Hello, everyone! I am so excited to be a part of this forum. I will be getting the lapband on Friday morning, and I can't tell you how excited and nervous I am. Right now, the excitement definitely outweighs the nerves, but that might change as we get through the next few days.

A little about me: I've been overweight my entire life (I'm 23), but my weight recently skyrocketed out of control because of a number of factors, and I knew it was time to make a change or die young. My sister died at 34 (when I was 19) and my mother died at 26 (when I was 6), so I refused to put my grandparents (who adopted me when I was 2) through that kind of loss again. So, here I am, three days out from surgery!

Anything you guys can tell me? Any pointers? Tips? Good vibes? I'll take it all!

When your nerves kick in...and mine did right up until I fell asleep in the operating room...take a deep breath and remember all the reasons for doing this. Remember what you will be gaining, don't dwell on what you may be giving up.

As you recover in the days after the procedure, do not stress over the scales...listen to your body and your doctor and take time to heal.

Follow your doctor's plan as best as you can...he has a plan for a reason. Ask him questions. We will all be here to offer encouragement along the way.

And most importantly, take a moment to thank yourself for taking this step. It's going to be an amazing journey. Good luck to you! Let us know how you are doing!

Good luck. You will be fine

Very exciting! I'm so happy for you to be choosing yourself and your healthy future. I am just about four and a half months out and really thrilled with this decision. My advice is to be gentle with yourself, take all the time you need -- and to walk like crazy. Start now and then when you wake up from surgery be that walker. This helped me shed the anesthesia and kick my body into healing mode. I liked having my Popsicles and warm tea post-surgery. Good luck to you and best wishes for a speedy recovery!

Good luck! I'm 12 days post-op and feel great! It gets better each day.

I can totally relate with what you are feeling because my surgery is coming up and nerves have staretd to overcome me. I have kept this information within a small group of close family and friends, and some of my very conservative family members think this is taboo. They are trying to talk me out of the decision, and they compare what I'm doing to what "Aunt/Uncle/Cousin" did 20 years ago. I tell them that things have changed and that this is a safe procedure. I can't help but feel worried. The worst part is reading the paperwork you have to sign before surgery (that includes all of the risk factors).

I agree with what everyone else has said. You will be fine, and keep in mind what your end result is. You can do this!!!

Oh, you mean, "I understand I may DIE" about fifteen times in all the forms? Yeah, that can make you shiver a bit. I had to sign all those at my last doctor's visit before surgery. Good luck! (I didn't die, which made my nervous mom very happy.)

UGH! That's what I'm dealing with: the 12349087123049781234 documents that say "I may die" and then the anxious, nervous, fearful mother who tells me daily "DO NOT DO THIS!"

Oh, you mean, "I understand I may DIE" about fifteen times in all the forms? Yeah, that can make you shiver a bit. I had to sign all those at my last doctor's visit before surgery. Good luck! (I didn't die, which made my nervous mom very happy.)

Hey Ginger Girl, congratulations on your surgery this morning! I hope you're doing well and have an easy weekend ahead of you. Best wishes!

For the upcoming Banders, I had never been an overnight patient in a hospital before and for me it was so much better than I thought it would be. Every one there made it as smooth and pleasant as possible and because I had chosen the surgery and it was for something so positive (my healthy future!) I didn't mind the discomfort, etc. But yes signing those forms is a little eyebrow raising!