HI, I AM THINKING ABOUT GETTING BANDED AND I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS. ANY ONE IN NORTH ALABAMA HAD THIS DONE AND WHO DID YOU USE? HOW LONG DID IT TAKE TO GET APPROVED AND BANDED? DO YOU HAVE ANY REGRETS? I KNOW I NEED HELP. I HAVE BEEN OVER WEIGHT MOST OF MY LIFE. I AM 5'5 AND JUST HIT 318. I HAVE GAINED 23 POUNDS SINCE THANKSGIVING WHEN I HAD A HISTORECTOMY AND QUITE SMOKING. PLEASE GIVE ME SOME WORDS OF WISDOM. I AM TRULY AT MY WITS END AND DEPRESSED.:think

Hi - I don't have any words of wisdom as I am also just thinking about getting it done - but I wanted to say that you are not alone in the depressed about how big you are department. Hopefully we will be on parallel journeys down the scale and into more enjoyment from life!

It is great to hear from you. I am not happy you are in my situation but it is nice to have someone who knows what i am going thru. I hope we can be friend through this journey.

Absolutely! It certainly helps to have people who are going through it with you - they can motivate you to exercise when you don't want to.... that type of thing! Have you picked your doctor yet?

Are you in Huntsville? Here's the BIG question for you: Alabama or Auburn?

heh.

<p>I am also thinking about banding. What a great forum for support and info! It really does feel good to know I'm not alone</p>

HI, I AM THINKING ABOUT GETTING BANDED AND I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS. ANY ONE IN NORTH ALABAMA HAD THIS DONE AND WHO DID YOU USE?

I live in Oklahoma, so can't help you there

HOW LONG DID IT TAKE TO GET APPROVED AND BANDED? DO YOU HAVE ANY REGRETS?

I found out about the band In October, I was considering Gastric Bypass until I found out about the band, I attended my 1st seminar on 11/10/06, had my first doctor appointment on 11/22/06 and they submitted my paperwork to United Health Care and I was approved on 12/07/06. I picked January 18, 2007 for my surgery date because I could use money I was going to have in my flexible medical spending account.

Regrets - well, let me tell you, once you get approved you go thru the "freaking" out stage, what am I doing etc? And once you have the surgery, you go thru the "what have I done to myself" stage and a little "buyers remorse", but you soon get over that - or at least most people do. I am 3 mos out and love it, I would do it again in a heartbeat.

I KNOW I NEED HELP. I HAVE BEEN OVER WEIGHT MOST OF MY LIFE. I AM 5'5 AND JUST HIT 318. I HAVE GAINED 23 POUNDS SINCE THANKSGIVING WHEN I HAD A HISTORECTOMY AND QUITE SMOKING. PLEASE GIVE ME SOME WORDS OF WISDOM. I AM TRULY AT MY WITS END AND DEPRESSED.:think

I was 5'5 and weight 248 and I too was depressed, discouraged and realized I had gained 40 lbs from July to November, and I knew I had to do something. After finding out about the band, I googled it and found this sight, I asked many questions etc. I asked the experienced bandsters what they would do different in the surgery, the biggest response was exercise in the beginning, don't wait. So I took their advice.

Another thing, you'll here this over and over and over, the band will not force you to lose weight, you have to give and work with the band. You have to diet or should I say, choose the right foods, you can't eat ice cream and expect to lose weight. I have followed the instructions recommended by my doctor and I'm donw 55 lbs. Yes, it does work, but you have to work with it. I've always been able to diet, but never been able to maintain, so the band has given me that hope.

Feel free to ask questions, thats why this board is here, it really helped me in the beginning.