hi everyone, i've posted a couple of times but thought it was time i introduce myself. my name is judy, i'm booked to be banded on june 3rd with dr.mumford in TO (Canada). i think i would probably still be riding the fence if it weren't for these forums! the results are fantastic, the mood is positive and if it is not, someone is always there to turn it around! just wanted to say thanks for the inspiration.

Hi Judy I'm new too and I was just laughing at how similar our "what do you want" answers are--how many kids do you have?

hi everyone, i've posted a couple of times but thought it was time i introduce myself. my name is judy, i'm booked to be banded on june 3rd with dr.mumford in TO (Canada). i think i would probably still be riding the fence if it weren't for these forums! the results are fantastic, the mood is positive and if it is not, someone is always there to turn it around! just wanted to say thanks for the inspiration.

Hi Judy,

I'm Paul from Michigan, not too far from you. I'm still a bit on the fence. I went to a "seminar" and learned alot about the methods and if I do go for it, I'm doing the lap band. Now, does Canada's health care cover this surgery? I'm lucky that my carrier covers 90% to $650.00 out of pocket then 100% after that. I also think attitude is everything. I've noticed that some of the people who are not satisfied are maybe looking at this as an event, and not a process. That this is a tool of change, and not a magic pill. At least in my humble opinion. I hardly been here long enough to start formulating opinons.

hi paul and cristi! alberta will cover the full cost but you have to meet certain criteria i.e. bmi with associated co-morbidities. i have the bmi but no co-morbid's so paying 16k out of pocket and going to toronto to have it done. the waiting list in edmonton is off the charts - probably 3-5 years to complete the process, over 1000 on waiting list currently. it is a whole "program" meaning you can't just get the surgery. in fact i believe they do everything to avoid having surgery - there are psych consults, dietician, among others. in a nut shell - a lot of hoops! i was told to go back to WW since i had lost 10 lbs with them - i almost snapped! anyway - cristi i have 4 kids, ages 6,4,2,2. yes it was the bogo event for us the last time around. did you say you had 4 as well. i wish i could blame the weight gain on pregancy but i never gained more than 10 lbs with any of them and in fact could not keep the weight on with the twins. i have no excuse, just laziness, bad genes, bad luck! so your surgery is in 2 weeks? what about you paul - can i ask what is holding you back? i know it is a big decision, to a lot of people it seems so extreme. for me it is a no brainer! i'm 36, i've been heavy my whole life, i've tried every diet under the sun. if i haven't taken been able to get it off by now... And i don't feel like i am taking the easy way out either. like we read over and over, it is a tool that needs to be worked, it doesn't work on its own. it's a lot easier to stick to a diet when you don't feel like you are starving to death! sorry so long....

This is a great site with so much information!

hi paul and cristi! alberta will cover the full cost but you have to meet certain criteria i.e. bmi with associated co-morbidities. i have the bmi but no co-morbid's so paying 16k out of pocket and going to toronto to have it done. the waiting list in edmonton is off the charts - probably 3-5 years to complete the process, over 1000 on waiting list currently. it is a whole "program" meaning you can't just get the surgery. in fact i believe they do everything to avoid having surgery - there are psych consults, dietician, among others. in a nut shell - a lot of hoops! i was told to go back to WW since i had lost 10 lbs with them - i almost snapped! anyway - cristi i have 4 kids, ages 6,4,2,2. yes it was the bogo event for us the last time around. did you say you had 4 as well. i wish i could blame the weight gain on pregancy but i never gained more than 10 lbs with any of them and in fact could not keep the weight on with the twins. i have no excuse, just laziness, bad genes, bad luck! so your surgery is in 2 weeks? what about you paul - can i ask what is holding you back? i know it is a big decision, to a lot of people it seems so extreme. for me it is a no brainer! i'm 36, i've been heavy my whole life, i've tried every diet under the sun. if i haven't taken been able to get it off by now... And i don't feel like i am taking the easy way out either. like we read over and over, it is a tool that needs to be worked, it doesn't work on its own. it's a lot easier to stick to a diet when you don't feel like you are starving to death! sorry so long....

Wow, 3-5 years!! Looks like the US is going to socialized health care, and it scares me. I'm trying to get everything in now before it changes. I've always been healthy, in good shape and have always been very active even as a former smoker. Seems like I went through a series of life events, a bad marriage (from day one) then a nasty divorce, and alot of court battles to first see my son, then attempt to get custody, then the straw that broke the camels back I quit smoking. Over the last 7-8 years I put on about 100 lbs. I really thought when I quit smoking, I would become even more active, but it's been just the opposite, I've really become less. I don't even play tennis any longer and I did that my entire life, or it seems so.

I'm not sure what keeps me from commiting, but I'm the type of person that really had to be educated on the entire process to go ahead. I do understand this is not a quick fix, just another tool to aid to a new lifestyle. Just like the patch was to quick smoking. It was not a silver bullet, but it did assist me to make that lifestyle change. Right now I'm trying to deal with severe sleep apena since I put on this extra weight. After that, I'll be looking much closer at getting banded.