Hi everyone,

My name is Sarah....I have made the recent decision to get the Lap Band. I have discussed it with my husband and he is very supportive. I know that my insurance covers it 100% with approval. I have read the forums here (which I am loving with all the support). I have read so much on the internet about the procedure and life with a band (the good, the bad, and the ugly) and I really think it is the right choice for me.

I am going to my doctor on June 8th to discuss it with her and to get her to submit to the insurance company for approval. So the ball will be rolling soon.

I have been overweight since I was 11 years old. There was a lot of abuse in my childhood, but my mother didn't believe in therapy or help from doctors so I had to find other ways to cope. My weight has fluctuated so much in my life I sometimes forget time frames. I know that I was 210 and a size 14 when I met my husband and stayed that size and weight until I got pregnant with my daughter a year later. After pregnancy I suffered PPD and things went downhill from there. I was able to go on Weight Watchers about a year later and lose 60 lbs. but untreated depression made all of that and more come back.

I have been on meds for my depression/ anxiety for 2 1/2 years now with great success. I am also now in therapy for Binge Eating Disorder.

I lost my mom last year, she was severely obese most of her life and she refused medical intervention of any kind and she died of congestive heart failure due to prolonged obesity.

I want my life to be better than that.

Sarah

Hi Sarah, welcome! Yes this site is really informative, the good, the bad and the ugly...

I too am in my early stages of this journey. I see my surgeon this week for the first visit, can't wait. I've had my Psych eval, my sleep study done although I have to have another one done Friday night at the hospital with a CPAP grrr but rather safe than sorry right? I'm 46, recently divorced, well, almost a year now but most of my adult life I have spent overweight. When I got married I weighed 155, wow, what I wouldn't give to weigh that now!!! I now weigh around 285-287. I went to a Lap Band seminar back in '08 but was not ready for this journey and now, well, now it's time, time for me to get healthy and get my life back. I want to be able to walk normally without getting out of breath, walk up flight of stairs without getting out of breath, I want to feel like exercising, so much more living left to do and I want to experience it. I know with God's enduring love and my family's support I can do this. Good luck to you!

Donna

Great post, really hit home! My Mom and the rest of my family are a big reason I'm doing this too. My mom is a few inches shorter than I am and was up to over 350. Diet shakes and sodas have always flowed freely through our house. I always keep saying I didn't want to follow in her footsteps, but looking back, I was tripping all over them! Morbidly obese, yo-yo dieting, high blood pressure (almost needing meds!), high cholesterol, sleep apnea and the list goes on (and on!) But this, this is where it stops! Time to break the cycle! I am 5 weeks out from my lapband surgery and and have already lost 25 pounds since I started the process mid-February. It has been a LONG time since I have felt this good about myself! And you can do this too! Let us know if you ever have any questions or concerns that we can help you with!

Hi Sarah ,

I'm new here myself. I too have always been a bigger sized person. I had the conference tonight. First step in the long but much need journey to a healthier life.