Wheetsin

FMLA only covers employers with 50+ employees, who employed through 20+ work weeks during this or the last calendar year. And you as an employee have to meet certain criteria to be covered, it is not automatic for everyone. To be covered you must: 1. work for an employer subject to FMLA rules; 2 have worked for that employer for a total of 12 months; 3. have worked at least 1,250 hours over the previous 12 months; 4. work at a location in the United States or in any territory or possession of the United States where at least 50 employees are employed by the employer within 75 miles. If the employer & employee criteria are met, then you legally must be granted unpaid leave from work (for qualifiying situations, see more below) without penalty. A lot of people confuse FMLA with STD. Keep in mind FMLA does nothing to pay you, it basically just requires your job is still open to you when you return. There are also only certain situations that qualify for FMLA. People tend to generalize this too much and assume that uncovered situations are covered. Per the gov't:

Let's clarify that support is going to look more like "here are some things to help youi make a decision" and "whatever decision you make, we will do what we can to answer your questions and help." Support is not going to look like, "You should have the surgery." That's called affirmation, not support. In some ways I'm a similar story, and in others I am not at all. We are the same height, and I am considering VSG. But I had, and have, much more weight to lose than you. I currently have AGB and lost about 175 lbs since my surgery in 2006. I got pregnant in 2008 and gained back about 60. I have since been able to maintain, and even lose a few lbs here and there, but I still need to lose another 80 - 100 lbs. Keep in mind that BMI is not everything. Well, from an insurance perspective it is, but it is not a definitive measure of health nor body fat composition. I was really fat before I had my AGB but I did not have any comorbodities. I didn't want any, and that was one of my top 3 drivers -- keeping the health I had somehow maintained. Call it luck, but I should have had them. And I knew I would if I didn't change something. And I knew I could not change it on my own. I can lose weight well -- almost as well as I can put it right back on. Are you currently at the highest weight you've ever been? If I were in your shoes, assuming you're currently at your highest weight, I think I would err more on the side of "doing it myself." It sounds like you aren't "out of control" as a lot of WLS patients are. From what you've said, you are an emotional eater and a volume eater. That's a dangerous combination, but you aren't really obese -- so something's working right. I think you might have a different degree of luck with diet if you didn't diet so much as watched what you ate, and combined your weightloss effort with some therapy for the emotional side of your eating. How was your weightloss experience then? Was it a struggle? Did it eventually become "just how things are"? What did the eating do for you as you started to gain weight back? (You were eating for some cause... was it comfort? Control?) BTW, in your attached pic you look hippy, but not fat. I got into the low 200s just before I got pregnant, and stayed there most of my first trimester. Coming out of my first trimester I hit 241 (for some reason I very clearly remember that weigh in at the OBGYN). I did not look _anywhere_ near as great/normal/shapely/whatever you want to call it as you do. What size are you wearing? Because I'm also wondering if you're focusing too much on a scale number or BMI, and not enough on overall health and body composition. You, like me, are a big girl. We're taller than most guys, let alone girls. And don't even get me started on what happens when I wear heels. That's a large frame, and a lot of bone. Remember to take things like weight & BMI with a grain of salt. (Umm, I'm not trying to sound all "I'm not fat, I'm big-boned" but it IS part of your body mass). BTW, what I said above was me putting myself in your situation, not what I think you should do. Here are a few more thoughts to consider: 1. Many people with lower BMIs get WLS, though they likely have to pay for it on their own. 2. Look at revisions done here, or any other WLS board, and you'll likely see a good number of "normal" or "near normal" people getting another WLS. I know people having WLS who are below their goal, because they have 0 confidence in their ability to do it alone. 3. Most people who are significantly overweight, or have been overweight for a long period of time, fail at independent weightloss attempts. They have more success with a full spectrum approach (diet AND exercise AND therapy AND lifestyle modification AND...). Those who are successful usually succeed in migrating their food or eating addiction to another addiction. Is one more healthy than another?

Make sure you're eating very ripe bananas (mix of tellow and brown), and not underripe (slightly green) or barely ripe (mostly bright yellow). Underripe bananas are hard to digest & can slow things down. They are also pretty high in starch which can kinda... gum you up. Do VSGers have any restrictions on natural remedies, e.g. psyllium husks? Adding them to your diet is one of the best natural remedies to constipation. If you can't do psyllium husks, something like flax seed oil will usually help. A little sugar can help too - a teaspoon or two of honey in some warm tea, for example. And be sure to consider other causes of constipation: not enough Water, being too sedintary, medications, etc.

I have a Lap-Band (the actual Lap-Band, not the Realize band, or any others that may now be out). I have never heard of anyone having to "make themselves throw up" because they swallow air. Because the stoma from the esophagus is restricted, too much food, or too big of a bite, or not enough chewing can make the food unable to pass (same applies for Water that is swallowed too soon after eating, or anything during periods of extreme restriction, etc.) and when food - or whatever - is unable to pass, it comes back up. It is not "throwing up." There is no acid, no stomach contents, etc. It is saliva, which may or may not contain bits of whatever could not pass. Many people find they can just bend over and up it comes, others have to wretch as they would when they vomit. It is colloquially called "vomiting" but that's just not accurate. When AGBers need to bring food back up, it's usually fairly painful -- that is, the "before" as your body struggles to pass the food, not "after" of bringin up. To bypass this discomfort, or at least expedite it, some people will activate their gag reflex. This is specifically against most surgeons'/programs' advice - and compliance is a variable with any WLS. I would never balk at 80 lbs in 4 years, regardless of the procedure. Maybe 80 lbs was all she needed to lose? Maybe she lost some, then gained, and now is at -80? I don't know. But to answer your question, it can be: very easily. 1. The band requires adjusting to function. It is installed empty, and through a series of post-op visits is gradually filled (which tightens it). Until an adequate amount of fill is received, there is often no restriction, e.g. no change in how much you can eat and what foods you can tolerate. I was a rare case in that my band did give me a small amount of restriction from day one, and so any fill after that was bonus (but I only had a 10cm band). It's generally at least 2 weeks before you can get your first fill, and most surgeons recommend 2 - 4 weeks between subsequent fills. My band is relatively small, holding 4ccs. Some bands hold 11ccs or more. Many patients find it can take several months to reach the "sweet spot" where the band is actually able to do its job. It often requires frequent "tweaking" long term, to get things just right. And if there is a complication, restriction may be lost completely - at which point it's like not having a band. 2. Since AGB patients haven't excised any organs, they still have their stomach and can still "hold" large quantities of food. They can still over eat, as long as the food can get through the band. Ice cream, for example, is something that most people can tolerate even when they cannot tolerate solid foods or Soups (it seems to have something to do with the cold). As long as that ice cream can get past the band, you can eat your heart out -- all what, 15 - 18 cups that the stomach can hold? That is a different level of accountability than any oher WLS I'm familiar with. Many people who have AGB still want to "own" their weightloss, and see the band as "silicone will power" in its ability to help you feel full on relatively small quantities of food. They find that having the accountability of still having to make good decisions, limit portions, be diligent about post-op visits, etc. works very well for them. Others are dissatisifed and wish they had gone a more automatic route, and others don't have much choice. I lost 175 lbs with my band, most of which came off inside of 2 years. I know many people who have lost much more - and in far shorter time periods than 4 years. Most people with lower BMIs have significant success reaching or exceeding goal weight. So if 80 lbs was an unbelievably small weightloss for your nail salon acquaintance (as your reaction would imply), then her experience is likely outside the norm. I know what the AGB stats are, but without knowing more about her situation/experience it's hard to say where she falls in them. I'm glad you feel you made the right decision with your sleeve, and hope the above info, and understanding of how AGB works, may shed some light on the rationale behind some of the things your company expressed; and may help put your reaction to her losing "only 80 lbs" into perspective -- or at least context.

I had to pay my surgeon's copay up front. I was billed for my outpatient copay later on. I should clarify that I don't have an out of pocket minimum/maximum, just copays & premiums (open ***).

I told most people when I had my AGB. I didn't "advertise" it, but I told the people in my office (I worked a remote job then, so my team was in a different state/office than I was) who I knew, saw on a daily basis, ate lunch with, etc. My immediate family knew - my aunts/uncles may know now but I really have no idea. I've changed jobs since, and my immediate team at the current job knows. I'm glad I told them about the AGB. I once had a very bad stuck episode and couldn't pass my own saliva. My surgeon was about an hour away and there was no way I could drive myself (I was having to yak about every 3 - 5 mins, and it was all congested interstate driving to get there). Since my coworkers already knew, there was nothing awkward or revealing about asking one of then to drive me. My husband & parents know I'm considering the sleeve, and are encouraging. My parents were both banded after me, and at this point they would actually prefer the sleeve but their insurance won't cover it and they can't afford it OOP. I will not tell other family (well, I'll tell my DD when she's old enough to understand). I will probably not tell anyone at my current work. For one, it is not a supportive environment. For two, I don't have the same type of personal relationships with anyone here as I had at my last place (e.g. I don't eat lunch with anyone, there's no one I do anything with outside business hours, etc.) They DO know I have AGB, so I will either tell them that something has gone wrong with it and it needs to be corrected (not inaccurate), or that I am having hernia repair. It will depend on how much time my surgeon wants me to take off.

I've had two lap procedures (AGB + gallbladder removal). My scars aren't that noticeable - just the primary that was used for insertion & removal. Maybe it would be completely invisible if I had used Mederma. I tried it a while ago for a scar on my leg. It made no difference. From researching review sites, it seemed to get comparable results to petroleum jelly -- likely from its ability to keep the area "moist" (my dermatologist recommends keeping any scar type injury moist for the first two weeks to reduce scarring, but she recommends using an antibiotic cream so you get 2 in 1). http://www.scartreatmentassociation.com/#review

Wow, you have lost about 65 lbs in not quite 3 months?? That's really... fast - I'm gonna guess you're a male Chris. Please share a bit about your routine. What's your workout routine, eating habits, etc?

Before you can eat any foods... remember... liquid in, liquid out. I see a bunch of people freaked out over "diarrhea"

Protein shakes were my staple foods for about 2 years. Here are some of my favorites: chocolate Protein powder Chocolate soymilk 1tbl natural Peanut Butter 1 pump SF peanut butter syrup (Peanut Butter Cup) (Can also make with vanilla poweder for a white chocolate peanut butter cup) Chocolate protein powder SF Khalua syrup (about 1tbl) Milk Blend with ice (Mudslide) Vanilla protein powder 1 packet Splenda 1 C low sugar (pulp free) OJ 3 tsp instant vamilla pudding Blend with ice (Orange Julius) My Starbucks substitute (I'm a green tea latte girl) Vanilla protein powder 1 C fat free half-and-half 3 tbl matcha (Green tea latte) Vanilla protein powder 3 pumps SF caramel syrup 1 C fat free half-and-half 1/2 C Cappuccino 1/8 tsp salt Blend with ice (Salted caramel iced chocolate) Chocolate protein powder 2 tbl chocolated malted milk Chocolate soy milk or almond milk (Melted chocolate malt) I'll share a list from long ago, for more inspiration:

Of those listed, tomato soup probably has the highest chance of aggravating your stomach acids (tomatoes are very acidic). "Cream ofs" are usually prescribed because of their consistency, and sometimes because of the small bits on them (unless you've been told to strain them). On the cooking side, "Cream ofs" are soups with cream in them - about .5 C per 1 C base, but that's just a guideline. So technically any soup can be a "Cream of" soup. Thinned soups just means adding more liquid than called for, to Water them down (or milk them down, or whatever!) Does that help? I don't know if the VSG diet is any different, but on the AGB diet, when you could eat "cream of" soups, you could eat any soup with creamy consistency. Any soup + blender + water/milk = creamy consistency. If your tastes are more savory, try pureeing Campbell's Bean & Bacon soup, and strain out any pieces, and add some milk or water to thin. There are lots of "Cream of" canned varieties you haven't mentioned. Shrimp, asparagus, onion, broccoli, etc. Have you tried any of those? Can you not have yogurt? Usually with bariatrics, "thick liquids" is a stage, and would normally include things like cream soups and yogurts. There are non-sweet yogurts out there (plain, or plain with a bit of honey blended in are yummy). I loooove to cook, and soups are one of my favorite things to make. What tastes do you like? I might be able to help you with some recipes.

That may be the worst band complication I've heard of. It's absolutely in the top 3. Wow. I'm glad they caught it when they did, and were able to get it taken care of. I've heard of some pretty bad erosion stories, but nothing where the band slipping has led to organ necrosis. I don't hate my band, I still have it (I'm slipped) and did well with it. But I never saw it as a "forever" solution. I kinda get booed when I say this on LBT, but I personally have no confidence in it as a long-term solution. I've known/met a LOT of people with bands, not even counting the people I "know" online. Looking at those who are 5+ years out, I'd estimate 85% have either lost their bands, or need to (a few are having problems but refuse to seek care). Probably closer to 90% - 95% would have their bands out if aftercare were being used properly.) I just don't see it having long term viability. (Of course, then is when that 1 person of 400 views adds, "I'm 5 years out and have my band still -- well yeah, me too... and...? Come talk to me in 5 more years. ) My dad had his band removed last year. No one knows exactly what happened but my belief is that is placed pressure on his vagus nerve, and over time this progressed to gastroparesis, which lead to about 5 days in the hospital with constant - and I mean constant - vomitting. At some point during the vomitting his band slipped. Of course his surgeon says "we removed it because it was slipped" and forgets to mention the "...after 5 days of profound vomitting, and 2 years of us misdiagnosing a vagus nerve issue as too much fill."

My DD is not quite 3 so no real reactions to my weightloss (AGB). She doesn't really get "fat" yet, she just knows the can't see mommy's belly button, and that mommy's tummy sits on her "pooter" (what she calls private part areas)... she'll be in the shower with me and I will lift my (horribly saggy after losing about 175 lbs) pannus and she'll point at me and go, "Oh there it is! I see your pooter mommy! Your tummy not sitting on it anymore!" (Oh boy...) With my AGB, and the sleeve I'm considering, I do worry about her seeing my small portions and selective food choices and taking them too much to heart. It has crossed my mind that seeing mommy not eating, or eating less food then she does, might be the seeds for a future eating disorder so I'm trying hard to talk to her about how "mommy's not always hungry" or "sometimes mommy's tummy doesn't like food much" and hopefully do everything I can to help her be well-rounded with a strong sense of self and good coping mechanisms. Obesity is a hard life and it will kill me to watch her go through it. But the same is true for any extreme end of the spectrum.

Before I was FAT fat, a guy once told me he really wanted to go out with me, but I was chunkier than his type. He said, "You're awesome, and I really want to get to know you better, I REALLY do...I have for a long time... if you lose 30 lbs." Euh? (I was wearing a 14 at the time... I'm just under 5'11. I have no recollection of what I weighed then, but I never considered myself too fat as a 14). I've gotten the "pretty face." I've gotten a few, "...if only you were built differently." I've had people see a picture that's obviously me, just me before I was fat, and say "THAT CAN'T BE YOU OMMIGOD THAT DOESN'T EVEN LOOK LIKE YOU YOU LOOK SO NORMAL THERE!!!" I'm pale, red hair, hazel eyes. When Titanic first came out - I can't tell you how many people would say, "OMMIGOD you look just like Kate Winslet except... [awkward silence, glancing over my body]...yeah..." (Except "fatter" clearly being the unspoken part). Except I look nothing like her so I'm not even sure where people were headed with that. Once, at an OBGYN consultation for birth control (I wasn't tolerating BCP and wanted to see what else was viable) with my husband, the nurse who weighed me escorted us back to the room, then looked at me & my husband, patted me on the arm, and said, "Good for you, you found a very handsome man who loves you for who you are and not what you look like." Ok...?

I had my first bariatric procedure in 2006 under UHC without a rider. It was in the primary coverage indicated by the policy. My surgery (AGB) was not the only covered procedure at the time, but I can't tell you if VSG was.

Hmm, for some reasom H-M-O is being filtered out. I know they're not the best, but come on! BTW, feel free to email or private message me if you'd rather keep this type of information off the public board. (I used to work for a huge insurance company, so I might be able to help)

Some surgeons apply consultation fees toward the cost of surgery, or will give you a credit for Protein supplements they sell in the office, or something like that. Do you know if yours does something similar? Requirements like sleep studies are often done if it's a specific requirement of your insurance, or if there's a requirement for comorbidities. I beliebe a few surgeons use them as their own requirements, as well. Do you know where the requirement for them is coming from? (FWIW, a co-worker of mine had a sleep study done in Feb and he paid for it out of pocket (it was less than his deductible) - his cost was $2300). If not, find out. That will help you figure out what's going on with billing. The apparent uninvolvement of your insurance company is a little off. Some of these questions may be a bit basic - please don't take it personally. I'm not assuming you don't know how your insurance works, but rather picking up on frequent points of confusion. Are you sure you're getting a bill, and not a claim summary? So may people make this mistake that it's worth asking. Do you have an ***, PPO, open ***...? Of the following, which are part of your plan? (Probably more than one): deductible, coinsurance, out-of-pocket maximum, copay? (This might help understand the billing you're seeing)

You know - good question. There are two generally accepted causes to that feeling (I watched a show in building roller coasters the other day, so this is actually fresh in my mind). Neither of them are related to the stomach directly, so in theory you should have the same sensations. (One of the causes has to do with a physiological response to g-forces, and the other has to do with a fight/flight reaction that changes bloodflow to the stomach). I always thought it was just our stomach juices getting sloshed around. I don't know enough about physics nor Fluid dynamics to know if this is a third possibility, but it sounded right when I was 12!

I would call and ask them when the phone calls were implemented as requirements for the procedure. It probably won't matter that much since requirements are usually defined by what's in place on your date of approval (I've _heard_ of companies that enforce requirements based on dates of procedure, but have never encountered it, and I'm not completely sure it would be legal), and you aren't approved yet. But if it is a change since they relayed you the initial requirements, which did not include the phone calls, then you at least have grounds to file an appeal (sounds like you already have a few, but more will only help). Are the phone calls listed in your SPD as a requirement? That, too, will help. "Someone on the phone told me..." isn't going to hold much Water IF the requirements ARE in the SPD, but if they aren't -- there you go. (Used to work in the insurance industry - insurance companies really aren't the evil most people think they are. You just need to have the right data.)

I lost about 175 lbs with my AGB and didn't really notice the skin sagging until around 75 lbs were gone. I'm not sure why -- I suspect because it was some here and there - and a little sag was less noticeable that a whole bunch in one area. Also, my early on losses were concentrated on my upper body - face, neck, chest (our faces are more resilient than other areas, too) - where my skin was not significantly damaged nor stretched. I was still shrinking pant sizes, but 5 lbs in an area of little fat is way more significant than 5 lbs in an area of much fat. Stretchmarks are a skin thing, not a fat thing. There are fat people who don't have them, and skinny people who do. I have a cousin who is stick thin, and always has been, and her hips are completely covered with stretch marks. I have tons of stretchmarks on my boobs, but only wear a B cup. It's rate of stretching, stretchability, etc. (and the things I noted above, plus more...) that makes the difference. And sometimes it's a third party medical cause. My cousin - puberty, her hips started to develop, presumably faster than her skin could keep up with DESPITE her youth, healthy lifestyle, etc. If skin can grow much more slowly (e.g. someome who becomes obese over a period of time) they may not scar. Then again, they may. As with most things in life, it's really going to boil down to two primary factors: heredity (race, predispositions, skin makeup, etc.) and history (obesity, longevity of obesity, lifestyle, etc.) I'm not saying there's no hope, I'm saying compression garments most likely won't make a significant difference in the vast majority of cases, and I'd suspect in the OP's case given his stats. Once you wreck skin, it's wrecked. If your stretchmarks are coming closer together, and I had to take a guess, I'd suspect there are areas of "better" skin that are able to come back together somewhat - for example, some of the skin between the stretchmarks. Never developed a new stretchmark, even though I have unscarred areas of skin. I would guess that as you lose more weight, you will notice more and more sag. As an analogy, if you take a baloon (stretchy latexkind, not mylar) and blow it up, leave it blown for a few days, and then deflate it -- it doesn't matter how long you let it sit deflated, it's never going to look the way it did before you blew it up. As my surgeon once said, "It is a matter of fact. If you lose 150 pounds from an elastic organ such as skin, you’re going to have saggy skin.” HTH.

Call your surgeon. I really disagree with some of the info here - so go by your surgeon's guidelines. Your stomach can contract during orgasm. It's not voluntary and you can't decide to just not make it happen. I would not want to risk that kind of contraction on an unhealed staple line that stood between me and sepsis.... so please take "why not" responses with a large grain of salt. 30 days is a longer time than typical, but your surgeon doesn't set timelines "just because."

redmtn - I am not required to have a psych eval, so I'm not sure how to advise you. My motto with psychologists in general is to be honest. Since the band isn't generally removed "just because," there's not really any criteria for failure. I'm guessing your band was removed for cause, in which case there's a medical necessity. That's not failure. If you are non-compliant, that may be different, but again -- I've never heard of someone having a band removed specifically because of non-compliance. (That should be treated through a program of behavioral change, not through surgical removal). I've not yet seen any way to link a particular incident to a particular band complication, so direct action & consequence reaction doesn't really apply -- again, no way to indicate "failure." For example, my father's band slipped while he was in the hospital for gastroparesis. His band most likely slipped due to his vomiting. It can't be "proven," and it certainly couldn't be linked to a particular incident of vomiting unless he had been under continuous fluoro. Much different (interesting) experiences you have all shared. I like my band, it's just not really able to help me much anymore. I've fallen into that vicious cycle of -- solid foods are either uncomfortabe or impossible, so I'm going to drink something, or eat this soft food, or... I don't like the option of just leaving it there (because what's it doing that I can't see? Or when will that day come when eek I erode? Or...) And I know I'm not capable of maintaining long term weightloss on my own. Well, maybe I am, but I've never yet been successful on my own -- so I have no reason to think it would be any different now. (I postponed WLS for about 6 years, each time by saying "If I can't do it on my own by [date], then I will have the surgery... I did that about 10 times). I was able to lose about 175 lbs with the band. I gained back about 60 with a pregnancy, and there I sit. I've lost a couple, I've gained a couple. At least I can maintain. I could never do that before. I've been told I failed because I never reached goal, but I just dont see that logic.

I've not come across a savory type of flavor for protein drinks. It took me about 12 kinds to find one I liked, and the least sweet I came across was Isopure Zero Carb. It was also the nastiest. Not sure how closely those two are related.

Your employer will need to know you are having surgery. They will not need to know the procedure. Your supervisor cannot ask you details. This is a legal thing, not an etiquette thing. If you really want to tell them something, you can tell them you're having a similar procedure. For example, gallbladder removal is also done laparoscopically, and would give you the same incisions (minus the stomach stuff, of course). Hital hernia repair can be done during gastric procedures, and some people claimed they were having it done. I'm not fully decided on the sleeve, but mostly. People know I have a lap-band already. I expect reactions to the sleeve would be much more severe, and I suspect that if I go through with it (most likely will), I will not tell people about the VSG. I'm considering just saying, "There's a problem with my band they need to fix." Well, my band is slipped, so this is true. Resulting weightloss, I could always explain as "since my band got fixed, it's so much easier -- it was so hard to lose with it unfilled" or similar. But it wouldn't bother me to lie, either. I'm just not sure I'd remember what I said without all that grehlin to pump my brain

I had to read your post 3x to figure out that it wasn't your wife wanting a man girdle (mirdle?) I hate to be the dissenting voice, and hey -- maybe you just really want to wear a mirdle (a lot of people do find them comfortable) - but unless you're: 1) fairly young, and I mean teens -- maybe early 20s. 2) were only obese for a short period of time... 3) were not significantly obese... 4) are genetically inclined toward hyperelasticity (or perhaps even tolerant to scarring - though not as important)... 5) lose weight very slowly (and this doesn't matter nearly as much as 2 or 3)... ...then your skin'sprobably not going to be improved by wearing a compression garment. I won't say "isn't" because - you never know - but in all likelihood. Skin is an elastic organ. It can stretch a little, or more - for a short period of time, and recover. Hence mothers can sometimes look as though they were never pregnant. This is not typical. The more that skin was stretched out, and for the longer, and the older you are -- the more the skin is damaged. Two things have happened -- your body has made more skin cells, and the skin that was there has been stretched. A heavy pannus, for example, isn't going anywhere without surgery. If you're fair skinned, it's probably going to be worse than if you are not. If you smoke, it's probably going to worse than if you don't. If you're frequently dehydrated, it's probably going to be worse than if you aren't. If either of your parents scar easily, or were obese & showed signs of skin damaga (saggy skin, stretch marks, etc.) it's probably going to be worse than if they showed more resilient skin. Also contrary to popular belief, you can't "tone up" wrecked skin. What typically happens is that the muscle under the skin is increased and "fills out" the saggy skin, giving the appearance that your skin itself has grown tighter. But if you really want to wear one... Spanx are great. I'm not sure how they will be for a man. I suppose you can have them altered to accomodate your different anatomy, e.g. notice the hole: This company carries male compression garments in extended sizes (5x - 6x): http://www.makemeheal.com/