nicci63

I have been overweight most of my adult life, and miserable about my weight for the same length of time.  I started looking intl WLS in 2006 but was too scared to take the next step.  After two years of dieting and not really getting anywhere I looked into WLS again and found a local surgeon who I instantly liked.  Dr Smith in Pueblo Colorado gets my 100% vote for professionalism and expertise. I met with him a couple of times and then took  the plunge in Dec 2008.  It's the best decision i have made for my self, and my general health.  I had no pain post surgery because Dr Smith uses the On-Q pain buster, which is a phenominal pain relief system which i highly recommend too if you are having the surgery and your surgeon can use it.  It's a catheter drip system, and numbs the abdomen so you feel no pain for the first three days post-op.  I actually only had some minor tenderness at the port site after that for about a week, but i wouldn't describe it as pain at all.  Dr Smith gives me the conifidence to work with the LapBand, and gives me fills whenever i feel it necessary.  I have only been stuck on food once, because i didn't chew well enough, and had to have a small unfill, but other than that my journey has been uncomplicated and easy so far.  I am determined to make this work especially after having good results from the moment of pre-op diet, to post-op experience.  The only reason this would not work is if i self sabotage, and since I self paid for this surgery i am maybe more motivated to make it work than if insurance had paid for it.  I am very happy with my band experience, I have lots of support from family and friends, from the surgeon and his staff, and from the chat room friends i have made here on LBT.  I wish everyone the best with their lapband decisions and journeys - this really is a second chance at a healthy life for us all.