safemancsp

I just had my surgery two weeks ago today, so I have a lot of work still ahead of me to get to my goal. But I am looking forward to many different activities: hiking in the hills, riding a bike, and taking long walks with my wife are just a few.

Well, just got back from a great week of skiing in Breckenridge CO. Haven't been skiing in over 10 years. My sleeve has given me a new life with no limits.
Here's my before and after only one short year later......

  

Hi All
I was a year out as of Dec 11, 2014 - over the weekend was with some gf and tried on dresses... got to say I smiled ear to ear when i zipped up a size 6 & their voices all said WOW!!!
First picture is from Nov 2013 size 20W and the 2nd picture is from Sun Jan 25, 2015 (SIZE 6!!!!)
3rd pic is from Oct 2013 - 4th pic is from Sat Jan 24, 2015
The sleeve CHANGED MY LIFE! best thing i have ever done!!! wishing you all a happy day!

Here is my most recent side x side. 4 years banded today !

Warning lady posting in the men's room....... ????????????
Anyways. I am preop and here is a short list of what I am looking forward to.
- fitting in restaurant booths ( how embarrassing is it to always have to request a table and praying they have one ?)
- being able to fly without seat belt extender and spilling into the next seat.
- not feeling so harshly judged by everyone. Getting the stares, snickers and whispers.
- never ever thinking "oh this guy will not like me because of my size"
- being able to go to theme parks and ride all the rides without worrying if I will fit.
- buying clothes wherever I want. Right now there's only 2 stores I can shop at. I want variety, darnit.
- wearing a swimsuit in public.
- being able to do athletic activities 5k's, walking through the park, playing in adult softball/volleyball leagues.
- for my family to stop worrying about me
- to get pregnant one day.
- of course I'm hoping sex will be much better when im thinner and I can do things I can't do know.
- to never be told im pretty for a big girl or have a pretty face.
This list could go on and on and on.

Here's a new one. I want to go kayaking. I love fishing and am too poor to own a boat, I figure a kayak is a good middle ground. I want to start flying more places. I simply refuse to fly anywhere at my current size. I want to ride a zip line. I want to sit at a restaurant booth. I want to see my wang again.

The greatest side effect of this surgery has been the positive effect on my relationship with my wife of 27 years. I am down 35 lbs From 258 to 223) since my DOS (1/20/15). and the last three weeks have been like the first three weeks we met. Also was having some severe ED problems (blood pressure meds and weight... the culprit) that are slowly subsiding... I feel fantastic from the weight loss alone.... We always have had a great relationship over 27 years but this little change has kinda rekindled something we lost along the way...raising 2 kids, jobs and me not taking care of my body and appearance.....here's hoping every sleever sees this benefit!

efierke,
Please provide a reference or source for your assertion that what I stated about Calcium being absorbed in the small intestine and not the stomach is not true. Also, are you able to cite a medical reference that actually states, B12 is absorbed in the stomach? If so, please provide the reference.
B12 is not absorbed in the stomach. B12 is absorbed in the small intestine. Bound B12, that is B12 contained in food we eat, rather than supplements we take, requires "intrinsic factor" which is produced in the stomach to be broken down and absorbed in the small intestine. It is NOT "absorbed almost exclusively in the stomach" as you assert.
From the Merck Manual which you can find here: http://www.merckmanuals.com/home/disorders_of_nutrition/vitamins/vitamin_b12.html
"Vitamin B12 occurs in foods that come from animals. Normally, Vitamin B12 is readily absorbed in the last part of the small intestine (ileum), which leads to the large intestine. However, to be absorbed, the vitamin must combine with intrinsic factor, a Protein produced in the stomach. Without intrinsic factor, vitamin B12 moves through the intestine and is excreted in stool."
From another source located here: http://www.fao.org/docrep/004/y2809e/y2809e0b.htm
Absorption"The absorption of vitamin B12 in humans is complex (1, 2). Vitamin B12 in food is bound to Proteins and is released from the Proteins by the action of a high concentration of hydrochloric acid present in the stomach. This process results in the free form of the vitamin, which is immediately bound to a mixture of glycoproteins secreted by the stomach and salivary glands. These glycoproteins, called R-binders (or haptocorrins), protect vitamin B12 from chemical denaturation in the stomach. The stomach’s parietal cells, which secrete hydrochloric acid, also secrete a glycoprotein called intrinsic factor. Intrinsic factor binds vitamin B12 and ultimately enables its active absorption. Although the formation of the vitamin B12 - intrinsic factor complex was initially thought to happen in the stomach, it is now clear that this is not the case. At an acidic pH the affinity of the intrinsic factor for vitamin B12 is low whereas its affinity for the R-binders is high. When the contents of the stomach enter the duodenum, the R-binders become partly digested by the pancreatic proteases, which causes them to release their vitamin B12. Because the pH in the duodenum is more neutral than that in the stomach, the intrinsic factor has a high binding affinity to vitamin B12, and it quickly binds the vitamin as it is released from the R-binders. The vitamin B12-intrinsic factor complex then proceeds to the lower end of the small intestine, where it is absorbed by phagocytosis by specific ileal receptors (1, 2)."

I can produce at least another 20 medical references that clearly state that food bound B12 is absorbed in the small intestine and not the stomach if you would like me to do so.

One more thing... Once upon a time i was a Clothes horse... There's this shop in Phila. BOYDS...they have the best stuff there... and i used to shop there... Suits, Ties socks sweaters.... then one day... I remember it like yesterday.
I go to the 3rd floor to browse the European collection... and a sales person approaches me... he sys sir let me take your measurement... Then sys.. "I'm sorry sir.. your size is on the 4th floor" I reply.. "but the fourth floor is for Big and Ta......"


I havent bought a really NICE suit since.... when i reach my goal...
I'm going to the 3rd FLOOR!!!
Im buying an Emenegildo Zegna suit....
Ant its going to be glorious!!! LOL

Thanks so much for this thread...I thought it was just me!!!
Booths at a restaurant..
Airline seats
Long walks... bike rides...
GOLF... I promised myself i'd learn
I have been wanting to take a paragliding lesson... This is my year...
and SEX... DEAR GOD SEX!!!!

I'm preop, sleeving on the 23rd.
I'm looking forward to the flight thing, buying suits off the rack at a normal store, and being able to do the yoga position where you sit cross legged and bend forward. Right now I can't bend due to my gut.
Feeling agile again, able to run with the kids with ease, learning to scuba dive. Fitting into tight places at work. Not worrying if the attic stairs are going to collapse under me.

For me, it's the little things. Being able to step into my car, rather than sit down backwards and drag my legs in. And being able to get up off the floor WITHOUT having to make sure there's a chair, stool, prop nearby that I can use for assistance.
AND I FORGOT ABOUT RESTAURANT BOOTHS!!! The greatest threat ever to overweight people. Booths are only 2nd to Wicker furniture on the fear scale for the overweight. :-P

I'm one week post op. I can so relate to everyone's posts! Had me cracking up thinking about fitting into restaurant booths, airplane seats, and tying my shoes again without using the pant leg assist method.

Mike...Congrats, Dude!!! It's a great feeling!!!
If I've said this once, I've said it a thousand times...PLEASE don't make the same mistake I did!!! I got so excited that I got out of my 44 - 46 pants and into 36's that I went on a damned shopping spree!!! And then about 2 months later, THEY were all too big and I had to give them all away!!! Don't invest in a true wardrobe until you get down your comfortable goal weight, which you most definitely WILL achieve!!!
Once again...congrats, my man...keep up the good work!!!

I moved into size 36 jeans today after a brief 2 week stint in 38's! I'Ve been in tight 42-44's for the last 8 years so this is the best feeling in the world. The fact that it happened in the middle of a 2 week weight stall is even better.
I can't describe how much this changes my "head" in making me realize I am really going to be successful with this surgery. After so many failed diets and weight loss trials over the years I guess I just got programmed to expect eventual failure. This sleeve is changing my body as well as my head and I'm beginning to feel like I now have a tool that is more effective than anything else out there.
Looking forward to 34's. Think I'll Celebrate by going to the gym!

had to google them. spendy. decent reviews. see you just got sleeved. are you looking for these now? I think waiting until you lost more would be wise considering how spendy they are.
http://www.amazon.com/Spanx-Cotton-Compression-607-White/dp/B003FPZFC0/ref=sr_1_2_mc?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1423673143&sr=1-2

damn it.... feel like having an oreo now. thanks OP.....

Either my IPad is possessed or im losing my mind. I tried to type "pre-op" in another post and it auto-corrected to "Oreos".
Really? "Oreos"? On a WLS forum? Guess what I'm craving now..........I hate you IPad.

I signed up for a zip line tour this Saturday. Decided there is no need to wait! It's 14 zip lines over 5 hours so this may be tough but I'm going to do it. I Bought a groupon for this 3 years ago and then realized I was over the weight limit so I couldn't do it.
I'm under now so it's game on!

Sex is always on the list for anything. bigger, smaller, taller, shorter, lighter, darker. so besides the obvious!
outdoors activities (which I have always done) but without being exhausted. camping, hiking, fishing, hunting.
started running. I think I am making great progress in that regard.
sitting down in a chair without worrying if it will break or not!
zipline, rock wall, fun/mud run, live life to the fullest.
not having to read the weight restrictions on everything because you know you are light enough. (i.e. ladder)

Just traded my 08 Street Glide for the 2014 Street Glide Special. LOVE IT!

I ride a 2012 Honda Goldwing.

I am 3 years post op and I travel and surely eat "crazy bad foods" sometimes.
Here are my thoughts - take it or leave it - I think that when you do a vacation trip it is MOST important to keep portions small and to not graze. So have that butter laden whatever, but just a tiny bit. don't let yourself munch and snack all day - eat enough to be satiated, eat those 4-5 mini meals (or whatever your program calls for). reason I say this is that you really haven't gone off your routine or caused long term problems, you are just eating higher calorie/higher carb food for a few days and it is much easier to go back to your routine once you get home. If you let yourself "stuff yourself" you will be hungrier and it might be harder to get back on track immediately.
I also try to stay really active on vacation and stay away from "food oriented" vacations. March last year I spent 8-9 days in Mexico, I actually lost weight even though I had been at goal for a year already.
when I drink, I stay away from sugary mixers.
So, this applies probably more to people who have alot to lose. I was determined to get to goal, but had to lose over 150# to do it. what I knew is that the honeymoon periond only lasts "so long" so I didn't drink, didn't go eating junky food and really didn't allow myself food vacations until after getting to goal. I realize this isn't for everyone, but in my case, it was something that was very important to me. That first year post op wasn't filled with fun and frolic for me, it was filled with disciplined eating and exercise. I only share this - not as any kind of judgement - but so that newbies reading this don't think that I lost that kind of weight in that time frame any other way - reality check.

I hated being called "big guy" too, but now I'm called Slim by some of the same people, not sure how I feel about that, either. Why can't I just be called "Dave"?

I tell and will tell openly. I just had it done 2 weeks ago and it's already gotten me a date. And she asked me out. I was introduced to a couple friends of friends at a pub where I was drinking tea while my friend and others had beer and burgers. Of course one of the women asked if I wanted a bite of hers and I told her I had the surgery. They all became fascinated and amazed at my progress and journey. And one by one everyone at my table started talking about their food struggles and past addiction issues. I was not looked down upon for having the surgery but as a hero for conquering my foe. And at the end one women asked if I wanted to catch a movie or go on a hike with her. I said yes. That's more interest in me that I've had from a women in a couple years. I felt like a rockstar, and no way would that have happened if I kept my mouth shut.