Hi!

Like alot of people on the boards I too have done just about every diet you can think of. I've even considered Gastric Bypass, but chickened out- I'm scared about getting my stomach cut. I started looking into the lapband when my sister scheduled one for herself (she was banded yesterday in Mexico).

I currently weigh 220 and my goal weight is 140. I have a family history of diabetes and I'm prediabetic. I have tried and failed MANY diets in the past and because I am going to be self pay this diet has to work and after reading your stories I:violin: believe that it will. The one fear I have is missing food. I'm a stress eater!

I'm scheduled for a seminar on 04/07/07 with Dr. Spivak in Houston, TX.

Julie

hi julie! don't let your fear of missing food get to you. i just attended a seminar about the band. the speaking MD did acknowledge the fact that many of us may practice bad eating habits occasionally due to stress, boredom, anger, etc. it's these things that helped get many of us in our current situation of being over-weight. we can see the band as one way of helping us handle resorting to food to relieve our problems. the best thing i (we) can do is to try to find other means of handling stress besides stress-eating. don't let this fear stop you on your journey to getting the band and having your health back. i truely understand how you feel. i'm not a stress eater myself, but obviously, i do enjoy eating......which is my problem, so i simply consider the band as one way of helping solve my problem. i wish you luck with your considerations of the band. i enjoyed my seminar and it made me more excited. i hope you receive all the info you'll need and don't forget to ask any questions you may have at the seminar.

good luck again,

sasha

Wow, Julie -- that post could have been written by me!! I'm being banded by Dr. Spivak on Wednesday and have the same type of history as you. I'm also self-pay. I signed up for surgery before I left the seminar. You will love the Dr. and your confidence in your decision will go up 500% after you meet him and hear what he has to say. Then, you visit this board again and again and you know FOR SURE you're doing the right thing.

Good luck to you!!

Although I have not had the surgery yet, it is a major decision. I think in the long run, you will be happy by making the choice to do it, unless you find other means of weight loss, which a lot of people lose weight on their own, but a lot of those same people gain it back too. My neice lost 95 lbs. on Atkins, and has put most of it back on. She was so tiny when she lost it all, and now, she is upset with herself for gaining it back, but I have to keep reminding her that she just had a baby, you will gain some weight. Well, anyway, good luck with your decision, I am sure you will make the right one with lots of education on this board.

Take it easy!