Hi my name is Diane 38yrs.old married w/5boys and living in Massachusetts. I have been reading so much about the lap band particularly have learned alot on this site. I have not been banded yet but,looking so forward to it. I have been very worried about my health at this point as it seems to not be doing so well due to my weight. Ive reached an all time high for me 300 pds. and it seems that my metabolism has slowed as I have aged. The battle to loose is even harder at this point. I just want to feel healthy again.

I have already met w/my surgeon and she is great. I am going tommorow to have all the necessary tests done and referrals when that is finished which seems like it will all be done w/in the next two weeks she says they will book the surgery. My only once concern after all this is the insurance denying me but,I am trying to be hopeful. I have MassHealth,which is like Medicaid and the surgeon has had no exp w/them so she is not sure they will ok it,but i hope so we shall see.

One thing I would like to ask how hard was it to change your style of eating especially the chewing part. and does this mean in the future that a person can never have certain foods such as Ice Cream an occasional sweet?

Look forward to talking to you all. Take Care for now..:)

Welcome, Diane, best of luck with your insurance approval! What do you mean about "changing your syle of eating in regards to chewing?" You do need to learn to eat slowly, enjoy your meal, and chew very, very well so you won't have any problem with food getting stuck in your esophagus. Really, we're just relearning how to eat properly-- to eat slowly and enjoy the flavor of each bite. You certainly can have sweets, like ice cream. But if you eat your proteins (meats, fish) first, vegetables first, you should be full and will not want to eat a lot of sweets. Again, Best of luck to you!

Welcome Dianne!! I wish you smooth sailing with your insurance carrier.

Actually - you just learn to eat slower, chew well and pay attention to what you are putting in your mouth. Proteins first, then veggies, if you still have room anything else.

You can definitely eat sweets although, this will definitely slow your weight loss down. Surprisingly enough, you'll find that you eat far less of these things as the band actually does affect your hunger. This is more about YOU and changing the 'why' you eat. It is for life. In my case; I found it to be a great relief to me that I no longer go to bed at night feeling stuffed and miserable. I think that's the best side effect of the band that I have, besides the obvious - weight loss.

Stick around, ask questions, we're all in various stages of banding or preparing to be banded so surely there is someone who can help you with any anxieties.

Hi Diane,

Welcome, and best of luck with your insurance carrier. Our fingers are crossed!!

Changing your style of eating is a challenge, but don't forget you have an ever-present source of positive reinforcement to help you do it. With proper restriction, you'll quickly discover that you simply MUST chew well and eat slowly or you'll never get anything to eat. So it's not something you'll have to be trying constantly to "remember" to do all by yourself. Your band will help you.

As far as sweets go, you could ask the exact same question of any weight-loss plan. Can you eat them? Of course. Are they a smart part of your daily meal plan? Probably not, if you want to maximize your weight loss. But this will be entirely up to you. In any event, when your band is properly adjusted you won't physically be able to eat them in the same quantity you currently can.

I'm in awe of you with 5 boys. Wow!! The increased energy you'll get with weight loss is something I know you can use!! :D

Hi Diane! Welcome! I am in that waiting stage, too, so I know just how you feel. Good luck with your insurance approval!

Welcome Diane,

I don't know how tall you are, but I started out at 301 and I am 5'2". So you can imagine how lovely I looked. But my health was my main issue and it has improved 100%. I hope your insurance approves, if they dont, they will have to pay more in medical expenses, so maybe they will. I can eat anything but bread. So as far as not being able to eat , you can. Or I should say, most can. The amount is definately smaller. And I will say that I hear a lot of people grieve over the loss of the food. Me included. I look at the plate and get a little mad cause I can't eat it. But then it subsides and I realize I don't want it. Keep us posted. I know it must be hard to read about out success and want it so bad and not know if it is attainable or not. Please be persisent. I was told that they say no hoping you will give up. But I have know cases where they finally said yes after the 4 try.

Hi thankyou everyone for responding back. Wow and that was quick thats a plus. When I mentioned a style of eating and chewing etc.. I guess I just mean I've always been a fast eater just a little concerned about how easy it will come for me to get used to eating slower eh,but there are harder things in life so I'm sure I can do it.

I went to the doctor today to do all my pre-op testing and well the nurse practioner there was very nice but, also seemed to be trying her best to talk me out of doing this. I'm 5'5 296pds.as I was weighed today. Well some of the things she said to me blew me away bu I have my mind made up and am going forward. She says for my weight,being a smoker and all that if they had to incubate me on the operating table they will not be able too as they wil not be able to get the tube in casue of my weight etc. Also she said gee you know you can only eat 1 tbs of food,i contradicted her by saying not forever and she agreed. She also went on to say how hard I am going to have it recuperating and that I will be in alot of pain. Its the way she said it you would have to be there but she was definatley trying to turn me off to it. Saying I wasn't overweight enough either. Ok so now yah she does have me a little concerend w/the anesthesia saying I am high risk for dying and then pointing out a few death cases we have had w/bariatric here in Massachusetts. Could you all give me your opinon or what your doctors might have said in reference to anestheisa. Thankyou for your help. TC,Hugs,Diane:)

Sounds like she had you confused with a gastric bypass??? Anyway, there have been many large BMI Lapband patients.

As with any surgery, of course not smoking at least for a duration is better to prepare your lungs for surgery and recuperation. This is a given and most smokers know it. I used to be one. I can promise you it will be easier than having to hack up all that stuff afterwards. However, I'm sure you wouldn't be the first who didn't heed that warning. lol.

If this is something you think you want. Don't let anyone talk you out of it. Keep researching and asking questions.

Smoking probably won't help your lung situation. I don't smoke, but have asthma. I was on oxygen after surgery. The stronger your lungs are, the easier it is to get the "gunk" up. Would you possibly consider giving up smoking before your surgery and banding? Did this nurse/practioner give you a realistic alternative to the band surgery --- for losing weight? Doesn't she think excessive weight is a health hazard all by itself?

Thnks for your response. I know what you are saying. I'm going to try and quit or do the best that I can possibly do to stop. I am seeing the doctor next week to try and seek help w/that. I know what you are saying as far as does she realize the risks w/being overweight. Which I stressed to her my concern for because I am just starting to have problems but,thank god nothing serious. All in all I felt she was trying to turn me off to it and trying to encourage me to give dieting a go again. In which I responded by saying I have tried diet after diet and now at this point to no aval. I loose but end up putting it back on double. LOL oh well I am still going for this becasue I talk to others plus you folks on here and I want what you all have to be happy and healhty. Right now I always feel run down and just dont feel good alot of the times and I contribute it to my weight. I think someday she will get someone who will need surgery really bad and she will scare them out of it,its a shame. TC,hugs,Diane

Diane, just research, research, research. The experienced bandsters here can answer so many of your ?? Check out the surgeon you're considering. Have your followup care in order before your surgery. If you're using an insurance, make sure you're getting proper preapprovals, referrals, etc. (or whatever their particular rules are) so the tests, surgery, etc. are covered expenses.

I remember asking my surgeon if I was too old to get the band. It seemed like most of the patients in the waiting room were a lot younger. I didn't have the insurance o.k. before now. Self-pay wasn't a financial reality. Realistically, I don't know if I was really mentally ready to make a major life change at an earlier age.

My 20 yr. old son and his girlfriend went bike riding w/us the other night. He was shocked at how good I did. I'm beginning to think the next "50" might even be better than the first!

Best of luck to you!

:huytsao WOW! :huytsao

I cannot believe someone who is supposed to be helping and supporting you in your decision is trying to make you change your mind! And by her saying "give dieting a go again" that is just crazy! We've all been there time and time again and know how that story ends! Okay i'm done venting....sorry!

I just want to give you some support for you decision and maybe a bit of advice as well. It may be beneficial for you to get a better dr./nurse (if possible) who is going to support you through the long journey. Getting banded is just the beginning!

I wish you lots of luck and hope you find a better support network within the hospital.

Yup Marie, I am definatley doing my homework have been for the past few mnths and most of what I have learned has been from you folks on here. Making sure I get all my referrals also. That is so wonderful that you are out riding a bike and enjoying life. That is what I am hoping for someday. Thankyou for your support. I'm sure it is like a whole new life. Congrats...

Kiley, Oh yah thats ok you can vent. Thats why I had to come here today to vent on this one myself. I was really taken back by the way she was talking to me. I guess I didn't expect to put her opinion out there like that. I just switched primary care docs and this doc he is good I like him. It's just he recently hired this Nurse Practioner and well she is nice but yet I feel a little to opinionated. Thanks for your support. Other then that I feel I'm in good hands. LOL I will just slip earplugs in when she enters the room.

Oh by the way I picked the lil dancing guy to represent me Lol when I finally get banded. That will be me dancing to that oldie song "I feel good,I knew that I would" LOL:cool: :guess

I love your little icon! I hope the "Grim Reaper" can start keeping her opinions to herself. Has she actually worked in surgery, as an anethesiologist? Where is she getting all of her info.? There have been people banded at over 600 lbs. If you're using an experienced band dr., he/she has had to have worked with patients much bigger than you. Are you able to walk? If you can, please start walking as much as you can. This will help w/ your lung capacity and probably take a few pounds off before surgery. Best of luck!