OK... So here goes, i have my first appt with Dr.Simpson in Az on the 15th it was supposed to be on the 8th and they changed it, i feel like a little kid waiting for Christmas!!!! I can hardly contain the excitment that i feel at the prospect of not being FAT.I always felt that having the band done was a cop out and that there was no reason i could not just get up and get going and do this myself....Well i have now decided that doing something is better than nothing right?:eek: Anyway, i have UHC and the pay 90/10 i feel i am worth 10%!RIGHT!! i am convincing myself of all of this as i write it.:smile2: I will write more as i go but for now i guess this is it. I can't wait!!!!!!

Welcome and you are worth 100% but if they'll pay 90%, that's great!

I don't mean for this to sound negative but if you are seeking an easy out or a magic pill, turn back before you have too much invested.

You'll probably have a 3 to 6 month supervised diet prior to surgery. Use this time wisely and do as much research as possible.

The lapband doesn't make you lose weight. It is a tool that makes you feel full/satisfied faster if you eat the right foods but YOU must work with it to lose the weight. You have to be ready to change your lifestyle and the way you think about food.

Read the forums here and see what the successful bandsters have done but also read of the many failures and try to steer clear of their mistakes.

Good luck and keep us informed.

Congrats on your first step on embarking on this journey! I am also in AZ and was banded by Dr. Robin Blackstone of Scottsdale Bariatric Center (Scottsdale Bariatric Center). I don't know how much you have already researched surgeons, but I just wanted to give you this link in case you are still comparing and deciding. Different surgeons can be very different as to what they require pre-op and post-op, the education, and support they provide. SBC is a 'Center of Excellence' and there is no liquid pre-op diet required prior to surgery. Also, I was allowed to start eating real food 4 days post-op. I feel like the care I have gotten from SBC has been top notch. If nothing else, maybe just go to her informational seminar in addition to Dr. Simpson's because she explains all the WLS procedures which I found very informative and made me more confident that I was picking the right one by choosing lapband. Best of luck to you! We are all worth it!!!

Megan- Congrats on taking your first step! Have all your questions ready and make the most of your time there. Keep us posted and let us know if you have any questions! -BG