leah

I'm so excited for you and jealous of you!!!!!! I can't wait until I can say I'm being banded in 24 hours. Good Luck!

Kathy, I'm glad to hear your feet got smaller. My feet have gotten so big, it's difficult to find attractive shoes. Not only have they grown in length but have gotten really wide as well. I hope they trim down with the rest of me when I get banded. Leah

I haven't been banded yet, I'm still futzing around with insurance. What I want to know is how fast you lose inches from the belly/tummy/gut area. I look like a big egg with legs (and arms and a head). Do you tend to lose it more or less evenly all over or do you notice it more in the larger parts?

CandySmooch (I love that name!), I haven't read that particular book but I've read lots of others. I'm not saying that Dr.'s and meds don't serve a purpose, but I've had several experiences where natural and holistic healing were far more helpful than the prescribed stuff. I think Docs are important and useful, but sometimes you just can't always rely on their knowledge, especially when diagnosing an illness. When my daughter was 4 she started getting sick, throwing up frequently and having terrible diarrhea. This 1st time I took her to the doctor she said it was acid reflux and sent us home with a perscription. A week later my daughter was still very will and had lost a lot of weight. The doctor then said it was probably a virus and it would have to run it's course. After a few more days my poor baby was so weak she could barely lift her head. At one she looked at me and said "please help me". Needless to say I was frantic. I called my sister in Colorado (she practices natural and nutritional healing) and asked her to help. Within minutes she called me back. "I know what it is" she said. She told me there had been several cases in her area of giardia (a parasite) in her area. She also told me that when adults have it, the symptoms are diarrhea and gas but not vomiting. She said to back to the doctor, give them the symptoms, but leave out the part about vomiting. I did as she said, they diagnosed giardia, gave my daughter medication for it and within 3 days she was fine. When I asked the doctor why it took so long to figure it out she said that vomiting wasn't a symptom of giardia so no one even considered it. "But", my doctor said, "I'm sure glad I figured it out". Yeah, I am too. A long winded story, I know. But it was that experience that made me realize that we all have to take active parts in diagnosing and healing ourselves because doctors don't always have the answers.

I just found out that my particular insurance coverage does not cover WLS. I'm not going to get discouraged just yet. I guess I need to find out if I can upgrade my coverage. If anyone has ever done that or knows about it, I would like to hear from them.

Before I had children I was a special events and meeting planner. After I had my first child I happily became a stay at home mom. After my second was born I started teaching water aerobics at a physical therapy place (5 classes/hours per week). I love doing that, I actually get paid (not much) to exercise! I also watch a couple of my friends kids after school. All in all, I have it pretty easy. Leah

Hi Annie -- I'm from Lawrence. I've be thinking about making an appointment with a place in Topeka that does lap-banding. For some reason I keep chickening out. I guess I'm afraid that I'll really want to have it done and won't be able to pay for it. I really need to lose a lot of weight so I'm sure I'll take the plunge sooner or later. Keep posting. I look forward to reading about your progress.

regarding "Hot like her"'s info on fungus -- I had heard that also and had terrible problems with my feet. I tried tea tree oil (which is an anti fungal (sp?)) and it worked wonders.

Dear Jodi, I can't tell you how I feel for you. I was also molested. It happened when I was very young. I grew up with terrible depression, anxiety, anger and a binge eating disorder which I later found out is quite common in victims of molestation. Later in life I was getting talk and drug therapy, but it was useless. Finally a doctor told me about EMDR therapy for post traumatic stress syndrom victims. It was painful (emotionally) to go through but it helped a lot with the anxiety and anger. I'm still extremely overweight (270) and am waiting for insurance also. My knees are shot and I cannot walk without a cane but I can exercise in Water and it really feels great. I didn't write to give you advice, just to say I have a general idea of where you're coming from. When I was 19 I was going to this shrink (male) who asked me if I had thoughts of suicide. I told him I didn't think I would actually kill myself but often wished I just wouldn't wake up. He looked at me and said "Just teenage meladrama, huh". So I told him yeah, that's all it is, walked out and never went back. A rotten shrink can really do a number on you. Anyway, now I'm just doing stream of conscience stuff. I'll sign off now. Don't give up. Leah

Hi. I love this site and read it often (usually around 2am when I can't sleep and the house is nice and quiet). I'm 5'3, 270lbs and in dire need of major weight reduction. I know you have to have a psych test before you're allowed to have this done and I'm worried that I won't pass. I have a problem with binge and compulsive eating. Has anyone out there had this problem and has still been successful with the lap-band?

I am seriously considering doing this Lap-Band thing, I'm 5'3, about 270lbs and have a BMI of 47. I hear a lot about how you have to chew everthing to mush. Will this affect my ability to take my meds and supplements in pill and capsule form?

Hullo! My name is Leah and I am new to this site. I'm trying to come to a decision as to whether or not I should have this procedure done. I'm 45, 5'3 and about 265lbs. I have all the usual problems that obese people have, apnea, high blood pressure and sugar, arthritic knees, etc. Does it really work? I have spent so much money on other weight loss programs, I'm afraid that I'll spend loads of money on this and then fail miserably. I would love to be able to take a long walk, paint my own toenails, buy clothes in any store I want instead of a specialty store. You know, just live normally. There aren't any doctors in my area that do lap banding. I've heard a lot about the doctors in Tiajuana (sp?). Does anyone have any good/bad experiences? Any other recommendations? I live in Lawrence, Kansas -- the Kansas City area.