Highest weight: 362 lbs - 11/12/04

Surgery weight: 326 lbs - 12/13/05

Its been an up and down ride, but never give up! Overall been doing fine lowest point since the surgery was 267 lbs on 4/17/06. My weight gain was due to bad eating habits.....

 1-15-08- Back on my diet- my weight is 299.6 lbs
 1-22-08 - 294.6 lbs
 1-27-08 - 292.4 lbs 
 2-03-08- 289.8 
 2-04-08- Had fill - now up to 9cc in 10cc band.( Its been about a year since I had a fill. It was 8.5      
                  the last visit and they found 8cc)
 2–10-08- 285.6
 2-17-08- 283.0

I will try to answer some of your questions.

1.)  I attended an intial weight loss class in September 2006, thought about it for a few weeks and picked up the paper work the middle of October.  It took me a couple weeks to fill out the paper work because I had so much diet and exercise history, I had to get it all straight.  After I turned in my paper work, it only took me 3 weeks (I think, not more than that) to meet with my surgeons.

2.)  I was not denied by insurance.  I was approved in record time on Jan. 3, 2007.  I was approved in 5 minutes over the phone.  That is not the norm.

3.)  My first consult with my surgeon was the one in November 2006, and I had my surgery Jan. 30, 2007.

4.)  My surgery went very smoothly.  There were no surprises except how good a felt after about a week.  I did go through a little depression about 4 days after surgery.  That lasted on a couple days.  I think because I was coming off the pain medication (although I would not call it pain--just discomfort--on a scale of 1-10, I was about a 2 or 3). 5.)   I started the testing process in mid-Dec. 2006 with blood work.  Couldn't do anything else until the blood work was done as all the other drs. needed to see that.  Had my appointments with the pulmonary dr., the dietitian, psychologist, support group, pre-op class all between Dec. and my surgery date.  I did not have to have a diet program before surgery--just the pre-op diet which lasted 2 weeks.  That was the roughest part of the whole process, but I made it.  But I did lose 15 pounds during that 2 week period.  It did not change my surgery except made it easier to operate because my liver was less fatty.  Both weeks were liquid, the first one being liquids (like protein shakes, soup, jello, pudding, etc.) and then a few days before surgery, clear liquids.  That was so long ago, I hardly remember it now.  Good thing!! Do not do what I did which was have a "last supper month" before surgery.   I think I was anxious and nervous and after I realized what I was doing, and realized that I would be able to eat real food again, I calmed down.  I did have quite a time with carbonation cravings after surgery.  I was a big diet pop drinker, too.  It took me about 6 weeks to overcome that craving.  But I knew I had to do it.  I made it through that and have not had a craving since.   I always tried to put things into perspective.  That all the things I had to go through were for my benefit and would help me achieve the goals I was aiming for.  They have all been worth it.  I hope that helps and that others will have some more insights to share with you.