NurseShay

Congrats on getting a date! I'm scheduled for april 14th so I don't have much veteran advice for you but hopefully with our dates being so close I can provide some encouragement! Almost time for a brand new life.

Lol! Yes I am a nurse & I have worked flu clinics giving over 100 IMs a day but point it at me and I'm ready to run for the hills!lol doesn't help that with being overweight I have those pesky thin rolling veins that seems to allude most nurses! How many times I've said just take it from my left hand and they see it as a challenge to try & conquer! So we have much in common!

Just beware that they expect you to have been overweight for 5yrs, be 100lbs overweight & have proof of trying to lose weight & failing. Not just your BMI is considered. Especially if your looking for full insurance coverage. Lap band is a tool & should not be a first resort to weight loss. No offense but the risks that can come with it may have you regret trying to gain weight just to fall in the parameters of for the surgery so weigh your options carefully! Best of luck to you!

I think we all have the same thoughts! My skinny dreams are.... 1. Definitely to be able to shop at regular stores -in the mall!! Oh I haven't been able to do that since middle skool! 2. Ride every ride at six flags or any theme park. 3. To go dancing with my girls & not be the odd ball in the group. 4. To not have to assess the chairs I sit in or the bathroom stall I use. 5. To not have to 'plan' how to or 'count off' or 'rock' to get off a low seat. 6. To wear a little black dress- without counting on spanx which 30mins into the night roll up & cut off circulation. 7. To be excited to be tagged in picture on FB rather than dreading it wondering which unflattering angle they caught of me. 8. To go indoor sky diving (wt maximum 250lbs) 9. To have children with no risks & teach them by example. 10. To have a wedding & be a beautiful bride! =)

Wow all these stories are encouraging. I'm 25 been overweight since about age 12. Am scheduled to be banded on 4/14. (3 weeks before my 26th bday) I have a lifetime of bad habits to overcomme so I'm pleased to see this works for people who have always struggled rather than those who just got off track in the last few yrs.

This is one of the major issues on my mind. Weight definitely held me back from a lot of things including relationships with people I felt intimidated by because they were just too good looking & I didn't feel I wanted to compete with any competition in the form of skinny girls.(I'm confident that I could have just didn't want the potential drama) So I've been in a relationship wit my bf who likes thick girls- this is what made us work! I like to eat & so does he. He was average when we met & once we moved in together and I started cooking for him he's packed on @ least 20lbs. And actually that's what really showed me how bad my habits are! But though he supports me in my decision he's expressed some concern that my options will open up even more & that I wouldn't want to have a chubby signif other. I guess he has the same mindset I do about sort of sticking with your own. But I love bigger ppl regardless of my size & would def still find myself attracted to them. However part of why I want to lose weight is to finally sieze opportunities to do things in life I haven't been able to & experience life with a new carefree attitude. I'm only 25 & have been neglecting to do normal things because my weight detains me. I never went to my prom, don't travel or go out like I want to & sometimes I think I settle in a life that was 'safe' for me. I honestly DON'T PLAN to leave him but I can predict that the lifestyle ill probably want to lead will dramatically change us & probably stress us to the max. We've only been together 8mts & we're good with each other & he's been very supportive but I'm feeling like we're both young & since we have no children & are not married this may be too drastic a change for us or maybe that I want to experience life for the first time just for me, with no baggage. How selfish am I?! =/

I'm due for my surgery on the 14th would also like to keep in touch with someone to keep me on track! Feel free to pm me. =)

Hi purple! I'm glad to find someone else who's having it the same day as me! Its exciting & nerve racking! I am starting the pre-op diet tomorrow. Jus had my last icecream bar.lol since I have to fast tues for the pre-op tests I figure I might as well get a head start. I have read some nightmares about the pre-op diet though! I think we're probably entering the most difficult time of being banded so I hope to keep in touch with you & your surgery goes smoothly. 1 day down! =)

I'm new here but just wanted to give a little info and that is to beware of ads for cheap band surgeries! My surgeon told me the 4th series of the lap band made by Allergen which is the newest & obviously improved version costs $4500 itself. Allergen is the leader in lap band manufacturers. And there are surgeons who use a cheaper swedish band that can be purchased for $250 itself. This band is of a much lower quality. So the cheaper the surgery often times shows lower quality of equipment, staffing & other ways clinics will cut corners to make a sell while still being totally legal. I'm a nurse, and although I don't work in bariatrics I've definitely seen how facilities will cut corners so really research the clinic, the surgeon & the band your surgeon plans to use. Even more so the most dangerous part of any surgery is going under so make sure you have a qualified anesthesiologist! (Keep in mind that in the US their fees often run $1500/hr).

Having mine done in San Diego, Ca at the aesthetic weight loss out-patient center for $15,300

I am scheduled to be banded april 14th @ 8am. As the date gets closer I find myself having doubts. For much of the same reasons as Ravyn. Fear of failure... fear of bein at the mercy of this system, surgeons & all that. I'm a nurse so I don't exactly have blind faith in the medical system, as people mistakes are inevitable. I'm hoping for the best but in need of some encouragement! =/

Hello all... I am so overwhelmed with emotions! I'm excited, nervous, scared, anxious, relieved... just everything! This process is going pretty quick for me and I'm trying to mentally prepare myself by now getting advice & opinions since I've already read all the statistics & facts now id like to hear from actual people who are about to be banded or have already been banded. I have been researching for over a year and switched from the idea of the realize to the lap band a few months ago. Gastric bypass was totally out of the question for me personally. I literally went to a seminar/consultation weds the 31st, I'm self pay & have a BMI of 51-53 (depending which calculator you use) so I was an automatic approved candidate and therefore am having all my pre-op done this coming weds (4/7) and my tentative surgery date is weds (4/14). EXTREMELY fast! Within a 2 week time span I went from wanting to be banded to scheduled to be banded. My surgeon uses only 1 week of pre-op liquid dieting but I've decided because my bmi is so high to start a little sooner. That's mentally quite a challenge for me but again I'm self pay so I'm very commited to doing this right and not wasting my $! Is there anything else I should be doing to prepare? Any advice any of you veterans can give that you didn't know until it was too late? I've read a lot about the slippages & esophageal erosions and I'm wondering if this is dominately something avoidable by the patient (strict dieting/portion control) or is it just a common occurance of the band itself?? And truly do you actually feel full with the band or are you better off just disciplining yourself without the band? The fail stories are a bit nerve racking but this is still a tool I really think will help me. Anyone else who's newly banded or will be banded in april/2010 id love to connect with you so I can have someone to go through this process with! Thanks. ~Shay Yim:soserious02

Hi.. I'm new to the forum but have been reading it for quite some time. I find this process to be quite quick for me as well. I went to a seminar on the 31st and since I am self pay the surgery was basically on my own time table. I am doing my pre-op appts this week and am tentatively scheduled to be banded on april 14th. While I am more than excited about starting this journey I am also a bit nervous & overwhelmed. I'm a nurse that's scared of shots!ha So I can definitely understand where you're coming from. I think the best we can do is research & fully understand the risks & rules of this procedure. Knowledge tends to create confidence. I wish you the best of luck & ill let you know how mine goes! =)