new_journey4me

Wow - I was told by my surgeon that I can not drink for 6 months!! He said an occassional glas of wine, but didn't recommend it. Which is fine, because I don't like wine. It's going to be a LONG summer!! :tongue_smilie:

I too have CIGNA and it's been a challenge. But I shouldn't complain because they are covering 90%. I started this whole process in August '09 and won't be done till the first week of April with my 6 month nutritionist program. I was pushed back a few months due to my first nutritionist canceling on me almost monthly. So make sure you find a nutritionist you like. Also my inusrance only coveres 3 nutritionist appts, so just beware of that. I'm lucky that my nutritionist does something called Express Pay - I get 5, 10 min visits for $75. Which is nice. I saved my "free" 3 appts for the next 3 times I go so I can get the full time needed for my pre-op. Everything else that was required went off without a hitch. Hoping it goes smoothly when it comes time for me to get approved. Good luck!

Hi everyone!! I have sent most of you friend requests on Facebook - if I missed someone my emails is kris_p1213@yahoo.com :thumbup:)

Hello...I too had mixed emotions, especially from my parents. Which really shocked me because they've always been on me about my weight ALL my life. So when I finally found something that will help me, they freaked! But after months of this process and me sharing information with them and teaching them about it - along with my friends - they are all very supportive. I think it scares people at first...because its something new and they don't know anything about it. All in all I have a great support system, especailly from my boyfriend and my close friends. They understand where I'm coming from. Which is a nice feeling. Honesly those who are negative towards me - I can care less about, BITE ME!! I'm doing this for my health and so I can have kids. Not just to be skinny! Good luck to all.

I'm in the same boat - but my friend recommended a book to me which helped her. "The Easy Way to Quit Smoking" by Alan Carr - she read the book and hasn't smoked since finishing the book 3 years ago. I have just started it myself - it tells you to smoke while reading and that once you're finished, you will never want to smoke again...Good luck to everyone!

Well it's been 6 months since I started this whole process and I'm still working with my nutritionist - 3 more visits!!! It's required by CIGNA for a 6 month nutrition program. I'm completely annoyed because the first nutritionist the surgeon sent me to kept canceling on me and that pushed me back to a first visit in Oct! Looks like I won't be getting banded till June now - since I will be done with the nutritionist in April - BUT I'm going on vacation in May (thinking I was going to be banded in March and good to go!) so now they think I should wait till after my trip!! I'm looking at almost a YEAR for this to get done! This is not what I signed up for! Losing my patience and my mind!! I won't lie that these past 6 months went by pretty quick, but I guess just knowing that I'm almost at the end - I'm just getting very anxious. Sorry to vent but I just needed to get that out. :smile2:

I have CIGNA and all they need is 6 months of working with a nutritionist. It's a pain but I'm almost done. Good luck!

Hello I have CIGNA and it's been a real pain in my ass! LOL! I've started all this back in August I should have been done by this month, but the nutritionist my surgeon assigned me too kept canceling my appts! NOT HAPPY so that pushed to March/April. But other then that I won't know the rest until the submit my stuff. I don't see why I wouldn't get approved - my BMI is 45. Good luck!

Very funny MissyMS! I lost a little here and there. But I have polysistic syndrome and that's not helping me at the moment. That's why this band is my last attempt to lose weight. Hope you have a GREAT trip!! When are you going? Hi Chapamar - if I finish in the first week of April and then wait for approval from CIGNA I'm probably looking at the end of April and I leave May 8. So that's not enough time. BUT I found a loop whole - which I hope will work - my nutritionist never saw me in November which would have been my 2nd visit, so if I can get 2 appt in in Feb and have my final visit in March I should be good! We are going to try it. I don't see it being an issue since it's been 6 consecutive months. :thumbup:

Thank you so much MissyMS for your kind words - I should be looking at it in a positive way - I will be banded soon enough. I too am going to WDW in May. I was hoping to be banded by then and down some weight, but that's not in the cards. But it will be here before I know it!

I have pretty much told everyone - it's not secret that I'm over weight and I've been UP and I've been DOWN they are going to see a good weight lose this time around and see that it's going to stay that way. I just don't listen to the negative and I think those who have negative thoughts are jealous or don't want to see you succeed. But I don't care ~ this is my life and I can't wait to look great and feel great - which is most important! For the most part I have TONS of support. :biggrin:)

I just recently found out that my surgeon doesn't require a pre op liquid diet!!! How great is that?!?!?! So I will only have to grim and bare 2 weeks of liquid after surgery!! I can't be happier!!!! :smile2: Well I'll be happier once I get my date! This whole 6 month precess has been tough, BUT I do have to say it's been going by pretty fast. Only a few more months!

Hi OrMali...I to have Cigna and it's been a process. I met with my surgeon back in August and have done all the requirments. Cigna makes you work with a nutritionist for 6 months - it's a program. Try to get your nutritionist appt ASAP, because the 6 month countdown begins with your first visit...I didn't know that and now I'm waiting a month longer! (not happy) What makes me laugh about Cigna is that they only pay for 3 visits to the nutritionist, but they require a monthly check-in. I'm lucky, I found a nutritionist that has a program - called Express Check-in...you pay $75 for 5, 10 minute visits. And it doesn't go against your insurance! Very nice!! Hope this helps you out - one bonus with Cigna they pay 90% so I guess we can't complain. Best of luck! :smile2:)

Way to go!!!! What a great feeling!!!!

You look great!! Thanks for sharing. I will be getting banded as of the new year. I can't wait to take that leap!! :smile2:)

I'm in the same boat, I started this process back in August, and I did ALL the requirments already. BUT the nutritionist they sent me to kept canceling on me and I didn't realize that my 6 months didn't count until I started with the nutritionist! VERY frustrated. I FINALLY have an appt with a new nutriontist next Friday. Hoping that March comes quick!!

Well I just got off the phone with a new nutritionist and she seems very nice and she was VERY helpful. I meet with here next Friday!! Yeah!! Ok so now I'm looking at March for my band, but life goes by so fast, that it'll be here before I know it! Hey I turn 30 in March, so what a nice present. A new decade and new me!! Thanks everyone!!

I'm so upset right about now...I have CIGNA as my insurance, unfortunately, and I need to do a 6 month evaluation with a nutritionist before I get approved. Don't care about that all except, I started this process in August and the nutritionist that my surgeon has sent me too has canceled on me 3 times!!! I FINALLY get to see her tomorrow! BUT with that being said, I now have to wait 6 months as of tomorrow for my surgery!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WTH!!!! That's so not fair and that's not my fault!!! I was hoping to get banded in January, now I'm looking at March! Sorry I just needed to vent, very very very frustrated! :thumbup:

Aw WTH!! That's not what I wanted to hear, but I guess I needed to know. Annoyed! Oh well, it is what it is. I guess I wish this was explained to me a little more clear. Oh well.

Thank you all so much for the support! One question, does the 6 months start the day I see my nutritionist or does it start from the day I saw my surgeon and started all the other requirements? I'm hoping it was when I started with my surgeon! I called CIGNA but they couldn't give me that answer, they said they believe it starts from when I saw my surgeon. Keeping my fingers crossed!

WOW Congrats!!! You look absolutely amazing and such an inspiration!!!!! :wink2:)

Do what makes you comfortable...don't listen to anyone else. If you think this going somewhere, then he's going to like you no matter what! AND if he doesn't then good -bye you don't need that. You are looking great and feeling great! Keep up the GREAT work! You're an inspiration! Good luck! :seeya:)

This is a great topic...after I had my consultant with my surgeon I ran right over to my parents house all excited, with all the booklets and info my surgeon gave me, hoping that my parents would support me. Wow, was I wrong, I left there in tears and so upset. They were giving me such a lecture that I don't need this and that I just let myself go and I can do it on my own and it's all in my head! I love that..."it's all in my head!" If I hear that statement one more time I'm gonna scream! My boyfriends father said the samething to me also, "if you want it bad enough to lose weight, you can do it on your own." Listen, I've been over weight ALL my life...even as a tri-sport athlete in high school and I've tried every damn diet out there, I'd lose 40lbs only to put it back on and then some. It's also funny that it was my parents who have been all over me all my life about losing weight...including sending me to a nutritionist, aren't supporting me. Actually I can probably blame them for most of the way I felt about myself all my life and my low self esteem. Now that I'm doing something about it and getting help, I thought that they would have been thrilled...WRONG! It's been a little bit of time and they are starting to come around. Finally. I'm also 29 yrs old and I don't need permission, I'm the only one who knows how I feel. And I can't stand the way I feel anymore. I have to thank my boyfriend, he's been so supportive. Which means the world to me. I have other family members who are excited for me, along with my best friends. That's what counts the most. I find those who who are negative are jealous....because we are going to be looking GREAT and feeling GREAT!! I can't wait to walk around with my head held high with a BIG smile all over my face! They will be eating their words soon enough! :seeya:) Good luck to all of you...and stay stronge on the choice that you have made for yourself. The only person who you have to make happy is yourself! :blushing:)

I have been playing sports ALL my life and working out...I find the best thing that holds me down...I double up on sports bras. I buy one a size smaller and then I put a bigger one on over. It holds me down very good. I have 42 D's and they don't move. OR I have a cotton bra with no underwire and I wear a sports bra over it. I played volleyball for years and it's the only thing that helped me from hurting them! And I do step class and they don't bounce. :seeya:)

I dream about: ~Not being the fattest person in my family ~Being able to ride a rollercoaster comfortably (embarressing when you can't even fit in the seat) ~Wear CUTE clothes and shop in "normal" stores ~Not being in a size 24 ~Finally seeing results after working out and have more energy ~Run a 5k ~Wear a bathing suit without shorts on ~Wear cute undies and bras - for me and my boyfriend :thumbdown:) ~I JUST CAN'T WAIT TO BE HAPPIER!!!