Rootman

I'm finding it difficult to find my size now. Seems like everything starts at XL now and I am loose and comfy in a L. Had to paw through a bunch of slacks last time to find a 36, most were 40+. Great "problem" isn't it?

YES 175+ pounds lost, BP, sugar, cholesterol are all excellent. Blood panels are STELLAR. I can now exercise and take part in nearly any activity I want to. Best thing I have EVER done for my health EVER.

No surgery. In men it's mainly just fat deposits that cause moobs, BUT you have to make sure you're testosterone level is not tanked too. Low T causes the normal level of estrogen in males (yes we have it too) to be proportionally higher and can cause breast enlargement. Of course some men are just genetically disposed to having 'em, in that case surgery is probably your only option. I swim up to 4 hours a week, about 120 laps each hour, forward crawl straight though no stopping. Up until the autumn time change and since it gets dark at 5PM I also biked over a 100 miles a week, this mainly helps the legs but I am convinced that the isometric stress on the arms and chest really helps there too. Pushing and pulling the handlebars supporting your upper body for hours has GOT to help. Now I'm restricted to fair weather weekends to ride. I'll pick up a heavier schedule when time changed back and the days are longer.

As already stated HGH is NOT produced in the stomach, ghrelin IS and it is a GH compound, unfortunately I cannot confirm exactly what GH stands for in this context. If like HGH it stands for Growth Hormone I am not sure of the implications. Some info : https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11600590 Perhaps our misinformed blogger got the two mixed up. Oh, and BTW, I'd rather be older and thin and otherwise healthy than "young" and fat and have other terrible issues. like diabetes, high BP and cholesterol through the roof

Funny thing you go from feeling "abnormal" as a fatty to losing weight to suddenly being "abnormal" as a thin person. I just sat in a meeting where they were passing around donuts, I passed explaining that I hadn't eaten one in over 2 years. They laughed at me in derision that I was denying myself something wonderful and how they themselves cannot do without them. I just sat there looking at them, all with pot bellies and two or more chins, some I know have diabetes and other health issues. *I* was the normal one NOT them. It's all the perspective.

EVERYTHING in this old world is fraught with risk, having a serious abdominal surgery to a pretty major organ carries it's own too. Weight this against the risk of being morbidly obese and probably getting MORE obese year in and year out. I feel for these people and really wish they could of avoided the deadly situations they find themselves in, but alas fate conspired against them and they ended up on the raw end of the deal. All I can offer is it WAS worth it to ME. It has changed my life more than ANYTHING else has - EVER. It's up to the individual to asses and weight the risk vs rewards.

I was 375+ as I would NOT step on the scale for a few months pre-op. Lost 175 pounds and doing fine. Only issues was a few bouts of kidney stones. I drink a lot of water and that keeps them at bay.

I had some pretty serious moobs till I lost about 150 pounds or 80% of my excess weight, since then I've been swimming and biking and they have pretty much disappeared.

Mechanically there is just a lot less mass to deal with so not only is there more ROOM but it doesn't take as much effort either. No on th other hand banging pelvic bones is one thing that is NOT more pleasant

2 years out and still cold. so, YES it is common.

Yep, the mechanics sure are a lot better. Gets better as the testosterone increases as body mass drops too - for the guys anyhoo, well and THEIR mates.

As others have already pointed out not all surgeons will insist on one. One benefit is that you will be able to piss like a racehorse for about a day after they remove it

Well, black makes thin look THINNER too. I wear a lot of black too and probably always will. Just looks so dang good.

About the naked man or the weight loss?

Wait at least 2 years then consult a plastic surgeon. Some will do many proceedures at once, it all depends on your tolerance to pain, finances and surgeons suggestions.

How about a naked MAN then? How about the text "I used to weigh 401 pounds - ask me!"

I flew home from surgery all by myself 3 days post-op so YES t can be done. However you may be feeling kinda crappy so I would make alternative plans if possible. Wish you luck friend!

Generally speaking EVERYTHING carries a risk. Having a VSG and going through 3 months without and leaks or complications I would have to say that statistically you should be at perhaps only slightly higher risk of stomach issues like leaking or other troubles. You have afterall drastically altered the form of the stomach from it's natural shape and function, redcing it's capacity so that it can hold less than it orginally could. Should you force feed yourself you CAN do damge to your stomach sleeved or not. This all has to be taken along with the very real benefits of weight reduction and the possible elimmination of some health problems associated with obesety.

I know how the forum works with advertisement that make it available for us free of charge BUT I REALLY hate those INTERDRY ads, they are, well, GROSS! I know it's a problem for some people but seeing that illustration of that bib like thing tucked into that red nasty ulcerated pendulous stomach just makes me want to barf. I have not and WILL NOT click on those ads. I'd rather be poked in the eye with a sharp stick.

What proud granny said. There are lots of them here and I'm sure they'll jump in any minute now.

I was fortunate that mine DID support me - after the fact even, he was glad I was doing something about it. I know it's a bitter pill to swallow and may be a titanic problem but I agree with the others - time to get a new doctor. That is if getting a sleeve is what you really want to do. I have insurance and went self pay because the cost was going to be about the same and I just did not want to wait. By the time I would of been able to get sleeved (provided I could talk the USA surgeon into a sleeve over a bypass) I was already sleeved about 6-12 months already by going self pay and had lost a good portion of my excess weight. EACH method has its own issues and merits and NEITHER is risk free. Sus it out, do your homework and do what's best for YOU.

I think it's been covered pretty well, one thing I might add is that prices are what the market can support, doctors with better facilities and a good record are in higher demand and can command a higher price. Also newer, larger facilities carry more expence, usually have higher paid employees and cost more to maintain.

Sorry to hear of the hairloss, it's natural for anyone who looses a lot of weight through limited diet. It will stop eventually. I love the pics of the dogs. We had two long haired Dachshunds that we had to have put down this last summer. I still miss them terribly.

Congrats! Ain't it great! And to not feel everything flapping all over and your clothes get all messed up too, used to have my shirt pull untucked, pants creepdown and shorts start to twist. Glad that's no more.

I agree with Joseph, we needs pics, before and after prefereably from many angles