bigrick

Dont give up, it took me forever to finally get my date and got Strep throat and had to postpone again but finally did get cut! Believe me it is worth the wait, hang in there!

In my competition days, around 20 or more years ago, I was benching just over 450, squatted a best of 785 and deadlifted aroung 650, hand strength gave out around then, that is at 5'11' and weighing about 230. I could NEVER do any of that again or even close to it and really dont want to. Getting there required 4-5 hours a day in the gym and my body would not make it now. Several surgeries to repair torn and damaged joints, elbow, shoulder knee and hand. Arthritis, all those things you hear about weight lifters. That all being said I still think there is no other type of excercise that can give you more, both mentally and physically than weight lifting and if you can do it you should but within reasonably sane limits! All I can manage now is walking which I do whenever I can, I know I will be able to continue that excercise until I die even if I live to be 100!

Naw, think my system was just in shock because now I have started down again. Still hiking on average about 4-6 miles give or take almost every day that I can. Most of my clothes are really starting to hang on me and I have begun to pull out some old one that I havent worn in awhile so all in all I think things are going really well!

I lost ~35 lbs within 3 weeks and stopped completely for like 2.5 months and just started dropping again, think my system was just in shock and is now adjusting.

Glad to hear every one is back on track. I will be watching! For myself my initial weight loss was Great! Lost like 35 lbs in 2.5 weeks and then WHAP. I havent lost an ounce in 6 weeks, going for 2nd fill beginning of October, hopefully it will get things moving again.

So? Where do you guys stand, havent heard anything from you?

Showing the videos to my kids dates sounds like a great approach. I always just told them I couldnt show them my guns because the parole board said I couldnt have any so I kept them hidden along with the bodies!

Yes, welcome and definitely hang on for the ride.

What, no update, how goes the battle between you guys?

Good luck to you both, will be watching!

Hey Guys, I am new here and still in the beginning stages of this. Have my first appointment with the surgeon next week and I am a bit apprehensive albeit committed to getting it done. I weigh 360# and have struggled all my adult life with eating and my weight. At one time I was a competitive powerlifter, seems like a million years ago, but after many injuries I had to give it up. Never gave up the massive appetite though so here I am. Guess I am just looking for some encouragement from other guys who have gone thru this or are going thru it. I do have a former lover/friend who was one of the first in the country to get it done post FDA approval and she has been very supportive about my decision which helps. Well thats it for now, hope I havent ranted to mush and look forward to hearing from you

Dont beat yourself up over it by any means, many of us on here struggle with this otherwise we wouldnt be here because our weight wouldnt be a problem for us. I have only been banded a few weeks, waiting for my first fill and there are times when I want to kill one of my dogs, put him on a spit , roast him and eat him and he is a big dog. So you are not alone in coming here for support, it works!

congratulations to the both of you, best thing in the world!

More muscle, higher metabolism => more calories burned, it works every time!

Yeah, for the first week or so I was definitely struggling with things harder than I thought I would have to. Then all of a sudden I sort of turned the corner and now I feel great! It is getting a little harder to resist eating to much as I wont get my first fill for another few weeks but I am absolutely on my way and very excited about it all!

Thats an easy one, just start walking, the more you do the better off you will be! I am now 2weeks post op, have dropped 30 lbs, I walk every day at least 3 miles and here is the most exciting part for me, my blood sugar for the past 4-5 days has been <100. That is the lowest it has been since I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes almost 5 years ago by a long shot. This is just great stuff!!!!!!

I am a 12 hour rotating shift worker also. I havent had a fill yet however, I have always found that when I rotate back and forth between days and nights my eating habits varied quite a bit so this may just be your normal circadian rythym having to adjust to the new addition! Just a thought anyhow----

Pain is not the issue, stopped the Percocet's on Saturday so less than 24 hours for those but then I HATE the way they make me feel so it was easy to stop! Blood sugar is coming down after a visit to my PCP but still a little high(~150) and my stomach feels cramped and grumbly constantly. I think it has to do with the protein drinks mixed with milk. Still no energy, feel worn the hell out after only a 1 mile walk, I am sure it will all change, just being a little crabby I guess but all of this also comes with me having lost 23 pounds already and I am sure that is contributing to how I feel also. Anyhow I am there and moving forward and looking forward to what the future brings my way!

Hang in there OG, if you read my thread then you know sometimes it can take quite a while to get done. Everyone on here shows so much support though that you do eventually make it!

If that means that I can retire from work just tell me where to sign up and I am there!

51 cant possibly be old goat status, that would mean I am. Oh well!

Not really, the blood sugar still remains high but is sort of beginning to settle down some. It was only 178 this morning instead of the 240's or so I was getting. Still not feeling great although things are slowly improving, still little to no energy although I have tried to walk every day, can only do a mile or less before I am wiped out. Much less than the 6-8 I could normally do over rough terrain. No problem getting the required protein intake but the desire to eat something solid is growing! Thats all for now-

Hang in there, it's not an easy road but one worth traveling-

Thanks to all those who Patiently waited for me to get this done and offered nothing but encouragement along the way. Things are improving, albeit, somewhat slower than I had hoped, having trouble with my blood sugar being irratic as hell so I have felt pretty lousy overall so havent had the energy to do much but that will change I am sure--

Well. I FINALLY got it done and am now a member of the fraternity. Been laying low due to pain and just an overall crappy feeling, have not been able to get comfortable at night at all since I usually sleep on my side but that has been to painful and sleeping on my back I just cant do for very long. Already stopped with the Percocets as I hate though things and only use them for as little a time as needed. Hopefully today i will be able to move around more without feeling like I am dieing! So the journey begins for real!