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.

@@Ignatius I, too, have to do 6 months of medical weight loss due to insurance requirements, which should be up to November, then some other hoops to jump thru, so I'm probably looking around the holidays or first of the year for surgery.

I don't have a mandated minimum to lose in those 6 months, but it shouldn't be a problem losing some, based on everyone's posts here.

I'm sorta limited on how much exercise I can do right now. I'm a paramedic and have been working thru back problems for a while but recently started going to physical therapy. It's definitely helping but until my back is a little better, I'm afraid to do too much at the gym. The PT is a pretty good workout for me though, so I'm sure it's helping. The place where I do PT has a gym I just joined (discount for PT clients) so I hope to at least get some cardio started soon.

I thought I would get this thread active again since it's been a few weeks. How are you guys progressing. I think some of you may have had your surgery since your last posts.

I actually just flew back to the US on Thursday after two months overseas and I can tell you the 8000 mile trip was much easier after some weight loss. No feet swelling on the international flights for the first time in 11 years, Also today, I had Breakfast with my daughter and started to slide the table out to sit down and my daughter said, "you have plenty of room". She was right, I fit perfectly and even sat in one of the rockers on the porch before I left. I haven't fit in those in years. I love the changes and little milestones each month.

Aggietop

My update - Tomorrow will be 5 weeks since surgery for me and things are going great! I'm down 67 lbs since my pre-op diet started and 31 lbs since being sleeved. Everyday I notice something new that has improved with my life...whether it's getting into a car or having more energy throughout the day. My wife and I spent Saturday morning throwing out my biggest clothes and going through my older ones seeing what I can fit into now.

We're also making plans to travel that we've been putting off for years...waiting for me to 'lose the weight'. We'll now it's finally happening!

Great thread and great progress, guys.

You will really feel better and better every passing week.

@@DavidBC great job. Please consider donating your big clothes to a thrift store, men's shelter, or see if your bariatric clinic has a clothing exchange--give them big, get some smaller items in exchange...great programs. Also, I have used ebay quite successfully to buy smaller clothes I will only be able to wear for three months (blazers, dress slacks, jackets). Keep up the good work.

@@DavidOso by throwing out I meant dropped them off at Goodwill yesterday afternoon. Always use those tax deductions when I can get them !

Just an update. My first follow up appt at the WLS office after my initial, this time for psych evaluation, I got on the same scales as my first appt with RN and NUT. In my first 16 days of eating better and trying to "medically" lose weight, I'd gone from 480.6 to 367.0. I have to wait til 450 or less for my home scales to work, so that was the first time I'd re-weighed. I was stoked. I'm sure that's some fluids etc., but I can tell a difference already. I was hoping for a few pounds, maybe 5 or so, as long as it was loss and not gain. Never expected 13 lbs in two weeks. And I haven't been starving myself either.

Met with my surgeon for the first time last week. Have to get an endoscopy next month, but all seems good for now. He gave me the goal of getting down to around 400 before surgery. It's a ways to go, but I'm excited to try. He didn't act like it was mandatory. Maybe I shouldn't have told him about the 13 lbs lol. Joking aside, he said the more I lose before surgery, the safer the surgery will be. I guess less layers of fat to cut through. He also said his motto was for his patients to work hard to lose the weight and he'll work hard to help us keep it off. Sounds good to me!

Hope everyone is having a great day/evening

Great work, @@jhig ! I think that your mentality is exactly on the mark for success.

First post here on bariatric pal, but have been reading for a while now and this topic is great to read.

About my self I am 37 I started down this road in January weighing 525 lbs. I had my Surgery in March and am 4 weeks post op and down 425 lbs. The only co morbidity that i had was sleep apnea. So far everything is going great stating to feel good agian and regain my energy levels and plan on starting back up the gym routine next week. I like reading about the post from us big guys and how well you guys are doing it keeps me going and knowing that it isnt just a pipe dream. Thanks everybody and keep the stories coming.

Hi Gibby. Congratulations on your surgery & progress. I'm scheduled for gastric bypass this coming Tuesday. Kind of nervous but I'm ready for a change of life. I was wondering if your post was accurate or a typo. Do you really lose a100 lbs in 1 month ? If so I'm hoping for the same ir close to your achievement.

Good time for my first post since I saw this topic and it's nice to see the responses from guys in similar situations. I was supposed to have the surgery back in 2012 and didn't go through with it at the time because I was living overseas. The doctors were not sure it was safe to fly 16 hrs a couple of weeks after the surgery. I finally decided this year to have the surgery, but gave myself 45 days post surgery before flying half way around the world. I had the surgery in early February and had no complications with the long haul travel.

I'm 49 years old and I'm about 10 weeks post surgery and haven't had too many complications. The hardest part about the actual recovery for me was the pain for sleeping the first two weeks. I was always a side/stomach sleeper and the pain was too much to get anywhere near to my side or stomach. After about two weeks, the pain went away and I was able to sleep well again. I'm able to tolerate any food and liquids now with no problem and feel good. I'm already noticing alot of health changes and my blood work is now normal for the first time since college. I'm off most of my medication, but still take BP meds for now but I'm no longer taking medicine for diabetes which I'm very happy about. I'm able to move around more easily and don't get out of breath on steps, etc. I'm down 85 lbs now and I'm close to being under 400 for the first time in many years. I've still got a long way to go, but it's a good start and hopefully will keep going in the right direction.

I have a very supportive family and I only wish I did this earlier, but here's to looking forward and being healthy again.

Good luck to all of you guys.

Cool post Aggietop ! Your post and achievements are definitely encouraging to me. Keep up the good work sir.

Broke into new territory today, only 99 lbs left to lose. YEE-F-ing-HAAA!!!

Congrats, @@DavidOso ! You have made remarkable progress. I can't wait to join you below 300 lbs!

Congrats all, update on me Jan 4th i weighed 440. Surgery March 23rd weighed 399.8 today weigh 341.8 I get my first lab tests for Vitamins and such Wednesday and hoping to be under 340 by then. Had horrible side stitch pain for about a month other then that nothing to bad. My only comorbity was sleep apnea and wife says I snore a lot less. I ran a 5k (well ran and walked on Jun 4th.) Coming along, a recent NSV: I went to get gas and the person behind the counter recognized me from before when I used to get 2 hotdogs before work and she was impressed at how much weight I had lost.

Just an update to my update lol. I went back to the dietician this week for the end of my first month of medical weight loss. May 16 I was 480.6 lbs. June 1 I was 467. June 16 I was 459.8. They rounded it up to 460, but the way I count, that's 20.8 lbs in one month. And I'm not starving myself. Actually eating more than I usually do. Just more quality food and less junk. I can already truthfully say I'm feeling better. Anyway I'm excited. 60 more to go in the next 5 months. I think it's totally doable.

Just thought i would put in a quick update her haven't really been back since i posted the first time. Back in Jan. I started this process at 525 on surgery day on March 22 i was 461. Now 3 months out i am now down to 382 with a goal of reaching 375 by my birthday which is this coming weekend. This is awesome i can believe how much better i feel now and only get better everyday. I am at the gym 5 days a week working out and at the pool 6-7 days a week swimming laps. Hate to admit it but the gym and working out are becoming addicting never thought i would say that in my life...lol