Hi all,
I first decided to seriously look into lap band back in August when my weight, in spite of increased activity after recovery from knee replacement, continued to climb til I finally broke 290.
I was referred to a bariatric surgeon here in the DFW area by a friend.
I can't believe it was so simple to get thru the pre-op process. I went to the doc's web site and filled out an inquiry. 3 weeks later they called and said my insurance company approved me for the band! I had never even spoken to ins co or doc before that. Amazing! I have United Health Care and they are awesome! The doc and his staff are also great, Arlington Bariatric Center, Dr. Richard Carter. I do have other factors such as hypertension and joint problems. Believe me, one knee replacement is one too many.
Anyway, I got banded on Tuesday, Oct 14, and am now struggling through the Clear liquids phase. Not doing too badly except for the bad post-op gas. Hope that stops soon. So far I am down 12 and I'm excited about the prospect of finally getting back to normal weight.
I did lots of research before deciding, and this forum was the single best thing I found, and the information I got here, and the positive attitudes of so many members, was probably the most important factor in my decision. Thank you to you all! I am looking forward to being part of this community..