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I am sure it has to do with body mass. I was probably down 70 lbs from 300 when I took my first drink. I doubt the alcohol is metabolized any differently. Perhaps in RNY patients there is some kind of difference do to absorbtion but I doubt there is any difference in sleevers. I am sitting at 185 now, 40% less body mass than when I started. My triglycerides were 63 (normal is less than 150) when I had them taken 3 weeks ago. That is the biggest indicator of alcolol induced liver problems.

Alcohol can irritate the sleeve scar and inhibit healing. Even long post-op, the alcohol can cause problems with the scar. It's best to keep it to a bare minimum. And yes, the metabolic differences of alcohol post-op are almost entirely due to a lower BMI (there are some concerns with increased pancreatic load during the active loss phase). I went from being able to have... too much alcohol without noticing it much, to being pretty much a lightweight. Since it's all just empty calories and is really bad for you, I don't see a great reason to drink (you can have just as much fun without it as with it, and if you don't make a big deal about it, nobody will even notice or care that you're drinking iced teas instead of Long Island iced teas). Obviously, to each their own, but PLEASE be aware of the "lightweight" effect; I've heard of sleevers getting DUI's or worse due to not realizing just how dramatically their tolerance had changed. All that being said: drinking alcohol at only six weeks out is very foolish; I'd wait at LEAST six months. Ultimately, however, it's your body and your risk to take.

Remember, alcohol is empty calories. I have drinks a few times a month (serious karaoke junkie) and have since I was a few months out. You need to remember that you will get hit hard and fast now. I drink bourbon on the rocks, have no problems but know when enough is enough. I am usually good for 2 or 3 at best in a 4 hour span (my local dive pours very heavy).

Yes it is silly to even consider it. Do not drink any alcohol six weeks out.

What I'm about to share with you, I do not recommend or condone. Everyone is different and everyone's doctors and WLS teams make different recommendations. I'm just sharing my personal experience since that is what you asked for. I also echo @@jessjames message Prior to surgery, my hubby and I would enjoy a glass of wine (3-5 oz.) with a steak dinner about every 6 weeks or so, so I was not a big drinker to start with (haven't been since my early 30s). After surgery, it was at least 6 months before I had my first glass of wine and I kept it to about 2-3 oz. I felt the effects of the alcohol in my system much faster than ever before; not a real buzz per se, but that warm feeling all over and especially in my joints. It's been that way ever since; and we still don't drink any more frequently than before my surgery. A couple weeks ago, we were in Pigeon Forge on vacation. We visited one of the new, legal moonshine retailers where I choose to sample some of the various flavors of moonshine. The samples were poured into a very small cup (what I know as a communion cup) so you don't get much "shine" in a sample. However, I did sample several different flavors and would estimate that I got almost the equivalent of 1.5 - 2 ounces of moonshine. Needless to say, I got quite a buzz going and felt the effects immediately. Since I knew what wine did to me, even in small amounts, I expected this type of effect, but not to the level it was. The effects did not last long since hubby and I were walking quite a bit and did eat lunch immediately afterwards. And if anyone is wondering, no I did not buy any moonshine to take home Also, since there is no nutritional value to any alcoholic beverage, I choose to limit my consumption of such because I would rather use those calories on something with substance. Regardless of my experience with alcohol, it is in your best interest to follow the recommendations of your WLS team.

Here I am thinking that I need to get back to basics. We celebrated our Wedding Anniv. on Friday so I gave myself a pass for supper and we were at a comedy club so we ate fried food. I'm not mad at myself. Not the healthiest, but a special occassion. Yesterday my cousin got married and I ate cake and drank alcohol and after I was tipsy (okay...more than tipsy) I ate a sandwich. My first piece of bread in 6 months. :smile: Today I haven't done much better. Covered dish at church on the first Sunday of the month. Some things you can't control, but I haven't stressed about it. All of these things put together makes a bad several days. So back to basics. I've got to get these carbs out of my system to start the losing again.

I find I categorize people a bit now....there are the ones who loved and supported me when I was huge.....and there are those that criticized me for being big and said I wasn't worthy of their time.....the first group has my undying loyalty and I just pray that the second group has God to remove the ugliness from their hearts....people battle drug and alcohol and addictions and yet are still supported more and encouraged more then big people....we were looked at as fat, lazy and often times complacent....now we are Champions and everyone wants to be around a champion just be careful about who you let into that circle.... Onyx

I am kind of dreading my appt with Dr. C today. I've been doing great until this last month. I didn't get a fill last month and he even threatened to do an unfill because I was getting stuck a lot. I was comfortable enough and asked him to leave me where I was. Since then however, I have gotten to where I can eat quite a bit and I get very hungry between meals. I've also been doing a LOT of socializing, especially drinking alcohol. Lots of empty calories. So, I have barely lost anything since my appt last month. I have recommitted myself and am going to ask for a fill today. I'm going back to less than 30 gms of carbs a day (I've also been sneaking in more of those) and hit the gym more often. I've basically been consuming like I probably would when I'm at maintenance instead of what I should be consuming while trying to lose, so I need to get back on the wagon and lose my remaining 24 lbs I need to get to goal. Another concern I've been having is hair loss. It has gotten really bad the past couple of months and I'm actually seeing thin spots where I can see my scalp. I'm going to talk to him about that today as well. Hope everyone else is continuing to do well!

19 Days Post Op - 211.8lbs (-10.6lbs from SW-222.4lbs) Ok, so I have things to discuss. ROFLMAO. Let's talk Celebrate Vitamins. I chose to go this route because my RD and doc highly recommended them as giving good labs down the road. So that means, they are easily and well absorbed. To me, that's like a life insurance policy geared toward success. I also chose them cuz I got samples from several companies and these had (IMHO), the best tastes overall, and the most choices for types of vitamins (i.e. capsules, chewables, chewy bites, drink mixes, sublingual tablets, etc). So now I want to report on what I got and how I love them/tolerate them. I got 2 different kind of Multi-Vitamins because I was afraid that I would get to hate the drink mix if I had to have it 2 times a day. Here are my 2 multi-vitamins to take care of my daily bariatric needs: Essential 3-in-1 Multi Drink Mix in Citrus Splash and it's the 60 serving tub. So I use 1 scoop a day in water with ice. And what I get for that is: 1/2 of my multi-vitamin needs + 500mg of calcium citrate + about 3g of benefiber stuff. And it tastes like Tang! I'm a Tang kid. I loved the stuff growing up, just as I loved the instant Lipton Lemon Iced Tea. LOL. So I look forward to having my big glass of this stuff, 30 minutes after breakfast or morning snack time. YUM!!! I thoroughly recommend it. I love that I don't have any gross burps or nausea after it and it tastes yum. And I don't have to swallow a bullet sized multi-vitamin. The tub will lat me 60 days cuz I'm having it one time a day. The other multi is a chewable orange tablet that I take with dinner. Chewable Tablet Multi-Vitamin in Citrus. I like this vitamin. I let it kinda dissolve like a huge sweettart. It does have a mild vitaminy taste, kinda like the old chewable vitamins or baby asprins we took as kids. I like it, tolerate it and best of all don't get burps or nausea behind it. If only taking this vitamin, you need 2per day. But I take 1 at the evening meal and the drink mix for the other half of my vitamin. The drawback with this chewable is that it does not contain the 500mg of calcium citrate like the drink mix contains. So that means I require 1000mg of calcium citrate from another source which means more cost. But it gives me the greatest flexibility. . Calcium Citrate Chewy Bites - 1000mg/day (1500mg actual, but I get 500mg from my drink mix multi above--so I only need 2-500mg chewy bites) I love these chewy bites. I have to take 2 that are separated from my any other big vitamin source of calcium or iron by 2 hours. I take 1 at noon and the other right after dinner. Watermelon Chewy Bite - 500mg calcium citrate + D (love to take this in the afternoon) Chocolate Chewy Bite - 500mg calcium citrate + D (love to take this after dinner kinda like a sweet touch finish to the meal) . Thiamine 100mg Capsule. Nothin' amazing to report here other than that it is small and easily swallowed and digested! I take it in the morning since B1 thiamine is an energy vitamin! . Vitamin D3. I don't have to take an extra supplement because between my 2 multis and the calcium citrate chewy bites, I meet my 2000mg D3 requirements each day. Score! And a money saver! . B12 500mg/daily or 1000mg/every other day Sublingual Soft Melts in Wild Cherry. This is so easy to take. I dissolve it under the tongue. It dissolves quickly is faintly wild cherry. And I take it every other day with my Thiamine and Multi Drink Mix. YUM! And pretty cheap! . Iron 18mg (from iron fumerate) + C (for better absorption) Chewable Tablet-Tangerine Flavor (every other day at bedtime cuz I'm post-meno and only need about 10mg/day). This is another big chewable tablet that I let dissolve. It's not bad. Doesn't have an aweful taste and is the best choice so far for flavor and lack of after taste. It doesn't make me sick to my tummy either. Big score! I tried others that sent me praying to hurl! I only take it every other day at night. I separate from any other vitamin or tummy pill by 2-4 hours so that it will absorb. . Notes: And that is it. That's my vitamin regimen. I think the cost over time was about $35/mo? Or something cray like that? Bariatric Pal has these in their store at the same price as direct from Celebrate. I do love the customer service at Celebrate and work with someone there personally. So I do use Celebrate. But they are the same price and I'm sure you could get great service from Alex's crew. I don't know if I will continue doing the chewables and drink mixes over time. What I don't like is that rather than pills or capsules, I have 55-60 calories from VITAMINS!!!! and have about 10-12g of sugar alcohols (I subtract about 8-9 grams of fiber/sugar alcohols as a guestimate). So they could potentially impact your weight loss. I don't like to thing that right now, they represent about 10% of my daily caloric intake! Whoooooooaaaaaa Nelly! But I'm willing to suspend disbelief and continue to take them in the hopes that they will be well-absorbed and will keep my labs beautimous and also because I don't have to swallow huge ass pills right after surgery! OK, so there you go! Vitamin Central. LOL. More later...

I was just telling someone last night about this. Saw one girl who is 4 days post op already purée food and eating mash potatoes and gravy. First thought was I thought you were only allowed protein shakes and water first 2 to 3 weeks. It was freaking me out. 1 girl 3 weeks out said she was feeling so good going to a friends party wanting to know if she could drink alcohol. Really ? These are the same ones who are going to poo poo on this surgery. Yes I know it's hard but why do they want to be fat all over again? Makes no sense to me

My surgical team recommends no alcohol for 3 months after surgery and it hasn't been three months for me yet, but I haven't had ANY pain or nausea since surgery. I'm attending an event tomorrow night and would like to enjoy a glass of wine but I don't want to get sick or jeopardize my new pouch in any way.

from what I've been told the carbonation is more the potential problem then anything.... Also if you so compare it to crystal light, it really depends bc there's crystal light pure made with truvia which is stevia a natural sweet plant not artificial sweetener Although the truvia is combined with a tiny bit if sugar alcohol which I learned also makes me sick but that's another topic One thing to consider though is that research has illustrated that sugar vs sugar free drinks both stimulate the pancreas to produce insulin bc tge body takes it all as sugar period... It just seems ur doing urself a disservice by drinking si called chemical filled drinks, sodas etc but if nothing else is good enough or works.. idk...it is ur body

The reason post surgery it is generally I inadvisable to drink is because alcohol thins the blood which can have a damaging effect on internal stitches and staples which take up to six weeks to heal. After this, there is no risks in drinking alcohol beyond what risks alcohol generally poses to everyone. My surgeon and my NUT recommended the occasional red wine as part of a normal and healthy diet. I have enjoyed an occasional wine since I was six weeks out. I continue to lose weight. A glass of red wine takes 8 minutes moderate jogging to burn off.

Hi Girlies! Am I the only one who hasn't come down with the death flu yet? I hope you're all feeling better in time to enjoy your New Year's. We're going to have my sister's and their husbands over for a night of games at home. Alcohol will be free flowing as well. Yesterday I made a big bowl of queso and downed the whole thing. The scale was not happy with me this morning, so I'm on board with everyone who wants to have a food exorcism on New Years Day! I went to meet with my old boss about the job and it's official - I start work on January 29th! I work in credentialing (we check the physicians backgrounds to make sure they aren't ax murderers before the get on the medical staff) We're still hammering out the details of my schedule. I'm hoping to work 35 hours/week, but apparently the hospital has changed a lot of their policies and I'd lose most of my benefits if I don't work a full 40. On the plus side, I get my own office with lots of privacy, so I should be able to visit LBT from work without a problem! :eek: Beanie, I say go for the elliptical machine! We bought one last Christmas, and while I won't say that I use it nearly as often as I should, I prefer the elliptical to any other kind of exercise. Hmm... now if I could just be like Sherry and get inspired to work out today. :mad: Cindy, enjoy your soup and feel better soon! Kat, I give out pics as gifts all the time! Tell your niece she can bite you. Betty, that's funny about the lotion. DH got me a big bottle of cinnamon bun lotion and it smells soooo good. Hmm... could that be why I bought a big container of cinnamon rolls when we were at costco last night? I'm sorry I don't have time for personals for everyone - DD just had an accident so I need to go on cleanup duty. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

My liver shrink diet go like this Remember: Vegetables are unlimited on this diet. (except potatoes, corn, beans, and peas) Breakfast Protein Shake or Protein Bar Mid Morning Snack 1 small piece of fruit (if you have Diabetes add 4oz low-fat yogurt) Lunch Protein Bar Or Shake Mid Morning Snack 1 small piece of fruit (if you have Diabetes add 4oz low-fat yogurt) Dinner 3oz meat (lean)-The size of a deck of cards steamed vegetables or salad with Fat-free salad dressing 6 un-salted crackers or 2 slices low-calorie bread or 1 small baked potato 1/2 c fruit or 1 small piece of fruit Evening Snack 1 small piece of fruit (if you have Diabetes add 4oz low-fat yogurt) (you may use any shake as long as it has 220 or less calories and 10g or less fat/serving) (you may have non-caloric beverages on this diet) NO ALCOHOL Examples: Decaf Tea, Crystal Light, Sugar-free Kool-aid, Water This is only for the 2 weeks before surgery This is what my Doctor gave me

My doctor said to wait 6 months before I had any alcohol. But advised against it totally because of the empty calories and the effect on the liver.

This one scares me! I postponed my surgery because I found out less than 2 weeks before that a relative of a good friend was in the hospital dying of liver failure. She had cross addicted to alcohol after surgery to deal with her problems because she couldn't eat and alcoholism runs in my family so it concerned me. She died at age 32 and left 3 kids behind. = (

first, alcohol is a lot of empty calories. Second, they want to try to avoid transfer addiction. Unfortunately, developing alcoholism after WLS is supposedly not that rare. that said, most surgeons do allow occasional social drinking (like one drink!) after a certain amount of time. I had to wait a year. Now I probably have three glasses of wine a year - and it hits me FAST!

I want to also add that I’m 9 years out and while I am not an alcoholic (I can be around alcohol without the urge to drink), it scared me how quickly alcohol hit after surgery and how often one glass hit like 3 used to. I quit pretty much all alcohol about 1.5 years ago now and am loving the growing mocktail and Non-Alcoholic Beer scene. If you feel out of control, it is not your fault and you can get help.

BoycottLiberalism.comgovernment waste When I created this page someone asked, "Why don't you list the money spent on the war with Iraq?" Please be advised that the primary responsibility of government is to protect its citizens. Government should do those things that we cannot as individuals do for ourselves. I could not personally take down the Taliban government or Saddam Hussein, but the U.S. Government can. This is not to say that the U.S. military should not be efficient in its spending. However, below are examples of your tax dollars wasted. The next time a government official wants to raise your taxes- think of the below list. Our cumulative running total of government waste is: $1,230,956,867,592.00 Liberalism Defined Exposing Liberalism to Light The Stimulus Plan The National Institutes of Health spending more than $400,000 in taxpayer money by paying researchers to cruise six bars in Buenos Aires to find out why gay men engage in risky sexual behavior while drunk -- and just what can be done about it. The U.S. government is spending $2.6 million to make sure prostitutes in China consume less alcohol while working. As part of the five-year study that the National Institutes of Health bankrolled, researchers are visiting more than 100 houses of prostitution to monitor their employees, designated as FSWs, or female sex workers. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is funding a study on the use of ecstasy, LSD and other “party drugs” in Porto Alegre, Brazil. To do this, U.S. taxpayers will invest $117,876 for the three-year study, conducted by researchers from the University of Delaware, who will work in collaboration with researchers from Brazil's Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul. Federal employees wasted at least $146 million over a one-year period in business- or first-class airline tickets bought in violation of travel policies, congressional investigators say. It looks like Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., is going to get his wish – $2 million in taxpayer funding for a library commemorating his 37 years in the House of Representatives. The Charles B. Rangel Center for Public service will serve as a repository for his "papers," and the congressman will have his own office in the Harlem complex. The earned income tax credit (EITC) provides $31 billion in refundable tax credits to 19 million low-income families. The IRS estimates that $8.5 billion to $9.9 billion of this amount—nearly one-third—is wasted in overpayments. A recent audit revealed that between 1997 and 2003, the Defense Department purchased and then left unused approximately 270,000 commercial airline tickets at a total cost of $100 million. Since World War II, the U.S. has spent $1.2 trillion on foreign aid to 70 countries – and all are worse off than they were in 1980, according to the U.N. For the Department of Commerce for giving the City and County of Honolulu $28,600 in 1981 to study how they could spend another $250,000 for a good surfing beach. For the Health Care Financing Administration for Medicaid payments to psychiatrists for unscheduled, coincidental meetings with patients who were attending basketball games, sitting on stoops, etc. -- the cost of which was between $40 and $80 million from 1981 to 1984. The National Endowment for the Humanities for a $25,000 grant in 1977 to study why people cheat, lie and act rudely on local Virginia tennis courts. The Office of Education for spending $219,592 in 1978 to develop a curriculum to teach college students how to watch television. The Environmental Protection Agency for spending an extra $1 million to $1.2 million in 1980 to preserve a Trenton, NJ sewer as a historical monument. In 2005 - $469,000 for the National Wildlife Turkey Federation in South Carolina In 2005 - $100,000 for the Punxsatawny Weather Discovery Center Museum In 2005 - $350,000 for the Inner Harmony Foundation and Wellness Center in Scranton, Penn. In 2005 - $1,430,000 for various Halls of Fame, including $250,000 for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tenn., and $70,000 for the Paper Industry International Hall of Fame in Appleton, Wis.; Medicare, the U.S. health-insurance program for the elderly and disabled, erroneously paid out $19.9 billion during fiscal 2004, up from $19.6 billion a year earlier, because of mistakes, waste and fraud, a government report said. In most cases, hospitals and doctors billed for medically unnecessary services or didn't provide proper documentation to support the fees for services. The GAO estimated that between 1997 and 2003, the Defense Department spent an estimated $100 million for airline tickets that were not used over a six-year period and failed to seek refunds even though the tickets were reimbursable. While Andrew Cuomo was HUD Secretary under Bill Clinton, the agency set up a "Creative Wellness" program that spent $1,100,000 million taxpayer dollars on “gem” bags and taught public tenants to burn incense. The study, titled "Status/Dominance and Motivational Effects on Nonverbal Sensitivity and Smiling," attempts to find out if it's really true that women smile more than men, and if people of higher status smile less. Judith Hall, a highly respected researcher at Northeastern University in Boston, is conducting the smile study — and it is not her first. Since 1993, she has been awarded more than $500,000. A National Science Foundation study looking at whether White House reporters have become more adversarial sounds a bit strange to reporters and critics. Even more surprising: the study cost taxpayers $180,000. In 2001 more than $600,000 in tax money was spent on researching the sex lives of South African ground squirrels. The head of the IRS sent out a notice to every person advising them that they would be receiving a tax refund in 2001 - the estimated cost $30,000,000. In 1998 more than $800,000 was approved for a coal library in Pennsylvania. Defenders staed that it would provide historical insight into a very important part of Pennsylvania and history. In 2001 the U.S.. Government gave $5,000,000 to the University of Alaska, North Pacific University, and the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation to fund the "stellar sea lion recovery plan." In the year 2001, Congress appropriated $340,000,000 in federal tax dollars to PBS (Public Broadcasting Services). In 1999 the U.S. government spent $500,000 for a Mississippi research project on "manure handling and disposal". In 1999 the U.S. government spent $1,500,000 million to promote silk production in Laos In 1999 the U.S. government spent $1 ,000,000 for the "eradication of Brown Tree Snakes" (Hawaii). In 1999 the U.S. government spent $1,000,000 to "develop and train Alaska natives for employment in the petroleum industry." In 1999 the U.S. government spent $500,000 for water taxis in Savannah (Georgia) In 1999 the U.S. government spent $200,000 for a transit center for the Toledo Mud Hens minor league baseball team. In 1999 $1,200,000 million to subsidize a park on the Galapagos Islands. In 2000 the U.S. government spent $100,000 to study the causes of sediment buildup at a Santa Cruz, New Mexico dam. In 2002 the U.S. government spent $50,000 for a tattoo removal program in San Luis Obispo, California. In 2002 the U.S. government spent $400,000 for the Montana Sheep Institute to improve the profitability of the state's sheep industry. In 2002 the U.S. government spent $273,000 for the Blue Springs (Missouri) Youth Orchestra Outreach Unit for educational training to combat Goth culture In 2003 the U.S. government spent $1,000,000 appropriation for the Center for Public Service and the Common Good (a think tank) at the University of San Francisco. In 2002 the U.S. government spent $400,000 for manure management research at the National Swine Research Center. In 2002 the U.S. government spent $1,100,000 for the MountainMade Foundation in Thomas, West Virginia for business development and the education of artists and craftspeople. In 2002 the U.S. government spent $4,000,000 to implement the forest and fish report of the Washington State. In 2002 the U.S. government spent $500,000 for exhibits on the Sullivan brothers at the Grout Museum in Waterloo, Iowa. In 2002 the U.S. government spent $61,000 for the State Historical Society to archive the history of Iowa workers. In 2002 the U.S. government spent $1,200,000 for the Ohio Arts Council to expand international programs. In 2002 the U.S. government spent $2,900,000 for the Mountaineer Doctor Television program at West Virginia University; In 2002 the U.S. government spent $2,000,000 for an educational mall at the Raleigh County Commission in Beckley. In 2002 the U.S. government spent $2,000,000 for West Virginia University to establish a Center on Obesity. In 2002 the U.S. government spent $260,000 for asparagus technology in the stae of Washington. In 2002 the U.S. government spent $1,200,000 for music education at the GRAMMY Foundation In 2000 the U.S. government spent $50,000 for the development of a Welcome Center Facility City for Enumclaw, Washington. In 1997 - $4,000,000 for the Gambling Impact Study Commission. In 1997 - $330,000 for Stellar Sea Lion research of the North Pacific Universities Marine Mammal Consortium. In 1997 - $785,000 for bluefish/striped bass research by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In 1997 - $2,700,000 added by the Senate for the Animal Resource Wing at South Dakota State University In 1997 - $4,000,000 added in conference for the Discovery Center of Science and Technology. In 1997 - $19,600,000 added by the House for the International Fund for Ireland, a program that tries to aid the peace process in Ireland by paying for golf videos, pony trekking centers, and sweater exports. In 1997 - $16,369,000 added by the Senate for public library construction. In 1997 - $9,469,000 added in conference for Migrant Education programs including: $7,441,000 for the High School Equivalency Program; and $2,028,000 for the College Assistance Migrant Program In 1997 - $3,100,000 added by the Senate for the National Writing Project. In 1997 - $8,200,000 for a new classroom building at the Rowley Secret Service Training Center in Beltsville, Maryland, which is the district of House Treasury, Postal Service and General Government Appropriations subcommittee member Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and the state of Senate appropriator Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.). In 1998 - $220,000 added by the Senate for lowbush blueberry research in Maine. In 1994 - $221,000 for lowbush blueberry research at the University of Maine in the state of Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell (D-ME). In 1998 - $150,000 added by the House for the National Center for Peanut Competitiveness. In 1998 - $127,000 added by the Senate for global marketing support services in the state of Senate appropriator Dale Bumpers (D-Ark.). According to testimony, the goal of this research is to identify “potential foreign markets for Arkansas products….” In 1998 - $32,000 added by the Senate for the Center for Rural Studies in the state of Senate appropriator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.). A portion of this grant money is used for analytical reports to guide the development of Vermont retail shopping areas In 1998 - $500,000 added by the House in the district of House appropriator Richard Durbin (D-IL) for the construction at the Lincoln Home National Historic Site, Illinois, of Chalres Corneau’s house, a neighbor and friend of Abraham Lincoln. In 1998 - $10,912,000 added by the Senate for foreign language assistance. In 1994 - $200,000 for locoweed research at New Mexico State University in the state of House appropriator Joe Skeen (R-NM). Since 1992, $716,000 has been appropriated, and there is no expected completion date for this research. In 1994 - $1,000,000 added in the Senate for the Multispecies Aquaculture Center in the state of Senate appropriator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) In 1994 - $19,600,000 added in the House for the International Fund for Ireland. The conference report “restores language stricken by the Senate and appropriates up to $19,600,000 for the International Fund for Ireland.” In the past, this program has used American taxpayer dollars for a golf video and pony trekking centers. In 1993 - $19,704,000 for the International Fund for Ireland requested, according to committee sources, by House Speaker Thomas Foley (D-WA). In 1993 - $9,170,000 added in conference for the Southwestern Pennsylvania Heritage Preservation Commission in the district of House appropriator John Murtha (D-PA) In 1992 - $2,000,000 added in conference by Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) for a New York Bight Center for undersea research. <FONT size=3>

Great to read all the happiness! I had my 3 month on Monday. 30 pounds total and my slow loss and plateau that lasted 4 weeks is over. BMI is just out of obese realm but hovers dangerously close. I can, unfortunately, eat just about anything I halve tried. Have not done much bread, fried, or pastas and hope not to...can drink alcohol but must be vigilant. Exercise is so much easier but not yet habit. Hoping to knock off 10 these next 6 weeks and then deal with it maintaining before taking on the next 10 pounds.

Larraine, I want affordable health care for all Americans. I don't want our government to be that insurance company. The government has the power to make laws and they should enforce these laws that they can make on private insurance companies. They should drop the law that states you can't cross state lines for medical insurance because that would encourage competition between states. They should enforce tort reform, because that would stop all trial lawyers from making these multi million dollar cases. There should be caps on ins. payouts. Then doctors wont have to perform unneccessary tests just to cover their butts should someone choose to sue them. They should make it a law that noone can be denied health coverage or pay a higher premium because of pre-existing conditions. There are many ways to enforce the private insurance industries to comply. They don't want to do this because the lawyers and the insurance companies are lining these politicians pockets to keep the laws from ruining their greedy wealth. Maybe they could make a law that puts a cap on insurance premiums. If you don't have the ability to pay for ins., then you can apply for medicaid, which is government ins. that is already set up for those who can't afford to pay. The gov. can simply raise the income guidelines for people who can't get on it because they are borderline income and don't meet the eligibility. God wants us to be good stewards with our money and the government has shown us many times over that they can't be. When the government runs something, they don't have a care about waste. It's not coming from their pocket, so why should they care? Just look at medicare or social security, both are bankrupt. So, as a christian, it's not that I am against helping the unfortunate that don't have insurance, for I do want help for them. Jesus said, "The poor you will always have with you." What about the 450,000 who die every year from tobacco, should we help them, how about the hundreds of thousands who die every year from alcohol, should we help them? This list could go on and on forever, but you get my point. The government should not be in the business of social wellness. Roosevelt did a bad thing when he started welfare in the government. Handouts in the government far exceed what the people here can afford. If the gov. stopped giving away all our money, then we would have more for our own health care and living exenses and will be able to give to the charities of our choosing. We wouldn't be indentured servants to China and other countries either. Your great grandchildren will be paying for their deeds in the future.

The government would never ban cigarettes or alcohol (they tried the latter) but I would be supportive of a very high ($10/pack) cigarette tax to make it economically prohibitive. That money could be used to help fund many things. And people who quit would be healthier. That's a win/win. But the big tobacco lobbyists would never stand for it. People should be required to buy healthcare insurance because those who choose not to buy it (but can afford it) are costing those of us who have insurance higher premiums to pay for their healthcare. For those who can't afford insurance, there will be help to pay for it.

Did I say cutting off the poor? I said give aways. I have always said that there will always be some poor who will need a hand up, and the government should give it. It is when the government decides to give away to those who DON'T need it. Like home improvements mentioned earlier, and cash for clunkers, and up tp $8,000 towards your house and a playground, and well here, take a read: The 102 worst ways the government is spending your tax dollars: 102: Protecting a Michigan insect collection from other insects ($187,632) 101: Highway beautified by fish art in Washington ($10,000) 100: University studying hookup behavior of female college coeds in New York ($219,000) 99: Police department getting 92 blackberries for supervisors in Rhode Island ($95,000) 98: Upgrades to seldom-used river cruise boat in Oklahoma ($1.8 million) 97: Precast concrete toilet buildings for Mark Twain National Forest in Montana ($462,000) 96: University studying whether mice become disoriented when they consume alcohol in Florida ($8,408) 95: Foreign bus wheel polishers for California ($259,000) 94: Recovering crab pots lost at sea in Oregon ($700,000) 93: Developing a program to develop "machine-generated humor" in Illinois ($712,883) 92: Colorado museum where stimulus was signed (and already has $90 million in the bank) gets geothermal stimulus grant ($2.6 million) 91: Grant to the Maine Indian Basketmakers Alliance to support the traditional arts apprenticeship program, gathering and festival ($30,000) 90: Studying methamphetamines and the female rat sex drive in Maryland ($30,000) 89: Studying mating decisions of cactus bugs in Florida ($325,394) 88: Studying why deleting a gene can create sex reversal in people, but not in mice in Minnesota ($190,000) 87: College hires director for a project on genetic control of sensory hair cell membrane channels in zebrafish in California ($327,337) 86: New jumbo recycling bins with microchips embedded inside to track participation in Ohio ($500,000) 85: Oregon Federal Building's "green" renovation at nearly the price of a brand new building ($133 million) 84: Massachusetts middle school getting money to build a solar array on its roof ($150,000) 83: Road widening that could have been millions of dollars cheaper if Lousiana hadn't opted to replace a bridge that may not have needed replacing ($60 million) 82: Cleanup effort of a Washington nuclear waste site that already got $12 billion from the DOE ($1.9 billion) 81: Six woodlands Water taxis getting a new home in Texas ($750,000) 80: Maryland group gets money to develop "real life" stories that underscore job and infrastructure-related research findings ($363,760) 79: Studying social networks like Facebook in North Carolina ($498,000) 78:18 North Carolina teacher coaches to heighten math and reading performance ($4.4 million) 77: Retrofitting light switches with motion sensors for one company in Arizona ($800,000) 76: Removing graffiti along 100 miles of flood-control ditches in California ($837,000) 75: Bicycle lanes, shared lane signs and bike racks in Pennsylvania ($105,000) 74: Privately-owned steakhouse rehabilitating its restaurant space in Missouri ($75,000) 73: National dinner cruise boat company in Illinois outfitting vessels with surveillance systems to protect against terrorists ($1 million) 72: Producing and transporting peanuts and Peanut Butter in North Carolina ($900,000) 71: Refurnishing and delivering picnic tables in Iowa ($30,000) 70: Digital television converter box coupon program in D.C. ($650 million) 69: Elevating and relocating 3,000 feet of track for the Napa Valley Wine Train in California ($54 million) 68: Hosting events for Earth Day, the summer solstice etc. in Minnesota ($50,000) 67: Expanding ocean aquaculture in Hawaii ($99,960) 66: Raising railroad tracks 18 inches in Oregon because the residents of one small town were tired of taking a detour around them ($4.2 million) 65: Professors and employees of Iowa state universities voluntarily taking early retirement ($43 million) 64: Minnesota theatre named after Che Guevara putting on "socially conscious" puppet shows ($25,000) 63: Replacing a basketball court lighting system with a more energy efficient one in Arizona ($20,000) 62: Repainting and adding a security camera to one bridge in Oregon ($3.5 million) 61: Missouri bridge project that already was full-funded with state money ($8 million) 60: New hospital parking garage in New York that will employ less people ($19.5 million) 59: University in North Carolina studying why adults with ADHD smoke more ($400,000) 58: Low-income housing residents in one Minnesota city receiving free laptops, WiFi and iPod Touches to "educate" them in technology ($5 million) 57: University in California sending students to Africa to study why Africans vote they the way they do in their elections ($200,000) 56: Researching the impact of air pollution combined with a high-fat diet on obesity development in Ohio ($225,000) 55: Studying how male and female birds care for their offspring and how it compares to how humans care for their children in Oklahoma ($90,000) 54: University in Pennsylvania researching fossils in Argentina (over $1 million) 53: University in Tennessee studying how black holes form (over $1 million) 52: University in Oklahoma sending 3 researchers to Alaska to study grandparents and how they pass on knowledge to younger generations ($1.5 million) 51: Grant application from a Pennsylvania university for a researcher named in the Climate-gate scandal (Rep. Darrell Issa is calling on the president to freeze the grant) ($500,000) 50: Studying the impact of global warming on wildflowers in a Colorado ghost town ($500,000) 49: Bridge built over railroad crossing so 168 Nebraska town residents don't have to wait for the trains to pass ($7 million) 48: Renovating an old hotel into a visitors center in Kentucky ($300,000) 47: Removing overgrown weeds in a Rhode Island park ($250,000) 46: Renovating 5 seldom-used ports of entry on the U.S.-Canada border in Montana ($77 million) 45: Testing how to control private home appliances in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts from an off-site computer ($800,000) 44: Repainting a rarely-used bridge in North Carolina ($3.1 million) 43: Renovating a desolate Wisconsin bridge that averages 10 cars a day ($426,000) 42: 4 new buses for New Hampshire ($2 million) 41: Repaving a 1-mile stretch of Atlanta road that had parts of it already repaved in 2007 ($490,000) 40: Florida beauty school tuition ($2.3 million) 39: Extending a bike path to the Minnesota Twins stadium ($500,000) 38: Beautification of Los Angeles' Sunset Boulevard ($1.1 million) 37: Colorado Dragon Boat Festival ($10,000) 36: Developing the next generation of supersonic corporate jets in Maryland that could cost $80 million dollars each ($4.7 million) 35: New spring training facilities for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies ($30 million) 34: Demolishing 35 old laboratories in New Mexico ($212 million) 33: Putting free WiFi, Internet kiosks and interactive history lessons in 2 Texas rest stops ($13.8 million) 32: Replacing a single boat motor on a government boat in D.C. ($10,500) 31: Developing the next generation of football gloves in Pennsylvania ($150,000) 30: Pedestrian bridge to nowhere in West Virginia ($80,000) 29: Replacing all signage on 5 miles of road in Rhode Island ($4,403,205) 28: Installing a geothermal energy system to heat the "incredible shrinking mall" in Tennessee ($5 million) 27: University in Minnesota studying how to get the homeless to stop smoking ($230,000) 26: Large woody habitat rehabilitation project in Wisconsin ($16,800) 25: Replacing escalators in the parking garage of one D.C. metro station ($4.3 million) 24: Building an airstrip in a community most Alaskans have never even heard of ($14,707,949) 23: Bike and pedestrian paths connecting Camden, N.J. to Philadelphia, Penn. when there's already a bridge that connects them ($23 million) 22: Sending 10 university undergrads each year from North Carolina to Costa Rica to study the rainforests ($564,000) 21: Road signs touting stimulus funds at work in Ohio ($1 million) 20: Researching how paying attention improves performance of difficult tasks in Connecticut ($850,000) 19: Kentucky Transportation Department awarding contracts to companies associated with a road contractor accused of bribing the previous state transportation secretary ($24 million) 18: Amtrak losing $32 per passenger nationally but rewarded with windfall ($1.3 billion) 17: Widening an Arizona interstate even though the company that won the contract has a history of tax fraud and pollution ($21.8 million) 16: Replace existing dumbwaiters in New York ($351,807) 15: Deer underpass in Wyoming ($1,239,693) 14: Arizona universities examining the division of labor in ant colonies (combined $950,000) 13: Fire station without firefighters in Nevada ($2 million) 12: "Clown" theatrical production in Pennsylvania ($25,000) 11: Maryland town gets money but doesn't know what to do with it ($25,000) 10: Investing in nation-wide wind power (but majority of money has gone to foreign companies) ($2 billion) 9: Resurfacing a tennis court in Montana ($50,000) 8: University in Indiana studying why young men do not like to wear condoms ($221,355) 7: Funds for Massachusetts roadway construction to companies that have defrauded taxpayers, polluted the environment and have paid tens of thousands of dollars in fines for violating workplace safety laws (millions) 6: Sending 11 students and 4 teachers from an Arkansas university to the U.N. climate change convention in Copenhagen, using almost 54,000 lbs of carbon dioxide from air travel alone ($50,000) 5: Storytelling festival in Utah ($15,000) 4: Door mats to the Department of the Army in Texas ($14,675) 3: University in New York researching young adults who drink malt liquor and smoke pot ($389,357) 2: Solar panels for climbing gym in Colorado ($157,800) 1: Grant for one Massachusetts university for "robobees" (miniature flying robot bees) ($2 million) GRAND TOTAL: $4,891,645,229 Imagine how many poor people you could help with that total!

I have been reading thru these forums for over six months now, and I'm finally posting my own thread! I have been overweight my whole life. I have non-alcoholic Liver Disease that consists of Fatty Liver & several hepatic adenomas, PCOS, Metabolic Syndrome, Insulin Resistance, Leukocytosis, Infertility, Severe GERD, IBS, Chronic unspecified inflammation in the body, the list really goes on and on. On top of my own co-morbidities, I have a very very strong family history of Heart Disease & Diabetes. I thought about pursuing Bariatric Surgery a couple years back, but after doing research, I talked myself out of it because I didn't want to have to wait ANOTHER 18-24 months to conceive. Well, after 6 months of fertility therapy & horrible side effects, I decided I needed to stop and reassess the situation. I went thru all my requirements, and submitted my Pre-Auth to insurance in March '16, to be denied 2 weeks later due to lack of support from my PCP. My Primary is very "old fashioned", and doesn't believe in "Non-Traditional Weight Loss", so I was left hanging & she would not right up a letter of medical necessity or provide documentation that I have been actively trying to lose weight for the past umteen years. So, I ended up going to my Bariatric Center & just doing another 3 months of NUT appointments to add on to everything I already had to HOPEFULLY achieve requirements while by-passing my PCP. My appeal was submitted June 10th, and I was getting multiple responses for "Wait time" from my insurance. One person said it was the standard 7-10 days, and then another said that an appeal isn't the same thing as a pre-auth, and they are allowed 30 days. At this point, my lab work is getting worse; liver is getting worse; retaining ridiculous amounts of fluid; CRP is thru the roof; in ER with sky-high WBC; I just need this done! Just got word from my insurance today that my denial has been overturned and I have been APPROVED! Going thru these threads for 6 months, I never understood why people cried when getting the approval. I now understand... Something that seemed so unobtainable the last few months is finally real. It's my Holy Grail honestly.... I woke up today just having an awful morning & that 1 phone call just turned my day upside down. My golden birthday is 1 week from today (27 on June 27th), and this by far is the best present ever! Now, to just wait on a date! So many happy tears in my cubicle today! -Brooke