Hi! My name is Donna, and I started the 6 month process to be banded! I weigh 350, am 41, and am tired of not being able to be the person I am. I have Crohns disease, and while that in itself may have complications due to the band, the docs all agree that at this point, the weight I carry is more of a threat than the complications that Crohns and Banding can do.

I have been heavy all of my life. I can remember being 160 pounds when I was 14. By the time I was 25 I was 220. When I had my first child at 30, I weighed 280. And, thanks to 2+ long years of high doses of prednisone (thank you Crohns!), I am now 350. I miss my old life. I may have been big, but I still got on a bike, I went hiking, I played kickball with my daughter. My poor son has never seen that Mom, and it is my greatest desire to let him know Mommy can run and play with him. I have lost my life, my job, my friends, thanks to the Crohns...the weight is only complicating all of that. But not for much longer!!!!

I am an avid reader. I make jewelry and other crafts, mainly working with polymer clay. Course, I love to try new things, so I dabble in anything I can really find!

So, here I am, hoping to find others who have a similar story. I hope to become friends with any who wish to. I look forward to chatting with all of you at some point!!!!!!

Thanks for listening!

I am only 2months into my 6month so it very early on best of luck on your journey and keep us informed on wats going on with you ive only met wit a dr. i had the sonogram and the ekg but havent met surgeon, nutritionist or started meetings. what does your doctor have you doing?

Well, I had my second appt. with the nutrionist today. I actually have lost 4 pounds! The first appt she put me on a 1500 cal diet, and well, I am not doing so hot with counting calories yet. We discussed the diet today, and she just basically checked to make sure I was doing 'ok'. Which, apparently, I am!

Next appt is at the end of January with the nutrionist again, and a nutrition counciling class. That will mark month 3 already!!!

I wont meet the surgeons until a month before the surgery. Prior to that, according to the paper they gave me, I have to attend 3 eduactional classes, read a book they give me and complete 8 behavior modification modules, attend at least 2 support groups, get a metabolism determination, a behavioral Medicine and dietician evaluation, complete the rest of the tests (pre-op) and get a psych eval. Lots of stuff to keep me busy!!! Plus, I have to make sure I have lost 20 pounds, or 20% of my current weight... it's only 20 pounds because I am insulin resistant which is common in overweight people.

So... how bout you? It seems that PA is strict with their guidelines, and while this is a big pain, I am also very glad they are. I will have enough training to really change my whole lifestyle, which I am sure will help in the long run.

wow pa seems really strict . im in new york and its not simple but not as much as you.i have my next appt in january with the regular dr . i m going to ask him when i can see the nutritionist cause i know i have to. i will keep you posted and you do the same again good luck

I do hope you keep me posted, Sunny! And I will do the same.

It seems strict, but I think I am happy that is the case. I am watching the chat and the forums thinking that some of the people there needed some nutrition counciling and such prior. There is a whole lifestyle that needs changing, and you don't get that in 3 weeks... or even just by making your stomach smaller. Especially because the band only helps us to lose the weight.

I love my nutrionist! She is honest, open, and very understanding. And the tips she gives are awesome!! You may find you are helped greatly by yours.

I am going to start going to the support groups next month when my hubby isn't working nights... that way he can watch our kids and I can go mingle...I haven't done that in like forever, so it will be nice to meet with others like me. Who knows, maybe I may gain some friends in the process (having Crohns and being 350 kind of put a damper on all of my so-called friends).

Take care.. and keep me posted!!!!

HI Donna,

I wish you luck with your process. I have just decided that I am going to get lapband.. I saw someone had posted that Pa is very strict.. I don't think that is it at all, I think it depends on the doctor you choose and your insurance if you are paying with that. I will be going to Altoona, and I am going for an information session January 20th. My insurance doens't have a waiting criteria.. You just have to be over a certain bmi, have been overweight for more than 2 years, and meet with a dietician and a psychologist before your surgery. My insurance resets their copays and stuff on March 31st, and the lady at the doctors office told me that I should be able to get my surgery by then no problem.. Probably end of February Beginning of March, so that is only a month and half..

I wish you luck I am very excited to get my life back, and I am sure you are as well!:smile2:

HI Donna,

I wish you luck with your process. I have just decided that I am going to get LAP-BAND®.. I saw someone had posted that Pa is very strict.. I don't think that is it at all, I think it depends on the doctor you choose and your insurance if you are paying with that. I will be going to Altoona, and I am going for an information session January 20th. My insurance doens't have a waiting criteria.. You just have to be over a certain bmi, have been overweight for more than 2 years, and meet with a dietician and a psychologist before your surgery. My insurance resets their copays and stuff on March 31st, and the lady at the doctors office told me that I should be able to get my surgery by then no problem.. Probably end of February Beginning of March, so that is only a month and half..

I wish you luck I am very excited to get my life back, and I am sure you are as well!:wub:

I hope you find you are able to go in for your surgery quicker. I will be interested to find out what they have to say to you. :wink2:

I know this... this is my 3rd attempt, with 2 different insurances. My first attempt for the lapband was in Geisinger in Danville, where there was a 6-7 month 'training' period, as they said, because of insurance. I chickened out 3 months into it.

The second attempt was at Hershey Medical, where I was going to get the sleeve done. They had an information session too, where they also stated to all that it was a 6-7 month process, due to PA and insurances and it didn't matter which gastric surgery you were going to have or which insurance you have. I was denied the process due to my Crohns disease and they thought it was safer for me not to have it done.

Now this time, I am back at Geisinger, different insurance, and the same thing. I wont be even able to talk to the surgeon until I finish all of the criteria...behavior modules, nutrition evals, even a shrink eval. It was the same at Hershey too.

I am glad for the strictness. It's giving me more tools to change my life. Just getting the band with a few instructions seems scary to me, especially with all of the information we need to understand. And we need to understand that the band is just a tool, not a cure-all. In order for it to be successful, we have to change everything about us that got us to this point in the first place. Having to do all this stuff is also a plus because it makes me feel more comfortable with the crew who are working with me. So I am not really complaining.

I wish you luck!!! Please let me know what they say to you...as I am curious. Maybe it's just those two hospitals?? My sis lives outside of Tyrone... and she says Altoona is a pretty good hospital. You should be in good hands!!! :smile2: