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.

juli... has anyone called you out for being overly gay?! silly straight people!

hope everyone is doing well these days. post breakup life is getting better day by day. am looking forward to a great summer. funny how i can endure the heat better now that i'm a little thinner!

Hi you all - is after the holiday weekend, hope it was fun for all - Hungry 4 help - what up? how's the sport world treating you? how's your little heart feeling... here all is much better. I'm looking forward to starting my work out routine here this weekend. i'm down another 2lbs..i'm happy take care you all....

Apparently where ever I go it's a gay lovin' haven.

I don't know, but it seemed like I explicitly state my gayness.

Whatever. Damn heterosexuals make me crazy.

Juli, have you seen your the t-shirt that say's "heterophobic".? I think you can find it on the web thats where I saw it. If I find the web site I will let you know. Good Luck.... Your weight loss is amazing...Annie.

Hi you all - is after the holiday weekend, hope it was fun for all - Hungry 4 help - what up? how's the sport world treating you? how's your little heart feeling... here all is much better. I'm looking forward to starting my work out routine here this weekend. i'm down another 2lbs..i'm happy take care you all....

hey all... hope everyone had a good 4th. i had a blast playing at a lgbt tennis tournament here in nyc. made it to the women's finals and mixed dubs quarters. how butch is that?! sadly, i can barely lift my right arm now. whatev... that's what ibuprofen is for. oops, we're not supposed to do ibu anymore, right? tylenol sux.

anyway... post breakup heart is still a little heavy. what can i say, i miss my ex and all that we had. (cue the violins.) still, slowly but surely, i'm getting through it.

hope all is well with everyone else.

ps, i broke the -50 mark. yipee!

Sweet going Hungry.

Tennis is great exercise! You rock.

Congrats on the -50 too. Good to hear your heart is mending.

hey all... hope everyone had a good 4th. i had a blast playing at a lgbt tennis tournament here in nyc. made it to the women's finals and mixed dubs quarters. how butch is that?! sadly, i can barely lift my right arm now. whatev... that's what ibuprofen is for. oops, we're not supposed to do ibu anymore, right? tylenol sux.

anyway... post breakup heart is still a little heavy. what can i say, i miss my ex and all that we had. (cue the violins.) still, slowly but surely, i'm getting through it.

hope all is well with everyone else.

ps, i broke the -50 mark. yipee!

Wow! 50 lbs? that's tight!!!! I'm so happy for you Hungry4help!

I'm telling you -you're channeling all that energy from your little broken heart to your weight loss plan. I'm excited for you.

Congrats...

thanks juli and az! hope y'all are having a good weekend.

is anyone here

Hi all you GLBT Bandsters! I love this group! I have read all of the posts, and you all seem like a fun group My name is Jason and I am 39 and my partner is 19. We will be together 2 years this December. I actually had the lap-band to improve my health so that I can really spend a long happy life with him. I never really seemed as concerned about my weight until we got together, and I have him to thank for so much in motivating me! Not only did I get the lap-band, but I am starting back to school in the fall to finish my degree, 16 years after dropping out of college!!

I have a dreaded question, that I know I am going to get lectured long and hard on, smoking.

I quit smoking in March of 2006; however, since having the lap-band on 4/14/2008 I crave a cigarette. I finally broke one day and bought a pack. I smoked one, and didn't feel anything bad. So I stowed the pack away in the trunk of my car (my partner of 2 years really despises smoking) for those times I might crave one. Well it started with one every few days, and then slowly worked up to one every other day, long story short I smoke at least 3 per day now (cigarettes that is, not packs!). I can still go several days without one, because they only time I smoke is when my partner and I are working, our days off I go without. I keep throwing packs away saying I'm going to stop, but then end up buying another.

Are there any other smokers out there, and if so have you had any problems with your band because of it? I worry that I am doing something to really muck up my band, and it scares me; but obviously not enough to fight the craving.

I wasn't sure if it had something to do with my not having food addiction or food cravings anymore, or if I felt like I gave up food and I need some kind of vice. I keep trying to psycoanalyze it, but to no avail. If there is anyone out there that can help, please respond.

On a positive note, I am doing well with my weight loss. I have lost 52lbs so far and dropped from a size 54 waist to a 48 waist. I just had my third fill, and it is difficult to eat sometimes now, but my doc said to give it a week or two since I can swallow and not throw up; I just get really uncomfortable gas pains under my left bottom ribcage (anyone else experience that?).

Well, I have talked everyone's ear off enough. Thanks for the great thread, and if anyone can help, I will greatly appreciate it!!

Jason

I quit a year before my surgery and I worked so hard on quitting,

but recently I have started again. And I have set myself a quit date. August 17th.

I got the lapband to be healthy and smoking would totally destroy everything I am doing, not to mention it makes me tired and I can't work out as easily.

So, I'm quitting. Let's quit huh?

Hi smokers. I'm not one, but I know on the larger threads they've talked about this very thing. Perhaps you should put your thoughts out there, if you haven't already, to get some feedback.

Jason, it's nice to meet you. I'm a 40 y/o (ack!) who returned to college like you. I'm just getting my BS and working toward my MBA. The beauty part about this life is that we can be and do anything we want to do. I spent all my 20s and 30s saying I was over weight and under educated...well no more.

So what are you studying? What part of the world do you come from? Welcome, welcome!

I quit a year before my surgery and I worked so hard on quitting,

but recently I have started again. And I have set myself a quit date. August 17th.

I got the lapband to be healthy and smoking would totally destroy everything I am doing, not to mention it makes me tired and I can't work out as easily.

So, I'm quitting. Let's quit huh?

Let's do it together! I'll set my date for the 17th too!!

Hi smokers. I'm not one, but I know on the larger threads they've talked about this very thing. Perhaps you should put your thoughts out there, if you haven't already, to get some feedback.

Jason, it's nice to meet you. I'm a 40 y/o (ack!) who returned to college like you. I'm just getting my BS and working toward my MBA. The beauty part about this life is that we can be and do anything we want to do. I spent all my 20s and 30s saying I was over weight and under educated...well no more.

So what are you studying? What part of the world do you come from? Welcome, welcome!

I am going back to school to do a double major in Paralegal Studies (AS) and an AA so that I can move forward and get my BS in Business Administration. It's very intimidating being 40 (39 for 7 more months) and going back to school. When I went to orientation the other day, I was surrounded by 17 year olds!

I am from New Port Richey Florida. It looks like you are from Ohio, I am originally from Pennsylvania, Brush Valley about 50 miles outside of Pittsburgh.

Let's do it together! I'll set my date for the 17th too!!

That will be great. It's good to have an interweb quit buddy because two real life friends should NEVER try to quit togethor in my opinion.

That will be great. It's good to have an interweb quit buddy because two real life friends should NEVER try to quit togethor in my opinion.

I agree! It's gonna be tough, but I know we can do it. By the way, you look great!! I checked out your albums on here. We are very similar, we started out close to the same weight and our goals are about the same. I look forward to our interweb friendship!