Dragon64

August 9, 2018
Stats:
Weight: 279.4lbs
BMI: 39
Note: These are my current stats based on my recent visit to the doctor; the Ticker in my signature indicates an "empty nude" weight just after waking up.
My weight loss surgery story has come to an end. I have have been wrestling with whether or not I could actually go through with surgery or not, and I have decided to cancel any further pre-op insurance screening visits. The decision does not come easy, and it was not made alone. My wife and I have talked at length about how I truly feel deep down; that I can do this weight loss ordeal on my own, surgery is just not for me. While at my doctors visit yesterday, he gave me a little extra time to talk about it, and he now believes I am seriously committed to getting healthy. He believe that I have made the right decision, and he has offered to doing everything in his power to help me succeed. My next visit will be a full physical, which I have to have yearly anyways (prostate and all), followed by visits to the hospital provided fitness center. For now, diet will remain unchanged, as my doctor feels the slower loss of weight is the better approach to maintaining my weight in the future.
Thank you all for your support and encouragement on this short march, it has been greatly appreciated. I wish you all the best luck on your own weight loss journeys, and that everyone lives a longer, healthier and happier life. Take care and God bless!

August 9, 2018
Stats:
Weight: 279.4lbs
BMI: 39
Note: These are my current stats based on my recent visit to the doctor; the Ticker in my signature indicates an "empty nude" weight just after waking up.
My weight loss surgery story has come to an end. I have have been wrestling with whether or not I could actually go through with surgery or not, and I have decided to cancel any further pre-op insurance screening visits. The decision does not come easy, and it was not made alone. My wife and I have talked at length about how I truly feel deep down; that I can do this weight loss ordeal on my own, surgery is just not for me. While at my doctors visit yesterday, he gave me a little extra time to talk about it, and he now believes I am seriously committed to getting healthy. He believe that I have made the right decision, and he has offered to doing everything in his power to help me succeed. My next visit will be a full physical, which I have to have yearly anyways (prostate and all), followed by visits to the hospital provided fitness center. For now, diet will remain unchanged, as my doctor feels the slower loss of weight is the better approach to maintaining my weight in the future.
Thank you all for your support and encouragement on this short march, it has been greatly appreciated. I wish you all the best luck on your own weight loss journeys, and that everyone lives a longer, healthier and happier life. Take care and God bless!

February 28 2018 Stress Test Day
Stats:
Weight: 319
BMI: 44.5
What can I say, stress tests suck! This was much better than my last test in terms of surviving it, but I believe that I good results have been recorded.
Now is a good time to get in the list of prerequisites that my insurance requires. This is a 6-month journey per the insurance. his so that I am given the chance to lose weight while under medical supervision. The following list will be updated with each event recorded:
Colonoscopy - Done!
Blood work - Done!
Stress Test - Done!
1st Visit with Primary Care Physician (six consecutive visits required within 180-days) - March 8
1st Visit with Dietician (three recommended, but only the first visit is required) - April 11
The process continues...

Question; can I document an entire six months as it happens? The only way I can tell the journey is as it happens.
How I got here; Hi! My name is Johnnie, and I am morbidly obese, and I am also a food addict. 27-years ago, I was a dope smokin, cigarette puffin. soon to be alcoholic. This is when god sent me one of his purist angels, we will call her Elizabeth. This angel accepted me for who I was, but loved me for who I am. When my destructive lifestyle began to corrupt her, she gave me an ultimatum; lose the pot, or lose me... I cannot have both. 27-years ago I quit the destructive habit of smoking dope. Elizabeth and I were also married.
Retaining the other two bad habits of smoking and drinking, I had also started to pack on the pounds. My married weight some 27-years ago fluctuated between 195 to 200 lbs. Over thsee years I tried the Atkins diet, which worked initially, but not before the steadily gaining back the weight. Fast forward to 2002, my weight blew up to 260 pounds. This was also the time my doctor started me on my first of many high blood pressure meds. At this time I also wanted to quit smoking, so my doctor prescribed Welbutrin, and within a month I became a non smoker. This about the time that my drinking got worse, and my weight started to soar again. A brief try at Atkins again proved futile, as my metabolism was not as young as it used to be.
At 300 +/- pounds in 2008, I quit drinking and started dieting again; this time it was the 1600 calorie diet with a daily dose of Phentermine. I managed a measly 50lb loss, before reversing direction. I tried Phentermine a couple more times, and even tossed in the 1200 calorie diet. Nevertheless, my weight was now getting out of hand. I have been plagued with plantar faciitus, sore knees, accompanied by a (un-)healthy dose of low self esteem, it became clear, I need help.
2017 arrived, and I decided to change occupations. In April I started a new career as a professional truck driver. I do not need to describe a truckers lifestyle, accept to say, 2017 was not my best year for decision making. July I came off the truck with a kidney stone. It took 2-attempts to get the stone out, but that little bugger came out. Three days after the last kidney stone procedure, was rushed to the emergency room and diagnosed with multiple pulmonary emboli (blood clots). It was deduced that I got deep vein thrombosis from the truck driver life style, producing the clots that nested in my lungs. Weight in July and August was 298.
I should note here, that through all of the years I also suffered from acid reflux, which I treated with baking soda and Water. But the acid reflux became severe about 5-years ago, before I managed to get a grip on it. I have been reflux free for the last 4-years. This was about the time I was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea and put on the CPAP machine.
If you skipped ahead in this story, just know that I suffer like so many here, with many of the issues surrounding those two nasty words; Morbid Obesity.
Elizabeth, has never left my side, she has been my rock, my angel, my best friend for life, even now more than ever! With my background story out of the way, I can begin my journey now...

August 9, 2018
Stats:
Weight: 279.4lbs
BMI: 39
Note: These are my current stats based on my recent visit to the doctor; the Ticker in my signature indicates an "empty nude" weight just after waking up.
My weight loss surgery story has come to an end. I have have been wrestling with whether or not I could actually go through with surgery or not, and I have decided to cancel any further pre-op insurance screening visits. The decision does not come easy, and it was not made alone. My wife and I have talked at length about how I truly feel deep down; that I can do this weight loss ordeal on my own, surgery is just not for me. While at my doctors visit yesterday, he gave me a little extra time to talk about it, and he now believes I am seriously committed to getting healthy. He believe that I have made the right decision, and he has offered to doing everything in his power to help me succeed. My next visit will be a full physical, which I have to have yearly anyways (prostate and all), followed by visits to the hospital provided fitness center. For now, diet will remain unchanged, as my doctor feels the slower loss of weight is the better approach to maintaining my weight in the future.
Thank you all for your support and encouragement on this short march, it has been greatly appreciated. I wish you all the best luck on your own weight loss journeys, and that everyone lives a longer, healthier and happier life. Take care and God bless!

I have never thrown up and I'm a year post-op. I've heard bypass patients sometimes throw up, but I don't think I've heard of this being common among other WLS patients. I do get diarrhea if I eat too many sweets, but that's it. I can't imagine passing out. I can see why your wife was concerned, but I don't think passing or throwing up are the norm.

This week has been busy; first off, I had a scare Sunday afternoon, while experiencing a sharp cramp pain in my right calf muscle. Further signs led me to believe I was experiencing Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) or blood clots in the legs. As described early on in this thread, I was diagnosed with multiple pulmonary emboli (blood clots in the lungs), caused by DVT's. So I spent yesterday in the ER, only to find out that what I was experiencing was a deep muscle pull... a heating pad last night alleviated that discomfort.
Also yesterday (Monday), I had a much sought after NSV, in that I am now wearing a size 46 pant. At the start of the march I was stuffing myself into a size 52, now I am comfortably wearing a size 46. To that, I have dropped 48lbs from 325 to 277.
The date escapes me at the moment, but visit #6 is later this week, so more when I know more.

And I question the decision daily; Just this past Friday (7/20/2018) my mother came over to watch a movie with the family. She brought MceeDees for everyone except me, I had a home made grilled chicken chef salad. Any way, my mother, who is a 10-year veteran of gastric by-pass, managed to finish only half of a small burger, and maybe 1/3 of the medium fry. 20-minutes into the movie, she starts to drop off to sleep... she has a bit of narcolepsy. Suddenly she wakes up, apologizes for falling asleep, and then begins to take a sip of water... she caps the bottle, just before her eyes go wide, and all of the color drains from her face... a very eerie sight to see. She starts fanning herself and chanting "Do not pass out, do not pass out..." I managed to get her a 5-gallon bucket just in time for her bring back up the Water she just drank. No food thankfully, just the water. Apparently, she has these episodes a couple times a week... sometimes she still passes out, even after expelling the "what-ever-she-ate-or-drank" She was quite embarrassed, but we all handled it well without panicking.
Saturday my wife had a heart to heart with me, pleading her case again that she does not want me having the surgery, if I have the possibility of going through the same stuff myself... I told her, that until I get used to the "new me" I will probably have my own episodes.

Back to my coffee dilemma; adding Sweet'n Low back into my diet was not a smart move, and would be considered a small step backwards in the march. My sweet cravings begun to return, and I was getting a little edgy as my wife would put it. I stopped all sweeteners again, and boom! Nearly 3 pounds gone this week alone. I am currently at my lowest weight in nearly 9 years now. Luckily, with the slip backwards with sweeteners I only maintained the weight, I did not gain any back.
The march goes on!

July 9, 2018 Family Doctor Visit (5 of 7)
Stats:
Weight: 289.0
BMI: 40.3
The visit went well as could be expected (no bridges burned); I only managed 3 pounds lost, a far cry from the 14 pounds lost before my last visit. But then I still have well over a 100 pounds to go to reach my goal weight. My blood pressure is remaining at a good pace at 124/67, and I am feeling better and better everyday.
Since my last visit, I had a birthday, and my mother surprised me with a copy of P90. This is an exercise program put out by Beach Body, one of many programs that they put out every year. Although I am struggling a bit due to my size, I am attempting to exercise per the program outline on the videos. Those downward dogs can be a bear...
Diet remains the same, in that I am not really dieting. I buy from the edges of the grocery store, and I cut my portions. I will admit though, that after 3 weeks of giving it all that I have got, I can not get used to black coffee. I have added Creamer and that pink packet stuff back into my diet. Shame me, I do, but that is like "liquid Jesus" to me at 4:45AM every morning.
More about the doctors visit; the doctor himself did all of the duties of his nurse: he weighed me, took my blood pressure, and checked my temperature... it seems that his nurse, found a better place to work. I don't know if she left based on how the office manager treated me, but she is gone. Coincidentally, a co-worker stopped me in the hall at work today to tell me that I was looking fit & trim (yes, totally made my day). I told him about my journey to lose weight, and explained my recent experience with my doctors office... he proceeded to tell me that his wife used to work there and quit on account of the office management... go figure. We exchanged pleasantries, and parted ways, I could fill in the blanks. Small world.

July 9, 2018 Family Doctor Visit (5 of 7)
Stats:
Weight: 289.0
BMI: 40.3
The visit went well as could be expected (no bridges burned); I only managed 3 pounds lost, a far cry from the 14 pounds lost before my last visit. But then I still have well over a 100 pounds to go to reach my goal weight. My blood pressure is remaining at a good pace at 124/67, and I am feeling better and better everyday.
Since my last visit, I had a birthday, and my mother surprised me with a copy of P90. This is an exercise program put out by Beach Body, one of many programs that they put out every year. Although I am struggling a bit due to my size, I am attempting to exercise per the program outline on the videos. Those downward dogs can be a bear...
Diet remains the same, in that I am not really dieting. I buy from the edges of the grocery store, and I cut my portions. I will admit though, that after 3 weeks of giving it all that I have got, I can not get used to black coffee. I have added Creamer and that pink packet stuff back into my diet. Shame me, I do, but that is like "liquid Jesus" to me at 4:45AM every morning.
More about the doctors visit; the doctor himself did all of the duties of his nurse: he weighed me, took my blood pressure, and checked my temperature... it seems that his nurse, found a better place to work. I don't know if she left based on how the office manager treated me, but she is gone. Coincidentally, a co-worker stopped me in the hall at work today to tell me that I was looking fit & trim (yes, totally made my day). I told him about my journey to lose weight, and explained my recent experience with my doctors office... he proceeded to tell me that his wife used to work there and quit on account of the office management... go figure. We exchanged pleasantries, and parted ways, I could fill in the blanks. Small world.

Congrats on 48 pounds the "hard" way! That takes real dedication. And size 52 to 46, Terrific!
Glad your trip to the ER turned out to be relatively minor. So scary!

And I question the decision daily; Just this past Friday (7/20/2018) my mother came over to watch a movie with the family. She brought MceeDees for everyone except me, I had a home made grilled chicken chef salad. Any way, my mother, who is a 10-year veteran of gastric by-pass, managed to finish only half of a small burger, and maybe 1/3 of the medium fry. 20-minutes into the movie, she starts to drop off to sleep... she has a bit of narcolepsy. Suddenly she wakes up, apologizes for falling asleep, and then begins to take a sip of water... she caps the bottle, just before her eyes go wide, and all of the color drains from her face... a very eerie sight to see. She starts fanning herself and chanting "Do not pass out, do not pass out..." I managed to get her a 5-gallon bucket just in time for her bring back up the Water she just drank. No food thankfully, just the water. Apparently, she has these episodes a couple times a week... sometimes she still passes out, even after expelling the "what-ever-she-ate-or-drank" She was quite embarrassed, but we all handled it well without panicking.
Saturday my wife had a heart to heart with me, pleading her case again that she does not want me having the surgery, if I have the possibility of going through the same stuff myself... I told her, that until I get used to the "new me" I will probably have my own episodes.

Dragon64...I know exactly how you feel. I have the same problem. I find myself questioning if I am doing the right thing. Am I going to be able to do this? It is very frustrating I have to keep telling myself I can ( I hope).

Hey so I’ve been following you and wanted to check in and say hi I’ve gotten my surgery date already it’s set in the remaining days of the hot August sun best wishes. Btw @frust8 we’re close to wash other like 8 days I’ll be your Ginny pig ok

And I'm still over here on the sidelines urging you forward, a cup,of less-sweet coffee in hand. You are going to make it and do it really good!☕😛

Back to my coffee dilemma; adding Sweet'n Low back into my diet was not a smart move, and would be considered a small step backwards in the march. My sweet cravings begun to return, and I was getting a little edgy as my wife would put it. I stopped all sweeteners again, and boom! Nearly 3 pounds gone this week alone. I am currently at my lowest weight in nearly 9 years now. Luckily, with the slip backwards with sweeteners I only maintained the weight, I did not gain any back.
The march goes on!

The Dragon avatar I created a number of years ago when I was learning photoshop... I use it on most all the forums that I frequent (which is too many). I may have to go back to the facial avatar.

I have not had any reflux since I started the CPAP machine. I hate being on the machine, but if it keeps the reflux demons away, then I am good with it. I've elected to not stress over the possibility of reflux coming back after the sleeve operation, but I do plan to work closely with my doctor, if he feels that I am at too high of a risk, then we can begin discussions of gastric bypass as an alternative.

The second list I received from my nutritionist deals strictly with behavior. We ALL have to make life-style changes, and to do that, we have to modify our behaviors. As recommended by my nutritionist, select one behavior to modify, and each month, incorporate a new behavior to modify.
1. Eat at the table instead of while watching TV or reading.
2. Pre-portion your food and put the box or package away.
3. Keep tempting foods out of house.
4. Don't go to the grocery store hungry.
5. Make a shopping list.
6. Use smaller plates and bowls.
7. Keep healthy foods available.
8. Focus on activities other than eating.
9 Brush your teeth, floss, and use mouthwash after meals or if feeling the desire to eat.
10, When you are at parties or buffets, be sure to eat sitting down and facing away from the buffet or food table. Allow some distance between you and the foods. Offer to bring a healthy food item to a party.
11. Park your car far away from your destination.
12. Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
13. Keep a food exercise diary.
You will find that some of many of these modifications you are already practicing, so be sure to select one that you are not yet practicing, do not skip a month. Remember we are adding to, not changing out modifications in order to create these new life-style changes.

Again, I hope you find this and the previous helpful, they have become my guidelines. My first month I selected #1. This month I selected #3.

My nutritionist gave me a large packet of very useful information, most of it had to do specifically with what to expect before and after surgery, and to to maintain a new and healthier life-style. But it was the lists that are helping me make the life-style changes that I have taken whole heartedly. I would like to share these with, in hopes that they can help you in the way they are helping me. Here is how it was explained to me; from the first list of 20 options choose 2 modifiers and start employing them into you life. Then, when you see your doctor in a month, choose two more. Don't just choose them, but add them to the previous months modifiers. Repeat this month after month. I call these modifiers, as that is essentially what you are doing, modifying what and how you eat.
here is the first list:
1. Do not skip breakfast - eat three distinct meals per day. Avoid grazing.
2. Decrease portion sizes and stop eating when you are no longer hungry vs. when you are full/satisfied.
3. Limit eating out to once/twice per week; make better choices when eating out; ask questions about how the food is prepared. This might mean you cook more at home and meal prep.
4. Increase fruits and vegetables by including one or both at each meal.
5. Reduce desserts/candy/sweets to one time per week.
6. Reduce grab-n-go processed foods such as granola bars, chips, frozen meals, PB crackers etc.
7. Prepare meals with a half-plate portion of non-starchy veggie, a palm-sized portion of lean protein, and 1/3 - 1/2 cup of healthy carbs.
8. Avoid fried foods and begin choosing leaner meats (Leaner meats include the word round or loin such as sirloin, top rounds etc.)
9. Begin some sort of activity every day even if just for 5 minutes (walking, swimming, exercise videos etc) Reduce time sitting.
10. Decrease caffeinated, sweetened, and/or carbonated beverages with the goal of eliminating.
11. Start gradually increasing your Water intake until you are up to at least 64oz per day.
12. Reduce alcohol with the goal of eliminating.
13. Begin a multivitamin daily (after surgery, you will switch to a quality bariatric vitamin).
14. Begin calcium citrate with Vitamin D 500mg twice daily.
15. Practice taking bites the size the size of a thumbnail, eating more slowly, chewing more.
16. Practice SIPPING beverages---no longer "chugging" or gulping.
17. Practice NO liquids 30 MIN. BEFORE/DURING AND 30 MIN. AFTER MEALS.
18. Practice positive self-talk; weight loss isn't easy, so be nice to yourself!
19. Begin to reduce use of straws and gum.
20. Track calorie intake.

The first month I chose #7 and #18. This month I chose #9 and #20
I hope this will be of some use to you who are just getting started, and to those of you already on the losers bench...

Wowee You are on Speed Dial instead of slogging along forever like I feel I have done. But you are very welcome and we are proud to add you to our world-wide group. I am 72, BMI of 47, planning RnY bypass surgery yet this month, I should find out an exact date 7/17/2018. It will be at Ohio State University Hospital with Bradley J Needleman. the top Dog Bariatric Surgeon. there so I am a lucky lady. Been on this trek since August 2015, many stops and starts, but soon it will be completed and I can start on a future life more healthy, more fit and a lower weight is pretty cool too. Lets share this experience together!😛🍀🙏😷🌈

My hematologist recommended the lap band for me, and I did not get far asking for advice; my sister has the lap band, and has lost lots of weight... but she also said that last year her lap band rolled over on her stomach and closed it off, making her border-line anorexic. Doctors have manage to get the band working again, and are waiting for her to get her health back before they remove it completely. She told me in ho uncertain terms to not get the lap band.
After meeting with my surgeon just last week, he has told me that he no longer performs the lap band surgery, and has moved exclusively to VSG or RNY surgeries only. His reasoning was the lack of performance and the multitude of issues that the lap bands can have.

Congrats on another 3 pounds the "hard" way! Everybody hits slower and faster loss periods and it will continue after your surgery. Just all part of the game.
Lots of us use vanilla Protein Shakes (I use Premier Protein) as a coffee creamer. You can sweeten your coffee and feel virtuous at the same time!

July 9, 2018 Family Doctor Visit (5 of 7)
Stats:
Weight: 289.0
BMI: 40.3
The visit went well as could be expected (no bridges burned); I only managed 3 pounds lost, a far cry from the 14 pounds lost before my last visit. But then I still have well over a 100 pounds to go to reach my goal weight. My blood pressure is remaining at a good pace at 124/67, and I am feeling better and better everyday.
Since my last visit, I had a birthday, and my mother surprised me with a copy of P90. This is an exercise program put out by Beach Body, one of many programs that they put out every year. Although I am struggling a bit due to my size, I am attempting to exercise per the program outline on the videos. Those downward dogs can be a bear...
Diet remains the same, in that I am not really dieting. I buy from the edges of the grocery store, and I cut my portions. I will admit though, that after 3 weeks of giving it all that I have got, I can not get used to black coffee. I have added Creamer and that pink packet stuff back into my diet. Shame me, I do, but that is like "liquid Jesus" to me at 4:45AM every morning.
More about the doctors visit; the doctor himself did all of the duties of his nurse: he weighed me, took my blood pressure, and checked my temperature... it seems that his nurse, found a better place to work. I don't know if she left based on how the office manager treated me, but she is gone. Coincidentally, a co-worker stopped me in the hall at work today to tell me that I was looking fit & trim (yes, totally made my day). I told him about my journey to lose weight, and explained my recent experience with my doctors office... he proceeded to tell me that his wife used to work there and quit on account of the office management... go figure. We exchanged pleasantries, and parted ways, I could fill in the blanks. Small world.