Well, here is my story....I am 26 years old and i live in Eugene Oregon. I am 5'10 and currently weigh over 400 pounds. You wouldnt think it by looking at me...I have always been good at looking like i weigh less than i actually do....For being such a large person, I am still pretty active. I work full time and try to have an active social life....but, its catching up to me, I'll admit it. I am tired....my body is tired...I ache all the time, and spend way too much time in bed on my days off. My first diet was at the age of 8...i was taken to a dietician that weighed me and wrote up a goal list. Lose 5 pounds and i would get a reward of my choice....my reward of choice was barbies. Losing weight was rewarded with Barbie Dolls. I dont think it really bugged me when i was little, but it bugs me a little bit now. Its definately not my parents fault...barbies were what i wanted...anyways, i continued to be obese all thru-out grade school middle school and highschool. In highschool I went to Jenny Craig and joined their lifetime membership. Lost about 70 pounds. Which at that time put me at 242 which was the lowest i can recall weighing....like ever. Probably gained about 15 pounds back over the course of 2 years...which for me isnt bad. Then my life got turned upside down the end of the Year 2000, my parents had a very bitter divorce and i was way too involved...and to deal with all those emotions i ate. and gained alot of weight. and have continued to gain weight. So December of 2005 I decided i was tired of it....and January 13th 2006 I joined Jenny Craig once again. Started out great...more motivated than i had ever been on any plan ever. I lost 55 pounds in the first 6 months...I had a boyfriend that i really cared about, worked at the same job for a few years....things were going great. Well, i got a new job offer....and decided to take it...then i found out my bf wasnt as happy as i was and i was dumped. So, emotionally bruised...i started this new job....i went from working with alot of people that i had become friends with, to working at this very small buisness with just a few people, who were much older than i was....and it was quite a culture shock. I got severely depressed...called my Dr, went on anti depressant meds. Now its February 2007. I like my job better now...more comfortable...I have finally gotten over the JackAss (i hope) and once again have reached a breaking point. Something has got to change.  I am in a deep rut. Been living my life without much joy...feeling heavy. weighed down. tired. I hadnt considered weightloss surgery in the past....I always figured if i really wanted it, i could do it. If i really wanted to be thinner, that i knew how to do it. and if i couldnt it was my own fault. Well, im older now...and i want to have a partner and a family and i want to do things that make me happy...and yes, i suppose i could join jenny craig again...but ill be honest...i am so afraid of putting out all of that effort only to gain it back. I have gained and lost too many times. I have reached a level where i feel i am an extreme case. and it is time to take extreme measures. Surgery is an extreme that i didnt think i would do...but....its getting more and more common. Plus, i really want the lap band which is a little less invasive. So that is where i am at. I want to get lap band surgery. I have been to two seminars about bariatric surgery and I have spent hours on this website reading stories and doing research. I am ready. Next step, figure out how to pay for it. My job doesnt offer insurance...and finding an insurance company on my own that will cover even a portion of bariatric surgery has proved tough already. But...did i really think it would be that easy..?   I am ready for the challenge.