blair28

Wow, everyone who has posted seems to have had an extensive psych eval. Mine lasted maybe an hour, more like 45 minutes. She was a prior gastric bypass patient from 13 yrs ago. She mainly asked me a lot of questions about my history, both medical and personal. She asked me what prompted me to want to get the lap band done and why now? She stressed the importance of continuing the exercise and really paying attention to what I'm eating. Then she referred a couple of books to me and I was done. I'm assuming I passed because she told me that she thought I was going to do very well with the lap band and asked me for a check for my copay. LOL.

So I've gotten thru my 1st seminar, my 1st support group and my 1st visit with the director of the bariatric department. All has gone well. My main concern was when can I have this surgery. I feel as though my life is on hold until I can have this done and so I am battling the anxiety of having to wait. My doctor is telling me that it will be late winter, early spring when I can finally have the surgery done. Being that its September now, I can handle that. Especially since this is my favorite time of year. Of course it is for most fat people am I right? No shorts to wear anymore, no embarrassing sweating because you can't handle the heat, no sandals to show off the swelling in your ankles, no struggling to pull the shorts that have mysteriously ridden up between your thighs down in an inconspicuous way, and lest I forget that this is the time of year when everyone overeats so us fat people always fit right in and we aren't usually judged for it! This all gets me into an excited frenzy of what ifs and what may come. What it will feel like to want to go out to eat and not always go to places that have a drive thru. What it will feel like to walk into a regular size store and not feel like an intruder. What it will feel like to be able to come home from work and not immediately put my feet up because my legs, knees, ankles and calves are swollen. To finally put to rest that "fat guy in little coat" or in my case, "fat girl in little coat" syndrome. To not worry that when you bend over the pair of pants you squeezed yourself into is not going to burst at the seems. So I'm finally on my journey, starting it out big as life and hopefully by the end partaking of life...in decent size portions! LOL My next visit with the doctor is on October 9th. I go in for my whole bundle of tests. I have an excellent group of family and friends backing me. Although some with reservations but they are entitled to their opinion. I am so glad I found this website. I keep telling my husband that just like an alcoholic needs AA, I need some form of support group method to keep me on the straight and narrow. Otherwise it will all be for nothing. I read a post on here that asked everyone to list all the things that you will NOT miss about being fat. It was amazing to me, because its like someone plucking the thoughts out of my own mind. We all feel the same pressures and ridicule, but I think we isolate ourselves so much that we don't realize that everyone is going thru it and thinking the same thing. Why me? Why do I have such a hard time losing? Why can I gain 5 pounds just looking at a slice of pizza? K, I've rambled enough, wish me luck!

Hi there! I just wanted to say hello and I am fairly close, about an hour away from Montreal. I live right on the border, close to Huntington. My sister lives and works in Montreal and she and I have discussed my going for this surgery at great length. It seems that she had told me about a clinic in and around Montreal that only specializes in weight loss surgery management. I will see if I can find the number for you! I don't know much about having the procedure done in Mexico, only that it is an option some choose depending on how hard a time they are having with insurance. Here in the states I am going to Saranac Lake to have the procedure done (God willing). Have you looked into the bariatric program there? So far I've gone thru the informational session and I have a support group meeting on Aug 26th. My first consulation is on Sept. 9th and of course I'm chomping on the bit to get this done. Good luck to you and I will try to find that # for you! :thumbup:

Hello Everyone, I'm fairly new to this site. I've been doing a lot of research about being banded. My 1st informational session is July 8th and apparently we make an appointment with the surgeon's office for consultation @ the end of the session. I'm feeling an almost overwhelming sense of anxiousness. It all started tonite while filling out the medical history forms. I just started thinking, what if my insurance company doesn't approve me for this? What if they don't see my situation as dire as I do? What if I have to be on another weight loss program for another year of my life only to be disappointed again? Does anyone know the average amount of time between the consultation and the actual banding?

I've finally made a life altering decision and now it feels as though I'm stuck in limbo. I've joined this forum so that I can get some feedback from those that have gone thru the process and also from those that are at the beginning like myself. I decided about a month ago to have the lap band procedure done. Spoke w/my personal doc about it and he endorsed the idea and referred me to a local surgeon that heads the Bariatric program. Unfortunately I have to go thru the free "informational session" before I can even meet with the surgeon. Is anyone else coming up against this? I'm kind of feeling put off and more than a little annoyed seeing as the next free session they can get me into is July 8th. Am I just being too impatient?

I am going thru my insurance to have the procedure done. At least I hope I am. I have spoken w/the company and they are sending me some "corporate guidelines" that must first be met before surgery can happen. I live in NY so Mexico isn't really an option @ this time. I was talking it over w/my husband and I think I might be just too impatient. I'm just so sick of the yo yo diets and just hopeful that I'm not going to get discouraged and gain even more weight before surgery! Thanks to all for your thoughts on my original post. This is proving to be a worthwhile site to gather thoughts and info.