ouroborous

First real "encounter" since the surgery (lots of fooling around, but yesterday was... the full meal deal). And... guys... wow. GET THIS SURGERY.
Before the surgery, I was a real "one minute wonder" (if I could even get lucky; at 338, it doesn't happen much). I would be panting and wheezing and see spots, and I was lucky to even be able to finish. I was used to the woman not... finishing, either.
Yesterday.
SEVEN. HOURS.
She had more... moments of joy than I could count (maybe 12? 15? 20?), and I had... THREE.
THREE. In one night! Guys, I'm 42. That just doesn't HAPPEN to guys my age.
And it certainly never happened before the sleeve.
Good god, men, if you have ANY problems in that area at all and are pre-sleeve, RUN, don't walk, and get the surgery.
UN-FREAKING-BELIEVABLE. I thought that stuff only happened in porno movies...
Ok, I'll shut up now. But... wow.
Sore... exhausted... and happy
Edit: uh, it wasn't seven hours continuously, I should mention... 8pm till 3am, but not all, uh, action. Even at my current fitness level, that WOULD kill me. Seven hours of go... rest, chat, laugh... go... rest, chat, laugh... repeat until too sore and exhausted to continue! And NOW I WILL shut up.

First real "encounter" since the surgery (lots of fooling around, but yesterday was... the full meal deal). And... guys... wow. GET THIS SURGERY.
Before the surgery, I was a real "one minute wonder" (if I could even get lucky; at 338, it doesn't happen much). I would be panting and wheezing and see spots, and I was lucky to even be able to finish. I was used to the woman not... finishing, either.
Yesterday.
SEVEN. HOURS.
She had more... moments of joy than I could count (maybe 12? 15? 20?), and I had... THREE.
THREE. In one night! Guys, I'm 42. That just doesn't HAPPEN to guys my age.
And it certainly never happened before the sleeve.
Good god, men, if you have ANY problems in that area at all and are pre-sleeve, RUN, don't walk, and get the surgery.
UN-FREAKING-BELIEVABLE. I thought that stuff only happened in porno movies...
Ok, I'll shut up now. But... wow.
Sore... exhausted... and happy
Edit: uh, it wasn't seven hours continuously, I should mention... 8pm till 3am, but not all, uh, action. Even at my current fitness level, that WOULD kill me. Seven hours of go... rest, chat, laugh... go... rest, chat, laugh... repeat until too sore and exhausted to continue! And NOW I WILL shut up.

I have seen a couple of posts from people worried about taking in too little food, and I thought I'd post this handy hint I learned a long time ago. It's called the "rule of threes" and is a rule of thumb for how long you can survive without basic necessities:

3 minutes without air
3 hours without shelter
3 days without Water
3 weeks without food
3 months without hope

The point of my post is that you can survive for three entire weeks without a single bite of food. Obese people like us, perhaps four. So if you're only able to eat 400-500 calories a day, don't fret. You're not going to starve for a long, long time. Just try to make sure that the calories you ARE getting are high quality (enough Protein, enough micronutrients, etc.)
And as the "rule of threes" shows, getting Water is MUCH, much more important and urgent than food, and yet even here you could (theoretically) survive three whole days without a single drop (including the water you get in your food).
So, if you're fretful or a hypochondriac like me, don't worry quite so much. Do everything the doctor tells you, tell him/her about any strange or worrisome new symptoms, and focus on recovery -- not "what could go wrong."

I tell everyone, up front, that I've had weight loss surgery. I don't judge other people's decision to keep it to themselves, but I frankly don't understand it. It's not something to be ashamed of -- why would it be? You made a difficult, frightening, and painful decision to do something that betters your health and appearance and longevity. You've gone to a great deal of trouble, and altered your eating habits *forever* in order to be around longer and be healthier for your loved ones and yourself.
In my book, that is something to be *immensely proud* of, not ashamed of or hide.
Like I said, I'm not judging; everyone has different lives and different needs. But especially in a dating situation, I'm up front about it -- in my online dating profile (yes, I have one of those) I mention that I had weight loss surgery in May of 2010, and it was an enormous success. This gets me off the hook at restaurants, I just tell them "surgery" and smile, and they help me pick out a more VSG-friendly meal and remind me to get a to-go box.
And nobody that I have ever met has EVER made a negative or snarky comment. Nobody has EVER seemed to judge me (I can't tell what they're doing in their head, but their body language and words have been positive). Nobody has ever been anything other than supportive, and congratulatory, and sometimes curious (in fact, heavier people have often taken me aside later and asked me for more details, and confessed that they were considering it for themselves!).
Again, it's your business and your choice. But I think that we need to stop shaming people who make the important decision to get this procedure done -- it's not a failure, it's not a flaw. It's a tremendously courageous and positive step. And I don't think I'd want to date anyone who couldn't be supportive of my choice to nurture and take care of my physical self; I mean, let's face it... the kind of woman I want to be with will love my physical self as much as my mind and heart, and will want it to be healthy. So why should she judge me for taking the best steps I know of to make that physical self healthy and happy.
youknowit: I'm sorry it didn't work out for you, but you seem very connected and articulate, so I'm sure you'll meet someone amazing soon (if you haven't already!)

I tell everyone, up front, that I've had weight loss surgery. I don't judge other people's decision to keep it to themselves, but I frankly don't understand it. It's not something to be ashamed of -- why would it be? You made a difficult, frightening, and painful decision to do something that betters your health and appearance and longevity. You've gone to a great deal of trouble, and altered your eating habits *forever* in order to be around longer and be healthier for your loved ones and yourself.
In my book, that is something to be *immensely proud* of, not ashamed of or hide.
Like I said, I'm not judging; everyone has different lives and different needs. But especially in a dating situation, I'm up front about it -- in my online dating profile (yes, I have one of those) I mention that I had weight loss surgery in May of 2010, and it was an enormous success. This gets me off the hook at restaurants, I just tell them "surgery" and smile, and they help me pick out a more VSG-friendly meal and remind me to get a to-go box.
And nobody that I have ever met has EVER made a negative or snarky comment. Nobody has EVER seemed to judge me (I can't tell what they're doing in their head, but their body language and words have been positive). Nobody has ever been anything other than supportive, and congratulatory, and sometimes curious (in fact, heavier people have often taken me aside later and asked me for more details, and confessed that they were considering it for themselves!).
Again, it's your business and your choice. But I think that we need to stop shaming people who make the important decision to get this procedure done -- it's not a failure, it's not a flaw. It's a tremendously courageous and positive step. And I don't think I'd want to date anyone who couldn't be supportive of my choice to nurture and take care of my physical self; I mean, let's face it... the kind of woman I want to be with will love my physical self as much as my mind and heart, and will want it to be healthy. So why should she judge me for taking the best steps I know of to make that physical self healthy and happy.
youknowit: I'm sorry it didn't work out for you, but you seem very connected and articulate, so I'm sure you'll meet someone amazing soon (if you haven't already!)

I tell everyone, up front, that I've had weight loss surgery. I don't judge other people's decision to keep it to themselves, but I frankly don't understand it. It's not something to be ashamed of -- why would it be? You made a difficult, frightening, and painful decision to do something that betters your health and appearance and longevity. You've gone to a great deal of trouble, and altered your eating habits *forever* in order to be around longer and be healthier for your loved ones and yourself.
In my book, that is something to be *immensely proud* of, not ashamed of or hide.
Like I said, I'm not judging; everyone has different lives and different needs. But especially in a dating situation, I'm up front about it -- in my online dating profile (yes, I have one of those) I mention that I had weight loss surgery in May of 2010, and it was an enormous success. This gets me off the hook at restaurants, I just tell them "surgery" and smile, and they help me pick out a more VSG-friendly meal and remind me to get a to-go box.
And nobody that I have ever met has EVER made a negative or snarky comment. Nobody has EVER seemed to judge me (I can't tell what they're doing in their head, but their body language and words have been positive). Nobody has ever been anything other than supportive, and congratulatory, and sometimes curious (in fact, heavier people have often taken me aside later and asked me for more details, and confessed that they were considering it for themselves!).
Again, it's your business and your choice. But I think that we need to stop shaming people who make the important decision to get this procedure done -- it's not a failure, it's not a flaw. It's a tremendously courageous and positive step. And I don't think I'd want to date anyone who couldn't be supportive of my choice to nurture and take care of my physical self; I mean, let's face it... the kind of woman I want to be with will love my physical self as much as my mind and heart, and will want it to be healthy. So why should she judge me for taking the best steps I know of to make that physical self healthy and happy.
youknowit: I'm sorry it didn't work out for you, but you seem very connected and articulate, so I'm sure you'll meet someone amazing soon (if you haven't already!)

Just tell him that you had stomach surgery a while back, and you're under doctor's orders to eat very small portion sizes. That's the truth, and it should get him off your back.
You can assure him that you're perfectly healthy on small portions, given that you're probably eating more frequently, and that you're being careful with your Vitamins and Water. And thank him for his concern :sad0:

I tell everyone, up front, that I've had weight loss surgery. I don't judge other people's decision to keep it to themselves, but I frankly don't understand it. It's not something to be ashamed of -- why would it be? You made a difficult, frightening, and painful decision to do something that betters your health and appearance and longevity. You've gone to a great deal of trouble, and altered your eating habits *forever* in order to be around longer and be healthier for your loved ones and yourself.
In my book, that is something to be *immensely proud* of, not ashamed of or hide.
Like I said, I'm not judging; everyone has different lives and different needs. But especially in a dating situation, I'm up front about it -- in my online dating profile (yes, I have one of those) I mention that I had weight loss surgery in May of 2010, and it was an enormous success. This gets me off the hook at restaurants, I just tell them "surgery" and smile, and they help me pick out a more VSG-friendly meal and remind me to get a to-go box.
And nobody that I have ever met has EVER made a negative or snarky comment. Nobody has EVER seemed to judge me (I can't tell what they're doing in their head, but their body language and words have been positive). Nobody has ever been anything other than supportive, and congratulatory, and sometimes curious (in fact, heavier people have often taken me aside later and asked me for more details, and confessed that they were considering it for themselves!).
Again, it's your business and your choice. But I think that we need to stop shaming people who make the important decision to get this procedure done -- it's not a failure, it's not a flaw. It's a tremendously courageous and positive step. And I don't think I'd want to date anyone who couldn't be supportive of my choice to nurture and take care of my physical self; I mean, let's face it... the kind of woman I want to be with will love my physical self as much as my mind and heart, and will want it to be healthy. So why should she judge me for taking the best steps I know of to make that physical self healthy and happy.
youknowit: I'm sorry it didn't work out for you, but you seem very connected and articulate, so I'm sure you'll meet someone amazing soon (if you haven't already!)

I tell everyone, up front, that I've had weight loss surgery. I don't judge other people's decision to keep it to themselves, but I frankly don't understand it. It's not something to be ashamed of -- why would it be? You made a difficult, frightening, and painful decision to do something that betters your health and appearance and longevity. You've gone to a great deal of trouble, and altered your eating habits *forever* in order to be around longer and be healthier for your loved ones and yourself.
In my book, that is something to be *immensely proud* of, not ashamed of or hide.
Like I said, I'm not judging; everyone has different lives and different needs. But especially in a dating situation, I'm up front about it -- in my online dating profile (yes, I have one of those) I mention that I had weight loss surgery in May of 2010, and it was an enormous success. This gets me off the hook at restaurants, I just tell them "surgery" and smile, and they help me pick out a more VSG-friendly meal and remind me to get a to-go box.
And nobody that I have ever met has EVER made a negative or snarky comment. Nobody has EVER seemed to judge me (I can't tell what they're doing in their head, but their body language and words have been positive). Nobody has ever been anything other than supportive, and congratulatory, and sometimes curious (in fact, heavier people have often taken me aside later and asked me for more details, and confessed that they were considering it for themselves!).
Again, it's your business and your choice. But I think that we need to stop shaming people who make the important decision to get this procedure done -- it's not a failure, it's not a flaw. It's a tremendously courageous and positive step. And I don't think I'd want to date anyone who couldn't be supportive of my choice to nurture and take care of my physical self; I mean, let's face it... the kind of woman I want to be with will love my physical self as much as my mind and heart, and will want it to be healthy. So why should she judge me for taking the best steps I know of to make that physical self healthy and happy.
youknowit: I'm sorry it didn't work out for you, but you seem very connected and articulate, so I'm sure you'll meet someone amazing soon (if you haven't already!)

So after a couple of unpleasant incidents, I've done some digging, and as far as I can tell I have been suffering from reactive hypoglycemia (RHG). All of the symptoms I get are hypoglycemic (flushed/chills, nervousness, trembling, slight mental confusion, feeling like I'm going to collapse, etc., all coupled with a sort of panicky hunger -- "I have to eat NOW or I'm going to fall over!"), and it's relieved by eating (but only if I'm careful and eat high-Protein foods, carbs just make the swings worse). I'm curious if anyone else has gone through this with the sleeve.
Incidentally, some call this or confuse this with "dumping syndrome" -- they're not the same, but they may be related. Eating in a way that leads to dumping apparently can dump a lot of blood-sugar spiking food into your small intestine at once, faster than your body can properly deal with. So part of the "eat every two hours" thing is to eat smaller meals and avoid dumping. The Wikipedia article (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reactive_hypoglycemia) mentions this.
I am not diabetic, according to NUMEROUS tests by my PCP (given my weight and a family history, it seemed like a good precaution). Apparently, RHG is very common for WLS patients about 15-20 months out (I'm ~19 months out). It's made worse by not eating lots of small, high-protein meals, by not getting enough cardio, and by consuming too much caffeine. I'm guilty on all counts, but it seems like caffeine is really the worst offender for me. I don't do well with moderation, and I've discovered that when I really go overboard on caffeine, I get bad RHG, often at night. Also, it seems to be the combination of caffeine and carbs for me -- I don't drink caffeine at night, but my nighttime meals lately have been carb-heavy (spaghetti, for instance), mostly for convenience. And it seems like my RHG is happening mostly in the evening.
So, I'm curious who else has struggled with this, and how you dealt with it. Unfortunately, since I changed jobs in mid-June, I'm not yet eligible for health benefits so I can't go see a doctor about this. That will be changing soon (next week, I think), but I really don't think this is an emergency condition, especially since I seem to be able to manage it by eating healthier, avoiding caffeine, and so on. Mostly I'm looking for support and advice

I tell everyone, up front, that I've had weight loss surgery. I don't judge other people's decision to keep it to themselves, but I frankly don't understand it. It's not something to be ashamed of -- why would it be? You made a difficult, frightening, and painful decision to do something that betters your health and appearance and longevity. You've gone to a great deal of trouble, and altered your eating habits *forever* in order to be around longer and be healthier for your loved ones and yourself.
In my book, that is something to be *immensely proud* of, not ashamed of or hide.
Like I said, I'm not judging; everyone has different lives and different needs. But especially in a dating situation, I'm up front about it -- in my online dating profile (yes, I have one of those) I mention that I had weight loss surgery in May of 2010, and it was an enormous success. This gets me off the hook at restaurants, I just tell them "surgery" and smile, and they help me pick out a more VSG-friendly meal and remind me to get a to-go box.
And nobody that I have ever met has EVER made a negative or snarky comment. Nobody has EVER seemed to judge me (I can't tell what they're doing in their head, but their body language and words have been positive). Nobody has ever been anything other than supportive, and congratulatory, and sometimes curious (in fact, heavier people have often taken me aside later and asked me for more details, and confessed that they were considering it for themselves!).
Again, it's your business and your choice. But I think that we need to stop shaming people who make the important decision to get this procedure done -- it's not a failure, it's not a flaw. It's a tremendously courageous and positive step. And I don't think I'd want to date anyone who couldn't be supportive of my choice to nurture and take care of my physical self; I mean, let's face it... the kind of woman I want to be with will love my physical self as much as my mind and heart, and will want it to be healthy. So why should she judge me for taking the best steps I know of to make that physical self healthy and happy.
youknowit: I'm sorry it didn't work out for you, but you seem very connected and articulate, so I'm sure you'll meet someone amazing soon (if you haven't already!)

Thanks for asking this question. I'm being sleeved on Thursday and I'm a worrier. I know that the most likely complication from the surgery (aside from dehydration) is a leak, so I was wondering what it felt like so I could tell the normal aches and pains from a leak.
It sounds like a "if you have it, you'll know it" situation -- it doesn't sound like the symptoms are at all subtle.

Say it with me now, folks: plateaus are a normal part of the process. Getting stuck is a normal part of the process.
I know... we don't want to hear that. I didn't want to hear that. I still hover anxiously near the scale sometimes, worried about every bleep and bloop on the number.
But the fact is that the typical weight loss of a sleever goes something like this:
A HUGE, exhilarating loss at first... it's almost effortless. You fart and the pounds come off. You eat good and the pounds come off. You eat BAD (which, you know, for a sleever in the early days means something like "well, last month I ate a cookie...") and the pounds come off.
The problem with this early phase is that it completely destroys our sense of what a "normal" weight loss and maintenance profile feels like. This early phase where the weight just drops off is not normal. It's great, but it's not normal.
Once you start getting down to what your body thinks its weight "should be" (it's actually a great deal more complicated than this; your body doesn't really have any idea what you "should" weigh, it's just that feedback mechanisms start to come into play and exert more force than the downward push from the sleeve) the loss will become slower and slower. And it isn't just a "steady" slowness; it's not like your body will go from 5 pounds a week to 3 pounds a week to a pound a week in a smooth progression. In fact, at times you'll plateau for days or weeks or even months (near the bottom end of the curve) at a time. At times your weight will even go up slightly (slightly: a prolonged and significant gain is usually a sign that something is wrong, whereas a 5-10 pound gain is typically a Water weight gain or a normal plateau fluctuation).
You can break through the plateau -- assuming that you're not already at the low end of body fat -- but it doesn't always happen when you expect it to happen -- sometimes you get stuck and then you cut your calories and up your exercise and nothing changes (or you even gain a little) for days at a time, and then when you give up, suddenly your body starts shedding weight again.
And finally when you start getting down near or below the low end of normal body fat (for most of us, it seems like this is around 20% body fat; fat location along with factors such as age and genetics seems to determine your "realistic minimum body fat"), shedding every ounce is a lot of frigging hard work, every day, forever. Most of us have a hard time keeping up that level of dedication (else we wouldn't have been obese to begin with), so most people seem to stick around 25%-ish bodyfat, which is still technically overweight (and of course, those of us who are very self-critical will harass ourselves mercilessly over that fact) but is, in fact, much healthier than the 40%, 50%, or even 60% body fat that some of us started with. Indeed, it's healthier, on average, than most modern Americans!
The real problem is that early phase, where weight loss was effortless and we could do no wrong. It's sad to say, but important to remember, that that is not the norm. The sleeve continues to be a tool, and as long as you don't abuse it too bad, you can be pretty confident that you won't spiral back into that morbidly obese category. But it's not zero work, it's not effortless. You have to start really working it after a point, and the lower your body fat gets (remember: measure body fat, NOT weight -- weight can fluctuate by as much as 4 or 5 pounds *in a single day* due to Water weight changes) the more you're going to hit plateaus, of longer and longer duration, and maybe even see some backtracking. The great thing about the sleeve is that even if you gain a few pounds, unlike before you can be pretty confident that you can get rid of them pretty quickly with a little self-discipline.
Sorry for the long post, but it seems like a lot of people have sort of unrealistic expectations about life with the sleeve, and then whenever they see a blip on the scale they freak out and assume all is lost. It's not lost when you plateau or rebound a few pounds. It's completely normal.

...and I don't mean the temperature!
OK, this will sound like bragging, and it IS a little, but remember where I'm coming from: I had been obese my WHOLE LIFE. I first had to wear size 38 jeans in junior high school. And now I'm wearing size 34, bordering on size 33.
I was at the gym this morning -- it was arms day, biceps, forearms, trapezius, and deltoids (shoulders) -- and was working out HARD. I was looking in the mirror to check my form, and suddenly I thought -- who IS this guy? I realized that I'm looking... well... A-MAZ-ING! I mean I'm 42, so I don't look like a kid; I have laugh lines on my face, and (when I don't shave my head) a little gray around my temples. But my shoulders are broad and muscular (amazing what deltoid workouts will do, guys; wanna look broad-shouldered and thick through the chest? WORK. ON. YOUR. SHOULDERS!). My chest is just slabs of flat, hard muscle. My forearms literally RIPPLE with muscle when I move my fingers. My legs are turning into little tree trunks, and a lot of HARD work on my glutes (butt) has rescued me from the dreaded "white guy ass" -- I am getting a nice, muscular butt. I still don't like my midsection; the remaining flab and loose skin are all there, but sometimes when I move and the light is right, you can see my rectus abdominis quite clearly. Another term for rectus abdominis? SIX PACK! ME! A SIX PACK!
I wished I could have taken a picture to show you, but I'm not THAT vain; I don't bring my camera to the gym with me
I have to compare and contrast this with just two years ago, when my face was lost in a SEA of chins. My legs were big, but it was all just flabby, jello-y fat. My arms were big... with fat. They JIGGLED. And my midsection... oh dear god, what a train wreck; I had to wear size 3XL shirts just to avoid too much plumber's crack! I couldn't walk 200 yards without being tired. My feet hurt all the time. Men treated me with scorn, and to women I was simply invisible.
Now, men often do submissive body language (you know, hunched a little shoulders and eyes down) or challenging, threatened (puffed up chest, swagger, frightened/"tough" glare) body language. The one thing they don't do is scorn me. And women... well, as often as not, women have a sort of "hungry" look in their eyes when they're looking at me. I've even caught women out with their husbands/boyfriends "checking me out" and then looking away, embarrassed when I smile at them.
Am I bragging? Yes, I am. But this is all so bloody new to me. I'm a hunk! I have to avoid turning into a vain douchebag (and this obviously borders on douchebaggery already), but I figured that "Gastric Sleeve Surgery Success Stories" was the place to put this bragging if anything was.
Two years ago, I was obese, depressed, hated my body, sore, sick, tired, a clear "beta male," invisible to women, and probably on a fast track to diabetes, heart disease, cancer, or some other form of slow, painful death.
Now? I'm fit -- within 2% of my "normal" body weight according to the height/weight charts. I can run several MILES without running out of steam or injuring myself. I lift weights nearly every day. I am happy, healthy, have a strong libido, a good sex life, and I *like* what I see when I look in the mirror. I would NEVER have believed it possible two years ago if you'd asked me. NEVER.
And, while I'll take credit for eating right and going to the gym/doing other physical activities regularly, the weight loss and health I owe completely, 100% to the sleeve.
THANK YOU, SLEEVE. Getting the surgery was the single best decision I've ever made. It saved my life, literally -- it's given me a whole new me, one that I never would have believed I could be.
Thank you, sleeve.

First real "encounter" since the surgery (lots of fooling around, but yesterday was... the full meal deal). And... guys... wow. GET THIS SURGERY.
Before the surgery, I was a real "one minute wonder" (if I could even get lucky; at 338, it doesn't happen much). I would be panting and wheezing and see spots, and I was lucky to even be able to finish. I was used to the woman not... finishing, either.
Yesterday.
SEVEN. HOURS.
She had more... moments of joy than I could count (maybe 12? 15? 20?), and I had... THREE.
THREE. In one night! Guys, I'm 42. That just doesn't HAPPEN to guys my age.
And it certainly never happened before the sleeve.
Good god, men, if you have ANY problems in that area at all and are pre-sleeve, RUN, don't walk, and get the surgery.
UN-FREAKING-BELIEVABLE. I thought that stuff only happened in porno movies...
Ok, I'll shut up now. But... wow.
Sore... exhausted... and happy
Edit: uh, it wasn't seven hours continuously, I should mention... 8pm till 3am, but not all, uh, action. Even at my current fitness level, that WOULD kill me. Seven hours of go... rest, chat, laugh... go... rest, chat, laugh... repeat until too sore and exhausted to continue! And NOW I WILL shut up.

First real "encounter" since the surgery (lots of fooling around, but yesterday was... the full meal deal). And... guys... wow. GET THIS SURGERY.
Before the surgery, I was a real "one minute wonder" (if I could even get lucky; at 338, it doesn't happen much). I would be panting and wheezing and see spots, and I was lucky to even be able to finish. I was used to the woman not... finishing, either.
Yesterday.
SEVEN. HOURS.
She had more... moments of joy than I could count (maybe 12? 15? 20?), and I had... THREE.
THREE. In one night! Guys, I'm 42. That just doesn't HAPPEN to guys my age.
And it certainly never happened before the sleeve.
Good god, men, if you have ANY problems in that area at all and are pre-sleeve, RUN, don't walk, and get the surgery.
UN-FREAKING-BELIEVABLE. I thought that stuff only happened in porno movies...
Ok, I'll shut up now. But... wow.
Sore... exhausted... and happy
Edit: uh, it wasn't seven hours continuously, I should mention... 8pm till 3am, but not all, uh, action. Even at my current fitness level, that WOULD kill me. Seven hours of go... rest, chat, laugh... go... rest, chat, laugh... repeat until too sore and exhausted to continue! And NOW I WILL shut up.

I don't usually get into belief vs. non-belief arguments. Having a mother who's fairly devout has taught me that when I answer that my non-belief is as heartfelt as her belief, I only get blank stares. So I've learned to just live and let live and accept that 95% of the rest of the population doesn't share my beliefs (errrr, non-beliefs ) and, that's perfectly okay.

First real "encounter" since the surgery (lots of fooling around, but yesterday was... the full meal deal). And... guys... wow. GET THIS SURGERY.
Before the surgery, I was a real "one minute wonder" (if I could even get lucky; at 338, it doesn't happen much). I would be panting and wheezing and see spots, and I was lucky to even be able to finish. I was used to the woman not... finishing, either.
Yesterday.
SEVEN. HOURS.
She had more... moments of joy than I could count (maybe 12? 15? 20?), and I had... THREE.
THREE. In one night! Guys, I'm 42. That just doesn't HAPPEN to guys my age.
And it certainly never happened before the sleeve.
Good god, men, if you have ANY problems in that area at all and are pre-sleeve, RUN, don't walk, and get the surgery.
UN-FREAKING-BELIEVABLE. I thought that stuff only happened in porno movies...
Ok, I'll shut up now. But... wow.
Sore... exhausted... and happy
Edit: uh, it wasn't seven hours continuously, I should mention... 8pm till 3am, but not all, uh, action. Even at my current fitness level, that WOULD kill me. Seven hours of go... rest, chat, laugh... go... rest, chat, laugh... repeat until too sore and exhausted to continue! And NOW I WILL shut up.

OK, guys, as someone who's over two years out, a few things.
First, it DOES look bigger, and it GETS bigger; not only does the removal of the fat make it look bigger, but there's more, uh, USABLE size.
Possibly more important, it gets HARDER. Touchy subject, but a lot of heavy guys have problems with blood pressure and other things that can make it hard (har har) to maintain a super firm erection. Nowadays, my boners are so hard I'm surprised ... well, I can't say it in public, but yeah. It's a pleasant change; I think my ladyfriends have enjoyed the extra hardness even more than the inch or so extra visible length.

I don't usually get into belief vs. non-belief arguments. Having a mother who's fairly devout has taught me that when I answer that my non-belief is as heartfelt as her belief, I only get blank stares. So I've learned to just live and let live and accept that 95% of the rest of the population doesn't share my beliefs (errrr, non-beliefs ) and, that's perfectly okay.

So, atheists and other "nonbelievers" make up, I believe, five percent of the population. And sleevers are, what, 1% of the population? Less?
So agnostic/atheist sleevers like me are literally one in a million! I KNEW my momma was right when she said I was "special!"

I really wanted to reply to this. Yes, sex is a LOT of work for a big guy. Ladies, all due respect, but most of the time, sex is all about US doing the work -- abs and core, legs, arms. If you're out of shape, as a guy, sex can absolutely destroy your stamina, and let's face it -- collapsing like a pile of Jello halfway through just ain't sexy. So we try REALLY hard to please y'all, but when you're that heavy, it just ain't going to happen!
Add to this the fact that fat converts testosterone to estrogen (yes, estrogen. Look up lipid aromatization for proof...) and you see a real "double whammy" for us guys emerging; not only are we expected to be nearly machine-like in our movements, with no reaction to the sheer strain and stress of moving 250, 300, 400 pounds of flesh around (not counting the lady!), but our testosterone can dip so low that we have a hard time keeping an erection (and what THAT means, ladies, is that ANY distraction can make "it" go away -- slowing the rhythm, changing position, even just worrying that "oh god, I'm gonna lose it!" And when you're panting and wheezing and worried about having a heart attack (yes, contrary to urban legend, people can and do regularly have heart attacks or strokes during sex), that's a pretty serious distraction. So, for a heavy guy, sex really ain't much FUN! We want to do it to keep our lady friends happy, and sure, it FEELS good, but it also feels like we're gonna die, it's a race against the clock with whether Mr. Happy will keep playing along, and a lot of times those negatives outweigh (heh) the positives.
Now, switch to skinny sex. My muscles are MORE than capable of hauling my carcass around and doing ALL sorts of interesting positional things. Sure, I sweat and breathe hard in the throes of passion, but my heart and lungs are healthy and I have a ton of stamina, so I'm not worried some artery is going to explode. And best of all, because my testosterone MORE THAN DOUBLED without drugs, just by losing the weight, my libido is crazy -- that one hormone makes ALL the difference between just being caught up in my head and worrying about how I'm going to "perform" and getting utterly, absolutely lost in the moment. And that is so insanely sexy. Apparently for both of us!
So yes, ladies, if you want a better love life, definitely lose weight, but get your guy to lose weight too. You will NOT regret it!