Fiddleman

I am still trying to talk to someone at my WLS Center to get the blood orders written up. It will probably be mid next week when I will get these orders.

I am 13 months post op and have a little anxiety about getting the first anniversary blood results. Everything is going so well post op in terms of weight loss and fitness. I have taken a number of supplements along the way and have hiccups here and there with regards to body indications. I do not want to hear in results: "you have a liver problem"," you have a kidney problem," " your white blood cell count is too high'" etc. Ignorance is bliss? I don't want something for either my wife or I to worry about. I would rather just go on assuming everything is fine and if something comes up, i deal with it at that time. Need some vet advice.

Hi - I used to get something like your description pretty frequently around month 6-8 where it would throb and ache around the rib cage, especially at the bottom. My doctor basically said it is Costochrondritis (inflammation): http://www.patient.info/health/Costochondritis.htm Does this sound like something you might be dealing with? I think it was caused by a lot of stress on the body ligaments and such from cross fit workouts. Running 5k and 10k every other day also aggravated the condition. I stopped running so much (now about 5-7 miles a week max), but am pretty tough on my self in terms of other physical activity. Do you work out a lot? If so, you might consider this condition. Once I increased the omega 3s to super level (3-6 g a day), the rib cage pain subsided and does not make a guest appearance in my body very often any longer. Pan medicine that controls inflammation (NSAID) can also manage the pain levels. However, I do think omega 3 is the supplement that really helped manage this on a regular basis. I do not need to take inflammation relaed pain meds like IBU any longer ( was dosing around 800 mg). Agree with others about going to the doctor soon...

That sounds so great. Good to hear about it helping you. I get so much muscle ache relief from laying on the accupressure mat for 10-15 minutes a day combined with rolling on TP roller.

How many burpees do you guys end up doing as part of your routine?

Lol!! Don't you know it!

Robin - yup: burpees are cruel and unusual punishment! One step down from waterboarding as torture? I think so. Lol. The burpees are especially bad when they are part of a squat, dead lift or overhead press circuit. Burpees: one of those exercises you either love or hate. Or in our case - love to hate!!

KT tape is actually quite useful. I have not used it myself yet, but see people using it all the time in my cross fit box. The way it works is to pull the skin away from the skeletal muscle in order to allow the flow of blood to the region under that tape. It essentially creates a bruise. More blood circulation to the region means faster healing. It also can only bend one way with regards to the construction of fibers in the tape, allowing for the application of a superior brace to an injured region. http://www.kttape.com/

Any VSG men that have needed to have their GB removed?

Ok, now that I have hijacked my own thread... Lets hear some more of those exercises that you just love to hate.

That sounds like an electrolyte imbalance you were having previously. I still get the dizzy spells and head rushes when getting up too fast from a seated position. I am used to it though. When lifting heavy dead lifts like above (300-350), I really REALLY get the head rushes. What a trip from those! However, my trainer said these head rushes are normal for every lifter on dead lifts.

BTB, I do get a taste of acid reflux from time to time and get darn near tunnel vision after some of these workouts. However, I am not overdoing the HIIT cardio yet. At least it does not feel like it. It does take me anywhere from 30m to 1 hour after the work out for my energy to come back. Before that, feel weak. I fill up on BCAA and recovery shake after workout, but you know it is not until I hydrate a bunch that my energy returns. This might be a sign I am getting really dehydrated from all the sweating. I did cramp up a little during the running above and needed to do some Jedi mind tricks on myself to prevent full out cramping, that would have killed the workout right there. I do not generally drink during a cross fit workout because it will just come up from the full on intensity. By the way, you are an awesome inspiration in your running accomplishments.

Thank you all. I am glad to now that 1600 machine can be given to someone else or sold rather than sit under my bed and gather dust. Lol. I really only used it for about 3 months and it is practically brand new. Too bad I own it. The insurance company basically forced me to buy it. Anyone want to purchase a like new cpap for cheap? You would just need to get it re calibrated per doctor prescription.

Thanks!

I had a short, but very interesting conversation with my SIL's husband and boyfriend last night with regards to lifting and strength building. Our discussion went into the use of hgh in addition to their side effects. One of them used to be a trainer, but has since let himself go. The other is like myself: small waist, broad shoulders and strong. He has also been lifting for a long time and he has the muscle to show for it. He also explained that each one of us are born with a certain set of muscle cells that can not be changed, except with supplements like hgh. Lifting essentially only affects the muscle cells we are born with. It does not create new muscle. things like creatine and bcaa help build those existing cells that are broken down from lifting. I have a decent amount of muscle, but nothing huge and there are natural limits to which I am not able to break through. With all the perfect dieting, sleep and workouts I do with my trainer and at home, I am still limited compared to other guys who are born with a natural inclination for more muscle and strength. Busting my ass month after month is only going to grow my existing muscle cells so much. I have never missed a workout for 5-6 days a week in the last 7 months. Do not get me wrong, i am proud of the body i have been sculpting and the weight i can lift with regards to lifting my own weight in pull-ups, push ups, rope climbs, etc and more tradition lifts like 350 lb dead lifts, 150 lb overhead lifts and 250 lb bench presses. There is a huge difference of where i was 7 months ago and today. The amount of lifting I do has shaped my muscles and has given them real definition, but they are still only a certain size and there is only a certain amount of strength i can build. Hgh fascinated me as a way to build more muscle that I am not born with. However, both guys went on and on with some really interesting stories of the side effects of hgh on guys they have lifted with in the gym. Essentially, hgh can cause weird undesirable growth (moobs, abnormal chins and foreheads, etc) and ligament issues in addition to the desired muscle pump and strength building. hgh is something I want to research more. Should it even be considered as a way to break through natural barriers at we are born with? Can you give me some more information on hgh in a manner that cuts through all the noise found on the Internet? Having this conversation with both last night was very enlightening to say the least. At this time, I have always been a non drug lifter. 100% Natural in terms of supplementation (creatine and BCAA). Would you consider hgh an unnatural drug with regards to lifting and getting strong? Appreciate any knowledge sharing from research or personal anecdotes of using or being around it.

After reading all the responses, I have called and started the process of ordering the blood panels. Thanks everyone.

I agree Laura and am going to try and simplify. Certainly will be less expensive to say the least. It has taken many months of trying different supplements to see what produces the best results for me in tandem with lots and Lita of daily research so I can understand both the physical response and the contraindicators, if in fact some exist when taking in tandem. I think my research has paid off as there are only 2-3 additional supplements above and beyond the usual protein, vitamins and minerals that really work well for me that consistently provide good results. Tossed all the things that produce a meh physical response.

Jane - For some reason, no... I guess I should just go do it and let the results speak for themselves. My six months labs were amazing. My anxiety comes from little feedback issues I get from my body in the last 2-3 months. Nothing major, but things like cramping all the time, bruising way to easily, excessive stiffness (even though I stretch and roll every day before and after fitness), lack of good quality sleep, little pain aches on the sides of my chest close to arm pits (feels like bee stings), painful urination on occasion, slow urination, yada, yada. Sorry for the TMI. Just wanted to list out a couple things. None of these things really bother me enough to do anything about it. I can tolerate it. More than tolerate it because I am still kicking my fitness through the roof and generally happy with my relation with eating a most Protein diet as a maintainer.

By the way, Bob Harper has an amazing deal on his workout DVDs. I am not sure if it is a special promotion or the DVDs are a loss leader for something else, like the monthly membership. Or Maybe Bob is just being plain altruistic in his desire to help people achieve their fitness goals. Each DVD is 3.99 from his website www.mytrainerbob.com. I really enjoy his training style and see he has some new ones I do not have. Last night I put in an order for the Total Body Transformation, kettle bell sculpted body and Totally Ripped Core DVDs. I have already done his Inside Out Training program and that, my friends, is hard and an hour well spent for the length of following this training. I am thinking of doing the Inside Out DVD some more with slightly heavier weights then before (15 lb instead of 10 lb). They can be conveniently paid for with PayPal. It is a win win win situation to pick up these DVDs at 3.99.

That's good to know. I am going to look for a cheap copy when everyone is tired of their copy.

Holy cow!! Hope it does not worse then that. Maybe brush light until hair loss phase is done.