YfandesLady

Hi everyone! I have been toying with this idea for years, but have finally decided to stop waiting until the perfect time (financially). Can anyone out there tell me their experiences with a Sarasota County facility/doctor in Florida? Also, trying to get an idea of costs involved as my Aetna insurance has a WLS exemption and I'll have to pay on my own. Thanks for any feedback! Dawn

Hi! Just wondering if anyone had any experience with the doctors in Sarasota? I'm south of Sarasota and am looking for the best doctor who is closest to me. It is good to hear about Bradenton, but am hoping on feedback on others as well. Please let me know! :wink2: Thanks a bunch!

So, last Friday I drove for six and a half hours to get to my friends house 3 and a half hours away to help her move over the weekend. Then, I started working at a fast food joint because finances are tight right now. So this past week has been awful. But today again I am doing better. I am trying to choose the healthier options at work and hope to be able to be consistant in that next week. NO FRIES!!! In another six weeks I'll be back home in FL and will find another work situation and new challenges. I will have to learn to be consistant with my eating and get some regular exercise regardless of the changes in my life. I want to get my mindset right before I invest so much money I don't already have in this procedure, this tool that will help me even more so. I want a better life and will get it, but I'm only at the beginning where it feels the most overwhelming. I'm fighting myself more than anything right now and it isn't pretty. My spirit is willing, but my flesh is weak (and stubborn). :phanvan

So, last Friday I drove for six and a half hours to get to my friends house 3 and a half hours away to help her move over the weekend. Then, I started working at a fast food joint because finances are tight right now. So this past week has been awful. But today again I am doing better. I am trying to choose the healthier options at work and hope to be able to be consistant in that next week. NO FRIES!!! In another six weeks I'll be back home in FL and will find another work situation and new challenges. I will have to learn to be consistant with my eating and get some regular exercise regardless of the changes in my life. I want to get my mindset right before I invest so much money I don't already have in this procedure, this tool that will help me even more so. I want a better life and will get it, but I'm only at the beginning where it feels the most overwhelming. I'm fighting myself more than anything right now and it isn't pretty. My spirit is willing, but my flesh is weak (and stubborn). :phanvan

hehe... who knew I could do it. And all by myself. Today at least. hehehe:whoo: My total caloric intake today is currently 969. That includes breakfast, lunch and dinner!!! I realize that this is only one day... but I've proven to myself it can be done (and without being hungry). :clap2: I know this is just the beginning, but if I can really change this much on my own, I could be very successful with LB. :confused: Oh! and did I mention that I got 11 minutes in on the treadmill? (Ran for a whole 30 seconds!) It seems so little if I compare it to other people in my life, but I refuse to give up my own little victory. Right now.... I totally ROCK!

hehe... who knew I could do it. And all by myself. Today at least. hehehe:whoo: My total caloric intake today is currently 969. That includes breakfast, lunch and dinner!!! I realize that this is only one day... but I've proven to myself it can be done (and without being hungry). :clap2: I know this is just the beginning, but if I can really change this much on my own, I could be very successful with LB. :confused: Oh! and did I mention that I got 11 minutes in on the treadmill? (Ran for a whole 30 seconds!) It seems so little if I compare it to other people in my life, but I refuse to give up my own little victory. Right now.... I totally ROCK!

Hello again. I've been tracking my food intake on fitday.com for 8 days now and let me tell you it has been an eye-opener. I've tried to be conscious of what I'm eating, but I just can't get over my caloric intake. EWWWWW! But I have to start somewhere, and I've decided that for my own peace of mind I need to make a diet change first and foremost. If I can make some better choices now, then I know I'll have better success with LB. So, embarassed though I am (and I'll let you know other than the 12 oz steak at Outback yesterday, I have been eating normally and without a LOT of snacking), this is the truth about where I am before I start changing anything. I can do this! (Right???) :confused: ) And the journey begins... YfandesLady Not Banded, but convinced!

Hello again. I've been tracking my food intake on fitday.com for 8 days now and let me tell you it has been an eye-opener. I've tried to be conscious of what I'm eating, but I just can't get over my caloric intake. EWWWWW! But I have to start somewhere, and I've decided that for my own peace of mind I need to make a diet change first and foremost. If I can make some better choices now, then I know I'll have better success with LB. So, embarassed though I am (and I'll let you know other than the 12 oz steak at Outback yesterday, I have been eating normally and without a LOT of snacking), this is the truth about where I am before I start changing anything. I can do this! (Right???) :confused: ) And the journey begins... YfandesLady Not Banded, but convinced!

Joe Muggs Cafe (in Books*A*Million stores) uses Oregon Chai (half chai, half milk) steamed. It's the best IMHO. Although I usually have them use this ratio: 1/2 chai, 1/4 2% milk, 1/4 hot Water. If you want to try it, that's one way to do it. :confused:

I heard about Lap-Band late in the year, 2006. I attended an informative seminar in Tampa, FL and became intrigued with the process. I'd had an uncle who'd had gastric bypass and he'd ended up losing weight, then gaining it all back after returning to normal eating habits. But SURGERY? to lose weight? Wasn't that taking drastic measures? Couldn't I just do better with changing my eating habits to healthy ones? Was I too weak to do what I had to do on my own? What would people say/think? And if I did do this... everyone would know that I'd taken the "easy way out" by the way I would have to eat. And surgery was forever. And what about that port thing... would it be visible? if I were intimate with someone, would they feel it and be repulsed? Not to mention all the risks surgery intales. If I did this, would I end up like my uncle and go back to my old ways, stretching out my stomach? I just couldn't resove it in my mind and heart. It was tempting.. sounded ideal (Other than the whole money aspect of it all). So I let it sit on a back burner til just a few weeks ago. It was then that I started my own research on the internet about LB and found this site. So many people's opinions and experiences were just what I needed to hear - good and bad. Then one kind-hearted individual answered all the serious and silly questions that I asked. Her openness really allowed me to come to grips with what this surgery would mean and how it could effect my life. So now I am in the process of journalling my eating habits on Fitday.com (which I heard about here) to see just what I am eating and how it breaks down. This has been seriously eyeopening. Once I have a week or so documented, I plan on working on reducing my caloric intake and eating my protien first, then veggies, then carbs. Basically I am going to start changing my eating habits now, in hopes that when I do get insurance and can afford to do this surgery, I will be setting myself up for success, not failure. I feel positive about this life change. I think I can do this. And I don't feel so bad about myself for it. :whoo: So this is where I will journal and document my journey. This is where I will voice my fears and concerns, my joys and accomplishments. And if someone else can get some info, support, or comfort from reading it, then praise be to God. Woohoo! I'm on my way to a brighter day!

I heard about Lap-Band late in the year, 2006. I attended an informative seminar in Tampa, FL and became intrigued with the process. I'd had an uncle who'd had gastric bypass and he'd ended up losing weight, then gaining it all back after returning to normal eating habits. But SURGERY? to lose weight? Wasn't that taking drastic measures? Couldn't I just do better with changing my eating habits to healthy ones? Was I too weak to do what I had to do on my own? What would people say/think? And if I did do this... everyone would know that I'd taken the "easy way out" by the way I would have to eat. And surgery was forever. And what about that port thing... would it be visible? if I were intimate with someone, would they feel it and be repulsed? Not to mention all the risks surgery intales. If I did this, would I end up like my uncle and go back to my old ways, stretching out my stomach? I just couldn't resove it in my mind and heart. It was tempting.. sounded ideal (Other than the whole money aspect of it all). So I let it sit on a back burner til just a few weeks ago. It was then that I started my own research on the internet about LB and found this site. So many people's opinions and experiences were just what I needed to hear - good and bad. Then one kind-hearted individual answered all the serious and silly questions that I asked. Her openness really allowed me to come to grips with what this surgery would mean and how it could effect my life. So now I am in the process of journalling my eating habits on Fitday.com (which I heard about here) to see just what I am eating and how it breaks down. This has been seriously eyeopening. Once I have a week or so documented, I plan on working on reducing my caloric intake and eating my protien first, then veggies, then carbs. Basically I am going to start changing my eating habits now, in hopes that when I do get insurance and can afford to do this surgery, I will be setting myself up for success, not failure. I feel positive about this life change. I think I can do this. And I don't feel so bad about myself for it. :whoo: So this is where I will journal and document my journey. This is where I will voice my fears and concerns, my joys and accomplishments. And if someone else can get some info, support, or comfort from reading it, then praise be to God. Woohoo! I'm on my way to a brighter day!

Thanks :car: Good luck with your consultation. I'm doing my research now in hopes of making the right decision. I'd be interested in any info you'd like to share. Thanks again.

So, pros vs cons of the smooth balloon vs the scalloped one would be? And also, what is a regular port compared to a low profile port?:help:

Sunshine, don't give up now. I'm just now cosidering a LB and have found this site to be a great source of information. I have found your journal to be inspiring and so informative. You have provided me with a real idea of what this journey would be like. You have people with you on this journey (even if we are just observers of your battle. But take faith! You are winning this battle and you can do this. I know for one, I'll be praying for you! God bless and keep journaling.

Hello all! I'm from the Venice (south of Sarasota) area and have been debating whether or not to pursue lap-banding in my near future. I did attend one of Dr. Jesse's informational conferences several months ago and thought her to be very patient friendly. I guess I'm looking for others in the SW area who could recommend and/or provide personal feedback about local Drs. and wouldn't mind opening lines of communication with a curious lady. I'm really proud of you all for doing this for yourselves and love reading about your journies, whether great or not so great. Way to go! Thanks and Best wishes to all of you!