HokieMan98

i was on a couple blood pressure meds before and i used to take my blood pressure every day, sometimes more than once a day.
after my WLS i was taken off all blood pressure meds but i continued to take my blood pressure daily for a while out of habit i guess.
now some 10 months later i hadn't taken it in a while and this week i pulled out the old cuff and well about ****.
i got a reading of 105/70 now understand i know that is fine but i have never in my life had a number that low
i was always that guy right at the border of too high then one day i was over the border and making a run for it
so i have been checking it to make sure it wasn't just a fluke and its within a few points every time.
i was just happy to stop the meds never really considered just how much it would improve.

I had two NSV’s recently.

1. I had to get dressed up for the first time since my surgery. I’ve always been uncomfortable in dress clothes and felt like I was being choked by my collar and tie even with a properly fitting shirt. This time however with a full suit on I felt completely comfortable and couldn’t believe the difference. It was also nice being able to walk into a normal store to buy that suit and have a huge selection now that I am a normal size.

2. I went hiking for the first time since my surgery on a Mountain I have hiked a few times before. This isn’t a huge climb, but has about 2000ft of elevation gain over about 2 miles with a few very steep sections. In the past this mountain has wooped my butt and taken me about 2 hours to reach the top of. I am usually soaked from sweat by the time I reach the top due to the effort of dragging my big butt up there. It also has always left me soar for days afterward due to the weight putting pressure on my joints when coming back down. This time however I was able to reach the top of the mountain in just over an hour while hardly breaking a sweat the whole time. Then coming back down I could immediately feel the difference on my legs. The lack of pressure on my knees and the softer foot falls were an amazing difference over before. I ended up with my knee being slightly soar the next day, but that is 100% better than the multiple days of both legs aching like crazy in the past.

Now I need to try running again for the first time since surgery. I’m hoping to see a difference there and turn that into my next NSV.

Thanks for this note Green. I was just reflecting on the number of people who are obsessed with the quantity of food. I can't tell you how many times I've heard people ask, "when will I ever be able to eat a regular size plate of food? "
It really baffles me, and I was quite confused until I met with the dietician. She said the most long-term successful person she's seen carries a 1/4 cup measurrle everywhere, and uses it to gauge all of her food.

It took a long time for me to be happy with this, but it finally happened on Sunday night, when I watched my brother-in-law load up his dinner plate with chicken wings and I was happy I wasn't doing that any more.

Since pre-surgery men love to ask about extra inches gained thanks to weight loss...
Before surgery, I didn’t, um, “break.”
Now...I do. To the left, as it turns out.
This may just be due to the fact that I’m wearing pants where the crotch sits higher than it used to, but...yeah.

At my 6 month mark. I was up to 310 in May and today broke 215! You can all do it!! Tried to post in the gallery but it won't give me the option to
May 17th, 2018


11/24/2018

You'll be back to it in no time. Avid backpacker/trek lover here, I started doing it again 6 months post op, I had some very raw feelings around my tummy that took some time to heal and the risk of hernias is enough reason to hold off. I am happy I waited, got my butt handed to me after a 10 mile hike on my first hike back, but felt damn good getting back into it. Now at almost 10 months, I am slowly getting into my usual self, new habits will make energy a bit harder to manage I've noticed.
Focus heavily on Protein and fruit packed trail mixes, I carry a bladder AND a bottle of Water, extra hydration is a must especially to make sure you're getting h2o as you're burning all those calories. Some of the best pre-made trail mix and Jerky I've found is at Epic. It doesn't hurt, settles well into your tummy and it's made of the real stuff (kinda pricey but worthwhile.) I find myself stopping a lot more now than I did pre-op, it's still a healing process, I know it hasn't been a year yet and I'm damn happy I'm where I am. Be patient!

Everything I'm going to say you already know as an experienced backpacker, but I'll remind you anyway.
I've backpacked and trekked in North America, Europe and the Himalayas. As we know, slow and steady is the way to go -- stepping, drinking, eating.
First, know that in a few months you'll be drinking a LOT easier, bigger and faster than you are now. By six months, if you're like me, you'll be drinking almost as easily as you did pre-op. So don't worry about getting enough Water down.
And you know how we're told not to drink our calories? On the trail that's actually a great way to keep our furnaces stoked.
Also, it's not just calories we need on the trail, but electrolytes, as in Gatorade and other good sports drinks.
Trail mix, chewed well throughout the day, has about everything you need -- some Protein to support muscles you're breaking down and building, natural sugars you need for energy, and Fiber for keeping your gastrointestinal system moving internally.
I don't think backpacking post-WLS would be tough at all. Your back, hips and knees will think you're a teenager again.
I'm nearly 70 years old. Two years ago I was ready for a double knee replacement. Last month my PCP told me not to plan on having the surgery anytime soon. I walk and hike again, and I'm mostly pain free. I don't take Aleve anymore.
My new goals for the next few years include hiking the Milford Track and the English Lake District. My life is new again.

I'm in a similar situation but I'm 7 months out and just started backpacking again. If youre only a month or so out, id talk to your docs first.
I realized this weekend after doing a 2 day, 15 mile hike, that I should get a bladder so I can take small sips. I've been going long distances without drinking but then can't stop myself from chugging the Water, which I then regret. I'm planning to get a 3L bladder for my next hike.
food wise, I'm not sure what to do yet. I think I'm going to budget to stop every 2 hours for a snack. However, I found I really have to wait 20-30 mins after eating or I'll get nauseous on the ascents. I've been starting the day with a Protein shake pre-hike, then snacking on cheese, summer sausage, kind bars, high Protein granola, etc. throughout the hike.
I give myself a lot of leeway when hiking, considering how many calories I'm burning throughout the day. That's probably not the best tactic though.
7 months out and I can do a lot more than I could pre-surgery but I'm still weak and slow, which I attribute to not being able to get the calories and Water in.

Thanks for this post! I also have this worry, as it's one of the things my husband and I love to do together and I don't want to lose it.
I've heard that the trick is drinking your calories while backpacking after WLS.
VSGAnn2014, do you have something of a meal plan you stick to on your trips? I'm not a veteran backpacker to your extent, but typically do 3 or so nights at about 12-15miles per day. I'm curious what the meals would look like, as well as Snacks, since they'd have to be lightweight, and I imagine MountainHouse is out

I'm a veteran backpacker. I think the idea that backpackers "cram calories" to backpack is not true. I've been on the trail for as long as 30 days at a time (have done that twice) and did fine while eating 3 meals a day and eating some trail mix and drinking Gatorade during the day. You should be fine post WLS.
If you're just going out for a week or two, it's even less of a problem. After all, WLS never stopped anyone from grazing.
P.S. You're also in for a big surprise if you think you'll forever after be able to eat only a few tablespoons at a time.

@wjgo you are ready to start jogging now. And yes, Compression gear is a must! Buy a size smaller than your current size though. Sadly, it's entirely possible that your excess skin will never go away on it's own.
Check out "Obese to Beast" on YouTube, this kid went from 370 to 200 (and lower for a fitness contest), he did it all naturally and it took him 5+ years and even with the slow weight loss, he's got a fair amount of excess skin that causes issues with his running. You can get some good compression gear cheap on Amazon (The Superman Compression Shirt in my Avatar was $19... By Red Plume, they can take a little bit to ship, but for the cost... it's well worth it, beats paying $50+ for Under Armour! (which I have as well and love, just not the price)

Actually it will be a little different, and for the better. Walking around with weights in a backpack is now commonly called "rucking" (after military jargon) and seems to be gaining popularity. Weights will work on shoulder, upper body and core muscles. There are alot of internet hits about rucking, just do a search.I bought a specialized backpack just for rucking. It has a compartment to put weights in that rides high on the inside of the pack, and keeps them stable (designed for the manufacturer's weights). Keeping weights high in the pack helps posture and keeps them from hitting lower back when walking, especially if the weights do sag your pack, walk fast or jog any distance. A hip belt might help but you don't want that tight.You will probably want sandbags full of sand in your pack. Less sharp edges and a little shapeable. Weights are expensive, but bricks are cheaper. So people will use sandbags or bricks wrapped up in duct tape. Also, foam pads, pool tubes, whatever, is commonly used to keep the weights at the top of bag as much as possible, and anyway you can keep the weight from moving. I've seen pictures of packs entirely lined with foam pads, front back, bottom and sides.
Rucking is now a "sport" of sorts. Like the Spartan obstacle races I am sure you have heard about their is a rucking group, called GoRuck.com. (where I bought my built tougher than a M1A2 Abrams Main Battle Tank backpack). But this group is not about racing, it's about team effort. Groups do courses in small groups, no big production like a Spartan race, lots of military style boot camp exercises maybe things like carrying people on stretchers. Its run by veterans and has military and patriotic themes. All events are dedicated to a military branch or as a memorial to a battle (or tragedy). All groups must carry a flag for the team and a 25 lb weight for the team, and each person carries their own Water and supplies, and rucks their own 20lb weight.
I am training for an event now. They have no specific listed physical requirement but videos I see they so pushups, crunches, bear crawls, and other exercises (backpack stays on) and other activities like carrying other people. In emails, I was told if one can jog a 5k, a Light challenge (7-10 miles) will be no problem. So I am training a couch to 5k and off days rucking bricks until a buy a good weight. Goal is to be ready next year for a June 6th event dedicated to D-DAY in Washington D.C.
Sent from my XT1609 using BariatricPal mobile app

Thanks for this note Green. I was just reflecting on the number of people who are obsessed with the quantity of food. I can't tell you how many times I've heard people ask, "when will I ever be able to eat a regular size plate of food? "
It really baffles me, and I was quite confused until I met with the dietician. She said the most long-term successful person she's seen carries a 1/4 cup measurrle everywhere, and uses it to gauge all of her food.

Hi Guys, Have my surgery scheduled for this Friday, getting nervous now. Having it done in the UK so flying out tomorrow morning for pre-op in the afternoon. Coming to the end of this 2 week pre-op diet. Ive been on a low cal low carb diet which has been tough but ive lost a good 8kilos on it so far.
Cant wait to be on the other side if this. Surgery date is 11/30/2018 falling between two threads so will be involved in both.

The incredible world of thrift stores. Went from a size 46 waist to a 34. Shirt size from 3XL or 18.5 neck to 15.5 neck or L in dress shirts. Will not spend over $3-$5 per item. Having a blast finding great items that fit. Always felt guilty going to big and tall just to overpay for khaki expandable pants. Love getting my wife's attention each morning I walk out the door for work. Only regret, I did not get the sleeve sooner. Gained all my weight from 25-44. Almost made it to 300lbs. Ugh...Now back to 185. You can do this too!!!

Thanks for this note Green. I was just reflecting on the number of people who are obsessed with the quantity of food. I can't tell you how many times I've heard people ask, "when will I ever be able to eat a regular size plate of food? "
It really baffles me, and I was quite confused until I met with the dietician. She said the most long-term successful person she's seen carries a 1/4 cup measurrle everywhere, and uses it to gauge all of her food.

I'm 2+ years out. I've lost 95% of my excess weight. I have not had plastics - which would account for that last 5%. I eat a high Protein, low carb diet and exercise 7 days a week. I eat roughly 1500 calories a day. I exercise at least 1 hour each day. A typical day is:
Morning - coffee - black, greek yogurt (Skyr Icelandic provisions), 2 tablespoons of granola
Mid morning - Protein Shake (1 cup fairlife skim milk, 1 scoop protein, handful frozen fruit in blender)
lunch - 3-5 ounces of chicken/turkey/beef, 2 cups of green salad mix, 1 tablespoon balsamic dressing
mid afternoon - 2-3 ounces cheddar or other hard cheese
dinner - 3-5 ounces meat, salad or green veg and 1/4 c of a starch.
I have had to increase my carbs to about 110 g daily due to my exercise load. I fence (en garde) 6-8 hours a week, do Cross Fit 3 hours a week and pilates and strength training another 1-3 hours a week. I eat about 110 g protein daily. I eat protein first. I drink close to a gallon of Water a day.
If I want a glass of wine or a cocktail, I have one. At my high point, I was over 300. I now sit around 152 with 29% bodyfat. I can deadlift 250 pounds and squat 235. I'm nationally ranked as a fencer in my age group.
How well you do it up to you and your commitment to it. I've gone from a size 24 to a size 6.

This is such great advice!
Especially since I don't have as much restriction...I could get up to severe shenanigans if I didn't weigh and measure everything! Even though I CAN eat more, doesn't mean I have given myself permission TO eat more. Nope, I still try to stick as close to my doc's and RD's plan for me.

Thanks for this note Green. I was just reflecting on the number of people who are obsessed with the quantity of food. I can't tell you how many times I've heard people ask, "when will I ever be able to eat a regular size plate of food? "
It really baffles me, and I was quite confused until I met with the dietician. She said the most long-term successful person she's seen carries a 1/4 cup measurrle everywhere, and uses it to gauge all of her food.

I agree with James. There can be some temporary stretching of the RNY pouch or sleeve if you over eat, but the idea that the pouch or sleeve can be permanently stretched out is urban legend based on outdated theories. What does happen is that over time, your hunger can return (this can take 5 years to happen with RNY and 3 years or so with Sleeve). The stomach capacity, however, remains where it was at the time of surgery and you still get full with small portions. People can then defeat the benefits of surgery by eating bad foods more frequently, slider foods (milk shakes, potato chips etc.) or by over eating (which ends up resulting in stacking food in your esophagus--which is bad for many reasons). Surgery is just a tool so if you don't use the first couple of years post-op to change your bad lifestyle habits, weight regain is possible (even likely).
As for the bounce, that's a normal part of the process. The surgery changes your set point weight, so your body thinks it's suppose to weight 190 pounds instead of 300. This is called the set point theory--which is how your body maintains a certain weight. When you're on your way down the scale post up, you'll likely drop below your new set point if you follow the new dietary guidelines so you might hit 170 or 180 at your lowest. You'll then gain some weight back and stabilize at your new set point (190). In truth, if you follow the guidelines and do your part, you probably aren't "regaining" weight in the first year or two post op. Your body is just adjusting for your new set point. If you don't follow the guidelines and you eat the the wrong foods, your weight game can be genuine and that's issue. If you're working with a nutritionist (which will be required as part of post-op care), you'll know if you're going out of bounds with the food. If you have RNY, you'll probably get that info every time you have a dumping syndrome episode.

Thanks for this note Green. I was just reflecting on the number of people who are obsessed with the quantity of food. I can't tell you how many times I've heard people ask, "when will I ever be able to eat a regular size plate of food? "
It really baffles me, and I was quite confused until I met with the dietician. She said the most long-term successful person she's seen carries a 1/4 cup measurrle everywhere, and uses it to gauge all of her food.

Weighed in this morning at 188.4 which for me is a BMI of 24.9 (healthy range). This is down from a high of 412lb on 4/27/17 and a BMI of 54.4 (super obese range). Thats a loss of 223lb (or 101kg). Of this 102lb was pre op. I know how long this journey is for each and every one of you, I really do. It is so easy to get discouraged and have your mental stability rolled by one bad weigh in. Feeling your progress is never enough, never quick enough, that you are failing etc. There are very few easy days and in this battle against yourself there really is nowhere to hide. However, it can be done,
Things I have learned along the way. One weigh in means very little. The trend is the truth. If you are loosing or gaining over time, if you keep records you will see that. The result of one days weigh in good or evil, is accurate only +/- a couple of lb. So don't be too discouraged (or take too much of a victory lap) based on one days results. You are in this race for a lifetime.
We all have good and bad days, and everyday the calorie count starts again. Everyday, every moment we make a choice about our future but we cannot change our past. So having a good or bad day means nothing tomorrow, it starts again, learn from it and move on. You are really only going to fail if you stop trying.
I am an obsessive data junky. I weigh in every day, which I intend to continue and track everything I eat, my streak in Myfitnespal is now 241 days. It is tempting to under record what you eat, because having a low number of calories in your diary feels better, but you can't lie to yourself. It is easy to cheat, but who but yourself are you cheating? This may seem like a haste land waste of time, but I spend less than 5 minutes per day on this. Of course I have a huge spreadsheet as well on which I spend a considerable amount of time obsessing over, but to me that is fun. It has my daily weigh ins since surgery as well as calories consumed and forecasts my weigh loss half a dozen different ways and tracks my performance against my progress goals. But this helps me, and I enjoy it.
I read the labels on the food I eat and make a conscious choice about where I am to my calorie goal and whether what I am about to eat is worth it. This process has been a real eye opener because it is amazing just how many calories all our food contains, It is no wonder to me now why people are overweight as it really seems that every product in the supermarket and on sale elsewhere is designed specifically to be nearly as bad for you as possible, even those things we are sold as being healthy.
There is no one way to do all of this. Some people exercise obsessively nearly from day 1 post op. That wasn't my way and I didn't start on the treadmill until I had lost more than 200lb. My learning here is find something that works for you and just do that. For me it was to really only eat one meal per day, plus a small snack (usually a Protein Bar, Oatmega bars are yum) for Breakfast and lunch. Now that wasn't easy and I have been hungry a lot and that wouldn't work for everyone. However, you will find a place where you can sustain the level of effort and see results. Whatever that is for you, do that and remember what that was. If you have a bad day or week, then you will know what to go back to. This wont be easy, but you will get out of this what you put in. Surgery is not a magic bullet, it only gives you superpower of being able to eat less, the rest is up to you.
The only remaining question is, "Is this all worth it?". For me the answer is definitely yes. I feel and think I look so much better. I can stand for long periods of time without the pain of my huge belly, pulling out my back. I no longer use my horrible CPAP machine. I have actually started running on my treadmill (only a few minutes at a time, but I am getting there). The downsides, so far as I can see are I am a huge ball of loose skin, and there are parts of me that as quite skinny and boney. My shoulders and arms look a bit skeletal. I have no padding on my tailbone, so I need to sit on a coccyx cushion at my desk or while driving and I am also cold all the time. Hopefully over time I will be able to overcome these, but even still if nothing changed on a net basis, for me, it was totally worth it.
My next challenge is to maintain all of this. How do I start to increase my calorie intake to go from loosing to maintaining, is what I need to discover. All I know is I don't want to go back and getting here has been too much work to ever want to go back.

Thanks for this note Green. I was just reflecting on the number of people who are obsessed with the quantity of food. I can't tell you how many times I've heard people ask, "when will I ever be able to eat a regular size plate of food? "
It really baffles me, and I was quite confused until I met with the dietician. She said the most long-term successful person she's seen carries a 1/4 cup measurrle everywhere, and uses it to gauge all of her food.

Sleeved lesbian here as well!!! 10/25/18