tammygirl

The African American group for emotional overeating I referred to in an earlier post is called Ebony Overeaters Anon. Their website is www.ebonyoa.org

You are welcome, Aprilapple!

TravelLady, So good to hear your PCP is in your corner and getting you started on a good plan with your special needs in mind. My experience and observation as a nurse has been this: Doctors are a tight bunch. In most communities, they usually know or know of each other. When one doctor suggests you may want to change doctors.... not a good sign. It may mean she knows something about this doc you don't and she really doesn't want to bad mouth the doc straight up so she calls herself throwing a hint. Makes me wanna say "UMMM". Whichever way you go, you have the support from your PCP and you will get in the best condition to have this surgery. I am looking forward to seeing how you progress in your journey! Take care!

Thanks for the support Curves and SouthernGirl! www.therecoveryroom.org is a good site for emotional or compulsive eating. They are sanctioned by OA and follow a 12 step format complete with online meetings if one desires. There is even a forum for those who have had surgery. Other online, telephone, and in-person local meetings can be found at www.oa.org along with many other helpful resources. There is also an African American group meeting online. Ebony something or other....the exact name and site escapes me. I will post it when I come across it again.

www.about.com has an excellent board on hypothyroidism. I have gotten excellent information and support there. Put hypothyroidism in the search window and you'll get there. Good Luck!

Yes, Suzie. There is definately a link between elevated cholesterol and an elevated TSH according to my endocrinologist. I too was surprised when he first told me that, but since then, I have noted that whenever my TSH is elevated so is my cholesterol. Diet does not seem to account for it. When TSH is OK, so is the cholesterol.

Emotional eating has been at the core of my obesity. Overeating with the band may lead to slippage and loss of the band. This surgery is too expensive and requires too many hoops to jump through, never mind the initial post-op discomfort to jack up. Since surgery, I have been in professional therapy to deal with my emotional issues. Yes, that's right. I had to get over that "strong Black woman" thing and admit I needed help with some stuff and I was "crazy" to continue on as I was. Increased exercise has also been helpful along with participation in a 12 step program for overeating and purposed prayer/meditation. Of course, this board has also been very helpful. It is good to see that other women are dealing with the same issues and I am not alone. Thanks to all of you for being here!

Thank you, April! It's because of my experience. Experience comes by trial and error. Many errors causing many trials, and being saved many times by a good God. Be blessed today!

Sounds like you are on the right track, Travel Lady! I am praying that you get through this process and I believe you will! This board is a testimony! Between lost pictures, crazy men, whack insurance companies and whatever, sisters are getting up and moving toward a destiny of better health. Go girl!

Hey Yettia, By now you have had your surgery and I pray you have had a good experience and are recovering nicely. Your fiance will recover also.....trust me!

Southern Girl! Congratulations!!!!! Don't worry about rushing, just go with the flow and have a great surgery! Will be sending up prayers for you on the 30th!

Congratulations Ms Rach on your surgery and weight loss! Good to have another sister on the board!

Hey Lady! Good to meet you! I identify with all you've said and I can tell you, this is the best thing I have done for myself. I pray your journey goes well. This is a wonderful forum and the ladies are awesome here.

I have had hypothyroidism since my early 30's and have been on Synthroid since. My TSH was elevated at the time of surgery. My insurance company never mentioned my thyroid status and I was approved. My surgeon was not particularly concerned either. Just go for it and see what happens. The best to you!

:lol:Congratulations to you! That's great news! Tammygirl

Congratulations Snap! Every post that I read like yours confirms that one day that will be me too! Thanks for encouraging me! Tammygirl

:biggrin:Nope, SicknTired. I am an innocent woman.

Skinny I gotta give more details about my husband getting banded. Although he is obese, he was quite comfortable with continuing to try the things he always has. He would lose good and then bounce back up plus add more weight. One day, our PCP, a sista, told him about another sista, her patient. The PCP related how she ran into this sista a year or so after the PCP wrote a letter of support for her banding. You know how a sista can tell a story. She really brought it. It seems the sista patient (about my age) dropped about 170 lbs (same amount I need to lose), left her husband and took up with a younger brotha. PCP made sure she rubbed it in about how fine the brotha was. The PCP went on and on about how good this girl looked and how bad her husband looked, how he really should have "done something about hisself." We went home with no further commentary about the PCP visit, but I noticed my husband in deep thought. After he attended the support meeting with me later that week, he announced his intentions to get the band in a manner of fact way. UMMM....I started to ask him if the PCP's story had anything to do with his decision, but then decided I better leave it alone. :thumbup:

Oh, I am so happy for you Curves! It is great to have the support of your husband. In my case, my husband is also obese and like me has tried everything. I said nothing until I was very sure in my own mind that this was for me. When I told him, I provided him with literature and invited him to go the support meeting with me. When he raised objections, I did not argue. I simply said, "You know I thought the same thing, but I have been reading and found out that I really did not understand it as well as I thought I did." I suggested he come to the support meeting with me. He did and asked a ton of questions. He was impressed and sold after that. Next Saturday, I am going with him to the surgeon. He has started the process to be banded himself. Much success to you, Curves! "The couple that bands together....."

My doctor's support meetings are free. In fact they are open to the general public. Your friend's arrangements sound way off base to me.

Brina, I love this list! Thanks for putting it up! Tammygirl

OMG, GG It never occured to me that sisters in another part of the world may not know what grits are. Grits are finely ground corn. They are prepared by boiling until they reach the desired texture. Some people like them soft (spoon grits) while others prefer a firmer texture (fork grits). In Europe, polenta, the Italian dish, is actually what we call grits. BTW, I visited London a few years ago and loved it! Can't wait to come back! Sorry Yettia to wade in on your business cause I am not from your region orginally but somebody had to help this sister! So I took it upon myself, born and raised in SOUTH central Los Angeles, to do so. See ya later! Tammygirl

TravelLady, I am concerned that your surgeon has not given you any dietary direction despite your comorbidities, yet states he will do no surgery unless you drop weight. Can you spell u-n-s-u-p-p-o-r-t-i-v-e-? None the less, I understand your desire to get this ball on the road. Because of your age and comorbidities, I suggest you visit a clinical nutritionist familiar with bariatric surgery patients and have him/her place you under their supervision. That person can then send their documentation of your care to the surgeon. If he sees you have consulted another professional (another set of eyes), he may be less inclined to act up and you will be more inclined to lose the weight safely without aggrevating other conditions and insure a healthier surgical outcome. Praying for you! Tammygirl