Six Month Update (longish)

 Six months have passed since my surgery.  One year since I started to seriously take control of my health and lose the weight.

Let’s do the facts.  

Highest weight was 420 pounds.  I was 375 on the day of the surgery.  I am currently 278.  The reason that sparked the entire weight loss was my high blood pressure, which is now in the normal range.   So, there is already a huge success.  (Wait, I lost 142 pounds in year . . . that’s a AMAZING success.)  My goal is 220, so 58 pounds to go.   I am so much more healthy, have a great energy and the compliments, hell, the compliments keep flowing in.  (in my business, I work with a lot of the same people over and over, but sometimes six months or a year a part, and having people just sort of gush over you is amazing.  I am pretty sure I will get sick of it after awhile, but right now, it makes my day.)

My BMI is 37.7, down from 57.

I surprised my mother for Christmas (she was not expecting me at all) in a public location (in front of Disneyland), and she had

My relationship with food has completely changed.  I did develop a gluten intolerance post-surgery, so, I have totally reshaped how I have eaten – thank goodness for rice pasta. I also had trouble early on with beef, pork and chicken – and recently tried a little meat recently, and it still did not sit well.  Pretty much, I am a Pectatarian, and only eating fish and tofu for protein – as well as 80g of protein from protein shakes.  (I love Sushi – although oddly, rice has been a huge problem for me – so just the Sashimi.)  Huge treat for me – sugar free popsicles.  I am addicted. 

I do snack too much.  (granted now it’s lite popcorn or soy snacks, sugar free popsicles.)

Surprisingly, there have been so many things that have come easy for me.  Cutting soda out of my diet has been really easy.  And, with the gluten thing, things like donuts, bagels, and a lot of other snacky type foods and desserts are really easy to skip – my big joke at work is if I am having a bad day, I ask someone to bring me a bagel to put me out of my misery – I am pretty sure if I ate a whole bagel it would do me in.  (Today, for example I sat next to a box of donuts and wasn’t even tempted.)

I was doing well at the gym, but given my starting a new show at work, my schedule is wonky, so I have missed going to the gym for the past two weeks, but should get back onto schedule by this weekend. 

I am still addicted to weighing myself.  Every morning I get up, feed the dogs, go to the bathroom, let the dogs out, weigh myself, let the dogs in, given them a treat and take my pills.  (It’s a whole morning thing.)  I am torn about the whole weighing myself every day versus every week – but what I like about weighing myself everyday is it sorts of takes the stigma out of.  The week I gained 2 pounds, I was able to understand why I gained.  I don’t know.  I went from being embarrassed, afraid – and on some scales, unable to weigh myself.  Now, I am piece at that.

I can cross my legs.

I went on something like 13 roller coasters at Six Flags.  When I was in college, almost 16 years ago, I was too big for most of them.

I have gone from a 60/58 waist to 44/46 waist.

I have gone from a 4xl shirt to a 1x or 1xl shirt.  (I can buy shirts from Target or, even more important, Costco.)

The weight loss has improved my love life in so many ways.  I feel sexy.  And as I have said before, I’d do me.

I look ten years younger.  (Although I am turning gray . . . )

Some of the down side . . .

 

 

I miss Pizza. 

 

The gluten intolerance sucks.

 

 

Although I look great in clothes, the sagging skin makes me look not so good naked.  (Although my partner Mark is absolutely fantastic about being supportive and loving.)  When he went in for some surgery before mine through a cosmetic surgeon, we talked about the possibility of the cosmetic surgery for me.  I think once I get to maintenance and sustain a weight, I am definitely going to look seriously into this.  (It would be a nice Christmas gift from Mom and Dad).

 

 

 

 

One of the things I find very odd, is that, besides this livejournal site, and an occasional OH drop in, I don’t have a support group of people who have surgery.  In fact, since the two days after the operation, I have not met anyone who has the surgery.  (Now, a lot of people come to me and say, “Oh, I had a friend who . . .". ) I know by going out of the country, I was going to lose that sort of built in support group that comes with some doctors.  So, at sometimes, I feel isolated and alone.  My primary care physician is a little at loss – I am her first patient who ever have the surgery.  (But, I am tremendously thankful for this group).

 

 

 

 

Regrets . . .

 

 

 

 

Like so many people I regret not doing this earlier.  (Although I know I wasn’t mentally ready before . . . I did it at the right time for me.)

 

 

 

 

I regret not having a primary care physician that knows more about post-operative care. 

 

 

 

 

Here’s to the next six months!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wow, Matthew, I recall your earlier avatar and you look fantastic (I think as a WLSer myself I can say this without it being a criticism of your earlier avatar!)!  It was so pleasant to read your update!  Congratulations!

/Steve

You've had a strange but good journey so far.  Strange due to the gluten problem but good due to the weight loss and your acceptance of your bodily changes.  Please continue to post here as all the success stories we here are helpful for both new post-ops and provide hope for pre-ops.  Know that we care about you as a man and to  your experiences regarding your health and WLS.

You can get a lot of support here.  By the way, in your post following the mention of your change in BMI and meeting your mother for Christmas at Disney, what did she have?  it was omitted from your post.  Bob

 I wonder what caused the gluten intolerance? Way to go, though that's fantastic. I can eat anything and it doesn't really bother me. Except for fried foods. The only fried food I can eat a small amount of is french fries but that's not often at all because it sits really heavily on me b/c of the grease. But I do well with most anything else, though including ice cream (up to just a few ounces, nowhere near a whole cup really). Oh, and whole milk does me in haha. I can, and do often, drink skim milk but the other milks don't sit well. But anyway, good job!

 I avoid fried foods as well . . . a couple of fries  do me in.

The gluten intolerance, from my research, is not an uncommon side effect from the surgery . . . apparently when i reshuffled everything inside, I have bypassed part of the of the tract that easily digested the gluten, and what is left, in me, doesn't really like it.  

Congrats on a very successful 6 months, I hope the next 6 are equally as good to you.

Scott

Thank you for sharing. This is a great story. I still cannot tolerate rice or pasta. I have no problem with bread although anything really dense bothers me still.

That was a neat trick to play on your Mom.

Oh and just wait until people start asking you if you are sick etc. That is always good. Oh and the you are too skinny - lol

 

I long for that one.

Congrats to ya! You're doing great - keep up the good work.

Wow Matthew, that is great.  Remember me?  I had surgery around the same day you did and my numbers are about the same.  I was 386 the day of surgery, now around 271. We did some messages around the time of the surgeries.

 I agree with lots of what you said.  Clothes not fitting is a drag-- I look forward to getting to  a stable weight and wardrobe.  As for my health I am almost off all the diabetes meds, everthing is good.  I am doing pretty regular trips to Africa, no problems there, in fact everything is easier.  

My partner and I are sharing a trainer at the gym and maybe it's helping.  Anyway it gets me there. 

I can also cross my waist!

Hope to stay in touch!

Nathan from Oak Park, IL