I am now 40 years old and have had a weight problem all my life. Now I want to make sure I am healthy for the next 40 years. I am scared if I don't do something about my weight issue now I will end up in a hospital bed, ill, on tons of medication and saying to myself "What did you do to yourself all these years!" I am ready !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:cool:

I am in the pre-op stages of just testing. I already had an upper GI series, blood work, ekg, and stress test. On Friday I go for an ECHO. My nutrtional and physch. are set up for Monday the 18th.

The dr. that will be performing my surgery will be DR. ALAN GEISS in SYOSSET.

I really encourage you that you are making the right decision because the band will make such a difference. I was banded 7-19-06 and I am so happy with it. I was in 26 jeans and bought 20's today that I just slipped right into. Can you imagine how good that felt? I had already went from a 46 dd to a 42 d and dont miss "them" at all. My reason for banding was I felt like I was headed for a heart attack or stroke. At 47 thats scares me.

To band you can never eat 4 pieces of chicken or go to Red Lobster and eat all that they offer. I havent been to a restaurant since banding but we are going on vacation Oct 1st thru the 9th and I am going to conquer that fear .

I want to tell every obese person I see about banding.

So you go girl and must success to ya.

Your future "band" sister,

edie

We have to take things into our own hands. I'm with you, I want to LIVE the rest of my life not just watch it go by.

Thank you "ediparks" and "Teresita" for your words of encouragement. My husband wasn't all that happy that I was going to have the band done. Reluctantly he said that he supports me but I still don't feel that he is fully on board with it. I know that it is up to me to take control of it anyway. But having all of you out there makes my heart SMILE!!!!!!!!! So far I have went to all my pre-op testing by myself and I know I will be happy later on. I am a size 18 in jeans and that is quite large because I am short. I know I need to have the strength to fight for myself.

Denise2