cindyg1212

Hey, Cindy! Anyway you could paste your face onto the cheerleader avatar? If not, go put on a cheerleader outfit and take a photo! Your new bathing suit and a set of pom poms should work! :biggrin:

Testing is always a good idea. At least we'll know what we're dealing with. Sometimes it's just that we're getting older and our metabolism has slowed down. I feel bad for Kirsty Ally. I know she's not working for Jenny Craig anymore and the pics on the tabloids are very unflattering. When I worked for Nutri/System, it was a lot like Jenny Craig. In fact, Jenny Craig got into a price war at that time and knocked the Nutri/System centers out of business. That's why Nutri/System is only online now. We used to sell programs of 100 pounds for $1000 plus the cost of food. Jenny opened centers in the same towns and sold all programs for $199. Nutri/System couldn't compete with that for too long. Anyway, the biggest problem with those programs is that clients have to rely on pre-packaged food and add fruits and veggies. No one can live on those foods for life which is why so many people gain the weight back. Those programs teach nothing about portion control or counting calories, carbs, or fats. Everything is done for you which was the draw. Easy to lose weight fast as the meals only came to about 1000 calories a day but so hard to keep the weight off. We did offer a good maintenance program but hardly anyone stuck to it. One of my centers had a husband and wife lose over 150 pounds each. They were featured in national advertising including billboards and magazines. Within a year, both had gained all of their weight back and restarted the program. It was heartbreaking!

Sades, I'm so glad you are doing well. Can't believe that you don't have any gas pain and didn't the first time either. I had it so bad for 10 days. I used to feel it all the way to my ears! I would sit on the floor and rock back and forth hard to get the gas to move. On the 8th day, I had to go back to the hospital for dehydration. I could barely drink Water as it was making the gas worse. They did an x-ray of the band and found a huge gas bubble hovering over it. By day 10, it started to subside. The fear of that gas would scare me about another surgery. In that aspect, you're lucky. Get as much rest as possible. This will soon be a distant memory.

I think you may be right that if you were still an active member, they would pay more willingly. Do you pay out of pocket for fills or are you on a new insurance plan? If everything was done correctly, you could register a complaint with the department of insurance for Texas. That's where you had your surgery, right? I found a website that lists how to register a complaint for every state. Click on Complaints and Appeals. Just scroll down to Texas. Maybe you can get some help. Wouldn't hurt to let Cigna know that if this doesn't get resolved, you will have no choice but to seek help. They won't want the headache. Hope this helps.

First of all try and relax a bit and get things in perspective. You have done amazingly well but you may need a small fill to get back on track. If you can eat almost anything at 7cc's, ask for a barium test like Sades and Judy did to check on the band. Let them check for a slip, unlocked band, etc. If everything looks good, get the fill. I think that no matter how much weight we lost so far, the demons are still there waiting to attack. I know that I fight them all of the time. I have yet to pass up chocolate when it's around. I wish chocolate would get stuck! I am a slow loser but I know that if I cut back the sugar and carbs, I will lose faster. It's a tough, uphill battle. The skinny nurse practioner who I see monthly at my surgeons just debates with me on my food choices and lack of excercise. She doesn't get that the problem is in my head. I've had a tough few weeks too but can't get a fill as I get stuck too often. Ask for the x-ray and take it from there. You'll get back on track. July 23 is in only 10 days.

TX, obtaining legal help is always a good idea if you can't get anywhere. Did Cigna pre-approve the surgery? If so, call and demand to speak with a manager (head-monkey). Customer service (a term I use loosely) just gives pat answers. They look in the notes on your claim and read what's there. You need to speak with someone in a higher position. When my insurance company, Oxford, approved my surgery, they sent me a pre-approval letter. Did you get such a letter? If so, there should be no discrepancy. If not, did the surgeon obtain pre-approval? Should be in your records.

You're right about the carbs, Cindy. Whenever I cut back on carbs, I lose. I have to psyche myself up to do it though. I had a rough few weeks. Need to get back to business.

TX, if you have to wait for a fill, try to focus on making good choices. You'll get back on track. A new move is stressful and taking away your focus. About Cigna. Did they pre-approve the surgery? If so, what's the problem? Today I got a bill from the anesthesiologists for $1178. They put a post-it note on it saying that the insurance company inadvertantly paid their money to the surgeon. They want me to work it out. Why it took 8 months to bring this up, I don't know. Insurance companies are impossible to deal with. Why is Cigna stalling?

Marivan, I feel that way too. I have to fight for every pound. Twenty years ago when I was fairly slim, if I wanted to lose 10 pounds I did it in 2 weeks. I used to cut back to 800-1000 cal a day and lose almost a pound a day! Fast forward to 2 kids and 100 pounds later and I struggle to lose 1 pound a week. So frustrating!! However, before the band, I couldn't lose at all. I try to look at the big picture. If I continue at this rate, I will be at goal by next summer. And the slower we lose, the easier it will be to keep the weight off. No one knows this here yet but in my mid 20's I was a manager and Area Manager for Nutri/System Weight Loss Centers. I'm embarrassed that I used to counsel people who needed to lose weight and now I can't do this myself. The nurse practioner at my doc's gets annoyed with me because I know what to do to speed this up and I always have an excuse. I used to have clients who lost more than 100 pounds on that program. Unfortunately, those who lost it the fastest would gain it right back if they didn't stick to the maintenance program. I had a number of clients who lost it all and wound up back in my office crying because 6 months later, they gained it all back. This won't happen with us. Not only because we are losing it slowly, but because the band will keep us in control.

Hi Sades, I'm up late. It's 1:22am here. Middle of the afternoon for you. How are you feeling? Any gas pain? Try not to dwell on the time you lost and focus on how great you'll do from now on. You're gonna fly past all of us!! Hey Cindy, love the cheerleader avatar!! Wendy, how old is your son and how much does he want to lose? My 16 yr old daughter wants a band. I won't let her and she's too young anyway. Besides, she wouldn't qualify. Not enough weight to lose.

Sades, So glad everything went well. I didn't know you were staying over in the hospital. Thought it was day surgery like my banding was. Sounds like so far, so good. Get lots of rest and before long, you will be as good as new and much lighter.

Sades, Are you OK? How did it go? Are you feeling alright? I'm a little concerned. Please pop on and just say if you're OK. I'm a worrywart!

Hey Cindy, great job!! Your doing amazing! I need to get more focused. I haven't lost in a couple of weeks. I'm due for a big loss.

Hi Marivan, I have about the same amount of restriction as you and can't go any tighter. I get stuck too easily as it is. I lost around 50 lbs but it's really slow. The way I look at is I could have gained 50 instead of losing it so I am happy. If it takes another 6-7 months to get off the next 50, that's OK. I eat about 1,000 to 1200 calories a day. Years ago, the weight would have melted off me but my metabolism seems to have shifted into neutral. I'm getting my thyroid checked out but it's probably perimenopause and too much yo-yo dieting in my past.

Foofy, My hubby brought home shrimp in lobster sauce from the Chinese restaurant. I love them so I cut them into really small pieces and chewed them into tiny bits. Because they were soaked in the sauce and were really soft, they went down OK. More fattening this way but I only had 2 jumbo shrimp. I don't think I am going to try them dry or firmer ever again. I'm pretty tight and need to stick with soft, moist food. Sometimes that means adding calories but I'm not taking in too much at a meal. My weight loss slowed down the past few weeks but that's from late night snacking when I was up late doing schoolwork.

Foofy, I got stuck from a small piece of shrimp a few weeks ago. It actually took an hour to pass through. I was out to dinner with a friend and we were talking and laughing and I guess I wasn't paying attention. I slimed for that whole hour. We were going to the movies after dinner and I had to keep running to the bathroom. Missed the first half hour of The Sex and The City movie. Suddenly, I had this horrible stabbing pain and then "whoosh", it went through. Was the worst stuck experience I've had so far!

Gotta say, Wendy, you are doing amazing. Can't believe how much you lost since Nov. I'm so inconsistant. Up and down, up and down... This roller coaster is making me dizzy!! :redface: Congrats again! I'm feeling motivated to join you over the border!

Congrats Steve! Can't wait to join you!

CONGRATS WENDY!!! :smile2: I am soooo jealous!! :redface: I have been eating too much late at night to stay awake studying and writing papers for 2 summer classes. It's been insane! Now I will only have 1 class the next 6 weeks so hopefully I'll get more sleep and join you in Onederland soon. Bet the grass is greener over there! :biggrin2:

Sades, How are you feeling? Hope everything went well. Just wanted you to know that your bandster buddies are thinking of you! :redface:

Sades, Best wishes for a successful surgery and easy recovery. I know you will do just fine. Hopefully, you are already sleeping by now. I figured out that you're 14 hours ahead of me. Please get some sleep tonight so you're well rested. Try to think about how much easier it will be to get that weight off now. Focus on how skinny you will be very soon and try not to stress too much. I know it's hard but concentrate on positive thoughts. Think of you and your bandster friends getting together at the Barrier Reef in our new bikinis! Good luck tomorrow. Please jump on when you get home and let us know how you did. We will all be thinking of you! :thumbup:

It is torture!! When I hit 199, I'll jump on here and do a happy dance. Until then, I gotta stick with the program and my day will come.

These 2 pounds are driving me nuts! I keep thinking if I just hardly eat for a couple of days I will see 199 on the scale. But I know as soon as I start eating again, those pounds will come right back and I'll really get upset! Gotta just keep going at it slow and steady!

Lanie, That's amazing! Congrats!! You lost your weight so fast. Wish I was as disciplined. I should be joining you in Onederland soon but I keep going up and down 2 pounds. Can't wait to get there!

Shelly, I agree with Jill. 28 days is a long enough way off that you could get a bit unfilled if you're still uncomfortable after a couple of weeks. Think how much you could get off before the cruise! Sounds like a great motivator to me! Good luck to your hubby. Hope things go well!