male only Questions about Gastric Sleeve

[Pi Sano 6]

Hi everyone!

So I am 30 years old. I was fat my whole life. Around 23 I managed to lose 200lbs on my own. However my life changed since 22 and I managed to put it all back on. So I am going for the Gastric Sleeve Surgery in July (just about) I have some questions.

Okay so I will divide this into 2 sets. 1 Health related, and 2 Casual

1. I weigh 346lbs currently. And there is no way to predict for everyone but on an assumption. How much weigh will I expect to lose? And is it as rapid as I am reading?

2. How bad is the saggy skin afterwards? Is it mainly the stomach, or do you get the turkey neck (pardon me) as well?

3. Heard there is bad acid reflux after the surgery

(Set 2)
Ive talked to predominantly Women who have gotten this surgery. And they all tell me that after the surgery people treated them differently. They were suddenly an object of attraction. And to be careful because people who otherwise rejected them came out the wood work suddenly liking them. Is this true for men as well?

Does your Penis size grow?


I cannot deny the major reason behind this (which should be health as I am starting to develop high blood pressure, family history of diabeties and also diagnosed sleep Apnea) but the main reason is vanity. I am single and 30 and I want to meet a nice girl and get married and settle down. And unfortunately todays day and age for a fat guy it isn't in the cards, or the easiest game to play

Apologize for long read. Signed up just now to ask so figured get it all out there at once

Thank you!

[rodw 6]

I was 340 the day of surgery. Over the last 18 months I've lost about 120 pounds. Most of it in the first 9 months.

The skin really varies. I have some around my stomach and pannus. It's been almost two years and it's finally starting to shrink. I don't really have it anywhere else though the back of my upper arms are a little jiggly.

I have not had issues with acid reflux.

I have had lots of compliments from women but I wouldn't say any extra attention.

Your penis will not grow. However, as you lose weight and your circumference shrinks it will look bigger because it's not hiding in all the fat.

Best of luck with your surgery and follow all the after care instructions to the letter.

[silverthreads 183]

There are some online calculators that will give you a rough estimate, such as:

http://www.obesitycoverage.com/weight-loss-surgeries/gastric-sleeve/gastric-sleeves-how-much-weight-will-i-lose

They're based on averages of course -- about 60% of excess weight loss (one hopes this comes from clinical studies).

Given your age and gender I would think you're a prime candidate to beat that average. If I recall correctly men tend to lose a greater percentage on average (probably because they have more muscle mass). Also if you look at the typical ages on this board (I'm 58) I'll bet the average age is well beyond yours so you should have some metabolic advantage there too. (We grey-haired types don't make progress at the gym as fast as you do!). Just remember that first year is your time to shine, so make the most of it.

Enough of my speculation. I'll have my surgery the end of April and will try to keep up with you!

Best of luck.

[RickM 1,747]

Hi everyone!

So I am 30 years old. I was fat my whole life. Around 23 I managed to lose 200lbs on my own. However my life changed since 22 and I managed to put it all back on. So I am going for the Gastric Sleeve Surgery in July (just about) I have some questions.

Okay so I will divide this into 2 sets. 1 Health related, and 2 Casual

1. I weigh 346lbs currently. And there is no way to predict for everyone but on an assumption. How much weigh will I expect to lose? And is it as rapid as I am reading?

How much you lose is largely up to you, though surgeons' programs vary widely on their expectations, which can strongly influence your outcome - some expect and settle for the quoted average of 60% excess weight loss while others expect their patients to lose 100% - which practice do you expect has better overall results? Even if you are in one of the more pessimistic programs, you can still go beyond their recommendations and exceed their average results. Also, being young(er) and a guy tilts things in your favor on both amount of loss and speed. After losing 50 lb around 12 years ago and maintaining the loss for several years, I lost the remaining 100ish lb that I needed to lose with the sleeve in about 7 months; I could have done it somewhat quicker had I been interested in doing so.

2. How bad is the saggy skin afterwards? Is it mainly the stomach, or do you get the turkey neck (pardon me) as well?

Quite variable, depending upon age, genetics, weight history, how you hold your fat, and who know what other factors.

3. Heard there is bad acid reflux after the surgery

Another big variable. The sleeve has some predisposition towards this, like most any medical procedure or medication that will have some predisposition towards a negative side effect. The bypass generally considered to avoid this particular problem but at the cost of its own problems and limitations. We look at all the potential risks of the different options that we have (including doing nothing...) and make a choice.

As with other aspects of complex procedures such as this, the skill and experience of the surgeon can be a big factor - a poorly shaped sleeve as one may see from a surgeon new to the sleeve can exacerbate the problem.

(Set 2)

Ive talked to predominantly Women who have gotten this surgery. And they all tell me that after the surgery people treated them differently. They were suddenly an object of attraction. And to be careful because people who otherwise rejected them came out the wood work suddenly liking them. Is this true for men as well?

I can't say that I have noticed much of this, but then, being a guy, I'm probably less sensitive to such things (more clueless?) than the ladies are on average.

Does your Penis size grow?

Not really, though the fat pad around it shrinks, so more of your gentleman will be hanging around outside now (better locker room image...) which also means that there is more of him available to explore more deeply whatever he is inclined to explore.

I cannot deny the major reason behind this (which should be health as I am starting to develop high blood pressure, family history of diabeties and also diagnosed sleep Apnea) but the main reason is vanity. I am single and 30 and I want to meet a nice girl and get married and settle down. And unfortunately todays day and age for a fat guy it isn't in the cards, or the easiest game to play

There's no right or wrong reason for improving your health; overall, you are interested in improving your life as a whole. As we get older, mortality grabs more of our attention as we can see the significance of our health issues and see more of our peers leaving this world. It's never too early to get a handle on blood pressure, diabetes and other chronic diseases that come along with our weight. and the sleep apnea can sure get in the way of overnight dating!

Good luck on this venture,

[Dub 9,922]

You lost 200 lbs before on your own ?

I would expect you to match or exceed any prior weight loss efforts with wls. Furthermore, I feel that it will provide you with the tools needed to keep it off.

Excess skin amounts will be hard to predict. How bad was it when you dropped the 200? Don't worry about it. Lose the weight.....get down to where you want to be....then address the skin then. Have it removed and move on with your life. Done. Finished. Onto next fun?

Finding the woman you can connect with on many levels.......hells yes. That, sir, is relevant to my goals, too. It's what makes the world go 'round. It was when I was your age.....and I suspect it will be when I'm an old guy causing the halls of the nursing home.

My sleeve has been a most wonderful tool for me. I've experienced nothing but improvement in every aspect of my life since having it. There is no way for me to rank them in order of importance....as every single benefit that comes on the radar has it's own wonderful gifts, too. Some are simple capability enhancing benefits.....some are more emotional in nature. ALL ARE WELCOME CHANGES !!!!

You asked about the penis aspects. I'm going to be direct here. I'm a simple guy who takes great pleasures in life's base level endeavors. Sex and making love with the woman you share your life with.....a very big priority for me. Ranks somewhere up there with having a steady pulse and breathing easy. I remember having ACL & MCL surgery....waking up in hospital bed with cast from hip to toes......and groping and being groped by one of my nurses that night.....and having sex in my hospital bed the next day. That's how I've rolled all these years. A hopeless knuckle dragger who never misses an opportunity to smack the wife on her ass or back her up into a wall and lay a big smooch on her.

For the first time in my life, this capability was compromised last year. It damn near shut me down, son. I'd been getting treatment for some pulmonary issues....and then screwed up my back at an attempt to be He-Man and lift things that I had no bidness lifting. Never had back pain like this before. Shut me down. Couldn't even think about sex. Weeks....months pieced together......a drought like I've never experienced before or since. It was freaking miserable. Not the pain....sure that sucked outright.....but, the lack of ability to act on my desires....to satisfy her's....to be a damn man and act on it.

It was this lack of ability that cut through the haze and helped me see clearly.....the voice in my head screaming"Get yer shyt together, boss. Get it together right freaking now". Spine surgeon made strong bariatric recommendation....I left his office with a referral and I jumped squarely behind the idea and the rest is history. Good history. The best chapters are still being written.

At the moment.....the only thing that ever holds me up in the least in the bedroom is how my back may be doing that day. Even then it's simply that some moves are not wise....but other angles and positions are just fine. It's often tweaked from working too many hours on the job and still hitting the gym....not sleeping enough....doing stuff I should leave for others to do....etc. Even on the worse "bad-back" days I'm capable of great fun. In fact....THE greatest sexual moments of my life occurred recently on a "bad back" day. I kid you not. The day was filled with hours of the best feels this old dog has ever known......and the day ended with me almost unable to walk......yet fumbling his way into a situation where I was being propositioned by a good looking woman while I was minding my own bidness and nursing a well deserved celebratory drink in a busy bar. It began as an innocent conversation...a few laughs over the next hour and then....HELLO.....an invite was made. If I'd not been sitting there......all chilled out like a dog in the sun.....reflecting on the day's wonderment.....I may have taken on this gal from Manhattan's offer. She was mighty persistent...

The old landing gear is better now than when I was in college. Deploys better and can handle any runway with ease. Zero complaints from me or my co-pilot....

I wish you the best. The sleeve was the easiest of any of my surgeries to recover from. It was a nonevent. Pain was nonexistent. I'd have been back in the bedroom cardio action sooner if I'd not also had a umbilical hernia repair done with my VSG. As it was....I remember giving it over a week to heal before I test drove things. The hernia was an issue....but she was careful to work around it. Was back on my job after 3 weeks off.

I'd do it all over again in a skinny minute.

[Thucydides 250]

I completely agree with Dub's comments on the surgery, especially in terms of the impact that you lost so much weight previously. I lost about 200 lbs about 5-6 years ago without surgery and then managed to gain it all back again within a little more than a year. Now that I am losing weight again after the surgery, that prior experience has been helpful in teaching me that I can't get complacent. I have to consistently stick to the plan (focus on Protein, minimize carbs, consistent exercise) that the surgery has set me up to follow.

Where the surgery helps is that it has given me a tool that mix sticking to plan much easier for me to do now. I don't know if this is what you experienced when you last weight on your own, but everyday was a struggle to avoid temptation while I lost those 200 lbs. After the surgery, my temptation level is much, much lower. I won't say that it isn't there, but every day isn't the fight that it was when I lost the weight on my own. Now, rather than avoiding junk food because I was on a diet and looking forward to when I could have it again, the surgery has helped me develop a mindset where (1) my life does not revolve around food in the way that it once did and (2) I avoid junk food, not because I am denying myself it, but because I have just decided that I just don't eat those things anymore. Other things are more important to me now.

Best of luck with your surgery. This forum is an immense help. I have been able to get a lot of excellent information here.

[Pi Sano 6]

My worry is about the sagging skin under the Beck. I have a friend who is about 40-50 and he said he had to get a face lift after his surgery.

[BigTink2LilTink 723]

See my answers below in bold.

Hi everyone!

So I am 30 years old. I was fat my whole life. Around 23 I managed to lose 200lbs on my own. However my life changed since 22 and I managed to put it all back on. So I am going for the Gastric Sleeve Surgery in July (just about) I have some questions.

Okay so I will divide this into 2 sets. 1 Health related, and 2 Casual

1. I weigh 346lbs currently. And there is no way to predict for everyone but on an assumption. How much weigh will I expect to lose? And is it as rapid as I am reading?
How much you loose will depend on you, your dedication to working out and eating right, and moving to a more positive healthier way of living. From my own experience so far I've lost close to over 55/60% of my excessive body weight in roughly 16 months. From 463lbs on surgery day to now right at around 253lbs today.

2. How bad is the saggy skin afterwards? Is it mainly the stomach, or do you get the turkey neck (pardon me) as well?
I think that genetics play a huge role in this as well as what you do as far as working out, exercise, and dieting. For me when I was heavy most of my body weight was really in my stomach/abdomen area and upper legs (thighs/gluts). I have slightly sagging in my triceps, butt, lower stomach area, and inner thigh area. I think that me wearing a ton of compression garments early on help with controlling the amount of loose skin and sagging. I would totally recommend anyone going through this to start wearing compression stuff very early on. Getting that blood to flow through the skin like that helps promote healthy skin, and keeps you warm. Trust me, you will need the warmth. I don't have Turkey neck, but even when I was huge I never really had a wide neck/face, so I am fortunate to not have to suffer from the "turkey neck" that you speak of.

3. Heard there is bad acid reflux after the surgery
I never suffered from acid reflux post surgery. I did have some issues with bloating early on, which had me on GasX for a few months. I then switched to taking a papaya enzyme and that has helped control my bloating issues big time.

(Set 2)
Ive talked to predominantly Women who have gotten this surgery. And they all tell me that after the surgery people treated them differently. They were suddenly an object of attraction. And to be careful because people who otherwise rejected them came out the wood work suddenly liking them. Is this true for men as well?

Before I had surgery I never really had issues in attracting women. I guess my confidence and personality helped in that area where my physical features sorta lacked at. But I can tell you that after the weight started coming off I have been getting approached a lot more frequently from women vs before where I was the one doing the approaching. Its a fun new experience for me, and I would be totally lying if I said that I didn't enjoy the extra attention I'm getting from ladies now.

Does your Penis size grow?
No. Sorry but your penis doesn't grow...per say. What happens is that you have less body to obscure it from being its true mighty self. With the fat around the belly, pelvic region shrinking away, you'll see more of it that you couldn't see before due to the fat. Now for me and this is only for me, I was always self conscious about "the member". Always thinking that it was small and me not living up to the "brotha" standards of penis size. I waited a full year after the surgery to have my girlfriend measure me down there just to have her confirm that I was well well above average and had nothing to worry about. And besides its not how long your garden hose is, its how affective you can Water the lawn with what you've got.


I cannot deny the major reason behind this (which should be health as I am starting to develop high blood pressure, family history of diabeties and also diagnosed sleep Apnea) but the main reason is vanity. I am single and 30 and I want to meet a nice girl and get married and settle down. And unfortunately todays day and age for a fat guy it isn't in the cards, or the easiest game to play
I can tell you that as the weight comes off and you start to see yourself differently you will get some confidence boosters in there to help. Its alright to have a slight bit of self vanity, but remember this. Not all thing that are pretty are worth keeping. You want someone that's going to compliment all aspects of your life, not just an section here or there. I'll tell anyone in a heartbeat that if I had to choose I would take a penny that had my back and met all of my relationship needs and desires over a selfish self-centered dime in a heartbeat.

Apologize for long read. Signed up just now to ask so figured get it all out there at once
No need to apologize. This form is hear to help people. I hope that my answers have been somewhat helpful to you and maybe others out there that may have the same questions and concerns that you have. Good luck to you on your journey.

Thank you!