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Hi, Marc! So, you're ready for a new life! Congratulations! What impressed me about your post is that you have given love and care to others as part of your life, even though you have been kinda hiding out in that...there are worse ways to hide, huh? Other "hits"...I lost my mom last July, and my grandmother last November, and I understand the sense of loss you are afraid of...I cannot say it is easier than you think. It wasn't for me. It is hard. I would rather know it is going to be tough than be told it's easy, and be shocked when it isn't. So, you've got some tough times ahead with that. Here's the good news...you've got faith. Keep reading that Psalms. You've made a decision to change your life. You love yourself more than you are giving yourself credit for. See? I just posted about my "bandiversary." One year ago, today, I did what you are planning for Aug. 31. What a year! I won't go into the details here because you can easily find my post about my year...but the bottom line is this: you can make your life better. As you lose some of the weight, you will feel better; when you feel better, you will do more to be even healthier. You may need some counseling; or, there are books you could read that could get you started on changing your beliefs and attitudes about food. I quit using alcohol almost 5 years ago, and since you have accomplished that, you know how to break an addiction, and you care enough about yourself to do it. I've gone on long enough, but one more thing I just really need to say. Please just put your relationship issues on hold for right now. Let's just get YOU in order for now...it will take all your energy and focus anyway. The rest will fall into place. You have found a great place at LBT. Post and read, post and read. Take what works for you, and blow off the rest. Think about the stuff you might not agree with or understand, because it might come into focus later. I wish you well, and wish you good health and light! Cindy

Dear Marc, Your post is so eloquent, it made my heart ache. And wow, the replies! I feel so blessed to be here, and I'm so glad you're here, too. I'm a 59-year-old RN and I can really relate to what you wrote. As a teenager, I copied a poem that captured the way I've felt all these years. I don't recall most of it, but it ends "...and you yourself are your jail walking." It has taken me many, many years to break out of that jail. I grew up in a family marred by domestic violence. All my sibs are either alcoholic, drug addicts, morbidly obese, or dead from violence. I learned early on to wear a mask and never let anyone see how much I was hurting inside. I became a superachiever too, published and well known in my field. And all the time, I knew something was terribly, terribly wrong. It turned out to be childhood sexual trauma. With the help of a gifted therapist, I worked through that and the resulting PTSD. I've struggled for years with major depression, and other medical problems. For many years, I looked forward to death with a sense of relief, because life just seemed too hard to live. Why am I telling you all this? Because I want you to know you're not alone and there is help for the way you feel. A loving support group is a great place to start dismantling the mask, and I so admire you for starting. What has helped me the most over the years has been letting those who were safe to "come out" around, to see the real me bit by bit; therapy; and antidepressant medication. Today I feel that life is worth living. I've always been compassionate to others -- it's one of my strengths -- and now I've learned to be compassionate to myself. Marc, would you consider getting evaluated for depression? I think you may be depressed, which makes perfect sense, and medication can be incredibly effective in helping you get out from under the sense of despair. And what about therapy? That might really help, too. I will hold you in my heart. Stay in touch, NancyRN

You are pretty much supposed to leave those on (steri-strips) until they fall off. If they are a little ragged on the edges, trim it up so it doesn't catch on something. I wasn't given any instructions regarding those other than that they'd come off in about a week, so after about a week, I used a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol on it and it came right off, but you might talk to your doctor first just to be sure.

can you still drink alcohol ?

Be careful when you first start to drink again, my Doc said no alcohol for the first month...by then I had been on liquids and mushes for a month, one glass of wine and I was giggling and talking TOO loud!

Interesting article. Basically supports what my thinking has been. I just wonder how long does the procedure have to be done before it is no longer referred to being "in it's infancy"? They state numbers referring to patients 6 years out, so, that would appear to me to be out of it's infancy ... But, I reached goal 8 months post and have been maintaining the same weight for over 2 years now. In the article, they state "failure" of a procedure if you have regained 22 pounds or more. That seems like a heavy statement because I have read on here many folks who have regained this and more, but were able to lose it again when they recommitted to comply with the basic guidelines. To me, that is not a procedural failure, but rather an issue with the patient's compliance. As far as why there is weight gain, the article states: There have been so many pissing matches on this forum with regards to the "cheating" question. I'm not going to get into that battle again. Just be ready to accept the consequences. It is difficult for me to support an alcoholic who won't stop drinking ... Bottom line, IMO, is that if I were to gain 30 pounds, it will be due to my "cheating" the sleeve, not the failure of the procedure. I also believe that if I were to return to rigorously following the guidelines, I would drop that 30 pounds. Does this point to a failure of the procedure?

Ok, here goes & I'm a very open, honest person.... Pre op diet I was on (liquids) & post-op diet I was on (liquids 1st week), pretty much sucked, weeks 2-4 soft, mushy foods wasn't too bad but took some getting used to (i have an issue with textures). Then, once I reached 6 weeks, I was cleared for foods & alcohol (but in moderation) it was GREAT! I am now 3 mos out, 41 lbs lighter & life is good. I feel awesome & have not been happier with my WLS decision. We all go thru different emotions approaching our surgery date but I'm sure you will be happy with your decision as well. Best wishes for a happier, healthier future!!!!

each doctor is different. my doc told me no soda or alcohol for 3 months post-op. i drink diet soda now... 1 or 2 cans a day... and my stomach gurgles like its hungry when it passes thru the band. i get a lot of funny looks lol

I had my fill today - Not a big deal AT ALL! ANyway, she (Dory Ferraro--very experienced LapBand NP) said that I should be able to drink alcohol no problem -- even tonight. Of course she warned about the empty calories but still, good to know I can celebrate St Paddy's!

Seven weeks until my surgery...so may questions. I enjoy a glass of wine occasionally, say 1 or 2 glasses a month. Is drinking alcohol any different post banding?:confused:

Transferring of addictions. We go from food to alcohol. Or drugs, or sex. Just something to take it's place.

Great Post Slimambitions!. I am there with you all the way. I was banded 8/19/2011 with a starting weight before my pre-op of 297...I went to the dr on Monday and was 245. The dr was very happy, and said I had surpassed my 6 month goal (I did not know I had one). I truly believe each and everyone of us have had issues similar to yours and we must continually re-dedicate ourselves to the task at hand. I agree with BRD, our eating issues are similar to an alcoholic,but with food. I have never had any self-control, but the band is my greatest support, because it reminds me every day of what I need to be doing, SLIM, BRD, CRYSAL AND JULIANA, WE CAN AND WILL DO THIS. we will support each other every step of the way. I am proud of all of us!!!! BEST OF LUCK

Just wanted to share this with you all. So be careful!!! Ketosis is a process in which your body converts fats into energy. During the conversion, ketones are produced as a by-product. Ketones can give your breath a sweet, fruity smell that may be mistaken for alcohol. Your body normally uses glucose to meet its energy needs. Glucose comes from the carbohydrate in your diet. A healthy, balanced diet should provide you with all the glucose your body needs, so that ketosis does not take place. However, if your body does not have enough glucose, perhaps because your diet is very low in carbohydrates or you are starving yourself, it will begin ketosis to obtain energy from its stored fats instead. As a result of this, the ketone levels in your blood will rise. Prolonged ketosis can be dangerous as it can change the acidity of your blood beyond the level that your body can tolerate. This can eventually lead to serious damage to your liver and kidneys. Recently, diets that recommend you eat lots of Protein and very little carbohydrate have become popular. These high protein-low carbohydrate diets – known as ketogenic diets – are intended to work by forcing your body to begin ketosis to burn fats and create quick weight loss. Because long periods of ketosis are dangerous to your kidneys and liver, ketogenic diets are never recommended by health professionals for more than short-term use, typically no longer than 14 days. Many nutritionists warn their patients – especially women in the early stages of pregnancy – against following them at all.

I would talk to your doctor first, just to be sure, but when mine were mostly fallen off, I rubbed them with a little rubbing alcohol and they came right off.

I went through the first few months on such a high from my weight loss, I did not have time to grieve. Now, as the loss settles down, there are times when I miss eating "normal" (Normal, meaning the way I ate before, and likely the way most Americans eat all the time). I do miss biting into a big hamburger, or having a big plate of food. For me, I think it is the sensation, not the flavor. I can eat anything (almost) in reasonable quantities, as long as there are small bites, well chewed. But, a big bite of a double-decker burger, with cheese, lettuce, tomato onion and bacon, with a sourdough bun... I couldn't take that big bite... and in reality, it is not the same sensation as taking that little pee-pee bite I take now. I'd be lying if I said it wasn't. So, no, food is not my life, but like anything else you give up (smoking, coffee, alcohol...) you will have times of feeling withdrawal, at least I do. But, you know, when I look in the mirror, stand on the scale, bike 10 miles, or just not get winded going up a flight of stairs, I don't regret it one bit. Hmmmmm... I think I'm making burgers for dinner tonight.

Over the weekend I drank way too heavily at a Mardi Gras party and the next day was very, very sick. I think I had some alcohol poisoning- it was that bad. Well the entire day I was in and out of the bathroom, trying to get sick, but it seemed like I could only **warning-gross** throw up what was in my pouch. I had eaten once and I knew that there was food in there and felt certain that I would throw it up, but it was like the food was stuck under my band. Well this went on all day... over and over. My question is this- I have lost a lot of restriction since the incident... could this be a possible slip? Please don't harp on me about the drinking. I know it was bad. I need opinions and advice on what to do now. Thank you so much in advance!

Normally, I'm not into artificial sweetners, but I spotted this new product at the store today that is called: Eat Well, Be Well, sugar-free, no sugar alcohols, diabetic friendly chocolate bar. So I bought it thinking it will probably be like eating cardboard, but it's good! It's definitely a dark chocolate taste and I like it. Just thought I would share for any trying to curb that sweet tooth. Kelli

I've been thinking about this thread for days. And I wasn't going to post anymore after my initial post, but... Ok, get ready for some straight talk now. I don't think you're a bad person at all. But I think you're perspective might be a bit askew. It is good to find strength and confidence within yourself, but please be careful about ego. Before you lost weight, you were thankful to have this man's love. Now that you are losing weight, you think you deserve better than him. This is a mindset that will cost you much in life. Trust me - been there, done that. Don't you think that he's picked up on this attitude and that he feels let down and upset at the thought of his whole world crumbling around him? Sure you do.. you said yourself "I have talked to some male friends about this too and they agree with you that he may be very threatned, and now it is my feeling that he should be." Honestly, it sounds to me like you have already made up your mind.. and based on that, his behavior doesn't surprise me at all. Put yourself in his shoes. Would you be happy? How easy would it be for you to compliment him on the very thing that's changing him into someone who wants better than you? This man is your husband. Not a friend you can choose to be around or avoid. For better or worse.. until death yadda yadda. Just words? Is he abusing you physically or mentally? Is he sleeping around on you? Is he an alcoholic or drug addict? Is he spending all of your money and running you into the ground financially? So far all you've told us is that he doesn't compliment your weight loss and he gets upset when you tell him about others complimenting you. Grounds for divorce? Reasons for ending a 21 year marriage? Hm... (those were all rhetorical questions - please don't answer them) You can count on him to be by your side in the bad times. You've said that "When the chips are down, there are none who step up to the plate better." Would you rather be dealing with a man who is only there for you when you look good, or when things are going well? How about you? Will you be there for him when the chips are down? Or will you decide that now that things are better for you.. you deserve someone better than him? What has suddenly made you better.. weight loss? Hm... Say you do leave him in search of something better. Do you think that there are men out there that don't have something wrong with them? Giving up a 21 year investment in a relationship just means having to start all over with someone else who will have faults that bother you. These probably aren't things that you want to hear. Especially if you have it in your mind that life without him is going to be so much better, and if you are already excited about what you'll find once he's gone. But I can't in good conscience read this thread and not say these things to you. I pray you take what I've said and just think about it for a while. And please, I'm not telling you that you don't deserve to be happy. But I am telling you that we often make big mistakes when we focus too much on what WE DESERVE. I offer you my thoughts as a possible help to you. I don't expect you to defend yourself or even provide more personal information about your marriage. I'm not judging you, so please don't take it that way. I'm speaking from my own experiences.. if they don't apply to you, then just forget my post. Best of luck to you in this situation. I mean that sincerely.

Ok, so, I know that alcohol can irritate the stomach, and is full of calories, but that aside, I'm sure lots of people still drink with the band. Right? I'm not talking a glass of wine or 2 at dinner... but you know, going out to a party/pub/bar or wherever you do your recreational drinking, and actually getting drunk... purposely. If someone were to do this, to the point of feeling nauseous... is there anything that can be done? What about a bad hangover with the potential for puking? Probably just some Gravol, right? I'm not a huge drinker, and I actually haven't had a drink in months, but I know that it's gonna happen again (and I'm looking forward to it!), so I just want to be prepared so that if I drink too much, and start feeling sick, I know what kind of things might help. Thanks guys, Mandi

My immediate thought after reading that post was “just don’t drink so much that it makes you sick, then you won’t need to worry about throwing up.” But it has me wondering…is drinking a lot of alcohol like overeating? Is it a compulsive thing that you have to fight to control? Is telling someone not to drink as useless as telling a binge eater not to eat? I’m sure it’s obvious that I am not a drinker, but this is something I have wondered about. What is it about alcohol that makes people drink to excess, knowing that it will ultimately make them feel like hell? Is it a comfort thing? Does it just feel really good? Or is it that you really really like the taste and it’s a treat you allow yourself? I hope everyone doesn’t jump on me for this. I’m not trying to say that drinking is bad or wrong. It’s just something I’m totally unfamiliar with, so I’m curious...

The 5 most expensive addictions Alcohol. Estimated annual cost: $166 billion. Binge drinking hits the unemployed harder on a per capita basis -- 10.4%, vs. 8.4% of employed people. It is most prevalent in small metropolitan locales, rather than big cities or rural areas. The $18 billion spent on alcohol and drug treatment last year represented 1.3% of all health care spending. Smoking. Estimated annual cost: $157 billion. The tab includes $75 billion in direct medical expenses, with the rest in lost productivity from ill patients missing work. Given the low-tax (or no-tax) underground cigarette economy on the Web and on Indian reservations, it's unlikely that sales and usage have dropped much over the past decade, official government statistics notwithstanding. Drugs. Estimated annual cost: $110 billion. Like alcohol, illicit drug use is more prevalent among the unemployed. Most addicts are also heavy drinkers, though only a small minority of alcoholics are drug abusers. Crystal meth has followed marijuana, cocaine and heroin as the drug of choice among the young set. Overeating. Estimated annual cost: $107 billion. Overeating increases the risk of many health problems, including heart attacks. Obesity causes 14% of attacks suffered by males and 20% of those suffered by females, the National Institutes for Health says, and fewer than a third of adults get regular exercise. The bulk of the $107 billion is the direct cost to treat heart disease, osteoarthritis, hypertension, gall bladder disease and cancer. Gambling. Estimated annual cost: $40 billion. Addicted gamblers often feel compelled to chase after bad bets with more money in the hope of winning back their losses. And some who catch the fever develop the need to periodically raise the betting stakes to keep the same thrill. Also, addicts often face job loss, bankruptcy and forced home sales, and they are at greater risk to commit crimes like forgery and embezzlement. Along with the medical expenses, the cost of food can stack up also.

Re: Sleeve. You may want to do some research on another board for the pro's and con's of this type of weightloss surgery. As far as sweets go, we CAN have them. But its usually the evil that got us into this situation to begin with... so thats why we are told NOT to have sweets. Alcohol ~ this is a stomach irritant. ANY alcohol (wine included) burns my stomach, so I avoid all alcohol. :phanvan The carbonated part (like beer) is something else to deal with. MOST bandsters totally stay away from all carbonation - it causes excessive burping --- VERY uncomfortable feeling. oh, and white items (like bread and pasta) are usually restricted form our diets because these things seems to stick to the band while passing through - thus creating a 'stuck' feeling. not a pleasent experience. But we look at these restricted foods as a good thing (white items are loaded with carbs and turn to sugar once consumed). Something else that comes to mind as far as restricted items go is ANSAID medications: ibuprophen. This is also a stomach irritant and should be avoided by bandsters. There's tons of LapBand info around here. LBT is loaded with facts of everyday living with the band. Good and bad. So, Happy reading! And if you have any other questions, just ask!

I am not sure if anyone goes on Obesityhelp.com but I posted something there and I thought I would share it with my Texas family(lapbandtalk.com). It is quite long so grab a 32oz. bottle of Water, get comfortable and start reading. I believe alot of people will relate to this testimony of mine but for my mind I had to write this. food ADDICTION JODI’S LIFE STORY (MY BATTLE WITH FOOD) THIS IS WRITTEN FOR MY MAINTENANCE I am 41 years of age and I can’t believe I finally figured out the meaning, and the importance of food. Growing up in my home, food was plentiful. During my time as a child, it was so important to eat everything on your plate because of all the starving children of the third world countries. We didn’t know how fortunate we were and how unfortunate other children were because we didn’t understand the differences. I must say though that my addiction has never been and never will be my mother’s doing. She didn’t stuff the food in my mouth. In fact, she was a very healthy cook. She always made sure we had the five food groups like we are supposed to. I ate everything under the sun behind her back. I wasn’t going to allow anyone to disrupt my favorite (unhealthy) foods. For a while though I thought it was a lot of her fault and at this time I want to apologize to her for even having those thoughts. To give you a little background on this, I remember in second grade my mother noticed I was having a weight problem. She brought me to a doctor who put me, I believe, on a diet. The only thing I can truly remember is diet sodas and skim milk. Candy was allowed during Halloween in which we broke the bank in our neighborhood. They gave out big bars, not the bite size or fun size like they do now. With that said we were allowed one piece a day. Of course I didn’t listen. I had the candy underneath my bed and enjoyed every morsel. Our Easter basket hunt my mother had panties, socks, trinkets, fruit and jelly Beans. Till this day I HATE JELLY BEANS. I can say at that time I hated her for this. It was so unfair. As of today, I was so unfair to think that of her. I love her with all my heart and can’t thank her enough for everything that she has done for me and all the care, love and understanding she has given me all of my life. Even during this time when I am struggling with my food addiction she is supporting me 100% and has always been worried about me only for health reasons. She loves me unconditionally for who I am and is not disgusted by the way I had looked. My mother has always been my rock. My husband is an unbelievable man. What he has put up with in his lifetime with me, I believe any man would have left their wife. There are many other reasons besides my weight problem but this is what I need to write about. I thank God on my knees for bringing him in my life. He is caring, loving, understanding, most of the time, and no one has more patience than him. I love him so much too and unfortunately I don’t tell him enough. I will be letting him read this and I want him to understand from this letter that I was never much for I love you, hugs and kisses. I want him to ask my family what a cold person I used to be. They know. I hated myself so much and I was so stand offish. I was just a hateful child even as an adult because of my weight issues. I realize now it was because I hated myself. I was very unhappy with myself. The more I hated, the more I ate. Who me? I eat fruits and vegetables, right? I was only getting bigger and bigger. Who in the hell was I kidding………………………………… I was just killing myself inside. Probably in my lifetime I have lost close to 1000 pounds. Up and down, up and down. I have tried Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Adkins Diet, Cabbage Soup diet, starvation diet, that was one salad a day and fried chicken on Fridays only and if I couldn’t stand the hunger I used to eat some popcorn. I even took 8 Exlax chocolates a day to get rid of my food. At that time I was losing my hair so I went to GNC to ask why I could be losing my hair. There was a doctor there and he put one finger on my upper chest area and he said, you are taking Exlax and you better get off it. I didn’t say a word to him and I turned around and left. I did stop taking them. I was fine medically for the moment but then once I got to 254 pounds I started noticing my knees hurting. I walk my dog daily and every time I went up a few steps my knees were hurting. I just dealt with it because on the outside I was just accepting myself for being obese because I truly believed there was no hope for me. I have been through the ringer with dieting, losing and gaining. I was in a lot of pain mentally though with myself. I am a pro at fake smiles. I soon was turning 41 years old, at this time my knees were burning going up those stairs to walk my dog and I thought, what am I doing to myself, I have to stop allowing this food to run my life. It is slowly killing me, I thought. I finally said to myself I have to do something about this but then I was afraid. I didn’t know what to do. One day at work, God must have spoke to my friend Jalinda because she came one day to me and told me about a weight loss procedure she knew about. It is called Lap Band. It is a Laparoscopic Banding procedure and it is a minimally invasive procedure. I thought that was perfect for me. I went to a seminar one Saturday to learn about it and that is when my new life began. I went to see Dr. Snow with the appt. that I had made from the seminar. It was two weeks after the seminar and I was over anxious to get the preliminaries over with. I wasn’t even sure if the insurance would cover this much less approve me. I was severely obese according to my BMI reading. I believe I was approved by my insurance 3 weeks later. My surgery was scheduled for November 10, 2005. Five days prior to the surgery I had to go on a liquid diet. I told my crew at work that if I am crabby, I am sorry for that. What a starvation diet this was going to be. It wasn’t bad at all probably because I was still able to drink my coffee. During that time I lost 12 pounds and that was a hell of a jump start for me to keep me motivated, even though that was just water weight I’m sure. On the day of surgery I remember Dr. Snow coming to see me before he performed the procedure. He said, with percentages possibly being wrong, it is 20% the band and 80% you’re doing. I truly took that to heart. I believe at that moment I was hooked on changing my lifestyle. I am not going to live to eat anymore. I am going to eat to live. I am on the road to becoming healthy and enjoying it too. Today is my 7 month band anniversary and I have lost a total of 103 pounds. I have 3 more pounds to go to get to my goal weight and I am excited to get there. My struggles now are not losing the weight. I have proven that to myself. I am now terrified to be able to keep it off. Maintenance has always been an issue with me. Once I get to my goal weight I have to figure out how to stop losing weight. Then I have to figure out how the scale is going to stay at 145 lbs. People have said to me that there is no way you would ever be able to gain that weight back. They don’t know about my history though so there isn’t much baring on what they said. I am a food addict. To be more specific, I am a fast food junkie. Till this day it still bothers me to smell deep fried food cooking. I used to say if I could just lick a French fry it would satisfy me but I know that I am just fooling myself. I would have grabbed the bag of fries, run into the bathroom and eat them. I am a very good closet eater and I was a pro at eating in my car. I will never do that again unless I have no choice but my food choice will be extremely different. I don’t crave that food at all but smelling it is a different story. I know that I am able to see Dr. Snow if I start falling off the band wagon. He would be able to give me an adjustment to help with restriction but I haven’t needed that so far and I would like to say that I have conquered my food addiction some day and I never would have to be restricted; if the need arises though I will run to his office to get help. Food can be very addictive. For some, it is a drug. We need to understand what food is for. We need to fuel our system to survive. It is not to be taken advantage of. I don’t understand what happened in this country and the food intake. It isn’t the amount that you put in your system that makes it better; it is the taste of the food that satisfies you. We need to listen to our stomachs that is telling us, “Hey you are stuffing me” and you have had enough. STOP EATING when your stomach is satisfied. Be thankful for what we have. There are so many starving people in our country as well as in other countries. If you are plentiful, give to the ones who really need to eat it. The restaurants put enough food on our plates to feed two people. We need to be realistic about our food intake. Take your time eating your meal and realize how lucky you are to be able to eat. I am in dire need for a lot of support now. I made a lifestyle change and I still do not trust myself. I am hoping I can make it this time. The struggle is all in my mind and not in my stomach. I still see myself as obese. Not in the sense of looking at myself but my mind. I will go to support group meetings just like an alcoholic would to AA. They are considered, I believe, an alcoholic the rest of their life and I consider myself a food addict all my life. Hopefully I am on the road to recovery but it will be a life long struggle for me. To my husband, all of my family members, Jalinda, and Dr. Robert Snow I want to Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the support you have given me thus far. My journey is not finished yet though. It has only just begun…………………… With Loving Thoughts Josephine (Jodi) Darugar June 10, 2006

Don't you feel the world is attacking obese people this week? It seems each day a new article comes out with another poke at obesity. Now, they are saying that being obese is linked to mental illness and that the fat aren't jolly? True, I am an emotional eater, who added two hundred pounds following the deaths of my mother and my boyfriend --- BUT I have always been FAT AND JOLLY!! I never denied myself anything that gave pleasure, and food gave pleasure. Also, I am a people person, so sharing good company and good food -- with a lot of laughter -- was common in my life. Though I am learning smarter ways to manage my weight, I certainly don't want to lose the laughter and friends. Joyce Here's the AP article... Study says obesity, depression linked By LINDSEY TANNER The Associated Press CHICAGO — Obesity is strongly linked with depression and other mood disorders, according to a new study by Group Health Cooperative. Whether obesity might cause these problems or is the result of them is not certain, but there are theories to support both arguments. Depression often causes people to abandon activities, and some medications used to treat mental illness can cause weight gain. On the other hand, obesity is often seen as a stigma, and overweight people often are subject to teasing and other hurtful behavior. The study of more than 9,000 adults found that mood and anxiety disorders, including depression, were about 25 percent more common in the obese people studied than in the nonobese. Substance abuse was an exception; obese people were about 25 percent less likely to abuse drugs or alcohol than slimmer participants. The results appear in the July issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, released Monday. The lead author was Dr. Gregory Simon, a researcher with Group Health in Seattle. The results "suggest that the cultural stereotype of the jolly fat person is more a figment of our imagination than a reality," said Dr. Wayne Fenton of the National Institute of Mental Health, which funded the study. "The take-home message for doctors is to be on the lookout for depression among their patients who are overweight," Fenton said. Both conditions are quite common. About one-third of U.S. adults are obese, and depression affects about 10 percent of the population, or nearly 21 million U.S. adults in a given year. Previous studies produced conflicting results on whether obesity is linked with mental illness, although a growing body of research suggests there is an association. The latest study helps resolve the question, said Dr. Susan McElroy, editor of a textbook on obesity and mental disorders. "This is a state-of-the-art psychiatric epidemiology study that really confirms that there is, in fact, a relationship," she said. The study was based on an analysis of a national survey of 9,125 adults who were interviewed to assess mental state. Obesity status was determined using participants' self-reported weight and height. About one-fourth of all participants were obese. Twenty-two percent of obese participants had experienced a mood disorder, compared with 18 percent of the nonobese.

Hey Kat, I didn't have any burning, but I have been having to give my DH some blood thinning injections,and if I swab him, and don't wait for the alcohol to dry, it burns like crazy. Now I didn't realize that was why, until another LBT-er was asking about blood thinning injections, and another told her to let it dry or it would burn...I tried it with DH that night--she was right!! It didn't burn when I let the alcohol dry. Maybe that's what happen. We are told clear liquid the remainder of the fill day, full liquids the next day, then mushies, then back to regualr diet. If you have another fill in a month, you will only be eating 1/2 the time....poor you! But I bet you knock our socks off with weight lost! Good Luck...keep us posted. BTW is it still painful at all? Good Luck Heather! Kat