WLS Center E-Newsletter
A
FREE publication from
http://www.WLScenter.com
Hosted by
Barbara Thompson
Author of:
Weight Loss Surgery:
Finding the Thin Person Hiding Inside You.
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Hello Everyone,
Please forgive me for going on a bit in this newsletter,
but there is just so much I want to say! First of all, I am very
excited to be doing a telephone seminar on emotional eating – a
topic that is a problem for so many of us. I will be doing it with
a psychologist and author who is an authority in this field, Dr.
Denise Lamothe!
And there is some important insurance news to
share. Medicare coverage of weight loss surgery is huge and I
have an announcement of a brand new e-book on insurance coverage
that will be vital to many of you.
Lastly I am touching on some personal issues
about families and sex and bringing you an update of responses
about pregnancy. I hope you enjoy it all.
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In This Issue |
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* Families; You Can’t Live With Them…
* End Emotional Eating!! Telephone Seminar
* Loss of Sex Drive
* Weight Loss Surgery: Insurance Secrets – New e-Book
* Pregnancy Update
* Recipe: Chicken Cacciatore
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Success Story: John McElhaney |
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Families; You
Can’t Live With Them…
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Hi Barbara-
I have read your book, heard you speak in Lincoln, NE and enjoy
your newsletter. I am having some problems with my family and
some old friends since my weight loss surgery in May, 2004. I
have done very well with my surgery, but my family and some of
my friends say I have changed and don’t have time for them now.
My opinion is that I have more friends now, I am more willing to
go out in public, and I just enjoy life more now. It may be true
that I do not have as much time for them as before. I am also a
mother of 4 kids that keep me hopping. They have gotten older
and have more activities. I have only a limited amount of time,
and I feel like I am very busy trying to keep everyone happy. I
am just curious if others go through the same thing.
Deb Schuelke
debschuelke@alltel.net
Hi Deb,
Yes, what you describe is rather common. You have changed. It
is impossible to lose that much weight and not change. And most
people feel very uncomfortable around change. So your family and
friends are projecting those negative feelings about change onto
you. You changed; you disturbed their world, so you are at
fault.
Additionally, you have lost all that
weight. People often feel resentment because you represent what
they might not have been able to do. Your success makes them
feel very guilty and weak. It makes them feel bad about
themselves.
And as you pointed out, you are out doing
things you probably have not been able to do in a long time. You
are being active. Your weight loss has opened new vistas to you
and these vistas have led to new friends. Meanwhile those family
members and old friends are thinking, “She’s too good for us
now. She doesn’t need us anymore because she has new friends.”
It is too simple to say that it is their
problem and you shouldn’t worry about them. You could do that
but it would bother you. You care about them, otherwise you
wouldn’t have written to me about it. Perhaps try to be honest
with them. Tell them that you are enjoying those things that you
haven’t been able to do. You could invite them to join you,
although I suspect that those activities wouldn’t appeal to
them. You are right; you can’t please everyone, but try to be
understanding, gentle and loving. Don’t slow down for them, but
perhaps try to find time for a phone call or email. I bet you
will feel better if you do.
Barbara |
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With Guest Dr. Denise
Lamothe |
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Would you like to stop emotional
eating? Then join me in a telephone seminar on Wednesday March
22nd as I interview Dr. Denise Lamothe, clinical psychologist
and author of The Taming of the Chew, A Holistic Guide to
Stopping Compulsive Eating, a book that tells the truth about
emotional overeating, and then gives solutions that get to the
bottom of the problem. |
In the hour-long
telephone seminar you will learn how to
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Stop emotional overeating
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Stop obsessing about food
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Start feeling in control
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Turn your stress into constructive action
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Learn ways to channel your energy into productivity
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Feel better - to be happier, healthier and live your life with
zest
You don’t
want to miss getting in on the discussion of this important
issue.
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Don’t
know what a telephone seminar is? Then click here to find out
http://www.wlscenter.com/Teleseminar/teleseminar_intro.htm
Mark your calendar now for
Wednesday March 22nd 8:00 PM Eastern Time (7:00 PM Central, 6:00
PM Mountain, and 5:00 PM Pacific)
Click
here for more information and to register.
Members of the Back on Track Program get a 10% discount
by entering your special code!
For more information and to join the
Back On Track with Barbara Mentoring Program
go to
http://www.backontrackwithbarbara.com/
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Loss of Sex Drive |
Jennifer emailed me with a request to
ask if anyone is having the same problem that she is. So many of
us feel like we are alone and no one is going through what we
are. But I have seen over and over that if one person is
experiencing something, chances are many more are also.
You can respond to Jennifer directly or
respond to me at
Barbara@WLScenter.com. If you would like your contact info
omitted I will be happy to post your response anonymously.
Dear Barbara,
Thank you very much for having the special article
in the last newsletter on post-op
babies. One of the many reasons that I had the surgery was
that I was unable to get pregnant. The surgery has been a huge
success for me. I started at 300 pounds and now am a happy and
energetic 145 pounds and feel wonderful. I was so excited as the
pounds just kept coming off. As I passed my year I was
hopeful that I would finally become pregnant. I have often read
that as the pounds come off you must be careful to go on birth
control because your hormones will increase and your chances of
becoming pregnant will be greater. I followed all the rules and
we actually didn't start trying until I was 15 months
post-op just to be safe.
But there is one huge obstacle that we are
having. Many people have gained a sex drive after surgery. I
however have lost mine. It has been a major
source of frustration for my husband and me. We talked to our doctor about it
and she informed us that there are more people that are having
this problem. It is due to estrogen being stored in our fat
cells and now that we have lost so much weight, we also lose all
that built up estrogen. As time goes by I will regain it, but
until then I just have to "keep getting on that bike and
trying." I asked about taking supplements and she didn't think
that I need them and I just have to be patient.
My husband is so supportive and has been
wonderful and very patient. As time is going by, I am
becoming more frustrated and wonder if others are truly
struggling as much as I am and what they are doing to get over
this. Is there something that I can take to help make my
hormones come back that is safe? I really need some advice and
direction and I hope that you will be able to help me out.
Thank you so much Barbara,
Jennifer
skyhawk@wiktel.com
Dear Jennifer,
I know that you are very frustrated, but it is important to
follow the advice of your doctor. If there were safe
supplements that would be effective, I’m sure your doctor would
have prescribed them to you. I’m afraid that I have to echo what
your doctor said and that is to be patient. Perhaps give the
“making babies” process a rest. That in itself is stressful as
you try to time ovulation and then wait breathlessly to see if
you have a period. Just relax for awhile and see if you can get
support from those readers of this newsletter who may
be
experiencing the same thing.
Best wishes!
Barbara |
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Weight Loss Surgery:
Insurance Secrets |
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Discover
the Insider Secrets to Getting Your Insurance Company to Pay for
Weight Loss Surgery!!
Learn how to ask your insurance company
correctly to pay for weight loss surgery and see results. Learn
how in this brand new e-book by Craig Thompson (no relation!!).
There is a “secret language” that Craig teaches as he takes you
step by step through the process, Craig guarantees that your
surgery will be covered within 3 months or he will refund your
money and you get to keep the e-book. What do you have to lose
(except weight)!!
Please Note: This
is an eBook that you download onto your computer and read with
Adobe Reader.
Click Here
for more information and to order. |
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Pregnancy Update |
We had several people respond to the
article in the last issue regarding pregnancy following weight
loss surgery. For those responses,
Click Here
If you would like your story about
pregnancy and child birth added to this page, send it to me at
Barbara@WLScenter.com |
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Recipe:
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Chicken Cacciatore |
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3 whole chicken breasts, skinned and halved
1 tsp. salt
Dash of pepper
1 Tbsp dry onion flakes
1 green pepper, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (15 ounce) can tomatoes, mashed
1 (4 ounce) can sliced mushrooms, drained
2 tsp. tomato paste
1 bay leaf
2 Tbsp. finely chopped pimento
Wash chicken pieces well and pat dry. Combine
remaining ingredients in a slow cooker. Add chicken, pushing down
in the liquid to thoroughly moisten and coat. Cover and cook on
low for 7 to 8 hours. Makes 6 servings.
Each serving:
120 calories |
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I want to offer special thanks to Eileen and
John McElhaney for the following. Here is John’s story.
Hi Barbara,
My name is Eileen McElhaney, and I am writing about my handsome son
John.
John is 24 years old and has struggled with his
weight all of his life. Life was not easy for John. His senior
year in high school he gained 40 pounds over the summer, and went
from starting center on the high school team to standing on the
sidelines. He never let on that it bothered him and he just cheered
on his team mates. One of his coaches even asked him if he had his
own zip code yet. I remember going to a picnic and my friends
telling me that John had broken a chair
and they felt so bad for him, again he never mentioned it.
He came to his dad and me a little over 2 years
ago and told us he wanted to have the surgery. I had also
contemplated having it but decided I wanted to dedicate my time to
helping him through.
John had his surgery on October 26th, 2004. He
went from 329 pounds to 189 pounds. He has turned into a new
person.
He now enjoys going out.
And buying clothes has become one of his
favorite things to do. Since the weight loss surgery, there is
nothing John can not do. It has given him a new life.
Last February, I also had the surgery and this
time John helped me. I hope his picture can be an inspiration for
some other young person who may be contemplating the surgery. On
Christmas my family
presented John with this picture they had made up of him.
Hope you enjoy it.
Eileen McElhaney
EMcelhaney@publicsafety.rutgers.edu
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Congratulations John |
I love good news. If you have good news, a
success story to share, or inspiration,
please send it to me at
Barbara@WLScenter.com so that I can
include it in future issues. |
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Reprinted
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weight loss surgery.
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