Hi....My name is Cindy I am from Louisiana i am 36 years old...married with 4 children oldest being 20 and youngest 1 year. I am at my wits end with weight i am to the point where I dont even want the day to start because i dont have anything to where....i have never been at this point before...this is the most i have every weighed in my life....it is taking a toll on me....i am 5'8 and weigh in at 290....i am scared to death to have surgery....can anybody offer me some information on lapband and there progress....thank you very much

Hey Cindy,

I can try to offer you some advice about my own situation....I have been overweight all my life and have always been on one diet or another (I'm 5'5 242lbs). One day I came across a lapband site when looking for weight loss websites. I read about it and thought....woooohhh...I could NEVER do that! liquids for 2 to 4 weeks....thats crazy, surgery?! never!!! The worst I have ever had was I had my wisdom teeth pulled out! And then I found this forum. I got myself informed about the surgery and its benefits and drawbacks. I decided that the positive FAR outweighs the negative and I couldn't be happier about my decision... I'm currently in the process of getting banded (sorting out options and what not) but I'm very excited about it and I can't wait to join "bandland".

Every one is different and every one has to decide whats best for them, but I would recommend sticking around this forum and reading up on things to help you decide....also speak to your doctor about it see what he/she thinks. Good luck in your decision!

THANKS FOR YOUR ADVICE K@T.....WHEN IS YOUR SURGERY DATE?

Unfortunately I don't have one yet....I'm still trying to decide which doctor I'm going to get it with. I live in Portugal and I have a unique situation, but I have a consultation on Wednesday this week so hopefully I will know more soon. The portuguese state will actually pay for the surgery but the waiting list is over a year long, so I'm checking into having it done privately.

Hi,

I was about the same size you are, but only 5'6". I have lost my weight amazingly fast for a bandster from what I can tell, you have to remember that everyone is unique.

My hubby got banded 5 months after I did and we are both very pleased with our decision. He actually lost weight before he was banded from just living with me and the changes I had to make as a bandster.

I would do it again in a heart beat. I went through the surgery because I didn't want my then 10 month old to be without both her parents due to morbid obesity at a young age.

Best of luck to ya!

Cindycam, I was banded 3/28/06 and have lost maybe 11-13 pounds so far---piddly compared with some, but I'm trying not to get discouraged. Everyone is different and my BMI was in the low end at 30; I've read and been told that the lower BMI folks lose at a slower rate than the higher BMI folks. I don't know how accurate this is but it seems to be my case. As for your insurance question about Aetna, I have no idea. I was a self-pay due to my lower BMI and opted for Dr. Rodriguez in Monterrey, Mexico. My surgery experience was wonderful with no medical difficulties or complaints at all. Good luck with the insurance!

Cindycam, keeping reading and researching. There are drawbacks to every type of WLS. I suppose, when you reach the point of being mentally ready, then you will know. At least I did. This is a great place to start for information.

Shawn

hi Cindy,

I researched WLS for 1 year before making my decision to have Lap Band. Iturned 40 and was 244. and because im only 5'2 it was getting hard for me to do every day things. I did the research and felt Lap Band was for me. Was I scared...sure but I found the best doctor in my city and went through extensive pre op testing to make sure I was healthy enough for this surgery. Sure there are still risks but my weight was killing me. I took the Lap Band plunge on Feb 28 and so far so good....27 lbs down and not at all hungry. Its amazing. My insurance paid for it all so I was pretty lucky. This is a great place to start its where I read posts every day for months before I decided to have it.

I put a video up last night of me getting my band filled on my website. It is part of the post-op process and it there for informational purposes.

http://www.vtmag.com/lapband.aspx Look for the link.

Wade

Hi Cindy,

I was banded one year ago today. I weighed 287 on my first consultation, I am 5'3", BMI of 50 (holy cats!). Surgery is a scary place for anybody so make sure this is what you want to do. As of today I weigh 210 pounds. I am down from a 3x to size 18. I still have 60+ pounds to lose but ya know what, I can do it!!! I feel so much better than I have ever before. This is a great resource to get the good, the bad and the ugly. Profiles are also a great thing to read, some people really log their progress from start to finish, its great to read how they feel. Good luck to you!

Welcome to the board, you have come to the right place not only for information but for support as well. It certainly sounds as though you are seriously ready to make a major change in your lifestyle, even if you do not opt to go with surgery.

The band is a tool which assists with weight loss, it is not a majic bullet or miracle cure. You still have to do all of the work, it's just easier for most of us with the band. Having the band can help you with portion control.

Use the search link above to research whatever you have questions about, like which insurance companies are approving, what they require, and even what to expect from the surgery and afterwards. There is an untold wealth of information on this site and it's sometimes contradictory in that everyone is different and we all respond different. Some folks have a higher pain threshold, some have more of a commitment and others are more motivated. There are a zillion different variables that will affect your decision, which is highly personal and only you can make it.

I wish you the very best of luck in your research and please know, that you do not have to be banded to find support here. This is a group of very giving, informative and supportive people from all walks of life who are more than willing to help in any way we can.

Take care, hope to see you around with all of your questions.

Cindy

To consider WLS is not an easy decision. For me, I knew from the start that I did not want any of the bypass surgeries and didn't even think about them. When I heard about lap band, it was kind of like a lightbulb went off inside my head. I thought, this was something I could live with, something I could do. So, I researched it for nearly a year before I even called a doctor. I wanted to make ABSOLUTELY certain that I was making the right choice for me. I was 34 yrs old, I weighed 285lbs at my highest, I had joint problems including an artificial hip and I couldn't do much with my 2 children other than stand/sit and watch. At 5'8", my starting BMI was 43 and I got approved without any trouble. I can honestly say I would do it again in a heartbeat. The band has allowed me to gain control over my life again. I can still enjoy food, but much smaller portions and without losing control over it. I currently weigh 210. I'm very happy with that right now, but I'd like to lose about 40 or so lbs more. But if that takes me a while, I'm O.K. with that, too. All of this in 1 year..........I feel like a new woman.

For us to be able to give you all the information you will need would be impossible, but I can direct you where to find a lot of information. Inamed. They're the manufacture of the lap bands used in the United States and they have lots of information posted about the band, the surgery and the post-op lifestyle (which is something you absolutely need to know before making a decision). So, here's the link to the Inamed patient information booklet. http://www.allerganandinamed.com/pdf/health/94829F_LB_Patient_Book.pdf

Good Luck with your decision

Cindy, we are kinda alike! I'm from Louisiana too (Lake Charles) and am having the surgery on April 29th in Mexico. I am 5'6" and 268, my knees and ankles are horrible at this point, I can't hardly bend down. Not to even mention the back pain and other aches and pains from toting all this weight around. It has taken me a long time to get to this point, but I feel I'm takign a pro-active approach to my life...Good luck! send me a message if you'd like or email me!

Cindy, I had read some information about the lapband several months ago but had put it all aside because I felt I was just too busy for it all. One day in early Febuary I woke up thinking of the website and how I was just tired of feeling tired. Before I started my day that morning I realized my health and family are just too important for me to continue like this. I feel great about my decision. My family has been extremely supportive and although I am new to LBT, I have found answers to all my questions here. Life is good all around. I know you will know when you are ready. I believe we all have that "enough is enough" point. Be well.