COsleeveDude

I would rethink your request, especially with as much weight as you have to lose. To be honest, I wish I felt a little more restricted than I am. My surgeon used a 36F bougie, which is in the standard "range," which for most seems to be anywhere from 32-40F. My hunger is definitely greatly decreased, as is my capacity, but I am able to eat more in one sitting than I would like. So I still have to employ some willpower when I am feeling a little more hungry. I have a longer torso, so maybe I have a longer stomach. In any case, I wouldn't want to face another surgery down the road. Good luck.

I use the GNC Mega Men Sport: http://www.gnc.com/p...oductId=4033437. I used them before surgery, and all of my pre-surgery blood tests for Vitamins and minerals were good, so I figured why change? Seems to be working out, as my one and three-month post-surgery blood tests all came back good as well. The one thing for men to note is that the Mega Men don't contain Iron, so men will need to purchase an iron supplement to go along with them. I do the GNC Gentlesorb Iron capsules: http://www.gnc.com/p...oductId=3719245 There's also a GNC brand for women. This version contains iron, some others in the product line don't: http://www.gnc.com/p...oductId=4033452

My surgeon told me it's something like 10% need a second operation to remove the gallbladder. Which is why they don't remove it automatically during WLS, 9 out of 10 will be fine.

I walk to Redbox to drop off my movies at least once a week. Since McDonald's are everywhere you can usually find one or two that make a nice, long walk with a destination and purpose. I don't always pick my movies up that way, because different locations have different selections, but it's a good way to use McDonald's in a positive way.

You can deduct medical expenses, but only if they meet the IRS guidelines and exceed a certain percentage of your income: http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc502.html: Topic 502 - Medical and Dental Expenses If, for a taxable year, you itemize your deductions on Form 1040, Schedule A, you may be able to deduct expenses you paid that year for medical and dental care for yourself, your spouse, and your dependents. You may deduct only the amount by which your total medical care expenses for the year exceed 7.5% of your adjusted gross income. For years beginning after December 31, 2012, you may deduct only the amount by which your total medical expenses exceed 10% of your adjusted gross income. You figure the amount you are allowed to deduct on Form 1040, Schedule A. IRS Publication 502, Medical and Dental Expenses, contains additional information on medical expenses including who will qualify as your dependent for purposes of the deduction and how you figure and report the deduction on your return. Medical care expenses include payments for the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease, or payments for treatments affecting any structure or function of the body. Medical care expenses include the insurance premiums you paid for policies that cover medical care or for a qualified long-term care insurance policy covering qualified long-term care services. If you are an employee, medical expenses do not include that portion of your premiums paid by your employer under its sponsored group accident or health policy or qualified long-term care insurance policy. Further, medical expenses do not include the premiums that you paid under your employer-sponsored policy under a premium conversion policy; for example, a federal employee, participating in the premium conversion program of the Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) program, may not include the premiums paid for the policy as a medical expense. If you are self-employed and have a net profit for the year, you may be able to deduct (as an adjustment to income) the premiums you paid on a health insurance policy covering medical care including a qualified long-term care insurance policy covering medical care including a qualified long-term care insurance policy for yourself and your spouse and dependents. You cannot take this deduction for any month in which you were eligible to participate in any subsidized health plan maintained by your employer, your former employer, your spouse's employer, or your former spouse's employer. If you do not claim 100% of you self-employed health insurance deduction, you can include the remaining premiums with your other medical expenses as an itemized deduction on Form 1040, Schedule A. You may not deduct insurance premiums paid by an employer-sponsored health insurance plan (cafeteria plan) unless the premiums are included in Box 1 of your Form W-2. Deductible medical expenses may include but are not limited to: Payments of fees to doctors, dentists, surgeons, chiropractors, psychiatrists, psychologists, and nontraditional medical practitioners Payments for in-patient hospital care or nursing home services, including the cost of meals and lodging charged by the hospital or nursing home Payments for acupuncture treatments or inpatient treatment at a center for alcohol or drug addiction, for participation in a smoking-cessation program and for drugs to alleviate nicotine withdrawal that require a prescription Payments to participate in a weight-loss program for a specific disease or diseases, including obesity, diagnosed by a physician but not ordinarily, payments for diet food items or the payment of health club dues Payments for insulin and payments for drugs that require a prescription Payments for admission and transportation to a medical conference relating to a chronic disease that you, your spouse, or your dependents have (if the costs are primarily for and essential to medical care necessitated medical care). However, you may not deduct the costs for meals and lodging while attending the medical conference Payments for false teeth, reading or prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses, hearing aids, crutches, wheelchairs, and for guide dogs for the blind or deaf Payments for transportation primarily for and essential to medical care that qualify as medical expenses, such as, payments of the actual fare for a taxi, bus, train, or ambulance or for medical transportation by personal car, the amount of your actual out-of-pocket expenses such as for gas and oil, or the amount of the standard mileage rate for medical expenses, plus the cost of tolls and parking fees You may not deduct funeral or burial expenses, over-the-counter medicines, toothpaste, toiletries, cosmetics, a trip or program for the general improvement of your health, or most cosmetic surgery. You may not deduct amounts paid for nicotine gum and nicotine Patches, which do not require a prescription You can only include the medical expenses you paid during the year. Your total deductible medical expenses for the year must be reduced by any reimbursement of deductible medical expenses. It makes no difference if you receive the reimbursement or if it is paid directly to the doctor, hospital, or other medical provider. See Publication 502, Medical and Dental Expenses, for additional information. IRS Publications may be downloaded from the IRS.gov website, www.irs.gov, or ordered by calling 800–829–3676.

Try the Dannon Light & Fit Greek if you haven't. It holds up pretty well against Chobani, just less calories and only 8 grams of sugar: http://www.lightnfit.com/light-and-fit-greek

I've had 2-3 slices of pizza a couple of times. Three is way more than necessary, and you pay to play: overfull, which is probably a good lesson to have once if you haven't had it yet. When I have the occasional "bad" day I just get back on the wagon the next day. As sad as it may be, the occasional day or weekend of "overeating" (and I'm talking hundreds, not thousands, of calories) may be a good thing. Getting the occasional reboot on the fat and carbs seems to kick the weight loss back into a higher gear. I still avoid eating a lot of sugar. I had a few of those snack-size Halloween candy bars one day and felt like shiz afterwards. Not dumping, but just generally lethargic.

I still eat out and drink, just not as often and not as much. To me it's only weird if you choose to stigmatize it. That having been said, it makes sense to cultivate some other options and integrate them. I don't know where you live, but there are tons of dating options in major metro areas: cooking and painting classes, museums, art shows, live music, dancing, bowling, movies, skiing, horseback riding, zoos, hiking. The list of things that don't have to involve eating food as the primary activity is pretty vast. Good luck with your changes.

If I hadn't switched doctors I would've never ended up having the surgery. I started looking into surgery probably back in 2009-2010. My doc at the time was very much against surgery and convinced me to try diet and exercise again for the umpteenth time. Then in 2010-2011 I switched to a new, younger PCP that had done a bariatric residency and was convinced of the value. All in all I am glad things were delayed because if I had gotten surgery sooner I don't know that sleeve would've been covered, or even have been on the radar. But you should definitely advocate for yourself, and your PCP should be your advocate, not your critic and naysayer. Good luck.

Switch doctors.

www.crossfit.com posts a free workout every day. i've never done them, too intense for me at this point. Maybe once I get closer to goal and I hit more of a wall with my own more casual training.

I would highly recommend developing a baseline level of fitness on your own before spending money on CrossFit. I know people who are thin and in shape and it kicked their asses when they started.

There are a bunch in the Denver area. I've never tried the Unwich. They do have really good, fresh 7 grain bread. Definitely a larger carb and calorie hit, but you can always try it and throw away the top bread, split the difference.

Did you know that violent crime in the U.S. is down for the fifth year in a row? http://www.npr.org/b...h-year-fbi-says All we hear about and remember in life are the outliers, the horror stories. The statistics on surgery complications paint a different picture: http://www.ncbi.nlm....pubmed/17981515: Complications after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. Lalor PF, Tucker ON, Szomstein S, Rosenthal RJ. Source Bariatric Institute and Section of Minimally Invasive Surgery, Cleveland Clinic Florida, Weston, Florida, USA. Abstract BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) has recently become a feasible option in the management of morbid obesity. The objective of this study was to examine the morbidity and mortality arising from LSG as a primary procedure for weight loss. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the data of 164 patients who underwent LSG from 2004 to 2007. Patients underwent LSG as a primary procedure or as revisional bariatric surgery. The short-term morbidity and mortality were examined. RESULTS: One-stage LSG was performed in 148 patients. The major complication rate was 2.9% (4 of 149), including 1 leak (0.7%) and 1 case of hemorrhage (0.7%)-each requiring reoperation-1 case of postoperative abscess (0.7%), and 1 case of sleeve stricture that required endoscopic dilation (0.7%). One late complication of choledocholithiasis and bile duct stricture required a Whipple procedure. LSG was used as revisional surgery in 16 patients (9%); of these, 13 underwent LSG after complications related to laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding, 1 underwent LSG after aborted laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, and 2 underwent LSG after failed jejunoileal bypass. One of these patients developed a leak and an abscess (7.1%) requiring reoperation. One case was aborted, and 2 cases were converted to an open procedure secondary to dense adhesions. No patient died in either group. All but 3 cases were completed laparoscopically (98%). CONCLUSION: LSG is a relatively safe surgical option for weight loss as a primary procedure and as a primary step before a secondary nonbariatric procedure in high-risk patients.

I started doing Krav Maga recently. Similar to karate, but more practical and geared toward fitness and real-world self defense: I also play tennis when I can, which is great for getting in shape. Short bursts of running, gives you time to get your wind vs. straight jogging.

I don't think some of our stomachs are functioning properly. If the stomach produces too much ghrelin, as it does in some of us, then that is not healthy or fully functioning. It is interesting that other hormonal/endocrine disorders would be treated as such, but somehow ghrelin is relegated to a secondary issue when it comes to health and obesity. I believe the surgical option of removing the part of the stomach that produces the majority of the offending hormone is akin to treating a hormonal malfunction. Research supports this position, at least to some extent: http://www.ncbi.nlm....um&ordinalpos=1: Sleeve gastrectomy as sole and definitive bariatric procedure: 5-year results for weight loss and ghrelin. Bohdjalian A, Langer FB, Shakeri-Leidenmühler S, Gfrerer L, Ludvik B, Zacherl J, Prager G. Source Department of Surgery, Division of General Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, General Hospital Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria. Abstract BACKGROUND: Due to excellent efficacy for weight loss in the short-term follow-up, sleeve gastrectomy (SG) has gained enormous popularity as bariatric procedure, not only as first step in high-risk or super-obese patients but mainly as a sole and definitive operation in morbidly obese. In contrast to a large number of short and intermediate-term results, no series of SG with a follow-up of 5 years or more has been published so far. METHODS: We report on the weight loss results of our first consecutive 26 patients with a complete follow-up of 5 years. Furthermore in a subgroup of 12 patients, plasma ghrelin levels were measured preoperatively, and up to 5 years following SG. RESULTS: Weight loss defined as mean percent excess weight loss (%EWL) was found as 57.5 +/- 4.5, 60.3 +/- 5.0, 60.0 +/- 5.7, 58.4 +/- 5.4, and 55.0 +/- 6.8 (not converted, n = 21) for the first 5 years. Weight regain of more than 10 kg from nadir was observed in five (19.2%) of the 26 patients. Four of the patients (15.4%) were converted to gastric bypass due to severe reflux (n = 1, 3.8%) and weight loss failure (n = 3, 11.5%). A total of eight patients (30.8%) were at chronic need for proton pump inhibitor medication due to severe reflux. Plasma ghrelin levels were reduced from 593 +/- 52 to 219 +/- 23 pg/ml 12 months postoperatively, with a slightly, non-significant increase toward the 5-years values of mean 257 +/- 23 pg/ml. CONCLUSIONS: At 5-year follow-up, a mean EWL of 55.0 +/- 6.8% was achieved, indicating that SG leads to stable weight loss. Beside significant weight regain, severe reflux might necessitate conversion to gastric bypass or duodenal switch. After an immediate reduction postoperatively, plasma ghrelin levels remained low for the first 5 years postoperatively.

I don't eat them very often, but the Clif Builder's Bars are decent: http://www.clifbar.com/food/products_builders/

That's the first thing I wanted after suffering through the pre-op diet and post-op first week or two. Even tuna without anything on it sounded good.

Did you have the surgery only for health reasons, or because you thought you would also look better? Personally, I did it for both reasons. I know most women are not attracted to obese men, and it definitely narrows down the options in the dating pool. I'm not attracted to morbidly obese women, even when I am morbidly obese myself. A double standard, but we all have them. I could never date a woman I wasn't physically attracted to, no matter how good her personality is. To me, that's the difference between friendship and romance. That having been said, I would rather date a woman with a great personality and average looks than a very attractive woman with an average personality. I wouldn't be offended, but you have the right to hold their prior behavior against them. Why not ask them the same question you're asking here? Good topic, thanks for sharing.

None of the home units are particularly accurate, I wouldn't spend the money. An affordable commercial option you could do once or twice a year is the BOD POD: http://www.cosmed.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1262&Itemid=310〈=en

If you do a liquid diet starting now you can easily drop 5+ pounds by Monday.

http://bariatrictimes.com/2010/11/11/hair-loss-among-bariatric-surgery-patients/ Cutting to the chase: Recommendations Patients who present with hair loss six months postsurgery should follow the following recommendation daily: intake 80g of Protein for women and 100g for men (with sufficient amounts of L-lysine, 1.5 to 2g/day), add 15 mL of flaxseed oil, 2.5g of Biotin, one or two Multivitamin capsules with minerals (thus providing 200 percent of DRIs), 350 to 500Ìg/day of B12 in its crystalline form, and 320mg of ferrous fumarate or gluconate or 65mg of elemental Iron twice daily. (Table 1) The supplementation of zinc recommended in this article is already present in sufficient doses in Multivitamins that contain minerals. Conclusion Patients undergoing WLS may have hair loss after surgery due to the lower intake and inadequate absorption of protein, iron, biotin, zinc, Vitamin B 12, and essential fatty acids. These patients need an adequate supplementation in order to prevent complications from evolving. Further randomized studies on hair loss in bariatric patients are needed in order to know, with accuracy, the adequate levels of supplementation of these nutrients to be administered.

Supplement with zinc also. And you can try various shampoos and conditioners, like Aveda invati.

Let me preface this by saying I don't work at Men's Wearhouse. And I don't know anyone that works there. And I don't own any stock (that I know of, unless it's rolled into some mutual fund or something). Business clothes are expensive, so I figured I'd pass on that Men's Wearhouse has a buy one get one sale going on: http://www.menswearh...er-_-Seedetails Since dropping the weight I needed some new clothes for work and a wedding. Good time to save some $ and pick up suits or shirts if you need them.

Too bad, but at least it only sounds like a minor setback. I think being less than a month around Christmas wouldn't actually be a bad thing. I always gained 5-10 pounds around the holidays in the past.