last 5 months. Looking at your ticker, it looks like maybe you have gotten lax in the last 5 months or perhaps your physique is catching up with the scale -- like clothes are hanging or fitting differently. But, really - go easy on yourself, you are near the goal you set (you still have a month to go) and you have better weight loss than some 1/2 your age. To me you are an inspiration!

I am in the same boat, soready... at least in the fact that I have to lose over 100 pounds. I have read quite a few sleevers who have lost that and more. But my question is do they keep it off after 5 or 8 years? I am very interested to see the answers you get about indigestion, etc. I can't decide to get the bypass or the sleeve. My choice changes every 30 minutes or so. But, help me out... what is PPI? Is it OTC or Rx? I read somewhere they can cut an acid producing nerve -- anyone hear of that?.

That is incredible. Kudos! I'm still in the decision phase (bypass or sleeve) but were you a big eater prior to surgery or were you a wrong kinds of food eater?

I'm a 57 yr old female, 5' 6" and 270 lbs. I'm not a big eater. I have always eaten slowly and have no problem with leaving food on my plate if i am full. I believe my current weight is from eating the wrong foods (ice cream addict), eating at the wrong times (before bed or only once a day -- some days I am just not hungry) and being sedimentary (waa-a-a-ay on my buttski all day long, every day!) and body chemical changes after menopause. Diets (weight watchers) that used to work, are not accomplishing anything for me. I have considered surgery now for about 3 yrs and finally I am sick of my size. I want to do something about it before my organs and/ or my frame gives out or before any co-morbidities surface. I know a dozen people who have had gastric bypass, one who has had duodenal-switch and two who have had the lap band. I don't know anyone who has had the vertical sleeve. Lap-band and duodenal switch are not even a consideration for me... I know I don't want either of those. But, I'm having a difficult time making a decision on whether to have gastric bypass or vertical sleeve. The malabsorbtion of bypass makes me nervous but not as much as the thought of having surgery and having it not work. I have done a ton of online research, have read a lot of forums, blogs etc. and have spent hours and hours (months) watching YouTube videos. It seems if you had the sleeve, you love it and if you had the rny, you love it. Sort reminds me of the Ford vs Chevy thing. I have put off the decision until my first visit with the surgeon -- that was today. He was of absolutely no help. I don't want him to decide for me, I was looking for more information. And I have since realized that maybe he doesn't know the answers to my questions. So let me survey and see what those who have experience tell me. So here is my survey question: 1) Were you a big eater prior to surgery? I mean, did you eat 2 or more sandwiches for lunch and go back for 2nds or 3rds at dinner? Any additional insights you have would be wonderful -- thanks for your honesty and time.

I asked the surgeon yesterday what he recommended. He said he doesn't like to recommend, it is wholly my decision. I told him I understood where he would be hesitant to make a recommendation but that he was the professional, he saw results of both surgeries on a bigger scale than me. I was hoping to get some information if the sleeve works for someone who is not a big eater, mostly I eat the wrong things. His response was that the RNY is the "Gold Standard" and the sleeve could be considered the "Silver Standard" or perhaps the sleeve is also gold but not as many carats. I'm sorry but, huh?... (I've never been good at reading in-between the lines.) But thank you formyfamily, what your doc told you makes absolute sense.

Thanks everyone for taking the time to give me some insight. I have a feeling no matter what I decide the doctor is going to tell me he thinks I have made a good choice. I have been waffling back and forth all day long. Just when I think I have made up my mind something swings me the other way. Having said that, though, I am leaning more towards the RNY rather than the sleeve. Having said that,... ask me in 15 minutes -- lol. But I do have to decide within the next few days so I can get approval from insurance and schedule the surgery. I am glad to see that people are taking time to give me their input. After all... there is no better teacher than experience. Thanks, again and keep the wisdom coming.