Angelsma

I have "fresh start" meeting with the dr and his team at the heart hospital here in Columbus, Ohio. I'm excited and a tad bid emotional because I believe this will be the beginning of a whole new life for me. From reading other posts I know my life will never be the same. So many things come to mind. It is my prayer that my back and knees will no longer ache; I won't have to look for clothes that aren't going to "hurt" or have elastic waist bands; I will no longer need to be embarassed when the airplane seat belt doesn't fit; I will no longer "pretend" that my weight doesn't bother me; As I begin to lose weight and continue my exercise I will no longer fear of having a stroke or heart attack; I won't have to fear that people are judging me as a just another fat person (especially people who have known me a long time and feel comfortable saying "oh, my god what happened? You have gained so much weight. All the while my heart is aching and the thought is running through my "I really don't want to be this way...I didn't wake up with the thought I will make myself 240 lbs by the time I'm 50. Oh well, I'd better get on with my day. It's so therapuetic just writing on here. I'll be on my way to the dr's office tonight. More tomorrow.

I am looking at Riverside's program - my initial visit will be at the McConnell Heart Hospital. I am soooo looking forward to getting banded. It seems like that as I go through peri-menopause I want to eat everything in my path. It's like having constant pms munchies. Not good, not good at all. Stay in touch.

It was back to work after the holiday's and the day went fast. I'm counting down to my initial consultation. I'm not sure how long it take to find out if my insurance company will approve the procedure. I am praying it won't take too long. Gee my knees, back, cholesterol can't take much more "pressure". Well not much to write about today. I'm so glad I found this site.:hungry:

Hello, from one buckeye to another. I'm here in Columbus, Ohio as well and looking forward to my initial consult next week. Let me know how things are going for you and where you are in the process. Take care.

Hello, I am just at the beginning of looking at Riverside/Dr. Myers to have my banding. Dr. Myers is fully accredited and board certified so I feel very confident he would be the only person here that I would want to do it. My Fresh Start seminar is on 12/3 and hope that I won't have to wait too long after that to have the surgery. I can't freakin tie my shoes without groaning. When did that happen? Besides being peri-menopausal I'm overweight too. Lord, I need a break Please let me know where you are now in the process. Stay in touch.

It was back to work after the holiday's and the day went fast. I'm counting down to my initial consultation. I'm not sure how long it take to find out if my insurance company will approve the procedure. I am praying it won't take too long. Gee my knees, back, cholesterol can't take much more "pressure". Well not much to write about today. I'm so glad I found this site.:hungry:

I beginning to actually believe this is the beginning of the rest/best part of my life. My weight issues have been with me for as long as I can remember. Looking back over the last thirty years, I have always thought I was fat when actually I was a normal kid who was a little on the hefty side (5' 5" @ 110 - 115lbs. in jr high....I know isn't that freakin crazy) but then I had a sister who was always less than 100 lbs who made me look like a giant. So, my yo-yo dieting began at all costs. I would lose 20 on diet pills (back then they were called black beautifies) and gain 30; lose 30 and gain 40 lbs. It seemed like I could never gain control of the vicious cycle of eating, self loathing, dieting/exercising with equal amounts of joy and excitement with the short lived weight loss. As late as 2001, I lost 30 lbs on a no/low carb plan only to gain 50 lbs. when I didn't think anyone else was looking. Where were they looking - I was self destructing in their faces. I could see the disgust and dissapointment in my family eyes when I would walked into a room. I had a high school friend (who has always been thin) come up to me on the street and asked "what happend? how did you gain all that weight?" AND THAT WAS BEFORE I GAINED THE LAST 50 LBS!!!! So, when I researched my options, the lap band was the only logical. I know that with the support groups and online support, I'll work through all the other issues tha have plagued me along with the weight. It's not always just about eating. I belive it also means that I will begin to believe that I'm worth being healthy and putting myself first for a change.

I beginning to actually believe this is the beginning of the rest/best part of my life. My weight issues have been with me for as long as I can remember. Looking back over the last thirty years, I have always thought I was fat when actually I was a normal kid who was a little on the hefty side (5' 5" @ 110 - 115lbs. in jr high....I know isn't that freakin crazy) but then I had a sister who was always less than 100 lbs who made me look like a giant. So, my yo-yo dieting began at all costs. I would lose 20 on diet pills (back then they were called black beautifies) and gain 30; lose 30 and gain 40 lbs. It seemed like I could never gain control of the vicious cycle of eating, self loathing, dieting/exercising with equal amounts of joy and excitement with the short lived weight loss. As late as 2001, I lost 30 lbs on a no/low carb plan only to gain 50 lbs. when I didn't think anyone else was looking. Where were they looking - I was self destructing in their faces. I could see the disgust and dissapointment in my family eyes when I would walked into a room. I had a high school friend (who has always been thin) come up to me on the street and asked "what happend? how did you gain all that weight?" AND THAT WAS BEFORE I GAINED THE LAST 50 LBS!!!! So, when I researched my options, the lap band was the only logical. I know that with the support groups and online support, I'll work through all the other issues tha have plagued me along with the weight. It's not always just about eating. I belive it also means that I will begin to believe that I'm worth being healthy and putting myself first for a change.

Hi Elisa, thanks for the resonse. Yes, my insurance does cover the procedure, and so I've schedule my initial consultation here in Columbus at the McConnell Heart Center next week. I'm quite sure I'll have the procedure at Riverside Methodist once "the dust settles". I'm keeping the mindset that "whether I'm approved or not....I need to begin to at change my thinking about my weight so I'm not totally devastasted if declined for some reason. Lets stay in touch as we move through the process. Maybe we can organize a "buckeye-banding reunion"

CONGRATULATIONS! And yes, it helps me a great deal. I have the same insurer.

YOU GO GIRL!!! I can't wait to pick out my kini Angelsma