The countdown commences. The skeptics come out. The rude comments continue. The supports are there but not in as large of numbers as before. The question that is on everyone's mind is "Will I succeed or will I fail?" Hmmm...dare I prove them wrong? YES I DARE!!

There are a lot of things I have given up on in my life because the going got too tough. Well, this is an investment in my life. A very hefty investment. I am self pay and with that means I will bear the success and the failure heavily. More incentive to succeed. To use my tool to its fullest potential is a priority.

Do I have fears? Yes. Do I have second thoughts? Yes. Do I think there will be times that I fail? Yes but I sure hope not. I am going into this with my eyes wide open to all possibilities. This is probably the hardest thing I will ever do next to child birth and raising 4 kids and raising teenagers. :thumbup:

This is the best support site I have come across. There is more compassion and support than I could have hoped for. I have gotten tons of tips and advice here. I have received valuable insight into what to expect and what could happen. It is good to be in the know. I feel very prepared. No one is preaching to me or at me. It is like we are all lifelong friends. I think it is because we are all on the same lifelong journey together. We are each other's lifeline.

I am looking forward to sharing each leg of my journey with you and hopefully my experience will help others as I have been helped. 30 more days!!!

Your journey is exactly like mine to the letter. I shared all those feelings but none to worry about, it's a piece of cake. Read mine blogs, each step in the journey is fun, and you will succeed. You yourself have to do it for you and only you. I am in week 12 now and I am eating steak and veggies and still loosing. I am averaging 2.6 #s a week. Going to the doc's on the 24th for a 4th Fill. Looking forward to it. I have had good experiences and I purposely over indulged the other day to challenge the limits of my lapband, welll I now know where to stop. I will be more than happy to share my experiences with anyone. Good luck and best wishes on your lapband journey

I am also self pay..I chose to not tell anyone. This my journey. I was banded on 11/23/9. I have lost 72 lbs so far and have 54 lbs to go. This has been the best thing I have ever done!! My best advice for you..save all of your medical reciepts, make sure the hospital attempts to get pre-admittance approval (even if it is denied) and then submit all of your reciepts to your insurance company for reimbursement. Even though they may have denied you now, they might reimburse your for portions of it. Also, whatever they do not pay you may be able to claim it on your taxes at the end of the year..this and all of your other medical expenses for the year.

Thanks to both of you!

It's good to know there is light at the end of the tunnel. I hope I am just as successful.

I felt I really didn't have a choice regarding telling people. If I was to lose a large amount of weight or well any weight for that matter and they see me eating mini meals they are going to think I have developed an eating disorder. We all eat together most days at work.

My company is self insured and they specifically excluded it even if medically necessary, which it is. I will try that though. I know they have covered the testing but I have a 3k deductible so I have still paid about 2k out of pocket so far. I plan on claiming what I can on my taxes. My feeling is that since I am paying for this then I have more of a reason to succeed.

I didn't tell too many people I was having the surgery. As the psychiatic doctor who did our evals and runs the support group says.. " our health is private information".

The statics show that with conventional weight loss programs a obese person has a 90% ( number can be a little off) chance of gaining all weight back within a year.

A person who has bariatric surgury and follows the program has a much higher rate of keeping that weight off. Too early can't remember those exact numbers.

Have faith in yourself. I myself did not do this surgery to fail.

I am following the book.

So far so good. Much luck to you!