A weight loss forum is the only place in the entire universe that will ever say "200 lbs isn't that heavy". it seems like today ive read a lot of "low" starting weights and low bmi posts. What baffles me is, most people's biggest regret is not doing this sooner, yet so many are confused at why a person would consider this at a "low weight"( whatever that is ). I say have at it . Why wait . For the most part I don't think anyone is opting to have major surgery just for shits and giggles. Some are concerned that instead of people doing this as a last resort , that its being done for vanity. Can we be honest here, yes most of us have medical problems that weight loss can fix or even save our lives BUT WHO DOESNT WANT TO LOOK GOOD?
me 4'11 hw226 w 212 cw186 surgery 6/1
Ten months out from VSG surgery.
I feel much better in many ways.
At the time I had my surgery, I was having lots of back pain that was seriously impacting my ability to work and to enjoy my time off with family. I was also being treated for high blood pressure and taking lots of anti-inflammatory meds for joint pains. I was a couch potato....minimal movement due to my pain. I was really just a miserable feeling dude.
I'm no longer on the blood pressure meds.
My back issues are seriously improved and remain that way as long as I continue daily pt stretches and use very careful lifting techniques.
Spending some time every day or so in the gym. Feels great. Surrounded by motivated folks.
Before surgery, one of the things I really enjoyed was to cook & grill for my family. I had concerns that I'd lose this fun aspect of my life. I did lose it during my two week pre-op and for the first two months post op. Then, one day at around 8-9 weeks out I had the strong desire to fire up the coals and let it ride on the grill. I went to the grocery store and bought several types of meats and the sides for my tribe. During my stroll around the grocery store....I had to pull my pants up near constantly. My clothes were hanging loose on me and it was hilarious. Came home and had a blast in the kitchen and on the deck.....and haven't stopped since. Grilled food and my sleeve are a harmonious fit. Now I'm adding in some crunchy vegetables and life is good !!!
Emotionally........in a much better place. Tremendous difference, bro. Tremendous. That being said.....I did go through a "crazy period" while the majority of the fat was burning off. Hormones and Lord knows whatever else that was stored in that fat was released and I felt like I was 18 all over again. I went with it and it was a wild ride. The "crazy side" is still there but I've learned to control it......at least on work days, lol. Sorta like Spiderman learning not to walk around and shoot webs impulsively. Controlling the web slinging now.
Now...I'm in need of a shoulder repair, two knee replacements and have a hernia that's being monitored and will need repairing as well down the road. Add to that a tricky back. I still weight train and do cardio when my knees aren't screaming. The other day I took a kayak and put in at the river.....and went a few miles upstream. My goal was to make it ten miles to the dam, however, the Corps of Engineers began releasing Water from the dam and forward progress became impossible. still I was there....paddling my arse off....going nowhere. After I was spent....I turned around and drifted back downriver. What a cool workout. Opportunities like this come along and I jump at them. Looking forward to hunting seasons coming in.....I'll be out there climbing trees or wading into the swamp. Ducks and deer will be chased.
I'm enjoying life and looking forward to the future in a way that I couldn't imagine prior to surgery.
Life is great, boss. Come grab a seat on the Loser's Bench an mix up a pre-workout drink and get ready to do something fun that you've always wanted to do. Hell, you may even find yourself outdoors one night....and go with the feeling to howl at the moon and be a werewolf. Nobody will judge......go with it.
DAY 42
22 days post-op
HW: 371
SW: 335
CW: 313
So it has been a week since I last wrote. Going back to work has certainly cut into my free time lol. Today is my second totally pain free day. I wasn't in much pain before, but there would be some pulling, twinges, soreness. The past couple of days I have been pretty much normal. Even when I sneeze.
My energy level is still low. The chewable Vitamins have been a no-go, so I am sure that is why. And I have been short on my Water requirements so I have no one to blame but me. Waiting for the transdermal Vitamin Patches I ordered to arrive and everyday I fight to get as much Water in as possible. Oddly enough it is the only liquid that still hangs up as it is going down- even with flavor drops.
Now on to the good stuff. I am shrinking before my very eyes! It is crazy. And wonderful and exciting! My clothes are falling off. My face is slimming down. I can get in things I haven't worn in years- if ever. It is just mind-blowing how quickly this is working. I am trying to enjoy every day, every pound and not think about the slow down that I am sure is around the corner. I just want to cruise into the 200's. I have a whole wardrobe of clothes I can wear when I get safely over that milestone. Ah well. I can only control my inputs. I can't control how fast or slow I lose. So I will take my blessings and be thankful!
Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App
I haven't had the opportunity to read the other replies here.....running out of casual time this afternoon, lol.
I can simply answer your question with my own experiences with my VSG.
It was a walk in the park. Easy. Simple. Straightforward on the recovery. Almost everyone on my bariatric center's private FB page has posted the same results.
I didn't see the negative reports until joining here and also on youtube.
I think that there are an overwhelming majority of folks who have their wls and rock it. They move on in life and don't look back. You'll not hear much from this crowd.
Same thing I see at work. There are the quiet performers who nail down their responsibilities and do their job at high levels.......then there are the noisy and outspoken under achievers who voice complaint after complaint.
Just my opinion, experience and observation. Take it for what it's worth.
I'll say that without a doubt having my VSG was one of the best decisions of my life.
Today is my one month surgiversary! I'm down a total of 27.1 pounds, 28.5 inches, and 3.2% body fat. I have 47.1 pounds to lose. I'm not there yet, but I'm closer than I was yesterday! I'm stepping out of my comfort zone and posting pics.
Yesterday was my one year Surgiversary!! Woohoo!!!! Hard to believe that I have made it this far, but alas, here I am... *AND* I have not only survived but I am loving life. There is so much to reflect on, but overall, I truly believe this was the best decision I have ever made and I am now a happier, healthier version of me. That’s not to say that the past year hasn’t been without its share of ups and downs … plenty of those! However, all in all, if I had to go back to the point of no return I can honestly say I would be willing to do it all over again.
Here’s how things are looking…
HW: 305lbs
SW: 265lbs
CW: 173lbs
Total weight lost: 132lbs
Clothes: From a size 5X or 26/28 to a size L or 10/12
Health: Diabetes - Controlled without medication (Fasting glucose avg.105 with no meds from 155 on high dose of meds), Blood Pressure - Controlled without medication, Cholesterol - Controlled without medication, Previous Spine Injury - Controlled with OTC meds as needed.
Fitness: From being able to walk less than 15 minutes on a treadmill in physical therapy to having completed 10+ 5K races with my most recent at a sub-13 minute mile pace. Registered to walk my first marathon in September 2016.
Goals: I don’t have a target weight, as this was never about a number for me. My surgeon would like to see me at 150lbs. We’ll see. Non-weight goals have been my focus all along and this is the direction I continue to move.
What have I learned? LOTS!!! I could seriously write a book, but then again, couldn’t we all?!?! Here are the things that really stick out to me. As a graduate speaker at my program, these are the things I try to stress to new patients as they begin the process.
Listen to your team! They really do know what they are doing. My NUT has been super supportive and told me that it was better to ask questions than to worry myself over nothing. I eventually stopped calling her regularly, but just having those niggling little questions answered was a huge weight off my shoulders. When they say drink X-amount of Water, drink it. When they say eat X-amount of Protein, eat it. There really is a reason behind your program and following it will help you a 100 times over.
Listen to your body. It will talk to you … and I don’t mean all the gurgles and sounds from your new sleeve! When I found myself getting sluggish and tired I needed to look at my protein and water intake. Was I getting enough? Usually the answer was a resounding NO. When my sleeve revolted and I had uncomfortable cramping, had I eaten something new or different? YUP … usually, but as I continued to re-introduce more foods I found the discomfort would lessen and go away much faster. Certain foods may never like you again. Find something new to try. Your palate will change some & you might like something that you never did before. You know your body better than anyone else. If something seems wrong, don’t ignore it, ask. But try not to let it control you either.
Stalls happen, get used to it. I started out weighing myself every day and it quickly took a psychological toll on me. I needed to stop for the sake of my own sanity. I actually had my husband hide the scale on me and only allow me to have it once a week. Now it sits in the bedroom, but I still only weigh on Monday mornings (surgery was a Monday so I stuck with that day). Stalls have plagued me throughout the past year beginning with the dreaded 3 week post-op stall. I don’t like them & I get frustrated, but I am now used to them. Current stall has lasted me 2 ½ weeks so far. The scale will move eventually and I will move on with life until the next one.
Choose NSVs as goals and reward yourself when you reach them. Non-Scale Victories are my best friend! I started walking shortly after surgery & built up my distance from one block to the point of doing 3+ miles at a 25 minute mile pace in just 3 months, as an incentive I registered for a popular local race. When I finished my first 5K I bought myself a treat (Coloring Books! Not food-based). When I finished my first 10K I went shopping for a new bedroom comforter set. When I reached my first sub-13 minute pace I bought new running sneakers. My NSVs have kept me motivated and kept the focus OFF the scale … which often doesn’t move as quickly as I’d like.
You will change … maybe not your morals and values and the things at the core of your being, but your outlook and your confidence and the way you see yourself. It will be difficult at times. Make sure you have a good support system to help you through, and if you don’t consider seeing a therapist. So many times my husband and my best friend have listened to me rant and rave like a crazed lunatic. They let me cry it out & yell it out, and in the end, talk it out. Sometimes it has been stupid piddly sh!t that set me off, but right then it was all I could focus on and I needed to vent in order to move past it. People say things that they don’t mean to be negative, but being in an overly sensitive state I found things that normally didn’t bother me were my total undoing. I have (mostly) come to terms with the new “ME” … I don’t hide behind my weight anymore. I am not invisible. But I have had to learn how to handle this new found confidence and channel it in a positive way. My friends don’t treat me any differently than before, but some acquaintances and co-workers have been snide and negative. Let it go … they don’t define you, YOU do!
This is *YOUR* journey, and yours alone. You will have people support you and encourage you, and there may be those who try to tear you down. Your weight loss will be different than the next person, and different still than the person after that. Do not compare yourself to others or try to keep up with anyone else. I did not go through with my WLS for anyone other than myself, and that is the only comparison I should make. What’s the quote? “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” Take the first step, and the next, and the next. Keep moving forward. Remember now and then to look back and see where you’ve been, and look ahead to where you are going, but don’t forget to stop and see where you are right now. Live your life, don’t just exist while trying to get to your goals.
I still have a long way to go, and goals that I want to achieve. I want to LIVE my life and not be limited by my size...I want to take a trip and not need a seat belt extender for the plane ride. I want to go to the caverns this summer and not be told I am too big to go in the crawl spaces. I want to try zip lining and be able to fit in the harness. I want to go on a cruise and I want to wear a bathing suit without being embarrassed. I want to be in a size 8/10 at least ONCE in my life. I want to be in photos with my children and grandchildren and not always be hiding behind the camera.
The good news is that I am on my way! And even better, I am determined to not only reach my goals, but to enjoy myself as I do. This summer I will do my first 10-mile race, and in September I will walk a marathon. We have a family trip planned and it will be my first plane ride since WLS. I can’t wait to just sit down & buckle up! I bought a bathing suit for the first time in years that doesn’t cover more than it shows. And I have started smiling and taking “selfies” with my granddaughter on a regular basis. My husband and I have grown even closer than before, and together we are building our “life after children”.
By the way ... in the photos I attached, the before pictures are literally from the day before my surgery and then two weeks after surgery. The after photos are from two days ago … almost exactly one year from my WLS.
