Leighann

I just got a call from Dr. Van Wagner's office and I am scheduled for a consult at 3:30 tomorrow! eeek! :blushing::thumbup::cry_smile: Lots of mixed emotions. I discussed my arthritis and that I do have concerns about the band bc of that and she said she would flag my chart for the dr to talk to me about both the RNY and the band. I may go with the RNY after talking to him but I just wanted to let everyone know here who has helped me the last few days that I am making a step forward... wish me luck! The lady with the office did say that my insurance UHC will be easy to deal with since I do actually have a bmi of 40 (gained weight since the seminar, sounds awful but I wanted to get up to a 40bmi). My husband is going to be in shock that it;s coming so soon, but I just need to get this ball rolling.

I have RA almost everywhere and also some degenerative arththritis in my left ankle. The left ankle is the bane of my existence but I do hurt in other places too. I know my hands/arms may not feel better with weight loss but I would think my lower body would? My back hurts pretty often too and there may be sme arthritis there, not sure though. Hubby is talking to me seriously about the band, and asking some really good questions but he said he is afraid I could lose it all and still hurt and he said he knows that will be very hard on me emotionally (he's right, I'm at the end of my rope with the pain and hoping lap band can "fix" it). Please share your experiences...

1000words, thanks for the reply. That is encouraging. I can definitely take my ibuprofen with meals that is no problem at all. I'll just have to talk with my surgeon (whoever that ends up being LOL) and work that out. I have been trying to wean from prednisone for almost a year now. I am down to 5mg but can't get off it. I know when I lose this weight that will go a long way to helping me function without it and you just confirmed it.

heartfire, thanks so much for the detailed reply. that really helps. Today I took the girls to church and I can get the toddler to crawl out of the car but she can't get in her seat. I'll have to try it in DH's car... I think his is smaller. I guess one good thing is I won't spend much money! We talked about getting a mattress for the floor and starting the toddler out on that so maybe we should go ahead and try it.

How long do you have those restrictions?? I could drop the side to her crib and have DH leave a kitchen chair in there, she could probably crawl out onto that. Diapers could be done on the floor or couch like you said. I could see if my mom/MIL/SIL could come over too until I could be fully functional again.

It just occurred to me that if I ended up getting banded I have a toddler that needs picked up now and then... she isn't extremely big on being held but I will need to lift her into and out of the crib... in the evening at bedtime DH could do it but in the am and before and after naps I'd have to. She can crawl up into her own booster seat so that helps, and if she wants in my lap when I'm sitting in the living room she will climb up there... but there are still times like nap, oh and diaper changes, where I'd need to lift her...

I am literally tearing up... you all have no idea how encouraging you are... and as I stated dh is not triyng to keep me down... he gave up a long time ago but he really is scared and he does see it as "the easy way out". Also even if approved we have not fully met our deductible so he is thinking money too :wink: but I told him it would likely be near the end of this year, so we could finance it and use the tax refund to fully pay it. He said he will go Tuesday and not begrudingly (sp?). He said he knows I need to lose it but he really believes if I want it bad enough I can just do it. I can't. I keep telling him and it will sink in. :thumbup: The thought that my joints could stop hurting is an answer to prayer... I do have pain elsewhere but what really gets me down is the ankle pain. It is literally bad enough I cry when walking to the bathroom when its at the worst. :thumbup: Something has to give... and that something is this 90lbs... :thumbup:

He admitted he is scared of me having surgery. Now we're getting somewhere. Thanks again for your support. I will keep you all posted and let you know how things go. He will go with me Tuesday to the seminar and said he will listen and ask questions if he thinks of any (besides "is my wife going to live through this" which is what I know now is weighing on his mind) I guess I am nervous but I know I have apnea and will have my cpap so I will be fine in that regard... I had gall bladder surgery done as a lap, so I have btdt.

Hubby and I just got into it. I am in a lot of pain from my arthritis (washed the car and vaccummed it out, I couldn't take it anymore and he wasn't home to do it -- and would have griped). I tried to get up to go to the bathroom and cried from the pain. I know my weight is making my life harder in so many ways yet I can't get it off and keep it off. I got to 205 in 2004 and felt so much better, more active, was able to workout but I couldn't maintain it. :teeth_smile: He is having to do a lot of things around the house bc my pain is so bad at times and I know he resents it but he keeps saying "just join the Y and workout" and I say "like tonight, how I'm feeling... how am I going to work out when I can't walk out the door without crying?" :shades_smile::thumbs_up: He said he will go tuesday but I get the feeling he thinks it's stupid. I NEED to do this. As the days go by and I think about it more and more it's something I need to do. :thumbs_up: I was so excited about the last seminar I went to that it felt like Christmas when you were a kid and finally got what you most wanted. I need to be able to do this. I need this weight off for life. Thank you so much for your love and support. I really need it.

Thank you so much... I don't think he truly realizes how being obese has affected me to the core. I can't sit in some chairs with arms comfortably, I had a hard time even today at my daughter's violin lesson... (she just started) and it was hard to get into and out of the desk... :teeth_smile: I cleaned out my car and now I'm in pain and exhausted completely... some fatigue is going to come from the arthritis but this is ridiculous... I know even if I get to 200 again I will feel worlds better... I don't feel truly alive and vibrant... I want my girls to have a healthy mommy who can be active with them... I feel bad about myself a lot of the time and I always wonder when I meet new people if they are judging me... even my inlaws especially his dad I feel has judged me fat and lazy... his sister was talking about someone she knew of who got the band and finally learned about portions... I did not mention anything to her but I was glad she saw the positive in it... anyway, thanks so much for replying... We ARE going Tuesday... he can use no excuses I will be nice about it but he is off work on Wed so there is no "we'll be out too late" excuse this time. :shades_smile:

I have thought about WLS for several years, I have been overweight as far back as I can remember. The last time I saw a number on the scale under 200 was in 2001 or so, and even before that I was still overweight. I am now 260, and my bmi is 39.5. I have tried it all, Weight Watchers, South Beach Diet, Eat to Live, vegan eating... nothing works long term and I just can't keep the weight off at all. I just have no real stop mechanism and overeat constantly. :shades_smile: I kept hearing about the lapband a lot recently (someone my mom knows had it done and we ran into her a week or two ago, heard about it on Dr. Radio, etc) and it made me again look into info on the web. I realized I am obese, almost in the morbid category and it terrifies me. I also went on CPAP in Oct 2007 and I am sure Wed when I see the sleep dr I need another study due to putting on more weight (following another diet that failed, ugh). I feel like the band is so much safer than gastric bypass, and with two little girls (1.5 and 5) I definitely want to be careful and do what has the least risk. So I've thought aboiut it a lot. My mom went with me to a seminar last Thursday night. On the way she said she would support me either way I chose to go. My husband thinks I just need more willpower. He has only 50lbs to lose, I have like 90, so I just don't want to hear that at all LOL. He can excercise and eat well and it will fall off. I just can't get mine off. Anyway, he said he would keep the kids so I coiuld go (my mom could have but oh well... anyway). I came home from the seminar a bit scared and confused but as I've read through the information, and weighed pros and cons I really think the combination of the band plus us joining a gym will be the way I can finally do this. He doesn't agree. He thinks it's "the easy way" and that I just need to learn how to eat better and go excercise. :thumbs_up: I have arthritis, so excercise doesn't come easy, and losing the big amt of weight in the first month banded will go a long way to helping me be able to move more. I guess I am just wanting someone to understand and support me better as I go through this. My mom keeps saying "you know he said you can defeat the band or the bypass, he said how people get around it and then they don't lose" then she says "I think you need to do weight watchers before this, but that is just MY opinion" in a snotty tone. :thumbup::teeth_smile: I told her "so the last 4 times I already did WW really worked so I might as well try again, huh?" :biggrin: I cannot do the surgery if ins doesn'ty pay so there is still a chance I won't even do it... but I want to be evaluated... thing is I need THEIR support and help with my kids during recovery... ughhh... anyway, sorry for writing a book, I am just tired of it. My mom found the last pg of my dr forms that had my diet history and her comment was "see, this shows you CAN do it yourself" I said "oh really, look at me this is the biggest I have EVER been, so apparently not!!" :laugh::thumbs_up: ending this now... sorry again for the book!

I'll try your dr if I don't like Minkin. Thanks! I just hate to take the gamble and go for a consultation only to be told no and then not do it... and then be out $375. :shades_smile: