At Goal 4+ months, maintaining nicely
I had my VSG done on September 15, 2008. On the morning of surgery, I weighed in at 360.5 pounds (down 22 pounds on my pre-op diet). I was 65 years and 1 month old at that time, and was the oldest patient my program had ever done. My surgery was down with the Center for Weight Loss Surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, TN. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) paid for the surgery.
I have to say, I found the weight loss to be pretty easy. I was not perfect, I cheated a bit here and there.
Before surgery, I could barely walk to my mailbox (300 feet), and had to rest for a couple of minutes before starting back to the house. I would have to rest for 5-10 minutes after returning.
I had developed Type II Diabetes, and was on the maximum possible dosages of 4 oral medications. Insulin was the next thing I would have required. I also had high cholesterol (on meds), a lousy HDL/LDL ratio, high triglycerides, and I was a borderline hypertensive. In effect, I was a heart attack or stroke, just waiting to happen.
I want to be around for my 50th wedding anniversary. I happen to really love my wife (she is the best thing that has ever happened to me), and at the rate i was going, I was not going to even have a shot at that. So, I began to research WLS.
I spent almost 5 years researching it. I saw early studies when the sleeve really was "experimental", even the proponents called it that. I used the medical libraries at UC San Diego and at USC to research every form of wls that exists. I wanted the sleeve fairly early on, but the VA in San Diego only offered the RnY. I would have reluctantly taken it, if that were the only option.
In December 2003, I fell off my garage roof, dislocating my right shoulder and causing two compression fractures in my spine. I continued working, under some heavy pain meds, but finally I threw in the towel. I had planned on working till I was 70, but retired at 62. Housing prices in the San Diego area went crazy, and in 2006, we decided to move to Kentucky (where the cost of living was a lot lower, and to cash in our house.
We bought a beautiful home, on 3 acres, and were able to pay cash for it thanks to our house being the last one in our area to sell at full price. I transferred my care to the Tennessee Valley VA Health Care system, and got involved in their weight loss program. They decided to contract out the surgery, and the rest is history
I pretty consistently lost weight. I had one 3 week stall at 10 months, and another 2 week stall at 14 months. Other than that, it was a steady rate of loss.
I am now 66, I have more energy than I had at 40, and i am wearing clothing in sizes i haven't been able to wear as an adult. I went into this wearing size 66 waist pants, and now have a 36. I wore a 4X or 5X shirt, and now wear a medium. Even in the Army, I could never wear anything less than a large.
I will soon have my panni (the apron of excess skin that hangs down in front) removed, and i expect to lose another 2-3 inches from around my waist with that, and an additional 10-15 pounds.
I can, and do, eat anything I feel like eating. I enjoy food, I just can't eat very much of it. I can do between 1/4 and 3/4 of a cup at one meal, depending on the density of the food. The more dense it is, the less I can eat. That has not changed since I was 4 months out.
This morning, I weighed 174.8 pounds. I have not weighed that little since I was 14 years old!
You might say that I love my sleeve!
I have to say, I found the weight loss to be pretty easy. I was not perfect, I cheated a bit here and there.
Before surgery, I could barely walk to my mailbox (300 feet), and had to rest for a couple of minutes before starting back to the house. I would have to rest for 5-10 minutes after returning.
I had developed Type II Diabetes, and was on the maximum possible dosages of 4 oral medications. Insulin was the next thing I would have required. I also had high cholesterol (on meds), a lousy HDL/LDL ratio, high triglycerides, and I was a borderline hypertensive. In effect, I was a heart attack or stroke, just waiting to happen.
I want to be around for my 50th wedding anniversary. I happen to really love my wife (she is the best thing that has ever happened to me), and at the rate i was going, I was not going to even have a shot at that. So, I began to research WLS.
I spent almost 5 years researching it. I saw early studies when the sleeve really was "experimental", even the proponents called it that. I used the medical libraries at UC San Diego and at USC to research every form of wls that exists. I wanted the sleeve fairly early on, but the VA in San Diego only offered the RnY. I would have reluctantly taken it, if that were the only option.
In December 2003, I fell off my garage roof, dislocating my right shoulder and causing two compression fractures in my spine. I continued working, under some heavy pain meds, but finally I threw in the towel. I had planned on working till I was 70, but retired at 62. Housing prices in the San Diego area went crazy, and in 2006, we decided to move to Kentucky (where the cost of living was a lot lower, and to cash in our house.
We bought a beautiful home, on 3 acres, and were able to pay cash for it thanks to our house being the last one in our area to sell at full price. I transferred my care to the Tennessee Valley VA Health Care system, and got involved in their weight loss program. They decided to contract out the surgery, and the rest is history
I pretty consistently lost weight. I had one 3 week stall at 10 months, and another 2 week stall at 14 months. Other than that, it was a steady rate of loss.
I am now 66, I have more energy than I had at 40, and i am wearing clothing in sizes i haven't been able to wear as an adult. I went into this wearing size 66 waist pants, and now have a 36. I wore a 4X or 5X shirt, and now wear a medium. Even in the Army, I could never wear anything less than a large.
I will soon have my panni (the apron of excess skin that hangs down in front) removed, and i expect to lose another 2-3 inches from around my waist with that, and an additional 10-15 pounds.
I can, and do, eat anything I feel like eating. I enjoy food, I just can't eat very much of it. I can do between 1/4 and 3/4 of a cup at one meal, depending on the density of the food. The more dense it is, the less I can eat. That has not changed since I was 4 months out.
This morning, I weighed 174.8 pounds. I have not weighed that little since I was 14 years old!
You might say that I love my sleeve!
A former Army Medic (1959-1969), Registered Nurse (1969-2000), College Instructor (1984-1989) and a retired Rehabilitation Counselor. I am also a dual citizen of the USA and Canada.
High Weight 412 lbs. Date of Surgery 360.5 Present 170 lbs
High Weight 412 lbs. Date of Surgery 360.5 Present 170 lbs
Wow - what a great story! You sound like you are a resounding success!
Thanks for sharing!!
Thanks for sharing!!
HW-218/SW-208/CW-126/ Lowest Weight-121/Goal-125 - hit 8/23/09/Height-5'3"
Regain 30 lbs from 2012 to 2016 - got back on track and lost it. Took 8 months.
90+/- pounds lost BMI - 24 or so
Starting BMI between 35 and 40ish?
Join us on the Lightweights Board!
bklynstella
on 5/29/10 12:46 am
on 5/29/10 12:46 am
Thank you for the service to our country. Thank you for fighting for your own life. Your story is the kind I need to read. I'll be getting sleeved mid June. I have read some of your other posts and you give good advice. You don't sugar coat anything and that is what we need. All the best to you.
Stella
Stella
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