Not trying to intrude, just curious.

How did everyone's lives change after the sleeve or after losing weight?

I appreciate everyone. Thank you

Oh sweetie! That's not being nosy, it's a very valid pre op question. You will have tons of responses but for me this-

- I can walk. And walk a lot!

- I can touch my toes and cross my legs and reach around my back to fasten my bra

- I am no longer tied to the "living to eat" modality, rather I eat to live. This is key, because more often than not, I don't experience hunger and I need to remind myself to eat

- I can tour college campuses with my children and this one is huge because last year with my son I could not and it really became a focus for me during this process. There is nothing worse than taking your child to see colleges and sitting around waiting while they are touring.

- my chronic conditions have literally disappeared, including my rheumatoid arthritis - the disease which got me to obese to begin with

-I FEEL GREAT! And have more self confidence than I've experienced in years

- I'm much more social than I've been in years

-I can "keep up" with anyone!!

- I can shop off the rack anywhere now

There are so many more, we call them NSV's- non surgical victories- things that you don't realize -or that you were missing it- until after it happens and the light bulb goes off.

Good luck!

Lisa

HW 283

SW 272

CW 180

Surgery RNY 3/23/2016

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I'm still moving through this journey but how quickly the changes happen is amazing! I just had my surgery 3 and half months ago and I've already lost 70 pounds from my highest weight.....changes include a lot of the same things mentioned by @LisaMergs.....and in addition I'm walking on average about 10 miles a day now and am actually letting my granddaughter teach me to jog....I'll be 57 years old in December and have never jogged in my life.....I honestly can't believe that I'm able to do it!!!

@@AshNic

Yes, like @@LisaMergs wrote, it is a valid pre op question.

For me:

No more fatty liver

No more pre-diabetic stage

Feel lots happier

My face looks 10-15 years younger, and my eyes are "bigger", basically not surrounded by swollen face anymore

I can cross my legs, touch my toes

My bra is 2 sizes smaller and I don't need an extender anymore to do my bra up.

I can wear clothes I couldn't wear for few years, and no longer live in sarongs

My food costs are a 1/3 now to what they used to be before

My back ache is gone

My hair is healthier

I can look in the mirror again

There is more room in my shower now

I eat healthy again

My feet and ankles are no longer swollen

I actually have shapely legs and thighs now

My bottom is much smaller and I can wear nicer undies again

I am no longer snoring. I never snored before I became obese

I still have 22Ib or so to lose, but I am seeing a big difference now, after 6 months post op

Great question! I have to be honest and say that the first three months was a struggle for me. You completely break up with food, and once your able to move around more you feel great. I would definetly do it again if I had to. Actually, I wish I had done it years ago. As for things I can do now....what a difference. I feel great!! I've lost about 56lbs. I can now cross my legs, purchase clothes out of a regular store. My stamina has increased, no more pre-diabetic stage, no more high blood pressure medication. My skin is now glowing!! I go more places and participate in more activities because I'm no longer embarrassed by my weight. You will feel like a new person. And all of the things krakow57 mentioned above. This site is very supportive. I don't think I could have gotten through those first few months without the helpful advice of others on this site. Do it for yourself!!! You will be happy you did.

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Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

6'4"

Starting weight July 2015 = 478 lbs

Weight on surgery day October 2015 = 423 lbs

Current weight in September 2016 = 290 lbs

Weight related injuries and co-morbitities were dragging me down. I was miserable. Hurting all the time and having to consult with circulatory surgeons, spine surgeon, knee surgeon and my pcp was very concerned with me. I was 47 years old and making it much into my 50's was looking more and more like a challenge that I'd lose.

One memory of those days occurred in June 2015. It sums up how things were for me post op....more accurately, it sums up where I was and where I was heading. It was not going well.

It was early in the morning and I was doing my best to get ready for a doctor's appointment. It was with a spine surgeon. I was in intense pain the likes of which I'd never experienced before or since (including post op pain from knee and hernia surgeries.....this back issue had me in the dirt).

Made it through a shower and mostly dressed. Simply could not get my socks and shoes on. Asked my wife for help doing this last thing before she drove me to the appointment.

She did so....but told me I needed to "man-up".

Those words cut through the pain. They cut through the haze of the double dose of pain meds and muscle relaxers I'd taken in preparation for making the 30 min drive to that appointment.

They pissed me off......not at her so much as at myself. I was mad for letting myself fall into such a rut. The back injury could have occurred if I'd been lighter.....but not so likely.

Turns out I was unable to get into her car....it was too low to the ground and I couldn't do it. I finally managed to get behind the wheel of my little pickup and drove myself to that appointment.....yelling out in pain at every railroad track or pothole. It was a morning full of suck. My little 4WD truck is a stick shift....no way she could've driven. I made it there and back....using crutches and cussing a lot.

Spine surgeon's advice that morning was to load me up with a battery of meds.....and get me to weight loss surgery. I didn't protest and a few months later I had my sleeve surgery. In many ways, I owe the spine doc tremendous gratitude. He did nothing other than review my x-rays and MRI and write some scripts......but his advice was spot on. Grateful I took it.

I went into a whole heap of detail with the above description of a single morning of my life........but it was how things were then. I missed 6 weeks of work for that back problem......and then 3 more weeks recovering from my sleeve & hernia surgery. This from a guy who's never hardly missed any work in 21 years with my employer.....only for surgery recoveries. Tough times.

I'll be much more brief in describing life since my sleeve surgery.

Let's just say that I seldom miss the opportunity to "man-up" now and I put my back into it.

I am almost 11 months out from surgery and a long way from where I want to be.....but I am enjoying the process and have learned a great deal about what makes me tick and what I want in life. More importantly....at 47 years old, I can now see having plenty of life left to live and enjoy.

This was pre-op me......taken the day before my October 2015 VSG & umbilical hernia repair....you can see the hernia looking like it's going to explode, lol. No wonder my back was messed up. I was 55 lbs lighter in this pic than I was at the beginning of my bariatric appointments in July 2015. So....this was the "new" slim and trim me, lol.

Old stretched out 6xl tee-shirt in the pic, too.

Most recent pic I have....taken on September 1, 2016.....10.5 months out from sleeve surgery.

Here's a goofy couple pics........but the last full length pics I could find. I was trying on a brand new 2xl t-shirt.....over the top of the shift I was already wearing.

It fit.

No more daily prescription meds for high blood pressure, cholesterol, pain and etc.

There is no single aspect of life that's not been improved....some by a little.....some by a tremendous amount.

Approaching my 48th birthday but feeling more like I did at 28 and grateful for it.

carpe diem

@@Dub

What an awesome result and transformation! Well done !!!

You are a handsome devil, aren't you ?

So here is another great result and you look 20 years younger!

I always say that losing the excess weight is a natural face lift and lot more youthful appearance with a happy spirit.

Congratulations!

@@Dub

What an awesome result and transformation! Well done !!!

You are a handsome devil, aren't you ?

So here is another great result and you look 20 years younger!

I always say that losing the excess weight is a natural face lift and lot more youthful appearance with a happy spirit.

Congratulations!

Thank you. I'm a grateful devil....that's what I am.

The sleeve has been a miracle in my life and helped in many ways.

I get really enthused seeing newbies post here knowing that they have so much fun in store for them. I was that newbie just a few months ago.

@@Dub

OK, grateful, handsome devil

Yes, it is wonderful for newbies to see what a wonderful difference this surgery can make, and it is great to see the actual fabulous changes in people later post op.

I am also very grateful, even at just 6 months post op, the changes are amazing. I love my sleeve!

@@Dub

First time I've seen your pictures. You look amazing. Great job

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@@Dub ....I've seen your pictures before, and every time I do it just makes me all tingly.... hehehehe.....Don't tell my husband! You really look great and have the personality to go with it.

@

Did you have any hair loss?

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@@Dub

I'm a newbie and I love reading your posts. So inspirational! But the pictures and smiling face say it all. Thank you for sharing! You look fantastic!

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@@Dub this is the most in depth I've read of your story - what an inspiration. hat's off to you.

I had the surgery after the shock of being diagnosed with diabetes. Diabetes is gone. everything else is gravy. I feel great. I can go all day. I can do anything I want from yard work, to hiking, to swimming or boating - walking the dog - time with my husband - and just keep going. I have done projects around the house that sat waiting for 5 years before surgery and I just keep ticking them off one by one.

I did not have any complications or hernia repair - nothing like that - and I can eat anything I want to, just I am satisfied with a small portion. I'm real good at knowing what to put up and how to reheat - so I don't waste anything.

the weight is coming off slow and steady and I am thrilled with everything. Feels great to have normal blood sugar all the time.

@

Did you have any hair loss?

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Hi @@jenrae1

No, no hair loss for me, at least not so far.

If anything, my hair got healthier and grows really quickly now.