I feel we have enough posters to make some informal introductions. I would really like to get to know a little more about you all. I am excited to be know as a May bandster.

I am Shelly from Missouri. I live near the beautiful Lake of the Ozarks. I'm almost 39 years old with 2 teen age sons and I'm soon to be a Grandma. My DH is wonderful. He is really supportive of my decission although he always says he loves me just the way I am. I am a school teacher and teach 2nd grade. I love each and every child God has put in my path as a teacher. I am hoping from this surgery to gain better health and increased stamina so I am able to keep up with all of them little angles. I am currently 264 pounds and 5'8" tall. My BMI is 40.14 and soon to be falling Praise God! I am self pay so I am heading off to Mexico after almost 2 years of reasearch and a year of saving. The thought of going to a foreign country used to scare me, but I am really at ease with my decission after reading so much and speaking with so many people. This has been a very personal and difficult decission for me as I am sure it has been for all of us. We are worth it.

Hey everyone, I suppose after floating around these May threads since I first came to this site, I'll finally formally introduce myself! My name is Allison, I am 20 years old, I live in Attleboro, MA, and I love it here! It's about an hour south of Boston, and 10 mins north of Providence, RI. I am a college student at Bridgewater State College, in Bridgewater MA. I live with my parents (ew) and waitress part time for some extra cash. I have two dogs I love and lots of great friends.

BUT I've always been fat, always, since early elementary school. Back then I was the only fat one, I lived in a fairly healthy, active family, but just kept gaining weight. Now my mom is overweight as well as my 11 year old brother. My dad and my sister are both athletes though. I have always been very active, participating in different sports and dance and theater in highschool, and have always dieted, but nothing seemed to get me at a normal weight. I'm so excited to have a date and I really hope everything works out!!!

Like Allison, I have been floating around the board for quite a while and just recently got approved and got my date -- pretty whirlwind past week! :smile:

I am 36, a mother of 4, from Prattville, Alabama, which is just about 20 miles from the capitol, Montgomery. I was overweight as a child but not detrimentally so and it was only after I had my 1st child that my weight began to soar and I have been struggling ever since. I saw my highest weight to-date in the last month! :eek: I have been on multiple diets like everyone else but I always fail to lose any significant weight. Very, very discouraging. However, since starting the preop diet last week, I have actually lost 1 pound a day and am confident that this is just the start of a beautiful new life for me!

I look forward to all of us getting to know one another better and appreciate the ability to learn from one another. YAY MAY!! :wink2:

Greetings from west texas! I am 38...ok, about to be 39 on May 31. I am a 4th grade teacher (love it) I have been happily married to a wonderful man for almost 21 years. We have been blessed with 2 sons..ages 20 and 17. I am being banded on May 13th..I'm not even waiting for school to be out...I am currently at my highest wt. 314!!! I can't believe it...I have joined and rejoined WW so many times I can't remember..I hope this will be the tool to help me finally be the healthy, active person I desire to be! just as my "name" says...I am waiting 2babutterfly!!!! I hope to get to know all of you through our journey!

HI Everyone!

My name is Melissa. I live just south of Fort Worth in Burleson Texas. I am 46, happily married and have 2 wonderful boys age 13 & 10. I am incharge of an Elementry School Science Lab. And like the Lab... I am fun and messy.

My BMI is currently 46 :thumbup: and I have always had to struggle (usually not very sucessful) with my weight. I was plump and full of energy in my teens and 20's, overweight/obese and full of energy in my 30's and early 40's and now I am in my mid 40's and my weight is kicking my butt! I am on high blood pressure meds., I am diabetic and my feet hurt if I am on them too much. I need to be healthy for my family.

I am going to change all that starting May 12!! I will be banded on that date by Dr. Ferrara in Fort Worth. I can hardly wait!!

It is great getting to read about all of y'all and I am looking forward to reading your post and hearing how you are doing on your journey! :wub:

Edited May 2, 200818 yr by miss meliss

I have tried to write this 3 times now but my laptop keeps messing up at the end.

Hi! My name is Sarah, 36 yrs old. I am scheduled for surgery on the 15th of May. I have been married for 8 years, my DH is very supportive and states he did not marry me based on weight. We have a 20month old boy which we spent years TTC with lots of $$$ on infertility. I live north of Houston, TX. I am a registered nurse working 3-4 nights a week. I have always been overweight pretty much all my life. I have been down to 140 and a size 10 and was still considered overweight and needing to loose some pounds. I was at my ideal BMI and was very active in sports!! I felt like it was a no win situation. When I was my thinnest I was still looked down upon so why bother.

:thumbup:Hello everyone.

I haven't really posted in the group, spending most of my time reading the postings. So here we go.

My name is Jennifer. I live in Owensboro, KY. I am 38 years old. I am a retirement community housing manager. I am married with 4 children (2 sons age 19, 13 - 1 stepson age 12 - 1 step daughter age 9). I am 5'8" and weigh 239. My first appt with the weight loss center I weighed in at 254.5.

I have been overweight most of my life. I have lost the weight several times, but I always gain it back. I have spent the past year researching the Lapband, trying to decide if it is for me. I finally decided to go for it and do what I feel is right. I watch all of my elderly residents daily hurting from knees, hips, (and on and on). All of the things that go with being overweight. I have the opportunity to do something about it now & make the quality of life later so much better.

I am being banded May 13. I am on the Optifast pprogram for pre surgery weight loss.

I wish all of you great sucess and a speedy recovery.

Hello All,

My name is Amy and my surgery is scheduled for May 22. I start my liquids on Thursday (which is perfect, because my B-day is tomorrow and I get to enjoy a glass of wine before starting this journey)!

Anyway, I live in Dallas, TX and have great family and friends to support me in this new lifestyle. I'm 5'5 and 240, always struggling with my weight. A big motivation for me to finally take control of my life is my 19 month old son. I want to be healthy to see him grow up.

Good luck to everyone!

Hi everyone!

My name is Terri and I live in West Hills, California - San Fernando Valley - and I have always thought I had a weight problem. Looking back to my childhood, I see that I wasn't fat, I was normal - my mom, brother and dad were all just skinny!

Anyway, my weight problem really started around the age of 40, my mother-in-law died, my father had a stroke, I started having lower back problems, had surgeries, hysterectomy, borderline diabetic, and the list goes on! Looking back now, the only thing I could control was the food I put in my mouth! Of course I tried all the normal diets, exercise programs, etc. and I would lose maybe 30 pounds, but gain it all back plus some. (sound familiar?!). In September I am going to be 50, so I am definitely doing this for me. :frown:

At my last doctor's visit I asked my doctor about surgery, and he suggested lap band surgery... and the rest is history! I am still doing Lindora (even though my heart is certainly not into it because I am worried I won't be able to eat any of my comfort foods after surgery, so I am sabbotoging (sp?) my diet - nothing new to me.

I also have a wonderful DH (by the way, what does that mean? - darling husband???) and he is the only one who knows about my surgery. My family lives in Florida and my mom thinks that if I just stop eating dessert I will loose 80 pounds! yeah right mom!!! I wish!, so it is easy not to tell my family. I have two great daughters (almost 21 and almost 18) and I know they would be supportive if I told them! My friends are wonderful, but I am a little embarrassed to tell them because none of them have a weight problem. I imagine that I will tell them eventually before surgery.

Anyway, thanks for listening - you guys are better than therapy!!! :tt2:

xxoo

Terri

Nice that after reading a few of these they all seem to blend together....I feel like any one of these posts could have been mine....just change a few details but the the basic story and feelings are all the same. I keep thinking I can lose the weight, keep trying new things, cry and get depressed about it all the time....think about how my weight is holding me back in so many aspects of my life....UGH! But this is supposed to be my intro! I live in NC, 33 years old, I'm getting banded on the 20th in Mexicali Mexico by Dr. Aceves. I've been eating like it was going out of style this last week since I set the appointment, but reading some posts tonight I had better go on a pre-op diet starting tomorrow. I think I've gained another 10 lbs. in the last week. This site is great, I'm going to try and get on here a few times a week after surgery for motivation. So happy I'm a May Flower! Let's all stay in touch!

Hello Everyone,

It has been so great to read all of your stories, the good, bad, and the ugly. I wish none of us had to deal with the unhealthy weight issues. I am just happy that now, we have help available and good people to share our journey with. :thumbup:

My name is Nicci, I am 39, passionatly married and blessed with a beautiful, hurricain miracle, baby girl who is soon to be 3. I live in Sounthern Indiana, across the bridge from Louisville, Ky. I hit my hightest weight of 312 in May of 2007. Went to my Lapband seminar in June and spent the rest of 2007 getting tested, approved and ready. I was approved in November of 2007 and told it would be a few months to set a date with my surgeon, Dr. Jeffery Allen. I was banded on Monday, May 5th 2008.:biggrin:

I too have always been on the heavy side and pretended it didn't bother me till I found out I was pregnant at age 35. I don't want to be a fat Mom, who can't play chase or the Mom that other little kids make fun of and hurt my Abigayle's feelings. I made up my mind, that I needed to do this for me and for my family. :biggrin:

I am five days into my new journey and already feeling better mentally, and spiritually. I wish the best for all of you and look forward to sharing our journeys together.

Bandedgiri08 at last...:biggrin2:

Hi everyone. I enjoyed reading everyone's stories. My name is Carol. I am getting banded tomorrow, May 12th.

I am 40, happily married (I met my hubby in a chatroom on AOL in 1998) with 2 little girls at home. I have 2 adopted daughters. Ive always been heavy. I had trouble getting pregnant and had surgery and was pregnant with Anna 2 months later. I was pregnant with Miranda when Anna was 8 mos old.

I look forward to the new me. I have been lucky and havent had alot of health problems. I have fatty liver disease and PCOs.

How do people join the May groups? Ive seen several different ones.

Hello everyone! I was banded on May 2nd. I am 46 years old and have struggled with my weight all my life. One of my FIRST memories (maybe I was 5 years old?) was a bunch of cheerleaders pointing at my tummy and snickering. And I have always felt that there are cheerleaders out there pointing and snickering at me. My weight has gone up and down...it went WAY up when my only child left for college 2 years ago. I started eating in an effort to make myself feel better and then I just kept on eating. Then, a few months ago, I noticed that my husband of 22+ years was becoming less and less "affectionate" and when I finally inquired, he said, "Well, you've never been this heavy before." As you can imagine, I was shocked and humiliated; I felt like I had married one of those cheerleaders, you know? I love him, but I would be a liar if I said things are just swell. As a matter of fact, this has been one of the most difficult things I've ever faced. I cannot even begin to tell you how alone I feel. But, I feel lots better now that I've found this forum. Y'all are a godsend.

Hi Teri, I'm Terri - and you are definitely NOT alone!!! I have found this website to be nothing short of amazing! Everyone in here is caring and exudes love and understanding! We can all do this together!

From one Terri to another - yeah for us!!!

Terri (with 2rs!) :biggrin:

Terri,

Thanks for the kind words - they are much appreciated! Yeah for us indeed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The 22nd will be here before you know it...good luck!!!

Hi everyone! My name is Daniela, I am 32 years old and live in Rossville, GA. I have a son who is 11 (will be 12 in August) and a wonderful husband. I'm originally from Frankfurt, Germany and have lived in the US for almost 12 years now.

My surgery will be May 28th. I've struggled with my weight on and off all my life but am now at my all time high (280 lbs and I'm only 5'3"). I'm nervous and excited at the same time. Luckily my husband is very supportive of this surgery. Our insurance doesn't cover it so we took a loan out agains our 401K. Having to pay cash will hopefully motivate me even more!

I'm so glad I found this message board. It is so helpful to read about all the other poeple who have been through the surgery and are willing to share their experiences.