OKCPirate

Yeah, you probably should. WLS seems to give us a new "set point" that leads to permanent weight loss. http://theweightofthenation.hbo.com/themes/obesity-research. The earlier you can get a handle on this, the less excess skin you are going to have to deal with. (in your 50's, it is an issue). You will save wear and tear on your joints. Many can attest that happy knees are great. I can't say with certainty that this is for you, but these are a few areas I'd look into.

This is like any other voluntary association. Sometimes I have time to pay attention, other times I don't. It is a little odd for me to think of myself as some sort of veteran. I like to help sincere seekers. (and I dig @@dubs food porn). I remember where I was when I started. This site was a little daunting when I first found it. It takes a little while to figure it out. You don't realize at first to look at surgery date and number of posts when you are judging how much credence to give an answer . You don't even know how to create preferences so you don't get flooded with email notices. Heck you don't even know the right terms to search. "Geez what's a stall?" You know until November 2014, I wouldn't have known to search for that, all I knew was I wasn't pooping and not losing weight and I was kind of scared. I appreciated the online "hand on my shoulders" and people telling me "this is normal stuff, you got this." So yes, it gets a little old. No one should ever feel obligated to be here. But I remember where I was. I try to help out when I have time, and I do appreciate those who voluntarily and unselfishly give their time to help others. It was huge to me when I REALLY needed it. Now for the vets, I want to suggest a thought to you...have you thought about what YOU get when you help some one new to this? It reinforces what you are trying to do. We have had some people pop back after being gone for a while, and lamenting they have lost their way and gained some weight again. Now I don't think that being here guarantees success, but I think it is like my sisters work in drug and alcohol recovery. She is an alcoholic. She helps others in recovery through AA. Not only because she can, but it reminds her every day just how important her sobriety is and what a gift it is. So while there are problems with the internet chat board world that no one will ever be able to fix, please reflect, what you get, when you give.

@@Anna Nim@ and AussieGirl81 - I don't disagree with you. And I seriously respect your sincerity, but when someone is describing symptoms of major depression, I tend to freak out on the side of caution, not nutrition. I have too much experience with this (my ex, and a very close friend who blew her brains out just before Christmas last year). Some things I don't mess with. Help someone get safe and on stable ground, then and only then would I start worrying about their diet.

@@Chrystee - Libido is now at 150? Please hide from @KindaFamiliar Mine has been way over the top after I dropped below 220. And it makes sense, I'm just healthier. Thankfully I'm now in a committed relationship, it was getting really weird last year. ;-( Being better looking and healthier changes how people see you. There is a new normal coming.

I usually plan for the worst case scenero, so I made sure I had a month to recover. But to tell you the truth, I had the surgery on a Tuesday, and was doing work on my laptop on Wednesday. I was back from Mexico the three days later. The next day (Saturday) I went to an OU football game. But I don't have any heavy lifting on my job.

@@chrisredjeep - t's nowt to do with me! Great word! Have to add it to the lexicon. I teach in Europe a great deal, and I enjoy finding new idioms I take for granted and learning new ones.

@@chrisredjeep ummm, thanks for mentioning this. I for one appreciate it. I do like giving back because I know in October of 2014 I was absolutely freaking out. I knew my life was going to dramatically change and I didn't have any clue if it really was the right call. When I post, well I sometimes wonder if anyone is paying attention. Thanks for letting me know at least one was.

Damn straight, you get one life line, if you choose to ignore it, well sorry, drown. That's about all I have time for. Anyone for a pound of bacon?

It depends. Someone please find the link to the lady who took off everything to make weight for her insurance company. One of my favorite stories. @@melindakreeger - weight is really just a retaliative measure of success. Anyone here knows we fluctuate several pounds every day. Clothes are not that important just keep it honest and consistent. Don't play games with yourself. Keep it honest.

For me it was the Diet Mtn. Dew withdrawal. Note to self...there are a bunch of rather addictive food additives I'd rather not ever have in my system again. F*** them. I'll stick to good and natural.

@@CLN.BK - Yes you can. I was not dating anyone. My kids were in school. I work out of my house. My co-workers are "virtual." And it was great. No back stabbing. No idiot comments. I could control my diet. No one ate my food in the fridge. So look there are upsides and downsides to everything. Just look at the plusses.

@ - Not good. When you are waking up exhausted and taking two anti-depressants, well "Huston we have a problem." (Check out crazymeds.org - best site for really monitoring the effect of these drugs). There is an art and a science of medicine. The science is "appendix burst, take it out"). The art is how to do it without creating more problems. The meds you are on are really on the art side. You have to work with the docs and tell them how it is working. You have to know how long does it take before this stuff should have an effect. For instance...I take Welbutrin. It takes a month before I should expect any changes. I marked on my calendar. You need to write this down so you have real info to give to your doc. This is a partnership. Please take it that seriously. If I seem to be over reactive, well I am with this stuff. It's not like eating a piece of pizza, it can be really bad.

@ - dear god, did you talk to the doc prescribing the anti-depressants about the surgery? This is serious stuff. I have an ex who is bi-polar. I suffer from occasional bouts of depression. I had to adjust everything post surgery. Slow release stuff doesn't work anymore. I have to do low dose throughout the day to make these drugs work. Please really monitor your sleep and if that pattern shifts, let someone know.. Walk. Stay in touch with people who make you feel good. What ever it takes to keep you sane until the meds are stabilized. And remember, the drugs are tools, not magic.

@@Kindle You are an adult and can make your own calls. I have enjoyed your posts and thanks for having the courage to share your very real struggles. I hope I have been some help, for you have helped me.

You're right. Being a grownup sucks. I was reminiscing with a college friend several months ago about how much fun we had when we were young and stupid. I remember telling her it's too bad we had to grow up because now I know too much to ever be happy again. Kindle - I will respectfully disagree with you there. I have had periods of time that I thought all chances of happiness were gone...and I still struggle with that at times (damn inherited brain chemistry). But the last year has taught me just how much life can turn around in unexpected ways. Out of the blue, my Significant Other and I found each other. The happiness I feel when I am with her brings tears to my eyes as I write this. There is a new measure of joy I never new existed. I am finding this at 53 (I was married to one woman for 21 years, so I fairly stable, just saying). So don't write off happiness. It can pop up when you least expect it. Not trying to fill you up with a bunch of crap, just sharing my experience.

@TheRealMeIsHere! - Congrats. great job. Use these: https://www.heartratemonitorsusa.com/products/hrm-caltape?variant=13900066054&dfw_tracker=9876-13900066054&gclid=CjwKEAjw2PK7BRDPz5nDh9GjoGcSJAAybcS3gF5WSdU7DIFsVeIOJv-tS0WJVSNkJBDvACkSK6utNBoCSzHw_wcB or spend hundreds on more scientific testing, but my son (who is studying exercise physiology at OU) says the 12 point caliper test is just as good as anything. BTW, you might be exercising too much. Rest is just as important as exercise.

Can we get some "Protein Cult" t-shirts @Alex?

I used the belite team. Worked great. If you can fly out of Denver, it's cheap to El Paso TX, or San Diego for the boarder crossing.

@@cwhitt456 - Yeah it's normal. Good for you to look before you leap. It is a life changing decision. The fact that convinced me was behavior change alone results in long term weight loss with about 5% suceed through behavior modification vs. nearly 80% (going by memory) who succeed with WLS. You might want to check with the Cleveland Clinic who did some of the best long term studies on Sleeve surgery. I am surprised how few guys do this vs women, but the numbers are what they are. I am very glad I found out about WLS. In 2014 I thought I had a stroke. It turned out to be something stress related, but it was the first light on my dashboard that I needed to lose weight. I diligently did weight watchers, but with my travel, it was hard to stay on track. I found out about WLS on a pod cast, and started researching (Cleveland Clinic study convinced me). I had mine done in Mexico (just didn't want to mess with insurance, and it was affordable enough). It's worked wonderfully. Only thing I regret is not knowing about it when I was your age. It is a tool. Don't think it's "FM" (freakin magic). It requires work and diligence, but it is an amazing tool. Absolutely changed my life. That said, some things to consider: * Do I have a couple of weeks to recover? Might not need it, but with my scheduled I figured out there were only two days in 2014 I could have the surgery. * Significant other? When a partner loses weight, it can change a relationship. Sometimes women like the chunky guy because he is less likely to stray because fat guys have fewer partners. They get nervous when that changes. * Emotional issues with food? We got fat for some reason. Get your mind right before. * Can I get in the best shape possible before the surgery? It will speed up your recovery and you will thank me for suggesting it. * Can you go without smoking, coffee, alcohol for several months? You want the stomach to heal. Good luck, feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions.

Try to cut your toenails. Now imagine this not being a chore. I still remember holding my breath and straining to get to them. Now I can just sit down with pair of clippers and get them done with no planning required. It's the little things

@@Kindle - Thanks for sharing. Well said.

@@Andrew0929 - One of my best friends suddenly broke contact. I asked, but he won't tell me what's wrong. You can't make people do anything if they don't want to. All you can do is keep the door open. Sorry, it is horribly puzzling when people pull away without explanation, and it hurts (esp. if you are like me, I have many acquaintances and colleagues, but very few refrigerator friends*) *these are people who can go to your fridge and grab something without asking first.

@@jenn1 Just because I behave like a teenager doesn't mean I can blame it on the hormones Of course my energy is higher than it was pre-surgery, I exercise, eat right and I am carrying 80 pounds less 24/7/365 than I have in a decade. I may be getting older, but they can't make me grow up.

@@bellabeans - I know of several couples who have done this together, but usually one does it, nurses the other and then a month later the other spouse has the surgery. (Ladies always come first...always)