A Few Good Subjects, PLEASE...

Hey everyone! I am doing so much better, and thanks for all the love, and e-mail I got. The 'mind med' is helping, but I only one when I am feeling a bit 'overwhelmed'. Anxiety... now that is a new one! I NEVER had issues with that before. As for now, I just put all this in perspective, and I am feeling in control, again, and I really didn't realize how GBS can really affect a person, psychologically... even the strongest of people (like myself), can be shaken a bit by issues of self-perception. AS far as my weight, I am doing great! I am still in physical therapy for lower back pain, and off work for now. I AM SO Frantic about being a size 18! So far, I am teetering between -82 and -91, and that is the truth. One day I'll wake up 251, and today, I was 258! I am just at whits, but I understand that it is all a part of my phychosis. Speaking of psychology, I am working on my PhD, as many of you known, and in the middle of formulating my methodology. I have decided to do some 'triangulation', which means, I'll do a variety of methodologies, ie., observations, studies, media, literature, etc., in order to formulate an outcome for my dissertation. I thought to myself: WHO BETTER TO APPROACH THAN MY FELLOW DECEMBER CREW. We have so mu*****ommon, it would be crazy not to ask for your help in this. I hope a few, if not all, of you respond, because it would help me a great deal. The topic I have decided to explore is: The Psycological & Social Effects After GBS. SET 1: Were/are there any effects you have experienced? Have you improved psycologically/socially due to your weight loss? What do you think about such effects? Have you experienced any psycological changes? Positive? Negative? Same? SET 2: Have you taken any medicataions? Yes or no, do not list meds... Has your Self-perspection improved/questioned/dissapproved? Short term issues? Long term issues? New issues arised? Old issues resolved? Any social implications? Positive? Negative? SET 3: Race...Gender.... pre-weight/post... surgery date? Did you have pre-psycological evaluation? Post follow-up? Counseling? Group Therapy? -choose- Did you expect any psycological/social changes with such follow-up? Positive? Negative? SET 4: Are you physically better/worse? What are the cause(s) of such affects? List issues with yes/no... no need to be specific, unless you want to: Family support? Food separation? Personality changes? Misplaced feeling? Depression? Other... (please be specific)... Please be as indepth as you possibly can, and e-mail me directly with your answers: [email protected]. You don't have to respond on the BOARD, but just e-mail me, and I'll respond to you DIRECTLY. Please respond asap, by 8/8, or e-mail me your time frame, as I'll work with what you can do. The survey is short and simple, and you can be as short/long as you have time to do so. Thanks a million guys, and even if NO ONE helps, I'll still let you guys know when I am Dr. Davis! Any help you can provide on this brief survey will be greatly appreciated. Please provide your name, before weight/after, surgery date, gender and race, PLEASE. All information will be kept confidential, and if you dont' want to use your real name, just give me any name, as the DATA is all I will extract anyway. I will definately share what I can on my school paper once I am done, but remember, it is just the preliminary stages, and I may pick a few of you to follow out over the next 18 months, if you dont mind, with brief follow-up to these questions. African American women greatly needed, and women, in general! The men are welcome, to... especially in set 3&4. PLEASE, Feel free to pass this on to someone you KNOW in the December Crew, as we are most alike, and I would like my subjects to be easy to track, like me! Even if you know a friend that has an issue, (positive or negative), or even if you/they don't any information you can provide will be helpful in my data. Love you all... and thanks again for being my subjects! God bless! Vera, Crew Encourager

Hi Vera-- I'm a psychology prof at the University of South Carolina (health psychology). I'm pilot testing an internet survey on WLS psychosocial factors and outcomes, called the BariLife Survey. I'd be happy to help you think about some of the methodological approaches you might take. Count me as a mentor, if you would like.... Cheri

Darling... Cheri... YES, YES, YES... I am very interested in a mentor, and have a lot of questions. Please answer my survey, and lets keep in touch! Please give me your e-mail address, and hit me up asap. Lets change number too. I love this group, and so happy that I am getting help here. So, let me know about your Pilot, and if I can draw from that, as well. What a resource you are! Vera