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.

so i went to the store last night and got everything i need for my pre op... here is what the next ten days of my life will look like.....

6am Carnation Instant Breakfast No Sugar Added w/ 1 cup 1% Milk

9am 4 oz 100% juice No Sugar Added

Noon Protein shake made w/ 8 oz 1% milk and either

1/2 a sandwich - 1 slice whole wheat bread/1 slice fat free lunch meat/1 tsp mayo

or 1 cup salad w/1 oz lunch meat and light dressing w/ 6 crackers

3pm 4 oz 100% Juice No Sugar Added

6pm 3 oz chicken, fish, pork, or beef

1 cup salad w/ light dressing

all i want steamed veggies

9pm 1 cup 1% Milk

In between all of these i'm too drink as much Water as possible w/out drinking 1 hour before and after eating. im actually excited about this.. crazy huh! lol

Very cool, Stevee. Very cool.

Stevee,

You're going to have great success with that attitude!

Keep it up, your motivation is inspiring!

Things are going as well as can be so far since surgery. I went in on Wednesday about 11:00 A.M. and did all the pre-op paper work and blood work. I was taken to the surgery holding area about 12:15 and had more reviews and I kept a real postivie attitude. One of the questions was why are you doing this and I said that Iam doing this to make my life better for myself and the family. At about 1:30 P.M. I was taken into surgery and slide over on the table and they gave me some drugs and the next thing I know I was in recovery. About 2:30 P.M. About an hour later I was taken up to my room and then I was allowed to get up and take care of business. Then I was able to walk around. I know everybody is differant in how they handle pain etc. but I must admitthe only pain that I had an nothing work was the gas pains. That hurt most of the night but I ddi keep up walking etc. On Thursday went for the barrium swallow and got to see the band work and was able to start on liquids by 10 A.M. and was home by 4:00 P.M. on Thursday. I went to see the doctor on Friday because my incision (I have 6) the one by the belly button/now port was very red. He put me on some liquid antibotics. While there he said that it only took him 41 minutes to get the band on me. He said that there was a little fat but not much. The week before my wife had the band done. Since we were not sure if she had a cold or allergies we both did the lquid diet. The biggest mistake for me was going off of it and then restarting back again since Iam allways feeling hungery even though iam eating enough. Just something I will have to get used to over the next few weeks.Thanks again to everyone for all there help and advice.

Hey Family~

Chris~ Welcome to bandland!

Stevee~ We've been there honey, hang tough!

Dana~ Good luck if I don't get back here before the 27th! Post when you can.

Juli~ Your already foxy fine! Congrats on the trainer! Hope all is well w/ you, A and Z! Been a while...just too freakin busy for my own good.

Today, I am making veggie beef Soup in the crocker (yummy and low cal) and it smells soooo good. Susanne and I are still in our PJ's, watching movies. This is what we call a GREAT DAY!

xoxoxoxoxoxoox

Hi all,

I just got back from rural Indiana where I biked with some folks I met here on LBT. They were cool for straight people and it was a good time. Well worth the 3+ hour drive.

We did a 40 mile ride and camped...the ride was great but I never want to camp again in my life, ever.

Juli the Diva

Can u tell a difference?

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c103/wadewells1/fat1.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c103/wadewells1/fat.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c103/wadewells1/amyme.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c103/wadewells1/mezach.jpg

Down 40 pounds!

Wadew

Oh my yes you can see the difference!

And aren't you a cutie pie.

Juli

Hi everyone!

I've been watching this site for a little while and only just started posting. (Secret fear...no one cares what I have to say) Anyway I am scheduled for my band this Thursday. Only three months after my first consultation with Dr Minkin. Also had gall bladder removed in July, so it's been a busy summer. My partner, Vicky, was banded last September. She's lost 60 lbs and doesn't try. I don't even know if she knows what that means. But she's committed to eating healthier after I'm banded.

Oh my gosh....enough about her. I am ssssoooo scared. I am doing my first day of Clear Liquids and I am so hungry. I hope I deal with the emotion aspect of all of this ok. Vicky said she felt like she lost her best friend....she was SSSOOOO crabby.

Just wanted to say hi to everyone...I've rambled long enough.

Caresa

Caresa,

Welcome. You'll be just fine. It's cool that your partner has the band. It seems that couples tend to do well together with it.

Three months is pretty quick from consultation to banding. It took me 14. If you are really concerned with the emotional part take yourself to a therapist. I did and it was the best choice I could have made. I still see her.

Keep us posted. And of course we're interested in what you write. We wouldn't be on this board if we weren't.

hello all!!!! well i've been on my pre op diet since thurs... doing pretty good.. from thurs to sat i lost 2 lbs. not too bad i guess. 10 days left and counting!!!!!!!!!!!

if yall can't tell i'm EXCITED!

i got my bill the other day for my upper gi and it said 603.75. whoa! i talked to my friend that works for the surgeon and she said wait til you get the statement from the insurance. so i just checked my benefits website and i only owe 260.87!!!! holy moly thats amazing!!!! so now i'll have more money left to apply to the surgeon fees and hospital fees! woo hoo! i'm ecstatic now!

Can u tell a difference?

Are you kidding me? Of course there's a difference! And like Juli said, you are a cutie pie. But of course I've already told you that, haven't I?

We did a 40 mile ride and camped...the ride was great but I never want to camp again in my life, ever.

Geez Juli, bad campout experience?? Sean and I go all the time and we love it. Of course, we don't tent-camp anymore... :guess

Just wanted to say hi to everyone...

Hi Caresa! I'm glad you quit lurking and joined us! My hubby and I were banded 3 months apart, so we have something in common with you and Vicky. Be sure you don't compare yourselves to each other. Sean's already at goal (!) just 7 months post-op (he's lost 108 lbs). I'm 4 months out and only down 40. We all progress differently, don't forget. Of course I'm reminding myself of that too!

if yall can't tell i'm EXCITED!

Gee Stevee, we couldn't tell...

Welcome, Caresa.

I'm also supposed to be banded on Thursday, if all goes well

tomorrow when I see the cardiologist because of an abnormal EKG...but

of course I'm hoping to be in all kinds of discomfort at about this time in two days, my new band firmly in place! We'll see.

I, too, just started this journey--my first seminar was on 6/20 and things have been sailing along since. Maybe a bit TOO quick...nah.

Don't be scared, we just gotta jump right in!

And Miss Juli Diva...just what kind of a non-camping lesbian are you???

Dana

Hey Peeps~

Wade, you look great. You can see a big difference and you look soooo happy! Congrats, and yes, you are a cutie!

Caresa, welcome and congrats! I think we have 3 ppl from our little thread here w/ upcoming band dates, Caresa, Flipper and Stevee. Am I leaving someone out? If so, forgive me. Thursday is the first day of the rest of your lives. Think of it this way...you will never be as big as you are now. I loved that. I've lost 26 pounds in almost 6 months. Not too great, but I am down almost 3 full sizes, EVERYONE keeps telling me how great I look, and I feel soooo good. So I've come to the realization that it is not a race...we all lose at our own pace.

Congrats to you guys...keep us posted!

xoxoxoxo

Flipper you've got that right, I'm the hotel staying anti-camping lesbian. I'm not alone...

The camping part if fine, even if I do have to put on shoes in the middle of the night to pee, but the packing and lugging all the stuff is not my idea of fun.

I don't see me camping again unless it's in a well equipped cabin...

Juli the anti camping diva lesbian.