Hello everyone,

I just wanted to first say Hi, I have been Lurking here for a month now gaining a little knowledge here and there. I was turned on to affordable wls by a miracle. I have been to some seminars and battled both blue cross blue sheild and cigna. Both businesses I have worked for put wls exempt. So I am paying out of pocket. Being so, I am willing to put my life on the line in the care of GOD.

I am a USCG captain. I run a big Crewboat in the gulf of Mexico. I weigh an average of 315 year round. I get hounded everytime I turn in a piece of paperwork on sleep apnea and my weight countering my physical ability to do my job. In the past 2 years I have spent over 3500 bucks on just sleep apnea tests not to account for all the travel time to get sign offs on agility tests. I do have thyroid issues which is controlled and has been for 4 years now. It was discovered by a dietician so I now on 175mcg of T4 synthroid ED.

Got the IV in did all my ekg and paperwork. No turning back now

(null)

My iphone gets excellent wifi here

(null)

You're off! Good luck and sweet dreams

Praying for you & your wife. She's going to take great care of you. God bless you through this journey.

Ok today is the 20th. Upon wakening after surgery they put me in a room by myself. I got quite a few iv bags and some nausea meds along with some pain killers that didnt help much. I ended up picking up both of my legs by bending at the knees which helped the cramping. The next morning we all got another Iv bag with meds and headed to the hotel. I slept all day. Got up at 5pm to head back to the clinic for an iv bag. After that some of the others looked better. at this point I have only been having diaphram pains and spit globs of bubbles. They gave us some tiny sleeping pills to take also a bottle of blue dye. Then we headed back to the hotel for the night. The master suite is nice and roomy. Next morning we get up at 815 headed to the radiology clinica and drank a clear liquid barium to check for leaks. No one had leaks. We all had to pay 20 bucks for the xray but thats fine. Then we headed back to the hotel. Later that afternoon we went to the recovery house and got our IVs removed along with our drains. How nice and relieved to much cramping. Now i feel 90% better just alittle sore. Its monday and I feel great. About to head home. Whoever Said this place is a joke must be out their mind.

(null)

So good to get an update, Capt Derel! I've been watching for it Hope that 90% is up to 110% very soon

Yay! So glad you're doing well! I knew you would be!

Capt Derel, congrats on a successful sleeve! Glad your feeling better! I think the IV drove me crazier than the drain by far LOL. You and your wife have a safe flight home!

In dallas drinking lemonade. 2 sips per 3 minutes. Feels like a brick going down but thats a whole lot better than yesterday lol. Thanks for the prayers and feedback. The other people are doing fine when we left.

Dont be scared. I was never in an intimidated state. Its better to bring someone with you so they can run to the store and get some trix popcicle from the store on the corner.

(null)

Congratulations! Glad it went well and no leaks. It's great that you were doing frequent updates. So glad you are happy with the Dr. Almanza.

Glad to hear that you are now on the loser's bench and feeling pretty well for someone who just had surgery! Congrats and Good Luck!!

Congrats on your surgery! Im wondering if you would get in any trouble if your command found out because my husband wants it but the docs here at Bethesda were very stern and said if someone active duty tried to get it they would be kicked out. I'm not wishing that on you, but I really would like my husband to have the same opportunity that I have to get my weight under control.

I actually know a few AD folks that have had wls - a couple had a band and a few others the sleeve, one rny - the one with the rny got discharged because of complications. The others, I think 3 of them have been "found out" but command looked the other way because they haven't had it affect their duty. I think it also depends on what your MOS is.

I actually know a few AD folks that have had wls - a couple had a band and a few others the sleeve, one rny - the one with the rny got discharged because of complications. The others, I think 3 of them have been "found out" but command looked the other way because they haven't had it affect their duty. I think it also depends on what your MOS is.

Thanks for the repy. It's risky but it gives us hope. He's always had trouble with that pesky taping. He's not unfit by any means, passes all of his tests, his "weight problem" doesn't affect his work at all, but he's extremely muscular and has trouble knocking off those last 10. Hopefully the military will get it together soon enough to stop loosing all of these potential leaders due to outdated weight standards.

Good luck Capt. Darel on your very good choice! I'm also a CGC, Pilot, and hold a commercial license. I was also fat and could move very freely with my 300 pounds. When I was in my forties, people would be amazed at what I could do with my rather large frame. I didn't have fat hanging on me, I had lots of muscle and was big. No medical issues what so ever, except a bad knee due to a bike wreck.

Fast forward to age 51, high blood pressure, High cholesterol, polysythemia, and diabeties! The weight finally got me. Pilot's license on verge of being pulled, same with CGL, and then my commercial license. The thought of loosing my ability to work was the breaking point. I went to a seminar and decided that the sleeve was the way to go.

I'm down 73 pounds since Dec 5th 2011 and today I go to see my regular doctor that told me to diet and not do the sleeve. I told him that when I come back in feb. he would be amazed at the transformation. Blood sugar is under 100 always, BP is 120/80, and with the lack of taste for red meats, I'm sure my cholesterol is great too.

This will open his eyes to weight loss surgery rather than treating all the bad symtoms of obesity!

Good luck Capt. you made a smart choice!