Newbie - Considering the Band

[OldsGal 0]

Hi there,

My name is Staci and I am from Nebraska. I have battled my weight for over 10 years now. I am able to loose about 50-70lbs over a years time but I am never able to meet my goal weight and I am definately never able to keep my weight off. I am currently about 100-125lbs over weight. I am not really sure as I haven't been on a scale in about a year as I just haven't cared for a while now. However, my weight is back at it's height once again and my medical issues are coming to a head. I just can't stay this way much longer. Something has to give.

I had seen the commercials for Lap Band on TV and have always dreamed that I would love to have surgery like that. But I never thought it was possible. That was until recently I was talking to my sister who told me about a mutual friend of ours who had the Lap Band and got hers covered by her health insurance. WHAT? I didn't think health insurance covered weight loss surgeries? Really? They do? Hmmm

Well that got the wheels spinning in my head and I am now seriously considering it. I plan to weight until after the holidays and then call our friend to ask her some questions and hear her personal side of it. I am also going to find out who her doctor is and then maybe set up a consultation with him.

I have to admit I have a few concerns. The fact that I have not been able to keep weight off in the past scares me. I don't want to spend all of this money and go through SURGERY only to fail once more. How horrifying would that be to me.

I talked to my husband about it too and he said I could do whatever I wanted but I could tell what he was really thinking. He doesn't understand my struggle. He thinks I can just loose it and that I am just lazy. That is why I can't keep it off. He doesn't understand the emotional side that goes with being over weight and he sure as heck doesn't understand the medical conditions that go with being overweight. He himself is not obesse so he has no way of empathizing at all.

So I guess this is my introduction. Otherwise on a more personal note. I am a 31 year old married woman with no children and no plans to have any. I work in an insurance agency as a customer service rep. Our hobbies are showing our classic cars, camping, and I run a small animal rescue. We live in an elementary school that we are converting into a house.

I hope to learn a lot from snooping around the forum and hope to get to know some of you in the future.

Staci

[kiz 1]

Hi Staci and welcome to LBT. You've come to a great place for band info.

I just have to comment on this sentence from your post:

"I plan to weight until after the holidays."

That made me smile, and was a great Freudian slip for a lapband forum.

You need to check your insurance to make sure they cover weight loss surgery. Not every policy covers it. Some insurance companies that do cover wls require a 6-month documented diet, and others require proof of being overweight for five years. Just be prepared that you may need to submit a lot of paperwork, but hopefully you'll be one who has insurance coverage without all the hoops.

I got my band 3 1/2 months ago, and I am thrilled with the results. I'm not quite half way to my goal weight, but I feel fabulous. I really didn't appreciate how crappy I felt until just last week. I was doing some Christmas shopping, and after hours of shopping, I felt like I was gliding on my feet.

The band can get you to your goal weight, as long as you work with it. You've said you've been able to lose the weight in the past, so chances are good, in my opinion, that you'll be successful with the band. After you reach your goal weight, you can have the restriction of the band adjusted to suit your needs. I imagine I'll leave some restriction, but that's a ways off for me.

It's not a quick fix, but it sure beats dieting the old-fashioned way. There are people who have much more restriction than I have right now, but I'm still far better off than I was when I dieted without the band. I'm not miserable, in other words.

Continue to read up on the band, ask questions, etc, and it will help you a lot if you decide to go forward with the surgery. Also, remember that all surgeries have risks, so it's very important to follow your doctor's orders.

Good luck!!

[Ronda1966 0]

Hi there,

My name is Staci and I am from Nebraska. I have battled my weight for over 10 years now. I am able to loose about 50-70lbs over a years time but I am never able to meet my goal weight and I am definately never able to keep my weight off. I am currently about 100-125lbs over weight. I am not really sure as I haven't been on a scale in about a year as I just haven't cared for a while now. However, my weight is back at it's height once again and my medical issues are coming to a head. I just can't stay this way much longer. Something has to give.

I had seen the commercials for Lap Band on TV and have always dreamed that I would love to have surgery like that. But I never thought it was possible. That was until recently I was talking to my sister who told me about a mutual friend of ours who had the Lap Band and got hers covered by her health insurance. WHAT? I didn't think health insurance covered weight loss surgeries? Really? They do? Hmmm

Well that got the wheels spinning in my head and I am now seriously considering it. I plan to weight until after the holidays and then call our friend to ask her some questions and hear her personal side of it. I am also going to find out who her doctor is and then maybe set up a consultation with him.

I have to admit I have a few concerns. The fact that I have not been able to keep weight off in the past scares me. I don't want to spend all of this money and go through SURGERY only to fail once more. How horrifying would that be to me.

I talked to my husband about it too and he said I could do whatever I wanted but I could tell what he was really thinking. He doesn't understand my struggle. He thinks I can just loose it and that I am just lazy. That is why I can't keep it off. He doesn't understand the emotional side that goes with being over weight and he sure as heck doesn't understand the medical conditions that go with being overweight. He himself is not obesse so he has no way of empathizing at all.

So I guess this is my introduction. Otherwise on a more personal note. I am a 31 year old married woman with no children and no plans to have any. I work in an insurance agency as a customer service rep. Our hobbies are showing our classic cars, camping, and I run a small animal rescue. We live in an elementary school that we are converting into a house.

I hope to learn a lot from snooping around the forum and hope to get to know some of you in the future.

Staci

Hi Staci,

I'm in the process of waiting on the insurance company to approve me .The office personal sent my paperwork in yesterday (scared as hell ) ,but I believe I will get approved. I do have lap-band in my policy I'm very lucky ,and grateful I do . Please check with your insurance first that will save a lot of heart ache just in case . I 'll be praying for you that it is ,I know how you feel I have lost up to 96 pounds on Weigh Watchers in 2005 only to gain it all back and have been struggling every since . My BMI is 41.2,and with all these test I had to go through I found out I have major problems ,and they will only get worst if I keep going the way I am . I have sleep apeana ,and I go back on the 29th for my CPAP mask . I have a hitial hernia (that will be repair during surgery) and really bad acid reflux (on meds). I also have really high blood press (on meds),and I have very poor knees (on pain meds) .I feel like I 'm falling apart ,I feel old and I have NO energy .This is not good for me since I have a four year grandson ,that I'm raising . I am a young grandma only 42 ,my life is a mess and I need to get a grip . I have not told many people only because I don't want to hear their negative additude. I found this site to be wonderful and very informative .I love reading everyone's success and what this has done to help them ,come back to living a healthy and happy life .My husband like yours is supportive, and is a slim build very active man who is willing to help me at all cost . There are days where he works 10 hour days and would come home and walks with me ,he is my rock . He loves me big ,or smaller just knowing I have him to stand by me gives me the strength I need to work hard and get myself together for the last time and keep it that way .

I want to be able to play with my grandson ,and attend all his school plays ,karate classes, football,and baseball games . I want him to be proud of me and I don't ever want him to feel ashamed of me with his peers as kids can be harsh. I want my old life back before the weight took over my life (18 years ) I can't recapture ,but I can make the next 18 or more a whole lot better . I will be able to do things I have only dreamt of doing . I wish you all the best and hope everything works out for you on your jourany ,and I'm sending Christmas Cheer because there is always room for more (no calories for a second helping there).