Hello everyone my name is John. I am 24 years old and don’t know where else to turn. I have tried every pill, system, and diet out there since I was in middle school.

I have always been a big kid but was always very active in sports but always stayed big. Middle school was the hardest with people picking on me but I was a very tough kid and never took it to heart.

In high school I hovered around 250lb. The name calling got worse. I was still very active in sports. I took gym every day in high school even took it twice a day in 12th grade since I had all my credits. I was the caption of the Tennis team my last 2 years. I was always big but very quick for my size and I won many of matches since people thought I was a easy win because of my weight.

College is where most of my problems started. I would work all day, go to class at night, eating fast food and going to bed. no time to stay active. This is where I broke the 300 mark and started to feel the health problems. At the end of college i weighted 330lb.

After college I decided to take action and loss the weight before it was to late. I lost 100lb. in 7 months and felt great. Then I start to go out meet new people and having fun. This meant staying up late after work and not wanting to get up to go to the gym. This also led to eating out with friends late at night. I gained back everything I lost in the matter of 5 months. That’s 100lb. in 5 months and I never seen it coming.

Its been about 2 years no since I gain my weight back and have been beating myself up over it. I even had to go seek help because I hate myself so much I though it would be better to (you know).

My Aunt had the surgery about 8 months ago and she has lost almost 60lb. This got me thinking and this is why I am here to learn and to in the near future (I Hope) get the surgery myself.

Hi John and welcome to LBT.

You will find great info here and get some good support.

It is nice you have a family member that has been banded. I hope you have close contact with your aunt.

She could be a great resource for you.

I know for me it has been really great. One nice thing about it is I am not always hungry like I was on all the other diets. And I think the very best thing will be after I reach my goal weight. I really do believe the band will help me keep it off.

I wish you the best in trying to figure out if the band is what you want and/or need.

do it asap! i am 43now banded 12-19-8 lost 93

293 to 200 today....

i wished i would of done it a long time ago! like you i

have been over weight my whole life. its a lifestyle

change but it gives you the tool to not eat! because you cant so you learn to accept it!! good luck with your

decision

I recommend that you go contact a surgeon and attend an information session if they have them. I know mine did and I learned a lot! You can even go to support group meetings with bandsters before you even have surgery.

I'm down 75 pounds today and I have no regrets whatsoever...unless you count wishing I had done it earlier!

I feel great and wish you all the best.