Rhodes

... I decide I can handle the weight loss without surgery? As I posted in older threads, my wife was diagnosed with a very aggressive autoimmune disease last March. This was my wake-up call to change my life. I wanted to get my surgery done the last week of March, during spring break from the school district I work for. But I've already lost 33.0 pounds and my BMI is down to a 35.1(on my digital scale). My 1st goal is 200lbs and it seems much closer at 43.4lbs vs. 76.4 lbs. Do I get sent packing if I do this the old fashioned way?

Thank you all for the support. I'm still moving in the right direction. I find logging all my food/exercise into myfitnesspal.com App on my phone a huge benefit. It really keeps me honest and has been a huge motivator to push through the hard times. I'm down 37 pounds and by my digital scale, my BMI is down from a 42.3 to 34.4. (UPDATE) Forgot to add: My hip, knee, and ankle pain (we all know what I mean) is almost at 0%!

Apple, me too.. ..I should have added that you actually enjoy it too (being naked)..

....you can walk around the house naked without having a nervous breakdown....

@@MIMISAN There were a lot of other complications that brought me to this possible choice. I have chronic, advanced sleep apnea, and can't tolerate a CPAP at all. My blood pressure was dangerously high, and was not responding well to medication At 276.4, I was told by my Dr. that I was right at 100-105 lbs overweight. He was more worried about the sleeping and my BP.

We've had a Sleep Number for almost 3 years now, and I would never own anything else.

"being naked" are no longer curse words......

You can go to the beach without filling out an environmental impact study......

Hello Lipstick, I'm going to play the devil's advocate here, please do not feel like I'm picking on you, just the opposite. I applaud you! Yes this guy seems to have a bit of a loss in the social skills category, but using 20/20 hindsight vision, do you feel like you might have been unconsciously "skinny-shaming" yourself? It's not a stretch for people like us who have battled our weight, our ego, and our own self-confidence for years to slip into the same state and think we're "still not worthy". Now, by the actions of a turd with anemic social skills, you are ready to accept the blame for being skinny as readily as you accepted the burden of being overweight. And you are upset with the thought of spending the summer around him. Let me ask you a question: "Do you think he might find you attractive, therefore intimidating(most men are intimidated of attractive women), and this was his way to assuage his own bruised ego?" Just a thought....... If I were you I would wear the sexiest (but appropriate for children being around) outfit you have every time you have to be around Mr. Big Mouth... Remember: YOU'VE LOST OVER 100 POUNDS! Revel in that girl! YOU did it! YOU had the courage to do what you needed to do to succeed! YOU drew a line in the sand and said "No Further!" Don't accept defeat, in the face of victory! Be proud of your accomplishment! If I'm off-base here, I'm sorry, but this is how your post came across to me...

I have some health concerns, and I need to be there for my children But I'm not gonna lie... One of my main reasons for having 2/3 of my stomach removed is sex..... Lots and lots of sex....... My wife is 14 years younger than me, and she's a freak (one of the reasons I married her).

I have my first appointment today. It's a mandatory 2.5 hour health class that my insurance provider uses as its first step. I wanted to ask others here - I can't be the only one. Will getting sleeved help make working out easier? I'm almost 47. I was always big into working out. From my early teens through my time in the Air Force and until just after I finished my Masters (2006). I can remember throwing around 375lbs on the bench press like it was a toy.... or running 10 - 15 miles with 100 lbs of gear like it was nothing. Then I lost my way. It got harder and harder to keep the weight off, and harder and harder to work out. I'm praying that this surgery will help me get out of this cycle of personal destruction.... It's not just me now. I've got two beautiful little girls and a wonderful wife that need their daddy/partner around... BTW: love this forum... Nice to see so many people going through the same stuff I am... Best regards, R

I need a guys perspective: How much does the sleeve surgery REALLY hurt? I've only talked to two people that have had it done in person, both are female. One said she was uncomfortable, but not in agony, the other said it was a living hell. Since male/female pain tolerances are about as different as a race car and a T-Rex, I thought I'd ask some of my male comrades here who already went under the knife what they thought about the pain/recovery time. What say you?

....when you can actually aim for the toilet using visual reference.. (guy thing)

My insurance covers it with a BMI of 40 or higher. or BMI of 35 or higher with one or more comorbidities. I've got moderate High BP, and severe sleep apnea, so my BMI of 39 is within range.

I go in for my first appointment tomorrow. Some 2.5 hour Weight Management / Nutrition Class my insurance company says I have to attend. I bet there's a lot of you here that are like me: We could teach the class with what we KNOW we're supposed to do... LOL! Why do I want to get sleeved: Selfless Reasons: My two beautiful daughters (1 & 4 years old) I want to run and play with them without huffing like an old steam engine, or without paying for it with back, hip, knee, ankle, and foot pain for the next three days. For my wife: We recently found out that my wife has an autoimmune disease that if we cannot get it into remission has a mortality rate of around 10 years. By the time we know if this disease is going to prove fatal to her: Her mother also has an autoimmune disease (a different one) and may not be with us anymore by then. Her father is a chronic alcoholic and will not help me with his granddaughters. My own parents are on the other end of the country, and will be in their 80s by the time we know. I cannot be so selfish to not take the best care of myself I can if I’m going to have to raise my girls by myself. It brings me to tears to think of these two amazing little girls all alone in this world, just because daddy couldn’t get his weight and health under control. I cannot, and will not fail them. Selfish Reasons: I want to be buff again. I worked as an Air Force Cop, and at the time I was 190 lbs with a 50” chest and a 32” waist. I could run 10 to 15 miles with over 100 lbs of gear on my back like it was a stroll through a park. I’d like to get as close to that as I can. Back in the early 90s I went to a nude beach on a dare from a hot Australian girl I met while scuba diving in Cancun. I’d love to have the confidence to do it again. There’s no way in hell I’d subject anyone to seeing me like that with the way I look now! If the time with my wife is short, I want us to experience anything and everything she wants. This has gone beyond just “I want to be skinny” for me. It will affect my whole family. Thanks for reading. I'll be back as soon as I know more about my times and dates. R

@@Rovobay Oh, Dear, I have terrible allergies.. Sometimes I sneeze multiple times daily... Have to see my allergy Doc about this... BTW: Congrats on your success....

@@Boombalatty That is amazing! Great job on your progress!

@@Boombalatty - Thanks for the info! Congrats on your fantastic progress! How much have you lost to date?

I'm asking so I have a reference point to go by - If my pain tolerance is off the charts, I don't want to injure myself but moving too fast...

@@defibvt - Thanks I had umbilical hernia surgery about 3 years ago. I was more out of it from the anesthesia than anything else. I felt fine 24 hours later. My doctor told me I had an inhuman pain tolerance... Am I correct to believe you meant March 2, 2015 for your surgery? I ask because we are the same height and you only had me by a pound for Starting Weight. I know everyone's results are different and dependent on many factors, I was just trying to get a baseline for weight loss.. Thanks!

Thanks guys! My MFP account name is RADA9933 Tomorrow night is the first of 12 mandatory classes before my surgery. I had planned on having one last "forbidden meal" today but spent the weekend praying to the porcelain god with the stomach flu. I'm really hungry, but the thought of eating is a bit intimidating after being so sick for three days.

@@KingMoose - I worked as an Air Force Cop, know exactly what you mean. I can remember being part of my local gym's 1300 Club. (405 lbs bench press, 600 lbs deadlift, and 375 lbs squat), and being able to run 8-10 miles with a 100 lbs of equipment on my back... While I don't need to be able to do this anymore, I want to be able to pull up my own(lighter) weight, and at least have a 4-pack... I'd like to run some local 5ks our town has every year. And I want to be able to go shirtless without having to fill out an environmental impact study first! LOL!

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Thanks for the info about the compression clothes, never would have thought of that. My insurance co. covers plastics for loose skin that is causing issues (rash, tears, etc.). They even have a surgeon that offers a discount to patients with a referral from the bariatric office!

My first meeting of my insurance-required 12-week program is on May 12th. While I'm still cutting back and cleaning up my eating, I'm going to use this as my "jump-off-point" to my new life. I'd love to add some friends to my account on that day if it's alright with you gentlemen?