Hey Everybody, I"m really getting in to this Ohio Forum. I was thinking it may be a great idea to ask brand new folks to give an introduction of themselves here so that later if we are reading posts from people and we can't remember what's up, we can refer back to here. I'll start and I look forward to hearing about all of you.

Well, first I waned to share more about myself. I am 36 years old, single (well divorced many years ago) and most times, rather isolated. I've let my weight over the many years be the reason I don't get out and do much. I need to lose a hundred pounds to be where I'm comfortable.

I'm living in Columbus, Ohio but this is not my dream to stay here. I'm pursuing a licensure in community counseling (this will officially allow me to a therapist) and I hope to specialize in eating disorders. I also hope to specialize in disordered eating behaviors. By this, I mean that many folks out there may not necessarily meet the criteria for a full-fledged eating dirsorder and I think the disordered eating behaviors they do warrant attention and understanding.

I have a history of an eating disorder, sometimes ranging from bulimia to anorexia to binge eating and simply disorder eating behaviors/thoughts. Fortunately I have done a significant amount of work with food additions and I do believe that the thoughts don't necessarily go away; rather we get stronger to fight against them. Personally, I use food when I am at home watching tv, when I can't sleep, when I've got something yummy in the house (in those circumstances I can't seem to let myself just have one piece). I think the band will help all these issues,

I have two cats, Snickers and Triskett, and they are my children. One of the reasons I chose the band was so that in a year or two I may be able to have a child of my own. I hope, as the weight comes of, that I will be able to increase my social situations because I'm very easy to talk to and have a genuine sense of concern about people.

I am being banded on 1/10/07 with Dr. Schumacher. I go for pre-admission testing the big 3-hour class where I'll get my post-op meal plan. Fortunately, I don't have to be on a pre-op plan.

WHO's NEXT?

The Fox--welcome. you will find lots of info here.

you have a tough decision. you are so very young and you have such a small amount of weight to lose.

but if you dont nip it in the bud, it will only get worse--believe me.

i am taller than you and at your age weighed less than you do, but 33 years later i topped out at 300 pounds.

I am 32 and from Circleville area. I have been overweight my whole life

and have tried everything. I either don't lose at all or i will lose and then gain it back and then some. I have been thinking about having the lap band done for a while now and finally made the decision to do it. I attended a seminar and met with the surgeon on the 27th of this month. I have begun a pre-op diet and have begun the process of getting the testing done required by my insurance company. I am hoping that this will be approved and I will be banded very soon. I have BC/BS PPO and I have heard alot of good things about this company. I know this is going to be life changing and I am ready for that.

Hello. I'm JudyH and I also live in Columbus, OH. I was banded June 5 at Ohio State University by Dr. Dean Mikami and had my first fill in August. So far I've lost 17 lbs and I'm very happy with that. I'd rather lose it slower with the band than unusually fast and dangerous with the gastric.

I retired from the State of Ohio 4 years ago after 30 "wonderful and funfilled" years!!! As I was getting ready to retire, I went into Respiratory Failure due to obesity. Ended up getting trached to save my life and I still have the trach. I also ended up in a nursing home/subacute rehab center to get weaned off a ventilator that I was put on to let my lungs heal when I was rushed to the hospital.

The main reason for me getting banded besides loosing weight was to get rid of the trach. According to my Pulmonary Doctor, once I lose enough weight, he'll remove the trach. So that's an added incentive.

For my insurance to pay for 80% of the surgery, I had to take 6 months of "Living Well" classes at Ohio State. So I happily took them. Then I had to take an intense nutrition class which I found very interesting.

So now I'm retired and would like to travel but can't because I have to much medical equipment to lug along. I'm so happy I found this website because all the support group meetings at Ohio State are geared towards the Gastric Bypass patient and not the Lap-bander.

JudyH

Hi

I live in Galion, ohio just norh of Columbus, I was banded at OSU on June 21st By Dr Needleman. I was a self pay $22,0000 but is was well worth it. I have lost 30lb since I started and you are correct OSU seems to be greared more towards the Gastric Bypass pt and not us banders.

I am so happy for my band and I am glad to find someone else that has been banded to .

Nice to meet you. Is Dr. Needleman nice cause Dr. Mikami is very nice.

Hello,

Waiting to be banded by Dr. Curry at the Clifton Surgical Cntr in Cinti.

I live in Harrison, Ohio and would like to find others who live nearby to hear of your experiences. I am waiting for my insurance to get straightened out so that I can reschedule my surgery. Was ready to be banded, everything was ago July 7th, and my husband decided the night before my surgery that he wasn't feeling comfortable with it. Now I'm doing things differently by including him by both of us attending seminars and dr appointments. He seems calmer now and more open to it( although I thought he was ok with it until the night before surgery.)

Please reply for much needed support.

Hello,

As I said, I was banded June 5 by Dr. Mikami from Ohio State. I'm single but I included all my family members and friends in my decision. My mother wasn't to keen on the idea at first but when she saw how determined I was to get it, she stopped fighting with me about it. Both my brothers were very excited for me and never complained at all. Include your husband and family and everyone will be comfortable with it. I hope that helped.

Judy H

Hello to everyone in Ohio! I am 52 years old and live in Northern Ohio and plan to have my surgery by Dr Ben-Meir at St Vincent Hospital in Cleveland. I have finished all the testing and the insurance required 6 month weightloss program. I was denied by my ins company last week, but it was due to not all of my information being submitted - so my Primary Care Dr and Case Specialist are working it out. I HOPE to get an acceptance letter by the end of the month.....

I have been overweight since about the age of 9, and can remember going on a hard boild egg diet at age 10, and have been yo-yo-ing since. I have lost 90lbs on Weight Watchers, and 100lbs on UltraFast - a Dr supervised liquid diet. (I also lost my gallbladder,and some hair on that one!) I regained all the weight and more each time. 2years ago I lost 60lbs on Atkins, but once again regained it. I have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, hypothyroidism, sleep apnea, and the general fatigue of dragging all this weight around.

I have been married for 29 years, and my husband is very supportive about me having the surgery. We have a daughter, 27, and 4 inside cats. Seeing my weight at my last physical,(280) the mounting health problems, and realizing I hardly ever went anywhere, besides work, because I lived in fear of seeing someone I knew, is what made me look into the surgery. I looked up everything I could online, then saw the advertisement for a seminar near where I worked. That was at the first of this year. So here I am now, waiting for 'the powers that be' to give me the ok.

That's it for me.......who's going to introduce themselves next from Ohio?!?

Forestcat5

Hello,

I'm JudyH from Columbus, OH. I received my band on June 5 at Ohio State. For my insurance co to pay 80% of the surgery, I had to take 6 months of "Living Well" classes at Ohio State. I took them happily!!! I then had to take an intense nutrition class for a month which I found interesting. Good luck on your journey.

I posted months ago on here. Thought I'd post again :confused: as I'm going to my first OSU support meeting this month.

I've been banded since March and just never had the time to go.

Dr. Mikami is my doc. I love him! I got my first fill in the middle of August and have something like 1.75cc in my 4cc band.

Getting the band has dramatically changed my life. I eat well and exercise often. I've taken up long distance biking too.

Hope all of you are well!

Juli

Hello! I'm another Judy. I'm 57 (for a few more weeks) and I'll be having my surgery on the 16th of October. So far I haven't told anyone and I'd love to just do it without anyone knowing, but I live in Mansfield and I'm going to Riverside in Columbus. My surgeon won't let me drive home.. (I know he's right), so I have to figure something out.

Anyway, I'm very excited and I know at my age especially there are very few other chances for me to change my life so dramatically. I'll be quite proud of myself when this is over.

Anyone else from the Central/North Central Ohio area?

Hi, I'm Sherree. I've just decided to have lap band surgery and am waiting on the insurance process with Dr. Curry. I've been heavy all of my life and have lots of co-morbidities. Like everyone else, I just want a life! I have one daughter, Megan, who's going to be 12 next month and have been married for 17 years. I'm an IT professional and work at an insurance company in downtown Cincinnati. We're members of the ME Lyons YMCA and I noticed that a few others are, too.

I'm nervous about the surgery ... worried that I really need this to work ... worried about lots of things but much more nervous about what will happen if I don't have the surgery.

This forum has really helped me with starting this process and knowing what all to ask so thanks for all of your help and I'm really glad you're all here ... feels good to know I'm not alone.

Hello! I'm another Judy. I'm 57 (for a few more weeks) and I'll be having my surgery on the 16th of October. So far I haven't told anyone and I'd love to just do it without anyone knowing, but I live in Mansfield and I'm going to Riverside in Columbus. My surgeon won't let me drive home.. (I know he's right), so I have to figure something out.

Anyway, I'm very excited and I know at my age especially there are very few other chances for me to change my life so dramatically. I'll be quite proud of myself when this is over.

Anyone else from the Central/North Central Ohio area?

Hi Judy I see you found your way. Welcome...

Hi Sbee - I did find my way here! Thanks for the invitation! Do you know yet when you will be banded? What part of Ohio are you from?

I'm from Shaker Heights, a suburb of Cleveland and I'm going to be banded tomorrow. (seems so unreal) Stay positive and be sure to join the October bandsters a.k.a the TENacious Tens.

Talk to you soon