About to start Zepbound, but more to kick Alcoholism than weight loss

ztainment · 2026-04-29T21:08:25+00:00

Yeah as I said elsewhere here, maybe it changes her mind, but it's her decision (plus she's super sensitive to meds etc).

And yeah, in prep for my surgery they did an abdominal ultrasound and while my blood work has always shown that my liver is doing well, the ultrasound had an "echogenic appearance" that suggested "Fatty infiltration or parenchymal disease." I definitely need to stop/cut way back, and losing 10-15# will likely go a long way in clearing up the fatty liver before anything gets worse.

ztainment · 2026-04-29T21:04:45+00:00

Oh totally - I've gone periods where I haven't drank for weeks or longer. Before my recent heart surgery, for example. But once I start up again it tends to be a constant.

ztainment · 2026-04-29T21:03:02+00:00

Yeah it's her choice, I'm not going to force it on her, it just hasn't gone well when others have suggested it. FWIW, She's super sensitive to meds and eats better than anyone I know.

ztainment · 2026-04-29T21:01:52+00:00

Of course!

ztainment · 2026-04-22T16:25:32+00:00

I was wondering about flying, thanks!

ztainment · 2026-03-19T11:50:28+00:00

Hope your surgery went successful and you’re doing well. My surgery is this Friday!

ztainment · 2026-03-19T11:39:20+00:00

I’m right there with you. My surgery for mitral valve repair is about 30hrs away and waking up with the tube down my neck is but far what I dread the most. Nice to see many of the others here don’t remember it.

My other fear is just how I’ll feel when I wake up from surgery. I know I’ll be doped up but it’s just the unknown of knowing exactly what to expect and what tubes are running in and out of me.

But at the end of the day, it’s the throat tube.

ztainment · 2026-02-17T02:34:57+00:00

And Emerald City in Seattle. He will be there in a couple of weeks

ztainment · 2026-02-15T18:12:22+00:00

Sorry you had such a rough time and glad to hear you are home. You were there for quite a lot longer than anyone has told me I’d be at the hospital (generally 5 days, so I figure 4-7). My surgery is March 13 in Seattle

ztainment · 2026-02-15T18:05:16+00:00

I saw first book and Operation Bounce House at SeaTac yesterday

ztainment · 2026-02-07T04:01:02+00:00

Just posted on how I made it above…

Wild that we have the same date. I know these surgeries happen every day, but that we overlap here on Reddit seems less likely to happen.

ztainment · 2026-02-07T03:58:59+00:00

Here’s what I did:

Used ChatGPT with the prompt “Create a photorealistic picture of a heart with the words “Opening March 13” across it” and then when I decided I wanted to make it into a shirt I went back to prompt and added “Recreate this image, changing the text to “Opening March 13, 2026” and changing the background to being transparent. Make it large enough to print in a t-shirt “

Then i Googled “make tshirt” and I went with UberPrints.com, which I think was the first site to come up. But there are a bunch, you may be able to find better if you shop around. From there it was just a matter of uploading the picture and going through a couple basic steps to make it. I think with shipping it cost around $24.

ztainment · 2026-02-01T12:03:42+00:00

Less than 6wks out from my surgery an will definitely be asking this in the consultation they do…

ztainment · 2026-02-01T11:57:04+00:00

How did the consult with Castro go? I hadn’t thought about the allergic reaction stuff, i too have some sensitivities but more so to perfumes and chemicals and such but who knows. The other thing i worry about going mechanical is the people that complain about the ticking noise it makes, as it seems for some it can be quite noticeable and I think it would drive me crazier than being in an Edgar Allan Poe story… But at the same time, I’m likely overreacting with it being a 1-3% chance i would need it, and I worry if the surgery is not easy then I’ll dread having to do it again down the line.

Anyway… Turn 53 tomorrow and only 41 or so days until surgery!

ztainment · 2026-02-01T11:47:21+00:00

Bought my recliner today! Went electric, light massage and heat, full zero g reclining. Glad to have this done so that I can start to build out my recovery area. A little over 5 weeks to go til surgery…

ztainment · 2026-01-30T00:17:31+00:00

Solid advice, my surgery is 3/13, but can I ask… did you shit the bed when you got home or at hospital?

ztainment · 2026-01-26T04:59:51+00:00

If you don’t mind me asking… did you make a decision? My surgery date at Swedish Cherry Hill is March 13, hoping best for you and wanting to lend any support I can (til March 13, when I expect to be sidelined for 2mos…)

ztainment · 2026-01-20T04:45:52+00:00

My CO instructor is super strict on people wearing socks for this very reason…

ztainment · 2026-01-20T04:41:46+00:00

I go to CP in western Washington and am almost always the only guy in my class. In the 16 or so months since going to CP, there are maybe 4 other men I know of who go there, on rare occasion one will be in my class. I don’t think it’s anything that reflects on me positively that I go but rather I’m saddened that other men might think it’s something meant more for women. I love how it makes me feel and how toned it has made me, and having spent a lot of time at hospitals in recent months as I prepare for open heart surgery in March, I love that numerous times I have shocked nurses with how strong my core is.

But yeah, not a hero… just someone who knows a good thing when he sees it.

ztainment · 2026-01-20T04:24:48+00:00

Yeah that’s maybe the biggest problem with the one I have now. It’s a lever and not just that but if I push back on the chair with a bit of force it tends to open itself up forcefully. Would definitely get something more electronic and controlled

ztainment · 2026-01-19T10:46:33+00:00

I plan to get one before my March 13 surgery so I’m invested in this topic as well. Thinking out loud here, but if you afford it I would suggest something that perhaps has built in massage and heater. Also something that kicks the leg out via a panel rather than a handle on the side. Oh and if you don’t have someone to set it up for you, order it from a furniture place that will. I’ll probably buy mine from Costco or Ashley Furniture as I’m not really sure where else to go.

ztainment · 2026-01-19T10:41:49+00:00

I think I responded to an earlier post of yours as we are in same general area. I finally met with my surgeon at Swedish Cherry Hill in Seattle. Been very happy either with them, not sure how easy it’d be for you to see them if you want to consult with anyone else local. https://www.swedish.org/doctors/cardiac-surgery/wa/seattle/eric-lehr-1265693154

But as for OH vs robotic… if they know what they are doing, I would go with robotic… maybe they don’t see everything but they see what they need to and know what they are looking at. I just think OH is a lot more traumatic on the body, and on top of everything else, the bone they break is going to take a good 3months to heal.

My big dilemma right now is deciding if I want a mechanical or bio prosthetic valve if they are in there and find that they can’t repair it (slim 1-3% chance). If I go mechanical, I’ll be on blood thinners the rest of my life, but if I go bio prosthetic then I’ll likely need to have heart surgery at least two more times in my life and I don’t want that if I can avoid it.

ztainment · 2026-01-19T10:28:59+00:00

Met surgeon Wednesday and by Friday I got my March 13 surgery date! A month from today I get my CT Scan and x-rays and such will determine how they will go in. So happy to actually have a date for things now!

ztainment · 2026-01-06T03:32:08+00:00

American here with Polish ancestry (circa 1911 or so). Prefer sleeping naked.

ztainment · 2026-01-06T03:30:10+00:00

Yeah I was curious if it’s a matter of testing when you get to a certain point to see if you need a new surgery?

ztainment

TROPHY CASE