xpost: One year post op with pictures.

Terry H.
on 10/12/12 12:24 pm

One year down. A year in a life amounts to about 1.3% of the average expectancy. In the last year since surgery 10/10/2011 I’ve lost 80% of my excess weight. 151 pounds gone. With the 51 I lost before surgery this puts me over the 200 lost line and 48% of my total body weight. I have to let that sink in sometimes. Half of me is gone. The last time I weighed this amount was in 1980 when I was 18. That’s 64% of my life ago. I’m well on my way to the weight I last saw when I was in junior high school on my way up. At this point, I see no reason I shouldn’t make it.

What do all these numbers really mean? Well, for one, I feel young. So much more life than I’ve had for so many years. For another for the first time one of the in a long time I feel like I’m just a regular guy. Overweight? Sure. Older? Sure. But more like a young 51 rather than an ancient 50. And I’m heading in the right weight direction and in control. Perhaps like never before in my entire life. Every aspect of my world is better; especially my relationship with my wife. She loves me and supports me and I feel like a better man for her.

How about health? Diabetes – Gone. Blood pressure - soon to be totally off drugs (already down to ¼ of my old dose. Gout – seems to be gone (I’ve gone off allopurinol). Endurance – way up.

Some more numbers since surgery: 5x shirts to medium/large. Size 62 pants to size 38 (even fit into a size 36 but too tight to claim it for a while); 9 SCUBA dives in the last six weeks for the first time since 1993.

Nothing comes free though right? I mean, I can’t eat unlimited quantities. I can’t sit comfortably for 16 hours a day. I have to be diligent about what I eat. I have a lot of excess skin. When I start to feel sorry for myself (and I sometimes do for fleeting moments) I just DO something, or review my progress, or plan for my next adventure. How freaking cool is that.

I have learned that being with my friends is not just about great food (although I still go out and enjoy great food within my self imposed parameters). My new normal almost always feels OK. I also have new friends that I’ve met here and at my support group. That’s cool. I’m also planning more activities like learning to sail, riding horses, and mountain hiking. Lots to do and I can do it now or very soon. So much more hope and so many more possibilities.

I can’t wait to see what year 2 brings. What a great journey this has been.

HW 420 SW 369 Pre-Op -51 lbs; M1-19;M2-15;M3-14;M4 -14;M5-13; M6- 14;M7-14;M8-10;M9-11;M10-11;M11-9;M12-7;M13-7;M14-5; M15-7; M16-8. M17-3. M18-6; M19-5. Goal of 200 (220 Lost) Reached Month 15. Goal of 180 (240 lost) reached at 18 months 10 days on 4/.20/13. 57% body weight lost@180. Now on maintenance. Low weight 169.

Beyond Goal

(deactivated member)
on 10/12/12 12:28 pm - Greater Austin Area

VSG on 02/03/12

Wow congratulations! It's a hell of a ride, ain't it?

Terry H.
on 10/12/12 12:36 pm

VSG on 10/10/11

Oh yeah. More than I ever could have imagined. Its going to take me a while for my head to catch up. And that's a great thing.

HW 420 SW 369 Pre-Op -51 lbs; M1-19;M2-15;M3-14;M4 -14;M5-13; M6- 14;M7-14;M8-10;M9-11;M10-11;M11-9;M12-7;M13-7;M14-5; M15-7; M16-8. M17-3. M18-6; M19-5. Goal of 200 (220 Lost) Reached Month 15. Goal of 180 (240 lost) reached at 18 months 10 days on 4/.20/13. 57% body weight lost@180. Now on maintenance. Low weight 169.

Beyond Goal

happyteacher
on 10/12/12 12:31 pm

VSG on 12/19/11

Wow, tremendous difference! Love your post- I adore numbers and your sprinkling of them in there made me laugh (in a good way!).

Surgeon: Chengelis Surgery on 12/19/2011 A little less carb eating compared to my weight loss phase loose sleever here!

1Mo: -21 2Mo: -16 3Mo: -12 4MO - 13 5MO: -11 6MO: -10 7MO: -10.3 8MO: -6 Goal in 8 months 4 days!! 6' 2'' EWL 103% Starting size 28 or 4x (tight) now size 12 or large, shoe size 12 w to 10.5 150+ pounds lost

Join the Instant Pot Pressure Cooker group for recipes and tips! Click here to join!

Terry H.
on 10/12/12 12:37 pm

VSG on 10/10/11

Thanks Happy. I have a lot more numbers too. So much fun to see the progress.

HW 420 SW 369 Pre-Op -51 lbs; M1-19;M2-15;M3-14;M4 -14;M5-13; M6- 14;M7-14;M8-10;M9-11;M10-11;M11-9;M12-7;M13-7;M14-5; M15-7; M16-8. M17-3. M18-6; M19-5. Goal of 200 (220 Lost) Reached Month 15. Goal of 180 (240 lost) reached at 18 months 10 days on 4/.20/13. 57% body weight lost@180. Now on maintenance. Low weight 169.

Beyond Goal

Nadurra Deb
on 10/12/12 12:48 pm - CO

VSG on 08/06/12

Amazing! Thanks for sharing your story. It is helpful to me. I have just started my journey. I'm just over 2 months out. And though I have really good things happening to my body, my brain is a little lost trying to find my new normal. I suppose once I find that new normal, my body will change again and confuse me for a bit yet again. I don't regret having the surgery at all. I knew that there might be some bad stuff that I have to deal with before getting to the good stuff.

It helps me to hear about those that are 1 year and more out of surgery and really able to embrace life. And it is good to hear that can happen at 51 just as well as it does at younger ages. I'm 46 and I plan to make 50 be the new 30 for me! I haven't seen my goal weight since before I was married. And I've been married for 23 years...that's a long time! Right now it's hard to believe it is even possible, but because of stories like yours, I can dare to dream that dream! If you can do it and she can do it and he can do it, I can do it too. I'm going to get wrinkled and saggy anyway as I age. I'm looking forward to being skinny and energetic and wrinkled and saggy, not fat and unhealthy and tired and wrinkled and saggy.

I'm so happy for you finding your new normal and living life. High five to you for making that happen!

Debbie

YouTube WLS Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/NadurraDeb

frisco
on 10/12/12 1:15 pm

VSG on 09/30/09

Woot Woot !!!!

So Great !!!

Doin it !!!!

frisco

SW 338lbs. GW 175lbs. Goal in 11 months. CW 148lbs. WL 190lbs.

      " To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art "

   VSG Maintenance Group Forum
   http://www.obesityhelp.com/group/VSGM/discussion/

CAFE FRISCO at LapSF.com

Dr. Paul Cirangle

jennydemerice
on 10/12/12 1:16 pm - Gonzales, LA

You have done AMAZING!!! Keep up the good work!

Jenn

slimpickins5280
on 10/12/12 2:13 pm - CO

I'm really fricking tired and I've had to write this a few times, but I just wanted to say congrats. You've done fantastic.

Love that the Diabetes is gone. Awesome.

VSG 10/18/11 If you don't like the road you're walking, start paving another one.-Dolly Parton

Lisa1023
on 10/12/12 2:18 pm

VSG on 03/05/13

Congrats and happy anniversary, what amazing photos. Your back must thank you more than anything else. You've done your health a lot of good. I'm happy for you.

xpost: One year post op with pictures.

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xpost: One year post op with pictures.