Hi,

I'm new to the forums and in the starting stages of obtaining a VSG. Just looking to see if there are any other men who were above 400 (or even close to 500) pounds before starting this journey and how life after surgery has been. Did you suffer any complications from surgery due to your size? Did your doctor make you do anything extra or warn you of any possible issues? Did you lose more rapidly than average patients? Did you lose any motivation when you had lost enough weight to lead a fairly "normal" life, even though you might still have a good amount of excess weight?

A little background...I'm 31, 5'10", and honestly can't bear how difficult my weight has made my life. Just this weekend my wife went alone to her sister's engagement dinner at a restaurant due to my fear the chairs wouldn't be supportive enough. (I typically avoid restaurant situations unless there's a booth with a table I can adjust, ideally half booth/half chairs.) I've avoided flying for a couple years, will only attend theatre or sporting events where I can be guaranteed an aisle seat, etc. It seems like in the last 60 or so pounds many social situations involving sitting have escalated from very uncomfortable to more or less unbearable. Healthwise, I have hypertension and am very likely will be diagnosed with sleep apnea once the results of my sleep study last week come in.

Look forward to hearing from any of you have started in similar situations.

Started at 422 lbs, managed to get down to about 365 with diet. Had my surgery one month ago and just hit 332 lbs.

I don't get much exercised because I have a severely arthritic hip. I'm starting PT up again next week to help with that, i can get the hip replaced once I hit 295 lbs, so that's my first goal.

Originally I was thinking it would be amazing to get down to 250-260, but now i'm setting my sights higher (lower?) to 225 lbs. I enjoy exercising, so I'm hoping that hip comes in and helps significantly.

Thanks for the inspiration, guys!

Great work so far with your loss. Will you be able to get the replacement as soon as you hit 295? Hopefully so, you'll be there in no time.

That's my plan! i'm already nagging the surgeons to get me scheduled. These plateaus are killing me though!

Man its great to see other big dudes succeeding.

I got sleeved 10 weeks ago. Starting weight was 440lbs yesterday was 344lbs. 96 lbs down.

People ask if I feel better. I really didn't feel that bad before. My knees do feel better, but as far as overall I don't feel much different. I think I have little more energy, but not a ton. I can still sit in chair and watch TV. I gotta force myself to get my butt up and go do something.

I see all you guys hitting the gym or getting up at 530 to exercise and I still have not found the motivation to do it. How do you guys get the motivation

Congrats on the loss, that's a huge accomplishment!

As far as gym motivation, a few things work for me.

- Just go, even if you only do one exercise there, or just use the sauna. Just physically get yourself there

- Figure out what time of day you like to go, I happen to like when it is crowded as the people watching distracts me.

- Chat with the front desk people. If I feel like they will notice I'm not there, I feel more motivated.

- Don't push yourself too hard right away. Hurting yourself on day 1 is not a good path to success.

I Just finished my PRE-OP medical visit...Finished all the educational classes and jumped though all the medical clearance hoops. NOVEMBER 15 is the day! Surgery...Trying to get it for 15 years. Lost over 180 lbs on my own and was doing great. NOW I feel like I won't EVER be able to eat again! So...I have a large pizza and sub setting in front of me. WHAT AM I DOING! IT'S NOT LOGICAL! I'm a very LOGICAL thinking person. Got to get a grip!

7 minutes ago, NEXT YEAR IN JERUSALEM said:

So...I have a large pizza and sub setting in front of me. WHAT AM I DOING! IT'S NOT LOGICAL! I'm a very LOGICAL thinking person. Got to get a grip!

Have one slice and and a quarter of the sub and save the rest for another meal.

Just got thru pre-op tests and checks! I’m go for surgery 11/8 for stage 2. Was sleeved in March 2017 getting duodenal switch coming soon! Back to protein diet for 2weeks pre-surgery.
Went from 446 to 360 with sleeve. Looking for suggestions for exercises. I’m on a walker b/c of knees, or a wheelchair if “out on the town” can’t do long distances. All this plus plastics to remove excess skin THEN heading for knee replacement! Chime in folks! Thx for your help!

@Porthous I'm right there with you on motivation to work out. I have equipment here at home and I still don't touch it. I'm just over 3 months out from sleeve.

@NEXT YEAR IN JERUSALEM Getting WLS is a huge mind "game". You have to mentally prepare yourself for a lifestyle change. Pre op I knew what I was doing and what would be expected, I knew what the changes would be but couldn't imagine it. Post op, you get it. The hardest part for me was having patience. Things go slow and you have to allow yourself to learn and let your body heal. Just make sure your head is right. I think that's the hardest part of all of it.

@ScottH611 I wish I had the motivation to follow my own advice but Google seated or chair exercises. You'll find upper body movements that will help you out.

For me, getting into the gym was kind of like weight loss when I first start at the pre-op diet. It sucked at first, and I had to force myself to do it, but after just a few weeks when I started to see rapid results, it motivated me to push harder to see even more results. Once you start gaining some muscle mass and seeing muscles pop where you never have before, trust me, you will be plenty motivated to keep going back. I very much compare this to when you first start Weight Loss and you are seeing 5 plus pounds per week falling off, keeps you motivated to stay on track.

For those with bad knees (i have a bad hip) check out your local pools and their water fitness courses. I do a deep water fitness which takes all the pain off my hip and gives me a good cardio workout, and the water resistance helps build muscles. It's me and a bunch of little old ladies Been doing it since my high weight, and always feel better after a class.

On 10/19/2018 at 1:47 AM, PopsFury said:

For those with bad knees (i have a bad hip) check out your local pools

Perfect advice.

Swimming (even slow breaststroke) brings back a muscular upper torso in reasonable time and the pool allows one to operate oblivious to the knee and ankle pain of other cardio exercise.

I have been doing 2.5 to 3.5 hours per day at the pool for over 11 months now. (Have only missed two days since I started.)

On 10/18/2018 at 7:46 AM, PopsFury said:

As far as gym motivation, a few things work for me.

- Just go, even if you only do one exercise there, or just use the sauna. Just physically get yourself there

- Figure out what time of day you like to go, I happen to like when it is crowded as the people watching distracts me.

- Chat with the front desk people. If I feel like they will notice I'm not there, I feel more motivated.

- Don't push yourself too hard right away. Hurting yourself on day 1 is not a good path to success.

Correct.

Even when one feels like not going, just getting there is part of the process. I have had a lot of days (like today, Saturday 20th Oct at nearly 10am) where I really don't feel like kicking off my morning in the pool. But, if I just get in the car and drive the 8 km to the pool, it will be getting the routine started.

The other thing is, I can feel like 5h1t some days and really think I don't want to swim, but just getting in the pool and doing that first lap or two sparks the right mindset within three to five minutes.

You are so right about right time of day ... I prefer 5:30am to 9:00am on weekdays but, on Saturday, with the pool so cluttered with learn-to-swim classes near opening time, I often prefer early afternoon. And, Sundays 7am-10am is excellent at my swim centre.

You remarked, too, about speaking with the front desk people. I'd say the same thing about the regulars in the pool too. I have a rapport or friendship with quite a number of weekday morning swimmers and a nodding acquaintanceship with others. People will remark next day if they haven't seen you the day before. (I had to stay home to let a plumber in last Monday so I swam from 11am-1:30pm instead and, when I went to the pool on Tuesday, at least seven or eight regulars sought an explanation or asked if I'd been unwell.)

And, of course, if you feel hurt/pain/strain, just take it slowly or modify your workout or do a different exercise that day. I have been known to wade chest-deep for 2 hours or more if I have muscle-strain or muscle-tiredness from a long session the previous day.