I've been spending a lot of time in Rants & Raves since I joined LBT, partly because it's fun, but also because for the most part it's very GLBT friendly. Unless I haven't looked in the right place, I don't think there's a support thread for us, so I decided to start one!

A little about me. I'm Eddie & I'm a 42-year-old Gay man. I have a partner of just over nine years (henceforth referred to as DH), a 17-year-old son and 16-year-old daughter. DH and I are stupid. Don't believe me, just ask our kids. DH has hypothyroidism and had not been able to lose any weight after his thyroid "went nuts" several years ago. I've just been overweight all my life. He was banded on 2/21/07 and I'm getting mine next Wednesday (5/16). I can't wait!

Anyway, I would love to hear from all the GLBT folks out there. Hopefully this can be a place for us to freely discuss our unique issues and get support we may not be able to get elsewhere.

Hi Dawn-

Good luck with your approval! Welcome to this forum.

Juli

Hey Everyone~

WOW, I just watched the second to last show of the Sopranos...man o man is that good. I hope everyone had a great weekend. I spent it w/ my partner at her house. We went to see Mr. Brooks yesterday...great. I loved it and recommend it highly.

I get my first fill Friday, and am looking forward to it. I've been eating too much lately, and although I've lost 23 pounds (from the surgery), I haven't lost any for weeks.

How is everyone else doing?

Pamela-

You're loss of 23 then nothing is typical. I think it's the body adjusting to such a dramatic change. You don't seem stressed about it though.

Thanks for the movie review. I want to see Mr. Brooks. I love the sapranos too, but got rid of HBO a few years ago. I rent them after they're released. I can't wait!

I had a productive weekend and got a little sun between all the rain. DD and I had a good time at the pool.

As for trying things on, ordering on line...I just got burned again, with a swim suit. You'd think I'd learn. I CANNOT wait until I can shop at regular stores for something other than shoes! Soon! I've gone from a solid 30 at the first of the year to a 24. Come on 16's...then eventually 8's....

Kisses!

Happy Monday, everyone! I hope you all had a great weekend. We got back from Gay Days at Disney World late yesterday afternoon. We didn't get to see the ocean of red shirts as we went to Animal Kingdom on Saturday instead of the Magic Kingdom. But we still had a good time. I did go back to the RV a few hours before Sean and the kids because I was totally pooped. Speaking of poop (nice segue, huh?), has anyone else had a problem with constipation? At the risk of sharing TMI, I'll just say that I had a very difficult time going to the bathroom on Saturday. That's extremely unusual for me. The only thing I can think of is that I had been eating a lot of cheese (well, a lot proportionate to everything else I was eating) and not drinking enough water.

Anyhoo, it's back to the grind today. Glad to have you aboard Dawn! You've found a great group of folks here, both in this thread and the forum in general.

[quote name=Speaking of poop (nice segue, huh?), has anyone else had a problem with constipation? At the risk of sharing TMI, I'll just say that I had a very difficult time going to the bathroom on Saturday. That's extremely unusual for me. The only thing I can think of is that I had been eating a lot of cheese (well, a lot proportionate to everything else I was eating) and not drinking enough water.

quote]

Once a day I eat the Gerbery baby food prunes in the resealable plactic container and I haven't had the issue in the almost 4 months that I've been banded. Give it try!

T

You could also try "Perfect Food". It's powdered greens and helps with digestion. I have a scoop of it in my protein shake every morning. I'm not banded yet (5 days to go!) so I don't know how it would go post-op, but I've been taking it for about a year and I haven't had any constipation problems at all.

Congrats on getting banded in 5 days Lucy!!!!!!!!!!! That is awesome! Good luck and keep us posted.

W/ constipation...drink lots of water. And then when you've thought you've had enough...drink more!

Congrats on getting banded in 5 days Lucy!!!!!!!!!!! That is awesome! Good luck and keep us posted.

W/ constipation...drink lots of water. And then when you've thought you've had enough...drink more!

Yeah, I thought that was probably a big part of it. We were at Disney and I just didn't pay much attention to drinking (or eating much for that matter!).

Lucy, I looked up the Perfect Food online. How does it taste? And is there any particular place you get yours? I've got a couple of online sources for vitamins and such, but I'm always looking for the best deal. What day is your surgery? Please check in with us as soon as you feel up to it to let us know how you're doing, even if it's just to say you're home and you're ok.

[quote name=Speaking of poop (nice segue, huh?), has anyone else had a problem with constipation? At the risk of sharing TMI, I'll just say that I had a very difficult time going to the bathroom on Saturday. That's extremely unusual for me. The only thing I can think of is that I had been eating a lot of cheese (well, a lot proportionate to everything else I was eating) and not drinking enough water.

quote]

Once a day I eat the Gerbery baby food prunes in the resealable plactic container and I haven't had the issue in the almost 4 months that I've been banded. Give it try!

T

Hey Tracy,

Do the prunes ever, um, swing the pendulum too far in the opposite direction? :guess I've had Irritable Bowel/Spastic Colitis all my life and tend to have diarrhea quite often (sorry if that one's TMI), that's why the bout with the constipation was such a surprise. I just don't want to aggravate my IBS any more that it already is. But on the flip side, I will admit that I'd rather have the diarrhea than be constipated like I was on Saturday. That was a very bad experience that I would prefer to never repeat (it involved about 30 minutes on the toilet, a lot of pain and some blood :welldoneclap: - again, sorry if it's TMI).

Eddie-

If you've got IBS, I'd try going the non supplemental way...you should be able to get the system moving with regular vegetables and fruit-are eating enought?- and plenty of Water.

I know when I struggle, it happens every few weeks, I've not eaten my fruits and veggies.

Just one girl's opinion.

Thanks everyone for the support. It's hard to believe that I'm almost banded...I can't wait for Friday! I'll keep you posted

Eddie, I always buy my Perfect food at Whole Foods. You can probably find it for a better price online, but I haven't really looked -- it's just more convenient for me to get it at WF. I always blend it in a smoothie with yogurt, frozen berries, Protein powder, flaxseed oil, and orange juice, so I can't really taste it. It smells like the country to me...like grass and horses. That's not really the best description, but I'm a city girl, so that's what it smells like to me. I have a friend who mixes it in juice and drinks it like that and he seems to like it OK, but I have never actually tried it. They also sell it in capsule form, but it costs more (of course).

Julie and Kity both have a point, though. Maybe try drinking more Water and eating more vegetables and see where that takes you...

good luck!

Hi everyone .

Welcome Dawn !!!

Eddie, I've also had a problem with constipation... I've been taking dissovlable fibre & have started taking a liquid one aswell. Before the surgery I had no probelms - cause I used to eat tons of fibre.

I am starting to get my appetite back - I can't wait until my first fill - but that's not until 18 July.

My shoulder pain is finally easing off a little (3 weeks post op) but is still there every afternoon - after a hard day at work clicking my mouse button - and every morning.

Anyway - every one have a good week.

It's finally raining here - we have been in a major drought for a couple of years & are on major Water restrictions - it was so nice this morning lying in bed listening to the rain - though only for 10 minutes - had to get up & get on the treadmill like a good boy !!

XX

Thank you for the welcome! Funny you all are talking about this. I had to go to walmart over lunch and buy correctol! I am not even banded. I got a big box LOL

Oh you do not want to get all bound up, it makes your band uncomfortable, so if you feeling some pain like a cramp and if its not that tom (you lucky guys don't have to worry about that) think about the last time you had a bm? It may be time to have one. Remember you are only going to pass what you take in, and you will be taking in less so there will be less.

Ok, I hope this help some you newbies out.

Luv ya all

Ok, I finally tracked down a couple of pics of Sean and me. I'm in the black shirt holding the cash (I didn't rob the bank :bandit - I was counting 50/50 money at a Rainbow RV rally) and Sean is in the red holding the 50/50 tickets. These pics are from October, so Sean's down about 80 lbs now. I had actually gained about 20 after that was taken after one of my diabetes meds quit working, so even though I'm right back about where I was in the picture, I still look heavier than that. Sean went back for his 3rd fill yesterday, so he's shut down pretty good now. He had been able to eat way too much and had quit losing, so he should start moving again now. My first fill is on 7/3, and I'm looking forward to it, albeit apprehensively. I still have pretty good restriction, but I can usually eat more at night, which frustrates the hell out of me because that's always been the worst time for me for eating too much and/or poorly.

Anyway, here's the pics - they're thumbnails, so you should be able to click on them and open the link to the original pics: