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.

H4H

"Thank You"

It's the easiest and the proper thing to say.

It sure has been quite in here. I wonder what has happen to everyone over the past couple of years? Anyone heard from MS DAD and others? Here is an NSV/Update

It is hard to beleive that it has been 13 months since I have been banded. A lot of things have happen since being banded and I will do that in another post.In June of 2007 I went in for a sleep study and found out that I did indeed have sleep apena. I was put on a CPAP machine in August 07 and did ok with it. I was banded in September of 2007. After being banded I was having some issues with the CPAP machine, in regards to being bloated all the time and taking the mask off at night. I talked with my doctor about this and he had the machine set to the lowest settings. He also suggested that I look into getting a dental applaince. I went and meet with the dentist who deals in sleep apnea and she said it would not be a problem and so it took about 4 months to get it approved by insurance. I was fitted with the herbest retainer in February, 2008. I went back to my doctor who handles the sleep apnea in August and he was real pleased with the way I looked and the amount of weight lost. So the doctor order a new sleep study. I had the sleep study on year to the date of being banded. I will say that the band can help people get away from using the CPAP. Keep in mind that everyone is differant and what works for one might not work for the other person. Here is the results of the study:Per BandOriginal study (pre weight loss) Weight 250 BMI 40Breathing event per hour: 68Total breathing cessation per hour: 49Lowest recorded oxygen level: 70%BandedNew Study: post weight lossWeight 186 BMI 29.1 Breathing events per hour: 19.4Total breathing cessation per hour: 19.4Lowest recorded oxygen level: 91%With the Herbst Retainer Dental Device:Breathing events per hour: 4.6 (counting little bitty ones 6.2)Total breathing cessation per hour: 4Lowest oxygen level: 92%It turns out that with the Herbst, you are worst when you lie on your left side. Then you have 8.3 events per hour. In dream sleep, you have 10.2 events per hour.I went to the sleep doctor this week to review this study and he said that I could stop using the CPAP Machine and continue with the Herbst Retainer. He also said that my numbers were low enough that even if I did not use the retainer that I could do away with the CPAP. He also felt the numbers would go down lower with more weight loss. My goal range is between 165-175. He also said that I did not need to come back and see him unless I feel that Iam having problems. He said that I can just go back to the dentist and get a new herbest retainer when this one wears out in a few years. Also I no longer have any snoring issues either.So as you can see here proof is in the pudding about the band and how it can help everyone out. It just takes a lot of time and effort to make it all happen. It does not happen overnight.Chris

Good for you chris, that is wonderful news. I had my band done in july 2008, I am so happy that I have already lost approx. 50 pds. i work out every other day now. I also breathe easy, no more pain in my knees and I never feel bloated. I am sleeping so much better at night too. Thank you for sharing your story. I have another 65 pounds to go and I will reach my goal weight. I have never felt better. So...heres to all of us GLBT who have taken a huge successful step in getting healthy, looking great and sharing our stories regardless of the biggots! (who will have to find somthing better to do with their time) Huggs to all the GLBT lap bandsters!!! WAY TO GO PEOPLE!!!

Lisa :thumbup:

Any people here from the east coast...NY or NJ?

Any of you taken an Olivia cruise? We have been on many and we wonder if there are other bandsters we are traveling with.

hey there... i'm from nyc. you?

New Jersey. But formerly from NYC. Glad to see a New Yorker here.

Any of you taken an Olivia cruise? We have been on many and we wonder if there are other bandsters we are traveling with.

Have never been on a cruise..but have always wanted to go on one

Hello all, I'm back! I've been in Bandster Hell for about 15 months and am trying to get back on track. I was apparently over-restricted because I could barely eat anything. Then last year was just the year from hell. In February, one of our cats died right in front of me, then a week and a half later my sister-in-law died suddenly. About three weeks after that a former co-worker/close friend died, also suddenly. Then another dear friend was (mis)diagnosed with lupus; turns out she has Stage 4 uterine cancer. This was all by the end of April. Nothing else quite as tragic for the rest of the year, but it remained overall quite shitty. And as many of the "old-timers" in this thread know, I'm a stress eater. So combine that with being too tight and it's just not good. I've only regained 20 pounds, but because I haven't been able to eat much Protein (and I HATE shakes) my hair is thinning horribly.

So, I went back to my surgeon last week. He thought I may have had a slippage and sent me for an upper GI. I had that done today (yum yum, radioactive chalk shake!) and fortunately all is well with my band. Dr. Webb did do a complete unfill last week though, so I can eat. He wants to let my stomach rest for a couple of weeks, then he'll start doing fills again. He compared it to rebooting a computer.

Anyways, Who all is still lurking around here? I would love to chat with all my old buddies and make some new ones. And of course it's always good to venture out into the other threads and stir up shit. Just kidding, I don't intentionally go looking for it, but I also don't back down.

Hope to hear from someone soon....

Hello all, I'm back! I've been in Bandster Hell for about 15 months and am trying to get back on track. I was apparently over-restricted because I could barely eat anything. Then last year was just the year from hell. In February, one of our cats died right in front of me, then a week and a half later my sister-in-law died suddenly. About three weeks after that a former co-worker/close friend died, also suddenly. Then another dear friend was (mis)diagnosed with lupus; turns out she has Stage 4 uterine cancer. This was all by the end of April. Nothing else quite as tragic for the rest of the year, but it remained overall quite shitty. And as many of the "old-timers" in this thread know, I'm a stress eater. So combine that with being too tight and it's just not good. I've only regained 20 pounds, but because I haven't been able to eat much protein (and I HATE shakes) my hair is thinning horribly.

So, I went back to my surgeon last week. He thought I may have had a slippage and sent me for an upper GI. I had that done today (yum yum, radioactive chalk shake!) and fortunately all is well with my band. Dr. Webb did do a complete unfill last week though, so I can eat. He wants to let my stomach rest for a couple of weeks, then he'll start doing fills again. He compared it to rebooting a computer.

Anyways, Who all is still lurking around here? I would love to chat with all my old buddies and make some new ones. And of course it's always good to venture out into the other threads and stir up shit. Just kidding, I don't intentionally go looking for it, but I also don't back down.

Hope to hear from someone soon....

Oh my goodness. So sorry for all of your losses. I hope things will start to get better for you.

Hi Eddie

Nice to see you back here. I'm still poking around a bit here and there.

Hello everyone,

I'm Julie and I will have my lap-band surgery tomorrow morning. I'm neither excited or scared, just ready. I'm glad to have found this forum. This process is going to be hard and to have like minded people who have been there to talk to is comforting. I have been in a long term relationship for 13 years. We live in Arkansas with our six "babies" (dogs). We have a beautiful home with 15 acres for them to play on.

Welcome and Good Luck!!! Come back and tell us how it went! Looking forward to hearing!

Hi Everyone!! Day 4 of post op. Day two was the worst so far. Very sore. Today I got to have thicker liquids like slimfast and v8 juice. My energy level is better and I'm not nearly as sore. Thanks God I have a wonderful supportive woman who takes amazing care of me. Not sure how anyone could do something like this alone. Moving at all with insision marks on you belly is tough. Having someone who loves you help you to do everything from pulling up your panties to giving you nurishment really affermes your love and committment to each other. I expect tomorrow to go even more smoothly. I am finally thinking about eating something. Firtst three days I only drank something because I had to. Now I want to. That's got to be good news.

Hi Everyone!! Day 4 of post op. Day two was the worst so far. Very sore. Today I got to have thicker liquids like slimfast and v8 juice. My energy level is better and I'm not nearly as sore. Thanks God I have a wonderful supportive woman who takes amazing care of me. Not sure how anyone could do something like this alone. Moving at all with insision marks on you belly is tough. Having someone who loves you help you to do everything from pulling up your panties to giving you nurishment really affermes your love and committment to each other. I expect tomorrow to go even more smoothly. I am finally thinking about eating something. Firtst three days I only drank something because I had to. Now I want to. That's got to be good news.

Thats nice to have someone help like that. Good luck with healing and with the weight loss process!