Hello all! I am waiting to get my approval from my insurance company at this point. But I have done my 3 visits with the nutritionist, doppler on my legs, endoscopy, test for h-pylori and my psych eval. Now I wait. And as I wait, a million thoughts / feelings / emotions are rushing through me. Not fear really... because this isn't the first time I've ever had surgery (I had an abdominal myomectomy to remove 14 fibroids from my uterus in 2009 and then a c-section to deliver my daughter in 2011) - so I don't really have a fear of being "put under" or "cut open".

I'm so excited to start my new life. I guess my fear is that they may deny me and then I'll have to figure out what i'm really doing. For 20 years I've watched this weight just pile on and no matter what I've done - it's determined to stay there. And as I Celebrate my 40th birthday in October - I want to be free of that struggle. But I recognize me and my will power. I need something to force me into place. When I was pregnant with my daughter, I lost so much more weight than I gained because I dodged every and anything they told me was bad for her... because of the consequences to her. I feel like I've heard enough horror stories about what happens when you don't follow the plan after the lap band that it would be enough to hold me true to the system.

My mom died at 65 years old in 2008 because of Metabolic Syndrome. She struggled with her weight all of MY natural life. They've already started using words around me like "pre-diabetic" and "high blood pressure" I cannot. I will not follow that path. I have a 3 year old daughter who needs me to do better and live longer. But i have to stop kidding myself with all these other methods I've been using.

So this is my hello... hopefully in the coming days, I'll report great things about what is on the horizon for me.

Thank you for welcoming me into your community!

litensweet, let me be the first to welcome you to Bariatricpal. This is a wonderful place to come for information, friendship, and support. We all have a story with many commonalities so we understand a lot of your feelings. We are going to think positive thoughts for you and believe that the Insurance company WILL APPROVE your surgery and you will then join us on this difficult but necessary journey. Having that sweet baby girl in your life is the motivation you need to do this and follow through with the plan because it will change your life and ultimately your daughter's life. She will learn healthy eating from you and she won't have to fight the same battles we have fought. Come here often and let us know what is going on. We are here for you.

Good luck and welcome to the neighborhood.

Welcome…wishing you all good things to come.

Keep us posted on how your are doing to get ready and approval.

This is a wonderful place with lots of great people sharing their stories (good, bad and sometimes ugly).

But we all have a story to tell.

Thanks for sharing yours!

Welcome Lite'N'Sweet! You're on pretty much the same path as myself. I just turned 40 in November and have 5 year-old son, my only kiddo! I want to make sure I am here to watch him grow up and I want to be part of that, uncluding being a good role model for health, diet and exercise. I want to stop this obesity cycle that I have received from both sidesof my family. I am wishing for your approval from insurance comes through quickly for you. Keep us updated!

Good luck to you!

Thank you so much 1Day1Life4Now, chasingadream and Weeviegurl! It means a lot to me to be able to chat with like minds on this subject.

The latest update, the Surgeon's office just called and my heart jumped because I thought that they'd have some definitive news for me. Instead they were just letting me know that they requested my latest A1C and TSH test results from my General Doctor. I called my Gen and they confirmed that they faxed it over.

But the coordinator at my Surgeon's office told me "usually it takes 30 days to get a confirmation back from the insurance". At this rate... it feels like I may not get the surgery (if i'm approved) till the end of the year. Ugh. I'm trying not to be impatient. It's worth the wait.... I have to keep telling myself...

Good luck to you. I am just beginning to find my way through this maze of red tape to get to the surgery. Next Tuesday is the seminar after which I get to schedule with the surgeon. I hope all my ducks are in a row and it will happen quickly for me as I must travel again in mid-October for two to three months before returning to the states. I'll keep an eye out for your postings. do hope that you will be able to do for yourself what you were able to do for your daughter when you were pregnant. You won't be able to care for her as much as you like, even though she is just three, until you are able to care for yourself first regardless of her age in life. It is and was a hard lesson for me to learn and from the ripe old age of 66 I sure wish I had done better. My granddaughters are 5, 10 and 10 and it is so difficult for me. My weight cost me my knee joints and if I can't get this last 100 lbs off I won't be able to safely get knee replacement surgery done and will be looking at all the important days in their lives in a wheelchair or on a m scooter. So do it for you now so you can be there for yourself and for them later.

ahhh yes. please be patient. it will come. i had to do 12 months of insurance mandated health 'coaching', then, it took them 6 weeks to approve me. I had my consult jan 6 2013 and didnt get banded until may 8th 2014. it may take some time, but it will def be worth it!

Welcome Lite'N'Sweet! You're on pretty much the same path as myself. I just turned 40 in November and have 5 year-old son, my only kiddo! I want to make sure I am here to watch him grow up and I want to be part of that, uncluding being a good role model for health, diet and exercise. I want to stop this obesity cycle that I have received from both sidesof my family. I am wishing for your approval from insurance comes through quickly for you. Keep us updated!

Good luck to you!

LiteNsweet, I had to do 3 month supervised diet before the insurance company would approve mine but once everything was submitted it only took a week to 10 days. Of course they said to allow them 30 days to review before approval and I think they tell everyone that but unless they are really busy or you are only borderline on the comorbidities it doesn't take them long to do the approval. Hope you will hear something very soon.

For those of you following here - I got my date finally. July 11th. I have a bunch of pre-op stuff to do before I get under way but the wheels are moving.

Trying to stay away from horror stories on the web and weird statistics that say that Lap Band is unsuccessful for 68% of patients - that doesn't seem to make sense. I was going to go on youtube and watch a surgery to understand what they'll be doing and I came across a video of a woman imploring the world NOT to get lapband because she had a terrible experience (something about productive burps and digestive juices eroding her teeth) and then of course there were the multitudes of people co-signing or thanking her for her insight.

Whatever I do, I have to be part of the success stories... I have to give it my all!

Hey Hun! Congrats on your date. I will say this... The journey doesn't begin until after surgery. That's when all the hard work start. As for the statistic of 68% failing or being unsuccessful, I'll say this as well. The band only as successful as you want it to be. Myself and a couple of the other girls at work got banded. Of the three of us I've lost the most weight. My surgery date was February 20, 2014. I started it 275. As of today I'm to 10. 65 pounds five months. I eat small meals. Try to eat healthy and smart. And I also work out five days a week. I've seen one of the other girls eat like the band isn't even there. So you can imagine her weight-loss is a lot less significant. The problem that comes into play is, people think the band is a magic weight-loss procedure, when in fact it's only a tool to help you succeed. It's like having a compass or a protractor. It's absolutely useless if you don't use it correctly. When they say it's a lifestyle change, it is definitely a lifestyle change. If you continue to live your life like you've been living it eating the way you've been eating and not being active then the band is going to be useless for you. But if you seriously made a conscious decision that you want to lose the weight, I'm living proof that it can happen. Help your band help you. I'm excited for you. You just have to stay focused. I won't deny, I have a cheap meal every now and then. But I never have an entire cheat day. And I still work out. I lost my first 30 pounds of diet alone. Then I plateaued. Then I started working out. And my weight-loss has been constant ever since. You can do it. Just keep in mind who you're doing it for. And what you're doing it for. When the first person ask you are you losing weight? Hold on to that feeling that you get when you hear that statement. That may also be your motivation to continue. Find your strength. Whoever or whatever that may be. You'll most definitely need it. And whatever you do, do not give up. Success does not come to you, you go to it.

Thank you so much for those words LyceeB!

I just had a long conversation with one of my old work colleagues who got banded about 7 years ago when we worked together and I promise you she said the exact entire thing you just told me. Her weight loss was great (she went from 240 to 150) but she did warn me about it not being a magic bullet and told me of the different weird things that can happen along the way. But at the end of it all, she did say "and after all that I'd still do it all over again". That gave me hope.

And now your before and afters give me more hope! GO ON girl! I can't wait to wear dresses that don't have to disguise my tummy and arms.

My only wish is that I'd done it sooner! About 5 years ago I inquired but I didn't have insurance and I couldn't come on with the cash so that idea went out the window. But now I feel like the band was probably in the top 3 best decisions I've ever made. I still have more weight to go. I next goal is 199. I haven't been below 200 since 6th grade. Then the goal after that is 175. So it's always an ongoing process. Just don't expect to lose it overnight with no effort and make sure your goals are attainable and measurable in a decent amount of time so you don't get discouraged. Other than that, it'll be great! Just remember to have fun. Stay active. And be happy. And whatever you do, DO NOT weigh yourself everyday lol. Once a week is enough. You got this. I never in life imagined myself in a before and after picture yet here I am... And I have no doubt you'll love yourself even more in that after picture! (: