BigTink2LilTink

Sorry, but I can't stop sharing this ****. Every time I look at it, I am like WOW, I'm actually doing this ****. I am actually changing who the hell I am.

Sorry, but I can't stop sharing this ****. Every time I look at it, I am like WOW, I'm actually doing this ****. I am actually changing who the hell I am.

Sorry, but I can't stop sharing this ****. Every time I look at it, I am like WOW, I'm actually doing this ****. I am actually changing who the hell I am.

Hey y'all! Checking in!
2.5 years post op
SW: 323
CW: 153
Size 24/26 to a 4/6
No skin removal

Hey y'all! Checking in!
2.5 years post op
SW: 323
CW: 153
Size 24/26 to a size 4/6
No skin removal

Oh yeah taste def changed.

Sent from my SM-N920P using BariatricPal mobile app

Yes! I had a coworker ask me if I'd been on vacation for the past few months & she passed me nearly everyday but didn't notice me until I dropped "43" pounds, smh!

Yea now 60+ gone same thing more people want to hug and smile... It's crazy

progress starts in the mind

That blows my mind! I've seen this. When I was 235pfs people walked past me like I didn't exist.

Definitely be careful regarding the coping mechanisms. Especially with alcohol. I have several people at my job who have had the procedure and spouses/relatives that had the procedure. Several of them (like 30% which is a crazy rate) became serious alcoholics. I can only think this was a new way to self medicate.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using BariatricPal mobile app

Man thanks you answered all the questions I had

Good luck to you on your weight loss journey my friend. Though others who haven't walked in the shoes of a person morbidly obese, may say that surgery is the "easy way out", I'm hear to tell you that there isn't anything easy about this procedure at all. So the first tip I will give you is this, prepare to work your ass off, cause thinking that this is the magical cure all for your weight-loss blues is going to sourly disappoint you. You have got to prepare your mind and will power for this life changing procedure. Because its just that, life changing.

If you have an unhealthy relationship with food (i.e. using food as a cope mechanism, addict, emotional eater, etc) then I would highly suggest that you need to deal with those issues first before going under the knife. Get a very good support system in place to help you mentally deal with those things prior to the surgery. For me I had friends who had already had the surgery that I could lean on for advice, and I was seeing a therapist to deal with some of my emotional issues related to stress/food/and image issues.
Because once you get cut on and have 80% of your stomach removed, you won't be able to use food as a comfort release or coping mechanism as you may have done in the past. I learned that lesson the absolute hard way and I spent a good bit of my first year post surgery fixing and dealing with those mistakes that I made, because I wasn't as mentally ready for the surgery as previously thought. And experiencing dumping once or twice and needing IV fluids to be able to see, and comprehend again will make you follow the damn meal plans.< br />
Carbonation beverages I would just avoid, especially the first year or so. Now you will have a lot of people here that say never do it and some say its alright, I leave that up to you for you are an adult and can make your own decisions on that. For me I do rarely consume carbonated beverages (maybe a soda or hard cider ever 2 to 4 months at most), but I mostly find comfort in drinking flavored water, tea, coffee, and juice. I use to be about a 1.5/2liter a day diet Pepsi drinker and now I may have a can every 6 to 8 weeks at most and usually when I am out.

I haven't really had a beer in like almost two years but I have consumed hard alcohol like Tequila, Rum, Bourbon, and Whiskey. Alcohol is very different for me now in that I don't need no where near as much as I did pre-surgery to get a buzz. So because of that and the fact that I don't like the "buzzed/drunk" feeling I limit the amount of alcohol I consume too. If I am out socially I usually have one to two drinks at most and I sip them slowly throughout the evening to minimize the affects that the alcohol will have on me. As the farther out from surgery I have gone, my tolerance has slowly increased, but its nowhere near where it was at per-surgery. Again not a bad thing because alcohol, especially beer is empty calories, and gas which you will not need. Trust me on the gas part cause being bloated is an absolute pain in the gut literally.

I say all of that in the regards that you don't need the stuff really. Those first 12 to 24 months you should honestly be focused on eating properly and getting into a good workout/exercise routine so that you can continue to post gains(weight loss) while your VGS is still in its magical weight-loss phase. Cause eventually you will hit the stall and the tool will at some point stop being so magical. Get into good habits and work your ass off literally and you will see the difference.
Sex
Yes it will change. If you had low stamina and energy, it will increase. I mean you will have a lot less weight and body mass to deal with, so there is that bonus too. Also men tend to store testosterone in their fat cells, so the more fat you burn off the more testosterone you will be releasing into your blood stream. This means more Hair growth, stronger erections, huge sexual desires, and if you hit the gym a lot some more strength. Guys with erectile issues may see those issues go away when they lose the weight off.

Also your confidence will start to grow the more the weight comes off. You will look and feel better in your clothes. If you have a lot of fat padding around your pelvic area that will shrink away, which can help in penis growth a bit. Less fat around the "Ram Rod of Justice" I say the better for both you, your ego, and his/her pleasure (for my bi/gay friends there don't wanna leave you all out).
I say all of this because I too was in your shoes almost three years ago. Hell if they would have told me about the sexual benefits, as well as me buying normal size clothes in normal stores I would have done the surgery years ago. Instead all I heard about or feared was the complications from the surgery, and all the foods I could no longer eat. Yeah sometimes I do miss being able to eat anything I wanted to eat, but I wouldn't go back to it at all. Because now I enjoy so so much more out of life than what is on my plate.

This picture was taken one year ago today so I figured I would take a new one. It does look like my feet are smaller. It seems like they don't swell up as much. You'll notice the scale is smaller as I don't need the extra wide scale. My surgery was June 22nd, one month after this picture and 11 months ago today.

Sorry to post more, but I love it! [emoji13] [emoji11] [emoji1]
 

Sent from my SM-G955U using BariatricPal mobile app

As for Vitamins, everyone in the US needs a Vitamin supplement. Our food supply is wholly deficient. Plan to need it long term (but 1-2 flintstones chewables will work, so it's really not a big deal for sleevers.)
The general recovery is 6-8 weeks. You take a couple weeks off work, but the gym should wait longer. You won't be eating enough to fuel gym workouts.
I'm 8 weeks postop and have lost so much strength and stamina. Have to start from scratch. Not sure if things would be better if I'd started at the gym earlier. Danged if you do, danged if you don't.
I don't know any long term patients, other than one bypass patient that has kept the weight off for 10 years but has malabsorption issues.

Hi all. So I have been looking at and reading over this forum for a couple months now. When graduated high school I was around 330, biggest was 348. I lost down to about 270 but have gained most of that back now at 320. I am 26 and have been contemplating possibly being sleeved but have tons of questions and the fear of something going wrong(I know this is with any surgery). So here are some of my questions:
1. I know you have to take Vitamins after surgery, but how long do you have to take them? Just a certain amount of time or the rest if your life?
2. I don't have a big issue with sweets.. My thing is I love real food, like home cooking. So with that being said, I'm not a big veggie eater. I can tolerate a few things but not many. Is there anyone else like this? If so what is the advice you gave gotten from your nutritionist?
3. How long before you were able to go back to work? I don't have a strainious job but am on my feet just a bout all day. Minimal lifting.
4. How long before you get back into the gym?
5. Do you know of anyone who has had the surgery with long term results?(5+ years)
sorry for such a long initial post. Just so many questions before taking that leap. I have an aunt(11/2105)and a cousin(2/16)who have both had the surgery. Both have seemed to do great as far as weight loss goes. Both had the bypass surgery. My aunt, who is mid 50's, has seemed to have more colds than normal since the surgery but my cousin has seemed to do great. Any an feedback is greatly appreciated.

A work in progress. 285 > 182
I still don't have any full lengths not in gym clothes. After spending so many years hiding from the camera it's hard to get used to taking photos!

One of my big fears before surgery was what the scars would look like long term. This is a few days after surgery and 1 year later. I'm happy with it!

Yup I love buttoning up my size 36 jeans as well. Especially when just 30 months ago I was struggling to get into a size 58. Would not trade back the old size for anything.

Yup I love buttoning up my size 36 jeans as well. Especially when just 30 months ago I was struggling to get into a size 58. Would not trade back the old size for anything.

This that post gym pump look. Yeah I have to keep going. If you can't motivate yourself to do it, then no one else will.

   

Sent from my SM-N920P using BariatricPal mobile app

Sorry, but I can't stop sharing this ****. Every time I look at it, I am like WOW, I'm actually doing this ****. I am actually changing who the hell I am.

Sorry, but I can't stop sharing this ****. Every time I look at it, I am like WOW, I'm actually doing this ****. I am actually changing who the hell I am.