Hi everybody! My name is Michelle, I'm 31 and a proud wife and mommy to 2 beautiful little girls! I am looking forward to the lap-band because I am ready to get this weight off and live my life and be healthy for myself, my kids and husband. I was a healthy weight all of my childhood and I used to roller blade and climb trees just about every day! Then in high school I had dance and Color guard all 4 years of high school so I was very active and healthy. I met my husband my senior year of high school and got an apartment with him after graduation. I gained a little bit of weight, maybe 20 pounds from the time I moved out until we got married 2 years later. After we got married, I got pregnant pretty much right away and I gained 45 with my first pregnancy,I lost about 20 but a year and a half later I got pregnant again! I gained another 40-50 pounds despite watching my diet and walking almost every day from the first month up to my 8th month. After my youngest daughter despite nursing around the clock for the whole first year and a half, exercising and watching what I ate, I was only able to take off about 25 pounds. After I weaned my daughter, I couldn't stop producing milk and my cycles were weird.I was gaining weight very easily despite still eating healthy and exercising. Then I started to develop bad headaches that came with bouts of blurred and double vision so I went to my doctor and explained to him what was going on. He said it sounded like I had a tumor on my pituitary gland in my head! I was scared and didn't want to believe that's what it was. He did a lot of blood work and sent me home. I got a call a few days later and he said my hormone levels were WAY out of whack! I was producing way too much prolactin, cortisol, not enough estrogen, all kinds of stuff! So he had me set up an MRI and I went in and got it done. Sure enough, they found the tumor. Luckily it was small enough that they didn't have to operate but big enough that it was wreaking havoc in my body! So the doctor set me up with an endocrinologist who decided the best way to shrink the tumor would be with medication. Well, this medication shrunk the tumor, but it made me pack on 85 POUNDS in 6 months! I was beside myself, depressed and hated my body. Thank god for my husband, he has stuck by my through all of this and loves me no matter what! But I have tried EVERYTHING tirelessly for the last 4 years to get this weight off and nothing has worked. I LOVE to kick-box but get winded way too fast now. I LOVE walk and now that I have gotten arthritis in my ankle, it is becoming impossible to be on my foot for more then30 minutes at a time. I am very well endowed and have a lot of weight on my chest and found out last year when I hurt my back and went to the ER that when I fall asleep my oxygen dips down, so I probably have sleep apnea. My old doctor knew all of my issues and yet he never did anything to help with my weight. I am in the process of changing doctors and am very adamant about getting the lap band. I'm tired of being trapped in this body, being too tired to run around outside with my daughters for long periods of time and hiding every time I see someone get out their camera at a family event. I want my life back and want to live a long, healthy and happy life! I will be choosing my new PCP as soon as I get the green light from my insurance in a week or so. Please everyone keep me in your thoughts and prayers and keep your fingers crossed for me!

You are definitely in my prayers. I have an anxiety disorder, and because of meds lowering my metabolism, I gained 50pounds in 15 yrs. Being fat has not helped my anxiety so I am about to begin this journey too. I don't have a surgery date but I.d love to be any help to you that I can. You sound strong and driven!!

Hey Banjo! yeah of coarse that wouldnt help your anxiety, I swear most of the medications they have made may help the specific problem but cause so many others that sometimes it isn't even worth it. But in like my case, I had to have it to get rid of the tumor, you need yours for your anxiety, so there is always a catch. Yeah I don't have a surgery date yet either, but I hope to soon. I have been trying to do my research on what PCP's in my area work with bariatric surgeons in my area so when I chose a new PCP here soon part of it will be lined up in my favor. I think I have a good chance of getting it though as my old crummy doctor does have all my weight loss attempts over the years documented and I just need to get the sleep study so I have proof of the sleep apnea . I'm so ready for this surgery like yesterday! I will keep pushing like a steam roller and wont stop until i have my Lap-Band!

Gee, super quiet today, huh?

Could anyone recommend a good vitamin after surgery? I'm reading some people suffer from hair loss after surgery. I've seen the gummy vitamins. Do they have everything in them you need?

From what I have read in my research, after Lap band we need to take calcium, iron and a good multivitamin all which should be chew-able But this is just from what I have read, anyone with experience wanna chime in? We'd love your advice!

Hope we are quickly getting closer to our surgery.I can suggest certain decent protein drinks I've tried. Amplify from gnc stores. Uanjury, chocolate splenda flavor is great. You get that online. Nectar road side lemonde from the vitamin store

Could anyone recommend a good Vitamin after surgery? I'm reading some people suffer from hair loss after surgery. I've seen the gummy Vitamins. Do they have everything in them you need?

My doc wants me to take 2 flintstone chewables daily. Vit D, Vit B12, and calcium. This is all prebanding. I hear that Biotin is for the hair loss but I.ve also heard if you get the required Protein in, the locks should be fine.

Yeah, I know about biotin, I have been taking it since I was like 27 because on my mom's side of the family the women's hair thins out A LOT in our 20's. My sister takes it also and she's younger then me. My Grandmother was pretty much bald by the time she was 60 and started wearing hairpieces. But she also never took biotin like my sister my mom and I. Also if you can find Keratin vitamins, they are usually very pricey, those are great for your hair also.

Thanks for the great tips on vitamins! I am new to this site but love it already! Shooting for Nov 7th for my band date. I have been overweight most of my life. I have tried many different diets but the weight always came back. It's like my body likes it and isn't going to let go of it! I have been in a depressive rut for years, avoiding pictures at family events. I've been researching and thinking about the band for six months, and after my yearly physical showed prediabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure, I said to myself "your done! You cannot maintain this lifestyle any longer if you want to live past the age of 70." I have a strong family history of heart disease as well. I remember the day I made the decision for the lapband; I had this overwhelming feeling of peace inside and newfound confidence which I have lacked for many years. It's a great feeling! I am ready to begin this new lifestyle and changes. I have been reading this forum for awhile now and have learned many things from you all that will help me along the way. One quote I read on here but changed up a bit is one I have adapted as my new mantra and gives me strength daily and will in the future whenever I feel tempted to eat the wrong things and not use my band correctly. "Nothing tastes as good as thinner will feel". And that is 100% true!

And its also my login initials!

Thanks for the great tips on vitamins! I am new to this site but love it already! Shooting for Nov 7th for my band date. I have been overweight most of my life. I have tried many different diets but the weight always came back. It's like my body likes it and isn't going to let go of it! I have been in a depressive rut for years, avoiding pictures at family events. I've been researching and thinking about the band for six months, and after my yearly physical showed prediabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure, I said to myself "your done! You cannot maintain this lifestyle any longer if you want to live past the age of 70." I have a strong family history of heart disease as well. I remember the day I made the decision for the lapband; I had this overwhelming feeling of peace inside and newfound confidence which I have lacked for many years. It's a great feeling! I am ready to begin this new lifestyle and changes. I have been reading this forum for awhile now and have learned many things from you all that will help me along the way. One quote I read on here but changed up a bit is one I have adapted as my new mantra and gives me strength daily and will in the future whenever I feel tempted to eat the wrong things and not use my band correctly. "Nothing tastes as good as thinner will feel". And that is 100% true!

I know what you mean hun! I do not have that many pictures of me with my kids, husband or family from the last 6 years because i have hated the way I looked! I promised myself this year that was gonna change! Life goes by way too fast to sit on the side lines! And what you said about the weight, absolutely! I had a doctors appointment about 5 months ago and prior to the appointment I was walking 2 miles, 5 times a week and did that for 3 months straight before my ankle started acting up again real bad. I lost like 8 and a half pounds and i was ONLY drinking Water and a little milk here and there, NO SODA, and was watching my portions and what I was eating. Then I stopped walking because of my ankle for 3 weeks before my appointment and when they weighed me I was shocked to tears! I hadn't just gained the 8 back but like 4 or 5 more! I cried and said to the doctor and my husband when I got home, "I just don't get it, I think my body is trying to kill me! It's like it WANTS to gain weight and I do not understand why!" The doctor really didn't seem to care as they were not my doctor but some random Joe (my doctor left the practice last year) which is why I'm choosing a new PCP. I found a great surgeon recommended to me by several people that takes my insurance and I am going to call his office when they open here pretty soon and I'm going to try and talk to someone who handles the insurance and see which doctors refer patients to them the most to see which ones are on my insurance so I can choose them as my provider.

I'm lucky, heart disease and diabetes DO NOT run in my family and at last appointment they said I was not pre or regular diabetic and my cholesterol was good so i have those in my favor but if I keep gaining weight, that could change in a heartbeat! I NEED this surgery like yesterday and I am determined to make it happen and then do everything I'm supposed to to loose it. I have given up soda, can give up carbs if I have to, did it for South Beach Diet 2 years ago, only to loose 30 and gain that and 10 more back once I moved onto phase 3, so I think I will succeed once I get it done!

From what I have read in my research' date=' after Lap band we need to take Calcium, Iron and a good Multivitamin all which should be chew-able But this is just from what I have read, anyone with experience wanna chime in? We'd love your advice![/quote']

Thanks for the great info! I am an RN and love to read and learn new stuff. I went to Sams yesterday and got gummy Vitamins, Biotin and viactiv calcium chews.