My introduction

Mystyblu · June 7, 2005

Hello everyone

My name is Stephani. I am married to a wonderful and supportive man for 8 years.

Age: 37

Height: 5'5"

Weight: 245

BMI 40.3

Like many of you hear my story is much the same. I started out as a cubby child, then grew into an overweight teenager and then into MO adult. My mother (gawd bless her) since the time I can remember put me on one diet or another thought out my growing years. If a new diet was printed in a magazine, a book, or heard of from a neighbor down the street I was put on it. I remember as a child thinking that if I see one more boiled egg and piece of dry toast for Breakfast I was going to scream. Needless to say diets have not been my friend throughout my life. About a year and a half ago I came across an ad for Lap-Band surgery in the news paper and started researching it. I felt that urge to scream again except for this time I wanted to say. "Why didn't someone tell me about this before now!!?” I read every article and posting I could find on the subject and found a local health organization that was giving a seminar on the procedure and I scheduled myself to go. Still had not informed my wonderful husband on my discovery. I went to the seminar and heard everything they had to say and was so excited I could hardly keep still. Where do I sign up?? Can we do it tonight?? I am ready to go. The next day I called the clinic to make an appointment to get the ball rolling. Next came blood tests, sleep studies, stress tests, more blood test, meeting with nutritionist who was not very helpful at all. Just said take a daily Vitamin and eat more meat and vegetables. I became very discouraged. Every time I meet with the Dr. It was a very negative experience. "Your not going to make it to your 47 birthday”, “The first stroke may not kill you but the second one defiantly will" (his exact words) "This lap-band will defiantly save your life" Gee thanks, as if that scare didn’t help push me to the edge. With every visit it became more and more difficult for me. My excitement began to slip away. What ever improvement I had accomplished on my diet it was not good enough. "that’s good but you need to do better" GGggggrrrrrrr. I stopped going to that Dr and gave up the idea of getting banded. It was too frustrating and I couldn’t take the constant negative feedback. A couple months ago I found LBT and started reading all the great posts and I began to feel that there is hope for me yet. So I have set myself out on the journey again this time with my wonderful husbands support. I had my first visit to American Institute of Gastric Banding in Richardson TX and Wednesday I go in for my psych eval. and blood tests. I am afraid of the possible negative experience I had with my first attempt. I am just more afraid that the first Dr was correct that if I don't get banded I will miss out on my best years yet.

Oh Gosh, I didn't mean to write a novel, thanks for letting me babble on.

Wish me luck

HarleyNana · June 7, 2005

Good luck on your new journey. You're fortunate to have the surgery at such a young age, (compared to 55, LOL). I wish you the best.

Iluvharleys · June 7, 2005

Welcome to LBT! Good luck with your testing, and keep us posted of your surgery date!

Zoe · June 8, 2005

Welcome, Stephani. Some doctors are jerks (not the first word that came to my mind), that's for sure. It's great that you got past your bad experience with doc #1 and decided to find an alternative. We have a great group of people here from all walks of life, including waaaay too many Texans! (just kidding) Good luck, and congrats on moving forward.