Hello everyone,

You know I've been using computers for half my life, but yet, this is the first time I've ever decided to join a chat forum.

I'm currently living in the St. Louis area and decided last year that I would take control of my weight. Its always been an issue for me, but over the past two years things had definitely taken a turn for the worse, both physically and mentally. I could no longer walk without pain, no longer smile and woke up every day asking myself if this would be the day I'd have a heart attack (heart disease and diabetes runs in my family). So at 322 lbs I decided to take action and since gastric bypass was personally not an option for me, I decided to look into the LapBand procedure and what I can say, except that I'm very happy with my results. I had surgery in August 2006 and as of today (4-17-07) I'm down 128 lbs! I've never been happier. I do have my ups and downs and am still trying to "work out" the "kinks" mentally, but physically I've never felt better!

The doctor I decided to go with was Dr. Darin Minkin at Des Peres Hospital in St. Louis, MO. Wonderful man, wonderful team. I would recommend Dr. Minkin to anyone, at anytime.

Couldn't be happier, well unless I won Powerball!

Welcome to LBT - hope to see you more often. It's so wonderful to hear stories like yours - it helps us that struggle a bit more so thank you!

Congratulations and thanks for sharing.

You are doing wonderful. Keep up the good work.

Hi, welcome!!

Your story sounds very familiar to mine. I finally got up enough courage to call the Dr. and now I am scheduled for surgery May 18th...I am sooo afraid that I will chicken out?? I too wonder "will this be the day that my heart can't take it anymore". I find myself not as happy and outgoing as I was just a few months ago. My weight has taken me to the point where I MUST do something and every diet I have done has worked, I just could'nt keep the weight off and every time I would regain what I lost PLUS. My fear is that I won't be able to follow the band rules and god forbid fail again!

Thanks for your story it is insipring! I hope to hear more from you, keep up the good work!

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