BlueTattoo

LOL I took that picture after a day of pampering! I went had my hair done my eye brows waxed then marched over to the Esta Lauter counter in dillards and said Make me pretty! lol and that's what she did . I bought the make up she put on me and the only thing i can get to look like that is the lips. LOL I can't for the life of me figure out how she did the eye shadow it's like 4 different colors lol

Well i made a few calls for local docotrs did some research on line and did a lil research via word of mouth from people that had it done. I called my insurance company they said they would cover it. I'd have to pay 1300 out of pocket but they'd foot the rest of the bill. I have to go t a siminare on thursday to meet with the doctors again and turn in all my insurance information. So after the siminare it's the waiting game to hear back from the doctor for the approval he said 1-3 weeks for that. then i'll come in and have another meeting with them to schedual my pre-op stuff and schedual my banding. I'm nervous and scared about it at the same time but i know it's for the better. I'm also worried about the excess skin , i've sent a few pm's to people about it and they had body lifts or tummy tucks... something the insurance wont cover i dont think. Seems more cosmetic. but it wont hurt to ask them. I've been putting off the back surgery for about 3 years now because i'm just too scared to do it . They want to put spacers in my spine because i have no cartlige in the lower 4 L sections of the spine. which causes lots of pain and arthritis. I'm like a walking weather girl i know when it's gonna rain and i know when it's gonna get COLD! Lol . i 've been searching through the before and after pictures and OMG those people are so inspiring . It's like i can't wait to do that too. Today tho i hit a low . Because i'm surrounded by beautiful skinny woman who work with me. Makes me jealous then i feel bad because i envy them. Working in a casino surrounded by beautiful people and you are one of the "fat" people just brings your heart down but i keep telling myself one day i'll be thin too and it makes me feel somewhat better not alot but a enough to get through my shift.

no it's not that i'm a grazer and i'm serious i eat one meal. Sometimes it's a big mac and fries from McD's on my way to work , or it's at the restraunts at work. I eat til i'm full or i just stuff my self cause i dunno when i'll have the time again to eat. But it's usually just once a day. I know i should adjust my diet to better protiens instead of something that's fast and easy but that's what i do cause that's what i have the time for. I 'm not one for thinking people are mean and bitches if they are trying to give productive critizism. *spelling?* I start my mornings off with me rushing around the house mentally yelling at myself cause i'm late get to work , if i get a break i eat at bk or taco bueno which ever line is shorter and that's my meal. I come home hop on comp and relax. I'm not going to lie and say i dont have depression issues. I get down about my weight and then get pissed off cause of the way i've lived my life. Every once in a while i'll go through a bag of hershies chocolates. Doesn't help my weight then i go through the whole pissed off at myself part and go back to eatting one day to try to make up for that bag of chocolates i ate earlier in the week. i want to change the way i feel and the way i look. Plus the weight change will help with the back problems I have and could Possibly help me from having back surgery "so says Dr. Keith" . I know that i dont eat the right foods all the time . I do eat them sometimes but not as often as i should. I do know that i get down and eat til i'm stuff and then wash and repeat the cycle. I'm not looking for sympothy i'm just looking for advice on how to change. I want to hear feedback on what people have experienced and if people go through the same cycle as i do. i didnt say i eat one small meal. i said i ate a 1 meal. but i do understand what u are saying. When i hit 298 when i went in to have my daughter i was munching all the time . After her i did it and then i just stopped , i dont remember what stopped me but i did . i'm at 230 right now. I have been between 220 and 240 for the past 2 years. I eat when i'm hungry and in some cases i eat when i get depressed.

i'm in there now!

well i stayed steady with the south beach diet for about 5 months and that gotme 10 lbs off but when i lost my job i started making home made meals i gained it all back plus some.

poor matabalism maybe ? I'm not sure? When i started gaining the weight my doctor told me i wasn't eating enough or exercising enough. I was like well i eat once a day i should lose weight right? For me it seems i gain the weight. I'm at 230 atm and i'm 5'3. My doc said he wants me at 110-120lbs. which seems like a lifetime ago i think i was 10 years old when i was that weight. They checked my thyroid when i was 19 and said i didnt have a thyroid problem. Just bad eating habits like eating once a day. i eat my veggies hell me and my kids love our vegies i just can't get it to come off!

they told me that smoking increases chance of ulcers and they wont take the chance of having ulcers while doing surgery. So *shrug* i need to quit any way. The only way i was successful on quitting was when i was pregnant...and i'm not doing that just so i can quit smoking again LOL . And sine i dont have a mother in law any more , my life isn't near as stressful lol

I did alot of oresearch on this . I spent about a month looking through success stories, finding information on doctors, and then finally meeting up with doctors. After speaking with the doctors I have to go to my first siminare on it and they answer all my questions there. That's my first step. After the siminare they take my insurance information and then get ahold of me after my insurance has responded to their request so i can schedual my surgery date.

Thank you for the warm welcomes! Wish412, I used to live in DeQueen with my ex-husband so I know exactly where those places are at Dr. Ronnie L. Keith will be doing my surgery. He came highly recommended from a few friends and co-workers. it's gonna cost about $18k but my insurance will cover most of it. I was just suprised when i called my insurance company that they would cover it since i'm a part time employee. they said out of pocket expenses i'll have to pay around 1300. WHich isn't a bad trade off. and it covers my 1st year fills.

When speaking with the doctor before the siminar he told me I had to be smoke free for 3 months or they would not do the surgery. And that they would test for it!! so whether or not i want to smoke or not I HAVE TO quit. But it's best for my health so i will have to find something else to keep me from eating everything in the house. My friend said drink lots of water when i feel the urge to smoke or chew gum.

Hi! I'm a new member as well. I was serfing Google.com and found this site. I'm going in for my 1sts seminare this week to turn in my insurance information so I can start the process of Lap-band. I'm 5'3 and 230 lbs. I've got a long way to go but It's a change I need to make. I'm really nervous about doing this . This is the most extreme thing i've ever done. But i know when it's all over i'll be able to have fun with my kids and enjoy the life i've always wanted for myself. My name is JayCee and i'm from Norman, Ok. Just thought i'd post my hellos :eek:)