My Gastric Sleeve Story

[CodenameSpivey 3]

Well.. month 2 is over, and it hasn't been near expectations. I feel fine, and great.. I get frustrated very easily these days.. I'm of course on solid foods now, and I'm still having trouble adapting to going out to eat with my family or for work functions. I order food, and usually don't realize that there is no way I'm going to be able to eat it.. then for some reason I get frustrated when I can't eat it.... Is that weird? It still hasn't sunk in to my head I guess that I just can't eat a lot.

Also, I stalled.. hard. Literally the day after my last post, the scale stopped moving.. and it didn't move for a couple weeks.... I went I believe 16 days only fluxuating up or down 1lbs... however, eventually it started moving again. and today I'm down to 238lbs... 305 before pre-op diet, 283 day of surgery, and 238 today, giving me a total loss of 67lbs since June 16th... and 45lbs since surgery, 30 in the first month, 15 the 2nd month. I was really hoping to take out another 5lbs or so before my 2nd month ended.. but that's ok... I'm 18lbs from my goal weight, in just over 2 months... If I can do more, great.. but I'm perfectly content at being 220lbs.. I'm a big guy by nature, and I honestly don't even remember being less than that, when I was skinny before all the weight gain, I remember being about 224.... and that weight suits me just fine.

So I've went from wearing a XXXL shirt, down to an XL, sometimes a L depending on the brand. I've lost 10 inches from my waste, and went from a size 44 jeans, to a 34... so things are going well.. I've haven't started at the gym yet, like I wanted to, this relocation has been hard, and I haven't even started my new job yet, and money is just kind of tight... I start my new job next Monday, and plan to get gym memberships out of my first check.

My main issue, have been beverages... foods haven't been an issue, however, I find myself sometimes drinking high sugar drinks, especially slurpees, lol... usually once a week I'll drink a slurpee, and it's hard to resist drinks like at Sonic and stuff, which is a big favorite for drinks while we're out and about... the diet cherry limeades are good.. but sometimes I just don't want to drink them.... and I'll get a cherry coke or something... Carbonated drinks I've had no problems with, I drink them fairly often, not daily, but at least 2-3 times a week I'll have a diet coke or a coke zero.. and no issues...

Anywho, I'm going to work hard and try to cut these vices and get to my goal weight this month... here's hoping for the best!

[zoelifechick 7]

Thank you so much for your postings, they have really helped me see a step-by-step journey.

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,282]

They wheeled me in to the Operating room, and told me they'd slowly be putting me under... I barely remember finishing that conversation and the next thing I knew surgery was over... and I was in recovery. Dr. Umbach was nice enough to come and talk to my wife and mother who were there waiting for me, he came to see me as well, but I was still out of it, and I may have scared him off. My first thought after waking up, was "WTF did I just do!?" I had serious gas pain, as well as overall soreness... and wasn't a happy camper.. after sitting there in recovery for about 2 hours, they wheeled me up, had me get up and walk off some of the gas pain, and then go pee.. then it was time to go home.

Hey Codename Spivey!

I've had many surgeries and they do that same song and dance every time. Funny thing is, I fall for it every time too...

It sounds like you had a very easy recovery! Keep recovering well and it seems you'll be able to get your hernia repair next month already!!!

Take care!

[CodenameSpivey 3]

Sorry for my slacking on lack of updates... I stay busy these days..

So I'm I think 4 1/2 months out... Started out at 305 - today I'm at 219! 86lbs lost! My goal was 220lbs.. so I'm over my goal weight.. I really need to find some before pictures, I avoided the camera for so long, I just don't know if I have any...

I'd be lying if I said that I'd follow things strictly... I really haven't... I try to eat well, keep my carbs low and my Protein up.. but there are days I just don't.. especially days I'm busy...

I had some issues with my hair, but it's passed - I had pretty long hair as it was, and that made it worse, I cut my hair kind of short when the Hair loss was peaking.. and since then really it's been a non-issue and has pretty much stopped... I feel like I've took the easy way this whole journey.. I haven't been to the gym once, I do walk around, and my job keeps me on my feet the other day... the only areas of fat i have to deal with is some in my abdomen.. I still have a hernia in my mid abdomen, and doing any kind of routine to help eliminate that scares me because I don't know what I can and can't do.

So, recapping my totals.. started at 305lbs - 287 i believe day of surgery.. 219lbs today! 44 size waist, down to a 34... and a XXXL shirt to a L sometimes XL depending on the brand... weirdly it seems like I've went down a tad in shoe size too..

I've got tired of chewable Vitamins, so I've went to every day multi-vitamins once a tad, then a chewable later in the day to kind of not burn myself out on them... that's the one thing I don't slack on, I get my Water and Vitamins everyday.. I do good on Protein, though there are days I know I don't meet my goals, however, I'm always fairly close...

I still find myself frustrated at times when I'm eating, especially if i'm out eating... I sometimes forget i have my sleeve and let my eyes get the best of me, only to find out I can't eat 1/2 of what I put on my plate... I still have problems eating a little too quickly... and I'm sure that leads to me getting full quicker... I still order drinks with meals, and I don't know why, I never drink them...

I can pretty much do whatever I want as far as foods go... some tortilla's I don't agree with.. and some breads... but I pretty much can do whatever... I guess my sleeve has been very kind to me, and I've been very lucky, and almost feel bad, as the weight has fell off almost without effort..

I think I can probably stand to lose maybe another 10lbs... I'm totally happy where I am right now, and I'd never thought I'd get here.... Normally I see a fluctuation of 2-3 lbs a day... I weight myself in the morning before i eat or drink anything, and my goal is to be 220lbs after any flucuation.. so I have a couple more pounds to go.. but I'm getting close... it'd be amazing to see 199... though, I'm a big guy by nature, I have a big build, and that's almost too much... but seeing myself now, maybe I can do it... it's a pipedream, but if it happens, it happens.. otherwise I've never been happier... If I could get rid of this hernia, I'd be excited, because right now I just need to tighten things up, if i do that, i'd be in the best shape i've ever been in..

Anywho, that's my update... I'm there... and in only 4 1/2 months. I feel great, I sleep better, I'm not diabetic anymore... if anything my blood sugar is running a tad low... I'm going to go get labs drawn at 6 months and see how everything is... but I don't expect any problems.. my immune system seems stronger too, I haven't been sick at all.. despite my wife and kids all getting colds... I don't even have those feel like crap days anymore either... which were the majority of my overweight days... next up, my wife getting sleeved and joining me in being happy with themselves...

[Becca 108]

Congrats! I wish you the best!

[CodenameSpivey 3]

Wow.. I had not realized that I haven't updated this in so long...... So, I'm 8 months out from surgery today... well, yesterday... Weighed myself before surgery... and saw the most magical thing... 199.6!

Giving me 106lbs lost.... I still lose a little here and there, I'm not really actively trying to lose anymore as I'm perfectly content where I am now... I wish I had a before picture.. I'm totally a different person, I'm still myself but a better version.. I feel great, I'm just a happier person... Size 44 jeans down to a 32, wearing large shirts versus XXXL... and in only 8 months...

As far as my diet goes, I don't eat a whole lot, I know I'm supposed to eat my 3 meals a day, but I find myself realizing that I don't want to force myself to eat.. if I'm not hungry... so I eat 2-3 small meals.. usually lunch and dinner. I've been doing a mostly vegitarian lifestyle for a while, so I'm getting my Protein via Protein Shots, and I found over the last couple months meat makes me sick a little bit..

I had my 6 month check up and my labs were great.. great blood pressure, no cholesterol issues, everything was perfect!

I'm happy to start the next chapter in my journey.. as last week my wife was sleeved with Dr. Ortiz in Tijuana... I'm so happy and proud of her for taking the step... I love her so much... and I hope this brings her the happiness it's brought me... she's awesome, and deserves this way more than I did...it's another thing we can share and have in common now!

I started taking a phenominal new multi-Vitamin... that Dr. Ortiz's office sells, they're in capsule form and as fast desolving, however, nutritional value off the charts... I was tired of the chewables, and the chalky after taste... they're a little on the pricey side, but if you're looking for a good alternative.. check these out.. which also includes an energy blend (no caffine) and 100% of your daily Biotin... and more.. and 6 servings of fruits and vegtables...

here's a link to the nutritional value..and info...

http://store.obesitycontrolcenter.com/products/espira-the-complete-Multivitamin

Anywho, I'm stoked to see all the success people are having with the sleeve around these parts! I'm trying to take time to support people and help with questions, but this group is so supportive and fast, it's hard to keep up!

Stay Frosty!