TheBearguy8

Be careful setting absolute goals, I started at 255 after max of 275. May 11 surgery. 7 weeks now, 221 today. Go easy on yourself

I am working my way through something nearly disastrous. There is a reason I am posting this for WLS patients Cipro, Levaquin, are known a fluoroquinolones. These are not "typical" antibiotics and are used for more serious bacterial infections. I had a suspected UTI, and the emergency room gave me Cipro, and I had taken it before so I was not alarmed. Taken before surgery successfully with no problems except some stomach upset. The pharmacist gave me a big speech about the sun, and nothing else I remembered. That's not the speech they should give. On day 3 my urologist went nuts and said stop taking Cipro immediately. I had taken it for 72 hours and seemed fine, with leg pain I didn't connect. Well the next week was hell. My Achilles tendons, joints and entire body went into some sort of crazy shock - and you don't think of an antibiotic doing that. I am of the belief that post surgery, vitamin absorption changes, dietary nutrients changes, it made me susceptible to what happened. I take vitamins as instructed, but the body has changed. Here is the important part if you are reading this. MANY PEOPLE'S DAMAGE IS IRREVERSIBLE! I was horrified when I read the stories of doctors insisting patients finish the course of Cipro/Levaquin treatment while they were losing their ability to even walk. My legs are my life and career, this was a near disaster. Our new bodies may present a new issue and I want any WLS patients to ask questions and be very careful. Side effects can fade away, but tendonitis, and joint injuries from this are often - often - PERMANENT. https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/10/popular-antibiotics-may-carry-serious-side-effects/

to be blunt - you remind me of me before the surgery = you wanted FIRM real, conclusive 100% sure data, and in a way, a sort of guarantee. They reason you can't find out what you want is because it doesn't exist. There are too many variables. For me - at a certain point I found people most similar to me - men, whose experiences seem vastly different from women. Then I looked for their YouTube videos, their starting weights, even their heights, frames, and asked about their fitness level in their life beforehand. THAT is what made the biggest difference. Someone who may have been a shut-in, zero physical activity for years, many health issues and tons of medications - it's not the same experience as the guys I finally found who fit my situation. BMI 35-45, moderately active, generally healthy, just frustratingly fat and being proactive before disaster really hits. It also helped to find some of those guys were gay (I am) and their before and after pictures were beyond inspiring.

9 days out No complications No pain No nausea No gas No constipation No dehydration You know what else? No sense of any restriction All foods small portion tested fine No inability to drink and eat at same time Gained weight No hunger adjustment, hungry just like before surgery Craving all foods, worse craving for sweets If it wasn't for the x ray of my surgery and 24 hours of pain I wouldn't have believed anything was done to me. I do NOT see anything like this experienced shared by anyone. I was maybe a bit low BMI to have surgery, but was stuck for years at 250, with healthy A1c3 and blood pressure because I lost 35 pounds before via diet and exercise. What the hell is happening to me! 5'8... 54 years old, 250 1 week prior to surgery, 245 on surgery day due to liquid diet, 239 today, 236 3 days ago, All responses welcome

I thought I explained how our bodies changing - processing vitamins and nutrients differently - can change as it did with me. My doctor told me that, and I read that vitamin deficiencies can make one more susceptible to this side effect, but it's not proven.

I am 2 months ish almost now and just wanted to say - my original post looks nuts right now and I want to remove it out of embarrassment - but perhaps someone will be helped by it. Everything is going great, and if I could find in my profile where I could post my progress of weight loss, I'd be happy to share that with you.

25 pounds lost, and i can't find in "my profile" where I can keep this updated, although I just added a photo

I'm only 2 months out, but I have a few things to contribute that I feel are appropriate. I stressed a lot over which surgery to have. BMI 40 at the highest. I wanted something reversible. I was scared. My mother had early bypass in the 90's and she suffers terribly now from mal-absorption, cant swallow important meds, can't eat. I got lucky with a rep for a travel surgery company over the phone who spent time with me discussing sleeve. Thank goodness she was insistent. I'm having an experience that seems not typical, but I am believing one thing from research and limited experience. Gastric sleeve makes the most logical sense as a concept when you break it down. Individuals vary but logically . . . It does not actually change the flow of the human body, or digestive system, it just keeps the natural flow, but reduces the pouch of your stomach size. It does not leave foreign objects like the band, port, etc in the body. Scarring is minimal, invasion is lower, recovery is faster. For me the recovery has been so fast it's almost unbelievable. It simply restricts you from overeating and presents you with a nauseous reminder to STOP, or SLOW DOWN constantly. Recovery seems to be the fastest for a general observation, Side effects for me have been nearly non-existent. I had a home made seltzer yesterday as an experiment (I do NOT call that "soda") and surprise, I did not die, explode, tear out my staples. Like all things in life, be smart, listen to your body. Seltzer provides an oral stimulation I enjoy within reason, and a squirt of some taste also can happen. Vitamin effectiveness is too early to gauge at 8 weeks, but at least taking those larger pill presents no problem like the eternal suffering my mother's radical bypass endures for 25 years, causing non adherence to vitamins, which then causes more problems. My anecdotal research tells me men have a vastly different easier experience when compared to women overall. ANECDOTAL. I'm just 2 months out, and of course years of a journey lie ahead. Oh by the way, I'm also HIV positive, 35 years healthy, never needed meds until proactive treatments started recently, and even those I have no problems with post surgery. Negatives I'm becoming aware of . . . you can find unhealthy high calorie foods that can slow or stop weight loss and slip by the restriction process. My personal example is Low Sugar Fudgesicles. I'm craving chocolate, I did not used to. I used to binge eat popsicles in general, now regular popsicles taste weird, but the sugar free chocolate products like Peppermint Patties, dark chocolate, in general also help because they have a laxative effect. I ate too many "Outshine' fruit low sugar popsicles last night watching Netflix (with no chill unfortunately) - and I vomited in my sleep, which strikes me as a bit potentially dangerous. I hope the negative reinforcement works. Tastes seem to change a bit. Cravings change. Whiskey/Scotch/Vodka tastes gross now unless it's an expensive super high quality bourbon. That may seem minor to you, but taste and craving changes can seem bizarre. I can sense a long term danger that mentally, I will "figure out" how to outsmart the surgery when I'm stressed and resorting to old eating behaviors and patterns. Last week I went to support a friend who is a cabaret theater singer, and there was pressure to order food and drink to keep the prime seating location we were in. I felt guilty for the waiter with me milking an appetizer and one drink for an hour and I pushed it ordering more food, and more alcohol, ill advised. I gained 2 pounds just from that stupid exercise. Thankfully avoided vomiting, but perhaps that would have been better mentally. My weight loss was so slow at first I was genuinely scared then angry. Then I resumed cardio exercises and teaching Zumba, which is twice as much exercise as just taking Zumba. Then the weight started falling off. Muscle tone is weird. I need to lift weights as I did when very overweight. It feels different. Hope this contributes and helps.

What is our range for calorie goals per day? Protein? carbs? (In grams if possible). Yes, I've researched it, but it's 99% women's answers, and I was a Mexico surgery guy with limited contact post surgery. My surgery was so physically successful I'm still kind of dazed. I'm eating most foods just fine 7 weeks out. 25 pounds. I miss watermelon, and that's not working. Weird for a fruit so inherently healthy. I crave chocolate more than before, and sugar free is good because it used to cause diarrhea, but now it's a lovely slight laxative, LOL.

Thanks to all men for sharing and congratulations

I am a watermelon fiend, and it fills me up fast, but it's mostly water (which helps) and I couldn't live without it.

This is why we have the surgery. To be blunt, to have physical discomfort as a mental process to think about what we put in our mouths. Nausea is a blessing, I threw up once because I was doing so well I slow sipped some Bourbon and water. It was too soon. I am also May 11, just like you. Being male, I constantly find our experiences differ from women a lot, and we generally have an easier time of the steps.

I was scheduled for band....and a weeks of solid research and a committed Rep at WLA, went with the sleeve instead. I'm doing great, and people are switching out due to problems. 2 of the 6 people on my day was doing the switch.

Same thing happened to me. Your entire body is in recovering mode, swelling from incisions, healing, retaining fluids. Then it drops off.

Every time a lie is repeated it's harder and harder to stop. Dr. Almanza did my surgery, and it was so expert, my recovery has been twice as fast as expected. The entire experience with him and his staff was top notch, I've lost 25 pounds since surgery day, and the staff still checks on me by phone. Yes, I read all the so-called horror stories, but I'm a bit of a research in-depth kind of guy.....and I traced a few stories to disgruntled ex-employees, and actual fake news stories. Why him? He does so many, and there may have been a period where he did too many surgeries a day....and I made my coordinators swear he was currently doing no more than 4-5 a day, and there were 2 surgeons. He comes off a bit confident....but surgeons generally are. Nurses, they were great. Hotel nurses, also great. My chief criticism? Drinking cheap children's apple juice boxes and otter pops after surgery is cost cutting too far. I was miserable until I walked to a store in Tijuana and found G2. I was fine a few hours later.

I am scheduled and finding myself in a panic over an issue that men here must have an opinion about. Anal sex after the sleeve recovery period. Long term changes to the entire way your digestive system works. I had lost 35 pounds through exercise and discipline, but hit a wall while still at a BMI of 38, stuck for 4 years. I'm not morbidly obese anymore, but definitely eligible with a 45 inch belly to prove it. Also had an umbilical cord hernia mesh fix when I was 22 and a dancer, now in my 50's. There's a vanity aspect to this because my doctor thinks I'm down to a safer range of numbers - and I've been HIV positive for 32 years and never ill - a real miracle. Being overweight really did mean confirming I was healthy as friends died around me. Now it's really a last chance to live a long life, and not die of obesity related illnesses like my entire family has. Might I have diarreah or uncontrollable gas or other lower intestinal problems that could affect my sex life?

Update: things have been very successful. Sometimes it's weird mixing constipation issues with watery.....whatever....and a growling stomach...but doing ok, and doing it a lot

Just an update.....it's 4 weeks, and things seem normal,now...whatever was going on at that point physically and psychologically was bizarre.

I am Bearguy. In the gay community, bears generally need to stick with specific types of crowds, clubs, social apps etc. A majority of the male gay community is not only looks and body obsessed, they tend to look past chubby and fat guys as anything other than fun fat friends. I use the expression "gay fat" from Will and Grace because the perception is true, and the non gay community, and my fitness instructor community, to them Im just a big guy. Through diet, spinning,and Zumba, I went from 280 to 228, then slowly crept back to 250 before my search for hernia mesh repair in my belly led me down the "sleeve" rabbit hole. I had no time for the torturous process insurance had to pay for surgery....I was 1 step from committing to an extortion level medical loan program....then I discovered the Mexico option...and had a 100% A+ experience I am willing to message about with anyone who needs information. I did trace two incidents ranted about on this forum to questionable sourcing, and that is related to what I do for a living. I am not typical, I think. I was a dancer nearly all my life, had quite a bit of potential for disciplined behavior, and lost over 30 pounds through giving up most sugar, corn syrup products, junk, all soda except home made seltzer and nearly all bread. I was petrified as it snuck back on from the stress of work. A male friend said they thought I was more ready for this than most because of the previous lifestyle. Every person who saw me was aghast...big negative reactions to me decision....."you aren't big enough", " you're just a big handsome bear type guy", but those people all consistently guess my weight at 10-20 pounds under reality. No one gets it right. My legs, calves, and butt are very muscular from cycling and dancing a lot. A lot. However, I have a nearly 50 inch sternum and belly measurement,, and only wear 42 pants because they sit underneath a belly that literally looks like a pregnancy on a man. Surgery was a rough 24 hours, and allergies gave me a horrible reaction in my eyes from the gas anesthesia , I was pretty much only seeing blurs for 18 hours until a cold compress relieved the intense pain. Make sure the seal on your gas mask is super tight so gas doesn't flow directly into your eyes. In a room with 3 men, which helped and leads me to share an important . My research of 100's stories and YouTube videos leads me to believe that men generally have a lot of different, and generally easier experiences at the surgery and subsequent weeks. It's not fair of course, but my anecdotal research was pretty consistent. I'm only 2 weeks out, I'm NO EXPERT, just sharing experience and thoughts. Nausea passed within 2 days, high blood pressure many days finally returned to a safe zone when home. Opinion: apple juice boxes, regular jello, PowerAde brand, and regular ice pops left me in a bad place for 24 hours until I found G2 in Mexico, real electrolytes, minimal sugar, and I felt better in 2 hours. Like miraculously better. No more sugary kids juices, or regular apple, grape, or regular cranberry. I had removed them from my life before, so didn't need them now. I am suspicious of how they are the first tests of eating. No vomiting, and I'm 2 weeks ahead of the curve stages of food. Everything that goes in my mouth as a test gets a tiny bite and a 15 minute wait and see. I took 5 years to reduce all red meat down to special treats only once a month. I'm Jewish and deli meat, real high quality Boars Head was always a weakness. Yesterday I tried 3 tiny turkey meatballs slow and had a little nausea that passed fast. Next controversy. I am able to take a small sip of water with food (cue collective gasp now), and hit protein and water goals easily. I got overconfident yesterday over the holiday and slowly drank watered down top shelf bourbon diluted in water. It was fine. Had another. Then, a little judgement impaired, I rationalized 1/3 cup chili, no beef, just bean. Promptly threw up while falling asleep first incident. It was stupid and I broke guidance rules as well as my own. Thankfully my fear of vomiting damaging me was overwrought, I am luckily fine. 2 week prep? I couldn't have done it. 4 days worked for me. Years of nutrition classes and psych evaluations I would have failed. I am bi-polar 2, and HIV+, never sick, 32 years, genetics beat it, so it's a miracle of sorts. I thought no doctor would touch me....you just have to be honest, no one batted an eye. Pre-PreP weight 253, today, 20 days later, 229.2 - it goes up and down every morning so trying not to obsess. Goal is 185, although as a wide chested son of a body builder, I'm confused what my goal should be. Chart for BMI says 165. My app for discipline is called "Lose It". It has my data stored for past 7 years. It scans barcodes and logs your food for you, you just pick portion...and it remembers it for you, and memorizes your previous meals and puts them up front. Next controversy: I have been vehemently against all Gastric bypasses since 1992 when my mom had it and subsequent skin surgeries. She now is in a nursing home suffering from such severe malabsorption and osteoporosis, she has broken over 9 bones and elbow major reconstructions. Her height is so many inches down I can't bear to ask how much she has lost. She can't swallow pills. She had the major re-routing, highly invasive early version and I've been angry a long time because where is the long term research? When we are older and needs change will we be ok? With new methods, I believe, finally, yes. My mom likely would have died like her sister who was so big she slept in a Lazy Boy chair and died in her sleep of cardiac arrest. This maybe was best. I started lower, so I expect a slower curve, but I'm stuck at the weight I weighed the longest in my life, my bodies comfort weight, 230. I will be patient. Final advice? A dab of sugar free whipped cream on jello, applesauce, pudding, or smoothie....it's heaven and I haven't seen it mentioned anywhere. I read that many people's boredom leads to trouble. Maybe that will help someone. Now the pics I have never let anyone see.

You, are awesome...thank you

If we were able to do weeks of healthy pre-op eating, we wouldn't need surgery. I did 2 days pre-op liquids. Great surgery, 3 weeks later, smooth, lumpy soups, and I had a piece of chicken yesterday. Tilapia the day before, a little nausea but it passed quickly. We each should listen to who we work with

Error, I'm 3 weeks out

I am 14 days out, and the lack of protein is worrisome in your post. Gatorade G2 electrolytes turned me around day 3, in terms of energy most of all. We are all so different from each other, and my early posts I am in a very bizarre state of mind ...there have to be some trial and error solutions....for instance...it was all about the apple juice in the beginning at the hospital , and my instincts about how unhealthy modern apple juice is made...I made my own decision to sub the Gatorade for it. I also don't like water without a squirt of something. I know underlying our fears on this sub group are problems with our bowels. I was terrified. The diarrhea for me meant SWITCHING THE ANTIBIOTIC. Cefalex is a disaster for me, it I can tolerate most others. The cefalaex was free so I was lazy to switch and it was a 4 day diarrhea disaster. I take a pill called "Pure" which is fiber and I was back to new normal in 3 days. Just some thoughts

I'm on smooth and slightly lumpy foods generally, but I have eaten a few Fiber One Protein bars...which no matter what anyone says - are just glorified junk food candy bars for the modern day, and I'm using the protein as an excuse to get to the chocolate. I wanted to protect my gall bladder and kidneys with cran juices and suck, but they are pretty much pure crap as listed in their nutrition guides, no proteins, all sugar and carbs. To reiterate....why should I not eat ahead of schedule...if a very tiny bit e of something new is always tested first....then waiting an hour to gauge any reaction? I don't mean eating insanely, just a week or two ahead of the chart. Also....this thing about drinking "small sips" or getting sick is completely lost on me. I'm not trying to win a chugging contest, but drinking normally is fine. I almost wish it wasn't, as it would reinforce to my brain the restriction concept. Without any negative reinforcement for my brain and body to change the way I ate before...the chance for total failure here seems pretty high. If I could have mentally handled eating rules, I wouldn't have needed surgery!