My surgery was Wednesday August 21^st. I am now 3 days post op.

I will try to give the reader’s digest version of what has driven me to get vertical sleeve gastric surgery.

Like many here I have been heavy my entire adult life. I hit 200 lbs a year after high school and kept going. I was always very active and in decent health for a fat guy. I was an avid mountain biker and even raced mountain bikes. In 1993 my first wife and I were really heavy; I was at an all time high of 305. We gave up certain foods and walked an hour a day. I lost 75 lb’s and felt great. She didn’t do so well. My marriage was on rocky ground before the weight loss, and with women attracted to me after the weight loss it just spiraled downward. We broke up in 1994 and found a girlfriend instantly. While being happy I packed on 20lbs pretty quickly. I still mountain biked a lot, still did Yoga when I could take the classes. I read a few books that changed my life. My weigh fluctuated between 240 and 270 in 1997 I met my current love and I was about 255lbs. we met at a meditation circle. She was close to the same weight and we started out as walking buddies. For many years I still shredded my mountain bike once a week, and did Yoga. Weight bounced between 270 and 300!!!

In March of 2006 I became a first time father at age 44! No more weekly Mountain bike shredding. It went to 3 times a month trip down the rail trail with kid in tow. No more winter rides. We still tried to walk a lot and used a jogging stroller. In fall of 2007 I tripped and severed the tendon in the main muscle of my right quadricep. I had surgery to re attach the tendon. After several weeks my beautifully sculpted muscular leg had atrophied to a spindly little chicken leg. I was very disheartened when the surgeon told me I would only get back 85% in that leg. I sort of gave up.

From fall of 2011 till now my weight ballooned from 320 to the current 375ish. I developed COPD and cannot breathe well. In the past year I have gotten to the point where I can’t walk more than 100 yards without getting out of breath and developing severe pain in my back. I am sick of going to flea markets, car and tractor shows and such and hobbling around like a cripple. I am tired of going out in public and having 75 year old men handing me water and asking me to sit down. It’s somewhat humiliating. It is totally emasculating to not be able to take my 7 year old son on hikes in the woods, or bike rides.

I was someone that never would have considered gastric bypass (and still wouldn’t) but the success of the sleeve technique intrigued me. Throughout all the crap that has happened in my life in the last 5 years I am a firm believer in “things happen for a reason”

I want my old life back. I went to a bariatric seminar on July 18^th and now I am had surgery 33 days later. I asked them to fast track me and it has happened. With my wife and I having BMI around 54 and my co morbidity issues, we didn’t have to jump thru hoops to get approval. For the first time in 5 years I have HOPE. My wife says I really seem happier since the seminar.

I am looking forward to my post op recovery and hoping it is successful. I am committed to make it successful. If I lose the “average” 60% I will only be a few pounds above when I was most happy with my body (albeit probably not the same muscle mass and youthful vigor)

I am now 3 days post op and am doing ok. my stomach and incisions hurt but the pain is managable.

I invite all to share the journey forward with me. Please feel free to post anything of encouragement or PM me if you don’t wish to share with the world.

Maybe in a year or so I can be encouragement to someone else. It would be good to come full circle.

Congratulations!! You have made a great decision and your life is going to turn around in a way that is totally uplifting and very satisfying. Remember it is a life time journey and you will do great!!

Good for you taking your active life back. I know what the statics are but they are not set in stone. When I had my surgery I had 168 lbs to lose. I am just under 10 months and have less than 40# to lose. With your drive to be active I am sure you will bust right through and reach your goal! You got this! Best Wishes Tina

thanks everyone! Day 4.

I got up at 8ish to use the bathroom, finally went # 2! I laid in bed till 9:00 but no joy trying to fall back asleep. My wife wants to sleep till noon if she can so my son and I are down stairs. My little boy is really taking care of me. He got some room temp water for me, poured and microwaved the Tuscan chicken broth. Now I start the morning pill regime. I hate the gurgling in my stomach. I’m going to try a chocolate S’mores shake for breakfast after the broth is down.

My fasting BS was 154 with just the metformin. I didn’t take any insulin yesterday. Yesterdays sugars were in the 170s at the hospital they were running 190-250 and they were only giving me 1-3 units of insulin.

Sounds like you are doing great. I totally understand the reasons you did this. I was at 333 and getting less active every day. Good luck!

Congratulations! Wishing you much success with your sleeve.

thanks everyone!

DAY 5

BACK AT WORK.

I started out at a 1 pain level and took no meds but I am feeling a little pain at my JP tube.

I had my first bought with nausea this morning but dry heaves before going to work was not uncommon before surgery.

My biggest problem is not sipping slowly all the time.

Day 6

Last night was not good, I could not fall asleep. Finally took a melatonin @12:45.

I awoke @2:45 to a massive cramp in my calve muscle. I am obviously dehydrated so am going to try to push fluids today. I ended up driving to work today the wife really wanted to go back to sleep,

I don’t really understand but stomach hurts if it’s empty, or right when I eat something. There is a fine line when it stops hurting, and then I need to get my fluids down again. I was masking the pain yesterday with pain meds. I am going to try to tough it out without them.

I took the morning pills slower and didn’t get dry heaves, but my stomach has been upset all morning. I walked into the plant 3 times yesterday, and up the driveway. The driveway is not an option today.

WOOHOO! 7 days post op!

20 some days ago I had my first surgeon consultation. I was 376.2 lbs. I was 359 on surgery date. Today 7 days post op they took out my JP tube and I am 348.4! Down 28 lbs. total and 11 pounds in 7 days!

Despite my knee problem I am pretty happy. My home scale showed 343 so I am sure with the leg brace, and clothing there is 5 lbs. on me, so I can say the new home scale is accurate enough.

I can’t say how good this makes me feel about myself.

Day 12.

I am missing the one pee drug we ran out of. It has been a huge hassle to find out who the urologist is/was and to get more.(still don’t know) My wet behind the ears, fresh out of med school PA will not renew the prescription because “I am on too may diuretics” well I will stop taking the one YOU prescribed, give me the one that WORKS, so I don’t get up 6 time a night and dribble. I like to get a good night’s sleep.

I have stated elsewhere that I find it appalling that I had pee issues prior to going to my WLS seminar and the soonest “new patient” appointment I could get is in October. I went from seminar to MAJOR surgery in 32 days but I can’t see a &%$#@* urologist!

Scale said 328.6 I can see the difference in my legs, not so much in the belly. I have had a few NSV’s the last two days. My clothes fit a little looser, I can get in and out of the wife’s car easier, and I can get my wallet out of my back pocket while in said car. But the biggest NSV for me so far happened in the middle of the night last night. I can finally do a thorough job of wiping. My body can now twist enough that I don’t have to worry.

My surgery was Wednesday August 21^st. I am now 3 days post op.

I will try to give the reader’s digest version of what has driven me to get vertical sleeve gastric surgery.

Like many here I have been heavy my entire adult life. I hit 200 lbs a year after high school and kept going. I was always very active and in decent health for a fat guy. I was an avid mountain biker and even raced mountain bikes. In 1993 my first wife and I were really heavy; I was at an all time high of 305. We gave up certain foods and walked an hour a day. I lost 75 lb’s and felt great. She didn’t do so well. My marriage was on rocky ground before the weight loss' date=' and with women attracted to me after the weight loss it just spiraled downward. We broke up in 1994 and found a girlfriend instantly. While being happy I packed on 20lbs pretty quickly. I still mountain biked a lot, still did Yoga when I could take the classes. I read a few books that changed my life. My weigh fluctuated between 240 and 270 in 1997 I met my current love and I was about 255lbs. we met at a meditation circle. She was close to the same weight and we started out as walking buddies. For many years I still shredded my mountain bike once a week, and did Yoga. Weight bounced between 270 and 300!!!

In March of 2006 I became a first time father at age 44! No more weekly Mountain bike shredding. It went to 3 times a month trip down the rail trail with kid in tow. No more winter rides. We still tried to walk a lot and used a jogging stroller. In fall of 2007 I tripped and severed the tendon in the main muscle of my right quadricep. I had surgery to re attach the tendon. After several weeks my beautifully sculpted muscular leg had atrophied to a spindly little chicken leg. I was very disheartened when the surgeon told me I would only get back 85% in that leg. I sort of gave up.

From fall of 2011 till now my weight ballooned from 320 to the current 375ish. I developed COPD and cannot breathe well. In the past year I have gotten to the point where I can’t walk more than 100 yards without getting out of breath and developing severe pain in my back. I am sick of going to flea markets, car and tractor shows and such and hobbling around like a cripple. I am tired of going out in public and having 75 year old men handing me Water and asking me to sit down. It’s somewhat humiliating. It is totally emasculating to not be able to take my 7 year old son on hikes in the woods, or bike rides.

I was someone that never would have considered gastric bypass (and still wouldn’t) but the success of the sleeve technique intrigued me. Throughout all the crap that has happened in my life in the last 5 years I am a firm believer in “things happen for a reason”

I want my old life back. I went to a bariatric seminar on July 18[sup']th[/sup] and now I am had surgery 33 days later. I asked them to fast track me and it has happened. With my wife and I having BMI around 54 and my co morbidity issues, we didn’t have to jump thru hoops to get approval. For the first time in 5 years I have HOPE. My wife says I really seem happier since the seminar.

I am looking forward to my post op recovery and hoping it is successful. I am committed to make it successful. If I lose the “average” 60% I will only be a few pounds above when I was most happy with my body (albeit probably not the same muscle mass and youthful vigor)

I am now 3 days post op and am doing ok. my stomach and incisions hurt but the pain is managable.

I invite all to share the journey forward with me. Please feel free to post anything of encouragement or PM me if you don’t wish to share with the world.

Maybe in a year or so I can be encouragement to someone else. It would be good to come full circle.

What about your wife, is she considering having the surgery also ? Both my husband and myself are being sleeved in Nov. We are both realistic enough to know life would be very tough if only one of us had the operation.

What about your wife, is she considering having the surgery also ? Both my husband and myself are being sleeved in Nov. We are both realistic enough to know life would be very tough if only one of us had the operation.

YES! she is getting sleeved Wednesday! I hope her journey is more sucessful and easier than mine.

FWIW I won’t be posting here much anymore. Unfortunately all the banner ads on this site makes loading on my home computer (worlds slowest DSL) impossible, and it plays havoc on our firewall at work.

I am over on another WLS surgery forum and am very active there. For updates you can find me there.