MTV is currently conducting research and casting for an upcoming episode of the Emmy Award winning documentary series True Life. Currently, they are looking for young men and women, between the ages of 18 -28, who are dieting in groups (whether it be for motivation or competition), people who are losing weight to obtain a specific goal and are choosing to do a crash or fad diet to either jump start the diet or end the diet, and people who have tried every diet in the book and this is their last effort to lose the weight. If you meet this criteria and would like to share your, story please contact Stephanie Carle, Associate Producer, MTV's True Life Documentary Series, at [email protected]. They will initially be conducting phone interviews with those interested in sharing their journey. Emails should not be going to obesityhelp.com :type:

Scottsdale Bariatric Center Albuquerque Visit Saturday January 22nd ,2005 Dear Scottsdale Bariatric Patient, We are excited to be coming to Albuquerque, New Mexico on Saturday, January 22, 2005 to hold a free weight-loss seminar for the public. The seminar will take place from 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. at the Sheraton Old Town Hotel, 800 Rio Grande Blvd NW, in the Potters Room. The purpose of this seminar is to educate potential patients about Bariatric surgery. According to a recent study in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) weight loss surgery improved or eliminated diabetes, hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea and high cholesterol in morbidly obese patients. We will be available to answer questions they may have to help them determine if surgery is the right option for them. We encourage you to tell any friends or family members that are suffering from morbid obesity to take the first step and attend the seminar. Please have them contact Dawn, Patient/Physician Liaison at 1-800-504-9567 to register for the free weight-loss surgery seminar. Thank you and we look forward to seeing you, Dawn Remme, SBC Patient/Physician Liaison

I have terrible pains in my knees, which iknow is due to my weight, my question is is there any pain releiver that works? and how much do i need to lose for the pain to go away?

I do have to warn you about this surgery and marriage, they say that lots of spouses can't handle it when you lose a bunch of weight, and that is for many reasons, they say that some people like thier spose chbby so that no one else will look at them, and the worry of being left is less, there is the whole low self esteem angle, if you are heavy you may have that as an issue, and if you loose the weight you may very well come out of it and decide that you don't want or need to take being treated badly, there are lots ot things, but none of those was a fear for me at the time. I went into this surgery thinking that since I was always trying to loose weight, and he was always incouraging me, it would not be us that didn't make it, and now that we are getting divorced, it is for other reasons, but I do look back and notice that since I started really loosing the weight, and becoming a newer me, he wasn't the same, and I think that that is part of what led to the things that made it all end...Oh well...if he can't handle me now, then I am better off without him...After the surgery, I got more confidence and I started to speak my mind more, and do more things, not even like social things, no wild parties, no crazy drinking, no staying out all night, nothing like that, stuff like learning new things, trying to change my own oil, carpentry, things that my weight was in the way for...if he can't handle a strong woman, then I don't want that for me, and I certainly don't want to become the old me I was...I have learned a lot about myself this year and almost a half since I had the surgery...

Thanks Richard... So, How are YOU? and that new baby girl of yours? I bet she is growin' like a weed. I still hope to make some of the Albuquerque support group meetings...My Mom and sisters live in ABQ and I try to come visit often. I'm doing okay....the wound hurts more than I expected with the VAC off, but it is no longer draining and is very small. The SKIN was totally 'vacummed off' around the wound and is very sensitive...but this too shall pass. I'm restricted to NO LIFTING, pushing or pulling...and I can see why now, just after vac******* my house.....(Thats what I get for thinking I'm all healed..) Have a great day!! Beckey