So after 4 months of jumping through hoops for the insurance company, here I am 3 days away from surgery. The excitement has been shadowed by the nervousness of the situation. I started this journey not as much for me, but for my kids. After recently becoming a father again after 11 years, I worried about being around for those milestones in their lives. My wife loves me no matter how I look. Which from some of the stories I read on here is already a plus. But she like a lot of women has her insecurities. Her main worry is that I will lose all my wait and not want her anymore. And no matter how much I try to comfort her with this, it doesn't seem to get anywhere. And trust me! With this being my second marriage, I have no intentions of going through that hell again.

Some of the other things that come to mind when I think about this process is pain and or discomfort. While I have a pretty large pain threshold, prolonged discomfort is not far from my mind. I read story after story on here about problems with the band, usually through slippage. My surgeon is performing some new technique on me where they add a suture to hold the band in place. Supposedly from the study they did, it pretty much eliminates the possibility of slippage. So of course I agreed to the add on to my procedure.

Before these last four months of fun, I hadn't seen a doctor in over 10 years. So I was relieved when my blood work came back stating other than my weight, I was healthy. At 438 pounds, I do believe that I dodged a few major bullets there. Especially since my family has a messy history with diabetes. LOL, reading back through this post, I now realize that I am all over the place. Funny how your mind wonders when you are nervous. Anyhow, if anyone has any words of inspiration, I am all ears at this point. Kind of tired reading the negative posts.

Good luck to you as you begin your weight loss journey! See you on the other side!

Congratulations on choosing your health and on your upcoming surgery. I remember how excited and nervous I was beforehand. Now I can hardly recall all of that because I'm just so happy to be where I am now. And it wasn't hard -- it's not that this is easy or the easy way out, but my life got so much easier and it has not been a struggle for me. Good luck to you. And your wife. We had to work out a little insecurity of my husband's -- that I would get healthy and run off with the circus or something. Um, no. But now he's my biggest supporter. She will be yours.

Good luck...... I'm newly banded and It's the best thing I have done!

Congrats! I totally understand where you are coming from. I was excited and nervous all at the same time. I told my sister-friend, while in the pre-op area, that I wanted to go home. I wanted to run. And then they wheeled me back to the OR. I even said at one point in the OR, I can still get up and leave. Then I fell asleep. I woke up a different person and I haven't looked back with a single regret. Not much about this has been easy, but it hasn't been as hard as I thought it would be. I have been banded a year now...and my life is totally different. But, my friends are still my friends. My family is still my family. I may have changed on the outside, and some on the inside, but I am still me. I am just happier and healthier now. That said, my friends had to make some adjustments...I was always the "Fat Friend" and now I am not So, I get attention now when I used to go unnoticed. BUT...they are enjoying my dating adventures and the stories that come with them...LOL. You are going to do great....

The biggest pain was gas. Getting up and walking cured most problems. Follow the instructions and all will be well. 5 weeks post op and feeling great here

2days for me....still feeling rough, but drinking and getting around....no gas pain yet.....feels like I overdid the sit-ups that's about it...... Lol. ..I am off the pain meds and on full fluids yay!!!!