Hi Everyone

My name is Brenda I am 37. 3 teenagers Married 17 years tomorrow. I have been fighting my weight for 25 years. At one time in my life i got down too 100 and stayed there for a few years then I had my first son.Things went back up for a while. I lost and had a daughter, gained more . I have been doing the up and down thing for so long. I am at 220 right now and nothing is working. I am 5ft2 with a BMI of 40. I have back pain all most all the time. My knees are giving out and my legs hurt everynight. I have been reading about the Lap-Band surgery for long long time now and I have made an Appt with a Dr in Fairfax Va for Nov.3.I really want this surgery but I am not getting my hopes up about it. I never get someting I reallly really want. But I am going to try harder and fight like hell to get it. All I want is to have a normal life again. Oh to be able to ride a bike with my kids, go for walks in the woods. Play softball with them again. Sit in a booth when we go out to dinner. Oh man I want to be able to roll over in bed like a normal person. To have mirrors in my house that show from the neck down,,,LOL. For my husband to be able to get his arms all the way around me to give me a hug. To feel good about me........Sorry I am going on and on...... will stop now...

Thank you

Brenda, you and I could almost be carbon copies of each other! I hope you get your band. It will help give you your life back. You will be able to walk, ride bikes, and play soft ball with your kids... a whole lot sooner than you ever dreamed!. You just put one foot in front of the other on the Banding Journey and follow all your drs. orders and pretests. Sooner than you expected, but slower than you want it to be, you'll be a Bandster. Best of luck to you!

Brenda,

You have come to the right place. The people here will tell you what it truth and what is not. There is so much help and information that you will be excited to get banded and will be proud to be a lapbander and associated with these fine fellow lapbanders.

I too have struggled with weight problems my whole life. In recent years I have developed sleep Apnea and have to use a c-pap at night to sleep. My pressure in this machine is 15pounds and that it high. They found during the study that I stopped breathing 477 times in an 8 hrs sleep. The Dr said I was a short distance away from death as I vertually was not sleeping and was wearing out fast. Since the c-pap I felt better but I did nothing other then wear the mask at nite to help myself.

My knees also were crapping out and I was awaiting surgery on them.. Dr said it was the weight destroying the knees.

A year ago Oct 11 my son married and when we returned from the wedding I realized after seeing the pictures and videos that I was in serious trouble. I knew then if I didn't do someting I'd not survive to see my grandkids(s)...and if I did survive there was no room for them to sit in my lap as it was taken up by the extra person I was carrying around. So i tried more diets and failed at them. Suddenly I noticed that a friend of mine at church was melting away. When I asked him how he was doing it he confided in me that he had a lap band put in. He does not tell people about it. I don't know why but thats he=is dedcision. So he gave me his Dr's name and I went to see him and that started me on my journey back to health.

I started the pre op diet on 07/29/04 and was banded on 08/10/04 and in just over two months I have lost 61 ounds, six inches off both my waist and hips and 2 1/2 inches off my neck, I have been removed from the waiting list on the knee surgery and I now run 3 miles a day. I am being retested at the Sleep Center due to my neuologist believing I may no longer need to wear the c-pap to sleep. I had a lap and when I sit I am always placing things in it just because I can.

This band was the best thing I have ever done for myself and in turn it has made everyone around me happy. Not only will my son Celebrate his 1st wedding anniv. on Monday but it also will be my 30th anniv maried to my wife. I now know I will have many more. (ok kids get t=with the programs and show me some grandbabies)lol.

Good luck and keep us posted

Greg

Brenda, best of luck to you! You fight for this! Get all the info. that you can and be prepared. You're not being selfish! You're saving your life and reducing or eliminating health problems that can only continue to get worse. You're worth it and I know that your family thinks so too!

Brenda, I've lost 49 pounds in 4 1/2 months. Nothing else I've tried has been this successful or this easy! Sure, it's work to do your part, and you really need to do some form of consistent exercise. But when you're not starving all the time and obsessing about food, you can get out there and enjoy life! I've found out that I like to get outside and ride bikes with my husband. I was a previous full-time couch potato. Since my banding, I've taken part in a 20 mile and a 25 mile bike benefits. I just returned from climbing up and down mountains in Estes Park, Colorado (4 - 5 hrs. daily) for a full week. Granted, I had to take my Celebrex (which I now try to take only when absolutely necessary) and use Aspercreme each night. But last year, I tried to climb a couple of short trails to waterfalls in Colorado and thought I was going to have a coronary because my heart was pounding so hard, sweat was pouring down my beet red face, and my legs hurt so bad that I gritted my teeth to stifle the moan each time I had to move. From last year to this year is truly a miracle!

This is from someone who lives at sea level, now climbing up to 10,000 ft. high! I would never have even dreamed of being able to do such things a few short months ago! My blood pressure, asthma, hiatal hernia, gastric reflux, arthritis have drastically improved and my prescription meds. reduced by half. That alone is saving me a fortune! Our grocery bill has been greatly reduced because I try to be more conscientous of the types of food I'm buying. My whole family is eating healthier than before. Now, I do have my weak moments and eat something that I shouldn't. But I know that's O.K. I can get back on the "Band Wagon" the next day.

Marie,

You a great inspiration. Your right on with everything you said. I forgot to mention how this turned out to be an unexpected financial savings. Don't buy the expensive junk food.

We don't buy have the food we used to. A package of meat last longer. Before I didn't get up from the table till the food was all gone. Now its fork down and butt out of kitchn when I put in what I know will be comfortable until the next meal.

Keep up the good work Marie

Greg

Thanks to all of you for your kind words.

Do any of you have or do you know of any one who has Mamsi Insurance? Thats what I have. When I called the Dr and made my Appt. She asked me what kinds of insurance I have and I told her. She said they cover the lap-band. I an hoping that is a good sign. What did you all take to the first visit to your Dr. Did you take any letters with you the first time? You know( Stuff like all the diets you have tried and how long you have been over weight. and the things that you cant do and everything thats hurts? All she told me to bring was a referal from my Reg. Dr. I was thinking if I took in some letters explaining why i want the surgery and how long i have been reading about it. And about all the pain I have things might go a little better or faster. Let me know what you all think.

Welcome Brenda! There is lots of information here so start reading and you will learn lots.

Greg - You have a great way with words and I love the way you help others with their journey.

Marie! Welcome back! We missed you! I hope you had a great vacation.

Originally posted by brendaj1967

I really want this surgery but I am not getting my hopes up about it. I never get someting I reallly really want.

Hey, Brenda, this band can turn your life around. I hope that before long you'll be saying, "This time I got something I really really wanted."

Find out as much as you can. I'm happy that your insurance may cover the procedure; that'll let you clear one of the biggest hurdles for us Bandsters.

When you have some free time, read some of the old posts, especially in the Introductions sections. Lots of people have shared their experiences and will tell you exactly what they went through in surgery and immediately after.

But I am going to try harder and fight like hell to get it.

That's the spirit! Good luck, and let us know what happens.

Welcome Brenda!! You have definitely come to a great place for experience and encouragement. Arm yourself with all the knowledge you can! read, read, read all the posts. We've all gone through that initial phase of just finding out what it takes and whether we can actually do it. It's tough, but part of the process. By the time you get to surgery, you will have the information necessary to make your transition a smoother one! Good luck!

Wow, Brenda! I have all those same hopes and dreams! I know we can do it, too. Just read all the success stories on this very board. Talk about encouragement!

Brenda,

Welcome to the board that will answer all of your questions!!!! Believe me, I drive these great people crazy with all of my Q's so feel free to ask or say anything at all!! If there is any way we can be of help please let us know! I am newly banded so I might not have quite as much experience as some of the others but I'll do whatever I can to help you in any way possible!! Best of luck to you and keep us posted, we want to know everything!!

Katie :eek:

Hello Everyone

Thank you for all your replys. I am still reading everyting I can find about the Lap-Band. I got really worried the other night and called my insurance co. and one girl told me the surgery wasnt coverd I was heartbroken. I called my Dr office back and told them that i have been told that my insurance didnt cover and they said (they do cover and that they deal with Mamsi all the time.) I told them i wanted to know that i didnt want to waste anyones time. I am hoping this is a very good sign. I dont know anything about my insurance coverage any more they have merged in with United health care. I do know that they didnt give me any problems with all the other surgeries i have had.and I have had a few. I do have an appt with my PCP next week and i am hoping to get a good letter from him saying i need this surgery and that it will really help me. Hope to be on the losing side soon

That's great news, Brenda. You deserve a big pat on the back for following up with your doctor's office; someone less determined would have taken the insurance company worker at her word and given up.

I think as more insurance companies realize that the Lap-Band can actually save them money since they won't have to shell out so much on heart medication and surgery, high blood pressure control, cholesterol blockers, insulin, joint problems, and apnea devices, they'll start to come around and pay for banding. Good luck, and let us know what happens next. We're all rooting for you.:banana