lyndeeboo

That is SO exciting! Congrats

Good luck with your surgery! I'm currently in the process of doing the insurance requirements and can't imagine how excited you must be to finally have a date! I also was on track to get banded but have decided to switch to the sleeve. I've been hearing of too many people who have been banded only to have revision surgery and more than one surgery is (hopefully!) not for me. I am ready to start my new healthier life NOW!!!

You are all making me so excited!!! Thank you for taking the time to reply and to support me on this decision!

For the past few years I've wanted to get banded. I go to Church with a woman who was very successful and she inspired me. My insurance doesn't cover any procedures so after I was done having kiddos my husband added me to his insurance policy. I officially became covered January 1st, so on Jan 3rd I had a consultation with two surgeons, Dr. Nicholson at the Nicholson clinic and then I had an appointment at True Results, Dallas. During my first appt Dr. Nicholson suggested I consider the sleeve procedure and for a few seconds I considered it...until I walked in to True Results and they told me how dangerous it was, how it hadn't been on the market long enough, etc. etc. I guess since I'd wanted the band for so long they told me everything I wanted to hear. I continued going to True Results for two more months, but in the back of my mind I kept going back to what Dr. Nicholson had said. He told me about problems with the band that were just developing and told me that since I lived so far away from a bariatric facility (I have a 3 hr drive, one way) that the band was more than likely not the route I would want to go. He always maintained that if I wanted it he would gladly give me one, but that he just didn't think it was the perfect fit. I continued to have thoughts that the band probably wasn't the best thing for me, but once i started visiting True Results I felt "stuck" in the sense that I didn't want to waste all of the time I'd already invested. I asked True Results if they offered the sleeve and they said they did, but that their surgeon didn't do as many of them because the band was "better". About a month ago I started really researching the band vs the sleeve and kept coming across numerous people who had the band, then had problems and revised to the sleeve. I didn't want to be one of those people. I want whatever I choose to work for life and i want to be happy with my decision forever. I also didn't want the surgeon that performed my surgery to do them every once in awhile, I wanted my surgeon to be the best of the best. I prayed about my decision and asked God to lead me in the right direction, whatever that direction was. The same day I was searching a forum who specifically pointed out True Results and the surgeon that I would have had and said if you're considering him/that clinic to run as fast away as possible. She wasn't speaking to me, but I felt as though she was if that makes sense. I then decided to contact Dr. Nicholson's clinic and see if they would even take me back. I'd only gone to one appointment and then had "chosen" another doctor, so for all I knew they would tell me tough nuggets. Nope. They said that they loved it when patients researched other doctors and that they were happy that I had "shopped around" and then returned to them. Lastly, I had been upset that the 2 months worth of nutritional appointments would be wasted in a sense, but had decided that in the long run, what was 2 months of my life, if it meant my life and happieness? Just for the heck of it I thought I would ask the Nicholson clinic if there was any way they would give me credit for the nutrition appointments and sure enough they will! Everything is falling in to place and I really couldn't be happier and more excited about getting the sleeve. I'm ready to change my life for the better and looking forward to this journey! Now if I can just jump through the flaming hoops for insurance and get my surgery scheduled

My entire life I have been overweight. Even back when I was in Kindergarten I was the "big" kid in class. The one that was always MUCH larger than anyone else. This trend continued my entire life. I can remember being in the 3rd grade, weighing 120 pounds and having a group of my friends start taking about their weight and one of them made the comment that I was so much bigger than them and probably weighed 85 pounds i was so big! Oh if only I weighed 85 pounds! Right then is when I truly realized just how much bigger I was than everyone else my age. Even at a young age I was always on a diet and watching what I was eating, but it was more like, watching everything I was eating go right in to my mouth, not really controlling what I was eating. MY parents put me in soccer and softball, but the weight never stayed off. I was always an active child but nothing really would help. In college I actually lost weight. I got down to 200 pounds and felt great. I know - - 200 pounds was SKINNY for me - - that is sad But the weight came right back. I've gone back and forth with wanting to lose weight on my own versus needing help and I've finally come to the conclusion, I can't won't do this on my own. I need that little something that will assist me in restricting what goes in to my mouth. I overeat. I can't control myself at times. I eat when I'm happy, when I'm sad. I eat to celebrate and I eat when I'm pissed off. I have such a strong desire to become a runner. I want to compete in marathons, yet I can't walk from my house to my barn without gasping for air. I hope and pray that this is the answer to my prayers because I need to become a healthier person, both for myself and for my kids.

The wait for surgery/approval is killing me! I’m in the process of qualifying for surgery through my husband’s insurance. They require you to go through 4 months of monitoring and nutrition counseling prior to approval. I went to my first appt Jan 3rd which would put my surgery the first part of May should everything fall right. At my first appt I asked my patient care advocate if I needed to start trying to get in to shape (walking, eating better, etc) prior to surgery. She said that no, I needed to actually not do ANYTHING, that I needed to try to stay the same weight and not fluctuate at all because the insurance company will be watching my number to see that I can’t lose weight and keep it off on my own. She said it’s very important to NOT try to lose weight right now. I know that you would think I would be excited – it’s like a free, eat-what-you-want card, right?!?! Well I’m having a hard time with it. I finally have gotten to a point mentally where I WANT this surgery for my HEALTH. I want this surgery so I can get in better shape and run. I want to be able to walk without not being able to breathe. The thought of having to wait until April-May before I can focus on this new, healthy “Me” is really harder than I thought. I’m finding myself making healthier choices on my own…not eating until I’m ready to pop. Not choosing a second helping of something. You would think I’d be proud of myself…and I AM! But my silly little BIG number on my scale is starting to creep down…not cool for insurance purposes! I’ve been here before - SO motivated to succeed. Actually CRAVING exercise and healthy food, actually WANTING to make better choices…only to lose my willpower in a few short weeks. I am SO tired of this yo-yo and am just ready for the new me…like, YESTERDAY

Everyone here is great, thank you for the opinions. You all were right, it would have a way of working itself out...and it has! I'm back on track (mentally!) to be banded by True Results. I'm no longer upset that I didn't see/meet the doctor. From what I can tell he has pretty good results so that has me comforted. I still do really like the other doctor (in the completely other office) BUT, they said they would be mailing me a packet within a few days of my appt and I still have yet to receive it, whereas True Results has followed up with me and just seem genuinely excited about my surgery and my future. So, it all worked itself out and I'm moving forward with being banded - - yay!!!

I had my first consultation and visit yesterday with two different clinics and doctors. I live 2 1/2 hours away so I wanted to be sure I explored all of my options the same day. My first visit was with Nick Nicholson at the Nicholson clinic in Dallas. I LOVED him! Loved his personality, his excitement for me, his passion, and his faith that WLS WOULD WORK FOR ME. He did however, almost have me talked in to having the sleeve now instead of lapband. (Prior to going in I was 100% sure I wanted the band). He almost talked me out of the band because of how far I live away from the clinic and all of the times i will need to visit for fills, etc. He said because I live so far away the sleeve is a much easier, more practical choice because once I heal I'm done, very few visits. He also said that once I heal the RISKS of the sleeve are MUCH LESS than the ones of the lapband. I left his office excited and knowing I would do the SLEEVE. An hour later I visited True Results in Richardson. I told them that I originally wanted the lapband, but now had almost decided I wanted the sleeve. True results said that they offered both procedures, but went over the risks of each procedure again with me and really made me feel like the band is much less of a risk than the sleeve (which I originally thought), and that even though I would come back in for visits every 4-6 weeks, that was only 8 times a year. PLUS, the visits would keep me accountable, whereas with the sleeve I wouldn't HAVE to come back in once I healed, thus, not much accountability. (I need accountability. I KNOW this about myself). My head was spinning. I left True Results and it wasn't until I was half way home that I realized I never MET THE SURGEON who would be doing my surgery. So here's my problems: A) Lapband or sleeve? I can see so many pro's and cons with each. I really am back to the thought that I will do the lapband. I NEED accountability. Plus I like the fact that it is reversible in case I ever have complications, I get sick and don't need to lose weight, etc. It scares the living heck out of me to think that the majority of my stomach would be removed if i went with the sleeve. Which facility? I LOVED Dr. Nicholson, but his staff was just "okay". They were nice, but not bubbly and warm and fuzzy. More all business, let's get you in and out. True Results- I LOVED their staff. Their PA was sweet and wonderful and already felt like a friend. My patient care advocate is a bombshell and a lapband patient herself, losing 100 pounds 7 1/2 years ago and keeping it off. She's everything I want to be: active, healthy and runs marathons...and I've SEEN her picture. She was ME just 7 1/2 years ago. BUT, I NEVER MET THE SURGEON!!! What if I hate him??? So if you were me what would you do? I want the person operating on me to be GOOD. I want to trust them and have faith in them, but on top of that I want to LOVE the staff since I will be seeing so much of THEM. Lastly, anyone already been banded and wish that they would have done the sleeve instead? I'm not in this to 'change my mind' in a few years and have another surgery. I'm ready to change my life TODAY and stick with my decision for the rest of my life. HELP!!!

I do not subscribe, but now you have me curious....what is that site and what did the message say?!?!

So sorry Don't give up. Something else might be able to work out for you!!!

Wooohoo you're almost there! I like his analogy of a new Harley..and how sexy you'll be on the back of that new Harley when you get to your happy place Good luck with your surgery. I bet now that you have a date the wait is even more hard...like a kid the night before Christmas

Oh you're SO right that I have insurance...I meant to put that in my original post..that I was at least grateful for insurance..I guess I just let my fingers type faster than my brain I AM grateful for insurance and HOPE that they will approve the surgery (won't know until I've completed the 4 months). I have fears that they won't, but I'm still sticking to the plan. My primary insurance absolutely will NOT cover it, so I had my husband add me to his (at $156 a month - ugh!) so my hope is that after I do what they say I must do they won't snake out and deny me since i already have 'other' coverage. I AM grateful for the chance to get to have insurance to assist with the cost -- 100% grateful!!! I am just SO ready to get the show on the road

You give me HOPE that when I get banded I will be as successful as you! Without this band I know for a fact I won't force myself to make the changes that I need to make to be successful. Thank you for sharing this. I've wondered if I would be "sad" when unable to finish my favorite food and then I would feel guilty that I was already mourning the loss of something I hadn't even lost yet. Thank you for pointing out that the feelings are real and that it's 'normal' to have them!

Thanks so much for the information you guys! I don't know why I had it in my head that I would "bond" with my surgeon before hand and that I would continue to see him/her afterwards. If this is somewhat normal then I'm not so upset by it Because of the office staff at True Results I really AM leaning more towards using their facility....and it does help that some of you are current success stories from there! Toddy, your story is the exact reason I've considered the sleeve - - these things don't happen to everyone, but happen enough that I know they exist....I'm glad that you're okay after all that you went through! Thank you for the advice everyone!!! I'm off to do yet more research

I go in tomorrow for a consultation with two differant doctors/offices. One is True Results of Dallas in the Richardson office, the other is Dr. Nicholson from the Nicholson clinic. I've heard wonderful things about each place/doctor, but feel like I need to visit both of them to get a feel for each doctor, staff, etc. What questions should I be asking each doctor at this consultation? I'm excited/nervous and just want to be sure I'm making the BEST selection. Thanks

Thanks so much for the suggestion, I will def ask it at both consultations. You brought up a great point and I really appreciate it! I will live 2 1/2 hours from either doctor, so I will want optimal results at as few appts as possible.....especially as gas prices continue to soar THANK YOU!!

Has anyone been to the True Results in Dallas? If you have and have had surgery, who was your surgeon? Thoughts?

I’m really thinking about doing the lap band again. I had signed up a few years ago, then became pregnant so that stopped my Quest. My Husband’s open enrollment is coming up and I’m pretty sure I will have him add me again. My insurance doesn’t cover ANY bariatric surgery, weight loss programs, etc. Not that I feel ‘entitled’ to everything, but it does amaze me that my insurance SPECIFICALLY says they don’t cover bariatric surgeries, weight loss programs, etc. but that they DO cover dependency programs (drugs, alcohol, etc). Ummmmm, food IS my DEPENDENCY!!!! It has caused me to have high blood pressure, borderline diabetes and who knows how many other health issues!!! I guess people that don’t have an eating problem have a hard time seeing that I can’t just STOP eating, that I can’t just STOP making stupid food choices (fried foods, heavy carbs, sweets, etc) but I truly can’t! I mean, do those ‘people’ that think it’s easy to just drop 100 pounds by stepping away from fattening foods think I LIKE shopping in plus-sized stores? Do they think I LIKE only being able to find 60-year old woman shirts instead of cute, trendy shirts? Ummm no. If I could lose the weight I would. I’ve tried. I just don’t have the willpower. I don’t think that the lapband will solve my problems over night. I have heard countless times that it is 10% band and 90% person. Well I have 90% in me…it’s that 10% that I’m missing. Most of the time I WANT to eat better. Most of the time I WANT to make better choices, it’s just that every once in awhile I screw up SO badly (Chinese buffets, candy, over eating, etc) that totally messes up and cancels everything GOOD that I’ve chosen to do. I’ve never seen a person (me) take SO long to lose 10 pounds, but go off the deep end for a few days and gain it ALL back, plus 5. I truly feel like a drug addict at times with my out of control eating. I know what I should eat….I can be headed to the store to buy something ‘normal’ and then I pass Arby’s and can’t resist pulling in to their drive thru. As I’m pulling in I will tell myself I will only get something small, a simple cold cut sandwich. As I pull up to the menu I see all of the delicious food, so instead of a cold cut sandwich with no mayo, I decide to get a grilled chicken sandwich, but at the last minute I change it to a crispy chicken sandwich with cheese AND ranch dressing, but I will not order crisscut fries…until the sweet lady in the squack-box asks if I would like to make it a meal…and since I’m thirsty anyway I say “yes please”…because I mean, if I’m already getting the sandwich and drink the Crisscut’s are practically FREE anyway..but I WON’T eat them all…and then when she asks what kind of drink? I say Pepsi, because everyone (according to the news) knows that diet soda ‘causes’ Diabetes anyway, so I might as well drink the GOOD STUFF if I’m going to drink soda!!! I pull out of the drive thru and before I’m even on the road I’m chowing down on my fries. I drive to the closest park (so no one can watch Miss-fatty gorge herself) and eat every, last bite of everything in the bag. Being SURE to check for any lost fries that may be hiding underneath the napkins in the bottom of the bag. When I’m done I’m remorseful. I ask myself WHY I ate all of that and WHY I needed to even stop in the first place. I vow to NEVER do it again and to make better choices from this point forward….but somehow I can never keep my word to myself. …Now tell me how I’m NOT the SAME as a Meth addict? Or an alcoholic??? I don’t LIKE my kids laughing at my fat butt when I bend over in front of them. I don’t like NEVER being checked out when I go to a bar with my Husband. I don’t enjoy always being told how ‘nice’ I am and that I have such ‘pretty' eyes. I want to hear I’m BEAUTIFUL. I want to put on a pair of pants and not have to jump up and down to cram all of myself down inside of them. I want to slide those same pants on and not say a silent prayer that they will still button and zip. I want keep my legs crossed more than a few minutes without the circulation being cut off and causing leg pain. I want to walk in to a store and not be breathless. I want to chase after my kids at the park instead of sitting on a bench waving at them when they ask me to play. I want to be healthy. Is that really too much to ask??? End of my rant….just had to get it off of my chest. If you’ve made it this far, thanks!

Here’s a thread that is sure to get me some hate-mail…let me first say that I’m emotional and don’t want to be yelled at, please. This concern of mine is raw and real. I’ve had it for a long time, but decided just today that I’m going to ASK it, to people who also know what it’s like to be overweight. I don’t know what answers I’m hoping you give, I just want them to be 100% honest. I don’t know if I’m looking more for others to tell me that they were once in this same spot and that they were still a success… if I’m looking for people to tell me that my choices will get better with counseling, or if I’m looking for people to tell me that they were where I’m at mentally, had the surgery and still did NOT change (meaning, the surgery is NOT for me). I want honest opinions and answers I know why I’m overweight and unhealthy. I eat too much and I don’t make good choices. I’m a carbaholic. I LIVE on breads, Pasta and rice. I honestly don’t know the last time I cooked a meal that wasn’t loaded with some sort of carb, be it pasta or rice. I know that once banded you cannot eat pastas, breads or rice because they can get stuck (frankly for me this is a plus because I will walk over fire to avoid throwing up!) I’m scared that because this has been my lifestyle for so long that I won’t be able to change or give it up. There, I said it. The part that I have been avoiding for weeks. What do I need to do, how do I get to a point where I’m not AFRAID of giving up something that is effectively killing me??? For those that have had the surgery, is it as simple as, you no longer CRAVE them all of the time? Does the constant craving go away, or do you learn to ignore it all of the time? I want this surgery. I want to be successful. But more than that I don’t want to FAIL. I’m not going to go through with something if I’m not mentally where I need to be, but I don’t know how to get there. I don’t know if because I have this fear if that automatically means that the surgery isn’t for me, or if the fear of giving up comfort foods and the lifestyle I’ve known for my entire life is normal. Has anyone been here???

Does anyone have any info on Doctor Colleen Kennedy, with offices in both Rockwall and Plano? She's the one that my insurance told me is an approved provider but before I visit her I want to be sure I check here and see if anyone has any positive/negative vibes they want to share. I did a search and the forum shows one member listed her as a Doctor, but that person has been offline since May. I did send them a private message, so hopefully I will hear something back. Thanks

I seriously want to hug you right now! Just hearing how much you have accomplished makes me want to jump for joy for you and also makes me KNOW that this is the right decision for me. For the past few months I keep going back and forth with it - - I'm scared. Scared of the pain, scared that I will get sick all of the time, scared that I will be a statistic and have major complications...but anytime I allow fear to creep in and begin to talk me out of it I let REALITY sink in - - that if I keep on a the path I'm currently on - 30 years old and 251 pounds - - that my sweet kids are going to find me one day, dead of a heart attack and that thought breaks my heart.So thank you. Thank you for your kind words and support and thank you for getting me excited!

Good luck to you Nicole! How very exciting about your consult. Hopefully it goes great.For me, I want to be a great example for those around me who also struggle and more than anything, I want to prove to myself that this body that I'm in and this life that I've been leading doesn't have to be my death sentance. I've tried so hard, so many different ways on so many different plans to lose weight, I just can't stick with them. I'm hopeful that the band will be a good tool that will assist me in a lifelong journey. Like you say, it can't control what I put in my mouth...but I think that it will be that extra motivator that I need to stick with my new lifestyle. Keep in touch! I'm interested to know how your consult goes!!!

Dee, I LOVE your suggestion of the smaller candy bar and it truly is representative of how my new life will be when I DO get banded. I'm not going to tell anyone that I will never indulge in things that aren't good for me, but I will say that I don't want to keep living my life the way I'm living it now. I don't WANT to keep overeating. But I will also be realistic to admit that I know I won't go without a small piece of candy for the rest of my life....I want a new, healthier lifestyle that doesn't include that piece of candy after every meal, every day!

THANK YOU ChezNoel for all of that info! I will have to check out the book

Yay! Best wishes!