Just Getting Started........

This is my first time visting this site and I'm not even sure I want/qualify for any surgery yet. I'm terribly overweight....height is 5.4 and I weigh 220. Where do I start in learning what surgery is right for me? I'm so downhearted with how much I weigh and I"m tired of the yo-yo dieting that I've done for the past two years that I get sick looking at myself in the mirror and trying on clothes.

Your doing the first step, research, research, research. Next choose a surgeon, there are several in this area. My happens to be Dr. Shina, go to a siminair, get all the info you can find. Read all the post on the forum I have found this very helpful. Ask any question you might have. Oh yea, you might want to start with your insurance to see if they cover bariatric surgery. Welcome aboard Char

welcome to the board! I would suggest you start researching surgeons, if you live near the city like Cincinnati, Lexington, Louisville, etc. etc. I would suggest you attend many diffierent seminars and get a fill for the surgeons and their programs. Ask questions about the different procedures. There they may give you paper work and or invite you to post-ops groups where you can meet many of the patients who have already been there and done that! If you would like information about groups around the greater Cincy area give me a shout, perhaps I can help. There is a program at St. Luke hospital west, they are having a Bariatric health fair next Sat. April 14th. it's free to the public all you have to do is register...and bring whom every you like, support persons are welcome! [email protected] Brenda

Hello and welcome! I'm not sure where u live but Dr Shina up in Louisville has seminars Tues at Suburban Medical Plaza I. Best Wishes and Hugs Angela This surgery changed my life. I was overweight all my life and I've lost over 170lbs and I've maintained my loss for a year now.

Thanks for all the replies. From what I'm reading I still have a LOT to learn before I even make a decision as to if any of these surgies are right for me. I'm not so sure I'll have any support from my husband though. So this will be a slow process for me. Thanks again for all the replies.

I'm also 5'4", but my high weight was 245. I started investigating WLS in November 2005 and had my lapband surgery in August 2006. I started by doing exactly what you're now doing--reading all I could find! If you go to www.georgetownbariatrics.com, you can click on Get Informed and read about the lapband and gastric bypass (RNY). Those two links will answer a lot of questions you might have at this stage in your investigation. I'd be glad to answer any questions you have about the lapband. Take your time and learn what might be best for you. Kathy