Before & After the Sleeve with Scott, losing 208lbs!
October 18, 2016Celebrating Scott's Before & After the Sleeve (VSG) Success!
I believe my journey is relatively typical. I had high blood pressure, cholesterol, and the same medical problems as many of us who are overweight. The warning signs of diabetes were paired with clothes that were hard to find and airline seats too small. The world is not created for someone who weighs 415 lbs.
My frustrations were more a result of my anger at myself and my inability to change and less a result of my disdain for the struggles of being overweight. In spite of my weight and the setbacks associated with predictable and cyclical loss/gain, I had a wonderful life.
I had (and still have) a career that I love, surrounded by coworkers who care about what we do, and a wife that loves me more than I deserve. She has always inspired me to want to be better, to be fearless, something that is completely aspirational, but I try nevertheless.
The year before my surgery we were fortunate enough to welcome a baby to our life. He was life changing. I saw promise in him and a dose of inspiration I had never experienced. It wasn’t long after he was born that I began considering weight loss surgery. I didn’t just want to be here for him, I wanted to experience life with him, with my family. I had to do something different. The stakes were too high for inaction.
The topic of surgery came up one day while speaking to a friend. I was surprised to learn that he was already on the path to a Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy (VSG). I was considering the Lap Band and knew little about the Sleeve Gastrectomy. I decided on the Sleeve after reviewing the long-term outcomes and speaking with my surgeon.
It was a difficult decision that required some convincing of both me and of those who cared for me. I struggled with the prospect of permanently altering my body and risking major abdominal surgery, simply because I couldn’t keep weight off. In the end, I had no choice, the decision was already made for me by the years of previous weight loss failures coupled with an overwhelming need to live for my new son and family. I saw the surgery work for so many people. Why not me?
Before & After the Sleeve (VSG)
OH Username: Cincyslvd
Total Weight Loss: 208 pounds
Surgical Procedure: VSG
Surgery Date: April 2012
Surgeon's Name: Dr. Christopher J. Northup
The pre-surgery period was filled with a mix of obstacles (mostly with insurance), anticipation, fear, and hope. It was great hearing people’s opinions on the topic. Most were supportive; some were simply ignorant and miserable. These were the comments that helped solidify my resolve and seemed to come when I needed them the most.
My main challenges during this time were with my own self-doubt and uncertainty. I wanted the benefits of the surgery, but having never had surgery, I was fearful of the incredibly small probability of death during the surgery or as the result of a complication. Not that I was living the life I wanted to live, but I was living for a family I couldn’t imagine not being there for. In the end, I realized that I couldn’t be there for them in the way I wanted without taking this risk.
Before the surgery I asked the nurses to wheel my gurney by the waiting room door so that I could hug and kiss my son in case I didn’t have another chance. This is the most significant memory I have of that day and it remains distressing to this day.
I weighed in at 384 lbs. the day of surgery. Surgery was great and seemingly uneventful. I slept all day after making it to my room and it felt wonderful to stand up and walk the hallway that afternoon and that night. I don’t remember having any significant pain, just aches. I do remember being worried about the pain, the catheter, the inability to eat or drink. None of it was awful. The recovery floor staff were professional and supportive and followed protocol to the extreme. I hope they realize that they are changing people’s lives, families’ lives. I can’t think of a higher compliment to give them.
After surgery, I went home and within a day or two was off of the pain medicine and already stir crazy. I did sleep more than normal for the first week or two after surgery, but it was intermittent. After two weeks I was ready to get back to work and on with life.
The post-op diet and restrictions were more a nuisance than unpleasant and they didn’t last long. I treated it as a mental boot camp to re-gear my brain to follow directions when it came to eating in order get the most out of my Sleeve.
I have zero regrets other than not having the surgery 20 years earlier, but the Sleeve is no cure. In the year following surgery, I lost over 100 lbs., got down to 275 lbs., and plateaued. While I wasn’t at the 250 lb. mark that my surgeon thought I could achieve, I was happy with these results as I was able to almost everything that I wanted. My medical problems had also mostly resolved (with the exception of slightly elevated cholesterol). It wasn’t until about 2.5 years after surgery that I realized I had gained 10 lbs. and needed to make additional changes.
In January 2015, I started exercising several times per week and tracking my calories (all the things you are supposed to do that I didn’t want to believe). It turns out that this actually works. As of May 2016, I’m at 206 pounds. and still losing. I will be below 200 pounds very soon. When I doubt myself, I just remember the last five years, the effort, the fears, the hope, and I realize I’ve been given the chance to live, and I had better not waste it.
Special Milestones
In 2015, I started participating in endurance sports (running, cycling, multi-sport events), something that continues to confuse me. I started doing it because it was motivating. I keep doing it because I see my son enjoy it and it is very effective.
A significant non-scale victory was running a 5k with my wife and son. The healthy lifestyle is being passed along to my son and if that’s the only significant result from all of this, it was worth it.
How has ObesityHelp.com been a part of your journey?
The Internet is a dangerous place when researching any surgery. Negative results are over-represented and get more attention. Having said that, ObesityHelp.com is the most positive forum that I’ve experienced. There are positive stories and stories that are critical (not necessarily negative, just critical). The negative and unproductive content is minimal which is rare on any forum.
I found support, both with questions answered and positivity, coming from the community that was a welcome counter to some of my doubts and uncertainty. While I don’t log in often, when I do I like to find people who are considering surgery, or close to surgery and having doubts. Hopefully, I can pay back what I received by providing a small amount of reassurance and confidence to those who need it at that moment.
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