Bemabound

I am working with Cigna now. What kind of weight loss program or thing did you do for the 6 month supervised stuff. Did your Dr. just have a form that had to be filled out? I have done it all except, I'm at the end of month one of the diet stuff...aaarrggghh!!! Any advise? Thanks, Tracy

Yea for you...I've been chubby since I was 5 so it is hard to imagine life as a thinner person but I too have decided to go forward so I can see my daughters weddings and children! I can't blame pregnancy though because my girls are from China....LOL!!!!!! Happy days to you too! Tracy

HI all, I am beginning my 6 month supervised diet (so is the hubby)....we weigh over 400lbs...yuk! Well, the dr gave the go ahead to use Weight watchers online so one of us registered and put in our weight loss goal (even though we are only doing this for awhile). It spit out that we have 63 points per day and 49 extra points per week....WHAT?????????? Just for kicks I ate today exactly what I would normally eat today and can't even get to those points! How can we loose some weight on this???? OUr surgeon wants us at 400 even if possible. Any ideas, anybody use this????? So confused? Thanks, Tracy

Thanks everyone! I REALLY appreciate the support and all the good ideas...and thanks DIva for the info! Go guys...your looking good!!!! Tracy

Thanks guys! We were just really looking forward to something that would make life easier for us to track food, prepare food for us and the kids and spit out a shopping list...oh well....maybe we will just lower the points...does anyone know how many points 1500 cal diet would be? Maybe LilMissDiva????? Thanks again! Tracy

Calling all Cigna folks....did you have to do 6 months of Dr. supervised diets prior to approval????? I read on the policy that over a certain BMI you don't have to....but the surgeon's office coordinator told me there are no exceptions for Cigna.....what do you all think? Thanks, Tracy

Hi again, So one of you said that you had to have documentation on your exercise and food intake and a couple more of you didn't! Is either one a Cigna thing or the PCP thing or what???? Thanks, again! Tracy

I all....I'm wondering something I heard from my NUT. (looking at a Jan surgery). I take high blood pressure meds, thyroid meds, metformin (PCOS) and a Birthcontrol pill....she said something about needing to get these in a chewable form for after surgery????? Anyone hear of this and is it possible???? Also I'm over 400lbs and my surgeons general pre-op diet is for three days of liquids before surgery....what do all think of this? Thanks so much for any info you can share! Tracy

Hi all, So the insurance company wants six months of Dr. suppervised weigh loss.....so other than losing weight pre surgery would definately benefit me....why? Do they want to see if you are compliant so if you don't loose any weight or just some..they can deny you? Or if you loose alot they say...well you can do this on your own? I'm over 400lbs so I've got no problem losing some before surgery for all the obvious reasons....just want to know what to expect. My policy was confusing and gave me the impression that I would not have to do this but alas...now I do...so I'm a little discouraged and feel like this added stuff is going to take forever! I have two beautiful daughters from China that I had to wait for 18months to 2 years for....but I was prepaired and was walked throught the process....this is frustrating......it's like someone saying you can get your baby next month and then....ooopss....no....you have to wait six months more....AAAARRRGGGHHHH!!!!!!!!! Anyone have any expectations that their Dr. or NUTs told them they would have to accomplish with the pre surgery Dr. supervised stuff????? Thanks all, Tracy

Thanks guys! You rock!!!! Tracy

Yea for you....way cool! Tracy

Hi all, Well, my insurance policy (which the insurance lady walked me through) says two different things so it appears as though my surgery is stalled for awhile. I thought I was going to get it in Jan and now it looks like anywhere from March to June!!!!!! So very bummed...will this ever happen? Now I have alot more hoops I have to go through (and my husband too)! Boo hoo!!!!! Tracy

Thanks guys....It's very hard to get remotivated....suppossed to go do months of Dr. approved weight loss.....my question...if you do well, do they not give you the surgery? And if you do badly...do they deny you? AAARRRGGGG...I just want the surgery and be better by summer!!!!! Tracy

Hi, I just did mine on the 22nd of Nov. I thought it was somewhat a joke and here's why. Mainly I was asked my basic info like where were you born....how many children...how many siblings.....married or not. Then asked it if any mental illnes in family....ever atttempted sucide. Oh and I question about weight....have I been overweight all my life? That's it....10 mins tops!!! Tracy

Thanks guys! You all are sooooo helpful!!! Thank God for this site!!!! I'll keep ya posted! Tracy

Well howdy! Join the crowd....chubby since childhood here too! My surgery is probably going to be in Jan......how did yours go? Oh, and welcome! Tracy

Thanks Julie! Onward and Upward!!!! Tracy

Hi all, I went for my testing yesterday...here in St. Louis they have it set up to do it all in one morning....I went from one through to five tests in 2 hours...very organized!!!! The tests I did were, Psch eval, NUT appt, EKG, Stress test, chest exray. The psch eval was nothing! Only ten minutes and basic questions, I guess I had the idea they would ask,'why are you a chubby person???HUM???" I guess not...yea! Also I was nervous about the stress test, not a big deal at all.....took about 10mins tops! The goal was to get my heart rate upto between 145 and 175....they kept moving up the incline and it was quick! I don't thing I need to do any thing else until the blood tests close to surgery....now I wait until approval from INS....we have Cigna...any ideas how long? So I'm figuring Jan for surgery...I have two young daughters and want the holidays out of the way!!!! Yippee...thanks for all the info here!!!! Tracy

I have had my first appt and am going tomorrow for my pre-op testing and hope to get my stuff to Cigna too and surgery in Jan! Yipee for us!!!! Tracy

All I can say is WOW!!!! I can't wait to climb stairs pain free.....every day will get easier...yea to us! Tracy

God speed on your journey! I was chubby from 5 on...raised on Mid-west meat and POTATOES!!!! Now I'm almost 46 with two girls from China (4 and 9) and want to see my grandkids and go to Disney World!!!! I hoping to get my surgery in Jan and tomorrow I'm getting all my pre-op stuff done....kinda nervous....check back and we'll see how we both fared!!!! Tracy

Thanks guys....I'm really not sure what they are going to have me do...they have 5 tests set up....one after the other with them all only lasting 2 hours total. A Psch eval, nut, ekg, chest xray and the stress test...Hum...so I gues it will be a surprise. My surgeon said if you can walk for the parking lot to the hospital that you should be fine! We'll see!!!!

Hi all, I go in for all my pre-op testing on MOn.....I'm wondering about the stress test....what's it like? Is it like the normal ones that people get for check their hearts or are ours different somehow???? Any advice welcome and thanks for the support!!!! Tracy

Kathy.....my date will be sometime in mid-late Jan. I need to go through the pre-op testing on Mon 22nd and wait for an approval from Cigna...my surgeon doesn't think that will be a problem. I live outside of St. Louis and am planning to have my suregery in Des Peres Hospital in St. Louis. Thanks for all the great info and I'm praying for your kind of success!!!!! Tracy

Hi again....I posted an intro in the "Tell your story" section and noone replied...boo hoo! But onward and upward!!!!! Due to get 5 tests in one day on Mon the 22nd. What was the psch eval like? And how about the stress test? And does the NUT answer questions about pre op and post op food in that appt???? Thanks so much and I'm happy to be here! Tracy