Hi! This is my first post and I just want to say I love all the support everyone is giving each other I'm new to this whole lapband process/community. My very dear friend from high school had lapband surgery over Thanksgiving and she has already lost 45 lbs. I'm so proud of her. I have been venting to her about my weight loss struggles and as a result she has turned me on to this website. I lost 120 lbs just by working out and eating better.... i'm still a morbidly obese (I hate that phrase) person and i can't seem to lose anymore... i have been struggling with this for 4 years.

I would love to hear why all of you decided to have the lapband surgery.

I have lost weight also just by working out and eating better also....just to have it come back, MANY times.

I needed bariatric surgery, perhaps as a last resort.

I have met my goal, and still loosing. I have no desire at all to over eat, nor do I have any bad cravings. I say bad, because everyone has "Head" cravings, say for Cookies. But when I pick one up and take a bite, I quickly realize I really don't want it and throw it away.

being banded is the best thing I have ever done, don't regret it for any reason. cannot predict the future but the way I feel right now I cannot see this as ever failing.

Yes... i totally understand.... our heads are out to get us sometimes. I have given up most sweets... but during the holidays i made Christmas Cookies with my niece (huge mistake) everytime i would pick up a cookie i would feel so much guilt... take one bite and hand it off to my boyfriend... haha! I have dropped so many bad habbits that i had before i decided to get healthy and i still can't seem to lose any more weight... very frustrated!

Thanks B-52 for your response!

Lost and regained plus some for 20 years. I seriously believe dieting ruined my chances of ever being fit and healthy.If I could do it again I would in a snap and much sooner...even the self pay! Best of luck!

I have always been a big person. I tried so many diets as well just to gain the weight back. I had the lap band 7 months ago and I'm now down 100lbs. It's alot easier with the band as long as you know how to use the tool (band).

I am new here. My doctor told me to think about getting a lap band. I go back in May or June to see him and discuss it. I have high blood pressure, high cholesteral, and type 2 diabetes and am on medication for all. I have been overweight all of my life. I have just started to look into what all is involved in getting the lap band. What is the psyc eval like? How long does it take once you get started to have the surgery?

Depends upon your Dr. and your insurance co.

My Insurance wanted to me to go through a 6 month Medical Supervised diet program first.

Close to the end of that 6 months, I started to do all my other required clearances.

Cardiology, Pulmonology, Physc., Then we decided upon a surgery date. A few weeks prior to the surgey, my Surgeon did a Endoscopy, and then I had to do the routine pre-admission pre-surgey tests, blood work, chest x-ray, ekg, etc, all routine.

So, you see there are many hoops to jump through, not to mention the Insurance approval !

Read around here enough and you will see all the things that can go wrong in this time period.

And, there are those whom breeze right through!

Once my PCP and I agreed this was good for me, there was no turning back. I do not regret it for one minute!!! And that was 14 months ago, I have been at my goal at 12 months!

I am going to be banded on march19th. I went from 305 to 220. I keep going up ten and down ten. I won't lose anymore no matter what. I exercise and eat pretty well. I am at 221 today. The same as two years ago.obese.. I have decided to self pay. I Aldo did care credit loan to help Me out.my doc suggested. Its interest free for me for a year.i didn't want to jump through the hoops and then still be denied with my insurance and wait such a long time.I'm so excited.