Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgendered Bandsters

[Lucy 0]

Hey everyone,

I've been gone for a while -- I went on vacation, and then I got really sick and ended up in the hospital over labor day weekend (not LB related) but now I'm back!

Pamela, you gorgeous thing! Love the photo!

Stevee, it's going to be ok. Whenever you get nervous, stand back and think about why you are doing this and how much you want it. And I agree with whoever mentioned that it seems expensive, but it's actually less than you normally pay for food. I am such a cheap date now!

My weight loss is going very slowly, but it's going nevertheless. My ankle doctor has had my left leg in a boot for the last month and I have very limited mobility, so I haven't been getting much exercise at all. I had an unfill almost a month ago (I suddenly felt overfilled during PMS) and I haven't had another fill since -- I want to see if I feel the same thing when I have PMS again....ugh...so...it's been hard, but I have been trying to make the right decisions and stop before I am full, but it's hard...

Hope you are all doing great.

xoxo

[dezbus1 0]

Hey Neighbor Pam, I was inspired by your beautiful picture I changed my avatar also. It is not a close up but I will work on that, school will be doing pictures in a few weeks, maybe I will have mine done and then post it.

Hope everyone is doing well, Lucy I am always real tight during tom, then right afterwards I feel like I can eat a horse. lol

It is hump day, thank goodness.

[OH Juli 15]

Hi gang.

I'm back to work from being at a conference. It's good to get back in the routine.

Now I need to force my butt back into the gym. Here goes.

Hope all are well.

XO

[Bozlee 0]

Just checking in with everyone.

Thanks for sharing the picture Kity. You have a very beautiful smile.

I am doing pretty good, but I am sooooo damn tired of Clear liquids. I have been on liquids for a month now and even though I enjoy losing weight, I don't feel satisfied. I don't have a desire for hamburgers or anything like that, I would love to be able to just try some Tomato Soup or something. It is really frustrating and I hope when I go back to the doctor on Tuesday that they put me on puree/mush stuff. I know it is worth it, but at this point I am really losing the energy to do anything. Tell me it gets better when you can try things other then liquids. I don't mind being on liquids for a few days, but this seems forever.

[cheri52 1]

Edd, You poor thing!!! It DOES get better, really. It does seem like a very long time for Clear Liquids. we were put on clear liquids only for the first week, week 2 was full liquids, which includes..da da....tomato soup! Also yogurt (no fruit), other strained low fat cream Soups, diet pudding and sherbet. week 3 & 4 (limited "mushy") all the above plus cottage cheese, ricotta, "thin" mash potato, cream of wheat or blenderized oatmeal, and prueed fruit (applesauce ok) , week 5 (full mushy), same PLUS add egg, fish, ground turkey.....all the above with Protein shakes..... week 6 no more shakes, "normal" food for our new life!!!:clap2: But, once I got to week 3 it felt " almost normal" for me as I eat those things anyway, and, I was SOooooo.... gratefull to have something else!!! you may want to clarify with the Dr./nut. what he/she means as liquids, are you sure you can't have Soup? ? it just has to be smooth. I hope you are getting enough protein, we had to have 3 shakes with 20gr. ea of Protein Powder (or same) daily from day two. Keep up the good work, it will be over before you know it.

[Chris61 0]

I just wanted to let everyone know that things went well for my wife who had the band on 9/12/07. I have been busy and have not had a chance to post. I am also going to get the band on 9/19/07. We are not sure the date when her sister will get hers at this time. Here are the details of how things went.

Here surgery was moved back from 1 P.M. to 3 P.M. So we got to the hospitial at 1 and got check in. They took here back and she go dressed for surgery and they did blood work. Then they took us to the surgery waiting area. They did not allow us to go back into that area. ( I think the reason was are young daughter was with us and there was not enough room in the area for 3 people) they gave us here glasses and she went on into the pre-op area. I saw the doctor before surgery. They did not start surgey until 4 P.M. she was done by 5 P.M. the doctor came out and said it went well and that she was given the new AP regular which is about 10cc and has soem Fluid in it. She was in recovery until about 6:45 P.M.

Then she was moved to her room. Well to say the least that was crazy because it was also shift change and you can iamage how that was. We left about 7:30P.M. that night. Also she could not have nothing to drink or eat until after the barriam swallow test. (We found that out the next day). We new that the test was happing but not that she could not eat. So she had the test on Thursday morning and she passed it with flying colors. So we thought she could go ahead and start drinking and eating but it was another couple of hours before they did anything.(The reason is the nurses will not do anything untill they have a written signed report in the file). So she was complaning of nausea etc. so they kept giving her meds for it. She was able to get up and walk around etc. and she was able to start drinking and eating. We thought that she would be out of the Hosp. by say 3 P.M. but that was not to be the case. Here is another thing that we learned. The clock for the 24 hours does not start when you come in. It starts after surgery and when you get into the room. So they were not planning to let here go before 7 P.M. but no one told us that before hand. The doctor came in a couple of times and check on here and then came back around 5 P.M. and said that she could go. So by the time we got her dressed and all the paper work done it was right at 7 P.M. I brought here home and she is doing fine now.

As far as care at the hospitial was ok. It took a long time to get food etc. when they told us they had it on the floor.(The nurses were busy since the rooms were filled) I think that was part of the reason why she was having problems with nausea etc. Then another thing that was upsetting was how the nurse approached with having to give more meds for infections etc. and saying because you are still here. Well now as I look at it, if you would have brought the food right-a-way we might not have this problem.

So with that said now things will be easier for myself on Wednesday the 19th and for her here sister when she has it done. I did say that I will have a jug of Soup ready for when I can eat and not wait on them to bring it. I think that if would have had it there and ready for when the paper work was in place she might not of had as much nausa as she did. Just iamage what it is like to not eat for almost 30 hours and having legal drugs in your system. No wonder you have nausa.

Again thanks to everyone for all your advice, help and prayers. I will let you know how my surgery went.

[ManhBill 0]

Hi Everybody,

 

I am SOOOOO happy to find a GLBT bandster thread! It will be great to have support from other members of the "family."

 

I'm a 51 gay male in New York City. I'm scheduled for banding on October 8. Working up to this point has been a real experience. Like everyone else, I've tried many different weight loss methods. Of course, none of them work for long.

 

Then there's that added social pressure in our world. Having been a big boy for so long, I really don't identify with the twinks and muscle queens who seem to be the ideal for so many. But.....I'm not willing to label myself a chub or a bear -- not enough hair for that, anyway. I've actually lost a boyfriend and a couple of prospects when I told them that I had decided on this surgery. It hurt for a few minutes, then I wished them "good riddance."

 

Fortunately, I do have a great bunch of very supportive friends. I definitely won't be lonely during my recovery from surgery. I think they've scheduled who's visiting me at what time.

 

I'm looking forward to making new bandster friends. Let's have fun getting healthy together!

[OH Juli 15]

ManhBill

It's so good to have you join us! Sounds like you've got a great support system! Good for you.

Welcome, welcome.

Juli

[AshevilleEddie 14]

Ok, I don't know what's up - I haven't been getting any e-mail notifications from the forum. I was starting to think no one was posting anymore, then I just got on here and checked (duh!).

 

Not a lot going on around here. I went in for a fill last week. He put back 1.5 of the 2 cc I had had removed. I already called and scheduled another one for Monday because I just don't have great restriction. The good news is I thought I had gained 6 pounds after the unfill, but I weighed the other day and I actually stayed the same! Yay! So now after the fill I have scheduled for Monday I should start losing again. My husband, on the other hand, is now only 7 pounds from goal! He's lost 126 lbs since last August. A couple more months and I'll post before and after pics of both of us (I want to get closer to goal first).

 

Hi Bill! :welcomeB: I'm with you on the label thing. That's one aspect of our community that has always seemed divisive to me. "I'm a twink and you're a bear and ne'er the two shall date!" It's the same way I feel about the whole "Gay men and Lesbians can't be friends" thing too. If we can't accept each other, how can we expect the rest of the world to accept us? <Eddie now steps down from soapbox> Anyway, chubs, twinks, dykes, femmes, muscle queens...doesn't matter - everyone is welcome here. Even the occasional Str8 folks!

 

Speaking of Str8 folks, good luck tomorrow Chris. :heh: Give us an update when you're able.

[OH Juli 15]

Eddie,

You mean we're allowed to be friends? My handbook said no way gays and lesbians are allowed to be friends.

Isn't that something?

I love my queer brothers.

XO, and glad you're getting some restriction!

[kity 2]

Hiya family~

Femmy Fem Fem checking in on all you peeps. I've been reading some posts, but have been stressed, swamped and busy and havent written...but I always check in and catch up.

 

Welcome Bill! We are a great group here.

 

Good luck Chris! We will be thinking about you!

 

Have a great night!

 

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

[Stevee 0]

hello to all my family! hope everyone is doing well...today is my last day of eating REAL food. hehehe. i'm starting my pre op diet 4 days early to hopefully jump start the weight loss! here goes nothing! or everything right! i'm starting it in the morning!! wooooo hoo!!! surgery is on its way!

[Bozlee 0]

Cheri52 – I wish my doctor was that nice, but we don't follow the typical process most surgeons do. I think my doctor runs about a week or two behind the regular schedule. It is now week 3 and I am on full liquids, which means I can have creamy Soup. My mush/puree phase does not start to week 5. They have also told me to start adding the Protein powder to stuff, which should help. I am glad I keep losing weight, but I don't want to lose it too fast. I am sure it will slow down once I start eating.

Chris61 – Congratulations on your wife's surgery and I hope yours goes well today. Keep us posted!

ManhBill – WELCOME!!! I so agree with you about the labels and as much as I hate them I have tried to fit into a couple of them, but I don't have much luck. I am really not sure about the gays and lesbians theory because we all seem to get along pretty well here. In fact a lot of the gay guys go to the lesbian clubs to avoid the “meat” market scene in our clubs. I guess it is different depending on where you are living. I wish you the best on your surgery. Keep us posted.

As for me, I went to the doctor for my 2 week follow-up and they gave me their new nutritional guide. I am now down 30 pounds total, but I wonder if that will decrease when I start eating. They said as long as I eat less than 1,000 calories I should still continue to lose weight. I am now of full liquids and can have creamy soup, pudding, smoothies (which taste like medicine to me) and anything that I was eating previously. I also found out the hard way what happens when you are around sick people and you are still healing. I was so happy to go to the grocery story yesterday and buy some soup, but then the cashier I got had a cold, which I didn't know until I got up there to check-out. I didn't realize I would catch it, but last night when I went to sleep I got cold chills for three hours until the fever broke and the pain in my joints was crazy. I didn't go to work this morning because I felt sore as hell and I could hardly talk. I thought at first it was something with the surgery, maybe some kind of infection, but the doctor says it sounds like I got what the cashier has because she could hardly speak too. It is weird how our body reacts. Oh well, it is just another phase in my process and I will take something to get rid of it. I go back to the doctor in a month and I guess that is when he will discuss with me if I get a fill or not. I hope everyone is doing well. Keep us posted because I really enjoy hearing how those of you that are further along are doing with the surgery.

[AshevilleEddie 14]

Edd, that bug has been going around up here too. Both my kids and one of my coworkers have had it. Thank goodness Sean and I have avoided it thus far...

 

Stevee, your day is coming up fast! Not that I need to remind you, but keep us posted.

 

Juli, I think I got the same handbook you did. I threw it away. Sean and I generally have more Lesbian friends than any other demographic. The exception is our Rainbow RV group - lots of great folks, both women and men.

[Flipper64 0]

Hang in there, Edd...I'm on day six of pre-op 2 week clear liquid diet. I just finished making dinner for my DW and the boys. Not the easiest thing to do when you can't eat!!! I served it up and headed upstairs to the computer. It's not been as bad as I thought it would, but my doctor requires a 4 week post-op clear liquid diet as well. It's a bit overwhelming to think that I won't eat again for another 5 weeks!:paranoid

My surgery is scheduled for the 27th of this month, but at my last visit with my doctor I was informed that I had an abnormal EKG and I'm to see a cardiologist on the 25th and hopefully he'll clear me for surgery.

Needless to say I'm freaking out a bit--my sweetie is a physician and tells me that there is some cause for concern...it's possible I've had a heart attack in the past, according to the results of the EKG. Hopefully it was a "fluke" reading and I'm really healthy as a horse and everything will go as planned! (My present fantasy...:car:)

I hope all is going well with everyone!

Dana