She's_Sleeved

I live just North of Tampa and will be having WLS near the end of April. Can't wait to have the exact surgery date! I am nervous and excited to start this journey!

I have tried every new fad diet out there. I would do great for a month or so but always fell back into old habits. I lost 50lbs in 2011 and shortly after got pregnant with baby #2 and gained close to 80lbs during my pregnancy. I dropped some of the weight but I am the biggest I have ever been in my life. My fiancé wants to set a wedding date and has been begging me to have family photos done. I have never considered WLS until the day my fiancé was being silly trying to make me laugh after I had a bad day and he put on my pajama pants and they could have fit 2 or 3 of him in them. I almost threw up and I just broke down and the tears just fell down my cheeks. He felt so bad and it was not his intension to upset me. Later that night I made the decision to have WLS and spoke to him about it the next day and he said he would hold my hand and stand by me no matter what. So next week I have my first appointment with my surgeon and I should be having my surgery in mid April. I want to be able to walk down the isle and feel freaking fabulous about myself. I want to have that first family photo taken and proudly hang it in my home! I am so thankful for this forum and all of you who bravely post your adventures into WLS!

I have my first visit with my surgeon next week. I am keeping my upcoming WLS pretty much under wraps. I only told a few people who are positive and supportive and can keep a secret. My fiancé, Mom, sister, and best friend. I am not going to post about it on Face Book I don't want to give the playground gossip crew anything new to talk about( We all have nosey FB friends). WLS is not an easy way out it is a tool and maybe after I get to my goal weight I will shout it out from the roof tops!

Hi, I thought I was a 100% sure on the lap band but I started seeing information on the sleeve so I wanted to check out this option too and who better to get info from but you guys! So what made you all decide to get the sleeve instead of the band. I am 36 years old 340lbs. Thank you so very much for any help and or advice.

UPDATE: I attended the seminar and thanks to this forum I knew exactly what questions to ask about both the Lap-Band and the Sleeve. I loved the Doctor because he was straight forward about both surgeries. I chose the sleeve and have my first appointment on March 20th. I am so excited to start this journey! Just want to thank all of you again for your comments they really helped!

Thank you all so much for your feed back. I am going to the seminar this Monday and am very excited to get the ball rolling!

I haven't had my surgery yet and have been torn between the Sleeve and the Lap-Band. Out of pocket for the sleeve will cost me $15,100. This includes all my pre-op testing, hospital stay, anesthesiologist, my psychological evaluation, Opti-Fast liquid diet before surgery. I am going to the seminar this Monday and then it is full steam ahead.

I am just starting out and will be going to the seminar March 15. I will be self pay and was just wondering how you all are doing. Are you happy with the Lap-Band?

It all depends if you are going to go through your health insurance or if you will be self-pay. I am going to be self pay so I called around and got quotes from three of the WLS centers that I narrowed it down to. I am paying $15,800 but this also includes my initial visit, anesthesiologist, hospital fees, my psychological eval, and paying the lead surgeon, also a year of after care and fills. The other two places cost about the same but it did not include the after care. If you are going through your health care provider you will need to see if it even covers WLS and if so you will have to follow the guidelines which could take over a year to complete. Good Luck!

@Cat225, I hate the "You have such a pretty face" saying!!! I imagine punching the person in the face as those words come tumbling out of their mouth. I have struggled with my weight since middle school and have done every diet out there. My Mom took to me to a weight loss clinic when I was 15 and the doctor told me to take the pills and drink coffee and not to eat. I am serious that is what he said. My weight has gone up and down and I am now at my biggest weight gain ever since having my 2nd child. I am now 36 and I feel that the Lap-Band is what is right for me and I am doing this for me and only me! I see so many wonderful posts here in this forum and can not wait to get my surgery!

This is exactly why I am choosing to only tell a very small amount of people in my inner circle. I only want the people that matter most to me to know. I am lucky to have a fiancé who supports me 100%, my Mom, who can keep a secret and she is all for my WLS, and my best friend who is so excited for me. This is my journey and I don't need every nosey Nancy to know my business or to try to force their opinion down my throat. It is hard for someone who isn't happy with themselves to be happy for you. You are doing this for you, don't let this woman bring you down with her small minded remarks. You are going to be so happy and confident once you start dropping the pounds. Good Luck!

I am just getting started, I am scheduled for a free seminar on March 15th at West Palms of Pasadena in St. Petersburg, Florida. I called the office and they mailed me a very detailed information packet. It is a lot of well laid out information. It even has the self-pay breakdown which is $15,800. But that includes every thing from your initial visit, testing, doctors and hospital fee's to the surgery and 1 year office visits and fills. The patient coordinator is very personable and is willing to answer any questions you have and he is also a lap-band patient so he knows exactly what everyone is going through. Good luck!

I am at the starting line into this Lap-Band journey. I have been researching for months and finally found the right hospital and surgeon. I am going to the seminar on March 15th with my fiancé. He works 6 days a week and we have 2 boys 13yr old and 2yr old, so finding a day and time that met our needs was hard. I will be a self pay patient and won't have the headache of dealing with the insurance companies, as so many of you have posted your battle to get approved. I just want to get this ball rolling. As an outsider waiting to become a "Bander" I have to ask, would you do it all over again? How has your Lap-Band experience been pro's and con's?

Thank you all so much for your feed back it is greatly appreciated! I am so excited to start this journey and finally be able to live the life I want to live. I am so glad I found this forum and all the wonderful people in it. I am ready to live the banded life!