hi, i wanted to thank everyone that wrote to me and i must say you all did put my mind at ease a lot. a part of me is still a little scared but i guess that is probably normal. it is nice to see that so many people have had great success with this, and i hope you all the best in losing more weight and being more happy with yourselves.

i am very glad there are people out there that we can all speak to, to let out our worries, and feelings, and i must say until i was able to actually speak to some of you, i did not know how to feel, but it is so much better now.

i am 5'9 and i weight 240 and i must lose some good amount of weight, and i hope to do so before i get my hip replaced, but if not i will still try after my hip surgery, all my life i have dealt with this problem and i am so happy that now finally i might have found what i was needing all this time, because when i would try to lose the weight, it was hard to walk and do excrise in different ways because of my hip, but now i have something to help me lose weight and plus hopefully when my hip gets replaced, the new hip will let me do things that i have not been able to do in years, and all my depression i hope will lift as well, i am only 28 years old, and i have felt so helpless, because i felt that my life was going on around me and i had no way to move with it, but i do pray and hope that things are looking up for me and my kids. thank you all so much.

Best of luck to you on your surgery! Losing weight and getting that hip replaced are going to open up a whole new world for you! Take care of yourself, follow your surgeon's instructions, and you'll be back on here giving others answers before you know it.

Like all such things the mind creates more problems before than you ever experience after. All will be well. You'll be amazed at how easy it is, how much less painful than you had thought.

And the rewards are worth it. I'd do it again. You'll get it done, spend a short time healing, spend the rest of your life fighting the enemy of fat with a weapon that works, and you'll be able to help and encourage others who seek to win this war.

It's a thing of beauty and grace how this works. You will finally find the person under the layers of solid pain. You will be more loveable, and you will love yourself more. Doors will open that were once forever closed. Once grey days will give way to the sun.

Welcome, and good luck!

Hi everyone, since I've been reading everyone's posting, I have learned so much. I am being banded this coming Friday the 14th. I just have one disturbing problem. It doesn't let me sleep. I'm afraid it won't work for me. It make me cry to think about it. Can I be the only person who cannot control her eating and break these habits? I think about the possibility of being thin and all the things that can come of that and truthfully, I am scared out my mind. Not about the surgery-thanks to you guys! But of failing. I feel this is my last and only hope. My family keeps talking about it and how I will look for my next B-day (DEC) and how they can't picture it. I just smile and act excited but deep down inside I keep thinking about how they will feel if I fail. I am almost afraid to think that if I do, I will give up the battle forever. Sorry to sound so drastic, but I really do feel this way and I hope some can relate and perhaps help me through this.

It's quite normal to think that it won't work. We've failed so many times, what makes this one seem any better? But a little silicon band can change your life and help you get out and enjoy life w/ your family. You will figure this out and be a successful Bandster before you know it.

Thank you.

Amoro-In making my decision to get the band, I had the very same feelings you're having (as I'm sure many others have too). I was so afraid that I might take this big step and then fail. My mom had even offered to pay for it, but that intensified my fear of failure. Now I'm 3 weeks post op and my fears are being quieted. This is the tool for me. It gives me the fill up button that I need and I've never had before. I still have to make good choices, but it helps me make those choices. Best wishes to you in your journey. You can do this!

Hi Infaith, thanks for the support. I am more of afraid of me than the actual surgery. I don't make healthy choice and I want to start. I haven't do to many reasons, one of them being I kinda have given up and the other is really making the commitment to myself. I hope that with this surgery, I can have the extra help I need to stay commitment.

Amoro,

I think we have all been at this stage. We have all failed before, it's hard to imagine finally succeeding. But you will see that this little band will give you the tools and incentive to succeed and live the life you were meant for.

Good luck to you and know that all of us on the board are here to support one another as only we can understand the path we have chosen.