laguerr13

I can understand and support you with your frustrations, but when I was researching for my surgery ( it took me 2 years since it wasn't like buying a car for me) and Banding was the first one I ruled out, it had the most problems, complaints and bad stories, and only a few doctors still perform it, perhaps other alternatives should be looked at, although I know all of us are made differently and it will depend on who you are........ I went with a sleeve due to many factors including risk, I was sleeved in June 10th 2015, i began on January 2015 @ 388lbs, 346.6 on my surgery day, and today am at 248lbs but honestly there were a few setbacks and side effects, believe it or not the funniest one is also the most annoying, I sneeze through a whole meal when I eat almost every single time ( yes I've seen 3 doctors including my surgeon and have been told very thing from "your full" to " oh it's allergies" well no it's not) good luck and I wish you all the best

June 10th 2015 loser : 9 months out on March 10th 2016, SW 388 January 2015, on surgery day @ 346.6, today CW 248lbs

She bought me a new SUV this weekend as a reward, it's too fancy for a guy like me, leather seats, moon roof, fully loaded but I drew the line when she said to get those people figure stickers for the back window of our kids, her and all our pets, that's 13 freakin stickers!!!!!! How the hell will I see out the back lmao

I haven't posted in a few months, after I retired on December 31st, 2015 I took over as full time Daddy, my wife has successfully begun her career and is on to her way to get her Masters in September this year, I see a lot of new faces on here and some old losers like me so I thought I should give an update, I began my journey in January 2015 @ 388lbs after fighting depression during the previous year holidays ( my entire birth family passed on, father, brother, stepdaughter, and mother, and it was the first anniversary of her death on December 12th 2014), I began dieting before even meeting my surgeon to show I was serious and committed, so when I met him in April 2015 I was @ 365lbs, my surgery was June 10th 2015, and I believe I was at about 326 or so, today I am 7 days away from my 9 month surgerversary !!!! And I am @ 248.0lbs, only 53lbs away from my goal weight, never would I have believed I would have been able to come this far and this quickly, I've had 3 stalls and 2 injuries which kept me out of the gym but I remained focused and determined, I also have my maintenance and future goals for after I meet my goal weight, my was size when I began was 60w, I have also lost 14 waist sizes and now am at 46w, soon I will also be an XL size shirt, I am now a 2x, down from 5&6x, I am opting before and after to give encouragement and let the newbies see that anything is possible to when YOU WANT IT!!!!! It's hasn't been easy, it is hard work but overall my life is 1000x better, I'm also posting my motto which keeps me on track...... Good luck and don't give up

Good to you post also, too many changes in me and my wife's lives right now......... Great ones fortunately, including that I'm a full time stay at home dad( ironically between groceries, appointments, gym, kids school, for the life of me I can't understand why they call them "stay at home moms" lmao

It was a long hard process to decide to get my sleeve versus bypass, or band, but after seeing both here and in my experiences in talking with fellow bypass vets, why are they still allowing the Band procedure? I keep seeing alot of negative reports and alot of conversions from band to sleeve, or bypass, my preference was sleeve because I didn't want a portal under my skin and having adjustments made often, and I didn't choose the bypass because I was in fear of altering my whole abdominal system, so why the Band still???? I'd love to hear from Banders and would humbly listen to any point of view!!!

Haha someone already told me I look to "Skinny" I said I'm in it to make myself happy since no one did my surgery but me.....

Lmao @ Babbs

I believe you guys but I can't chime in since I'm against against anything that alters your mind, although that would make me a hypocrite since I've been on a type of runner's euphoria since my surgery, and I'm addicted to this weight training I'm doing so I guess things that are mind altering can also cause addiction........ And I've had alcohol a couple of times since surgery, mostly wine, so who am I to judge....... Hope you know I posted this to make people smile, and realize that we are all different for a reason, how can we even judge others after what some of us have been through???? Food for thought

I am slowly getting the hang of it, my work hours were 8+, and now I go 14-16 hours a day, lots of respect for stay at home moms

So I retired last Thursday on December 31st, was sad, took over full time house duties so my wife could focus on starting her career, I have a planner and do their school and appointments, cook dinner and wash and maintain the house, ironically my 8+ hour days became 14-16 hours, but I'm catching on, January 10th will be my 7 month surgerversary, I'm probably at 254 from 388 in January 2015, taking my vitamins and protein, no gym last two weeks due to shoulder injury and we are in transition from insurances so no surgeons visits til March or April, but overall very content and vigilant with my progress, I figured December would be my make or break, my weight loss has slowed significantly, but I'm still going strong, to all those thinking of or just having had surgery, I don't regret a single minute, and it really is life changing, very rarely when I question it because I can't eat something or couldn't finish my meal I just remind myself that if I had none done this I would have had a heart condition or diabetes by now and my choices would have been taken away forever, I've had a piece of cake, drink of soda, and an occasional beer, but with wise moderation and only once a month, nowhere near what I used to drink or eat, and I really stick to my healthy diet 90% of the time, here's to another great year, and good luck on your journeys, my new milestones for this year 1. Hit 195 goal weight by summer or close 2. Be in an XL shirt by April 3. Save for a kayak if possible

I'm glad this thread has stayed up do long, you know you lost weight when your realizing that in a few more months you'll be looking at XL shirts ( very big deal when you were a 5-6X)

I can see what you are talking about, but your beautiful and to me that skin is like a wound, remnants from another life, I was at 388 in January and today I am at 256, after surgery on June 10th, I bed am losing very quickly, and I knew those before and after photos were going to let me down, it's very rare to look like some of those people in the pics but you are real as am I, I also found that I don't have as much excess skin as I assumed I would, especially since I do a lot of weight training, I'm very content to be the healthiest I've been my whole life and yes I also have side effects that bother me a little, sneezing during most meals, and constantly cold even in the summer, but I wouldn't hesitate to do it again, thank you for your honesty and open minded posting of what many consider to be extremely personal pictures of one's self, I would post too but I got a new phone yesterday and unfortunately my pictures didn't transfer, you have my admiration and respect.......

I began my journey in January 2015 after hitting 388lbs the previous December, by the time I went into surgery on June 10th I was at 342.2lbs, today I am at 267lbs, and I also went from a size 60-62w to a 48-50w, and a 5x shirt down to a 2x shirt, I go to the gym 3 times a week and I am retiring from my job on December 31st this year, so I can devote my time to raising my kids full time and going to the gym more, my wife starts her career in January 4th, 2016, and we are making more changes in the next few months, my goal is to hit my goal weight of 195-200lbs by April 2016, but I'm not sweating it, because if it doesn't happen I'm not changing a thing, if I keep going the way I have been it will happen anyway,I have really enjoyed meeting some or most of you on here (except Trollers) and I want to continue to be part of this group, I'm sorry I haven't posted much the last 2 months, I haven't lost my excitement I just have lots going on in my life, I wish everyone a great upcoming year and much deserved success, you've been an inspiration to me, and I learned many things on here, I'm posting a our mini vacation me and my wife took to the coast last weekend, we had loads of fun, I will also post a before pic, I was in a size 48w cargos, and a 3x shirt(a little loose)............

I won't be leaving the board, I want to continue my journey in here so I can help others and little things like leaving the board are bad for me, I used to be satisfied being COMPLACENT..... Thank you, my wife is working so hard at school that I want to support her any way necessary, she will go farther than I ever did and I'm not gonna let anything get in her way, including me!!!! Lol

First pic from late 2014 with me at 388lbs, and me last weekend and 6 months out....... @ 267lbs and going!!!!

That's how I roll...... Lol, but seriously I had to learn the difference between "IMAGE" & "PERSPECTIVE", and it's helping, look it up it is very helpful once you learn the definition and use of these words use perspective to change the image, it's not easy........ But your doing awesome anyway

Your battle with the weight is successful but you need to fight a new battle " your mind" it is absolutely imperative to your success to work on your psyche, the mind and body are at its best when both are healthy, and neither one can function to its full potential unless met by the other, how do I know? I work in mental health, and I've come a long way but I constantly find myself doing small things that make me aware that I have work to do, glancing in the mirror and not recognizing myself for several seconds, wearing loser clothing or or my old clothes because I fear not fitting into my new size, and the one I'm most concerned about is the reaction I have when a woman compliments me or flirts with me, it's that of anger( internally) why??? Well I'm working on it, success has been measured in many ways for me, quality of life, mobility, less pain, and more years to be with my family, but I always try to work on my mental well being as well as my body, I think as long as strive to better my mindset as I do my health it is an extra insurance to being able to stay that way..... Just don't give up, and stay away from the dreaded "complacency" monster

I haven't posted in a couple of weeks, things are hectic here at home, wife was hired for her new job and she is starting her career, halfway point to get her Masters, she will have it in September 2016, and I've given a months notice at work, my last day is December 31st, and I become a full time dad, we went on our first Christmas vacation ever to celebrate and ended up splurging on my wife to get all her work clothes, she wanted to treat me to a night out but when I saw her I was very nervous, it was like when we first met, she looked beautiful, and she hadn't seen me in my new clothes yet, I started this journey in January @ 388lbs, my surgery was on June 10th and I weighed 342.2lbs, my Surgerversity was on December 10th, and on the 12th I weighed 267lbs, I used to be a size 60w, my new pants were a size 48w and my shirt was a 3x( now a 2x since it was loose) the pic where I'm holding our baby I was 367lbs and all subsequent pics were between 350-388lbs, so was it worth it ???? Hell yes, my other pic is my wife in her new clothes and me @ my current weight, I can see and feel a tremendous difference and it makes me wanna work even harder.......

Thank you, I was shocked we got together, we are complete opposites, even the fact she's from South Africa, and blonde blue eyed........lol

Thank you,? I've also been fortunate enough to be offered the opportunity to retire on December 31st, my wife is starting her career and will have her Masters in September 2016, I'm devoting the first few years to raising my kids, and looking forward to spending most of my time with them, but I'm taking my life changes a step further also, I can now devote 2-3 hours at the gym, and I'm still teaching myself about food and nutrition, I may take a part time job after me and my wife settle into our new roles, but I need to be very supportive since she is a very high achiever, I also want to see about becoming an advocate for people who want this change, I was always very lax and now that I have found my momentum I need to keep it going....... I take this so serious that I'm getting this tattooed on my back this coming year, it's from "Rumi" and it has a very emotional meaning for me....

The only word I have to tell myself everyday for the last year is "Complacency" And thank you all very much

Walking and water, I don't have any answers for the protein thing, I'm used to it since I do weight training and have to drink it everyday, maybe try these suggestions : I buy my protein at the Vitamin Shoppe, I like powders more Than pre- mix, it is gastric friendly, I believe it is called " Body Tech" and I drink it with 3oz of water, the rich chocolate is my favorite since you can mix it with instant decaf and Splenda and ice for a treat, powders allow you to buy different flavors like banana, strawberry, and there are also punch flavor ones, I pay $49.99 for a 5lb container and it lasts me about 72 days, so I save a lot more than those pre-mix cans, there are also non flavored brands so you can mix it with things like G2, or soy milk, I would also invest in a good shaker bottle with the mixer in it, and try to use the coldest liquids available to mix with, water is my friend now and I crave it a lot, I try to drink all day, and I put it in my shaker bottle also, the most important I did to promote healing was my walking, it got easier as time went by and it accelerated my healing, I also had trouble with fluids at first, maybe getting in 25-40oz, but as your stomach heals you will easily get in your 60-80oz...... Good luck and welcome

There is a medical term called "Explosive Diarrhea" s*** hits the fan, I don't go for days then my nurses at work hook me up with MOM and boom, beware if you ever end up in the ER and they suggest something called "Go Lightly" it is an oxymoron and you will become a lumberjack taking down logs......... That was a great post guys, n one ever talks about that, or my 3 instances of dumping

Just got a new one: when the waitress says "table or booth?" And you say I doesn't matter!!!!lol and soon I can post when you can walk into Old Navy or Banana Republic and actually walk out with with something you can wear!!!!!! Can't wait