Hello everybody!

Please forgive me for the format of this post as I am not accustomed to blogging or forums, but as I am sitting here 5 days after my surgery I was compelled by one of my closest friends to document my impending journey. I thought about writing in a journal to express my thoughts and I even played around with the possibility of making a YouTube channel focus around my own personal weight loss. I stumbled across this website some time ago and remembered it today and registered. I figured that writing to a community of people with the same struggles and triumphs that I have and will face would be the best route.

So... a little about me...

I am a young professional male living in New Orleans, LA... yes... the Big Easy...one of the culinary capitals of the free world and I have struggled with weight issues my ENTIRE life. While I have managed to excel in my educational and work environments I was often faced with the ridicule and pressure of being HUSKY, CHUBBY, BIG-BONED, PUDGY, FLUFFY, and all those other euphemisms for FAT. Being overweight was something that I came to accept early on as I loved to eat and most of my family was heavy. And though it hurt sometimes, I soon developed an exterior persona that would paint me as a person who was oblivious to their size; being stronger, wittier, and smarter than the people I would make acquaintances with and then going home to deal with the issues of my body in silence... and sometimes sadness.

The first time I played around with the notion of WLS was back in 2009. I was 23, out of college 2 years at that time and making a pretty good living for myself. I was in a relationship that was toxic and discouraging... Voices telling you that you are basically never going to change or grow just because you are smaller can really put a damper on your outlook. Needless to say... I ended this relationship and renewed my own confidence until I was soon faced with yet another challenge.

While vacationing with my friends for Memorial Day in 2010, I could sense something was different with my body. I was solemn, fatigued, and uninterested with the festivities that were taking place. I was also vomiting every morning... not food, but a weird golden substance that I decided to classify as acid reflux. On my first day back to work, my coworkers noticed that I looked dehydrated... like a fish out of Water... and that I was barely moving and slightly incoherent. My manager forced me to go to urgent care and soon after being seen by the doctor there, they urged me to go to the ER for treatment. Within in 45 minutes of being in ER I was diagnosed with Type-2 diabetes with a severe case of diabetic ketoacidosis, or DKA, which is an extreme shortage of insulin that is potentially fatal.

After a week in the hospital, I was sent home with a shopping list of prescriptions to take and a whole new outlook on life. I immediately decides to sign up for a diet food home delivery service and tried that out for several months until the cost of that plus my meds became out of control. While I lost weight on the program pretty quickly, once I stopped the weight began to creep back. I knew I had to do something that would be definite... and that is when I decided to pursue WLS. I began reading, interrogating others who I knew had had it, and watching other VGS patients on YouTube. I told my close friends on my 25th birthday, on a cruise ship no less, that planned on pursuing WLS and I have not looked back since.&nSo... here I am... 5 days after my surgery... and despite the slight discomfort that is expected after surgery and a mild case of cabin fever (GET ME OUT OF THIS HOUSE!!!), I am feeling good and optimistic about what is to come.

originally from Belle Chasse here but have lived most of my life in Lake charles, so very well acquainted with the good food issues. I have just stated my journey also, no surgery date yet, but can't wait. I also love this board so far hope you all succeed in your goals!!!!!!

Hi! Its good to hear your doing so great postop. My surgery date is April 17th. I wish you well!!

Good luck!! My experience so far has been an interesting one... not easy,but I am sure things could be a lot worse!!! You will do fine!

Congrats, and hopefully ur sleeve will kick ur diabetes to the curb. I'm a few days (10) out also, I feel great. Not a regret to be had.

Ps I love the Big Easy. My fav city ever.

That's crazy b/c Chicago is my favorite city!!!

Hello everybody!

Please forgive me for the format of this post as I am not accustomed to blogging or forums' date=' but as I am sitting here 5 days after my surgery I was compelled by one of my closest friends to document my impending journey. I thought about writing in a journal to express my thoughts and I even played around with the possibility of making a YouTube channel focus around my own personal weight loss. I stumbled across this website some time ago and remembered it today and registered. I figured that writing to a community of people with the same struggles and triumphs that I have and will face would be the best route.

So... a little about me...

I am a young professional male living in New Orleans, LA... yes... the Big Easy...one of the culinary capitals of the free world and I have struggled with weight issues my ENTIRE life. While I have managed to excel in my educational and work environments I was often faced with the ridicule and pressure of being HUSKY, CHUBBY, BIG-BONED, PUDGY, FLUFFY, and all those other euphemisms for FAT. Being overweight was something that I came to accept early on as I loved to eat and most of my family was heavy. And though it hurt sometimes, I soon developed an exterior persona that would paint me as a person who was oblivious to their size; being stronger, wittier, and smarter than the people I would make acquaintances with and then going home to deal with the issues of my body in silence... and sometimes sadness.

The first time I played around with the notion of WLS was back in 2009. I was 23, out of college 2 years at that time and making a pretty good living for myself. I was in a relationship that was toxic and discouraging... Voices telling you that you are basically never going to change or grow just because you are smaller can really put a damper on your outlook. Needless to say... I ended this relationship and renewed my own confidence until I was soon faced with yet another challenge.

While vacationing with my friends for Memorial Day in 2010, I could sense something was different with my body. I was solemn, fatigued, and uninterested with the festivities that were taking place. I was also vomiting every morning... not food, but a weird golden substance that I decided to classify as acid reflux. On my first day back to work, my coworkers noticed that I looked dehydrated... like a fish out of Water... and that I was barely moving and slightly incoherent. My manager forced me to go to urgent care and soon after being seen by the doctor there, they urged me to go to the ER for treatment. Within in 45 minutes of being in ER I was diagnosed with Type-2 diabetes with a severe case of diabetic ketoacidosis, or DKA, which is an extreme shortage of insulin that is potentially fatal.

After a week in the hospital, I was sent home with a shopping list of prescriptions to take and a whole new outlook on life. I immediately decides to sign up for a diet food home delivery service and tried that out for several months until the cost of that plus my meds became out of control. While I lost weight on the program pretty quickly, once I stopped the weight began to creep back. I knew I had to do something that would be definite... and that is when I decided to pursue WLS. I began reading, interrogating others who I knew had had it, and watching other VGS patients on YouTube. I told my close friends on my 25th birthday, on a cruise ship no less, that planned on pursuing WLS and I have not looked back since.&nSo... here I am... 5 days after my surgery... and despite the slight discomfort that is expected after surgery and a mild case of cabin fever (GET ME OUT OF THIS HOUSE!!!), I am feeling good and optimistic about what is to come.[/quote']

I really enjoyed Reading your story! I was sleeved on 4/3. I think you were too? So nice to know that there is someone else going through the same stuff. I hope your still doing good! I am up to 1 mile a day walking as if now. I could do 2, just don't want to push it. I feel good. I'm still a little sore & waiting on my incisions to heal up completely. Good luck & keep in touch!!

I really enjoyed Reading your story! I was sleeved on 4/3. I think you were too? So nice to know that there is someone else going through the same stuff. I hope your still doing good! I am up to 1 mile a day walking as if now. I could do 2, just don't want to push it. I feel good. I'm still a little sore & waiting on my incisions to heal up completely. Good luck & keep in touch!!

My incisions (only 3) are starting to heal already and I have a product called Kelo-Cote that I am putting on them to make sure the scars go away!!! I am excited for you!! We had ours done the same day so we have to keep in touch!

Congrats on your sleeve! Here's hoping that you have the same amazing success with the sleeve that you've had in everything else!!

Good luck!! My experience so far has been an interesting one... not easy,but I am sure things could be a lot worse!!! You will do fine!

Thanx! Im getting kinda nervous...

Hi there!

I see you have made the decision to no longer let weight be a controlling factor in your life. Congrats! Be proud and glad you are fortunate enough to get to this point. I am two and a half months post op and I feel great! I am down 50 pounds to 157. My eating habits and lifestyle have also changed. I no longer LIVE to eat. I enjoy all my favorite foods just in smaller portions.

In the beginning, I struggled with trying to cheat and eat spicy foods, and I discovered spicy no longer loves me. I had diarrhea for awhile and I learned the hard way. Hang tough and stick to the post op diet.

We all go through the "changes" associated with WLS. Current research in the New York Times points out the benefits of surgical weight loss as a treatment for diabetes.

In plain terms, weight-loss surgery currently provides one of the most effective therapies for diabetes, with patients seeing extremely high rates of improvement. Not only that, the surgery can provide similar levels of improvement for patients suffering from other obesity-related conditions, including high blood pressure, sleep apnea, arthritis, asthma, acid reflux, infertility and high cholesterol.

The obesity rate in Tennessee increased more than 90 percent over the past 15 years, and in 2011 we ranked as the fourth most obese state in the United States by the Trust for America's Health and

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Despite these encouraging clinical trials, the simultaneous epidemics of diabetes and obesity cannot be cured with weight-loss surgery alone. Surgery is one small component of the overall success for weight management and diabetes remission. Patients who undergo these treatments must make lifestyle changes paired with good nutritional habits following surgery and a commitment to exercise.

That being said, weight-loss surgery can be considered as a treatment option before patients reach a point of last resort. Recently, the food and Drug Administration approved a lower recommended body-mass index threshold for Lap-Band surgery. The revised recommendations now allow patients who are:

•40-60 pounds overweight to get the procedure, whereas before patients needed to be

•80-100 pounds overweight.

These changes, combined with the encouraging results of the recent clinical trials, ultimately mean more and better options for patients.

I myself am a RN and I read your post and instantly went to the diagnosis of diabetes before I had even finished reading it. Sometimes we have a family history and our lifestyle choices speeds up the progression of the disease. But you can fight back and diminish the effects of diabetes!

Best of luck,

ginamarie3

Hello everybody!

Please forgive me for the format of this post as I am not accustomed to blogging or forums' date=' but as I am sitting here 5 days after my surgery I was compelled by one of my closest friends to document my impending journey. I thought about writing in a journal to express my thoughts and I even played around with the possibility of making a YouTube channel focus around my own personal weight loss. I stumbled across this website some time ago and remembered it today and registered. I figured that writing to a community of people with the same struggles and triumphs that I have and will face would be the best route.

So... a little about me...

I am a young professional male living in New Orleans, LA... yes... the Big Easy...one of the culinary capitals of the free world and I have struggled with weight issues my ENTIRE life. While I have managed to excel in my educational and work environments I was often faced with the ridicule and pressure of being HUSKY, CHUBBY, BIG-BONED, PUDGY, FLUFFY, and all those other euphemisms for FAT. Being overweight was something that I came to accept early on as I loved to eat and most of my family was heavy. And though it hurt sometimes, I soon developed an exterior persona that would paint me as a person who was oblivious to their size; being stronger, wittier, and smarter than the people I would make acquaintances with and then going home to deal with the issues of my body in silence... and sometimes sadness.

The first time I played around with the notion of WLS was back in 2009. I was 23, out of college 2 years at that time and making a pretty good living for myself. I was in a relationship that was toxic and discouraging... Voices telling you that you are basically never going to change or grow just because you are smaller can really put a damper on your outlook. Needless to say... I ended this relationship and renewed my own confidence until I was soon faced with yet another challenge.

While vacationing with my friends for Memorial Day in 2010, I could sense something was different with my body. I was solemn, fatigued, and uninterested with the festivities that were taking place. I was also vomiting every morning... not food, but a weird golden substance that I decided to classify as acid reflux. On my first day back to work, my coworkers noticed that I looked dehydrated... like a fish out of Water... and that I was barely moving and slightly incoherent. My manager forced me to go to urgent care and soon after being seen by the doctor there, they urged me to go to the ER for treatment. Within in 45 minutes of being in ER I was diagnosed with Type-2 diabetes with a severe case of diabetic ketoacidosis, or DKA, which is an extreme shortage of insulin that is potentially fatal.

After a week in the hospital, I was sent home with a shopping list of prescriptions to take and a whole new outlook on life. I immediately decides to sign up for a diet food home delivery service and tried that out for several months until the cost of that plus my meds became out of control. While I lost weight on the program pretty quickly, once I stopped the weight began to creep back. I knew I had to do something that would be definite... and that is when I decided to pursue WLS. I began reading, interrogating others who I knew had had it, and watching other VGS patients on YouTube. I told my close friends on my 25th birthday, on a cruise ship no less, that planned on pursuing WLS and I have not looked back since.&nSo... here I am... 5 days after my surgery... and despite the slight discomfort that is expected after surgery and a mild case of cabin fever (GET ME OUT OF THIS HOUSE!!!), I am feeling good and optimistic about what is to come.[/quote']

Congratulations on your new journey! So happy to hear that your are optimistic! That is so important...please keep us updated on your progress!

Sent from my iPhone using VST

Welcome! Waving at you from Biloxi, practically down the street, lol.

Congrats from Baton Rouge! I was 342.5 with bmi of 45 and sleeved on March 13th. Now I'm 295. Keep in touch. If you need any advice or questions just holla! : )

welcome to the Loser's Bench!! and get ready because you are in for the ride of your life! There will be lot's of emotional and physical ups and downs, and that's something we all here have experienced. But the one thing consistent among all of us is weight loss - some of us reallllllly slow, some of us lightening fast.. and of course every speed in between. The good thing about this forum is that we are all family in this weight loss struggle - there's really no topic off limits, and LOTS of good advice because there's so much experience here to choose from.

Not everyone here has a cool support system in the "physical" world, that's why these forums are so important. We truly understand how this surgery has both positively and negatively impacted our lives. I can tell you this - your relationship with food really does change! This surgery made me have to deal with other issues point blank - because I couldn't stuff myself (anesthetize) with food. I have/had to deal with those food triggers dead on and let me tell ya - it ain't always pretty! But you what is pretty? (Yep, I'm a girl!!) Pretty is looking in the mirror and thinking "damn girl.. you are looking great today"... no feeling like it. My confidence is through the roof and it shows in both my personal and professional relationship.

I'm down almost 35 pounds. It's one of the best decisions I've made in my life.

Good luck on your journey, and keep in touch! We are here for you!

Congrats from Baton Rouge! I was 342.5 with bmi of 45 and sleeved on March 13th. Now I'm 295. Keep in touch. If you need any advice or questions just holla! : )

You look awesome! Can't believe the difference in your stomach!! Wow!! Congrats!!

Thank You! I'm on here to inspire others who maybe scared or on the fence about getting sleeved. I am living proof of the potential of this surgery. Losing almost 50lbs in 6 weeks is mind blowing. Plus I no longer use sleep apnea machine and doctor took me off diabete medication.

Congrats from Baton Rouge! I was 342.5 with bmi of 45 and sleeved on March 13th. Now I'm 295. Keep in touch. If you need any advice or questions just holla! : )

Wow!!!!! You look fantastic!