Hi everyone -

Introductions always feel weird, but I suppose I can't jump into spazzing out at you.

My name is jen. I'm 34 and.. well, I'm fat. I've been overweight since I was a kid. I've lost 50 pounds more times than I can count, and gained it all back every time. At my heaviest, I was 260 (I'm 5'2.5"). Right now I'm struggling to get under 240. Mid-last year, my blood pressure started to creep up, and my dad was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. That's what I see in my future, and I don't like it.

I started looking into the lap band last year, and now I'm on my 5-1/2 month of my 6 month doctor-supervised dieting that my insurance company (BCBSIL) requires for approval. I have my final pre-insurance weigh-in in about two weeks, and go for my psych evaluation on the 22nd of April. And I've pretty much been reading everything I can get my hands on about people's experiences with the band.

I've lost weight quite slowly (well, slowly compared to how I'd lose weight if I'd get serious about following the current 'fad' -- be it low carb, low fat, whatever) while seeing the nutritionist, but I did make a lot of positive changes that I've never done before -- things like get used to eating three meals a day instead of one or two giant ones (adding Breakfast was really, really hard for me), eating more slowly, not drinking with meals -- all the things I'm going to have to do once I'm banded, anyway. I've also been exercising three times a week for the past four months with a coworker who is also planning to be banded around the same time (we didn't find out till we were both about halfway through our six months insurance approval dieting time period, which is kind of hysterical. We're even both going to the same surgical center, though different surgeons).

And now that I'm getting close to the time when I submit for insurance approval, I admit I'm freaking out a little about how much everything is going to change. Even though I KNOW I need to do something, now that it's really this close.. I'm both nervous and excited and overwhelmed.

And it doesn't help that a friend of my sister-in-law has apparently had a terrible experience with her band (though I also hear that she got so upset at her surgeon that she had the surgery and then didn't follow up for a year and a half, so I'm not sure how much to take her "advice" about it) -- and who, now, is apparently only eating 600 calories a day, is losing her hair by the fistful, and who gets so hungry that she shakes. Of course, now my sister in law is very concerned about me going through this, as well... but to me, that experience doesn't sound like the norm of what I've read, both here and in many other places. She really wants me to call her and have a one-on-one conversation, but I'm kind of shying away from it, because I don't want to let one overly negative situation have too much weight.

Anyway, I've been lurking here since I started the dieting process, but figured I'd come out and say hi.

Hi, Welcome to the board. I am currently in the process of being banded. I hope soon.

Luna,

Your like me , we have been reading these posts but don't post.. I just started to post.. I am waiting for approval from my insurance company BCBS AL...

I think you should talk to your sister in law once and for all . Tell her how much you have read on the lapband subject and the way you have to eat after you get it done.. Explain to her as long as a person follows what they are suppose to do, you have no problems.. But if you starve your self or don't go back to the Dr when you suppose to, then you will have problems..

Have her come on here and read the posts here and tell her you would like for her to understand what will be happening with you after the lapband so she can be supportive of you. Tell her there is no place in your mind or heart for negativity and you have re-serched this a lot and are not just jumping into this. She must know you have tried to lose weight before and she knows how you have gained it back.. Tell her you want her support. I hope and pray she understands.. God Bless you.. I am behind you...

Rose:biggrin2:

Nothing like having someone share their negative experiences with you, eh?

For every negative experience out there, though (whether self-imposed or not), there are countless positive ones. This forum is such a great source of support and information, with all the first-hand experiences to learn from. I'm a week away from my surgery (pending insurance approval), and I check in a few times a day. I don't always post, but find reassurance in reading the posts of others.

You are to be admired for your nearly six months of supervised weight loss; just being able to make it through that to get to the next step takes an amazing amount of perseverence -- and faith. Just remember that there are a whole bunch of us out there, but with you every step of the way!