gmanbat

Well, I feel pretty embarassed and stupid right now. Might have to reconsider the whole deal. Sorry if I offended anyone. Totally in jest Gman. Don't be offended. Wait...did someone say chicken? I miss Popeye's. Guess I'm a little over sensitive tonight. I haven't been called a chicken since 5th grade.

Well, I feel pretty embarassed and stupid right now. Might have to reconsider the whole deal. Sorry if I offended anyone.

What we need is a diabetic with PCOS, who is also an atheist, single, religious, biker, gay, bisexual, lesbian, transexual in the 12 step program with mental health issues who has crossover addictions. I might consider trying to conform to all of those for the sake of objectivity but I would not live through it. The main sticking point would be the singles section...my wife would consign me to the ground.

Lol!!! A minister overseeing the atheist/agnostic Forum??! Now I have seen everything @BP.com It is quite a convergence of conflicting ideologies within my mind. On one hand I am inextricably involved with my relationship with Christ and love to share Him. On the other hand, I respect the sovereignty of will and choice that all people are entitled to and in no way want to violate that line of respect. Then, as a host, I must maintain objectivity and a measure of detachment. I have had extensive discussions with atheists on both scientific and theological grounds and have most enjoyed the ones that remained civil. I, in fact, have considered myself an atheist in my past and as a minister since the 70's have had very deep doubts at times. Somehow my faith holds and remains a bastion of joy in my life, but I can empathize with opposing points of view. Then there is the fact that I am very fond of the folks I've come to know on the forum. I know that religion can easily cause rifts in relationships and I certainly don't want that to happen. My job is to maintain reasonable peace without jumping on sides. I think I can do that. Might not be easy, though, especially when I know I am always right. Edit: I am watching a Bulls game as I write this. There are guys on the floor with whistles who are running back and forth. They might be Bulls fans but dare let that be a factor on their decisions. That's me.

How about a birthday prayer that God will bless you with another year and a successful surgery and healthy recovery:) we r here for u. And HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! Thanks so much! I am one of the new hosts here, I had my surgery in 2010 and indeed it was successful. This is one of three forum areas that I oversee along with other vets. I could really use the prayer for another year. I am already several years past where my cancer docs predicted I would die. I am as healthy as I was in my 20's now, God's grace and this surgery has brought me back from the brink.

Fantastic! Well done! Your advice is sound and your results speak for themselves I celebrate with you!

Many happy days ahead for you!!! Having a gall bladder out at the same time was something I wanted but did not get. The little monster flared up so bad that my surgeon took it out in a separate operation two weeks before my sleeve operation. Both operations went well, my surgeon knew what he was doing. I was sure glad to dump that gall bladder, I felt a lot better afterward.

Greeting and best wishes to all December sleevers! I am one of the hosts on this forum and I have a request. December is my birthday, 65 this month. Give me the gift of having a very successful surgery!

A sane person would naturally be nervous in your situation. I was semi- nervous......uh,oh.

Hi, Christine! Quite a thread you came into! No worries! Welcome!

I really like that you are heavily involved in exercise, a very good sign of ultimate success. I've watched the scale play games for 2 years now with my exercise routines. I've learned that the scale shares just a limited amount of insight. When I exercise heavily my weight can actually go up. Repairing muscles retain Water to work in which shows on the scale. In the long haul my weight went down, along with my fat and my clothing sizes. I cleaned out my closet 3 times. Don't be a scale slave. Unless you are extremely rich don't buy expensive clothes until you are at goal for awhile. You will see,...up, down, stall..doesn't matter...weight is secondary to program...the overall graph line heads downward..you will conquer!

Good for you! The time leading up to surgery is well spent on researching and planning. I would advise setting goals and strategies in the exercise department as well as the acquisition and consumption department of food intake. The sleeve is a permanent decision, it needs permanent plans to go with it. It is so much not a diet, it is so much a new way of living. I determined to be in training like an athlete ...permanently. My goal was optimum shape for the rest of my life. So far I have been true to that promise. These are the days of self-advocacy. Regardless of how you treated yourself in the past...this an opportunity to be a real friend to yourself. I have found that when I made that a reality I became a much friendlier person to everyone else. I have fun being me and folks like to be around it.

My guess would be diarrhea causing water deficit as well. Contact your doctors. Don't let it go on too long.

We have Aldi's and many thrift stores in the Zephyrhills area. My wife has taken to the "shabby sheik" school of decorating. We have decorated our new double-wide with thrift store treasures and amazing pieces of furniture that were left by our dumpster in the trailer park. She reconditions them many times with "distressing". We get lots of compliments from visitors. My billfold is singing the hallelujah chorus!

The advice thus far given covers it well. I am a big resistance training fan for men and women. Too much bulk is not much of a problem for women, most are not inclined that way without the aid of steroids. Most bodybuilding women are smooth and ......nice. I would steer clear of the sauna, probably because of my experience this last summer. I worked hard in the hot Florida sun and sweat continually all day. I also drank Water a lot, 6-8 bottles. I still felt dehydrated and couldn't seem to get enough in. I also had nasty cramps in my hamstrings, sometimes both legs at once. My only relief was drinking pickle juice, we now have jars of pickles in abundance in the fridge with no liquid in them. They are destined for the disposal. Sweating is good for you but use moderation which I did not in the pursuit of a living.

Butterthebean is correct as usual. I am approaching the start of my 3rd year after surgery. I will be 65 in another week. I lost about 130 pounds. All of these things play into how much loose skin is present in the aftermath. I am surprised that my skin still appears to be tightening very slowly. My only area of complaint now is around my deflated belly area. I no longer have bat wings on the arms and my pectoral area is lifting a bit. Another year may do me good in the esthetics department if I maintain my exercise level and eating diligence. I am determined to do so.

Can't speak for all of them but I'm having a pretty good time here. I have eternity for eternity, it can wait. Besides, the forum needs me..can't leave yet.

I tell you what...I'd rather be a freak in a side show sticking needles through my cheek than be really sick and/or dead. It's not so bad...being different. I am not fond of a lot of what the masses are doing to each other...fitting in with them is not a priority for me. I'm inclined to choose my standards from my own heart and mind contemplation, not from a percieved consensus from the mindless hordes.

Wow, what an experience! Glad you made it through. Baby your stomach now, give it lots of time. Be overly cautious. Pays off later.

Are you sure she wasn't another patient pretending to be the psychiatrist? Saw a movie like that once. I hate to voice a stereotype but it seems a lot of psychs are in dire need of their own services.

I tell myself that all the time. What a strain to have to be nice to make up my ever increasing forehead!

I had a gym teacher in high school who was also on the city hockey team. It seemed like during the season that he was always coming to class with a new scar on his face or a tooth missing. My brother got his nose mashed up playing high school football. I joined the art club.

Mine was all buddy buddy to me, got me to talk about my past, and then rejected me because I was an incorrigible, drug-addict hippy. Only thing was...that was in the 1960's for 2 years...been straight ever since. My surgeon was livid..he said, "Who wasn't a hippy in the 60's?" He sent off a fax within minutes and got me approved. I am no longer a drug addict but I am still incorrigible according to my wife. It sounds like your psych was testing your resolve and was seeing how motivated you were....you passed.

To most folks an operation is a drastic thing, this is no exception. In my case and probably in yours, drastic action is needed. I would have been dead within a year if I had not lost the 130 pounds, I am certain. Also, most people know little about the gastric sleeve or any weight loss surgery. Darkness is scary.

Before my operation I went into Macy's and talked to all the suits that were too small for me, which was all of them. I told them, "I'll be back!" A year later I came back and bought 2 of them. One of them is displayed on my "after" picture on my profile. You can do it!!!!!