I have really been going back and forth as whether to post here or not. I guess I am sort of a "forum person" in my hobbies and areas of interest, but I have to be honest, I have avoided posting on this site or even looking at it for a couple of reasons. I found this site only a few days before my surgery but when I found it I found more negativity and frightened people then I found inspiration. Actually, I have gone here and gotten the (bleep) scared out of me by a few posters, every time I see their posts I get knots in my stomach. The main poster that does that to me has a screen name that starts with the letter "i". Everybody is terrified of leaks and all the negatives of this surgery and I just haven't been able to relate to many of the topics. Below I will share some of the basics of my journey so far.

First off, I am a 35 year old male who is 6 feet 3 inches tall. I wasn't fat my whole life, I actually weighed 218 when I was 19 years old. That was pretty close to a "perfect" weight for me. I got into a business where the guys I worked with partied, ate, and drank to excess. Over the years I ballooned to 445 lbs which is where I have been for the past 2-3 years. In 2010 I was considering the lap band but chickened out. I was back on in 2011 but chickened out again. In 2012 I HAD to make a decision because I was put on Metformin for borderline diabetes and Lisinopril for borderline blood pressure as well. That was it. I started again with the nutritionist appointments and made an appt. to see my surgeon who is located downtown Chicago a few miles from my house. My first appt. with him was in early October 2012 and he suggested a VSG instead of the lap band because of the large amount of weight I wanted to lose. I left thinking about it and did the rest of my pre op requirements such as upper GI, psyche, EKG, etc. I saw my surgeon again on November 14th, 2012 and we decided on the VSG (which I really didn't know a lot about). We set surgery for December 21st, 2012.

Because I am a big fella, my surgeon put me on a 28 day pre op liquid only diet (to shrink my liver and loosen my skin) which I started on November 23rd, 2012 (the day after Thanksgiving). The first few days were tough but I have very strong will power and stuck to it, following the requirements to the letter. I didn't cheat even once. Again, not even once. After about 12 days it was smooth sailing and I just plugged away and kept up the exercise plan that I had been doing for over a year which was just walking 1.5 miles, three times per week at my local YMCA. I didn't weigh myself even once the entire plan and weighed myself the morning of surgery. To my astonishment I lost a staggering 49 lbs!!!!I I couldn't even believe it, to be honest with you I began to sob like a little girl! I went from 445 to 396. I was just so shocked. My surgeon told me that I broke his practice record which was previously 45 lbs for a pre op diet. Again, I LOST 49 LBS IN 28 DAYS!!!

On the morning of December 21st, 2012 I was ready for surgery at a major hospital downtown Chicago. I arrived, valet parked, checked in, and was laying on the table prepped for surgery within 1 hour just waiting for the anesthesiologist. I was in surgery about an hour and a half later and the surgery took 2 1/2 hours. I am going to cut the details of my hospital stay down so readers aren't sitting here all day reading. Any questions just ask me. I wanted to leave the hospital the next evening but my surgeon said that he wouldn't allow me to break two records and that I should stay another night. Quick recap, I was checked into my room after surgery at 6pm Friday night and was discharged from the hospital at 11am Sunday morning, less then 48 hours after entering my room.

Upon arriving home I checked my weight, expecting to have lost a few lbs, and actually gained back 2 lbs due to all the fluids that were pumped into me. I was back up to 398. My recovery went ok I think, I was in a lot of pain along my largest incision which is about 3+ inches wide. I was on Tramadol which sucks. It took me 9 days to finish the 25 pills that I was prescribed since I was skipping doses. I was home on Sunday morning and by Wednesday morning I was off to the YMCA where I walked only one lap around the track. I limped around and talked to my friends there before going home. I was back at the YMCA on Friday and actually walked 5 laps (a half mile). I finally weighed myself on Friday, one week after surgery, and I was down from 398 to 391. I weighed myself again on Sunday afternoon and I lost another 4 lbs from Friday to Sunday, 9 lbs in 9 days, ending up at 387 lbs, 58 lbs down in 38 days.

So that's basically that. It's been over 10 days now since surgery and I am feeling like a million bucks. Here are the "scary" parts. I am using the term scary because after reading this site I would have thought I was going to die from this surgery. I HAVE NOT been nauseous even for one second since surgery. I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NOT thrown up, or even gagged for that matter, not even once. I AM ABLE to drink 60ozs of Fluid per day. I just started puree on Saturday, 8 days out, and it's been perfect. I had 4 ozs of low fat cottage cheese (which I LOVE) today as well as only one Protein shake, a bowl of tomato Soup, and plenty of Water. I AM NOT hungry, EVER. I just eat to live, that's it. Today I feel the best that I have felt since surgery. Every day gets better. My goal is to lose 220 lbs, 100 in three months from the start of my pre op diet on November 23rd. I WILL do it.

I know I left out a bunch so fire away (or ask any questions that you want).

LOL, this is so crazy......I have never even heard of this "bougie" thing until it came up yesterday in this post.

Now you've heard everything you didn't even know you might want to know all crammed into one thread! LoL

We are here to serve!

Glad you had a good experience! I'm so thankful I had the surgery at 65 on nov 12th! Off many of my meds. Mine was 4 in one... Nonfunctioning gallbladder removed, hiatal hernia repaired, Scar tissue removed and sleeve! Heart test was fine and I'm down 50 pounds!! Keep up the excellent attitude!!

Glad to read your story! I was sleeved on February 15, 2013 by Dr. Joya in Mexico. It was a positive experience all the way around and I had similar experiences regarding hospital stay etc. I was so scared having read all of the posts I was a wreck! Went in, had my tests, surgery was completed in about two hours. Aside from IV pain meds while in the hospital I never took anything else. I went back to the hotel after my leak test and had a follow up visit at the hotel were I was released to travel back tot the states. Dr. Joya was wonderful and the hospital was amazing-state of the art. Dr. Joya's staff was also knowledgable and made themselves available whenever I had questions.

I've not had any issues with liquids, pain (aside from normal stuff) or any complications. I will say the high blood pressure meds caused me serious problems. I was also on Lisinopril prior to my surgery and I was told to continue with it by my PCP when I returned. Three days later i ended up in the ER because i was so dizzy, confused and out of breath. Initially they thought heart attack and then a blood clot so they ran every test under the sun. When i suggested it may be my blood pressure meds because i had already lost weight no one paid any attention. they sent me home with pain meds which i wasn't going to take. I called my PCP and they took me off the meds and i felt better the next day. The ER doctor missed it but once it was cleared up I bounced back quickly. I hope to have as successful a story as you.

I lost 7 pounds on my pre-surgery diet and to date have lost an additional 25 pounds so 32 pounds in three weeks. I have stopped losing so quickly and it's going slower but I'm still excited. Thanks again for the positive story.

LOL' date=' this is so crazy......I have never even heard of this "bougie" thing until it came up yesterday in this post.[/quote']

I think "will power" and "commitment" to a lifestyle change have a bigger impact. The bougie is a guide.

Amanda Rae

Thanks for the great response! Gubbie617, I am still amazed at the "miracle" aspect of the sleeve. On the last day of my hospital stay (day 2) the general medicine doctor came in and told me that my blood sugar and blood pressure were completely normal. Again, this was within 48 hours of surgery!! I stopped my Lisinopryl right then and there but my PCP told me to stay on the Metformin until he saw me a month later. I did and when he checked my Hemoglobin AIC it went from 6.1 I believe in October 2012 to 5.3 in January 2013 which resulted in my "official" removal off of those pills. Just amazing. And Amanda Rae......ABSOLUTELY true.

Glad you had a good experience! I'm so thankful I had the surgery at 65 on nov 12th! Off many of my meds. Mine was 4 in one... Nonfunctioning gallbladder removed' date=' hiatal hernia repaired, Scar tissue removed and sleeve! Heart test was fine and I'm down 50 pounds!! Keep up the excellent attitude!![/quote']

Very impressive!!!

Thanks for the great response! Gubbie617' date=' I am still amazed at the "miracle" aspect of the sleeve. On the last day of my hospital stay (day 2) the general medicine doctor came in and told me that my blood sugar and blood pressure were completely normal. Again, this was within 48 hours of surgery!! I stopped my Lisinopryl right then and there but my PCP told me to stay on the Metformin until he saw me a month later. I did and when he checked my Hemoglobin AIC it went from 6.1 I believe in October 2012 to 5.3 in January 2013 which resulted in my "official" removal off of those pills. Just amazing. And Amanda Rae......ABSOLUTELY true.[/quote']

Im being sleeved on march 26 but my doc didn't do a liquid diet with me. I'm hoping I can get off my blood pressure meds and metaformin by summer. As far as mentally hungry-I'll need to work on that. If I were able to control the mental hunger I wouldn't need this surgery. Thanks for your posts.

Well, today was the day that I hit 150 lbs lost! (445 lbs to 295 lbs) It has been a total of 5 1/2 months since I started my liquid diet (11/23/2012), 4 1/2 months since I was sleeved (12/23/2012). I went to my PCP this past Thursday and he did a full work up on me. He told me I am amazingly healthy. My Hemoglobin A1C went from 6.4 at my highest (I was on Metformin) to 4.2. My cholesterol went from about 200 to 146, and my blood pressure went from 150/100 to 120/74 (I used to be on Lisinopryl). All of my vitamin levels (B12, calcium, vitamin D, etc.) are absolutely perfect. My pant size went from 52-54 to 40 and my shirts from 5XLT to 3XL. I feel like I can run a marathon every single day, my energy level is literally off the charts. I can absolutely say that getting the sleeve has not only saved my life, but has made me happier then I think I have EVER boon. I'm not kidding, this is the BEST thing that I have EVER done. There's not much more I could say that I already haven't said, but again, for those looking into getting the sleeve and are on the fence, just do it already. Stop wasting good years of your life.

Super great job!! You are setting a good example for others. Keep up the great work!

Congratulations! Such an inspiration. Keep up the great work.

that is awesome! Congratulations!!

Look at you frank! Great job!

Thanks for the great response! Gubbie617, I am still amazed at the "miracle" aspect of the sleeve. On the last day of my hospital stay (day 2) the general medicine doctor came in and told me that my blood sugar and blood pressure were completely normal. Again, this was within 48 hours of surgery!! I stopped my Lisinopryl right then and there but my PCP told me to stay on the Metformin until he saw me a month later. I did and when he checked my Hemoglobin AIC it went from 6.1 I believe in October 2012 to 5.3 in January 2013 which resulted in my "official" removal off of those pills. Just amazing. And Amanda Rae......ABSOLUTELY true.

Wow! You look great! Congrats!!!

WOW, amazing!