Hi! My name is Eileen and my husband Mat and I are starting to investigate the LapBand System. I am 5'10", weigh around 283 and am pre-diabetic. My husband is 6'3", weighs around 380 and is asthmatic. Our insurance says it covers one bariatric surgery per person per lifetime. So I guess our bases are covered there (have to call to double check, of course).

We're a little nervous about how this will completely change our lifestyle. At the same time, we're really excited about how this will completely change our lifestyle!

I'm going to call around over the next few weeks and find out as much information as I can. It looks like our insurance will let us see doctors up in Salt Lake City, Utah (St. Mark's) which is about an hour away from where we live (Provo area).

Anyway, I'm looking forward to possibly becoming a "Bandster" and perhaps avoiding diabetes (and lung cancer since I have to quit smoking!) and to have my husband and me around for a long time to come for our children (and ourselves!)

Welcome to this amazing site!!!!

Read a lot of postings, look around the site, get familiarized with the pros and cons. Sit down and decide if this is really for you. I did my homework and getting the lap band was the best decision I could have made for myself. You are going to get a lot of opinions from friends and family and you really have to listen to yourself. There have been a lot of success stories on here. I am amazed at how much better I feel.

Welcome again Eileen, take care caminco

Welcome Eileen!

You've come to the right place to start out. Do your homework, find out everything you could possibly know about the band, and how it will effect your life and your habits. Talk to people who've been banded a while, read up as much of this site as you can, and figure out all the questions you want to ask your prospective surgeon. There's nothing worse than going ahead with something if you don't know what you're getting into!

Above all, good luck with your decision. It's not one to be taken lightly. However, if you follow the rules and use the band as a tool, you can change your life for the better!

Best wishes,

Annie.