40something looking for a lapband penpal to share experiences..

I have tentatively received a date of 3/29/06 pending approval from my insurance company. Would love to have a penpal to email with and share our lapband experiences. Angie

Hello Angie, I'm 10 post-op (lapband) and so far everything is great. I'm actually down 15 pounds already. Let me know if you have any questions. Mike

Thanks Mike...just emailed you! Angie

Hi Angie, I am hoping to have lapband in June. I sent in my paperwork, the psych. test and the medical doctor clearance is on it's way. Next they will send the information to my insurance co. which has already told me on the phone that they will not pay. ( I plan on being self-pay if this happens again. I may be broke for a few years but at least I'll be happy! ) I am also "40 something". I live in St. Louis, have 2 children which have moved out 2 years ago. Yeah,,,the empty nest syndrome is fun! I work 3 days a week right now cleaning houses. I also have an ebay business which I have been neglecting recently. Sounds like you may have already had the surgery? I would be interested in learning how the experience was for you and how you are doing now. Where did you have the surgery done? Thank you in advance,, Bonnie

Hi Bonnie! Good to hear from you. Are you getting excited about your upcoming surgery? I hope your insurance company will come through for you.. if not, and you do have to self pay...you'll be doing something positive for yourself! Tomorrow will be 6 weeks since I've had the lapband surgery and I feel really good! I've lost 29 lbs since surgery and a total of 40 lbs (pre-op diet). I don't have another dr's appointment until the end of May. If I'm still losing weight at that point, I will hold off on getting my first fill until my weight has stabilized and I haven't lost a lb or 2 in a week. My hospital stay was uneventful. I stayed overnight and was released the next afternoon. I took off close to 3 works from work, not so much because I needed that time to recover, but because I wanted a break from my job!!! I could have realistically gone back after a week to 10 days. I had my surgery done by Dr. Aranow at Middlesex Hospital in Middletown, CT. I have nothing but praise for this man. It's important to have a Dr. you feel totally confident with in his/her surgical abilities so that you can free your mind to take care of the most important person in your life, yourself!! Let me know how you are doing and if you have any other questions or concerns. I look forward to being penpals! Angie

Hi Angie, WOW , congradulations of loosing 40 lbs already! You must feel like a new person! How many sizes have you gone down so far? Was your pre-0p diet the protein drinks, sugar free jello, and sugar free popcycles? I think that is what my Dr. will tell me I can have for 2 wks before the surgery. I am hoping and praying that the Dr. will approve me for sugery and that I will have it done the end of June. I have been very excited about surgery and inpatient I wish I already had it done. In fact , I have been eating all the wrong foods,,,,,this is what I do when I;m anxious. I was wondering,,,did you find yourself doing this before your surgery? It's like I'm saying goodbye to the foods that I won't be eating after surgery. I feel guilty about this but continue to do it. Thank You for sharing your experience,, Bonnie