What a GREAT night!!

We had our support group meeting last night at UConn Health Center. All the patients of Dr. David Giles. Do we love him or what?? There was a little controversy. We had a speaker that had WLS 5 years ago. She was banded and was standing there talking to us drinking a cola! And she was saying how if she wants sweets she eats them. Now I'm not perfect, but this is one thing I am determined NOT to screw up! In my life I have failed at so many attempts to lose weight and this is such serious surgery, why fool around with it? There were other people there echoing what she was saying and I have to say, it looked to me, like their losses were slower. They brag they can eat sugar without dumping. I for one am afraid to find out. I don't want to know. What if I don't dump?? I am SO addicted to food, my head isn't cured just my stomach is. I just know I would abuse the ability. Does anyone else feel that way? Please stop by Cathy Steele's surgery page and wish her the best for her surgery next week!! Linda Wasserman as well!! We have an AWESOME state board!! Let's keep it going!! hugs to all! Cheryl oh, by the way......5 more pounds and I am in the CENTURY CLUB! Who woulda thunk??

Hi Cheryl, I agree 100%. I don't want to know if I dump!!!! I try my hardest to understand people but I just don't get it. Why have surgery if you're going to break all the rules. Move out of line and let the person *****ally wants to try and be successful have there chance. Maybe someone should screen the speakers Can you just imagine what pre-ops and newbies thought I too am far from perfect but try my best to follow my docs and nutritionists plan. Well I guess to each his own Thanks for posting this I was beginning to think I was the only one who got a little freaked out listening to these stories. I am in the past, in the present and in the future a food addict and I've accepted that and am trying to learn the best way to deal with this. Oh and 5 more pounds, that is absolutely wonderful, see it does pay to follow the rules Best wishes and you'll be there before you know it, Mary Lou

Mary Lou! I love your sense of humor! I just read your profile. We really are all so similar in so many ways! I get freaked out hearing how people eat thier way through this surgery too! And it DOES happen. Next month is our holiday party. It will be fun to see the people that were waiting for their surgeries. I am telling you all my angelette Kim Bellavance is shrinking before my eyes! She looked so radiant last night! Every day I see another difference in me and I wonder if I will ever get used to this incredible gift I have given to myself! Where are you from Mary Lou? Do you also have support groups at Yale? Is Linda Almonte still active in them? How much have you lost?? How tall are you??? I know, lots of ??????? hugs Cheryl

Well said Cheryl and Mary Lou! There may be people who eat sugar, don't dump, and swear that they still lose weight. But what happens a few years down the road when they are still eating sugar AND are able to eat larger quantities too? Will they still be losing weight then? Will they regain what they've lost? Will they blame the surgery for failing them? If have been fortunate enough to be able to have this surgery... there was a reason for having this surgery... If I could have been able to control myself when it comes to food, sugar filled or otherwise then I wouldn't have had to go to the trouble of everything that comes with having this surgery. We have been told many times that this surgery is only a tool and the amount of success that we realize will depend on how well we learn to use our new tool. In my opinion... testing ourselves is bad use of this tool. I've always said... and said it enough to become my mantra... that "I don't want to know if I dump on sugar or not". If I feel the need for something sweet... there are more than enough products out there that are sugar free. We don't have to deny ourselves the pleasure of something sweet occasionally... but we do have to be smart about it and make better choices. My new tool gives me the ability to make those better choices. But "PLEASE SOMEBODY LOCK ME UP" if I ever find out that I don't dump on sugar... because I'm not arrogant enough to believe that I could control myself now when I obviously couldn't do it before. I was deathly, dangerously diabetic... and still couldn't control my sugar intake. And another thing: When I had met with my surgeon and he was trying to decide if I was a good candidate for the surgery... he told me what to expect after surgery and that my life and habits would have to change, and a major part of that was that I would need to change my diet. Specifically, adapt to a sugar free way of eating. And he asked me, "Is that something that you can do, Is is something that you are willing to do?" When I answered "YES" to that question... I meant it! Now as Cheryl said... We aren't perfect. But we can be determined and do our best to make this work. So if I get the urge to eat something that I shouldn't then I will be here at this website talking to others about it until I get the strength to overcome the urge. Thanks you guys for letting me rant. Now let's all go to Linda's surgery page (Surgery Nov 12th): http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/profile.phtml?N=W1051325167 And to Cathy's surgery page (Surgery Nov 19th): http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/profile.phtml?N=S1046644843 And Catherine's surgery page (Surgery Nov 19th): http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/profile.phtml?N=m1063975091 And show them how much we care.

Hi there!! If I may put my few cents in that will be; I was diabetic having to take 3 kind of medicine everyday and ***** my sore fingertips with a needle to keep track of my bloodsugar and I feel so blessed that I been medicine free since 24 hours after my surgery and there is no way that I will give that up. Sugar in the blood is a demon and I know to stay away from putting it in my mouth. Cheryl, way to go with your allmost 100 pounds........I hope to join you threre sometimes next year. Hugs and for the sugar "free"

Tove, Congratulations on being freed from your diabetes medicine. I know what a great feeling that is. Before my surgery I took 3 oral meds for diabetes PLUS almost 170 units of insulin per day trying to control my diabetes. And my blood glucose levels still stayed above 200 most of the time and sometimes above 300. I had to monitor my blood sugar levels constantly. I ended up in the hospital for a week with Pancreatitis, in part caused by the diabetes. I have been medication-free since surgery also. My blood sugar levels have normalized. Its an amazing thing and I'm so thankful for this surgery. I feel that we have added years to our lives by taking this step to better ourselves. I wish you continued success... Sugar free is absolutely a "FREEDOM" for us.

Dear Kimberly, I just LOVE hearing wonderful stories like yours.......life is good and I hope we all will stay SUGAR FREE for our FREEDOM All the best to you in the many years to come. Hugs from Tove

Okay I have to chime in here...... Sorry if some of you have read my latest profile update this will be a repeat. I happened to meet someone who had surgery 7 years ago. She proudly tells how she was the first gastric bypass patient to have surgery in CT. She lost 192 pounds and I totall applaud her for that . However, she readily admits that she still has another 100-125 pounds still to lose. She wants a revision and in the same breathe she is telling us that she never exercised and she eats all kinds of stuff now. Mind you only small amounts but she grazes on candy, pasta, bread etc. While she hasn't gained back and she has gone through plastics already she thinks that having a revision will help her lose the rest of the weight she wants to. I am confused . My family was with me and they were like .......but she isn't exercising and she is eating all the wrong things. See how well I have them educated!! I told them that unless she changes her habits and her attitude a revision is not going to do anything. If we don't follow the rule, why do this to ourselves. Beats the hell out of me! You ladies have the right attitudes and your hard work is proof of that. Take care my lovelies......

Linda, While we were at this group meeting listening to the SUGAR debate... I was also thinking of all the people in the room that were either pre-op, newly post-op, or family members. Wondering what they were thinking. (And also wondering what my surgeon, who was sitting in the back of the room, was thinking about what he was hearing.) We have enough to deal with... without having bad influences preaching sugar consumption as if it were a religion. LOL

Ladies, I am still in the process of scheduling my appointments, but I have attended at least 3 different doctors info sessions. The one I attended in New Haven had this young woman who had a lap band and she did something very similar. She mentioned she never exercised and went to bars and drank, of course as a lap band patient her restrictions were not the same as those for a gastric bypass patient, but I wonder did they think she was going to be so contrary to the philosophy of weight loss surgery. I believe this woman that I saw similar to the woman at the meeting that you all attended are the ones who slipped through the screening process and or don't realize that this surgery is just a tool. I think that what all of you have exhibited is the desire for change and the realization that there is a problem, other than just the comorbidities that we all share. For me this surgery will not the end all answer to the problems I face it is a tool simply a tool. I have to work on my mindset, lack of physical activity, and knowing what is good for me. I have to take responsibility for who got me here and how to keep from going back to where I started. While you ladies mentioned being diabetic, I have feared that all my life since many people in my family are diabetic and have faced some of the health issues associated with it. Even now I am careful about what i eat in relation to my blood sugar levels. God Bless all of you in your continued success, Planning and Preparing to join you on the losing side, Lynn