I Come From Alabama...

Good luck with your research! It's great that you are educating yourself. The mortality rate is said to be about 1%, supposedly less for "centers of excellence". That is very low, and comparable to gallbladder surgery, which is very routine surgery performed laparoscopically.

I am a member on a hobby forum, and in their general discussion forum, I started a thread on weight loss and possible surgery... what started out as a helpful support thread, has started to devolve into many members giving poor weight loss advice; the worst one of all comments; eat less and exercise more. There are a couple of the hobby members who have had WL surgery, and in private messages, offered some good advice and support. They have refrained from posting openly, as many members are starting to post negatives about surgery etc etc. Needless to say, I started my research today on that forum, instead of this one, and I'm a bit sour. Not towards any bariatric options, just at people who tend to make you feel like a failure should you seek WLS.

Nevertheless, I am forging forward; one week from today I will be starting my journey, with my initial consult. Due to insurance requirements, the journey will be six months long... hopefully a short six at that.

I found out through an internet search of my doctor, that he is featured here on this forum; his name is Dr. Kenneth Todd Foreman:

http://www.obesityhelp.com/profiles/bariatric-surgeon/dr-tod d-foreman-md-facs/

Made me feel pretty good to read his review

To round out my introduction, I am posting a current images of myself. Note here, I am not unhappy, I just look very unhealthy. The clothes are my comfort clothes, that fit without hugging, weight is 325lbs. This is my baseline, and my highest weight recorded...

[img]https://i.imgur.com/nghNeLQ.jpg[/img]

The bracelet on my left wrist is a medical alert bracelet letting any first responders khow I am on blood thinners etc.

I fought with myself for years about surgery. I had medical problems, but it was more of a pride thing getting in my way, like I was quitting or ?taking the easy way out?. I was offended when my wife and Dr mentioned seeing a bariatric surgeon. I finally agreed to ?just having a consult? to check it out. My surgeon knew exactly what to say, he went through the list.

Have you tried diets?

have you tried exercising?

have you tried a personal trainer?

have you tried supplements?

have you tried medicine?

i had tried all of those, with no long term success. He explained that surgery was just another tool, but it was more than weight loss. It was about getting rid of those comorbidities. I was afraid of missing food. Why, bc I am a food addict. So vsg just made sense. Now I have a tool that helps me control portions and make smarter decisions. I thought the same thing about mourning food. Truth is I eat like a king now. As far as selection. I get to buy the good stuff we we go to sams. Tenderloin, lobster, crab. I?ll cook it up or freeze it and have weeks of prepped and portioned food. I was even able to buy a new smoker right before surgery so I could prep good lean meat. When you have 2 months of liquid/puréed/soft. Then you are clean eating when you get to solids. If you eat something ****ty that you were missing/mourning (Taco Bell or French fries) your body will let you know how ****ty that food is. And come to the realization that good clean food makes you feel amazing. And junk is just that, JUNK!

Well I am still committed at this point,especially after the doctors office calling me some 30-minutes ago to confirm my appointment. I am psyching myself out at the moment; sleeving has mere really worried about getting acid reflux. I suffered terrible bought's of acid reflux up until a couple years ago. About the time I got my CPAP machine, my reflux went away. I am litteraly scared to death of getting again, know how bad I once had it. This will definitely be a hot topic with the doctor at this Friday's visit.

Thank you for the encouragement, every bit really helps!

Hey there new guy. You quit all those things but u can't quit food. Your wife is a bit worried and rightly so. From what I've learned on this forum is loved ones are against it at first but after they see your progress & new found health they ask for the name of your surgeon. The worry is just their love for you, after all all surgeries come with risks. I have struggled with this very thing. But after reading your post something hit me like a bright light. Only you know how it feels to walk in your body, only you feel the aches & pains. And it's more than having a loved one wear fat suit, it's the years of weight pulling on your heart, spine, knees, ect. Your wife said she would stand behind you with whatever u decide. Choose life and get the best quality of life u can have. Most look at this journey as a gift, a new start, a new you. Go for it! God Bless.

Thank you for those kind words, they are very much appreciated. My wife is going to try and talk me out of surgery, by helping me eat right leading up to surgery approval (6-months from now). She figures that if my BMI drops below 35, then the insurance company will refuse surgery, and I will have flipped-my-switch, and will be losing weight all on my own... Least I can do is humor her, and try to do better for myself. And if my BMI remains above 35 I will get the surgery, if not... yeah for me, I will lose weight either way.

That's a good idea. You may lose all ur weight or u might not. One thing thats sure to come out of it is you will learn how to eat properly. And u will need that knowledge after surgery amyway. Our loved ones love comparing us to My 600lb life lol. I know that doctor, he was my aunts doc but sge weighed 90 lbs. He's a vascular surgeon, he acts jus like that in real life. He fussed at me " Who's buying her cigareetes, ur enabling her..tell people don't buy them & he threw her nicotine patch prescription in the garbage" lol He's a mess. She absolutely loved him.