I am 45 years old and live outside of st. louis, mo, actually, a small town in Illinois. My BMI is 36 and I desperately want the lap band. Certainly not as much for cosmetic reasons as I do for health reasons. My mother was a brittle diabetic, diagnosed about the same age as I am now. AFter that came her congestive heart failure, high blood pressure, obesity, and multitudes of other problems. My father, brother, and sister have high blood pressure. Although I don't have these things yet, I suffer from depression related to the inability to lose this weight. I've tried everything a million times. I am an RN and by the end of my shift, my legs, hips, and back are killing me. The older get, the harder it is to do my job and I've only been a nurse for 3 years. I am going to my primary care physician in two days and so hope that he will help me. Is anyone out there in my same situation?