Hey Guys, I am new here and still in the beginning stages of this. Have my first appointment with the surgeon next week and I am a bit apprehensive albeit committed to getting it done. I weigh 360# and have struggled all my adult life with eating and my weight. At one time I was a competitive powerlifter, seems like a million years ago, but after many injuries I had to give it up. Never gave up the massive appetite though so here I am. Guess I am just looking for some encouragement from other guys who have gone thru this or are going thru it. I do have a former lover/friend who was one of the first in the country to get it done post FDA approval and she has been very supportive about my decision which helps. Well thats it for now, hope I havent ranted to mush and look forward to hearing from you

Big Rick and Ditto, It's all good guys! Post op, y'all will be laughing at how easy the surgery was. No worries...

They do this surgery every day, lads, and it's safe and a life-saving procedure. Which is why those tight-fisted bastids at the Insurance Companies pay for it!

Heh. Not mine. I think the phrase was "not covered under any circumstances."

Even though it's going to save your insurance company big bucks down the road, they only look at RIGHT NOW. I'm cynical enough to think that they believe "Sure, you'll be healthier and need fewer expenses 5 years from now, but someone else might be collecting your premiums 5 years from now."

This is why my IRA is $15K lighter than it used to be.

-D

Good for you, Rick. It won't be long now.

I just had my first fill yesterday. I am eating like a bird, but feel terrific and am not the least bit hungry. The weight is starting to come off. Good luck on getting your date!

Hey Dito my surgery is tomorrow april 14th at 1:30 p.m. good luck to you too.

Heh. Not mine. I think the phrase was "not covered under any circumstances."

Even though it's going to save your insurance company big bucks down the road, they only look at RIGHT NOW. I'm cynical enough to think that they believe "Sure, you'll be healthier and need fewer expenses 5 years from now, but someone else might be collecting your premiums 5 years from now."

This is why my IRA is $15K lighter than it used to be.

-D

Ya gotta love the insurance companies/company HR mgrs.

If I were an idiot or a junkie they will step up to send me to rehab for a month and pay my salary. BUT since I am just a lard ass I am not covered. Recon how much they would spend on a heart attack?

So, gents, how did it go...?

I am officially a member of band land as of 7:30am Monday. I am at home, dealing with a little gas pain, a little incision pain, but nothing too major. Glad that I am past it though, got my first good night of sleep in a while last night. I got really nervous this weekend.

High five, boxwes! Welcome aboard!

Since the first 24 hours post-op are generally the hardest, it sounds like you're already in clover...

I am definitely feeling like I am in clover today. Pretty much off the pain meds, got in 100oz of water and 122g of protein. All bodily functions back to normal and all plumbing now verified functioning (thank god, was worried for a couple of days, lol).

Good God, man! I don't know that I've EVER managed to get in 100 oz of Water in a day!

What are you doing for Protein?

I get all my Protein from BariatricEating.com. Right now I have three that I absolutely love. One is called Achiev One. It is basically a Starbuck's Frappacinno, but it has 20g of protein, no fat and 5g of carbs. That has been my Breakfast. I try and drink 1 - 1.5 Lean Body Bananas and Cream Protein shakes a day (40g a pop there) and they taste amazing. I would live off them if I could. And I also sip on some whey Gourmet Smooth Chocalate Peanut Butter protein mixed with 12oz of Water (2 scoops, 44g of protein, 4g fat, 6g sugar).

As for the water, I always have a bottle in my hand and sip at it all day long. I have always been a big water drinker though.

Thank God, the gas pains are gone! That was the worst part for me! Most of the pain is gone and I'm getting around fine. My first fill is tommorrow - the 18th of April. I'm looking forward to having pureed foods! Never thought I'd flip over Cream-O-Wheat!! HA!

Tell me: I have 5 incisions, all are about 1 inch but there is a 4-5 inch lower on my torso - is this normal? It doesn't look lapro. . .it still hurts a little and there is a knot in it that's pretty large. I'll ask the doctor tommorrow anyway. Good luck to all you guys out there!

Spirit, that longer incision is your port incision, and that knot there is probably your port itself, into which the doc will inject saline when you have your fills...

My incisions are much smaller - i would say just over one quarter of an inch. the exception is where the port is and that incision is about an inch.

Well, now I'm pretty sure Mike is going to look better in a bikini than Spirit!

My incisions are also pretty small, most about 1/2", the port incision maybe a little under 2".