Hey there I live in the Kansas City area and my surgery date is July 13 2010. I am nervous/excited all at the same time. i am happily married with three great kids (8,7,4) . Would love to have support during this journey. Thanks!!!

Hi, I am 28 and live in KC. I have been banded almost 4 years and have had lots of experiences that I may be able to help you with. Who is doing your surgery?

Great!! Dr. Malley is doing my surgery. I am on the preop diet now which kinda stinks but only one more week til surgery.

Please let me know any questions you have. I am more than happy to help you through the process without being confused. It's a completely different way to live and eat, and 4 years later I will still sometimes mess up and take a bite too big to later regret it :thumbup:

Thanks so much!!! One week from today is the surgery. I am starting to get really nervous and have some anxiety. :thumbup: I think it is just because I know my life will completely change and I am nervous about it. Was there ever a time after you were banded that you wish you never did it?

I have regretted it when the band is too tight and I have been unable to eat. However, if I had gone to the right doctor from the beginning it never would have happened that way.

All in all, it's a tool that helps me lose weight, albeit slowly. The unknown is whether or not I would have been able to lose without the band .... which I hadn't been doing. So, that being said I am happy I have it because it has helped me lose weight along with eating right and working out.

Hi gals! I'm also in Kansas City. I have a 2.5 year old little one. I'm still on the fence on the whole banding thing. I really want to have it done, but I don't want to wait for insurance to approve and I don't want to self pay.

tigermom--how are you feeling???

I'm 39 bmi with no co-mo's. If I gain 5 more pounds, I will be 40 which is what my insurance requires. But then I will need to do the 6 month diet/nutrition period. I'm afraid after 6 months my insurance will deny me so I'm considering self pay. Did either of you do self pay? It's hard b/c that is so much money to spend!! I have been eating like a pig and still have not pushed myself to the 40 bmi--I don't think I could stand being this heavy for another 6 months!!

Any ideas, thoughts, etc??

Hi gals! I'm also in Kansas City. I have a 2.5 year old little one. I'm still on the fence on the whole banding thing. I really want to have it done, but I don't want to wait for insurance to approve and I don't want to self pay.

tigermom--how are you feeling???

I'm 39 bmi with no co-mo's. If I gain 5 more pounds, I will be 40 which is what my insurance requires. But then I will need to do the 6 month diet/nutrition period. I'm afraid after 6 months my insurance will deny me so I'm considering self pay. Did either of you do self pay? It's hard b/c that is so much money to spend!! I have been eating like a pig and still have not pushed myself to the 40 bmi--I don't think I could stand being this heavy for another 6 months!!

Any ideas, thoughts, etc??

Hey there!!! I am doing great, I am now 2+ weeks past surgery and I feel good, sometimes I even forget the band is there. Starting tomorrow I am back on a normal diet or what the new "normal" will be anyway .

I had to go through the six month diet exercise thing with insurance and at first I was really mad about it because I was so ready to be banded that I didn't want to wait another six months but it helped me adapt a healthy lifestyle before surgery so that once the surgery happened it was an easy transition. I also for my insurance I had to lose 5% of my body weight before surgery that is what stressed me out the most, and this was again because insurance wants you to have a healthy lifestyle before surgery. All went well and insurance approved, it was a big pain in the neck but well worth not having to pay full price!!

I know I have not been banded that long but it is TOTALLY worth it!!!