mattman

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Hi all,

It’s been a long time since I’ve dropped in and stumbled across the site while researching ways to get off anti-acid medication and felt guilty that I haven’t dropped in here after all the support and encouragement when I went on my journey.

In summary I went from 140kg (300 pounds) to 75kg (165 pounds) and now sitting around 90kg.  Ideally I’d like to drop 10kg but I’m just not fussed about it.

My biggest bug bear is that I’m still on anti-acid medication though I’m trying to wean myself off.  Cold turkey doesn’t work… after about 3 days it’s seriously painful.  So after lots of research I’m trying a herbal tea 3 times a day based on Meadowsweet, Apple Cider Vinegar and honey.  I'm really not into "herbal cures" but after two days and things seemed surprisingly good, will see how it goes over the weeks ahead.

My blood tests show my liver is not sorted, but regularly come up low on D and B12.  Easily addressed with a needle and tablets a couple of times a year.

Oh and I did end up having plastic surgery to remove the excess skin on my stomach simply because it was annoying during energetic sports like Karate etc.

My life is radically different, I have energy to burn and love paragliding and paramotoring, riding my bicycle and getting out and about.  I’m up before the wife and kids and generally run them into the ground for activities.. lol

Matt

Well its been a pretty amazing time really.

My weight is now around the 74-75Kg  (163 - 166 pounds)  I must admit its difficult for me to keep the weight on now... if I go away on a paragliding trip I need to snack continuously otherwise I come back even lighter.

My health is excellent, I'm still on the anti acid meds and daily multi.. and every month or two a B12 injection.

I do need to slow down with the drinking... sheeez.. my new sport has a big drinking culture...  Having said that I really only drink 6 beers in a night and the brilliant part is I don't get hang overs... NICE.

There is some excess skin, but its not causing any issues and I'm not inclined to spend the money on plastics and besides surgery and I don't really get along...

The only thing I miss is the muscles...  I used to be able to dead lift a 50Kg barrel up onto a table.. now days no chance.   Tried gym and hated it... yeck.. felt like a hamster.

So this is the new me... and its just fine... 

Matt

So I started my journey having to visit "special shops" to buy my clothes...

Well......

On the weekend I needed some new jeans having shrunk out of my last pair and tired of my wife commenting on my saggy jeans....    Well apparently many of the shops don't stock size 82....

ARRRGGHHHHHHHH

So I'm stuck with "trendy" teenage jeans...  I just want some basic stone wash... not torn, written on graffitied or with a million buckles...

lol...  the irony is not lost on me...

Matt

Nope... can't do it. 

I'm seeing lots of people posting about how difficult it is the first week or two after surgery.. and I'm stunned...  (and I'm not picking on any individuals)

Do some people really believe this is going to be EASY...???   This is major surgery and I can't comprehend anyone doing it unless they had exhausted every other option.

Yes after a 2-4 weeks things to massively improve.. but even a year out I still can't finish a Mc Happy meal...

I'm actually really glad my surgeon put me through 3 weeks of liquid pre-op diet.. not only did it shrink my liver making the surgery easier it also prepared me for the post op lack of food thing.

Seriously, expect that you are going to have to go through a lot... don't do it on a whim.. if you happen to be one of the lucky ones then your in front.  But do expect the recovery to be very mentally challenging, consider some councilling so your completely ready to deal with it.

Matt

Well, hello all,

It's my first anniversary... and I figured that I should wrap up the last year and post.

I had some challenges with surgery, woke up with chronic hiccups and then ended up being diagnosed with a stricture that was resolved in the 3rd week with an endoscopy.  So rough start really, in and out of hospital and stuck on a drip to ensure I didn't dehydrate.   Have to say the surgeon was excellent through this and the moral support from this board was incredible.

Well after the rough start things have gone pretty darn well... 

I've managed to fall into a few traps;
  Constipation so bad it was like passing a house brick.. YOUCH...  now under control with a mix of pear / prune juice, coffee and fibre.
  Malnutrition...  not good when you let your diet get so bad that you hit this... geez  anyway back on track.
  Eating to fast and throwing up..  still make the mistake couple months .. DOH..!

So how is my life now...  in a word incredible..!
  Buying clothes in normal stores.
  Fitting in airplane seats
  Fitness to burn, no worries running up stairs, no more puffing from walking
  I got wolf whistled at by a group of girls driving past...!  First time ever  :-)
  The liver troubles I had which the Dr had given me a few years before I was in seriously trouble.. ie dead is now completely resolved.

I now pursue my passion which is paragliding every spare moment and regularly hike up the hill with the 50 pound back pack... life is INCREDIBLE...!

Thanks to everyone here, I'd like to single out a bunch of you but am scared I'll miss someone.. so I wont...

Oh new photo's on my profile..!

Matt

Well that was just amazing...

First thing I need to do is update my passport.. every single person who looked at my photo just stared at me...  thank god I had a drivers license which was half way through the loss so they could see a change.   Man it was funny...

I LOVED the food.. ohhh the flavours were brilliant.. and finally found a place where not eating everything isn't an issue... in fact it was a huge complement...   In Vietnam a host should provide more food that you can eat to be polite... and well.. with me its pretty easy these days.  

It was interesting that the heat and humidity didn't bother me at all...  previously I used to almost pass out... these days no worries at all.

What an incredible trip... 

Matt

The kids are being dropped off with the in-laws and my wife and I are heading to Singapore and Vietnam...!

So you won't be seeing me online until the 6th of May....   just not sure if the internet is going to survive without me.. 

Really looking forward to the trip, brought along an extra bag for all the clothes I intend to buy... gotta love tailor made clothes... 

Cya all in a few weeks.

Matt

Well,  I figured like most VSGer's I was low on B12 and decided to look into injections as apparently oral doesn't work well for us and nasal.. well... eeewwwww

So the shot is about $5... but the Dr wants to charge me $55 to do it....

I don't think so....!!!   So I ordered the needles, swaps, sharps container etc and did my first one the other day.   I followed a great instructional video and it was EASY...!!!

Didn't feel hugely better, but it does make a difference.

Matt

Was discussing the endoscopy and stretch and that a number of people done recently seem to be in the same boat.. ie strictures.

At which point he said "Oh, we didn't end up doing the stretch, just the camera was enough to resolve the twist..."

Wow huh...

Anyway I explained my theory that the smaller bougie combined with over-sewing was causing the twist.. he was interested in the theory but didn't commit one way or the other.

Matt

Sorry to bring up yet another spooky topic, but thought it best to share...

My diet has never been good... but recently with a huge workload its gotten considerably worse.. and more recently I ran out of vitamins and not enough time to get to the shops.. then I got the flu..

Anyway you get the idea...

So this morning I noticed today that my hair had gone really.. hmm weird.. sort of thick and brittle and I was really starting to feel average. Me thinking its all just the flu..

Well after some research I'm pretty sure I've hit the early stages of malnutrition...!!!

Now no one should be worried about this.. really its dead easy to avoid.. I've just gotten carried away with life and its easy to resolve.. back to drinking 2-3 glasses of vegy juice a day and vitaims etc.

Right now there isn't any major impact and no long term damage... but I'm lucky I caught the early symptoms.

So just wanted to warn my sleve bothers and sisters to stay vigelent...!! With the small amount we eat we need to make sure we make the right choices.

Anyway, back to my corner..

Matt