Allan Cameron

I'm from down Olympia way, got my sleeve surgery down at Madigan on JBLM. Got to loose the weight so my wife and I can enjoy our sailboat once again... That and travel around the country. The military sent us all over the world, to the point that we've been to more countries than states here in the good ole US of A, now is the time I choose to lose the weight and start a wonderful retirement.

I'm Al, married to a retired Air Force vet (Lori) and then again I too am a retired Air Force vet. We live in Olympia WA and I got my sleeve done at Madigan on Ft Lewis (JBLM) Jun 7th. I'm civil service working on McChord Field for the Air National Guard. Gained over 200lbs when I retired from active duty, so now I need to loose all of that (and then some) so I can have a healthy retirement with my spouse.

I have to second the notion on not comparing yourself to others, you are you and know what you need and want. I had my surgery done in June and needed to loose 250lbs at that time. So far today I've lost half that with 125 gone, which makes me feel great. I'm concentrating on the weight, others do inches, whatever works for you. I've stalled out a couple of times, usually because I changed something or another or I cheat and fall off the wagon. The sleeve works to help, but as said around here all the time, it is a tool you just have to learn how to use it. I'm a guy, and guys and gals are oh so different, when I stall out I hit back, walk more, lift more weights, hit the liquids harder and cut back on starches, not that I eat a lot of them to begin with. Part of this journey is learning how your body reacts to things, being aware of the consequences of your eating habits. You will know what you need to do, the will power to do it is sometimes the only issue, we all tend to fall off the wagon, you just got to climb back on. As said before, good luck to you and Go Sleeve!

Another Olympia voice here, I was sleeved June 7th...as a retired Air Force Sergeant I got my surgery at Madigan.

I too what if'd for years, probably put off having this surgery 20 years of more, then I got Kidney Cancer, lost my left Kidney, and now I have Gout on top of High Blood Pressure... Things were starting to pile up, got the surgery done last June, I've lost over 120 lbs (much higher starting weight than you, but hey) and I'm walking everywhere. I feel soo much better, I'm in a good mood almost all of the time (too good of a mood sometimes). Still not doing cafine, but most of my coworkers think I'm drinking double shots of esspresso. Life is fun again, and eating is not a war zone between my head and my gut anymore.
After surgery you will still be on a diet, of sorts. And some foods you used to like, well you will have to see if you still like them, it is all kinda weird for awhile. I ate steak for the first time in seven months this last week. Still seems odd that I can only eat a small portion of a steak when I used to be able to gobble down two or more... You seem to really know yourself, I wasn't happy with myself, my health wasn't happy with me, I had to get the surgery. As you yourself know, you have to answer these questions and make these decissions...we are just here to support you whatever you decide.

I too what if'd for years, probably put off having this surgery 20 years of more, then I got Kidney Cancer, lost my left Kidney, and now I have Gout on top of High Blood Pressure... Things were starting to pile up, got the surgery done last June, I've lost over 120 lbs (much higher starting weight than you, but hey) and I'm walking everywhere. I feel soo much better, I'm in a good mood almost all of the time (too good of a mood sometimes). Still not doing cafine, but most of my coworkers think I'm drinking double shots of esspresso. Life is fun again, and eating is not a war zone between my head and my gut anymore.
After surgery you will still be on a diet, of sorts. And some foods you used to like, well you will have to see if you still like them, it is all kinda weird for awhile. I ate steak for the first time in seven months this last week. Still seems odd that I can only eat a small portion of a steak when I used to be able to gobble down two or more... You seem to really know yourself, I wasn't happy with myself, my health wasn't happy with me, I had to get the surgery. As you yourself know, you have to answer these questions and make these decissions...we are just here to support you whatever you decide.

I too what if'd for years, probably put off having this surgery 20 years of more, then I got Kidney Cancer, lost my left Kidney, and now I have Gout on top of High Blood Pressure... Things were starting to pile up, got the surgery done last June, I've lost over 120 lbs (much higher starting weight than you, but hey) and I'm walking everywhere. I feel soo much better, I'm in a good mood almost all of the time (too good of a mood sometimes). Still not doing cafine, but most of my coworkers think I'm drinking double shots of esspresso. Life is fun again, and eating is not a war zone between my head and my gut anymore.
After surgery you will still be on a diet, of sorts. And some foods you used to like, well you will have to see if you still like them, it is all kinda weird for awhile. I ate steak for the first time in seven months this last week. Still seems odd that I can only eat a small portion of a steak when I used to be able to gobble down two or more... You seem to really know yourself, I wasn't happy with myself, my health wasn't happy with me, I had to get the surgery. As you yourself know, you have to answer these questions and make these decissions...we are just here to support you whatever you decide.

There are two books I've left on my Kindle since before I had the surgery, they are "The Sleeved Life: A Patient-toPatient Guide on Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy Weight Loss Surgery by Pennie Nicola" and "The Big Book on Gastric Sleeve: Everything you Need to Know to Lose Weight and Live Well with the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy by Alex Brecher and Natalie Stein." I've also got a couple of cookbooks, but I don't really use them all that often...

Goals sometimes have to move...I know I once had a goal of living in Hawaii, well I moved to Hawaii in 2003, now I'm back in Washington State...I had goals at work, met, done, did that... I too have goals for my weight, unlike you I've not gotten there yet. I only wish I could see 230 or anything in the 200's, that would be so great. Congrats and hope you find new goals to set and meet...life is all about setting and meeting our goals. Again Congratulations, and Go Sleeve!

I finally hit my second big milestone over the weekend, I've now lost over 100lbs...still not halfway to my goal but life is getting better and better every day. I walk at least a mile every day, and on the weekend I try to do at least one two mile walk (that is my limit for right now). I feel so much better and am so much more active both at work and at home. Even contacted a personal trainer this weekend to see if I can't start actually getting in shape again. For over thirty years I've been waging a loosing war with nothing but wieght gain, it's great to finally win a battle and loose some weight...Go Sleeve!

I don't think of it as cheating, in fact I go to Buger King every day I work and have a Double Stacker for lunch, can't eat more than one, that is my limit... Then again I walk from my office to the BK and I walk back (a little over a mile round trip). Since football season started I usually eat a big bag of Dorritos over the weekend... And I go for a two mile walk... Yes I even have Ice Cream Sandwhiches in the freezer... I look at these as treats, I'm still loosing weight at a good clip, and truth be told I can't afford to loose faster, I did that early on and ended up in the Hospital with gout, now I treat myself and loose weight, I find this to be a great combo...Go Sleeve!

I finally hit my second big milestone over the weekend, I've now lost over 100lbs...still not halfway to my goal but life is getting better and better every day. I walk at least a mile every day, and on the weekend I try to do at least one two mile walk (that is my limit for right now). I feel so much better and am so much more active both at work and at home. Even contacted a personal trainer this weekend to see if I can't start actually getting in shape again. For over thirty years I've been waging a loosing war with nothing but wieght gain, it's great to finally win a battle and loose some weight...Go Sleeve!

Kgregory
Check out the military treatment facility options were you are stationed. I'm at McChord Field and Madigan Army Medical Center is where I had my surgery, they have pre and post op support groups that meet weekly and a whole Barriatric Education program that is available only to spouses and retirees (active duty are not authorized to have this type of surgery). Your Primary Care Physician will have to refer you to the Barriatric Surgeon, but once that has been done you are on track... If this is the choice you choose. The big sleeve book advertised on this site was one source I used when I was looking to make my decission. There are many books on the subject by both docs and patients. This site has great info and lots of people willing to talk about the good and bad...best of luck to you.

I finally hit my second big milestone over the weekend, I've now lost over 100lbs...still not halfway to my goal but life is getting better and better every day. I walk at least a mile every day, and on the weekend I try to do at least one two mile walk (that is my limit for right now). I feel so much better and am so much more active both at work and at home. Even contacted a personal trainer this weekend to see if I can't start actually getting in shape again. For over thirty years I've been waging a loosing war with nothing but wieght gain, it's great to finally win a battle and loose some weight...Go Sleeve!

This is a decission that you need to make. You will surely consult with those whose opinions matter to you, but in the end it is your body and your life we are talking about here. No one else should be telling you how to live your life. Like many other here I made the decission in consultation with my spouse, no one else got to comment on the decission prior. Many people knew I was thinking about it (for over a year), but when it came time to actually make the decission, it was me and my wife that had anything to say... Since having the Surgery I've let most everyone know that I've had this surgery, and especially my family I left all of them know that my eating habits were drastically new and different. I am very thick skinned, to the point of being dense sometimes, so if someone disagrees with my opinion or decissions I may not ever know... But so far I've not had anyone state that this surgery was not great for me...heck I've lost over 100 lbs in the first 4 months. Go Sleeve!

This is a decission that you need to make. You will surely consult with those whose opinions matter to you, but in the end it is your body and your life we are talking about here. No one else should be telling you how to live your life. Like many other here I made the decission in consultation with my spouse, no one else got to comment on the decission prior. Many people knew I was thinking about it (for over a year), but when it came time to actually make the decission, it was me and my wife that had anything to say... Since having the Surgery I've let most everyone know that I've had this surgery, and especially my family I left all of them know that my eating habits were drastically new and different. I am very thick skinned, to the point of being dense sometimes, so if someone disagrees with my opinion or decissions I may not ever know... But so far I've not had anyone state that this surgery was not great for me...heck I've lost over 100 lbs in the first 4 months. Go Sleeve!

I started to feel "normal" during my third month after surgery. I was finally able to really begin to walk for more than a mile, and I was eating real food again. The weight loss for me is almost automatic as big as I am and as big as I started. This month (my fourth month after surgery) I'm really fealing like I'm making progress, I've even got an appointment with a personal trainer tonight to start really exercising, beyond just walking. My wife and I are able to go out to the resturants we like, granted I always leave with a "doggy bag" but it is good to feel "normal" again.

I finally hit my second big milestone over the weekend, I've now lost over 100lbs...still not halfway to my goal but life is getting better and better every day. I walk at least a mile every day, and on the weekend I try to do at least one two mile walk (that is my limit for right now). I feel so much better and am so much more active both at work and at home. Even contacted a personal trainer this weekend to see if I can't start actually getting in shape again. For over thirty years I've been waging a loosing war with nothing but wieght gain, it's great to finally win a battle and loose some weight...Go Sleeve!

Are you loosing weight? Did the food stay down? Those are the questions I worry about. My sleeve tells me when I eat too much at a single sitting or over a short period of time. And my scale lets me know when I've let the total level of food get out of hand. As long as I continue to drop weight, and I can keep the food down, I figure I'm still on target...Go Sleeve!

Are you loosing weight? Did the food stay down? Those are the questions I worry about. My sleeve tells me when I eat too much at a single sitting or over a short period of time. And my scale lets me know when I've let the total level of food get out of hand. As long as I continue to drop weight, and I can keep the food down, I figure I'm still on target...Go Sleeve!

I finally hit my second big milestone over the weekend, I've now lost over 100lbs...still not halfway to my goal but life is getting better and better every day. I walk at least a mile every day, and on the weekend I try to do at least one two mile walk (that is my limit for right now). I feel so much better and am so much more active both at work and at home. Even contacted a personal trainer this weekend to see if I can't start actually getting in shape again. For over thirty years I've been waging a loosing war with nothing but wieght gain, it's great to finally win a battle and loose some weight...Go Sleeve!

I did not choose either of the bybase types of surgery partially because of the dumping issues. I want to live a normal life after surgery, and already just over four months I'm able to go out to most any resturant I want (though I eat really small portions and take home the rest almost all the time). I can go for walks without worry of having to find a facility (most of the time). I'm 56 and wanted to get my life back befor I retire, and especially be able to be active for my retirement. The Sleeve is letting me get there, and I expect to loose at least another 100+ pounds.

I'm one of the extreme types, and the sleeve has worked great for me...lost over 100lbs in the last 4+ months...the sleeve will not let you overeat, try it and it will bite you back...I know, once I got back to eating real food I tried to eat too much, or to eat too fast, either one will teach you very quickly to change your habits. I have so much more energy and life is getting better and bette every day...my own mantra is Go Sleeve! But we all have to make our own choices.

I don't consider myself to be all that far along on this journey, sleeve 7 June, but I'm already eating what I consider normally... I can go to my favorite mexican restaurant and order an enchilada and eat a few chips and salsa, I can eat a BK double stacker burger at one sitting... When I have a sandwich I usually use a round loaf of bread and basically only eat half a sandwich... A Pork Chop is at least two meals... Small boneless chicken-breast at one sitting (large is two meals)... Drinking is still the hardest thing, I never have gotten the hang of sipping.

I've been very public about what I'm doing and how I'm doing, both now when everything is working, and especially a month or so ago when I had an Accute Gout attack and things went to heck-in-a-handbasket... I've yet to have anyone give me anything but positive reinforcement. Then again I don't really listen to negative people, I tend to tune them out and ignore them... We are all different in our habits, and our reasons for having this surgery, but once you've figured out that this is your best or even your only open option, make the best of it. The sleeve will force you into some changes in your eating habits (you just can NOT overeat, you try and you will pay for it). But as so many have said, it is a tool, and you will have to determine how best to use that tool...