FurryChef

Present and accounted for

I've been LMAO at the replies to my post from yesterday .... sorry, but I keep my privates private ... only my doc and I have the before/after pics of "down there" LOL I don't want to start a firestorm of hysteria with guys thinking they may have the same kind of results I did ... they might ... but might not .... reel yourselves in and focus on RIGHT NOW and getting healthy and getting through the surgery (if you're still pre-op) and do the work to make that successful. Once you've got that part working for you then you may notice some other "side effects" and benefits like seeing an increase in length. Bigger or not, one thing I have consistently heard is that there is definitely a surge in libido.... I think part of it is that your hormone levels get reset/stabilize (check that with your doctor). For me, the biggest thing was the psychological reset because I finally had enough self-esteem to FEEL sexy ... and therefore comfortable at the idea of feeling sexual. The whole Bariatric Adventure is a very amazing journey....and this is just one part of it.

When I had the initial lap-band surgery in 2005 they did shave my whole belly (which was a shock when I woke up from anesthesia!) so dressing changes weren't an issue. Actually none of the laparoscopic bandages needed changing; they just stayed in place until they started to peel off on their own, about a week later. I don't know what your doc does, but that's how mine did it. Hopefully you won't have to "wax off" anything! LOL :-D

Actually let them do it at the hospital .... I was told that if you shave yourself you could actually make tiny nicks or cuts which could harbor bacteria and possibly lead to an infection.... 'least that's what they told me when I asked. I figured I would save them the trouble LOL

Very interesting post. While I was in the hospital for my VSG they actually kept me an extra day because I had such elevated levels of platelets. The initial concern/diagnosis was polycythemia vera and I ended up having to go to a hematologist and "donate" a pint of blood every month for 3 months until the levels lowered/stabilized. Here's the interesting tie-in with obsesity/VSG .... when I was fat my testosterone levels dropped WAY down and I did testosterone replacement, intially with Androgel and then later with the Testopel implantable testosterone. I had done 3 treatments of Testopel (over the course of almost a year) and then had my VSG surgery. It turns out that the elevated platelets were NOT P.V. but were actually from the testosterone. Once I stopped the Testopel treatments and after about 3-5 months for my levels to stabilize (from both the weight loss and from the Testopel getting out of my system) my platelet count returned to normal. Now that I'm 2 years post-op, both my testosterone and platets levels have remained normal. Maybe this is a tie-in that others might get help from.

I'm 2 years post-op from VSG (8 years total from lap-band in 2005) and have lost 125#. Most of my weight was concentrated in my belly so since it came off, I have gained a total of almost 2" in length. (I've also had a tummy tuck and upper thigh lift, which got rid of the remaining "pooch" over my pubic bone.) It's not just that you can finally look down and SEE it once your belly is gone, but it actually DID get longer in my case. I suppose it's like the ads on TV and radio... "Results may vary....." LOL

Alcohol... #1) Skinny people get drunk a LOT faster than fat people and with less alcohol #2) Cross-addiction is no joke ... and I became a raging alcoholic within 4-5 years after losing 125#. I was barely a drinker at all before I had my surgery but later found out that once I was unable to self-medicate with food after the surgery, my brain found another addiction for me and within a very short time (following some major Life events/traumas) I was drinking 4 bottles of wine a DAY... EVERY day... for over a year. Addiction comes in many forms. Does this mean that as a post-op patient that you're going to have addiction issues? Who knows... I just know that until I spent 3 months last year in an inpatient rehab facility for my drinking I had NO idea just how deep my EMOTIONAL issues were ... and realized that I had used the many addictions as a way to "numb-out" and not have to feel anything. Those emotional issues led me down the path of many addictions through my life .... food... love....alcohol.... but once I was able to take care of the emotional reasons and remove the CAUSE of the addictions, it has been much easier to deal with living in the moment and free of the need to self-medicate. I'm happy to report that I now have over a year of sobriety and have still maintained the weight loss... still don't want to drink or use ... and can really enjoy Life as it comes. :-) This is just my story.... but I hope it can help prevent someone else from making the mistakes I did.