WLSResources/ClothingExch

I never said it to anyone at the time, but I wondered that one. Now look at me. I sneer at the askers behind their backs. It's lovely to be superior and jaded.

Of course you won't claim infallible knowledge: You're no pope. Alas, lacking infallible knowledge necessarily calls into question your credentials as eager end user and fan in another arena. (I had so much trouble composing the last sentence. How'd I do?)

@@Proud2BMe -- Silly boy, the more you beg for punishment, the less likely you are to be punished. It's obvious that something is going on. Take a look at http://ShrinkYourself.com It's the website of psychologist Roger Gould and is about emotional eating and related matters. Register for the free, emailed newsletters, read them, do what they tell you to do (scratch that; I see you grinning already). Do the exercises and whatever. You can later decide if you want to register for the paid version and/or buy his book (there's always a book, isn't there?). Last but far from least, if you must go wild like that again, raise your sites. Go to the best continental bakery in your little Somewhereville. I took one bite of a Hostess thing when I was a child and spat it out, never to bite again. It tasted more of what I think floor wax would taste like than shortening.

@@forgetit -- As a band owner, I'm unable to speak of the instructions for the other procedures. What I can say instead is that following instructions is basis, but it doesn't preclude questioning your surgeon, RD, NP, whomever. Since not all practices prescribe identical protocol for any one surgical procedure, yours may amend for you. I'm not saying this as gospel, but you may get some wiggle room so that you're not so miserable. I get that you're angry, crazed, frustrated, cranky and a tad homicidal. Calm yourself by the time you walk through the practice's door so that you can communicate effectively and intelligently. Get your murdering done tonight so that you can accomplish something tomorrow. By all means make it known how you're faring, but leave out things like "this diet isn't fair." That's the tantrum speaking. If, however, you're determined to conduct the appointment as a variation on "The Ransom of Red Chief," you'll have to go at it full throttle. Let's hear from you when you get back home.

@@OctoberRust127 == feeling like the victim of fraud is pretty common. @@BLERDgirl is correct. Your body was, in effect, severely injured. Follow doctor's instructions and everything will fall into place.

@@jreneewarnke -- surgeons need to be pinned down. Always ask for minute specifics and ask if a handout version is available. He may also refer patients who ask to a knowledgeable RD. Here is where I really should have started: Not all practices give identical instructions. @@VSGAnn2014 gave you a good, general rundown . You'd be smart to fax or email it to your doctor for an okay or amendment. Laurie

@@itstimealready -- are you saying that your family really is dopey? In that case, you're living a charmed life watched over by a fairy godmother..

@@OKCPirate -- If you're relying on FAQ to explain women and breasts, all I can say is "poor, fevered Pirate."

Mantra? Did you say mantra? Well, dear, darling @@dhrguru, I just happen to be running a special on mantras today. Let's see, what's in my basket that has your name on it? Ah, here: I can see the top of his head, tra-la! That should help you remember how far you've come and that all the credit is yours. Do you really not understand the power that you've tapped? It's yours and, as you suspect, only you can send yourself off on a detour. Have faith. You know where to focus because you've been focused all along. How many of us do you suppose are timid about the unknown? Five? Ninety-nine million thousand? The only way to fare well with the unknown is to step into it.* Poof, no more unknown. You've been doing it like a champion from the start. Have faith. You are super. If you question my authority on this, I'll give him a funny haircut guaranteed to make you guffaw when you want to keep you mind on other things. Laurie P.S. I mean every word, especially the part about the haircut. "Have faith," too. You have proved yourself eminently faithworthy. * My apology for that one especially. It's so Ben Franklinesque, instant cliché and true and, therefore, infuriating.

@@B-52 -- Agreement from this corner. Your concerns are valid from beginning to end. The impression I have, though, is that the info in the new section will come from recognized, accepted, professional WLS sources/existing literature, not opinions and anecdotal experiences of BP users. It's starting out as a grassroots effort, but I think that's only to determine what material would have value to users.

@@magtart -- I do click the notifications drop-down when a red number appears. I find only "someone liked a post,," "someone mentioned you," and "someone commented on your status." ...... Ooooh, eureka! You made me brave to click "options" at the little notifications tab up there and I fell into the "nofitication options" screen. I clicked a couple of things and should be alright from here on. @@CowgirlJane -- That's what I've been doing as an interim solution, expecting that there'd be a perm solution. Thank you kindly, both.

Yesterday someone mentioned planting little notices around the website. The welcome email sent to newly-registered users is another good, obvious way to promote the section.

@@oldmike -- Here's another woman, but because I thought you were offering your topic's title. There are men who are active on the site and communicate quite well their experiences. They'll probably stop by. Mind you, this is not to discount @@dlappjr. Sorry that your band never worked for you. I'm still banded and did very well the first 15 months. My reversal was my own doing. Now I'm weighing the possibility of an adjustment to see if my Boy Scout has any life remaining before going for sleeve. All the best. Laurie

That's the most obvious possibility and it hadn't even occurred to me as a reason for @'s shotgun banding. I appreciate the memory-jarring.

@@Ray92 -- That's a nice, versatile salad that would be good with anything that's compatible with mint. Zaatar and many other herbs and spice mixes used in Middle Eastern cooking have been at the back of my mind for experimenting in the kitchen. I dream of grilling halloumi at home. Before I start buying everything in the Middle Eastern markets, though, what am I to do with all the Asian sauces, condiments, rice paper, etc., that I bought a few years ago when I served on jury duty (the courthouses and Chinatown overlap). I've been working on embracing my newly-acknowledged status as a mediocre cook. With a recipe I'm fine, sure, but my improvisations are frequently disappointing. Now that I've read your other posts on food, do you want to know that I'm available for adoption? When shall I move in? I'm probably eons older than you, which means all you have to do is feed me, but not by hand.. Otherways I'm trained and financially independent. When you want privacy, you can send me for sleepovers at @@TheNewSusie's.

@@Inner Surfer Girl -- Your message is the often-needed reminder that the doctor is the place to start. @ -- Thanks for the details. They remind me of a lyric snippet: "What a long, strange trip it's been." I"m glad you got to your destination.

@@Ray92 Don't you just love when someone starts out with wanting to make substitutions? Here I am. What are the usual ingredients, apart from the cheese, in shanklish? Are they so specific that feta wouldn't be a pleasing match? I'm just not familiar enough to know if feta and goat are always interchangeable. I've tasted all types of goat cheese through the years since it became well-known in the U.S., but I still can't abide it, not even the creamy, fresh, milder versions. I nearly cried like a baby long before that when I bought a container of goat's-milk yogurt in a specialty shop.

@@wagyu -- You did ask for recommendations on ready-to-eat items, but I'd like to suggest cooking classes whenever your schedule allows. a) You'll have control over calories, nutrients, fat content, sodium content and all the rest. Not that I've taken a cooking class, but reliable sources tell me they are fun for the camaraderie. c) Once you learn some basic principles, cooking is relaxing and a creative outlet. d) You don't have to cook every day. There are so many dishes begging to be made in batches. Freeze some for later and have a couple three meals now. e) There are just as many simple things to cook that take little time on a daily basis. If you are so far gone that you don't know which end of a pot is the handle, there are classes with titles like "How to Boil Water." Above all, don't freeze carrots either cooked or raw. They lose all integrity.

@@Tssiemer1 -- Does it "seem" that way from other patients you've talked with or has he said it in so many words?

I didn't doubt any of the long-tenured BP members, but I just hadn't seen any of the nasty replies some new people make. Now that I've gotten one, harrumph. My fan letter probably is milder than others, but all the same, it's understandable that, after a few, one would want to pull back. Too bad there's rarely a way to predict an outcome. For my first, I"d even asked another member to respond to her, since they have geography in common. She was snippy enough, I thought, for me to then withdraw the request I made on her behalf.

@@whisper43 -- I stand corrected. You did say "time." As to the rest, pay attention. You'll figure it out. Good luck.

@ -- P.S. I'm curious about something. Did you really have surgery a month after your first appointment? All things are possible, but I've never heard that one. Is there more to the story? @@Sharon1964 -- It's unfair that medical tests must always be so inelegant. They make dental visits seem like dancing at the cotillion........Is this test always reliable?

Holding on for information is universal, then. Your super, of course, will be the most reliable source of info and I suggest you keep calling until you reach a person. (Get the names of all parties who handle your request.) As a second choice, I'm asking another Aussie on the website to look at your question. I get the feeling that the medical benefits system and jargon may be just different enough from the U.S. system/jargon that attempting to answer you will cause more confusion. P.S. Something to consider: If you don't have patience to stay on the phone, do you have patience to follow surgeon's instructions?

Unfamiliar pain can be worrisome. Your first line above is the reasonable plan, but I like a good poll before Breakfast. You knocked my two thoughts out of the ballpark, but I don't know that there is a "typical" gas pain. Gas moves around in search of an exit route. THe other is muscle strain, but you say you did nothing out of the ordinary. Can you be sure? This may be like bruises: We rarely know how we got them.