juli21

@ Laura RN, I believe that you would be able to attend the support group. I would call the clinic 505-272-2300.

I was banded on January 27, 2011 by Dr. Sanchez. I found Dr. Sanchez to be very nice and personable but I have only meet with her twice, once for the initial consultation and then for the surgery. Patricia Bazinett, the Nurse Practitioner, is who I have seen for all my check ups and fills. I come from out of town and have had all my appointments on Friday so I think that is why I don't see her. Everyone in the clinic is so nice and friendly and I only have good thing to say about them. If you want to really get to know what other people from the clinic say about it, you should attend the support group meetings. Look on the web site and it will give you dates and times. I know that there is one on the first Monday of every month at the Lovelace west side. Good luck to you on your journey!

I have the same issue. I found that using two regular support bras, on just little bit smaller, holds the girls down. I have not found any sports bra that give me any support. Depending on my weight i can wear 40/38 DD/DDD. I have used the two bra thing for many years. I have always been fairly active with high impact activities such as aerobics and soccer and this seems to work for me.

I too have doubted myself. I know people who know people who have had the sleeve and they talk about all the complications of the lap band and all the good thing of the sleeve. I have also been on other web sites and have read all the negative complications that people are saying. I really was so unsure if I was doing the right thing but I looked at all the reasons why I originally choose the Lap-band. My surgery is in 5 days 1/27/11.

I'm getting banded on the 27th. I'm on day 4 of the pre-op diet. I get 2 bariatric advantage shakes and one cup non-creamed soup. Hasn't been that bad. I'm very motivated.

Thanks everyone for the words of encouragement. My mind is made up! I"m gonna get the lab band.

Thank you for the information. I was starting to doubt my decision for lap band. I have been reading forum from several sites and there are a lot of of people that have alot of complaint and complications. Its scaring me.

I started the journey of getting banded in November of 2010. It has been, so far, fast and easy. I have already been approved by my insurance company. I am scheduled for surgery on January 21, 2011. I am so nervous, scared and excited. But… I am wondering if I am making the right decision. I have been reading message boards of several sites and there are so much complications and complaints about the band. I choose the band because I didn't want my insides cut and rerouted and the lap band surgery is performed locally. This is the only bariatric procedure being performed in the state I live in. I also don't have to wait. I get my surgery in less than three weeks. I just need to vent. I hope that the band works out for me and that I do not have all the complications that I read about. I will be so disappointed.

So...it looks like I will be banded January 27. Already been approved by the insurance. Meet with surgeon, the social workerand the nutritionist. Will meet with nutritionist again on December 22. At that time I will schedule another appointment with the nutritionist and the appointment with the nurse to start the pre op.

On November 13,2010 I attended seminar at the Lovelace Medical center in Albuquerque NM. On November 16th , I received a call saying that my insurance will covers the surgery and I scheduled another appointment for the Monday, November 22nd. I met with the doctor and the insurance person. They both told me not to worry that my insurance will cover the procedure. Because I was on weight watcher in January to June 2010 , this will count as some of my doctor supervised diet and I can get the lab band in late January 2011. I also have to quit smoking. I don’t smoke a lot usually one to three cigarettes a day. I enjoy a cigarette on my way home from work. I will miss them but it won’t be a big deal. They smell bad anyway. I have another appointment scheduled for Monday November 29th. I will meet with the nutritionist and hopefully the social worker. I live in Albuquerque but work in Los Alamos New Mexico which is two hours away. I live in Los Alamos during the working week and come home when I am off. When I started this job I was driving back and forth every day. I stopped exercising.On September 22,2010 I tuned 40 and I am at my heaviest weight (226lbs). I have always struggled with my weight. I joined Weight Watchers for the first time when I was 14years old and have never quiet. I have never made goal but have close to it three times. The last time I joined I has a really hard time taking off the weight and I continued to put on the pounds. Unfortunately or maybe fortunately I now qualify for the lab band. I realize that getting the lab band is a drastic step to my weight loss and it is not a cure. This is a tool that will help lose the weight and keep it off. I will still have to continue to watch my portions, make healthy choices and exercise.