Life After the Sleeve

[ouroborous 519]

So I figured I'd post a (hopefully) short note on what my life is like about 5 months after my lap sleeve, for any prospective sleevers.

First, the bad news -- this is forever, and it's not a decision to be made lightly. This WILL affect the food choices you make for the rest of your life. It's probably the safest WLS surgery around (when you total up operative and perioperative risks, long-term success rates, M&M stats, and so on), but that doesn't mean it's risk- or hassle-free.

Now, let me soften the blow: it's really, really easy. Every day, I take some Multivitamins -- and I was taking Vitamins before the surgery, so this is no biggy. Every day, I drink a Protein Shake for Breakfast -- not because I have to, but because they're tasty and it's quick (I'm usually in a rush in the mornings) and that way I know I'm not getting Protein deficient. I have changed my eating habits dramatically -- I've slowed down my eating and drinking, and I don't eat breads any more for the most part, because I find that bread gets "stuck." It seemed like an imposition at first, but now I don't notice because I've sort of been trained. I don't even WANT bready stuff any more, and that's a HUGE change from my pre-op mentality (I was a HUGE fan of doughy, bready stuff).

I exercise, but I haven't been to a gym since my surgery, and I'm not sure I'm going to be. What I've discovered is that my activity level (or lack thereof) has NOTHING to do with my weight loss. Now, don't get me wrong -- I still do a fair amount of exercise, but that's because 1) it helps in so many OTHER ways -- I sleep better, I think better, my sex drive is better, and my occasional spells of anxiety or mild blues are pretty much gone when I'm exercising, and 2) now that I'm 70+ pounds lighter, exercise seems so EASY. I can easily run up three flights of stairs without getting winded! At 330 lbs, that would have (possibly literally) killed me! So, when exercise makes me feel so good and doesn't HURT like it used to -- why WOULDN'T I exercise? But again, my exercise "routine" consists of some push ups in the morning to keep my chest and shoulders from getting flabby, some arm curls while I'm sitting reading the news in the morning to keep my arms strong, and a 30-45 minute fitness walk at lunch every day. Honestly, it doesn't feel like I'm having to "work out" at all -- it's all so EASY -- and yet my stamina keeps going up, my arms and chest are getting very muscular. It almost feels like I'm "cheating" since there's so little work involved, but I wanted to show you that this is not like you're used to! You don't have to sweat for hours and hours in a stinky gym just to "maintain" -- post sleeve, you just have to do enough to be healthy, and honestly your body WILL reward you.

I still eat sweets -- just not very much. I still drink an occasional bottle of beer or (more likely) a mixed drink or two -- just not very much (volume or frequency). I still have days or whole weekends where I just lie around on the couch and do NOTHING at all -- no fitness walk, nothing -- and mostly munch on snack-y foods. It's not like I'm some slave to my sleeve.

And the net result of my hard, hard life? I've lost over 70 pounds with little to no effort. My weight loss shows no signs of slowing. My doctor is amazed how healthy I am at 40 -- my last blood test showed that ALL of my numbers were "within range." My sex drive -- which vanished in my 20's-30's when I was so fat -- has returned with a vengeance. My face looks much more lean and angular. My bones and muscles now show where fat used to bulge and roll out. I can easily walk over 5 miles without getting winded or sore, and could probably walk 10 miles or more -- in the right clothes and shoes, I think I could walk for days. I don't get tired. I'm already out of the "morbidly obese" category; I'm looking to be out of the "obese" category near the beginning of next year, and by the middle to end of next year -- if my weight loss progress holds steady at about 1-2 pounds per week on average -- I should be near or under 200 pounds. I started this at 330, and I haven't been under 250 in my adult life.

And all of this without any real deprivation, any really hard work (aside from meticulously following the doctor's orders), and any real cost aside from the up-front cost for the surgery.

So, I don't want to make you think this surgery is completely cost and risk free. Like everything in life -- especially everything worth having -- it has trade-offs and consequences. But as someone who has literally struggled with his weight his entire life -- 30 years, probably, and I'm only 40! -- I can tell you that this is the best medical decision I've ever made. I would do it again in a heartbeat. In fact, my only real regret is that I didn't get a chance to do this when I was, say, 20, instead of 40. But still, I'm so very glad I made this choice.

Hopefully that will help some folks who are on the fence realize just how "normal" life after sleeve is.

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,282]

Awesome post! It's folks like you who share your experiences with us and those thinking about being sleeved so great!

Thank you, and most especially CONGRATULATIONS on your awesome success with your sleeve!

[AutumnLily 77]

wow great update! Thank you for your personal experience. Makes me still believe that is this the right route for me.

Lily

[feedyoureye 3,087]

Ouroborous, Thanks for the overview of your experience. I look forward to hearing updates and haveing my own experiences soon. I hope some of you guys continue posting well past your attainment of a steady and "normal" life. Its so valuable to so many!

[DougNichols 124]

Thanks for the post man, gives me a lot of encouragement.

[M2G 1,836]

Congrats on your success, and thank you so much for your post!

I'm going to have my husband read this (he is due to be sleeved in Dec. hopefully!) and while I have found the time to exercise, he has not. He is currently working about 80-90 hours a week (not always, but just in the last 6 weeks due to a project getting ready to go-live) and getting in exercise is something that he cannot find the time for. (I work out at Curves, ladies only, and at 5:30am when the rest of the world is usually still asleep). So thanks again, your post is very inspiring!

[educationrulz 18]

I agree with you about life after the sleeve. At a little over 3 months out, it gets easier day by day. It was rough at first, make no mistake about that. But those who are coming after us can rest assured that it will get better. It's so much easier to make good food choices MOST of the time when you can only fit a small amount in. You just can't waste that space on junk on a regular basis or your body will let you know by running out of steam. I too treat myself to a cookie or a tiny piece of cake every now and then. It's so cool to be satisfied with just that. The best part is not waiting for the shoe to drop and the weight to come back on. This time I know I can keep it off.

[Maddie 9]

Great post!

[Fishnfool 0]

Thanks for a great post, Im being sleeved on Nov 2nd and and have been excited and scared about how im going to feel the first few weeks after surgery and how ill deal with it. Im also at the 330 range and having a italian and ukrainian heritage so breads and pastas, periogies are all around me. I have only told a couple people about this and lookin forward to hopfully posting a great story like yours!!!

Congrats on starting your Journey

Joe

[NikiS 31]

Thanks so much for posting such an awesome testimony and for being so transparent. Trade offs and consequences is right...but it'll be so worht it. I am looking forward to my new lifestyle change. Please continue to keep us updated. I look forward to reading more about your weight loss success. And congratulations on what you've achieved already. You rock!

Have a terrific weekend,

Niki

[Brooklyn732 7]

WOW!! What an inspirational post! As someone who is pre-op and was gung ho about the band and recently changed directions to the sleeve, you've just made me realize why that is the right thing for me. I've been kickin ass with my pre-op diet and I'm hoping to get sleeved in Dec. My high was 340 (in August of this year) and I weighed myself yesterday and I was sooo happy to see it say 298.6. I can't wait to be able to get down to 200 and be able to be more active. The stamina and energy are definitely areas I want to regain, though I still consider myself a stud in the bed (LOL)!!

Thanks again for the inspiration. I know this is the right thing for me.

What are your typical meals like? I am definitely a Protein shake in the morning kinda guy and I love greek yogurt. What do your dinners look like?

[thegeek 0]

So I figured I'd post a (hopefully) short note on what my life is like about 5 months after my lap sleeve, for any prospective sleevers.

Thanks for this post! I appreciate posts like this so that I can see where I might possibly be 5 months post-op!

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,282]

I am definitely a Protein shake in the morning kinda guy and I love greek yogurt. What do your dinners look like?

Then you will DEFINITELY do fantastic with this surgery!

[Brooklyn732 7]

Then you will DEFINITELY do fantastic with this surgery!

That's what I'm hoping! I hope now that I've gotten below 300, I will NEVER see it again!! No let me rephrase that...Now that I'm below 300, I KNOW I will never see it again!!

[TX.Geek 1]

Great post! Although I feel positive about my upcoming procedure, you have definitly helped me put the remaining nerves at ease.