Hello! I am a newbie here and I am really thankful that I have found this forum. I have not been banded yet, but I'm on the journey to getting there. I have been married for 8 years and have a beautiful 5 year old daughter. I am a 4th grade teacher from Lexington, KY and I have struggled with my weight since I was a teenager. I have tried numerous things to try to help me, but I still keep gaining. I am now at 294 and 5'3 which puts my BMI at around 51. I don't really have a weight goal, but I would love to be able to fit into size 10/12 clothes and shop in a normal store. My weight has caused a lot of problems and I'm ready for them to be over. I have been diagnosed with PCOS, sleep apnea, fibromyalgia, and migraines. I attended a seminar with Bluegrass Bariatric Surgeons based out of Georgetown KY. I have submitted my paperwork, but my insurance requires a 6 month doctor supervised diet. That means I won't get my surgery this summer while I'm out of school. I have discussed my plans with my family and with information, they are supportive. I have also talked to my coworkers and boss and they are all VERY supportive. My boss has even had gastric bypass with the same doctors and so she knows first hand where I'm coming from and has offered to be an information source for me.

While I'm excited about the idea, I'm also scared to death. I've had my share of depression and panic attacks and I'm concerned that the surgery will cause me to have panic attacks. If I feel the band around my stomach, will I panic and want to dig it out? Will the gas pains after surgery cause panic as well? What about if I get something stuck in the pouch? I'm so afraid that I'll end up with worsened panic attacks and won't be able to undo it! I hate feeling like this, but it is my reality for the moment. Anyone have any advice? Anyway, I'm glad I'm here and I look forward to getting to know everyone and sharing our experiences.

Tina

Seminar Attended: 5/20

Paperwork submitted: 5/28

Primary Care Appt to begin diet: 6/24

Hi. I'm also from KY (Alexandria, about 80 miles north of you) with a history of panic disorder and clinical depression. They've mostly been under control, but I must admit, about 3 days after surgery I started to panic somewhat. But not because I felt anything inside - in fact, if it hadn't been for the incisions and gas pain, I wouldn't have known I had a band in there. I panicked because I was afraid I'd never be able to eat normally again. I'm two months out now, and to be honest, I kind of wish I WASN'T able to eat what I can. I haven't hit my "sweet spot" yet - the amount of restriction where I am satisfied between meals. But at the same time, I've lost 20 pounds. I could never have done that without the band. The only time you "feel" anything is if the band is too tight (and they regulate that with the fills) and you don't chew your food properly, eat chunks too large, or eat too fast. Otherwise, the band itself shouldn't cause panic. The depression might be another thing, though. But again, it's not so much because of the band itself, but the things in life that make us eat so much in the first place. You might want to share your concerns with your doctor and his staff, and certainly your co-worker who shares weight loss experience. I've found that the more I share my panic and depression with others, the less hold it has on me. Don't let your panic keep you from getting healthy. Keep me posted on your journey and best wishes. Jan

I'm also from KY (Louisville), and was just banded on May 21st. We sound very similar - I started at 302 and am 5'4" tall. I have been married 11 years, and have 3 children, ages almost 10, almost 8, and 18 months. I have sleep apnea, am pre-diabetic, have borderline high blood pressure, have several migraines per month, and my joints ache from the extra weight.

Currently, I'm down 14 lbs, although I'm starting to slowly gain back now that I'm eating regular food again. I have a fill next week, so hopefully I'll start losing again. Right now, I would say I have some restriction, because I eat about 1/4th less than I used to. I do get full faster.

I also have depression, but not panic disorder. There are times when I wish I could sit down and have a lot of something, just because it's so good, and there have been times during the various stages of the diet when I was depressed and frustrated with not being able to eat the same things as my family, but I did get past it.

Good luck to you on your journey - IMHO, it's well worth it!