I am close to Joplin. My appt is the 21st hoping my ins. will cover it. Also nervous I'm reading on here lots of struggles and wondering if I should do gastric idk... Just worried about doing something drastic and failing again ( like I have on so many diet programs...

i dont live anywhere close to your state but as far as" the struggles and failing again", well being overweight is a struggle too. And who hasnt "failed" on diets ?? If diets worked for everyone they would of never invented LapBand. Look upon the band as gift that does take some work, but what doesnt ? Weight loss isnt easy, but my dr said if i stuck with the rules 95 % of the time , i would do fine. (making good food choices, small bites, chew well and exercise 3-4 x a week )" Thats it ? Thats all i have to do and i'll really loose weight ? Seriously ? " Well , guess what ? I was banded last December and im down from 225 to 181 as of today ! (Me in a size 14 skinny jean ? Unbelievable !) I look and feel 100 % , i(Only 50 lbs to go !), my pants that fit fine a month ago were too big yesterday, ( whiny voice here......Shopping againnnnnnnn ??????????) i have lots more energy etc......, Oh honey , it is sooooo worth ! Get banded !!!

I'm in Missouri..actually not far from you since I am in Buffalo, just north of Springfield. I haven't been banded yet, waiting for insurance finalization. I am rarin to go. I wanted this done yesterday. I am finally determined to do something for myself so that I can feel better, have more energy, go into a store and not worry if they have my size or if I am forever doomed to shop online in fat girl stores. I want to ride rides at the carnival and take my kids creeking like I used to do when I was a kid. That is why I am doing this.

I don't want someone re-routing the intestines that God put where he put them. I don't want someone to create a "new" stomach for me, mine is fine thanks I just have to retrain it how to eat right. I want a tool to help me fix this monster that I created, not someone to fix it for me and leave it up to me and my co-dependent relationship with food. I want someone to teach me how to fish, not give fish to me..

That being said at the end of the day however you come to weight loss is extremely personal. My journey is not your journey and vice versa. I wish you all the luck in whatever you decide to do. Just do it for the right reasons and you will be good to go!