ouroborous

I got one of every class to 80 (and got many of them epic/raid gear), then got bored and quit. Now I'm addicted to LotRO, but I'm also finding that my newfound energy due to weight loss is pulling me outside a lot more! I used to play mostly PVE on Baelgun. Look up Drhfuhruhurr (80 Warlock) sometime. When Cataclysm comes out, I may reactivate my accounts long enough to bring my 80 Pally (my favorite) to 85...

Yeah I've kinda given up on beer, which is sad because it was one of my first true loves. However, that love left a mark on me -- a big ole beer belly! From now on, when I'm clear for booze, I'm a vodka collins man!

Also I've noticed since I've lost 30+ lbs that what I have is, um, firmer. Extremely so. The word "granite" comes to mind. If this is a shadow of things to come, I am seriously loving it.

Good god, if that's true, I'll be godlike... er, I'll shut up now. :tongue2: Honestly, I'll be happy for ANYTHING. Like I mentioned, it's been so long since I felt like a man, that any little bit (hehe) will make me happy as a teenaged boy.

I think that the only thing that I didn't like about VSG from a "man perspective" is that we can't do "typical man things" like eat a giant cheeseburger followed by a huge mug of beer. But really? In the big picture? I'll take being seen as a "dainty eater" with a smokin hot bod, compared to a "big, manly eater" with a giant beer gut and poor health and stamina, any day.

Hah, that's pretty impressive. I think people are fooled by labeling more than we all want to admit. Put some stock photos of fit, smiling, happy people on the bottle and hey -- it must be good for you, right? I especially love bottled Water. There have been numerous stories showing that, of the few bottled waters that aren't simply bottled tap water, many of them are much more dangerous than tap water -- tap water is required to undergo rigorous testing for contaminants, usually on a daily basis. Bottled water is required to do it once a month or so, if ever. You're simply better off drinking tap water. And your wallet will love you!

There's still quite a cultural stigma against men caring about their appearance (and even though it shouldn't be, weight is still considered more of a cosmetic than medical issue). I think that's starting to change, though. I'm seeing more and more (straight) men wanting to take care of their bodies and their appearance. I bet that as that trend continues, we'll see more men not just willing to get WLS, but also to talk about it. But I know what you're saying, wealthyminds -- whenever I go into the chat room I feel like I'm drowning in a sea of estrogen :tongue2:

:tongue2: I've never had much luck with exercise helping me lose weight. What it DOES do, however, is help everything else! I feel better, sleep better, have a better mood. I lose inches and gain muscle. I look better, my clothes fit better, I'm healthier, I get sick less. So while I will probably lose more weight due to the VSG itself, I can't imagine doing this without exercise. Why on earth would I want to go from a fat, doughy, flabby body to a skinny, doughy, flabby body? Lean and trim, all the way!

Hey, don't feel bad. I'm a GUY and I'm eying things like chemical peels and tummy tucks. We guys are not supposed to care what we look like, right? My opinion is: better living through chemistry, baby. I mean, hey, we all had surgery instead of losing weight the "natural" way, right? Riiiight? So, why not just go whole hog and get everything you want fixed up, fixed up?

When my girlfriend injured her shoulder and hip in a side collision many years ago, she was able to get referred to some physical therapy where they used infrared heaters to do deep-tissue heat, and some heavy-duty massage on the hurty areas. It took a while, but it eventually resolved completely. On the shoulder, I think she DID have to have a cortisone shot, but she said that that almost overnight made most of the shoulder pain go away. Bottom line (heheh) I definitely think it's worth talking to your primary care doctor about it.

Sorry, I didn't mean to harsh on your doctor, and if he/she helps you, go for it. But I have to be honest that I think the entire chiropractic profession is just a big ball of rampant quackery designed to convince people with the normal aches, pains, sprains, and pulled muscles that we all get that their chi is out of balance, their chakras are unaligned, and that there's some other New Age reason that you have to sign up today for a long course of $100 treatments. There have been numerous studies debunking pretty much the entire profession (aside from the few tiny points that seem to have some scientific validity) and showing that a good massage is as beneficial (and way cheaper) than expensive chiropractic treatment, but I guess the bottom line is that people in pain will cling to any straw. *whew* I'm glad I got THAT out of my system :biggrin2: I hadn't really considered Tiffykins point -- skinnier butts may have less padding. Maybe a simple pillow on your chair at work (where most of us sit most of the time)? Also, consider an ergonomic evaluation, if your company offers it. When I worked at Microsoft, it was a standard benefit, and I found that just by having an "expert" adjust the height of my desk and my chair, a whole bunch of long-running, mysterious shoulder and arm pain disappeared in very short order!

Hmm, I did some research and couldn't find ANYTHING about the piriformis muscle having problems after rapid WL, or about sciatica after WL. In fact, WL is supposed to IMPROVE both of these conditions. Not to be blunt, but are you sure your chiro isn't spinning a line in order to drum up more business? Perhaps... a second opinion (from, ahem, a real doctor, not a chiropractor)?

Congratulations on the weight loss! I don't know anything about the muscle issues, but now I'm curious and need to research it :biggrin2:

It's kind of an eye-opener, eh? I was in the same boat when I discovered I was only supposed to be eating 600-800 calories per day after the sleeve (honestly, I don't feel almost any restriction on mushy/slushy foods, so I could have done 1200-1400 calories per day, easy!) Now I'm eating about 800 cals/day, and as long as I choose protein-dense foods over other stuff, my carbs stay right around 60. This works out okay as I've mostly been craving meaty, salty, savory stuff -- not sweets or bready stuff.

Congratulations, brother! That's an amazing victory!

One of the things that finally pushed me over the edge into deciding for the surgery was hearing someone who'd had it say they felt "younger than they ever had." Partially because I've been obese my whole life, I've always felt old, even in my 20's! It's a state of mind, and I wouldn't mind the opposite state of mind. I don't mind getting older (well, I can handle it, anyway!). What I DO mind is the feeling that something like obesity is literally and figuratively stealing the best years of my life from me!

Yeah, my 40th is coming up in a few weeks, and getting down to 275 or so would be SUCH a nice birthday present (hint, hint, body!)

Well, I'm not under 300 yet (durnit!), but for my height my current BMI is just a tad under 40 for the first time in a long time. Which means... I'm no longer morbidly obese! I'm "just" obese! Hey, it's the little things, right?

If you're not already, I highly, highly recommend weighing yourself weekly, not daily. I know that when we're hoping for rapid weight loss, the scale can be addictive, but it's bad-addictive (like a gambling addict and a slot machine, hoping for that payout!) not good-addictive (like exercise or something). If you're already weighing weekly or less frequently, never mind. But if not, weigh less often and focus on something else. That way you won't get as stressed out by the normal day-to-day fluctuations in weight. And also, do what Tiffykins suggested and take measurements. Sometimes we can lose inches even if we don't lose pounds.

Helen, I'm very sorry to hear that you've gone through this. I've heard similar things from WLS patients, some become so sensitive to alcohol that one or two drinks can cause them to become "blackout drunk." I was advised to not drink anything for 6 months after surgery, and even then be very, very careful what I drink. It's sad, because my 40th birthday is in three weeks, and it would have been the perfect occasion to raise a beer in celebration. But honestly, I'll take being fit and healthy over having a few beers, any day.

Rogaine should only work for androgenic alopecia (too much of a testosterone byproduct called DHT). It's rare that it should work for women at all (except for some with hormonal imbalances). I would doubt that it would be effective on telogen effluvium (the post-operative hair loss that's so common) at all. But who knows, if it helps you, great!

Good to know. I'm (obviously) going to avoid beer for a long, long time, and probably all alcohol for a good six months or so, but it's nice to know that there will be SOME "adult recreational activities" available to me!

Interesting. I wonder why with the red wines. I was sort of planning to become a "glass of red wine in the evening" guy, once I'm cleared for it (since my beloved beer is a thing of the past).

meat is apparently one of the harder things to get down, so be patient. I don't know this firsthand (I'm only 2.5 weeks out), but that's what I've heard. As to the ticker, you need to use BBCode, not HTML in your signature. On the TickerFactory page, there should be a BBCode version.

Also -- Tiffykins and I disagree vigorously on this, but... you absolutely can get dumping with the sleeve. It's caused by something different (fast transit time), but the effect is the same. My surgeon specifically told me that a percentage of sleevers get dumping syndrome, and I trust him. Ask your doctor!