I've found everyone's stories on here SOO inspiring so I finally joined today so I can share mine and get it off my chest. I've been obese for as long as I can remember. I don't remember ever being able to shop on the same rack as my sisters or as my friends My mom got the lap band surgery last year around May/April and she has lost over 80 pounds (should've been more but she hasn't really been applying herself). About 2 weeks ago when I had my appt with the dietician and my surgeon I weighed in at about 340 and thankfully my insurance approved me on the first go around. Today is my pre-op and surgery is scheduled for the 20th. I just really want some reassurance everything is going to be okay and I'm not the only one like "this". I want to be able to go to a water park or get on EVERY roller coaster ride without worrying about whether or not the belt won't be able to latch and I have to get off or whether or not I would put shame to the word "bathing suit" and I want to go shopping ANYWHERE without looking up for the plus size section. I love my body and the way that I am I mean I date go out and have fun with my friends and I have no health issues, but it's time for a change.

Good luck to you - and welcome! My surgery is 7/10 - I can totally relate to it being time for a change. I have been overweight my whole life. I know there is a wide range of weights on here getting the surgery (I am 221) but I am looking forward to my new thinner life. I know its drastic to have the surgery but I know I haven't been able to keep it off on my own in the past. I need the tool to help. I look forward to hearing about your story - you got this!

Thanks! And I definitely look forward to hearing yours. I'm 19 and around 340 and like I said I have no health or social problems but its time to try something new like being healthy and in control for a change:) wishing you the best of luck!

Congrats on this life changing decision!.. I was 19 when i had my surgery. I was 420 when i went in. I to wanted those exact things

This can be a seriously long journey but its worth it. Im down 150 pounds and still pluggin away.

Motivated, you have your Mother as a mentor to you as well for the lapband. You can work as a team together, you can be eachothers support system. Honestly, combat it now while you are relatively healthy. Believe me, when I started hitting my higher weight, I developed high blood pressure and severe arthritis. I have a total hip replaced and my other one needs to be replaced as well. I use to go out and dance all night and have fun even at 300 pounds. Well, its not fun anymore and believe me weight is very very sneaky. I went from 304 to 367 in all of 5 months.

Best of luck to you hon

You will be sooooooooooooo glad you did it ! My only regret is i didnt know about lapband 10 yrs ago. But i do now and im down 47 lbs in 7 months and the time has just flown by ! Good luck to you !

Thank y'all soo much! I start my 2 week diet tomorrow. So excited!

Its awesome that you are getting this done at 19. I tried to have it done at that age and I was around 400lbs at the time but my insurance wouldn't do it. I am now 24 and just got banded 6 days ago and I am super excited for what I will be able to do in the future things like you want to do such as ride a roller coaster without worrying. And I am also going through this process with my mom, she will be banded next month. Good luck to you!

Thanks Christinaj and good luck to you also

Your story sounds so similar to mine and my daughters that I had to make sure you weren't her I was banded a year and a half ago and gave my daughter the option to start the process so she could be banded when she turned 18. At the time she didn't want to, but after seeing me lose over 100 pounds she decided it was for her. She just finished her 6 month supervised diet and has the psych evaluation left, then time to submit for approval. You sound very motivated and that is so important. I wish you all the luck in the world and hope you have great success!

Muelle: Yeah that is weird considering I was going to get it done when my mom got her's done last year when I was 18 around April/May. PLEASE NO ONE HATE ME FOR WHAT I'M ABOUT TO SAY. I was approved for surgery, cheated through my pre-op and canceled the day before surgery. I was so scared and my sister (who has ALWAYS been small) started bashing me and saying how I was taking the eay way out and our mom is older so she needs it but not me so I didn't go through with it. But now I am doing it for ME! The only people who know about it though are God, ya'll, my parents, my manager, my primary care physician and the team member health nurse at my job. I don't even think I'm telling my bestie who I tell EVERYTHING to. But I know what I need to do and I'm happy about it

I started at 339 lbs.only one LB shy of ur weight.best decision I've made.as of July 1st I was down 43 lbs.started pre op 3/23/12 banded 4/6/12 .Good luck on your journey !

That's amazing! I had my weight wrong. I was at 343 but when they they checked me at my pre IP yesterday I was at 336. I'm so ready to loose this weight

Great ! Your head is in the game !! Goodluck !

Pre-Op was today - Tuesday is the big day! Seems weird to think that by Wednesday I'm gonna have this thing inside of me. Still curious about the scars and the port. Not sure what that's gonna look like afterwards

My mom had it done and it doesn't look too bad. I was thinking about getting tattoos on my for my bandiversary if doc says that's okay