K@t

Hey guys,

Thanks for the support. I'm feeling a bit better already. I saw your other post Veritas about the surgery, I'm glad your doing better. Well I'm from Portugal. I'm American and orginally from Florida, but my husband is Portuguese, so when we got married we moved here.

So far I haven't done anything. I had a general check up the other day and the docotor suggested that I think about band surgery because of my history (I have been overweight since I was about 6 years old and my bmi is 40.3 and I have been on yo yo dieting for a long time) so I made an appt. with the bariatric(sp?) doctor for the 24th. I can't find much info on the procedure here in Portugal so I'm really anxious to find out the cost and the facilities where they do it. If it's any thing like the rest of Europe I'm guessing I'll pay between 3,000€ -5,000€.

I could go the insurance route, but they put you on a waiting list and some people have waitied up to two years for procedures. I was hoping to get it all sorted out and do it over my Easter vacation. I'm a teacher so I have a week then. It should be enough time to recover so I won't have to take any sick days. Any way, I haven't told any one, not my mom or grandparents or my sister who I'm really close to. I'm sure they would disapprove, and they won't see me until summer, so I was hoping to loose some weight before then so I can show them its working.

My husband has been less then supportive because he thinks surgery is a "last resort" and I'm not really "that fat" (242 at 5'5 bmi is 40.3 ahem, thats pretty fat) and that I should just try harder to diet and exercise. He's also a baby when it comes to food and wants me to cook him all the stuff his mother wouldn't let him eat. He has put on some weight since we got married and his parents blame me and my "American" cooking. piff. I don't shove any thing down his throat.

Any way, I've babbled enough, but these are just the kind of things I need to get off my chest to some one. Thanks for listening and I can't wait to see how things go for you. good luck!

Hey guys,

I have been around here for a week or so and every one seems so great. I have commented on a few threads and I think (hope :nervous ) I was well received.

I guess now I just need a little one-on-one support. I feeling a bit nervous and anxious, and I was hoping some one would be my band buddy. I am going for my first appt. soon and I haven't told any one but my husband (who is a bit less then supportive) and I really just want some one to talk to about this. Feel free to e mail me or add me to ur messanger list so we can chat from time to time. I would appreciate it.

Obrigada pela todas!

Hey all,

One of the healthiest and tastiest things that Portuguese people eat is their Soups. Their creamy and filling and full of Vitamins. This is a Soup for people who hate to eat vegetables and who don't get enough minerals and vitamins. There are many variations so I will start with the basics.

The base for any Portuguese soup:

-1 cup cubed pumpkin or acorn squash (Portuguese use pumpkin but I bet you can use any variation of squash and it should be nice, I know it sounds weird but trust me these soups are great!)

-2 cups carrots cubed

-1 medium onion chopped

-1 cup scallions chopped

-2 medium potatoes cubed or 1 can of Beans (your choice they usualy use navy or butter beans) (use ONLY potatoes OR beans but not both)

-1 tablespoon of sea salt

-4 tablespoons olive oil

Bring a large pot of Water and salt to boil. Add all ingredients and boil until soft, add water as necessary. When all the vegetables are soft, add the olive oil and blend with a magic wand (hand blender) until smooth. This is the base.

Soup Variations

If you used beans:

-1 cup chopped artichokes or 1 cup chopped cabbage or any other vegetable you like to eat with beans. Add to the pot, and boil until soft. If you want chunks the soup is ready, if you want it creamy, blend again.

If you used potatoes:

- add whatever vegetables you want, green beans, celery, cauliflower, broccoli, peas add as much or as little as you like, all chopped into smaller pieces. You can even add more potato or carrot if you want chunks.

-If you want a creamy soup, add these vegetables and boil until soft (always adding more water as needed) and then blend again when all the vegetables are soft. The more water you use the thinner it will be, the less, the thicker it will be.

-If you want chunks in your soup, add the vegetables cut to your desired size and then boil until soft.

-Small chunks of white meat chicken can also be added for extra Protein.< /span>

Options: you can always add herbs for different taste like thyme and parsley. I sometimes use Mrs.Dash for extra flavors and fresh ground pepper; it’s a taste choice so have fun with it. Also you can use bags of frozen mixed vegetables that are already chopped up to save time and to get a better variety.

Note: These soups freeze well, I often freeze individual portions and then thaw and microwave on the day I eat them. If you make a big pot it will usually stay in the fridge for about a week, frozen about a month. I know it sounds like a lot of work but 1 pot usually makes a weeks worth of servings so if you make it on the weekend it will last all week. Most Portuguese people eat these soups for dinner because they generally have a big lunch. I also like to eat a bowl of soup with some wheat crackers and sliced lunch meat like turkey or chicken. It makes a very filling and healthy meal.

Let me know if you have any questions, or how your soups turn out!

I've been fat since I was like 6 years old, so I blame my mom. Of course I guess she hasen't had much to do with the last 7 years of my life in which I make my own eatting decisions....:faint:

I was a bit freaked out to when I started reading about the diet and stuff. But there are hundreds more sucess stories on here then there are stories about problems. I think I'm willing to take the risk to be ride of this weight and be "normal" sized for the first time in my life. (well, since I was a baby :nervous ) My first appt. will only be on the 24th and I can't wait to see what he tells me. I need to find out how much it cost etc.

I live in Portugal. I am American (from Florida) but my husband is Portuguese and I moved here when we got married.

I don't think you were to hard at all. My hubby does something similar except its not as nice, instead of joking he just outright complains.

When I switched to brown rice instead of white it was bitch bitch bitch. And when I cook him one steak instead of two (he could stand to loose a few lbs himself) he complains he's still hungry. And when I just don't feel like cooking because I'm not hungry, he won't fix himself any thing, he just goes around the house pouting until I go in the kitchen and cook something. (which I end up eating any way):faint:

He's a big freakin baby, and I can't wait to see what happens after I get banded and I'm on liquids for 2 weeks. He really needs to learn to cook for himself.:cry

Hey Zoe,

Thanks for the help. I know that they perform it here in Portugal, I just haven't found out where. I guess I'm just going to have to wait and see what the doctor says on the 24th. Hey nice Portuguese by the way! Thanks for the support.

Thanks that was helpful!

Welp, I must be a lot lazier then the rest of you, I just bought a program to input all that stuff instead of making an excel sheet (which I'm perfectly capable of doing) and the kicker..... I don't even use it.:faint:

Hey guys,

I know that many of you have done a lot of research when it comes to this surgery. I live in Portugal and I have been trying to find out about it here. I have an appt. with the bariatric doctor but only on the 24th! And I just can't wait that long! I haven't been able to find any information so far about the surgery here like what doctors might perform the surgery and also how much it might cost here. If any one knows of some place where I can find some information I would appreciate it. I googled lap band in portugal, lap band surgery in portugal, etc. and I really didn't find much except for a few newspaper articles about it. Any way, any help is appreciated! :help:

Hey roz,

I haven't had my first appt yet either so I'm in the same boat as you. I understand your confusion about small people eatting a lot. I have a sister who is about 5 foot nothing and about 98lbs. Almost all our lives she ate more then me, but she never got any bigger, and me, well I'm up to 242 now. It's difficult to deal with especially when its in your own family. My sister thankfully has always been really supportive and never shoved it in my face.

I to have been on never ending diets for most my life, periods of exercise etc. and I'm just hoping that this will be the tool to help me finally get this weight off me.

Good luck and keep in touch with me. Do you have a date for the surgery yet? Maybe we will end up getting them around the same time. :Banane40:

I have a B.S. in business management, but because I moved to Portugal, there is more money in teaching English because I'm a native speaker. Right now I'm teaching at a british school here in Portugal. It's been a new experience and I hope one day to get back to business, but for now this pays the bills.

I haven't told a fib yet, but I think I'm going to have to come up with a whopper! :speechles I am planning on getting banded over my easter vacation. Problem is Easter Sunday when my husbands family has a HUGE lunch with every one invited. 1. I'll probably still be feeling a bit of pain from the surgery, and 2. I won't eat any thing which will raise suspicions from the getgo. I don't want to tell my inlaws or any one else for that matter, so I'm trying to decide what to tell them. I can't tell them I had any kind of surgery because they know me well and know I don't have any health problems. (other then my weight but they would never agree with wls, they think I just need to try dieting harder.)I think I'm going to have my husband tell them I came down with something and I'm sick in bed at home...*sigh* inlaws....:frusty:

Happy Valentines to every one as well!

easy way out: those skinny bitches who never watch what they eat and do no more excersize than any other normal person.

lol

heheheheheh..... :biggrin1:

People are so emotional about this because no one likes to be told what to do, especially by people who know nothing of the situation. i.e. a skinny person telling fat people they are cheating.

thanks for the advice guys. I never thought of myself as REALLY fat before because I have a pretty good self image, so I never thought surgery was for me. So I would have expected the same response from my doctor. I always thought I could just try harder at the diet. (which ever one I was on at the time) I live in Portugal by the way, I'm not sure if I mentioned that. My husband is Portuguese so I moved here when we got married, so I'm not sure how things work here as far as where its performed and who does it. I have an appt. with the bariatric doctor on the 24th. But I had seen this guy before like 3 years ago and he tried to give me a diet to follow, so I'm not sure how he is going to react to surgery. But it was a doctor in the same clinic who told me I should do it. So we will see what happens after the appointment.

I did show my hubby the before and after pics, he thinks most of the girls looked better before! I was fat when he married me and I don't think he would mind keeping it that way. He told me last night if it wasen't for all the health risks that he would tell me to forget the surgery. I guess the only reason he's entertaining the idea is because he knows the kind of fat I have is really dangerous, and because of my family history. Ohh well, I don't care, its time to finally do something.

Hey all,

I have thought about lap band surgery before, but never really thought I could do it. Today however, I saw a doctor for a check up and she asked me if I had ever thought about the lab band surgery. She said she's almost sure I'm a candidate and that I should see a gastric doctor to sort it out. It takes on a whole new meaning when a doctor says that you should do it. So I would like to know your opinions based on my history.:help:

I'm 25 years old, 110 kg (242lbs) and im 1.65m tall (5´5). I have been fat since I can remember. (since about 6 years old I think) I have been on numerous diets, had some success with some of them, but then end up gaining the weight back and usually plus a little more. I exercise, I have a treadmill, I go to the gym when I can. I'm not lazy and I cook fairly healthy. But we (my husband and I) eat out a lot because of our busy schedule. My bmi is 40.3. I want to start a family but I know because of my weight it would be dangerous. I have never had surgery before, the worst thing I ever had done is my wisdom teeth were pulled. I'm afraid of surgery, but I'm afraid even more of my weight and the problems it might cause. Heart problems and diabetes and cancer all run in my family. I don't know if the surgery is right for me, or if I'm just not trying hard enough with the diets. This is a hard decision and my husband said he's leaving it up to me (although he doesn't support the idea of me having surgery if I decide to do it he won’t stop me.)

Thanks in advance for any advice.

<!-- / message -->