ginny two

Jmegirl, it sounds like you're doing great!! I'm so happy for you! I think you're positive attitude has everything to do with it. You are so cute in your picture!!!!! ((((BIG HUGS)))) :thumbup:

I missed everybody yesterday! I didn't get a chance to log on. I'm afraid I may not end up being a Notorious November if the approval doesn't come back on time, or if I get denied. Could I be an honorary member if I don't make it?:thumbup: Froggi, I want to keep the same date as you, the 24th!!! My daughter is a froggy girl, too, so that makes you special in my book. I guess I just have to let go and let God. I don't have to start my pre-op diet until the 17th, but it's all liquids. I'm planning on doing two shakes a day next week and a protein and greens dinner. I don't want to go cold turkey and get really sick the week of the 17th. I haven't had a Diet Coke in a week. This is a HUGE deal. HUGE. I don't feel sick anymore. I don't crave them as much, either. I'm keeping my fingers crossed on that craving thing. I'm having horrible Last Supper cravings, though. I guess I'll indulge a couple of them this weekend. Maybe I'll have a ceremony to say goodbye (and good riddance). I need to find a new comfort now. Hugs and kisses to all that have been banded in the past few days!!!! Thanks for sharing how you're doing. You know we're right there with you in spirit! :smile2:

Hi, Lilbit! I also have Cigna Open Access Plus. (I'm waiting to hear if I've been approved or not.) I think a lot depends on what your company negotiated with Cigna. My company had a one year pre-existing condition clause on my plan, so I had to wait about 8 months. I had to do the six month supervised diet, anyway. I called Cigna at the very beginning to see if the lapband would be covered under my plan. They told me it would, if I fit the criteria. The coordinator at the surgeon's office knows exactly how to find out what is needed to get coverage. Just make sure you get a really experienced staff, as well as surgeon. I think they get a kick out of "winning" the insurance battle! I would suggest calling your company and asking them about the coverage. GOOD LUCK! I'll be waiting to hear what you find out.

Thanks, fsexton. I'm finally starting to feel better today. No nausea, YAY! No headache. I just feel rundown and have strong cravings. I have friends that quit smoking twenty years ago and say they still want a cigarette sometimes. If they can resist, then so can I!

Phew! Finally. I just got back from my GP's office and e-mailed the good clearance letter to my surgeon. I can't believe how relieved I feel! I realize now that I had been walking around with this tight pressure in my chest. Now it's gone and I can breathe freely. It's out of my hands now. We'll see if I get approval. Crossing my fingers!!!

I think that my date is going to have to be moved to December.:sad_smile:This idiot woman at my GP's office keeps writing the clearance letter wrong. She just copies the sample letter and then my doctor signs it without even reading it at all. I will be taking her the perfectly worded letter today to copy and sign. It will take two days to get it back. This will be the third try. I didn't do it this way before, because I don't have Word on my computer. Finally just wrote it in an e-mail and printed it out. I have been trying to get this letter for three weeks now!:tongue: I haven't had a Diet Coke in four and a half days. I'm so addicted, that I have been in withdrawal. Not from caffeine, because I'm still drinking that. Just the damned Coke! I've been constantly nauseous, had horrible migraines and have no energy whatsoever. I cry at the drop of a hat and the cravings!!!! I wanted to get off the Diet Coke before giving up other things, to reduce the emotional pain. Has anyone else had this problem?

I'm scheduled to be banded on November 24th (God and Cigna willing). I see this is as the greatest hurdle for me, GIVING UP DIET COKE! I am truly addicted, as many of us are. I drink over 200 oz. a day. When I have really been craving a Diet Coke and finally get my hands on one, I will lift it to the heavens and cry, "Diet Coke. Sweet elixir of life!!!!" :biggrin: Ginny

Hey, Mikel! Here's some love for ya from Gaithersburg!!!!! Ginny :biggrin:

I took Antabuse about six years ago. I had a "slip" after eleven years of sobriety in and out of AA. I drank one night and started going to meetings again, got a sponsor, etc. The desire to drink was still very strong. I asked my doctor for the prescription. I have to say I believe it saved my toosh. All it did was to take the option of drinking out of my head so that I had to work the AA program. I took it for over a year until I felt that it might be safe to stop. I guess it depends on the individual's perspective, whether it works or not. I didn't want to lose custody of my daughter, so I was very motivated to get sober again. Of course, I didn't have the lapband and don't have it now (yet). Good luck, I hope you find what works for you. Ginny

I was just given the surgery date of November 24th, but we don't have approval, yet. I'm really excited! I'm also scared that I'll get excited and have my heart set on the surgery, just to be turned down. I guess there are people that can relate, huh? I want to know, RIGHT NOW! Ginny

I'm so sorry to hear it when someone doesn't get insurance coverage! I was feeling confident that my doctor's office would be right on top of things, until yesterday. I called my GP to see why they hadn't sent the letter of recommendation to my surgeon and it turned out they never received a request for it. They got all the test results, but that was it. The program director at the surgeon's had assured me she would send the results as well as a detailed letter of all the info needed. That is what my GP told me she needed. ARRRGGHHH!!! I called the program director and supposedly, she will take care of it today. We'll see what happens. Why am I so impatient? :Dancing_biggrin: Ginny

I'm happy to see so many people have lost 100 pounds or more. I am 140 over my "ideal" weight. I knew naysayers would come out of their holes and try to beat me down and sure enough it happened today. My sis-in-law said that she has looked into lapband surgery and "every doctor" that she has spoken to says it is not as effective with people that have more than 70 pounds to lose. What the.....???? :cry

Good luck with the insurance! I checked the local support groups for Maryland, but it seems a MD/DC/VA group for this area would have more folks. Anyone know if one already exists? Ginny

My BF and I went to a seminar in D.C. today at Sibley Hospital. Has anyone had surgery done by this doctor? He used to be at Walter Reed. Thanks, Ginny

Thanks, Michiganer. I went to a seminar on Saturday and asked the question about what the ins. company is looking for with the diet. Her reply was basically, "Why the H*** do ins. companies do anything???" You answered my question better than she did. I am afraid to lose a bunch of weight on the six month diet just like you were. Honestly, I think it's a good thing that I need to wait so long. It will help me to prepare myself emotionally. I'm thinking of trying to do a lot of the things I'll have to do when banded. Like chewing my food REALLY well, not drinking with meals, etc. Hopefully it will help if I develop some of these habits before the surgery. I used to know someone that did denials/approvals for an insurance company. He said always appeal everything because they will deny in hopes that you won't pursue it. Thanks again! Ginny

Congratulations, Michiganer and Big Fred!!! I have Cigna and after reading this entire thread I am feeling a wee bit down. I was hoping that I could have this done next week.:nervous Okay, I haven't even been to the seminar, yet. I go tomorrow. Can someone explain to me what the purpose is of the six month diet? Are they looking to see if you have the discipline to stick to it or are they checking to see if you really can't do it and need the band? I need to know which way to go on this. (Sorry, I like to kid around a lot.) My BMI is 47.5 right now. What happens if the diet gets you below 38 or whatever the cutoff is? I feel like crying after reading all of this. :think Ginny

I'm a total Newbie, living in Gaithersburg. I go to the seminar tomorrow at Sibley Hospital. Is that where Dr. Brody operates? I believe I remember seeing that name listed under D.C. doctors. (Not that my memory actually exists anymore.) I've put off considering this for a long time, but don't feel that I can avoid it anymore. NOTHING else has worked and I want to live a rich, full life. I had a doctor look me in the eye a few weeks ago and say, "You're killing yourself." That's what has me on this path. I love my daughter and fiance too much to leave them earlier than is absolutely necessary. Okay, now I'm babbling. I'd love to meet some Maryland people.:clap2: Ginny

All this talk about diets is making me hungry!!!! JK, it's actually dinner time. I've finally decided to pursue this. I'm so glad that my fiance suggested finding a lap band message board. There is so much encouragement, support and information here! I LOVE the pre-op timeline idea and I love your positive attitude. I need some of that for myself. Negativity is my worst enemy. Ginny

Hi Everybody! I'm finally starting to think about getting banded. I'm afraid of complications. I'm also afraid that it may not work for me since I am an emotional eater. Please let me know what you think of these fears. Do/did you have the same ones? Have you conquered them? What's up? Thanks, Ginny

Hi Kathy, Did you read Grace's reply? It helped me feel better (for the moment). I found a different hospital with a seminar this Saturday. *snicker*

Wow. Thanks so much for your reply. That helps me to feel a lot better! I suspect that everyone feels really impatient to move forward once they've made the decision, huh? I just fond out the seminar two days from now is full, so I need to wait until the 28th. Can you believe I'm irritated about that? LOL!