Hi, my name is Gayle and I've been thinking about the lap band for some time now. I am 36 and live in Houston, TX. I have always fought with my weight and it is a major issue in my life. I am not sure where to start getting information. I have been to a seminar on the procedure but it was a hard sell type. I want research it from beginning to end. I want to be sure about my commitment to the process and procedure. Where do you start??

Gayle, I'm no expert here, but I think your primary care physician would be the place to start. Mine recommended my bariatric surgeon whole-heartedly. I know what you mean by the hard sell seminar. When I went to mine, I thought of the doctor as more of a salesman than a doctor. He said things that overweight people want to hear, like "It's not all your fault, it's genetic", and then had skinny patients of his stand up and give testimonies. When I met the doctor in person and told him he put on quite a show, this visibly bothered him. He said that that was not how he wanted to come across and promised to adjust his presentation accordingly. Overall, I think he did a great job on me. I only got banded 3 days ago, but I feel pretty good. Here in Denver there are several bariatric surgeons to choose from. I would imagine a similar situation exists in Houston. Keep checking around, go to more seminars, and don't latch onto a doctor until you're comfortable with him. I wish I could tell you more, but I'm just starting here myself. Good luck to you...