PatientEleventyBillion

My situation was very familiar. Went on a trip to Cedar Point.. had to use some seatbelt test thingy outside the line. First time in my life I was too fat for theme park rides. What an embarrassing eye opener. Plan still in the works to go back and get revenge, but absolutely sure now 150+ pounds lost that I fit no problem. Life is great again.

I'm a rather liberal person myself who used to be Christian, and science is a huge reason as to why I'm agnostic. Science provoked rational questioning of things I merely was told that don't stand up to cursory scrutiny, never mind higher standards of proof. I own two hybrids, one SUV and one mid-size car. I don't follow green politics, I like the efficiency of electric over combustion. I like technology. So I think its inevitable we find more environmentally friendly tech with good ol' capitalism with a mix of CSR. That being said, it's pretty clear to me climate science, as an umbrella term for numerous other sciences, is far too complex for us to get as much a grasp on as both sides like to think. Is the Earth warming? Maybe. Depending on the data you look at, depending on who's modifying the data. There's some obvious conclusions to draw from constant warming of the globe and melting of ice, but we don't know if that is really going to happen or to what degree. It's obvious given the lack of conclusive proof regarding AGW claims that this is not something someone who thinks that highly of science should be acting as if there's conclusive proof that humans are this dictatorial over the Earth's climate. It looks far more to me like the opposite, that we're the ones at the behest of mother nature and thus far the only irrefutable proof I've seen that relates to the "leftist" (a term for regressive conservative-style liberals who seem to have forgotten what liberalism really is) movement is that we have variable impacts on our local environment, and of course that climate isn't static. As to what impact we have on the global climate system.. its clear we don't know. The issue is so contrived in politics and the "green" religion that one can hardly even trust "studies". Data has been manipulated, re-imagined, and so on by both sides. Scientific papers are now published and pushed into the media as "fact" before they're even peer reviewed -- that should be very alarming and invoke a high amount of skepticism among people who claim to like science, yet it doesn't. It's really aggravating how badly this science, and countless others, are managed now. In the end, as a result, irrefutable proof is all I will rely on before I conclude anything (as in I'm agnostic about the conclusion presented of humans being able to control worldwide climate), and for the pro-AGW crowd it's extremely accurate models that accurately predict climate -- that will show me we really have a grasp on climate. Some people obviously have far more loose standards (especially if it fits a narrative) and that's their prerogative. I don't like trying to sell fear, and that unfortunately is the currently mainstream idea, mainly because "leftists" see trying to bullshit people as a way of getting their way politically.

OP it just sounds like long relationships aren't for you. I've only been married 7.5 years. The relationship is nowhere as fun as it was when it started. That's the nature of relationships especially when you're part of someone's life every day for hours a day. Things aren't as intense after the first several years, sex isn't as great in the overwhelming amount of partnerships. It drops substantially. Most people can't handle it. Don't take it personally, its very common. It's human nature we're fighting. Just do whats in your best interests, be honest with yourself (and others). That being said, for me, I've transitioned in life from wanting that excitement (sex for example) to just wanting to chill. The every day things my wife and I do together (with our family) means far, far more to me than a moment of sex, or going through the "intense" ups and downs that encompass the early stages of a relationship, with someone else. I've been through the stages since pre-op of where my sex drive was ridiculous and wife couldn't keep up. What wife couldn't fulfill of that need I, bluntly, just spent jerking it.

No regrets. No way. Far more than the surgery, the lifestyle changes, but I have to admit, the surgery helps. Life is a complete 180 from a year ago.

I only had anxiety (panic attacks at night) due to sleep apnea. I was prescribed Cipralex I believe it was (the generic of it was escitalopram). Once the apnea was gone didn't need it any more and have been off. My situation was a lot more straight forward. For many others, it's a lot more complicated with the brain is wired. I'd keep expectations to a minimum and just do your best.

No reason to freak out, you'll wonder where the time has gone post-op too. Once getting into a routine its crazy, even though we needed it at this point, how much we hyperfocused on small things. Best of luck on your surgery, you got this.

I had forgotten about this forum, I came back to laugh at this. - Posts an opinion - Some people get upset (it happens) - Guy is so incensed he bumps thread angrily giving opinion on how irrelevant my post is (lol?) - I'll chalk that up to simply being dumb. One fish in a sea of them. Best of luck overcoming those issues man. (my nice way of saying pound sand) (For others here, I hope however you find your guidance helps you no matter your beliefs, glad to see so many success stories)

It's simply the difference between restrictive and non-restrictive foods. Hence the reason to stick to eating foods that cater to restriction and digest slowly.

People don't always act the way you want them to or tell you what you want to hear. I'd worry more about things you can control.

Dumping syndrome is a lot more common for bypass than sleeve. For sleeve, dumping syndrome generally means your diet is drastically wrong and needs to change.

Just means you're more resolved.. nothing wrong with that.

Pun intended? Anyways, I wonder if I was the only one who came into this thread expecting some Metallica reference.

I agree.

At the bold, unfortunately sometimes the full feeling is the only way to know you've had too much when eating out. Having a good idea how much makes you full is good because you know to eat less next time.

As others said your glycated hemoglobin type A1C being that high is a very good indicator for the necessity of this surgery. If adequate changes are made and no improvements after a handful of months occur, and it's acquired Type 2, I'd then be a bit concerned. My peak HBA1c was 7.9 (well in the range of diabetic), it lowered over the last several months and as of June it was 4.9, making me completely non-diabetic, and I've been off all diabetes meds for months with very good blood sugar. It's quite amazing how forgiving the body is.

Anyone else = everyone Everyone stalls. Weight loss isn't constant.

Personally I'd separate the social/forum ones from the weight loss/medical related ones. NAFLD: non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (more common than NASH) ac: before meals pc: after meals A1C/HBA1c - Glycated Hemoglobin, Type A1C (average 3 month plasma glucose aka blood sugar concentration) LFT = Liver function/diagnostic tests ALT - Alanine aminotransferase (enzyme along with AST & GGT primarily for liver function/diagnostic tests) AST - Aspartate aminotransferase (enzyme along with ALT & GGT primarily for liver function/diagnostic tests) GGT - Gamma-glutamyltransferase (enzyme along with ALT & AST primarily for liver function/diagnostic tests) PTT - Partial thromboplastin time (blood clotting factor diagnostic test) DM - diabetes mellitus IDDM - insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus EKG - should use ECG as well, EKG = Elektro-kardiographie (German), ECG = Electrocardiography (English) HDL - High density lipoprotein (good cholesterol) LDL - Low density lipoprotein (bad cholesterol) IBS - Irritable Bowel Syndrome

This. I had endoscopy/EGD, but I also had a barium swallow done, due to GERD, obesity, etc. I'm not a doctor nor can tell anyone that they should have these done, but I personally found them extremely valuable concerning surgery and post-op care.

Great job! I personally find openness is a great way of being accountable, not only to yourself but for others to help you out as well. If we take addicts of another nature (for the purpose of analogy), drugs, they likewise tend not to be open about their drug use, they will conceal it as much as possible, and part of that reason is the desire not to be accountable to their peers. It's a great way of doing self-destructive things unchecked. For many of us, myself especially, this was the case. Nextly, if the desire is for WLS not to be stigmatized (judged illogically, opposed to not being judged at all), being private is not helping change that stigma whatsoever. I think those of us who are seriously motivated for things to change will embrace the attention, praise, criticism, et al. I don't actively seek out the spotlight concerning WLS, but I don't hide from it either. I will talk to anyone about it that seems to have even the remotest interest.. overwhelmingly, people are engaged in the conversation, and understand this was the logical choice. Every medical worker I see, nurses, doctors, specialists, etc., all have given fantastic feedback, based on my hard work at not being an idiot, and of course praise for turning things completely around. While I personally downplay the praise I get because it was me who got myself in this situation to begin with, I'm simply happy my health is astronomically better than it was a year ago.

Full early on = reflux, vomiting, regurgitating, nausea, pain, activated parasympathetic nervous system (thus tiredness, lethargy), etc. Eating until full is a bad idea. Stomach growling after eating = peristalsis, it means food is moving through your digestive system, not that you're hungry.

Fruit is actually healthy when you eat the fruit.. the juices are virtually all crap, and on top of being natural sugar without the slower digestion of solid fruit (and in some cases without the fiber), companies tend to add more sugar.. why? No fricken clue. It passes through you quick, quickly absorbs, quickly overloads the liver, liver quickly converts excess to fat. Juices are garbage. There's nothing wrong if you, say, made home made frozen pops that had like 2g of added sugar per pop, and apparently stevia extract works well enough that some major freezies brands are starting to go with it. Like all things, need to have it in moderation.

For me, it feels like reflux (GERD). like I want to "regurgitate" my food (not vomit, regurgitate, like going to burp up food rather than have strong stomach contractions and vomit). Eating until you're full means eating too much.. it's a sign that one should intake less. Unfortunately with different stomach sizes, bougie size, food type, metabolisms, etc. there's no way to know in general how much is too much, it's something you learn along the way.

Low cals, low carbs, high protein.. pretty much practicing for post-op. Good to get in the habit now, and following this has a very high likelihood of shrinking your liver.. weight loss should come with it as well since liver shrinking (premise of pre-op, to make the surgery safer) and weight loss (premise of the surgery) are part of the same mechanism.

I was mainly concerned about my liver (and asked my surgeon to show video/photos of it), which I have a high res photo paper of: I would have liked to see video of the whole thing being done, but it's cool seeing this.. likely the only clear picture I'll ever see inside my abdominal cavity.

It's also very common for liver damage to happen after surgery -- I don't think people realize how much stress it's put under due to the operation, and it can cause a wild variety of issues, benign lesions being among them.