male only Guys who started over 400 lbs.

[Ignatius 110]

@@sgc Congrats on entering the 200s. I'm interested to see the replies to your questions since I'll likely experience the same issues. When I got to my lowest weight of 240 (in 2008 at 24 yrs old) my veins did recede.

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

[sleeveisa 333]

Congratulations everyone

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using the BariatricPal App

[Thucydides 250]

Congratulations, everyone, for the tremendous progress. It is inspiring to see!

As for the bulging veins, I still have them in my legs at 1 year post-op, but they are much improved. I have also had bruising on my shins for years. That has improved, but still not completely resolved. My dr. is confident that the bruising will go away over time.

[LittleBill 2,231]

New guy here, just joined today. I started out in June of this year at 481. I am one month, three days post op and now at 381. I was always very active, although slowing down in the past couple of years. My BP, triglycerides, and cholesterol have all always been very good. I hit the lowest number possible to be diabetic this year just as I was starting the pre-op program. My target weight is 300 lbs, at least for now. Believe it or not, I will be fairly slim at that point.

[Bigcatnomore 13]

I had RNY on 11-8-16. One week post op tomorrow. all is going good so far. Hope to have the same results as many people on here. Thanks for all the info

HW 409

SW 386

CW 359

[TexasguyEP 56]

Hey everyone, just stumbled into this post. I have really enjoyed reading everyone's story and their ups and downs. It's definitely very inspiring. Just a little about myself, I'm 25, I opted for this procedure sometime in June or July and attended a seminar in August of this year. I am still pre-op and have no date as of yet. At my heaviest I was looking at 350, along with the usual co-morbidities such as diabetes, high BP, high triglycerides and possibly sleep apnea, haven't been tested.I have made some changes as far as eating habits and exercising, just to try and ease into the transition, should I get the green light from my ins. I have lost some weight, I am currently at 324.9 and hoping to be at least by 320 if not 315 prior to surgery. I have my last appt. (4th out of 4) with the nutritionist come November 28th and after that, everything gets sent to the insurance for a yay or nay. I'm hoping this will get resolved soon, I would really like to undergo surgery prior to the end of the year, mainly for insurance purposes. I will definitely keeping posting and look forward to reading from some of you guys on here.

[sgc 538]

I have a job interview and of course I don't have properly fitting dress pants. For the first time in about 10 years, I was able to walk into Walmart and buy a pair of dress pants that fit perfectly. I was also able to buy a belt as well. There's a lot of small things normal sized people take for granted.

Also getting down near 280. About 10-12 more pounds and I will have a total of 200 pounds lost.

[jimmc77 43]

I noticed everybody on here has had the sleeve done?

I just had a band put in... now I'm questioning it because I see the success you guys have all had?

Should I have done the sleeve instead of the band?

[LittleBill 2,231]

I noticed everybody on here has had the sleeve done?

I just had a band put in... now I'm questioning it because I see the success you guys have all had?

Should I have done the sleeve instead of the band?

Oh no! It's too late! Don't worry about it. The best person to answer that question is you, and probably not until after you've had it for a while. If the band works for you, then it was the best procedure. If it doesn't work, and for the right reasons (i.e. you are doing everything you are supposed to) it can always be revised to a sleeve. But if it were me, I would not start out worrying I went the wrong route. Give it time.

[Aquarian1220 40]

I started at 458 pounds. Now (5 months post-surgery) I am at 312 pounds.

Here is the story from my bio:

I am a teacher and on-air FM radio personality in my mid-30s from south Texas. I found BariatricPal on a Google search for Bariatric compression pants pulled up a forum post from this site.

I am 5 months post-op, and am doing absolutely magnificent. I now recommend Bariatric surgery for anyone who asks me about it, of course after asking the "qualifying questions" first (i.e. Are you morbidly obese? Do you have high blood pressure? How about sleep apnea? Diabetes?)

I got weight loss surgery because I've been a big dude my entire life. The last time my family remembers me being "thin" was age 7. Post-30 years old, I got sick and had to go to the doctor. I had the shock of my life when I was told I was over 450 pounds, and approaching 460. I had no clue I was that heavy because I had nowhere to weigh myself, and was in complete denial. After that, I started pursuing Bariatric surgery.

I had pursued it before, a few years earlier. That was how I found out I had sleep apnea, because that surgeon required a sleep study. However, I felt like chattel being run through a cookie cutter system, and I didn't like that, so I stopped seeing that doctor and let it go for a couple years.

When I found the surgeon I eventually used, everything changed. I felt like a person, not just a file. I felt like he was actually catering my program for my specific needs, not trying to fit me into a pre-prepared program.

I had my surgery on July 5, 2016, one day after Independence Day. I am now independent, and not a slave to my body or my weight. I have lost 145 pounds total, 101 of those pounds was lost after surgery. I am now 313 and much happier with myself. I am only 57 pounds away from my year goal, which is 7 months from now. I have already hit my 6 month goal 1 month early.

The best part of the process is seeing the looks on people's faces (especially my students) when I tell them about how much weight I've lost and just the overall feeling better and being able to move a lot better than I have in years. The pain that I have felt in my knees has gone completely and the pain in my back has diminished (will not ever completely go away due to scoliosis).

The worst part has already passed, and every day is getting better. The worst part was the 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after surgery, when the intense diets were. The shake replacements were absolutely the worst part, because for me, they really didn't taste good with anything. I am getting my Protein now through bars, which, oddly enough, taste better than the shakes, and eating a lot more meat than I'm used to for all my meals.

I hope to benefit from BariatricPal because I live in a rural area with no access to surgery support groups less than an hour's drive from my town. I can't afford to drive that far weekly, and I'm hoping BariatricPal can help with that.

All in all, I'm happy with how things have gone. I'm looking forward to what my life will bring, and I'm extremely happy already. I can't wait for the rest of my life.

Edited December 8, 2016 by Aquarian1220

[Soonersteve 1]

Hello everyone, I've been following this thread for a while and it has really been an inspiration and great source of information. I finally came to the end of a ten year span of failed attempts to lose the weight only to gain more each time. I strarted dieting and hired a personal trainer when I got to 300lbs, ten years later I'm 458. Unreal. Has anyone else had experience with the DS surgery? The gastric sleeve is the first half, so the information I've gleaned from all of you on that has been helpful. Almost one month until my surgery... nervously excited to have my life back.

[Ignatius 110]

@@Soonersteve Welcome and best of luck on your surgery. In the past I've gained weight while working with a personal trainer and on rigid diet plans...I know the feeling--that depressing, debilitating feeling--all too well.

I was sleeved, so I can't offer any first-hand perspective on DS. That said, weight-loss surgery has been one of the better decisions of my life.

[aggietop 37]

We haven't had many updates from some of the posters from the past few months. I would love to hear from some of you.

I just had my 10 month anniversary. Weight loss has slowed the last two months but I'm still losing and have now lost 175 lbs

[SalOdyssey 441]

Still trudging along here.

Started at 688+, lost 84.2 pounds post-op, 338.8 total.

Surgery 7/2016.

[Thucydides 250]

That is amazing progress, @SalOdyssey. Congratulations!