loopylou

Kate Winslet, Clive Owen, John Malcovich, Eminem, and Mia Tyler.

Thankyou so much Everyone!!! I am going to give it one more try. I will write the letter (I have been keeping a diary) and my hubby will help (he's an HR manager himself - and totally pissed about whats happening to me) and follow your advice about keeping it factual. But I have also decided that if I cannot cope, I will get out - its just not worth it. I dont know what to do about my meds though - I am already taking double the recommended dose, but I suppose I should see if I can get an appointment to discuss it with my doctor. I am seeing a pychologist and she has been really helpful. Anyway thanks again for letting me vent and being here for me, I adore you guys.

Hi guys, I am having a hard week and I'm hoping you dont mind If I have a bit of a rant/vent about work stuff. I posted a few weeks ago about trouble with a co-worker, well things got better and now worse again.. But let me give you a little history first... I haven't worked for 5 years because of severe depression (also one of the reasons I am now so over-weight) and going back to work for my was a HUGE thing. I was finally feeling like I wanted to get back into 'life' and the world, and take back some of my independence. But it has all fallen apart. I am working hard and I am proud Of what I am acheiving, and I love the actual work but the environment and management suck!!! The boss is lazy and sexist and I am forever apologising to clients for him. He is intimidating and bad-tempered and sulks. He lies and makes dodgy deals and is forever having a smoke break/lunch or closing early. The co-worker who so upset me last time is horrible to work with too, he's negative and whiney and keeps saying inappropriate things to the customers, and trying to get me help him do his work when I am swamped with my own stuff. Customers and other staff members have made complaints about the boss to him and to others (higher up) about him and still nothing is done. Lately I have started falling back into old habits - thinking very negatively, wanting to sleep all the time and not wanting to do anything, and feeling on the verge of tears constantly, not to mention eating as much junk as I can cram into my cake-hole. I love the sense of independence I get from working and earning my own money. but I dont actually have to work, hubby earns enough for me to stay at home if I want to. But I dont want to be a failure again. If I quit and leave this job I will feel as though I have 'screwed up' again, but I dont know if my mental health can take much more of this. There is no other company in my town that employs 'optical dispensers', so if I give up this job I give up my career. My hubby thinks I should write a 'strongly worded letter' to the HR department - including details of the boss' behaviours but I dont know if I can deal with the fall-out. He is away for 2 weeks now but I know I will spend the next 2 weeks cleaning up his messes and trying (in vain) to placate angry customers who cant understand why their glasses that they 'ordered' 2 weeks ago have in fact not been ordered. I am really feeling stressed and strung out I dont know what to do. Thanks for listening.

ummm striped cotton high-cut panties- greens and purples and gold, a bit faded now. And my new and to-die-for-comfortable black 'body wise' bra - the come in sizes like Gorgeous (18) Extra-gorgeous (20) and Goddess (22); I'm a proud Goddess.

ummmm:ermm , well Dearest Nana, I dont think you are going to have to worry about sending that divine cloak to Australia!!! This week, I have exceeded meself - literally!! Last Week : loopylou________257.8______44.5_____47.5___50___ This Week : loopylou________260:eek: _____44.5_____47.75__49.75_ loopylou's stats are especially loopy this week :tired

ummmm, it's nearly monday morning here, so I am a little early but I figured I better post the truth before I lose my nerve. Ummmm you remember that 1lb I lost last week, well he's back, and he brought a friend with him so thats been 259 - 257.8 - 260. So the official weight is 260!!! ouch!

I used to be christian, I am now into wicca. I used to be ashamed of my sexuality, now I am learning to shout it from the tree-tops. I always hated Bush and Howard (Aussie PM), still do, but more so. I used to be submissive, now I am a feminazi (please dont get bent out of shape about the 'nazi' bit - it simply means a rabid feminist). I used to want to be a lady, now I can't think of anything worse. The only thing I can't tolerate now is intolerance.

Well done, you brave beautiful goddess!

My surgeon told me that people who have a gastric bypass tend to start putting weight back on after about 2 years. The beauty of the band is that if that happens you can simply have another fill.

Alex, I dont think anyone is saying "you must all be/feel sexy!" But instead saying "play with your sexiness, your sensuality, your playfulness, experiment with feeling beautiful and desirable - not because you should - but be cause it FEELS WONDERFUL!!!"

Ok, here's my details and pic: Under Boobies : 44.5 inches So-called Waist : 47.5 inches Ass : 50.0 inches Scale Says : 257.8 pounds

Here it is, the before pic - although its really a 'week one' pic. And no, I'm not pregnant :cross-eye Weight today : 257.8, so thats 1 pound and a bit since we started.

hmmm thanks Janet, I am not seeing my Doctor until November, but may be I could email him and ask what kind it was. I will keep you posted

hehehe Kel, thats what I longed to do to my Mother!!! Just show up (in SA) with 50 less kgs and watch the reaction, and THEN break it to her. Unfortunately it didn't workout that way ..., but nevermind, things are ok as is. Heather, It think there are probably several reasons why your sister could be against the band or perhaps, more specifially, YOU having the band: * She's angry she didn't think of it first. ( na-na-ne-na-na) * She is worried about you having surgery. (fair enuff - surgery is serious stuff) * She's feeling a smidge self-righteous and preachy after her current success ('ALL HAIL THE ALL-POWERFUL JENNYC ....ATKINS ....WHEATGRSS ENEMA- or fill in relevant deity) Sadly we too (yes even us at LBT) get into the habit of developing a slimness god/dess, and naming it "band" and we can be just as self righteous sometimes. * She is really frightened of gaining back all her weight, falling off the wagon, and wants some company when she does so (I'm not saying she's vindictive or anything, if she is feeling this its probably sub-consciously). * She wants you to validate her choice and wants you to follow in her footsteps, so she can feel that she has helped you too. Soooooo, I think I would be tempted to say something like "Hey, I am so proud of you, I think you have done a wonderful job losing weight and really hope that this lifestyle change lasts for you. But for me, I cant face the thought of yo-yoing anymore. I need to know that this time it is 'for real' and by having this surgery I am drawing a line in the sand. I know I am doing something rather drastic, but it is what I need right now and I would really like your support, infact, I need your support. Please dont worry about me, but know that I am doing what I know to be the right thing for me." And if she doesn't support you after that, add "Dont worry you can always have the band too if you weight comes back on" :devious And then simply refuse to go into it anymore. I would, however, give her brief factual statements (eg. I am having surgery on Wednesday) but then refuse to say anymore about it (unless she has confirmed that she can provide you with the support you have asked for at this point) and then change the subject. Just my thoughts on the matter, good luck whatever you decide to do. And know that we are always here for you

I initially wasn't going to tell anyone. And then I had "possibly life-threatening" complications and realised I needed to tell my family. I dont regret doing so. My mother is not supportive but I didn't expect her to be, but I feel better having it all out in the open. I have always been very open and it would feel wrong for me to change that somehow. I choose not to feel bad when people say things about it, as I consider "what others think of me, and my decisions, none of MY business". Also if people want to keep talking about it I make a decision about whether to discuss with them based on whether I feel that they are genuine and whether I can handle the conversation at that moment. If they are genuine and I can handle it, I will talk about it but, if not, I simply say "Hey, do you mind if we dont talk about this right now?" or "I find talking about my weight really boring. How about we...(go grab a coffee, get back to work, go shopping, talk about your body odour problem...) [fill in the blank]" That seems to work and I still feel like myself, being open but not allowing others to pressure or distress me.

I'm so glad things turned out well Alex

Yah! Jachut!!! Congratulation licks in order methinks....:lick :lick :lick

Thanks for that Janet I still dont know what sort of band I have. Mine was soft and flexible but didn't look like the MID-band... Oh well, at least I'm eliminating all the types that mine isn't!

I would like too but I am so far away, and I have just started a new job so wont be able to get away for a while.

You can buy a 'Tanita' scale that calculates weight and body fat % - its pretty good, although things like your hydration level and 'time of the month' seem to influence the reading. I was 54% this morning.

yep, I had a pretty good time too. I had hospital excess of $800, surgery fee $500 and $450 for the anasthetic, the rest was covered. And because I live in the middle of nowhere my flights to and from the hospital were covered and only cost $25 each way.

I have spider veins all over, no varicose ones though, hoping I have good genes - mum and nanna both have good legs - perhaps I will be lucky too. Most of this stuff can be removed these days, the only problem is the $$$.

I dont know much about the surgery side of this but I have been wondering the same thing, because I already have a hangy tummy as is. And I use talc like its going out of style, A LOT of talc, I like a brand called 'curash' that you can get at Woolies (which is actually made of zinc not talc but it's great). Also DH and I would like to start trying for kiddies before the end of next year and the 'hangy-tummy-factor' has been worrying me, but its kinda absurd to have a TT just before trying to get preggers, isn't it?

Welcome Janet and Karen too Janet can you tell me more about the MID band? I dont think I have heard of it before.

1kg = 2.2lbs :cool: I was banded 1st August and have had a bit of a hard time with it. I ended up with blood clots afterwards (warning - if you can't take a deep breath pls call your surgeon, pain on breathing is normal but being unable to take a deep breath at all is dangerous!!!) So I was in hospital for an extra week. I gave up smoking 2 weeks before surgery and I just got myself a new job!!! :cross-eye So things have been quite stressfull!! I have healed up quite nicely now, however my surgeon refuses to give me a fill until I am off my anti-blood-clot medication - which could be anywhere from 2 to 6 months!!!! yes that's months!! So after losing an inital 11 pounds (5kgs) lost, I have put 3lbs back on :cool: because I have no restriction at all!! I am eating everything in sight!!! So I am a bit concerned about that. I still feel positive though, somehow :cool:, because I know that this isn't a quick fix but a long term thing. Anyway, I hope you are all recovering well and will have good restriction from the start. Dont worry if you dont though, because even when things dont go quite according to plan, they will work out, even if its in a different way to that which we expected. Licks for all my August Band-Sisters and Brothers :lick :lick :lick