i'm 24 years old, i live in southern california. i have been thinking of getting this surgery for about a year now. i was always thin, but when i got pregnant 5 years ago boy did that change. i now weigh 250 lbs, and no matter what i try, it never works, and i just keep gaining more weight! i'm scared for my health. my feet are jacked up now, i can hardly put on shoes and socks. i have NO self esteem and i feel like crap.:thumbdown: i can't take it anymore. i don't know anyone that has had this surgery, and i'm hopeing you guys can give me advice and tell me your storie. thank you sooooo much in advance. my e mail is proudmomma913@yahoo.com. thank you thank you thank you!!

Your so young as old as my daughter. I am 50 yrs old I have three daughters and married for 26 yrs come Aug 21st. I was thin my whole life to until age 39 and a hysterectomy. Gain allot of weight with my kids too. I maxed out at 224 lbs, my back, knees, headaches, not breathing right, or should I say out of breathe. Been a weight watchers member for ever, diet pills....you name it. My doctor told me to go see Dr. Balsama. He is in South Jersey and that is where I live as ewll. Much more beautiful where you are lol. Anyway she told me to check the lapband and go see Dr. Balsama and I did. Had all my testing which took forever then had to wait to be approved from our ins company...with in a week I was approved and my date for my Lapband is Aug 5th. I am so excited and scared at the same time. I already eat pretty heathly and I go to the gym, but not as much as I should.

You shouldn't put yourself down like that, it's not good and it's not true. I am sure your a beautiful young women and mother. Not for nothing but it's your health you need to take care of and you should check it out, give the lapband a try....see your doctor. I believe it will make you feel so much better health wise and mind will follow.

Lisa

Hi Jamie - You are not alone. When I was reading your post, it was almost like you took the words and thoughts right out of my head. I am 28 yrs old and have always been small my entire life also until 6 years ago. I was put on an antidepressant when my grandmother passed away in 2002 and I gained 50 lbs just from that, when I realized that was the problem and changed doctors/meds, I then became pregnant with my son and gained another 50 lbs. My son is getting ready to turn 5 yrs old this Nov and I went from 125 lbs to 250 lbs. I have finally finished all of my pre-op testing and evaluations, all of my info should be submitted to ins sometime this week or next week and hopefully I will be getting my surgery date! I have lost 16 lbs since I started my pre-op and am currently at 230 lbs. Anyway, I cannot wait until my surgery. I am like you, I can always lose weight on whatever fad diet I try but I always end up gaining it all back plus more. Good luck with everything, I truly think that this band is going to be my key to getting "myself" back, that is all I want. Hope this just lets you know that you are not alone. :thumbdown:

Yes you are were I was two weeks ago. lol It just insane's you. Now I am only 5 days away. The doctors office told me it could be 2 weeks before I get my letter of either approval or "denied" eww no but the nurse said that if I get a "denied" that it is something they can fix and send back in for approval. So waiting for "The Letter" was the most stressful time ever, well up there with all the many stressful times lol.

Then when I did get my letter I read it hundred times and called the doctor. I didn't believe it was real. Then they gave me my band date and now it's just been waiting to get my life started. I'm 50 yrs now so geting back to my weight thirty years ago I don't know I was 120 lbs, now 216 lbs I was 224lbs. I think if I goes well and I lose the weight I would like to be around 135 lbs to 145 lbs I'm 5'5 so that should be a good healthy weight, not to skinny. I even but myself I pair of Levis in May that are a size 12 lol so I can not wait to wear them. lol I just can't believe that I really could be going into a small size, oh boy....I am so excited and so many things going though my head. Well good luck to you and keep me posted. Let me know when you get the letter of approval.

Lisa:biggrin:

Good luck to you, whatever you decide! There are some great stories on this site. I am new this week, but have already gained a world of knowledge!

You should probably start with your PCP first & see if you are even a candidate for surgery & start doing the classes, etc. It is quite a process. But knowledge is everything!!

Best of luck!

I am not sure I sent the right info to you or there is so many people on here sometimes it's like who is talking to you. lol But I get my band on Aug 5th this coming Tuesda lol

Hi Jamie, I don't know how much help I can be at this point, as I am still in the process of getting everything done so I can get scheduled to have the surgery. I have my nutrition counseling appointment this afternoon, and psych eval next week. Hopefully I can get scheduled soon. I am 57. And my overweight condition started somewhat later than yours, but it ultimately caused me to contract Type 2 Diabetes and hypertension. If I had known, when I was your age, that this would be the result, I think I would have done some things differently. So my advice, from my perspective, is... if you have tried other things to lose weight (diet & exercise in whatever fashion) and it hasn't worked, then go for the Lap-band. I think it is better than the health risks of obesity. So, for what it is worth, there is my two cents.

Good luck, Gal!

Jamie: I am keeping this SWEET & SIMPLE. The lapband surgery was the BEST thing that I could do for myself & I believe U will feel the same way. The lapband isn't a quick fix to permenant weightloss, however, it's a tool that can help U for LIFE with maintaining your weight for a longer & happier LIFE!!! :--)

BEST WISHES!!!