Thinjen

I don't work for them, but I just saw a news piece that says that dove is using real people in their ads. Showed billboards with size 10-12 models. There is a lot of controversy with this. Some people are offended to see such fat girls on display.....I should be so fat. Currently I would take up the whole billboard. (Waiting on my band.) I applaud their effort to not use people who are smaller than a bar of their soap. The ad works for me....I'm buying.

I don't have my band yet. However, I find myself eating constantly the whole time I am reading posts on this site. I don't know if I am feeling sympathy deprivation for those on liquid diets and I eat to ease their pain, or what. Am I the only one?

Waiting to be banded....but, this is one of the issues that I'm already trying to deal with. See, it's an all you can eat buffet. Sounds like you got all you could eat. So, you didn't waste money. If you were like I am now (not banded yet) then "all you can eat" is really "all" a starving trucker can eat. Like Jack said, this is a BIG VICTORY!!!

Shirley, Just checked out your before and after pics......WOW!!!! You go girl. I know you have a band, but whoa, nellie!! That's a lot of weight since April 15. What's your secrets...besides the alien implant?

All of my stuff will be submitted to the insurance company on Monday. It's so exciting. I just hope that they do the right thing and cover it like it says in our policy. Yeah, I was surprised that I "passed" the psych evaluation too. My doctor had to kick me out. I was still talking when our time was up. I know this appointment was to eval for weight loss, but I took advantage of having a licensed professional---and tried to see if I was really nuts. Maybe I'm not after all. Am too. Am not. Am too. Sorry, Cybil showed up.

I'm not banded yet either...but my understanding from my doctor is to look 2-3 years out. He says that the weight loss is comparable to gastric bypass patients at 2-3 years out. And of course, their weight loss is significant. The gastric bypass patients not only have decreased stomach capacity, they have the extra factor of malabsorption. The benefit, I believe, of not having the malabsorption factor is that banded patients absorb necessary nutrients. So, I would say that you would have to see their results 2-3 years out to get a true idea of how wonderful the band will be. Some people lose 40-50 pounds a year. Some lose 120-150 in a year. We're not in a race. All of us have a final destination of health- no matter what the number says.

It would be better to have the heimlich performed on you to save your life. No sense in having an intact band in a coffin.

A vicious cycle. Being fat depresses me....so I eat more to comfort me...and the beat goes on. I wrote the book on this cycle...currently not in stores. I can't wait to be banded and a loser instead of branded as a loser.

Did you guys catch "Starved" last night...too funny.

Hal, I would think closer to 20k. There are some other docs that do it in the states for a lot less. There is a doctor Pleatman listed under the doc section. I think he is in Michigan. One of the local docs might would do fills for you. Again, I'm not sure what they would charge for a fill. This surgery is still a lot less that a heart bypass...where I'm headed if I don't have this done. Have you been reading a lot of these threads? Very informative...and honest.

Penni, I would love to meet you, but I am also going out of town...away from Nashville that weekend. You will love it here. It is beautiful. Lots of cool things to see downtown. Hope to be banded soon.

An absolute defense to slander is truth. If something is true, it is not slander. It may be hurtful....but not slander. If these are the true experiences of these ladies, they are not being slanderous.

I have no idea. Our insurance should cover it. We have blue cross/blue shield through Vanderbilt...I hope it pays for it. You can look throughout this site to get a ball park estimate. Some people go to Mexico to have it done. I would be too chicken to do this. Do you have insurance?

If you needed a kidney transplant in order to live...would he support you? If you needed heart bypass surgery to live....would he support you. I recently came out of the land of denial that this weight thing is not simply cosmetic. This is life and death...just like a kidney transplant and just like heart bypass. You really need to examine your relationship with him. Have a long talk and see exactly why he is so against it. I agree, this is not the easy way out. I don't have my band yet...but I know that this is a major surgery. How could anybody say that subjecting ourselves to a major surgery is the easy way out? Some men have a warped perception that as long as their wives are fat...nobody else would want them. This could be why he wants you to stay big...if so, this is a problem with his self-esteem. You have to let him know that you are in it for the long haul, and that time together will be longer if you are healthier. As far as support, many of us that are doing this have chosen not to disclose this to anyone. I've told my husband, but that is it. My husband is very supportive. However, I also come here for support. It's a wonderful forum...full of honesty and people who have been through it. It's time for you to be good to you. When you are good to you, there is a better you to share with others.

DeLarla, Starved was just advertised again. It comes on at 10pm this Thursday night. I'm not sure which zone. It was so funny-very twisted. For example, this chick is out to eat with her 3 male friends. She gets up to wash her carrot...then she came back to use her food scale to weigh the carrot. (Now, while she was gone to wash the carrot, her 3 male friends weigh their...well, you get the idea.) They wanted to see how they would measure up against the carrot. All of them had an eating disorder. One of the guys was bulemic. The chick and this other guy had anorexia. There was one big guy that used food to comfort him (hits close to home for me). One of the skinny guys, would buy snack cakes and cover them with ajax. He would throw them in the trash, and when he was under stress, he would dig them out and eat them....cleaner and all. And yet, they managed to make all of this very funny. On the previews, this same guy goes to the doc to get some sort of G I test and it shows him with Water squirting out of his butt like a`fountain...spraying the other patients.

I was channel surfing last night and found this show called "starved". Of course, it caught my eye. It is a twisted view of eating disorders. This show is also fiction...but I bet there are people in the world this screwed up. Then again, I do a lot of the same stuff they do- so maybe I'm screwed up too. Anyway, it was on F/X. Said it would be on again on Thursday- can't remember the time. It was actually pretty funny. Definately not something that children should watch.. I would compare the dialogue with sex and the city.

I just really love it that you guys are updating us on ya's one year anniversaries. This is such an inspiration to us pre-banders. I see so many things on here - ie, pb, reflux, slipping...and I think..Do I really want to do this? And then I read your story and it confirms my desire. Size 6...you go girl. I think my mother brought me home from the hospital in a size 6. So, I don't remember it. I'm so proud of you. You've come this far- those last 20 pounds will come off too. Hey, you can probably get some extra exercise by parking that Jag out in the back 40-so that others won't hit it. Thanks for the inspiration.

I'm still pre-band..so not much experience. However, as a cardiac nurse, this sounds like a blessing in disguise. If something is going on with your heart, it's better to find out now...pre surgery. Sounds like the band is already saving your life.

I'm with vinesqueen. Shopping? I'd rather have a tooth extracted. At least with the tooth extraction, you get fun gas. Now, I look for 26-28 clothes at the goodwill- and don't care what they look like as long as they cover everything. I'm pre-band. When I get to goal, I'm going to make up for lost time and go to a real clothing store where they have new clothes. At that point, I may look for clothes that don't cover everything....hehehehehe

I am married with 2 kids...and no longer fertile. I am an unemployed nurse..by choice. I am a mom to my kids and a law student. I don't care for football...but probably will when my boys get bigger. I don't do crafts. My hobby is tv watching, and I'm very good at it. My favorite is the game show network. How boring am I....hoping to get my life back when the aliens place my silicone implant.

You go girl!! I'm also 5'10"-currently weigh 270. I'm still waiting on my band. The reason I want the band is to be healthy. Every joint in my body hurts and my doc says I have a 20% chance of having a heart attack in the next 10 years (I'm only 32). To be honest, I probably wouldn't get the band if I were in good health at my current weight. This addiction has to be treated like recovery for any other addiction...one day at a time. I applaud your ability to love you today. I won't get on the train today....we'll see what tomorrow holds.

I'm not banded yet...still going through the process, but I must say that you are incredible. I appreciate you for sharing your journey. I have been doing so much research on the band and it is amazing to see just how different everybody's journey is. You've lost a whole person...not only in the physicial sense, but you've also lost that old person that was a slave to her weight. Now, you get to enjoy life instead of just watching it. As far as you losing any more weight, you can do it. You've proven that you can do anything. Words can never describe how proud I am of you. You represent to us a warrior in this fight and you give the rest of us hope. Thank you again.

Tell him that you had female surgery. No lie-you are a female that had surgery.

I am so proud of you and for you. You are getting a handle on your health at a very young age. You'll get more out of life by actually getting to live it instead of just watching it. I'm still waiting on my band. I wish I could have done it years ago. It won't be long before you can shop anywhere you want. I'm a terrible shopper too. The only thing I like to buy is candles...they fit all. Once my weight comes off, I'll be dangerous. I'm going to make up for the last 15 years and shop till I drop.

Thanks for the info. I've been doing a lot of homework. I know that this is the right decision for me. I'm willing to do the work and know that the band is only a tool. I've always been able to lose weight...problem is, I've always been better at gaining it back. I'm ready to get off of the rollercoaster. I'll keep ya updated-the closer I get to surgery.