BruceInEnid
I'm and excavating/grading contractor here in Enid. I am pretty unique from most people who post here. I was never excited about the change in my life. I had great reservations about the surgery. But, more than that, I hated to admit that I did not have the self-discipline to lose the weight on my own. It was all I could do to not say "stop" when Dr. Walton's nurse told me "This is your last chance to back out." as they prepped me for surgery.
The reason I went ahead with the procedure was that my common sense told me that I would never be able to lose the weight on my own. I also realized that I wasn't far from some having to deal with some serious health problems, if I continued to gain weight. Ultimately, I wanted to be around for my wife and four children in the years to come. I realized I had to do all I could to make that happen--even if it meant undergoing a surgery I was so opposed to.
Now that I have all the negative out of the way, here are the positives. First, Dr. Walton and his staff were very supportive and patient with me. Dr. Walton allowed me to try once again to lose on my own for about six months before I agreed to the surgery. I was only able to lose about five or six pounds until I agreed to the surgery (then I lost almost 20!) I was even able to postpone the surgery for a couple of months to better fit my work schedule.
The procedure could not have been gone any better. Dr. Walton was able to do it laproscopicly. I had eight small incisions which were glued and not stapled. My gall bladder had to be removed at the same time. Dr. Walton said that this was the most difficult part of the procedure.
I was never in any pain following the surgery. I had only a slight discomfort that kept me from sleeping very well that evening. Finally, I asked the nurse for something to help me sleep. I believe they gave me four milligrams of morphine--and I slept quite well. That was all the pain medication I have had since the procedure.
I felt so good, I did not even take off one week from work. The procedure was done on Friday. I came home on Sunday. On Monday, I was bouncing off the walls in the house. I took the dog for a walk, paced around the house, and watched for dust bunnies to attack me. Tuesday I decided that I felt well enough to do something, so I went out to my shop and cleaned the office and swept up some. I thought using one of my big, wide brooms would bother me. I felt fine afterwards. For an encore, on Wednesday, I went back to work running my equipment. The scraper was a little too bouncy for me, but I acclimated to our grader (road maintainer) quite well. I have had no problems at all in doing all the work required of me in my business.
Now, for the results. You may be surprised to know that I have not been on the scales for almost three weeks! I can tell you that I did lose around twenty-five pounds in the first twenty days. More important to me is the fact that I have lost over four inches in my waist already. It's almost time to drill another hole in my belt to snug it up again!
The only down side I have had has been of my own doing. On three different occasions I have failed to chew my food well enough and it caused me to have to spit it back up. This happened once when I was eating chicken and twice with some tuna I dried out too much when I baked it. Even with this problem, I think that the surgery and recovery has been almost miraculous.
I have been unique in another way as well. I really have not had the "full" sensation people talk about. I have not experienced a sense of being hungry either. One explanation might be that I stretched my pouch a little by pushing too much water while running my equipment. I have been eating only the amounts in the dietary guidelines.
All in all, I am pleased with the short-term results. I will post again after my follow-up with the doctor in about three weeks. In closing, I would simply say that if you are like me and can't lose the weight on your own, this procedure seems to be an acceptable way to do so.
12-01-03
Well, I went back to Dr. Walton today. It has been seven weeks since my surgery. I have lost 48 pounds to date. More imortantly (to me), I have lost over four inches in my waist.
The largest problem I have had has been making myself exercise. I am trying to do better. My only problems in eating have come when I have not chewed my food well enough. It has only happened on three occasions. In the last week or two I have begun to notice I seem to be walking faster than I was prior to the surgery.
I still have no real sensation of hunger or even fullness when I eat. However, I am sticking pretty close to the diet and the portions prescribed therein. So, I am probably not going to feel "full" for some time.
I am needing to find ways to spice up my diet a little. I have been eating the same basic things for the past month now and they are beginning to taste rather bland. I need to go out and get some exotic blackened fish or the like in one of my favorite eating establishments.
I don't go back to doctor for six months. I will try to update this before then.
1-10-2004
Well, I went and weighed this past Thursday. I was down to 249 pounds. A total loss of 80lbs. and a little over 60 since the surgery on October 10. I am still doing fine with everything. I am doing better at getting on the bicycle for a twenty minute exercise two or three times a week. Food all begins to taste the same at times and I have to look for something spicy for a change of pace.
Many friends have begun to notice my body change, especially over the last couple of weeks. Everyone has been quite complimentary and supportive.
I finally broke down and bought some new clothes this week. I have gone from a 46 inch waist down to a 40. It has been a long time since I have puchased that small of a waist. I was also able to buy some shirts of XL and XXL, depending on how they are made.
This month I will go to a certification clinic for softball umpires. Virtually none of the men & women there know I have lost this much weight. It will be interesting to see what they say. I will post more later.
2-12-04 Well, I went by the cardiologist office yesterday. Their scale usually weighs me a few pounds heavier than Dr. Waltons. I had my half-pound key ring in my pocket, my steel-toed sneakers on, and three long-sleeved shirts on. The scales showed me at 237 pounds! That means that I am probably close to losing 100 pounds from my heaviest, 80 since the surgery!
I still have no complications and am doing quite well. I do feel as though I have plateaued a little right now. I am still not exercizing like I should be. My new goal is to develop that regiment into a habit. Twenty years ago that wasn't a problem. I went to the YMCA almost every night. Now, married with children, it seems harder to find that time for myself.
It is unreal how many people are coming up and encouraging me. Just last night one of the elderly ladies in my church did not even recognize me and had to ask who I was. Another came up and asked "You mean this good-looking man has been inside there all these years?"--I didn't know what to say to that one.
Well, I'll close for now. I hope everyone has the success I have experienced thus far.
April 15, 2004
Tax Day! I can't think of a better time to update my profile. I am a little over six months out of my surgery. The scales currently have me at 220 pounds. I have lost right at 110 pounds from my heaviest and a 90 pound loss since my surgery. I find myself continuing to lose despite not having a regimented exercise program in place. However, I am pretty active and do perform heavy manual labor in my job from time to time. I will begin umpiring softball again next month. I can't wait to see what it will be like 100 pounds lighter!
I did experience dumping syndrome to a mild degree a few weeks ago. My wife and I went away for a weekend and took a chocolate silk pie with us. The piece I took was a little too large and gave me some discomfort later in the evening. I find myself cheating some during the course of the week. Lately, it has been peanut M&M's that I find myself getting for a snack during the afternoon. I am only doing it once or twice a week.
I am also finding there are a lot of folks who want to quiz me about my surgery. Sometimes, I get tired of talking about it. I do find some pleasure in talking to people considering the surgery. I don't know how much help I am to them. It scares me that they would base their decision on my experience and go in with too high of expectations for themselves and their results. Most folks seem to have a few more complications than I have experienced. It is also interesting how many folks no longer recognize me if they haven't seen me in some time.
All in all, my experience has been positive. I have lost ten inches in my waist. I have gone from wearing size 3XL shirts to only having to buy XL's! New pants, new shirts, old suits (that
coincedently are back in fashion now), and even smaller shoes have had to be purchased.
After the procedure, my only goal was to be able to wear my graduation ring from college. I have been wearing it for quite some time now. I am down to the same size pant I wore in high school now. Only ten more pounds to lose and I will be back to what I weighed my senior year in high school.
I guess I need to consider some new goals. I believe if I would try to exercise more, I would be able to lose another ten or twenty pounds.
Once again, I hope you might have the same success I have had since the surgery.
September 14, 2004
It's been too long since an update, so here goes. Everything is still very positive for me. I have had a small set back due to some cheating on my diet. I gained back a couple of pounds over the course of the last four weeks. I think it really happened over the last two weeks. I was able to put on a pair of 34 inch waist pants since I can't remember! I must have been a sophmore in high school the last time I wore 34's. I guess I celebrated a little too much. I did a lot of snacking and it caught up with me. I am currently down to 210 pounds, over 100 lbs. lost, and down to what I weighed as a senior in high school.
I have decided that I would like to weigh an even 200 lbs. It is an attainable goal and is so much more than I thought possible. I will have to start an exercise regiment and watch the diet now. All in all I am still very positive about it all.
I also recently attended a regional conference put on by Obesity Help. It was well worth my time and money. I would recommend participation for any person wishing to broaden their horizons.
Eleven months out and believing the best is yet to be!
October 11, 2004
Well, yesterday was my anniversary of the surgery. Today I weighed at the cardiologist's office. My weight has stayed the same over the course of the last month at 208 lbs. This is what I weighed when I graduated high school. I can't believe I am back to this weight. It is like I am getting a second chance at life. I have erased the weight gain of over twenty-six years in just twelve months. There are so many people to thank. My wife (for making me have the surgery), my medical team (surgeon, dietician, office staff), my local support group, and this site for helping me as I have walked through this experience. It has been comforting for me to read other profiles and experiences. It has also been so helpful to be able to use this forum to verbalize my progress.
10-15-04
I had my annual with the surgeon (Dr. Walton) this week. I was 205 lbs. on his scales. He was very pleased with my progress. Dr. Walton said that I was right on target for the results they would expect. He also told me that I am probably about done losing. The surgery "tool" has done its job. Now, it is up to me to do the diet and exersice regiment to keep the weight off. I do catch myself from time to time trying to eat too fast, or, if get a plate larger than a salad plate, I will put too much food on it. Old habits die hard! But, for now, I am winning this battle.
11-04-04
This past month has been one of reflection and introspection for me. Over the last several weeks, I have found some theraputic returns in sharing my experience with others. I've spent some time updating my profile tonight and that has even helped with my overall perspective of the experience. I looked at some of the nice things people have written on my support page as well. It really picked up my spirits to know that other people care enough to share their lives with me. I need to be better about that as well. I have started to be more active in sharing with those in the OBHLP chat room who have questions and concerns. I also check in with an OKC RNY yahoo group. They are the Yahoo portion of the Bariatric Support group for some surgeons in the OKC area.
I recently shared with my own support group a short presentation in which I tried to encourage them to keep on fighting the good fight. It was well received. I am currently trying to put it in written form and plan to submit it to the ObesityHelp magazine.
11-13-2005
It has been too long since my last update. I am currently 25 months post op. I have gained back about ten pounds from my lowest (currently 215). Dr. Walton says this seems to be the case with most patients, but I need to be very diligent to make sure this doesn't become a trend. I have continued to make presentations to support groups in the state. I have also written a few essays as a means of reminding me and those within my sphere of influences the lessons learned and maintaining changes in lifestyle.
10-05-2006
I went for my annual follow-up with Dr. Walton this week. I weighed 219. This was a bit of a relief--I figured I was 225 or 230. I am still in 34" waist jeans, but they have snugged up a bit. I still haven't sustained an exercise regiment yet. This is one of the goals Dr. Walton, the dietician, and exercise physiologist have challenged me with.
I did have the opportunity to attend and speak at an ObesityHelp Regional Conference this past July in San Antonio, TX. It was a great experience and very educational. My topics were about the importance of the support group. It also included a challenge to get outside your comfort zone and do for others. In my own life, I have found that I have less trouble with wieght gain if my focus is on those around me rather than myself. (Lots of endorphins to let loose when you do this too!)
11-19-2011
Well, it is hard to believe that it has been six years since I last updated my story. For the most part, I am still a success story. I have started to slowly put back on weight and that is probably why I haven't been posting here. Yesterday, I went back to my surgeon for a follow up visit. It was the first time I had been in the office in two and a half years. In that time, I had put on another eleven pounds. My current weight was 259 pounds. (I was expecting to be 270 or 275) Actually, the eleven pounds isn't entirely accurate because I didn't take off my shoe, belt, or empty my pockets as I've done at previous weigh-ins.
I attribute most of this gain to beginning to drink diet sodas again. Four years ago, Dr. Walton cautioned me against them--predicting a weight gain of approximately ten pounds per year if I continued. He wasn't very far off the mark to what I've done.
My blood pressure was the lowest it has ever been. This was really great considering the stress I've put myself under here in the last several months. I have been fighting a vitamin "D" deficiency that I had gotten the upper hand on earlier this year. I'll have to wait for my labs to come back next week to see if that is still the case.
In closing, I am amazed at the amount of change that has taken place in the arena of weight loss surgery. Nothing is the same as it was when my procedure was done. Still, there are constants. Discipline in diet and exercise are the real keys to losing weight and keeping it off. WLS still remains a tool to beginning that process--not a quick fix that will cause you to lose weight and keep it off.
Still glad of making the decision to have surgery.
Still keeping "My eyes on the Prize--not on my Fries"
--BNS
About Me
Before & After
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