craigcu

The first time I met George Peters, I knew he would be a record holder, I just didn't realize to what extent!
He had been sufficiently frightened by several chronic health issues he was living with as a result of his weight. And I knew he was ready to defeat the fear and fight back.
While George didn't look like it outwardly, he weighed more than 400 pounds.
With the full support of his family, his took his obesity challenge by the horns (and then some).
George recently shared his personal weight loss journey on Facebook as a way to show where he had been--and where he is today.
He kindly permitted us to share his remarkable story below:



Why Weight Loss Surgery



By George Peters



(shared with permission)


It's one month until my first Ironman in Mont-Tremblant, Quebec and I'm sharing my story of ‪#‎whyweightlosssurgery:
In 2010, I weighed 425 pounds. I was visiting my primary care physician, and he stated that I would need surgery to have an insulin pump inserted into me to control my diabetes.
My realization was that I would probably be dead by age 50, if I didn’t get my diabetes under control.
Weight-related Health Issues
My diabetes, high blood pressure, respiratory problems and circulatory problems were out of control.
I had tried numerous diets to control my weight and health problems, and they always started off with success only to surrender any weight loss, to an eventual failure, and an additional weight gain.
I decided that I would have bariatric surgery for weight loss in January 2011. I had gastric sleeve surgery performed by Dr. Ayotunde Adeyeri at Bayshore Community Hospital in Holmdel.
Sleeve Gastrectomy Success
I lost 125 pounds and started to control my health problems. My weight loss stalled in 2013 and my fear of my health problems returning scared me. I hadn’t reached my goal weight of 240 pounds.
I started running in the fall of 2013 when my daughters convinced my wife and me to have our family run in a turkey trot (5K).
A New Passion for Fitness, Strength and Endurance
I started running and found the workouts to be rewarding. I started cycling again soon after. I hadn’t ridden a bicycle since I was a teenager because I was too big to ride a bike. Soon after my first 10 mile bike ride, I decided to sign up for my first sprint triathlon, in the spring 2014.
During the 2014 year, my performance in three of my four triathlons was affected due to gall bladder problems that eventually led to my gall bladder being removed 5 days after the New Jersey State Triathlon.
Losing Nearly 200 Pounds Sends George to His First Ironman Competition
2015 has been a year of setting goals and working to achieve them:
My goal for this year is to finish an Ironman. I scheduled multiple smaller events to help me prepare for the Ironman.
I finished the NYC half marathon in March.
My training continued, and I finished the Raleigh Ironman 70.3 in 9 hours 3 minutes.
In August, I will complete my first full Ironman triathlon in Mont Tremblant, Quebec, Canada.

Ironman and Triathlon have given me a bright outlook for the future. I now have a goal of being in Kona by the age of fifty.

As I mentioned previously my surgery date was the 21st, now 2 days post-op. I'm at home and relaxing in the recliner. I take my meds every 4 hours and walk then, but ugh!!! Abdominal pain plus gas is pure evil. The iv drip at the hospital was misleading!

I was sleeved as an outpatient. The first 3 days I took my pain meds but the pain I felt came more from the hernia repair than the sleeve. I felt okay enough to stop the pain meds day 3 and was driving day 5. Everyone is different so your journey may be a completely different story. Good luck!

Today is the 4th day for you? Thanks for the update. It's great you got some B-12. Those can actually make you feel better at least in IV form. So you're 6 feet - 268lbs? That's not even very heavy. I'm definitely on the lower BMI side. I used to be so skinny and athletic until about 10 years ago. I'm just excited to not be tired all the time.
PM me later if you don't wanna post the label pictures everywhere.
Cheers.

This was a great load of info that I've been curious about. Thanks so much! I don't have surgery until November but I'm already getting nervous and trying to prepare for every single issue. Control freak, ha. Best wishes and keep up the great work!

Great write up, glad everything worked out well. I did mention the walk alot and drink alot, figured it had not changed.. BAsed on this, I'll definately consider Mexico when I get my plastics done ( I can already see I will need them).
Now the hard part starts, keep drinking as much as you can and DO NOT push past your schedule for food types. You will pay for it and your primary care giver is not near by so dont take any chances. If you have blood in teh stool, if its black, keep an eye on it but it should clear. If its red, get to the hospital.. TMI, but you need to know these things..
Luck,
Craig

If you cant lie flat, get a recliner. I slept in mine for 9 days before moving to the bed. If you dont have a recliner, buy one, get it delivered, then return in in 20 - 30 days when you dont need it any more..

Seems like part of the purpose of this site if you ask me...

I just turned 51... so had all thus in my late 40s... so worth it.
However I think you need to accept your flawed body pre plastics or you may never be happy with plastics either. I interviewed several plastics patients and was shocked at people with great results who still wanted better. Kind of like massive weight loss...be sure to wrap your head around this, get over your dismorphia etc first.

It's been asked and answered many many times on this forum. A search will bring you lots of info.
I went to Dr Sauceda in Mexico in 2013. I am very pleased with my results. He uses twilight sedation with epidural which removed my biggest fear - the being sick from anesthesia which happens to me everytime i have general.
I had a breast lift/implants, lower body lift, arm lift and a small thigh lift (groin incision only). the total cost was in the 16K range and he includes your aftercare for 11 days (3 in clinic with full nursing care, rest in a hotel where you are visited daily by him and a nurse in separate visits), garments and a credit toward your airfare.
I am sure prices changed since 2013, but at the time he was considerably more affordable than my local options. More than that, the amount of after care he provided was much much more than offered for me locally. I did 4-5 local consults and I think everybody should do that before deciding. He does consults by email and then final decisions are made the day before your surgery when he does the markup.

I had a lapband in 2001 when my boys were 9 and 12. My oldest is a worrier and my youngest is the silent type - who knows if he is a worrier, right? I revised to the sleeve when they were 19 and 22.
Anyway, we kept it light for the band procedure. They knew I was going into the hospital and at that time, in Germany, they kept me for 5 freaking days!!!! In the USA, you have to be on your deathbed to even be admitted to a hospital (ok maybe not that bad) so it was hard to help them understand that I was okay even though they would not let me out. My EX (their stepdad) did a great job of keeping them entertained/distracted combined with visiting me in jail (hospital)... it was a real balancing act.
My basic feeling about all this is that it is very difficult for children to understand all this and I don't want them to worry so I would really minimize it to the extent possible.
when I revised to the sleeve, my children were young adults but still concerned. I stayed overnight in an outpatient place. I did NOT want visitors but my EX felt they should see that I was okay. We played cards and had some laughs even though it exhausted me to have visitors it was a good decision because they could see I was "ok".
I know you didn't ask this question but I have to add something kinda interesting. I hit goal in Feb 2013. I pulled out before pix of myself recently and both of my boys looked so sad. they told me they don't remember me looking like that. They didn't realize how heavy (lets be honest, i was huge) I was. It made them sad, shocked and then proud of me in all I have achieved - all at once.

I think it is important to tailor your information to fit the 8 year old, who even if precocious, does not yet have abstract reasoning, which means that the "big picture" "the why" is not perceivable. 8 year olds live in the moment, live in the reality of what they need right now. Reassure him that he will be fine, that Mom is going to be healthier which means she can be an even better Mom. Ask him what activity he wishes he could do with his mom, run, throw a ball, bike, whatever -- tell him the surgery will mean that his Mom will be able to do that with him soon. Pair these discussions with fun things, a favorite meal, a walk, a visit to family. Make him feel special that he is on the side of his Mom's health!

No, its not "fair" that others treat you different when you're slim, but you cant control how others think, unfortunately. Im sure when you picked out your favorite shirt, house , car , puppy etc you picked out the most attractive one didn't you ? That wasn't being shallow, that was going for the one that you liked best. I do think when you lose weight and start feeling good , you send out "good vibes " and radiate self confidence . Maybe thats why others are suddenly attracted to you ? Just a thought !!

My opinion as a single woman who has been at goal for awhile... they aren't being shallow. I don't want to date obese men now either. i am not a fat hater, I don't disrespect overweight people, but I am not attracted nor do i want the physical limitations and less active lifestyle, more food focused lifestyle that can come with obesity.
As far as the going from invisible to visible.. that was a head trip. I don't resent the world for it, because in truth I changed ALOT, not just in looks. I was always fairly outgoing (or so i thought) but now I bring a whole different energy that attracts people. i have had girlfriends tell me that. One skinny girl pal was frank and honest enough to tell me that she always liked me but sensed a wall around me (she wasn't talking about the physical fat suit) and now I just seem so warm and open by comparison.
I know that everyone claims they don't change - it is everybody else that changed.. . I don't know if that is really the case. People of both genders will treat you different when you are slimmer because you likely have really changed inside as well as outside.

@@SassyTassy
Here is my comment scale...
Nice compliment - Hilarious compliment - Backhanded/negative compliment - to uncomfortable and creepy compliment
The men topic. When I was heavy I was disregarded disrespected and invisible. They now look, They hold doors open. Make a point to talk to you. It amazes me the value people put on looks.
@ I also love the video. It hits home.
We are lucky in life to experience the world as an obese person to a healthy weight person. For me its a good perspective to know who likes me for me..or who is only interested in the appearance.

I'm getting sleeved tomorrow! Its pretty crazy to me. For the past couple of weeks I have avoided thinking too much about it because I didn't want to freak myself out. And now that it's here, I'm thinking about it.... and freaking myself out.
I have a friend that's going with me. My best friend had it done a few months ago and she's the only thing that is keeping me sane right now. I fly out to Tijuana in the morning. Leaving Oklahoma at 6:30 am. (I should be asleep but I'm online talking to you guys). Surgery is tomorrow afternoon sometime. I would like to take a Xanax tomorrow but I'm not sure if that's a good idea. Any helpful advice is appreciated. Thanks

I was told when I was eating at that level I wasnt eating enough and my body would go into conservation mode. Check with your NUT to see if thats the case for you. If not, then slow and steady does win the race!! Congrats all..

That's awesome guys! Good job! My weight loss has been kind of slow :/ this morning I was at 236. Down 32 lbs. I exercise 3 days a week. Get about 900 calories a day. Hope I'm doing everything right

I've just snuck in under 200 at 199! Total loss of 39lb. Aren't we good little bariatric patients?!
Although I saw my NUT yesterday and they are concerned I'm losing too quickly?... Interesting. Still got to get the Protein up. My NUT is not a big fan of adding Protein Powder and I'm supposed to get it nutritionally through foods. Interested what others experienced are.
Well done all of us! 2 months down. Wow

Doing well, still aiming for the 2zone by end of August. Down to 339 this morning, 57 since program start. rosieuk, how are you??

How's everyone doing? ??? I've hit ONEDERLAND at 198.8 thus morning! 43 pounds down in total! !!

Stalls happen! Then they break. Then they happen again and break again. Keep doing what your plans says to do and be patient! Your patience will be rewarded... Until you hit the next stall. ????

Sleevers over 300.. You can achieve greatness:) I started my journey may 20 2014 at 310 lbs .. 13 months later I have lost 165 lbs.. Hovering at 145!
Good luck ????

Okay. Here's a little reality check.
The lower the BMI, the slower you will lose. Those of you with 40 or below BMI as a rule will not lose as much weight the first month as those of you with 40 or higher BMI.
Males lose faster than us gals. Fact. Infuriating, but true.
You will not lose 20 or 30 pounds every month. After the initial fast weight loss month or so, it stabilizes to more "normal" losses. 2-5 lbs a week. Then as you get closer to your goal, it's more like 2-5 a MONTH.
Don't compare yourself to others. There are just too many variables to what a normal rate is for weight loss. Any weight lost is a victory. And from what I've seen here, you all are winners!