Alex Brecher

RNYTalk.com News Hey, RNYTalk.com Members! It’s time for another update from RNYTalk.com. This Newsletter keeps you up to date on the latest happenings on RNYTalk.com, and there’s a lot happening! Here’s a quick rundown of this week’s newsletter. Launch of the RNYTalk.com app for Kindle. Encouragement to welcome new RNYTalk.com members in the “Tell Your Story” Forum. Tick and Track your way to success! A woman from Pennsylvania lost 190 pounds after gastric bypass and she’s training for a triathlon! First Member Spotlight: Coming Soon! Newsletter Challenge: summary of the previous one, and a new challenge to try. Visit RNYTalk.com often to stay on track with your weight loss journey and stay motivated to follow your diet and exercise program to get the success you deserve with gastric bypass. Stay involved in the discussion forums, and always let us know if you have any comments, suggestions or questions. Take care of yourselves and each other. Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder RNYTalk.com Kindle App Launched! The RNYTalk.com app for the Kindle has launched! You can download it for free from Amazon for instant use on your Android. The Kindle app joins the lineup of RNYTalk.com apps for iPod, iPad and. All of these apps are fully functional, so you can read and post to the forums, upload photos and send private messages. Don’t go anywhere without RNYTalk.com! Don’t forget about the contest to celebrate the launch of our new apps. The contest to win a free iPod Touch is still on, and you can get the details in the first RNYTalk.com newsletter. There’s still time to enter; just complete your member profile and post to the forums to become eligible. The more you post and more involved you are on RNYTalk.com, the better your chances of winning. Your chances improve because you get points for posting on the forums, joining a group, uploading photos, completing My Surgery, My Surgeon or My Roux-en-Y Story and referring a friend to RNYTalk.com. Wondering How You Can Help Out Other RNYTalk.com Members Even More? RNYTalk.com has thousands of members. You come here regularly for information, support and advice during all stages of your weight loss journey. Some of you visit often to read the forums, but you don’t post very often. Some of you post regularly. Both kinds of members are fantastic because RNYTalk.com is dedicated toward helping everyone who needs it. We’re a welcoming, supportive community. We know that many of you go above and beyond the call of duty, and you want to know how you can use RNYTalk.com to become even more supportive of your fellow bypassers. A few of you have asked about it, and we know a lot more of you are wondering the same thing. A great first step is to reach out to new members. Greet them when they post on the “Tell Your Story” Forums, and answer any newbie questions to help them learn the ropes. And thanks! Tickers and Trackers Help You Be More Successful! What do you need to keep yourself on track, show the world who you are and remind yourself of what you’ve accomplished? Tickers and trackers, of course! Tickers let you mark your BMI, body fat, weight and countdown to surgery. They show your starting value, where you currently are and your goal value. Trackers are for recording your current body measurements. You get to customize them by choosing what they look like. We encourage you to make your tickers and trackers public, so that they are displayed when you post in the forums. That helps you stay and inspires your fellow bypassers. If you’re a little shy, you can make your ticker private so that only you see it. In the News: Woman Trains for Triathlon after Gastric Bypass The story of Traci Schanewolf from Pennsylvania is an inspiring one. According to an article from WFMZ.com, Ms. Schanewolf weighed 330 pounds just a year ago. She had “tried everything to lose weight,” but was never able achieve her goal weight or prevent the weight from coming back on. She felt like a failure. On May 23, 2011, Ms. Schanewolf has gastric bypass surgery. Now, she’s happy and fit, and has even completed a 42-mile bike ride. She weighs 140 pounds and is training for a triathlon. Many of you may relate to this story. You may have tried a bunch of diets, watched your weight yo-yo or go up for years and felt out of control or hopeless just like Ms. Schanewolf. If you’re considering gastric bypass, this story may help you make your decision. If you’ve already had roux-en-Y, maybe this story will inspire to set a goal to finish your own bike ride, road race or triathlon. Ms. Schanewolf is careful to remind readers that you need to be careful with your diet to make sure your surgery is successful. Coming Soon: Member Spotlights! We introduced them in the previous newsletter, and they’re coming soon…Keep your eyes peeled for member spotlights! Each RNYTalk.com newsletter that comes out from now on will feature a different member. You’ll get to read all about our honorees. Activity in the Forums! Thanks to those of you who have posted in the member spotlight forum to nominate yourself or another Bypasser! Please keep the nominations coming. Within the coming weeks, many of you will be contacted through the RNYTalk.com PM system about becoming a spotlighted member. Heartwarming Support! The recent conversations in the member spotlight forum are wonderful reminders of why we are here. We are here to make sure that our own personal stories are success stories, and to provide support for others. Our community is so amazingly warm and welcoming, and each of you helps make that possible. RNYTalk.com Bypass Challenge! Highlights from the Last Challenge and a New Challenge to Try! Each RNY Newsletter, we’ll give you a new challenge. You can always find the latest news about the current challenge and check out the old ones in the Challenge Forum. The Challenge is a non-competitive way to push yourself to try something new or unusual. We encourage you to let everyone know how you did on the Challenge by posting in the Challenge Forum. Roundup of the Previous Bypass Challenge: Try a New Food! In the last newsletter, we suggested trying a new food or recipe that was healthy and a good fit for your meal plan. You can check out member contributions in the Bypass Challenge Forum. How did you do? Let everyone know about your new food or recipe in the forum! Don’t forget that you can always go back to try the old Bypass challenges and post your experience. Going public is a great way to motivate yourself, and other members can learn from your experiences! The New Challenge: Share Your NSV! Okay, first of all, what does NSV mean? It’s short for a Non Scale Victory, and it’s just what it sounds like. It’s a victory related to your bypass journey but not related to the number on the scale. We all have disappointing weigh-ins at some point, but it’s not all about the weight. The journey is about getting healthy, loving life and having new, positive experiences. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in the number on the scale that we forget to celebrate the other victories that are just as important. This Newsletter’s challenge is to recognize a new NSV and write about it in the Challenge Forum. An NSV can be anything that makes you realize what positive steps you’ve taken for yourself. Some possible NSV’s that you recognize might be: Going to a baseball game and fitting into the seat. Buying your new summer swimsuit in a regular store. Keeping your cool while you eat a meal with your hypercritical mother-in-law. Don’t be shy about sharing your NSV on the Challenge Forum. You can help other Bypassers learn to recognize their own NSVs and take pride in them! So that’s about it for this week’s newsletter, but there’s never a dull moment at RNYTalk.com! Come by and post often, and be sure to share your opinions, advice and feedback. See you on the boards! Sincerely, Alex ==============================================================If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, you may unsubscribe by going to your Control Panel and clicking on the Newsletters tab, or clicking on the following link: http://www.rnytalk.c...&tab=newsletter

LapBandTalk Contest & Newsletter By LapBandTalk.com Newsletter Hey, Bandsters, It’s that time again…another couple of weeks, another newsletter! We keep you updated on the latest happenings on LapBandTalk.com, and there’s a lot happening! Here’s a quick rundown of this week’s newsletter. Launch of the LapBandTalk.com app for Kindle. Encouragement to welcome new LapBandTalk.com members in the ”Introductions” Forum. Tick and Track your way to success! Jets Head Coach Rex Ryan gets banded and loses 90 pounds – and inspires his little brother! First Member Spotlight: Coming Soon! Newsletter Challenge: summary of the previous one, and a new challenge to try. Visit LapBandTalk.com often to stay on track with your weight loss journey and stay motivated to follow your diet and exercise program to get the success you deserve with the lap-band. Stay involved in the discussion forums, and always let us know if you have any comments, suggestions or questions. Take care of yourselves and each other. Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder LapBandTalk.com Kindle App Launched! The LapBandTalk.com app for the Kindle has launched! You can download it for free from Amazon for instant use on your Android. The Kindle app joins the lineup of LapBandTalk.com apps for iPod, iPad, iPhone and Android. All of these apps are fully functional, so you can read and post to the forums, upload photos and send private messages. Don’t go anywhere without LapBandTalk.com! Don’t forget about the contest to celebrate the launch of our new apps. The contest to win a free iPod Touch is still on, and you can get the details in the first LapBandTalk.com newsletter. There’s still time to enter; just complete your member profile and post to the forums to become eligible. The more you post and more involved you are on LapBandTalk.com, the better your chances of winning. Your chances improve when you post to the forums, join a group, comment on our new WLS magazine, upload photos or refer a friend. Wondering How You Can Help Out Other Bandsters Even More? LapBandTalk.com has more than 100,000 members who regularly come here for information, support and advice during all stages of your weight loss journey. Some of you visit often to read the forums, but you don’t post very often. Some of you post regularly. Both kinds of members are fantastic because LapBandTalk.com is dedicated toward helping everyone who needs it. We’re a welcoming, supportive community. We know that many of you Bandsters go above and beyond the call of duty, and want to know how you can use LapBandTalk.com to become even more supportive of your fellow bandsters. A few of you have asked about it, and we know a lot more of you are wondering the same thing. A great first step is to reach out to new members. Greet them when they post on the “Introductions” Forums, and answer any newbie questions to help them learn the ropes. And thanks! Tickers and Trackers Help You Be More Successful! What do you need to keep yourself on track, show the world who you are and remind yourself of what you’ve accomplished? Tickers and trackers, of course! Tickers let you mark your BMI, body fat, weight and countdown to surgery. They show your starting value, where you currently are and your goal value. Trackers are for recording your current body measurements. You get to customize them by choosing what they look like. We encourage you to make your tickers and trackers public, so that they are displayed when you post in the forums. That helps you stay and inspires your fellow bandsters. If you’re a little shy, you can make your ticker private so that only you see it. Lap-Band Helps Jets Head Coach Rex Ryan Look a Little More Athletic You already know that it doesn’t feel so good to have other people look at you and judge you because of your weight. It had to be tough for Rex Ryan, head coach of the New York Jets pro football team, to regularly be on national television weighing 338 pounds, and it probably didn’t help his ability to move around the football field while coaching. He got the lap-band in Since then, he’s lost close to 90 pounds. He’s approaching his goal weight of 250 pounds, and he looks a lot more comfortable in his clothes. He’s had no serious side effects beside slight indigestion following a post-game celebration, and he’s even inspired his younger brother, Rob Ryan, to get the band. Whom will you inspire? What do you think of the story? Post your thoughts and any lap-band talk news stories you see in the LapBandTalk.com News Forum! Coming Soon: Member Spotlights! We introduced them in the previous newsletter, and they’re coming soon…Keep your eyes peeled for member spotlights! Each LapBandTalk.com newsletter that comes out from now on will feature a different member. You’ll get to read all about our honorees. We’ll be Contacting You Soon! Don’t forget to post in the member spotlight forum to nominate yourself or another Bandster! Don’t be shy about it. Your story can make the difference in someone’s life. Within the coming weeks, many of you will be contacted through the LapBandTalk.com PM system about becoming a spotlighted member. Bandster Challenge! Highlights from the Last Challenge and a New Challenge to Try! Each Bandster Newsletter, we’ll give you a challenge. You can always find the latest news about the current challenge and check out the old ones in the Challenge Forum. The Challenge is a non-competitive way to push yourself to try something new or unusual. We encourage you to let everyone know how you did on the Challenge by posting in the Challenge Forum. Roundup of the Previous Bandster Challenge: Try a New Food! In the last newsletter, we suggested trying a new food or recipe that was healthy and a good fit for your meal plan. You can check out member contributions in the Bandster Challenge Forum. Here are three good ones. Breakfast – Cream Cheese Pancakes from MadcapMama. These pancakes are high in protein, low in calories and a sweet way to start your day. Lunch – Tandoori Chicken Salad from SageTracey. This salad has tzatzitki dressing – it’s a great for your lunch or dinner. It has 166 calories per serving, but SageTracey says she couldn’t even finish it all. Dessert – Vanilla Ice Cream with Peanut butter from imperfect 1974. What else is there to say? Thanks to the three of you for sharing your culinary expertises! Don’t forget that you can always go back, try the old Bandster challenges and post your experience. Going public is a great way to motivate yourself, and other members can learn from your experiences! The New Challenge: Share a NSV! Okay, first of all, what does NSV mean? It’s short for a Non Scale Victory, and it’s just what it sounds like. It’s a victory related to your lap-band journey but not related to the number on the scale. We all have disappointing weigh-ins at some point, but it’s not all about the weight. The journey is about getting healthy, loving life and having new, positive experiences. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in the number on the scale that we forget to celebrate the other victories that are just as important. This Newsletter’s challenge is to recognize a new NSV and write about it in the Challenge Forum. An NSV can be anything that makes you realize what positive steps you’ve taken for yourself. Some possible NSV’s that you recognize might be: Going to a baseball game and fitting into the seat. Buying your new summer swimsuit in a regular store. Keeping your cool while you eat a meal with your hypercritical mother-in-law. Don’t be shy about sharing your NSV on the Challenge Forum. You can help other Bandsters learn to recognize their own NSVs and take pride in them! So that’s about it for this week’s newsletter, but there’s never a dull moment at LapBandTalk.com! Come by and post often, and be sure to share your opinions, advice and feedback. See you on the boards! Sincerely, Alex ============================================================== If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, you may unsubscribe by going to your Control Panel and clicking on the Newsletters tab, or clicking on the following link: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/index.php?app=core&module=usercp&tab=newsletter

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VerticalSleeveTalk.com Newsletter Hey, Sleevesters! It’s that time again…another couple of weeks, another newsletter! We keep you updated on the latest happenings on VerticalSleeveTalk.com, and there’s a lot happening! Here’s a quick rundown of this week’s newsletter. Launch of the VerticalSleeveTalk.com app for Kindle. Encouragement to welcome new VerticalSleeveTalk.com members in the ”Tell Your Gastric Sleeve Story” Forum. Tick and Track your way to success! Hot on the Boards: Why doesn’t everyone get the Sleeve if it’s so effective? First Member Spotlight: Coming Soon! Newsletter Challenge: summary of the previous one, and a new challenge to try. Visit VerticalSleeveTalk.com often to stay on track with your weight loss journey and stay motivated to follow your diet and exercise program to get the success you deserve with the sleeve. Stay involved in the discussion forums, and always let us know if you have any comments, suggestions or questions. Take care of yourselves and each other. Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder VerticalSleeveTalk.com Kindle App Launched! The VerticalSleeveTalk.com app for the Kindle has launched! You can download it for free from Amazon for instant use on your Android. The Kindle app joins the lineup of VerticalSleeveTalk.com apps for iPod, iPad, iPhone and Android. All of these apps are fully functional, so you can read and post to the forums, upload photos and send private messages. Don’t go anywhere without VerticalSleeveTalk.com! Don’t forget about the contest to Celebrate the launch of our new apps. The contest to win a free iPod Touch is still on, and you can get the details in the first VerticalSleeveTalk.com newsletter. There’s still time to enter; just complete your member profile and post to the forums to become eligible. The more you post and more involved you are on VerticalSleeveTalk.com, the better your chances of winning. Your chances improve when you post to the forums, join a group, upload photos or refer a friend. Wondering How You Can Help Out Other Sleevesters Even More? VerticalSleeveTalk.com has thousands of members who regularly come here for information, support and advice during all stages of your weight loss journey. Some of you visit often to read the forums, but you don’t post very often. Some of you post regularly. Both kinds of members are fantastic because VerticalSleeveTalk.com is dedicated toward helping everyone who needs it. We’re a welcoming, supportive community. We know that many of you Sleevesters go above and beyond the call of duty, and want to know how you can use VerticalSleeveTalk.com to become even more supportive of your fellow sleevesters. A few of you have asked about it, and we know a lot more of you are wondering the same thing. A great first step is to reach out to new members. Greet them when they post on the “Tell Your Gastric Sleeve Surgery Story” Forums, and answer any newbie questions to help them learn the ropes. And thanks! Tickers and Trackers Help You Be More Successful! What do you need to keep yourself on track, show the world who you are and remind yourself of what you’ve accomplished? Tickers and trackers, of course! Tickers let you mark your BMI, body fat, weight and countdown to surgery. They show your starting value, where you currently are and your goal value. Trackers are for recording your current body measurements. You get to customize them by choosing what they look like. We encourage you to make your tickers and trackers public, so that they are displayed when you post in the forums. That helps you stay and inspires your fellow Sleevesters. If you’re a little shy, you can make your ticker private so that only you see it. VerticalSleeveTalk.com Hot Topic: Why Don’t All Yo-Yo Dieters Get the Sleeve? We all know of a few celebrities that have struggled with their weight for years. Talk show host Oprah Winfrey and actress Kirstie Alley have talked openly about their attempts to lose weight and different diets they have tried. So, OntheFence wondered why these famous role models haven’t gone for the sleeve and asked about it on the boards. That set off a great discussion about the sleeve! Some of you pointed out that the sleeve keeps you in check constantly – you don’t have the money to hire a personal trainer or nutritionist to watch over you full-time, but the Sleeve does that. Many of you also pointed out that weight loss surgery is not magic – you have to be dedicated to making a lifestyle change with your diet and exercise if you want the sleeve to be successful. What do you think about weight loss people for famous people who struggle with obesity? Come by and post your thoughts. Coming Soon: Member Spotlights! We introduced them in the previous newsletter, and they’re coming soon…Keep your eyes peeled for member spotlights! Each VerticalSleeveTalk.com newsletter that comes out from now on will feature a different member. You’ll get to read all about our honorees. We’ll be Contacting You Soon! Don’t forget to post in the member spotlight forum to nominate yourself or another Sleevester! Don’t be shy about it. Your story can make the difference in someone’s life. Within the coming weeks, many of you will be contacted through the VerticalSleeveTalk.com PM system about becoming a spotlighted member. Sleever Challenge! Highlights from the Last Challenge and a New Challenge to Try! Each Sleevester Newsletter, we’ll give you a challenge. You can always find the latest news about the current challenge and check out the old ones in the Challenge Forum. The Challenge is a non-competitive way to push yourself to try something new or unusual. We encourage you to let everyone know how you did on the Challenge by posting in the Challenge Forum. Roundup of the Previous Sleevester Challenge: Try a New Food! In the last newsletter, we suggested trying a new food or recipe that was healthy and a good fit for your meal plan. You can check out member contributions in the Challenge Forum. Here is just a sample of the great ideas from the challenge! lunch – P.F. Chang’s Lettuce Wraps from M2G. The only difference between these and the real ones is that these can fit into your Sleevester diet! dinner – Cheddar-Stuffed Black Bean and Mushroom Burgers from LadyIvy. These tasty burgers are easy to grind so you can eat them in the mushy stage if your surgery is recent, and they’re great for any time when you’ve progressed to solid foods! To celebrate Cinco de Mayo – Ground Turkey Tacos from Doreykn. Ole! Thanks to the three of you for sharing your culinary expertises! Don’t forget that you can always go back, try the old challenges and post your experience. Going public is a great way to motivate yourself, and other members can learn from your experiences! The New Challenge: Share a NSV! Okay, first of all, what does NSV mean? It’s short for a Non scale Victory, and it’s just what it sounds like. It’s a victory related to your weight loss journey but not related to the number on the scale. We all have disappointing weigh-ins at some point, but it’s not all about the weight. The journey is about getting healthy, loving life and having new, positive experiences. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in the number on the scale that we forget to celebrate the other victories that are just as important. This Newsletter’s challenge is to recognize a new NSV and write about it in the Challenge Forum. An NSV can be anything that makes you realize what positive steps you’ve taken for yourself. Some possible NSV’s that you recognize might be: Going to a baseball game and fitting into the seat. Buying your new summer swimsuit in a regular store. Keeping your cool while you eat a meal with your hypercritical mother-in-law. Don’t be shy about sharing your NSV on the Challenge Forum. You can help other Sleevesters learn to recognize their own NSVs and take pride in them! So that’s about it for this week’s newsletter, but there’s never a dull moment at VerticalSleeveTalk.com! Come by and post often, and be sure to share your opinions, advice and feedback. See you on the boards! Sincerely, Alex ============================================================== If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, you may unsubscribe by going to your Control Panel and clicking on the Newsletters tab, or clicking on the following link: http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/index.php?app=core&module=usercp&tab=newsletter

We should have this feature available in our next version. Until then, se the PM I just sent you.

Please see my post at http://www.rnytalk.com/topic/135-do-you-like-rnytalk-we-need-your-help/ , thanks!!

I'm in NY as well. Dr. Ren @ NYU was my surgeon. Love their entire practice!! Take some of our fliers and tell them to hang it up in the waiting room

You can now create your own tickers right here on VST. Check out this link.

You can now create your own tickers right here on VST. Check out this link.

SleevePlicationTalk.com News Hey, Sleevesters! Another couple of weeks have passed, and it’s time for another update from SleevePlicationTalk.com. This is the newsletter that keeps you current on the latest happenings around the forums and gives you the extra motivation to participate in the discussions and stay on track with your healthy lifestyle. Our first newsletter was a great success, and our second newsletter is just as exciting. Here’s a taste of what’s to come in this newsletter: Official start of our iPod Giveaway contest to celebrate the recent launch of the SleevePlicationTalk apps (and how you can improve your chances of winning). A few tricks to finding what you need in the forums. An article from Bariatric Times that suggests that sleeve plication may be the way to go! Description of our new feature to be a regular part of future newsletters: SleevePlicationTalk Member Spotlight. And the first SleevePlicationTalk News Challenge. Don’t worry – it’s not too hard, and you’ll be so glad you took the Challenge! Please send along your feedback and comments on the SleevePlicationTalk.com News and anything else SleevePlicationTalk.com. It is always such a pleasure to hear from you! Take care of yourselves and each other. Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder and President WLSBoards.com The iPod Touch Contest is On! SleevePlicationTalk.com Apps You never have to be without SleevePlicationTalk.com again if you have the SleevePlicationTalk iPhone, iPad and iPod app. These free apps are fully functional, so you can do everything you love to do on the forums. Be notified when your favorite threads are updated, PM your friends and post to your heart’s content. And speaking of posting more…increase your chances of winning the free iPod Touch with more posts! Keep reading… Contest Summary To celebrate the launch of our new apps, a lucky winner will win a free iPod Touch! The contest officially started on May 2. For the next 30 days, through May 31, you can improve your chances of winning by participating more in SleevePlicationTalk.com. The more points you earn during the contest, the better your chances of winning. You can find out the details of the contest in the first SleevePlicationTalk.com newsletter, and here’s a quick review of the point structure. 1 to 2 points for each forum post 5 points for joining a group 10 Points for uploading photos or completing My Surgery, My Surgeon or My Roux-en-Y Story 20 points for each friend referral to the forum – we want more members around! 40 points for having a complete patient profile Remember, to be entered in the contest, you must: make at least one post on any forum on SleevevPlicationTalk.com before May 31 have a completed patient profile Get Your Questions Answered! With thousands of members and counting, SleevePlicationTalk.com has a lot of information for you. Your fellow SleevePlicationTalk members are here to support you and offer their advice when you need it. These are a few ways to get answers to your questions. Sometimes you have such a basic question that you’re sure everyone must have the same question – but you just don’t know the answer! Try the Pre-Surgery Questions and Post-Surgery Questions forums for common questions about preparing for and recovering from surgery, and what to expect. Use keywords to search the forums from the box in the upper right-hand corner of any page of SleevePlicationTalk.com. An advanced search lets you enter search terms and narrow by forum topic, date and poster. You can get to an advanced search from this link or from the wheel to the right of the regular search page. If you don’t see the question and answer you need, start your own thread. Please follow the community rules and guidelines. They’re pretty simple, and they help keep threads polite, friendly, supportive and helpful. Remember to use a descriptive title so others will know what the thread is about. You can sign up to receive updates on the thread by clicking on the orange box at the top right of the first post. That way, you’ll always know when someone’s answering your question. SleevePlication is Still New, and It’s Looking Promising SleevePlication: How is It Doing? Gastric Sleeve Plication, or Gastroplication, is pretty new. It’s only been around for about 10 years. Bariatric Times, the journal dedicated to bringing you the latest research on weight loss surgeries, published an article on gastroplication. Researchers followed the weight loss journeys of 62 patients who had a laparoscopic greater curvature plication surgery. Here’s how it went: All surgeries were laparoscopic, and the average surgery time was less than an hour. No serious complications occurred. In fact, gastroplication is among the safest weight loss procedures. Side effects, such as nausea, vomiting and steatorrhea, occurred in less than one-third of patients, and lasted for less than two weeks. And what you really want to know…how much weight did they lose on average? 20% of excess body weight at one month 32% of excess body weight at three months 48% of excess body weight at six months 60% of excess body weight at 12 months 61 percent of excess body weight lost after two years. Gastroplication can help reduce heartburn from acid reflux. The procedure reduces your body’s production of ghrelin, which is a hormone that increases your hunger. And, sleeve plication is usually laparoscopic, so it is safer and recovery is easier than invasive surgery. A healthy diet, regular exercise program and frequent participation in SleevePlicationTalk.com for can help you achieve the same results as the patients in the Bariatric Times study. Coming Soon: Member Spotlights! Keep your eyes peeled for member spotlights. Each SleevePlicationTalk.com newsletter that comes out from now on will feature a different member. You’ll get to read about our honorees’ Sleeve Plication journeys, their personal interests, their struggles and triumphs and their advice for you. Who will be our highlighted members? Nominate Yourself or a Friend If you want to be highlighted, nominate yourself in the feedback forum. Also let us know in the feedback forum if you know someone that you would like to nominate for the spotlight. We also welcome your suggestions on general types of people you’d like to see highlighted, such as women, fathers, Latino Sleevesters or people from your region. Let us know! Or, Hope to be Discovered! Occasionally, we’ll choose a SleevePlicationTalk.com member to be highlighted. This may be someone who’s been especially inspirational to others or who has gone above and beyond the call of duty in being a pillar of support in the forums. We hope that you let us know if you see someone like this who deserves the recognition! First SleevePlicationTalk.com Newsletter Challenge! What is the SleevePlicationTalk.com Newsletter Challenge? The Sleevester Challenge is just what it sounds like. We suggest a challenge for you to do over the next couple of weeks. Pretty much anything is fair play as long as it helps you or someone else get healthier. We may ask you to try a new food, change up your exercise routine or lend someone a helping hand. There’s no pass-fail on this, and we encourage you to try again and again until you are confident that you’ve met the challenge. This Newsletter’s Challenge As promised, here’s the first challenge. Within the next two weeks, your challenge is to try a new recipe that you have never tried before. It needs to be healthy, of course, and fit into your meal plan. A good way to start is to look online for recipes, try a new ingredient or use a different combination of spices. Good luck, and tell us how it goes in the Sleevester Challenge Forum! The forum is a good place to help out anyone else who needs ideas for a new recipe. A Few Reminders In case you missed it or want to reread it, the first edition of SleevePlicationTalk.com News is here. Celebrate an upcoming surgery or surgery anniversary with other members! Help distribute our ready-to-print fliers throughout your surgeon’s clinic so that your surgeon and other patients can join SleevePlicationTalk.com. Use our surgeon database to find a surgeon near you and read reviews of surgeons in your region. Well, that’s about it for this week. Thanks to everyone for your participation in SleevePlicationTalk.com. Always feel free to let me know what you’re thinking. See you on the boards! Sincerely, Alex ==============================================================If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, you may unsubscribe by going to your Control Panel and clicking on the Newsletters tab, or clicking on the following link: http://www.sleevepli...&tab=newsletter

RNYTalk.com News Hey, roux-en-Y travellers! Another couple of weeks have passed, and it’s time for another update from RNYTalk.com. This is the newsletter that keeps you current on the latest happenings around the forums and gives you the extra motivation to participate in the discussions and stay on track with your healthy lifestyle. Our first newsletter was a great success, and our second newsletter is just as exciting. Here’s a taste of what’s to come in this newsletter: Official start of our iPod Giveaway contest to celebrate the recent launch of the RNYTalk apps (and how you can improve your chances of winning). A few tricks to finding what you need in the forums. New research study confirms that gastric bypass beats the sleeve in controlling type 2 diabetes (and both worked better than no surgery)! Description of our new feature to be a regular part of future newsletters: RNY Member Spotlight. And your first RNYTalk News Challenge. Don’t worry – it’s not too hard, and you’ll be so glad you took the Challenge! Please send along your feedback and comments on the RNYTalk News and anything else RNYTalk.com. It is always such a pleasure to hear from you! Take care of yourselves and each other. Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder and President WLSBoards.com The iPod Touch Contest is On! RNYTalk.com Apps You never have to be without RNYTalk.com again if you have the RNYTalk iPhone, iPad and iPod app. These free apps are fully functional, so you can do everything you love to do on the forums. Be notified when your favorite threads are updated, PM your friends and post to your heart’s content. And speaking of posting more…increase your chances of winning the free iPod Touch with more posts! Keep reading… Contest Summary To celebrate the launch of our new apps, a lucky winner will win a free iPod Touch! The contest officially started on May 1. For the next 30 days, through May 30, you can improve your chances of winning by participating more in RNY.com. The more points you earn during the contest, the better your chances of winning. You can find out the details of the contest in the first RNYTalk.com newsletter, and here’s a quick review of the point structure. 1 to 2 points for each forum post 5 points for joining a group 10 Points for uploading photos or completing My Surgery, My Surgeon or My Roux-en-Y Story 20 points for each friend referral to the forum – we want more members around! 40 points for having a complete patient profile Remember, to be entered in the contest, you must: make at least one post on any forum on RNY.com before May 27 have a completed patient profile Get Your Questions Answered! With over 14,000 members, RNYTalk.com has a lot of information for you. Your fellow RNYTalk members are here to support you and offer their advice when you need it. These are a few ways to get answers to your questions. Sometimes you have such a basic question that you’re sure everyone must have the same question – but you just don’t know the answer! Try the Pre-Surgery Questions and Post-Surgery Questions forums for common questions about preparing for and recovering from gastric bypass, and what to expect. Use keywords to search the forums from the box in the upper right-hand corner of any page of RNYTalk.com. An advanced search lets you enter search terms and narrow by forum topic, date and poster. You can get to an advanced search from this link or from the wheel to the right of the regular search page. If you don’t see the question and answer you need, start your own thread. Please follow the community rules and guidelines. They’re pretty simple, and they help keep threads polite, friendly, supportive and helpful. Remember to use a descriptive title so others will know what the thread is about. You can sign up to receive updates on the thread by clicking on the orange box at the top right of the first post. That way, you’ll always know when someone’s answering your question. Confirmed Once Again: Roux-en-Y Helps Resolve Diabetes The Scoop on Roux-en-Y and Diabetes Over and over, scientific studies consistently tell us that gastric bypass surgery helps reduce diabetes. Most recently, a study funded by the National Institutes of Health found the same thing. Researchers divided patients into different groups. All individuals in the study were obese and had uncontrolled type 2 diabetes. One group received no weight loss surgery, another group had roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery and the third group had sleeve gastrectomy. The study lasted for a year. During this time, all of the study groups had medical counseling and treatment for diabetes. After one year, individuals who had weight loss surgery had better insulin control than the individuals without weight loss surgery. Also, their glycated hemoglobin, or A1c, went way down compared to the A1c of the group without surgery. Only 12 percent of the group without weight loss surgery had A1c of less than 6%, which is a healthy goal. 37% of the gastric sleeve patients achieved A1c of less than 6%, and an amazing 42% of the roux-en-Y patients got to their goal A1c numbers! What Does This Mean for You? How does it work? We don’t know exactly, but the bottom line is that it works. Time and time again, the research confirms that roux-en-Y helps resolve diabetes within days or weeks. When your blood sugar is under control, you have a lower risk of diabetes complications, like heart disease, blindness, infections and kidney disease. Good nutrition and regular exercise help you get the most health benefits out of roux-en-Y surgery, of course. Together, a healthy lifestyle and the surgery can keep you active for years! Coming Soon: Member Spotlights! Keep your eyes peeled for member spotlights. Each RNYTalk.com newsletter that comes out from now on will feature a different member. You’ll get to read about our honorees’ roux-en-Y journeys, their personal interests, their struggles and triumphs and their advice for you. Who will be our highlighted members? Nominate Yourself or a Friend If you want to be highlighted, nominate yourself in the feedback forum. Also let us know in the feedback forum if you know someone that you would like to nominate for the spotlight. We also welcome your suggestions on general types of people you’d like to see highlighted, such as women, fathers, Latino Bypassers or people from your region. Let us know! Hope to be Discovered! Occasionally, we’ll choose a RNYTalk.com member to be highlighted. This may be someone who’s been especially inspirational to others or who has gone above and beyond the call of duty in being a pillar of support in the forums. We hope that you let us know if you see someone like this who deserves the recognition! First RNYTalk.com News Challenge! What is the RNYTalk.com News Challenge? The RNYTalk.com challenge is just what it sounds like. We suggest a challenge for you to do over the next couple of weeks. Pretty much anything is fair play as long as it helps you or someone else get healthier. We may ask you to try a new food, change up your exercise routine or lend someone a helping hand. There’s no pass-fail on this, and we encourage you to try again and again until you are confident that you’ve met the challenge. This Newsletter’s Challenge As promised, here’s the first challenge. Within the next two weeks, your challenge is to try a new recipe that you have never tried before. It needs to be healthy, of course, and fit into your meal plan. A good way to start is to look online for recipes, try a new ingredient or use a different combination of spices. Good luck, and tell us how it goes in the Bypass Challenge Forum! The forum is a good place to help out anyone else who needs ideas for a new recipe. A Few Reminders In case you missed it or want to reread it, the first edition of RNYTalk.com News is here. Celebrate an upcoming surgery or surgery anniversary with other members! Help distribute our ready-to-print fliers throughout your surgeon’s clinic so that your surgeon and other patients can join RNYTalk.com. Use our surgeon database to find a surgeon near you and read reviews of surgeons in your region. Well, that’s about it for this week. Thanks to everyone for your participation in RNYTalk.com. Always feel free to let me know what you’re thinking. See you on the boards! Sincerely, Alex ==============================================================If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, you may unsubscribe by going to your Control Panel and clicking on the Newsletters tab, or clicking on the following link: http://www.rnytalk.c...&tab=newsletter

Groups aren't available on any of our apps (yet.)

I'm excited to announce our new official RNYTalk Kindle app! This app makes it fun and easy to access the site while you're away from your computer. You can also take pictures with your phone and attach them directly to a thread. The RNYTalk Kindle Forum application features include: Full posting abilities Attach photos directly from your Kindle device Private Messaging (with optional push notifications) Subscribe and track your favorite threads and topics (with optional push notifications) Supports both Landscape and Portrait views The app is free and you can download it directly from your phone. Just open up the Amazon app store and search for "RNYTalk" and you'll find the app. Then just click install. Once it's installed, you'll have a new icon on your phone that says RNYTalk. Click it and you'll be ready to go. Here are some screen shots: Get the app and get ready to take RNYTalk with you wherever you go.

Great suggestion! We're rolling out our own tickers and trackers this week and we'll add point tracking to that right away.

You're very welcome! I WISH I was able to read through every post. When time permits, I browse through latest threads on the app.

VerticalSleeveTalk.com News Hey, Sleeve-sters! Another couple of weeks have passed, and it’s time for another update from VerticalSleeveTalk.com. This is the newsletter that keeps you current on the latest happenings around the forums and gives you the extra motivation to participate in the discussions and stay on track with your healthy lifestyle. Our Celebrate the recently Alex Brecher Founder and President WLSBoards.com The iPod Touch Contest is On! VerticalSleeveTalk.com Apps You never have to be without VerticalSleeveTalk.com again if you have the food, change up your exercise routine or lend someone a helping hand. There’s no pass-fail on this, and we encourage you to try again and again until you are confident that you’ve met the challenge. This Newsletter’s Challenge As promised, here’s the first challenge. Within the next two weeks, your challenge is to try a new recipe that you have never tried before. It needs to be healthy, of course, and fit into your meal plan. A good way to start is to look online for recipes, try a new ingredient or use a different combination of spices. Good luck, and tell us how it goes in the VerticalSleeveTalk.com Challenge Forum! The forum is a good place to help out anyone else who needs ideas for a new recipe. A Few Reminders In case you missed it or want to reread it, the first edition of VerticalSleeveTalk.com News is here. Celebrate an upcoming surgery or surgery anniversary with other members! Help distribute our ready-to-print fliers throughout your surgeon’s clinic so that your surgeon and other patients can join VerticalSleeveTalk.com. Use our surgeon database to find a surgeon near you and read reviews of surgeons in your region. Well, that’s about it for this week. Thanks to everyone for your participation in VerticalSleeveTalk.com. Always feel free to let me know what you’re thinking. See you on the boards! Sincerely, Alex ============================================================== If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, you may unsubscribe by going to your Control Panel and clicking on the Newsletters tab, or clicking on the following link: http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/index.php?app=core&module=usercp&tab=newsletter

LapBandTalk News Hey, Bandsters! Another couple of weeks have passed, and it’s time for another update from LapBandTalk.com. This is the newsletter that keeps you current on the latest happenings around the forums and gives you the extra motivation to participate in the discussions and stay on track with your healthy lifestyle. Our first newsletter was a great success, and our second newsletter is just as exciting. Here’s a taste of what’s to come in this newsletter: Official start of our iPod Giveaway contest to celebrate the recently launched LapBandTalk apps (and how you can improve your chances of winning). A few tricks to finding what you need in the forums. A scientific discovery that gives you permission to keep eating potatoes! Description of our new feature to be a regular part of future newsletters: Bandster spotlight. And your first LapBandTalk News Challenge. Don’t worry – it’s not too hard, and you’ll be so glad you took the Challenge! Please send along your feedback and comments on the LapBandTalk News and anything else LapBandTalk.com. It is always such a pleasure to hear from you! Take care of yourselves and each other. Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder and President WLSBoards.com The iPod Touch Contest is On! LapBandTalk.com Apps You never have to be without LapBandTalk.com again if you have the LapBandTalk Android or LapBandTalk iPhone, iPad and iPod app. These free apps are fully functional, so you can do everything you love to do on the forums. Be notified when your favorite threads are update, PM your friends and post to your heart’s content. Contest Summary To celebrate the launch of our new apps, a lucky winner will win a free iPod Touch! The contest officially started on April 28. For the next 30 days, through May 27, you can improve your chances of winning by participating more in LapBandTalk.com. The more points you earn during the contest, the better your chances of winning. You can find out the details of the contest and in the first LapBandTalk.com newsletter, and here’s a quick review of the point structure. 1 to 2 points for each forum post 5 points for joining a group or commenting on our new WLS magazine 10 Points for uploading photos or completing My Surgery, My Surgeon or My Lap-Band Story 20 points for referring a friend – we want more Bandsters around! 40 points for having a complete patient profile Remember, to be entered in the contest, you must: make at least one post on any forum on LapBandTalk.com before May 27 have a completed patient profile Get Your Questions Answered! With over 130,000 members, LapBandTalk.com has a lot of information for you. Your fellow Bandsters are here to support you and offer their advice when you need it. These are a few ways to get answers to your questions. Sometimes you have such a basic question that you’re sure everyone must have the same question – but you just don’t know the answer! Try the Pre-Surgery Questions and Post-Surgery Questions forums for common questions about the Lap-Band procedure preparation and aftercare. Use keywords to search the forums from the box in the upper right-hand corner of any page of LapBandTalk.com. An advanced search lets you enter search terms and narrow by forum topic, date and poster. You can get to an advanced search from this link or from the wheel to the right of the regular search page. If you don’t see the question and answer you need, start your own thread. Please follow the community rules and guidelines. They’re pretty simple, and they help keep threads polite, friendly, supportive and helpful. Remember to use a descriptive title so others will know what the thread is about. You can sign up to receive updates on the thread by clicking on the orange box at the top right of the first post. That way, you’ll always know when someone’s answering your question. Scientific Discovery: White Potatoes are Okay in Your Diet! Here’s the Research Story Multiple research studies have investigated whether white potatoes are bad for you. Potatoes have the reputation of being detrimental to any healthy diet. A recent study, however, found that white potatoes are not necessarily harmful, public health nutritionist Adam Drewnowski and colleagues at the University of Washington looked at thousands of pieces of data from national surveys over the past several years. They found that people who eat white potatoes are not necessarily more likely to become obese, develop diabetes or have increased chronic inflammation, which is a risk factor for heart disease. Conclusion? Moderation is the Key The news that we don’t have to avoid potatoes to stay healthy is a relief for most of us. As with all parts of your healthy lifestyle, moderation is the most important factor in how white potatoes affect your health. Measure out a small portion and stick to the volume and number of calories that fit into your meal plan. Choose baked, boiled or mashed potatoes, not French fries, to keep down the calories and fat. And, of course, savor every bite just as you do with all of your favorite foods. Coming Soon: Member Spotlights! Keep your eyes peeled for member spotlights. Each LapBandTalk.com newsletter that comes out from now on will feature a different member. You’ll get to read about our honorees’ Lap-Band journeys, their personal interests, their struggles and triumphs and their advice for you. Who will be our highlighted members? Nominate Yourself or a Friend If you want to be highlighted, nominate yourself in the feedback forum. Also let us know in the feedback forum if you know someone that you would like to nominate for the spotlight. We also welcome your suggestions on general types of people you’d like to see highlighted, such as women, fathers, Latino Bandsters or people from your region. Let us know! Hope to be Discovered! Occasionally, we’ll choose a LapBandTalk.com member to be highlighted. This may be someone who’s been especially inspirational to others or who has gone above and beyond the call of duty in being a pillar of support in the forums. We hope that you let us know if you see someone like this who deserves the recognition! First Lap Bandster Challenge! What is a Lap Bandster Challenge? The Lap Bandster challenge is just what it sounds like. We suggest a challenge for you to do over the next couple of weeks. Pretty much anything is fair play as long as it helps you or someone else get healthier. We may ask you to try a new food, change up your exercise routine or lend someone a helping hand. There’s no pass-fail on this, and we encourage you to try again and again until you are confident that you’ve met the challenge. This Newsletter’s Challenge As promised, here’s the first challenge. Within the next two weeks, your challenge is to try a new recipe that you have never tried before. It needs to be healthy, of course, and fit into your meal plan. A good way to start is to look online for recipes, try a new ingredient or use a different combination of spices. Good luck, and tell us how it goes in the LapBandTalk.com Challenge Forum! The forum is a good place to help out anyone else who needs ideas for a new recipe. A Few Reminders In case you missed it or want to reread it, the first edition of LapBandTalk.com News is here. Celebrate an upcoming surgery or surgery anniversary with other members! Help distribute our ready-to-print fliers throughout your surgeon’s clinic so that everyone can join LapBandTalk.com. Use our surgeon database to find a surgeon near you and read reviews of surgeons in your region. Keep checking our newly released WLS Magazine, complete with articles from experts in weight loss surgeries. You can find tips on healthy eating, surgery prep, what to expect and so much more. Well, that’s about it for this week. Thanks to everyone for your participation in LapBandTalk.com. Always feel free to let me know what you’re thinking. See you on the boards! Sincerely, Alex ============================================================== If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, you may unsubscribe by going to your Control Panel and clicking on the Newsletters tab, or clicking on the following link: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/index.php?app=core&module=usercp&tab=newsletter

I updated my post above with info on how to add or edit your profile pic right from our app. What device do you have our app installed on please ? Does it have a camera ? You can update all this info plus a lot more if you're logged in from a desktop computer at http://www.RNYTalk.com . We're working on the next generation of our mobile apps. They should be a lot easier to use with many more useful features.

You can post pics right from your app by clicking on the + sign right next to the "Send" button while writing a post: To change your profile picture: 1) Go to your profile tab: 2) Click on the picture icon:

The Kindle App has arrived. Please see this post.

I'm excited to announce our new official VerticalSleeveTalk Kindle app! This app makes it fun and easy to access the site while you're away from your computer. You can also take pictures with your phone and attach them directly to a thread. The VerticalSleeveTalk Kindle Forum application features include: Full posting abilities Attach photos directly from your Android device Private Messaging (with optional push notifications) Subscribe and track your favorite threads and topics (with optional push notifications) Supports both Landscape and Portrait views The app is free and you can download it directly from your phone. Just open up the Kindle app store and search for "VerticalSleeveTalk" and you'll find the app. Then just click install. Once it's installed, you'll have a new icon on your phone that says VerticalSleeveTalk. Click it and you'll be ready to go. Here are some screen shots: Get the app and get ready to take VerticalSleeveTalk with you wherever you go.

You can't technically track the points. We have a script that we run against our member database that will output this info to Excel. In the future we hope to have this feature built right in to the site.

Definitely not until Blackberry releases OS 10. It's going to be a few months at a minimum..... We have iOS and Android apps and we're releasing our Kindle app in a few days as well.