Hi everyone, I am a SAHM to 3 girls and 1 great dh, and am tired of being fat. Last year my kids said they would support me going on "biggest loser" :seeya: I know they were meaning it out of love (want me healthy), but I can't pretend it didn't hurt- and that was when I was 30+ lbs LESS!!!

I have Fibromyalgia and have tried for the last few years to exercise from time to time, but it causes a 3 day flare every time :ihih: July we went on a 2 week trip, one place we went was a theme park. I couldn't fit into every ride and just being up on my feet for 10+ hrs and not doing much physically, I was wiped for 2-3 days after. I got on lyrica about 6 mo ago and it works wonderfully, I really love being pain free, but I have also gained over 30 lbs since starting it- where I was "holding my own" at 200ish for a year?

This morning I woke up and for some reason "LAP Band" was in my head, so I started looking at it. I have heard of it from time to time, and I even asked my dr a few years ago about gastric bypass but he was deadset against it. I don't know how he feels about the Lap Band, but I am going to do this behind his back as much as I can. I don't want the lecture. I am tired of walking around starving and feeling like a bottomless pit! I can eat my dh under the table! And he eats a LOT! I have said that if I only had a smaller stomach to make me feel full faster, it would make all the difference in the world!

So, Thursday happens to have a meeting about the lap band, I told my dh today about this, and he is all for it for me. I called and checked- our insurance will cover it, I just need a "predetermination' letter from the dr (SOP I assume). Being as I am now a 41 bmi, and have fibro, Ihope that is enough for them.

So, I guess I will hang around the boards and look through the "issues" threads to see what I might expect- but overall I think I am in pretty good condition (no heart disease, good cholesterol, no diabetes/prediabetes) I think I should do fine.

Any advice/things you wished you knew before making the decision?

Jenny, if it makes you feel any better, my doc is also very against gastric bypass surgery but he is pro-band. All of his patients who have had gastric bypass have had serious complications resulting in hospitalization somewhere down the line. His patients who have had the band (including me) have been doing great.

I'm hitting my 3 yr anniversary in a month. I don't regret getting the band at all. I'm not at goal, either. But I'll get there eventually. For me there are head issues involved that have been a struggle. I still feel like the band has been successful for me -- I'd probably weigh around 350 right now if I hadn't gotten it. Weighing 190 is wayyyy better, even if I still have another 50-70 lbs to lose.

I'm sorry you're stuck going through the 6-month monitored weight loss thing. But I'm sure you'll be even more determined to get banded by the end of that ordeal.