Hello Everyone! I will be attending a seminar on the lap-band on Tues. I am really excited! I have Tri-Care insurance and am really hoping I will get approved for the procedure. I have fought my weight all my life and am so ready for a real life!

My hubby is currently getting ready to deploy to Iraq again (3 times in 4 years) and I really want to have him come home to a new improved happy, healthy me!

Welcome to LapBandTalk!

Let us know how your seminar went.

Welcome to LapBandTalk!

Let us know how your seminar went.

Thanks so much, I'll give the details of the seminar when I return. You have the sleeve? How do you feel about is vs the band?

I started out wanting a band, but the long-term complication rate was freaking me out. The kicker, though, is that my main food problem is ghrelin related and Lap Band doesn't reduce the amount of ghrelin in the bloodstream but the sleeve does. That sold me!

In case you don't know, ghrelin is the hormone that increases your appetite. It makes food look tastier and harder to resist and it makes people who aren't physically hungry think they have to eat something or they will die. It's made mostly in the stomach and that part of the stomach gets removed.

Thanks, I'm doing some research on the long term effects of the band, can you recommend some places to look? Is the sleeve covered by insurances also? I have Tricare and am just getting started in the approval process.