hopefulmom25

Wow Ogre! 299 lbs in 19 months. That's amazing! You have given me such inspiration. Thank you. :tt1:

My two biggest worries are "will I fail?" and "will I regret spending this much money (self pay)?" Other worries: -loose skin after weight loss -band problems (slippage, erosion, port flipped, etc) that will lead to me spending even more of our own money -giving up sweets for the most part

You guys are great. Thank you for all the support and shared successes. I am very motivated now! :huh2:

I too am not banded yet and sometimes am experiencing feelings of guilt. Unfortunately, they are at my DH's suggestion. He agrees the band is necessary, but has made it clear that he feels I just won't "exercise more and eat less calories" to lose it on my own. So then I feel guilty and question myself. But I know this is right for me. I've been big all my life, and I've reached a point where my health has really declined. Sometimes we just need a little help. We shouldn't feel guilty for trying to be healthier.

Ugh. My mom called today and started a bunch of drama (she's known for being a drama queen). Even though I am grown now with my own family, she still likes to call and stir up trouble. I got really stressed out, and ended up eating half my weight in macaroni and cheese. Part of my problem is definitely emotional/stress eating. I've got to figure out another way to handle things like this... I can't just turn to food for comfort.

Ugh. My mom called today and started a bunch of drama (she's known for being a drama queen). Even though I am grown now with my own family, she still likes to call and stir up trouble. I got really stressed out, and ended up eating half my weight in macaroni and cheese. Part of my problem is definitely emotional/stress eating. I've got to figure out another way to handle things like this... I can't just turn to food for comfort.

I love Cleveland! My DH grew up there and we still travel there several times a year to visit my inlaws.

Okay, I love that last sentence. So true.

Well, finding out that fill price helped me to decide to go with a different surgeon that's actually closer. His surgery price is higher, but covers the first year of fills.

Well, I am just getting started on my lap-band journey. I haven't even been banded yet. My best friend got the band at the beginning of February, and I have been researching it since then. I knew almost immediately that this is right for me. Unfortunately, my insurance disagrees (employer exclusion). So that puts me in the self-pay category.:biggrin: The decision to definitely have a lap-band was not nearly as hard for me as the decision to pay for it out of pocket- plunging my family into debt for the first time ever. But, if we're going to be going into debt, I can't think of a better reason for it. Plus, I currently weigh 405 lbs and life is pretty painful at this size. So far I've been to a seminar, chosen my surgeon, and I've been researching like a maniac for 2 months now. I feel like if I had an actual band I could do the surgery myself. :crying: My first appointment at my surgeon's office is next week. I can't wait! I also have my appointment for the mandatory nutritionist consult (surgeon's requirement) next week too. The nutritionist wants to meet me at Starbucks (!). My first test of willpower... Right now, because I know the band is in my future, I am flipflopping back and forth between eating healthy one week, and chowing down on ice cream the next. I keep telling myself, in a few months you won't be able to eat this crap, so you better it all now. Arg. Must stop this...

Well, I am just getting started on my lap-band journey. I haven't even been banded yet. My best friend got the band at the beginning of February, and I have been researching it since then. I knew almost immediately that this is right for me. Unfortunately, my insurance disagrees (employer exclusion). So that puts me in the self-pay category.:biggrin: The decision to definitely have a lap-band was not nearly as hard for me as the decision to pay for it out of pocket- plunging my family into debt for the first time ever. But, if we're going to be going into debt, I can't think of a better reason for it. Plus, I currently weigh 405 lbs and life is pretty painful at this size. So far I've been to a seminar, chosen my surgeon, and I've been researching like a maniac for 2 months now. I feel like if I had an actual band I could do the surgery myself. :sleep: My first appointment at my surgeon's office is next week. I can't wait! I also have my appointment for the mandatory nutritionist consult (surgeon's requirement) next week too. The nutritionist wants to meet me at Starbucks (!). My first test of willpower... Right now, because I know the band is in my future, I am flipflopping back and forth between eating healthy one week, and chowing down on ice cream the next. I keep telling myself, in a few months you won't be able to eat this crap, so you better it all now. Arg. Must stop this...

Thanks for all the encouragement everyone! I know it's a lot to lose, but I am going to do it! :biggrin2:

No, she said it's each fill. I made sure to ask because I couldn't believe it. Even she said that's really high and she hates that the price went up.

I went to the regular support group meeting last night, but couldn't do the Kelly's Kitchen since it's during the day. I'm a stay at home mom and I babysit 3 kids, and I'm just not brave enough to haul 4 kids ages 4 and under to the meeting. I have heard that they might start doing some Kelly's Kitchen at night and/or on Saturdays this summer. So I hope to make those. :smile: I heard that today's Kelly's Kitchen was about fastfood? Any good info?

Hmmm...that's interesting. I wonder why?

I'm pre-op, just starting the banding process, but I decided to post this question in post-op as I figure that you guys will be more likely to know the answer. Once you are banded, I've heard it's bad to throw up. So what happens if you get a nasty stomach bug or food poisoning, and you're continually throwing up all day long for several days? Can that hurt the band? Do you have to make a trip to the doc to have the band unfilled? Just curious. I have a 2 year old, so I usually end up with at least one stomach bug each winter. Thanks!

I have 255 lbs to lose to be on the high end of an average range for my height and age. I'm 25 and want to weigh 150 lbs. Currently I weigh 405 lbs. I haven't been banded yet. I'm just starting the process. Am I out of my mind to think I can lose 255 lbs? Sometimes I feel like I might as well have 12,000 lbs to lose... Have you guys ever heard of anyone losing that much weight with the band?

If you were facing the board in the front of the room, I was sitting on the right row, second table from the back. My best friend was on my right. She got banded by Dr.Woodman in February, and has already lost 32 lbs. But she exercises like a maniac- every day for an hour or more. I sure hope I'm as motivated as she is once I am banded.

Ugh. I am a not-yet-banded self-pay and I thought I had it all figured out. Dr.King in Oxford, MS has a lap-band package for $14,500 and I was excited about the price. But then his office called and it turns out that for most people the first year or so of fills has to be done at the hospital, and the cost is around $700!!!! That $14,500 package only covers the very first fill. I just can't afford to pay $700 every six weeks for a fill. Is it normal for fills to be that expensive?

I was there for the support meeting tonight! The one where no one showed up to lead it! Ugh! :tongue_smilie: I haven't been banded yet, but I am starting the process with Dr.Woodman. I've been to his seminar, and I have my first office appointment next Thursday (I've heard it's mostly just watching some video). Anyways, I'm going to try to go to next month's support group meeting too, but I sure hope someone shows up to lead it!

Hi! I'm in Southaven.

Hi I'm in Southaven. Was looking in the direction of Oxford to get banded (Dr. King) but I am self-pay. Becky called me from that office and said the price is $14,500, which I thought was great. But then she said most people have to go to the hospital to have a fill while they are still large. She said a fill at the hospital will run me around $700 per fill. Even she sounded very discouraged when she said it. She said it used to be cheaper, around $300 for a fill, but the price has gone up. :tongue_smilie: Being self-pay, there's no way I could afford $700 for a fill every six weeks. So now I'm going with Dr.Woodman in Memphis. His overall cost is a little higher ($15,000-$17,000 range) but the first year of fills is covered. I have my first office appointment with his office next week. I am very excited and can't wait to get this ball rolling!

When I go in for my mandatory pre-op pscyh evaluation, should I let the psychologist know that I'm on anti-depressants? I have had very mild depression for the past few years, and I know it is because of my weight and the constant daily pain I am in as a result of my weight. I've been on a very low dosage of anti-depressants for about 6 months now. I just wasn't sure if a history of mild depression could cause a person to fail the pscyh eval? Even when the depression is weight related? I don't want that to be what stops me from having this surgery. Should I be honest about it or deny,deny, deny?

Hi! I'm Amanda, 25 years old from outside Memphis,Tn. Stay at home mom to a 2 year old. I'm 5'8 and weigh around 400 lbs :thumbup:, my highest weight ever (even as I typed that it didn't seem real). I've been heavy since the age of 4ish, and my weight has always been consistently heading upward and spiraling out of control. I've tried weight watchers, south beach, First Place, hypnosis, diet pills, my own don't-eat-anything-after-4pm diet, etc. Some things have worked temporarily, other diets have not. Recently (as in a few weeks ago) my best friend had the lap band surgery done and it made me take notice. I had not really considered the lap band before. So I've been researching night and day in my spare time for a few weeks now, and I'm thinking I want to give the band a try. Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure our insurance won't pay. :sad: My husband's employer has a written exclusion:cursing::cursing::cursing::mad::mad::mad: on any treatment for anything having to do with obesity or morbid obesity, including weight loss surgery. From everything I've read other places, I'm probably most likely out of luck. :cool2: However, DH and I have decided to self-pay if that is the case. I'm very scared about self-pay as it will put us in debt for the first time ever. Also what about complications? What if we go that much into debt and it doesn't work? So many questions... Anyways, guess that's where I'm at. I love this board, and forwarded the link to my friend that just got banded. :biggrin2: