Deb, I go to the one at Southside on the first Monday of every month. Don't know what you have heard, but it is a really good group. Our next meeting is May 2nd and we have a plastic surgeon schedule to come to talk with us. Meeting starts at 7:30 - 7:45 and is in Board Room # 1 or the cafeteria. Hope you can make it. Patti

Hi Claudette, I don't really know how to answer your question because usually the surgeon you choose will make that decision. I can tell you that my starting weight was 306 (although I did weigh less by my surgery date) and I had Lap RNY. Good luck on your decision, Patti

Hi Candie, By Thanksgiving last year, I was just about 2 months post op and had not been on solid food for very long. Food or the lack thereof was not an issue for me as I really wasn't hungry. I think the hostess was more concerned about what she could "feed" me than what I chose to eat. I assured her that I could eat almost anything that she was preparing and that she didn't have to cook anything special for me. To be honest, I don't remember exactly what I ate. Since the family background is Italian (although I am not) our first course was an antipasto - I don't remember eating any of those things except for a small piece if fresh mozzarella cheese. Thenext course was homemade manicotti - I think I had a taste of that. I beleive next they had turkey soup - I passed it up. For dinner we had turkey and a sprial cooked ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes, glazed carrots, sweet potatoes, artichokes, green bean casserole and goodness knows what else. If I remember correctly I tried the turkey (still have trouble with poultry today) but ended up having a slice of ham. I think I had some mashed potatoes and also some green beans and perhaps a taste of carrots. Please keep in mind that we are talking small quantities of each thing. By the way, I did stay away from the dessert table when that was set up but to be honest, I really had no desire to eat any of it. So in answer to your question, I joined the rest of the group, didn't freak out and just enjoyed being with my family and loved ones. In the end shouldn't that really be what the holiday is about? Here's hoping that you conquer your fears and enjoy your day. Patti

Gina, If you weren't scared, you wouldn't be "normal". You are taking a very big step, but know that it is a step in the right direction. A step towards having a normal and fulfilled life as you have never known before. Please feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions. Good luck and God Bless, Patti

Hi Marianne, What great news! You and your daughter can share some outfits now - don't know if that taste in clothing is the same but.... I bet you looked hot in your "new" jeans. Maybe you can wear them to the meeting next Monday! About the sugar - when they tell you to not eat sugar, they are mostly talking about refined and added sugars like those in cakes, cookies, all that no-fat (snackwells) foods. The sugars that you find in the canned fruits and soups and things aren't added sugars but the natural sugar in the ingredients. As long as you aren't eating an excessive amount at one time, they shouldn't bother you. Rather than read the % of sugar in the contents, make sure to look at the ingredients. If sugar is listed, it has to be pretty far down on the list so as to not affect you. Hope that helps, Patti

Hi Evelyn, Happy friday to you, too! I am so happy that I only work half days on Fridays but still have to get up too darn early! Just wanted to let you know that they actually do make a sugar free Robitussin (doesn't taste all that great, but....) Have a great weekend and feel better, Patti

Hi everyone. Well today is the one year anniversary of my surgery date. My “re-birthday” , my crossing over to the “losing” or “winning” side or whatever other catch phrases we use on these boards. All I can say is that it has been one fantastic ride! The year has flown by – I can’t really say that it is because of all my experiences since WLS or just the fact that the older I get the faster the days keep going, whatever. Many of you have written and asked me to post about my experiences over the past year and I said I would. So here goes. First, for any of you who haven’t read my profile. I started my WLS quest back in May of 2002. After many bumps in the road, I finally had my surgery a year ago today. I am so very grateful for the skilled hands of my surgeon, Dr. Adaniel and am thankful to my friend, Susan, for giving me his name when I was frantic after my surgery was cancelled by my first surgeon and didn’t know what I was going to do. Next, the stats. I started my quest at my own personal highest weight of 306 (my official starting weight with my surgeon was 286 because I had decided to try one last diet when my original surgery was cancelled), this morning I weighed 145.5, so I am down a total of 160.5 pounds. I have lost 13.25 inches off my chest, 16.25 off my waist and 19.25 off my hips. I have gone from a loose fitting 26/28 to size 8 or 10 and 2XL to Smalls & Mediums. If anyone had told me a year ago that I would have had these results, I would not ever have believed them! I never doubted that I would lose weight and sure I had hopes of getting down to this weight, but I never thought I would accompli**** in a year! Although I am not quite at my goal weight, I only have about 5-10 pounds to go and I know that I will make it! Now, what has been happening? I am still the same person I was before only happier and more confident. I want to do more and be out more instead of staying cooped up in the prison I had created for myself. I am off all of my medications for blood pressure and no longer have those aches and pains in the hips and knees that plagued me. How can I describe the feeling of getting on an airplane the first time and not only hogging someone else’s seat (feeling like your squished in a sardine can) but actually having room to spare! It’s phenomenal! I can’t even describe the first time I went shopping for “regular” sized clothing and being so overwhelmed by the various departments because I was so used to only going to that one hidden in the back of the store with the limited choices. What fun it is today to shop and have to decide what to buy because you have too many choices and everything looks good as opposed to well this doesn’t make me look too fat, I’ll settle for it. There are some down sides, too. Unfortunately, like so many other people who have been morbidly obese for such a long time as I was, I still see myself as fat. I still panic when I have to navigate walking through what I perceive as a small space and am always pleasantly surprised when I fit with room to spare. I’m working on that and hope that before too long my head will catch up with my body. Life and the world around us hasn’t changed (our perspective may have, and how we deal with it and others around us may have but….) For me today, even though I celebrate this milestone in my life, I am also very sad because my son left home today to start a new chapter in his life. Perhaps he won’t be gone for too long and it isn’t the first time he’s left, but this time he’s gone too far that I can’t see him or speak to him every day as I have been able to. While I am happy for him, I am sad for me. I know I’ll feel better in a few days but today is not that day. This is going to be a very long post and I’m sorry about that. For all of you pre-ops, new post-ops, and even those further out. You have made the right decision. It is the best thing I could have done for me and given the choice I’d do it all again! Here's to a bright future for us all. God Bless, Patti

Hi Everyone, Just checking in to let everyone know that I heard from Marianne's daughter. She made it through surgery fine - took a little longer than planned as they found adhesions from prior surgeries that needed to be repaired. Her daughter didn't know whether she had open or LAP. At the time she called me, Marianne had just been taken to recovery and then was waiting to be taken to ICU. I plan to go see her tomorrow evening after my appointment with our surgeon, so I will report more tomorrow evening. Sorry, I was so late in posting but seem to be running around like a chicken w/no head today! Patti

Marianne, It's beautiful! Good luck with your surgery! Patti

Hi Daniel, I don't know if I really have an answer for you except to say that every surgeon and insurance company have different requirements with regard to this. I had my surgery just about a year ago and many of the "rules" were just beginning to change. I know that MANY insurance companies are now requiring documented/supervised weight loss attempts ranging anywhere from 6 to 12 months before they will even considering approving the surgery. I think it's best if you contact both the surgeon and your insurer to find out what they require. Good Luck! Patti

Hi Jackie, Just wanted to tell you that we usually end around 9 or some time thereafter. If we don't, they lock the door to the main entrance and we have to exit through the emergency room. We are a talkative bunch so this happens more often than not. Hope to see you there, Patti

Hi Karen, I have Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield HMO and had WLS last Sept 23rd. The problem was not in getting the surgery approved - mine was approved almost as soon as paperwork was submitted. The problem is that more and more doctors are not participating in the plan so finding a surgeon can be hard. (BC/BS does not pay very much to the doctor performing the surgery) My first choice surgeon cancelled my surgery 1 month prior to my date because he pulled out of the plan. I was fortunate enough to have found another surgeon and had the surgery, but he now has also dropped it. To be honest, can't blame him - they paid him about $1,600 for a $20,000 bill! If your doctor participates in your plan you shouldn't have any problem as long as they provide documentation that it's medically necessary. Good luck! Patti

Natalie, You are so newly post-op I wouldn't recommend them at this point because of other ingredients that may upset your pouch. Further along you shouldn't have a problem as they won't contain sugar. Having said that, you have to keep in mind that many post-ops can't tolerate the sugar alcohols that they use instead - cause serious gas and diarreha. Don't know a website for them but they are readily available in most grocery stores. Patti