Need advice!

Today is the first day of the rest of my life, because today is the day I decided that this weight thing is serious enough for me to start considering the other options. I'm terrified. But, I guess I should probably start out with Hello. My name is Jen, I just turned 30, and I live in sunny Florida with my husband and 4 year old. All of my life, I have been heavy. I remember weighing one sixteen in the 6th grade, which was heavy then because I was just a wisp of a girl. My heaviest was 350, during my first marriage. I dumped the ex, got divorced, and lost 60 lbs by diet and exercise. I had my time of partying, feeling good, met my current husband. That led two two pregnancies, of only one which made it, and the plateau of weight gain that followed. I'll be honest and admit that I was a freak of nature, I only gained a total of 7lbs during my full term pregnancy, it was the afterwards that it really piled on. Now, I have terrible pain in my feet if I walk around, and I know that it has to do with my weight. Currently, I know I am about 300lbs or more. I get too depressed to look at the scales, so I try to avoid them, but I know that my pant size has gone up. Also, seeing pictures of myself disgusts me so much I have asked my relatives not to take any. And if they do, they are not to post them on social networking sites. It truley is sad when you can see a picture of yourself at 260lbs, and think "I want to be -that- girl again!" Which leads me to yesterday. Yesterday, I was sitting next to my husband thinking that I do not wish to be unattractive anymore. I slept with that in the back of my head, and woke up this morning thinking "I am ready to start looking at the options." So I've been researching all morning, (With a bag of potato chips.... What cruel irony.) and I find my stomach flipping in knots. A gastric sleeve! How frightening! RNY? I can't even look at the photographs. Lap band? Seems like the least invasive. But what about band slippage, erosion, all the side affects. I am scared. But I know it is what has to be done, and I am in the process of finding out the insurance options for me. (Currently on Florida Medicaid, but I'd be happy to hear any of the options you ladies/gentlemen have, or if anyone else has Florida Medicaid.) So really, I guess I am asking.... Where do I start? What are the chances and rates of side effects, and how long have some of you had your bands?

Hi there, My name is Jen and I am looking into Gastric Banding. Right now, my BMI is in or around 47, and I have several medical issues. I was born with Plantar Fasciitis, both of my feet are affected and being overweight is hell on them. But ontop of it, I was also diagnosed with Diverticulitis a few months ago. The only insuarnce we have is something called "Share of Cost Medicaid", and we are in Florida. Basically, every month they give us a dollar amount and the medical bills must exceed this amount before medicaid will pay for it. I am certain that seeing the surgeon will exhaust this limit and I would have my bills paid for, however before I go jumping into the boat I need to know how this works. Have any of you ladies/gentlemen had a band done in Florida with the 'Share of cost' medicaid, and how did it work for you?