bugwitch

I imagine it would depend upon what type of sexual activity you are engaging in. As with any other physical exercise, it should be done in accordance with what your body feels comfortable doing and easy to start. So, don't whip out the chains, cross and other goodies until you are good and healthy. But I imagine the light stuff would be fine within a week or so and then work your way back up to your normal (and then some!) routine.

I was under the impression that the percentage of the US population that was atheist, agnostic, skeptical or just a general "do not believe in the all powerful space daddy" was about 20 to 25%. I've been looking for that statistic. Anyone see Religulous?

1) cry 2) belly dance stuff!! 3) boots that fit my smaller calves 4) classy, professional nude photos 5) breathe

March 21rst for me!

Miso is yummy. It is fermented soy bean paste and tastes mmm mmm. Heat up some water or broth and mix it in. It is a traditional Japanese soup often used as a quick and hearty breakfast. It comes in tubs similar to margarine. Typically found in health foot sections.

Something I have noticed by reading the boards here is that there is a consistent stall around 3 months or so. My assumption has been that this is due to the starvation response. What needs to happen when you hit a plateau and your body becomes adjusted is to trick it into thinking it is getting enough calories again. Continue to exercise, because building up that muscle is going to be one of the best things to help you along your path to weight loss in any circumstance, but just add some more calories for a couple of weeks then drop back down. Again, this is not going to be true for 100% of the people here or in the rest of the world. Why? because we all have different life experiences that can affect how our bodies accept and process energy (calories). And as Chilo said earlier (or someone else) we have done a decent amount of damage over the years with our yo-yo diets which causes our body to act differently than it "should" (notice quotes). When I was at 275 a few years ago, I ate between 1800 and 2000 calories a day, walked to my classes every day (well, I walked to classes all the time) and had a gym class twice a week where I did cardio and strength training. I averaged between 1 and 3 lbs lost each week that quarter. But when that quarter was done? Yup...you guessed it. Actually, it was more like after the following quarter I started gaining it back, so I kept up some good habits for a while.

Breathe? **gasp** What? **gasp** BREATHE!!!!!????!!!! **thump** Om........ Okay...all better now...for the moment anyway. I've been putting it off for a few reasons, part of which was the unexpected prices of the plane tickets. Before the new year it was running around $350 RT (I was just in San Diego in early December) but then all I was seeing was $450+! Yikes! When you're a grad student, every single penny has to be saved. I've even taken to "permanently borrowing" condiment packets from the cafeteria. Who needs to pay for honey, Peanut Butter, mustard, mayonnaise or jam when you can get serving sized packets for free!?! To be honest, I had started to chicken out a bit even before getting the ticket. I kept thinking, "Man, this is a ton of money. What if I just take it and put it towards a personal trainer and nutritionist or something? or Jenny Craig? That worked when I was in middle school (yes, middle school)." But, I am committed, whether I like it or not!

So, I have a date set and I scored a pretty decently priced roundtrip ticket. I say score, because it has been running $100 more than I paid these last few weeks and, just after I purchased it, it went up $200 on the same site! Phew! So, March 21rst with Dr. Aceves in Mexicali. Crap...Now I have to try and not think about it until then...or figure out how to not panic. Somehow, between now and then I need to be a good grad student. Again...Crap...

Yes, but did you stay at a Holiday Inn?

So, I was laying in bed the other night trying to drift off to sleep when my formerly obese cat JD jumped up on the bed and then slowly walked up my leg, onto my belly and then stood on my chest, purring like mad while staring at me and purring some more. It was then that I thought two things...1...I was quite thankful that he had lost so much weight, though still a bit jealous (why can't I have hyperthyroidism instead of hypo-?) and 2...wow...this is gonna suck after I have surgery. How on earth am I gonna sleep at night? So, how do you sleep at night? My eventual sleeping position is my stomach. I'm gonna go out on a limb here and suggest that laying on your stomach right after surgery is probably not the best idea...just a hunch. But what about on your side? My cats still crawl on me when I'm on my side, but the belly is a bit more protected. If I lay on my back, the belly is less protected. There are no doors or spare rooms to lock my cats away into (or me into) so that's out. What have you done, my fellow cat people?

Do you reward yourself when you reach certain milestones? I've been debating what I want to do/get myself and have a rather long list of things. Which includes no less than 3 new tattoo's and one touch up/addition to an existing one. But, what else? Surely there are more things in life than tattoos? Then I remembered...yes! There is bellydance. Well, I never really forgot as I always seem to be thinking about it in one form or another...but there are so many shiny, awesome costumes that I have wanted, but can never find in my size. What are your rewards. Do you reward yourself?

I'm still debating between vsg and the band and won't be getting either done in Ohio...but I live here! In Columbus. Should we arrange a weekly tea meeting & support group or something?

Well, I am just curious because on all of the boards and at the surgery websites it says the 600-800/1200. And that is just so little. I worry that it's not enough. I also wonder why, if it is okay for the body to have such few calories, why is it okay after the surgery but not before? Not sure it is just choice in the long run. Our body needs fuel and if we do not provide it fuel we have complications. Thanks for your reply...I'm still surfing through the literature. I should try and find a local nutritionist who could answer this.

Seriously...I understand that you are simply unable to eat that much after having surgery, but eventually when the stomach has healed you're expected to only eat 1200 calories? Any nutritionist will tell you that 1200 calories is not enough for the average person (not average as in average = overweight, but average as in what we should be eating). After finding your BMR (basal metabolic rate) which is how many calories your body burns just in the process of lounging about and doing its normal biological functions, you need to figure out how many calories your body expends during your average day. This is why most people should really be eating 1500 - 2000 for their weight-loss programs. Unless you weigh 120 lbs or are just really tiny (like my best friend, one of those naturally tiny people) then 1200 calories isn't really a lot, let alone the less than 1000 that is recommended for the first few months or so. My current worry is that this weight loss is due to malnutrition. Are there any nutritionists on the forum here? Does anyone else have any data to support the idea that 800 calories is okay? I am now going over the professional literature to see if I can find anything. This just seems potentially scary. I mean, if I am out hiking in the woods (or across Asia which is a hope after graduation) I'm likely going to need more than 2000 let alone 1200... Thanks!

I would think carbonation in anything would be a definite no no. But what if you let the carbonation subside by opening it and letting it sit opened for quite a while. This is what I have done in the past with sprite when I am ill. It takes a while for it to go away completely (and should be room temp too, not cold). Maybe just leave a bunch on the counter overnight and see what happens. As always, ask your doc.

I live in Columbus and have not yet done much investigating into my local doctors. If it ends up that my insurance will cover it, then I will be checking and double and triple checking the local docs. However, I have a hunch the insurance will not cover it so I am planning on heading to Mexico. I should know soon either way. If you are self pay, you might want to consider other locations. As someone above said, experience can and is a significant factor in the number of complications (thought not always the deciding factor). Good luck! I'll let you know if I find anything significant out.

I would recommend visiting your local library (public or university) and asking how to use their online journal sources. Look up professional journals (Obesity Surgery, etc) and then do a variety of searches. You will get a bunch simply discussing new technique, etc. But others which are specific to your question will be there as well. I am a grad student and wouldn't you know it, instead of using my university resources for being productive (student-wise) I've been spending all of my time searching online journals and other sites for just this sort of stuff.

There is a video on youtube where this guy talks about some problems he had after the sleeve surgery and it ended up being an abscess on the stomach. Quite scary. Mention that to your friend and have them ask the doctor about that as a possibility. I hope she gets better soon.

psst... We're everywhere... **looks around with shifty eyes**

I am still trying to decide which surgery I want, band or sleeve, and if my current insurance does not cover either (which is starting to look more and more likely) I will be heading down to see Dr. Aceves, also in March. Although I am planning on turning my spring break into my weight break...or something like that. I'll figure out some witty phrase to describe it. I know I will more than likely be the only college student down there NOT getting drunk! I am nervous too, especially now that I have been researching how the procedure is conducted and all. That and the whole idea of surgery is scary to begin with right? But, we'll get over it...all I have to do is look at those sexy a** pants I've been drooling over for years.

Okay...I googled 'Spinal block' and read up on the wikipedia article. I gotta say, that scared the ##tootsie fruit## out of me! Slicing apart the stomach...I'm becoming a little more okay with that. Putting a needle in my back? ACK!!!

**I posted this in another section but someone suggested I post it here. Hope that's okay!** Hi all...I am planning on having the Lap-Band surgery and am still trying to decide which surgeon I want to go to. I will likely be self pay but all of this information will be useful. I was hoping to hear from people who have had the band in place for a long time, hopefully five or more years. Have you had any problems with the band or associated side effects? Have you had to have it readjusted (not including fills)? How long did it take for your weight loss to taper off and plateau at your goal area? Have you had any significant regain (15lbs or more) once reaching your goal? If you have any other thoughts or information for me I would most appreciate it. Thank you.

Howdy neighbor! I live in Columbus. I don't know where I would end up going if I have it here. If I have coverage, I'll have to find out who accepts my insurance and where I am able to go. From there, I'll begin the research process again with my local surgeons. Who knows...I may just stick with going to Mexico depending upon cost and if the competency of the surgeon.

Yup...I am hard at work at becoming the crazy cat lady. Though I only have two kittehs at this time, I fully anticipate when I am old and senile I will be living on a large farm which I bough specifically so I could surround myself with cats. And with that lovely introductory line, Hello!!! I am a graduate student in Ohio and have debated WLS for quite a few years. When I first looked into it (about 2004) my insurance wouldn't cover it and I couldn't get financing so it was no go...back to doing it the hard way. Tried out the Atkins diet and had excellent success. I lost 75lbs and then my gall bladder; the removal of which was covered by my insurance. Flash forward to now, I am back to a higher weight (though not my highest ever which was 25lbs more, a few years ago) and am sick of it. I've done diet after diet with success then the fall. I just learned my student health insurance might cover this so I have an appointment on Friday to talk about it with my doctor. If that doesn't pan out I already have two doctors in mind in Mexico. I've been doing a lot of research online and have it narrowed down. Hopefully I will have some good news either way by next week. So, basically, in my mind, I am having the surgery...it's just a matter of when, where and how much. I am quite excited and am trying to fight the urge to eat in anticipation of the weight loss. I see that as being a problem with some people. Apparently, on average, people gain 10lbs before their surgery. Anyway...other than that, I am 30, a Gemini, tarot-reading-spiritual-atheist-cat-loving-Renn-Faire-attending-belly-dancing-crazy-lady. Love to chat with you all and get to know about you and your experiences. I hope I can contribute something to these message boards too.

When I have it I don't plan on telling many people. Why? Because it's none of their damn business, that's why. I've told my best friend and am chatting with a couple of other people as well (one who previously had it and doesn't tell people either and my friends mom who is a nurse) but other than that, it's all me. You want an interesting read, go check out Skipping Towards Gomorrah by Dan Savage. He is a hilarious guy and writes a sex advice column in Seattle's The Stranger newspaper. This particular book is a funny look at the 7 deadly sins and in the section about 'Gluttony' he goes to a fat acceptance convention only to find a ton of fat people afraid of food, non concerned with their own health and looking down on those of us who consider or do have weight loss surgery. Quite funny and ironic. When we should be the most supportive of each other, we often become more of a hindrance (some people in this instance even say they don't mind losing the ability to walk because of their weight..they can just get one of those scooters!!! This makes me so sad, to hear people who think that in a positive sense). Anyway, basically it is up to us. It is our body and our decision.