Hello all, new to the site, have been reading/lurking for about a month. I've been considering lap-band for ~5 years. I'm in my mid 30's, have always been a big guy. I was overweight in high school, obese in college and have gained 4-5 lbs a year for the last 12 years. My max size has been 315, which is about 7 lbs more than I am now.

Never really been OK with my weight, kinda always felt it was beyond my control, sure I've done lots of diets, but I wanted to enjoy the same things as everyone else. Now I've come to the conclusion that the LapBand will be that final tool that helps me break through and get to a healthy weight. I know its a ton of work, I have my gym membership, I have selected my doctor (Dr. Wizman, Margate, FL) after a couple of years of research. I'm settled and self paying and have set a tentative date of October 15th for the surgery.

Anyway, just wanted to say hello, give comfort and courage to others and I'm pretty well settled on all the changes I have to make. Already have seen my PCP for the letter, dietitian meet up and psych eval to be done in the next two weeks. Then I write the big check and its off to the O/R.

Good luck to everyone =) Nice to meet you all.

John

Hi John,

Welcome!

I'm going for my surgery on Monday, i too researched it for over a year and finally decided to bite the bullet. You will be about a month behind me, good luck, i think it's a great choice!

Cheers!

Hi John,

I know exactly where you're coming from with the diet thing. I bet I have gained and lost my body weight 2 or 3 time. That's what caused my to go with the band. I too, studied and prepared for over 2 years, but I'm now surprised at what little I knew then I had surgery on 12/15/2009. Every day is a new adventure and learning experience. "Am I tight today, or loose today?" "Should I try this or that food even if others can't tolerate it?" Always something new, but very well worth it. I don't post a ticker, but.......

before 286 lbs. now 214 lbs.

before 48-50 pants now 38

before 3X-4X shirt now XL is loose

before EEE shoe width now D

You get the picture. Good luck to. Keep us posted.

Dan.

Thank you bandalley and Gonefishin.

Dan, yeah, I'm sure the education is just beginning. While I don't have a dependency on food, I'm a volume eater, and I don't make the best choices. I figure, I'm eating, I only do this 2-3x a day and usually give in to what I want. I know its 95% in my head, but this is a needed tool to get me to a reasonable weight, which I've never done on my own.

I'm sure I'll have questions, people who know me say I definitley have opinions -- so either way, you'll be hearing from me =)

Cheers-

John

Hello all, new to the site, have been reading/lurking for about a month. I've been considering lap-band® for ~5 years. I'm in my mid 30's, have always been a big guy. I was overweight in high school, obese in college and have gained 4-5 lbs a year for the last 12 years. My max size has been 315, which is about 7 lbs more than I am now.

Never really been OK with my weight, kinda always felt it was beyond my control, sure I've done lots of diets, but I wanted to enjoy the same things as everyone else. Now I've come to the conclusion that the LAP-BAND® will be that final tool that helps me break through and get to a healthy weight. I know its a ton of work, I have my gym membership, I have selected my doctor (Dr. Wizman, Margate, FL) after a couple of years of research. I'm settled and self paying and have set a tentative date of October 15th for the surgery.

Anyway, just wanted to say hello, give comfort and courage to others and I'm pretty well settled on all the changes I have to make. Already have seen my PCP for the letter, dietitian meet up and psych eval to be done in the next two weeks. Then I write the big check and its off to the O/R.

Good luck to everyone =) Nice to meet you all.

John

Welcome John! I also struggled and tried everything else before I decided the Lapband was the way to go. I went through my insurance so it took me 4 months from start to finish but that time was much needed so I can learn about the new lifestyle I was about to take on. During that time I also "lurked" around this site and learned soooo much more then I could have anywhere else. Was banded yesterday and I am feeling pretty dang good :smile:

Congrats on the choice made and good luck! I know you will do great.

Hello all, new to the site, have been reading/lurking for about a month. I've been considering lap-band® for ~5 years. I'm in my mid 30's, have always been a big guy. I was overweight in high school, obese in college and have gained 4-5 lbs a year for the last 12 years. My max size has been 315, which is about 7 lbs more than I am now.

Never really been OK with my weight, kinda always felt it was beyond my control, sure I've done lots of diets, but I wanted to enjoy the same things as everyone else. Now I've come to the conclusion that the LAP-BAND® will be that final tool that helps me break through and get to a healthy weight. I know its a ton of work, I have my gym membership, I have selected my doctor (Dr. Wizman, Margate, FL) after a couple of years of research. I'm settled and self paying and have set a tentative date of October 15th for the surgery.

Anyway, just wanted to say hello, give comfort and courage to others and I'm pretty well settled on all the changes I have to make. Already have seen my PCP for the letter, dietitian meet up and psych eval to be done in the next two weeks. Then I write the big check and its off to the O/R.

Good luck to everyone =) Nice to meet you all.

John

John, i am having surgery on 09-16-2010 and i looked into this for at least 2 years. I am very happy with my discussion to have it done, i have a friend that has just hit 100 lbs and she is not my mentor, the hardest to me it the 2 weeks of liquids. but i think of what the end result is, me to get my health back. good luck in your journey. :smile:

Hey and welcome John! A lot of us have gone through similar experiences as yourself. I, too, have researched having the lap band for over a year and just received my approval yesterday for a surgery date of October 11th. :} So you can officially join the unofficial group of October banders! Congrats! (It's very exclusive;)

If you need a bandster buddy through your pre-op and surgery, drop me a line! I need all the support I can get!

Don't worry you'll do great. Just do what the doctors say. I've had my band since July,2008 and I've lost 145 lbs. Good luck Kathy

hi new guy, welcome....you have come to the right place....hope you are happy with your decision.....i know for me it has been the best decision i have taken.....so please keep us posted and hang in there.....:thumbup:

Thanks to everyone for the warm welcome. Like many of you I've spent time in the pre forums, so I don't have many questions, just wanted to say thanks for all the info and I'll keep everyone updated on the progress. I love to hear the good stuff because many time posters are negative, largely because the squeaky wheel gets the grease, right? =)

Got more details today. I'm self pay so no doctors letter needed, I have a psych eval on 9/29, pay for the surgery 10/01, dietitian class on 10/05, and surgery scheduled for 10/15.

I have more news about the psych eval, its more of an informational thing, a few tests, but basically so you understand the band is a tool and that most of the changes are in your hands. If anyone wants to know more I can give you my experience with the shrink after the 29th.