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.

Hey All,

I am here too! Just busy. S has moved in:biggrin: completely and will be fully retired from military mid May!

I am meeting a group of people from here in May in Texas!

Working on doctorate degree still and trucking along. Not doing so great on weight loss...but I will kick it in soon, especially next Thurs w/ a fill!

xoxoxoxoox

I'm jealous. I want to go to TX too!

Some of my bycyling thread are getting together in June.

Good to see S is home where she belongs! I want to see you again soon, too!

Hi Hi Hi everyone. WElcome. Sorry it took me so long to get back here. We need more action in here I guess. I'm a lazy glbt thread supporter apparently.

oh my goodness, I did not realize I have not been here for a while but then again I have not been any where on this board. Trying to get use to the new board, Not sure if I like it.

Anyway welcome newbies, hope everyone is doing well.

I am having a problems with the new body image, because my inner thighs and upper arms have some baggie skin that I really don't want to show off, and finding summer cloths are stressing me out. I think I will try a one week pass at a gym near work to see if the work outs they offer will help me tone up.

Ok stop rambling Dee

This is terrific! I am so glad to have a group of GLBT supporters. I am just starting the process and am in month 2 of the 6 month waiting period-ugh! I have CIGNA and I know they are really hard to deal with, so I am doing all I can to keep in their guidelines. My BMI is 36 so I am treading the thin line of following their rules, but not dropping too much weight before the surgery so I disqualify. My partner and I are both going to be banded and I know this will pose its own special challenges, but I hope we can motivate each other. Anyone else deal with CIGNA? What responses have you had from friends? I am trying to decide what ( if anything) to tell people. The eating out thing with others is what I am worrying about already. Let me hear from you!:w00t:

I have and work for CIGNA and mine went really smoothly and fast. I was pleasantly suprised. I am quite a bit bigger than you, so i didn't have to worry much about loosing too much weight :eek: but my dr's office let me 'flub' the 6 month waiting. All I did was fill out these papers that the office gave me and put in what they needed in a timeline and submitted it along with all the other junk they require and i was approved in 4 days...Now i dont know if that is the norm, but i think it helped that i went thru a bariatic group to set up my stuff rather than my regular PCP...all he did was get the letter of medical necessity.

I know CIGNA will cover it, it just depends if you meet their qualifications as well as they want you too. My advice is to stick to your program and keep tabs of EVERYTHING and, if you have to make a little adjustment here and there, they wont know.

Listen to me being all sneaky! haha dont tell!! :huh2:

Did I scare everyone away?? :huh2: Hey, I just started here! Did the thread move? I like to read how everyone is doing. Or how about some newbies, like me? We know your watching..

..OK, I see the surgeon Friday. To go over my EDG, blood work and other tests. Monday is the Nutrition Class. Tuesday I have the Psych Eval. Looks like I'll be busy, busy! Can anyone tell me about the Psych Eval? When I called they said it was 100 Q&A. How much can they really learn about me from a test? That I'm not loopy! :eek: What if I am.. just a little bit. I mean, aren't we all? :tongue:

The Pysch eval for me was brutal LOL. It really is just a Q&A session. They ask you about everything, i was suprised by all the questions! They ask you about your parent, sibilings, grandparents, friends, the works. It really isn't all that bad. I figured I would be in there for like 20 minutes...it turned into 50:eek:

The nutrition classes are way cool though so no worries!

Congratulations! :w00t:

So, is this it! looks like we've come to a end. anyone home? it's been sweet, hope everyone is skinny and happy or at least getting there. Miss you all.

Cheri-

I'm still here. I am neither skinny or particularly happy yet, so don't give up on this site. I have my surgery in September, so I need the input and advice you have.

Mary

I'm here too.

Just living life and moving along....

I've got nothing particularly "gay" to chat about. I'm certainly interested in the progress of my fellow LBGT folks, but we are particularly quiet.

Herumph!

Juli-

Your progress is nothing short of amazing! You are an inspirations. I have 3 more months to go. What was the hardest part for you in your journey? I think mine is going to be more mental than physical, but guess I will find out.

Mary

Mary

The hardest part seems to be whatever I have to do at the moment. Like waiting was so hard while I was doing it. But in hind sight time passed and I got the band.

Recovering from the surger was tough...

Right now, I'm struggling with keeping my mojo running. It's such a long process, losing weight, it's hard to keep it fresh, and I don't know that keeping it fresh is the right way of thinking about it. Because if that's my expectation, it's just not going to happen...so I'm trying to process what I should be thinking, feeling, doing a year out and still nearly a year from goal....

Thanks for the props though. The band is amazing and so very helpful. And even while I sit here pondering my navel and the band, it keeps me from gaining.

You say you are 3 months out. You have a date?

It's good to see some action in here again. I know.. I ask for it then went away. But I've been busy with all these appointments.. ugh!

OK, the Psych Eval :laugh: I was there for 4 hours!!! I spoke to the Doc for an hour then took 3 hours worth of testing; MMPI-2 (370 Q/A,) the MBTI (150 Q/A,) and some Eating Disorder Test (50 Q/A.) It was basically the same 5 questions asked 100 different ways. Really f*#%'s with you when you're bipolar! Although they were all T/F, I had to answer just one.. "Do you hear voices?" I wrote, "Yes, I just heard you at the microwave say, "Damn.. that's really hot."" You don't think they will fail me for that, do you? :thumbup:

Nutrition Class was great. Lot's of fluid and vitamin information. Listen to this diet plan: 2wk's liquid Pre-Op Diet, 1wk clear liquid Post-Op, 3wk's liquid Post-Op, weeks 4-6 soft foods, and finally solid foods week 7. :thumbup: The way I look at it.. I should loose half my weight in the first 7 weeks! ha-ha Don't I wish!!

Hey, I wonder how ChunkyMonky is? Surgery date was yesterday, May 8th. Let us know!! Good Cheer and Well Wishes!!!

It is SOooo comforting to know you are still all here. thanks for caring and hope all went well with C.Monkey. I'm wondering howcome I didn't get the usual notice/email that there was a new post to the site? I just checked on a whim, is this something we have to renew and signup for? anyone else experience this :confused2:

I'm wondering howcome I didn't get the usual notice/email that there was a new post to the site? I just checked on a whim, is this something we have to renew and signup for? anyone else experience this :confused2:

Cheri52, you don't have to sign up again but if you get an email notice of a new posting and don not visit the thread, you will not be notified of additional postings until you visit the thread again.

You may also want to check your junk mail folder to be sure the notice wasn't auto-directed to the junk file.

Laura, thanks for the thought, but I DO log on to the thread EVERY time I get a notice, ( although I don't always write , sometimes just nothing to say or very tired) and I also check my junk mail (although not as offen) I have never gotten it in junk mail as LBT in on my safe list. I just don't know! I remember it happening to MS Dad long ago. still :thumbup:.