SuzieInTexas

Good luck! Remember your support groups, especially this forum. We are all here for you!

Hi Lindygal. I am just starting the process. Tomorrow I go to my 2nd seminar and it is at MH's NewStart in The Woodlands. It looks like a fantastic program, not to mention convenient location. Best of luck to you!

That's fantastic! Congrats on the loss! I'd bet money you reach 100 down in 6 months.

Well, I'm toast. I called the insurance myself and its a no go. The exclusion applies, so unless I finance it myself I can't do it. Post divorce, my credit sucks too. I have two options: 1. My employer insurance dumps the exclusion for 2012 (open enrollment starts Nov 1st, so I'll know soon) or 2. borrow from my 401k. I was so excited and so pumped to do this. The let down is painful, and I'm practically in tears. So the question remains unanswered: why would True Results say I'm covered and even give me an out of pocket cost?

Best of luck, Sabrina! I start my 6 months on Nov 1st. I have to wait due to pre-existing clause. Those 6 months are going to fly by! Use the time to learn, and to start changing all those bad habits we have learned over the years. I will be looking into some psych counseling about food addiction. I am determined to be a success story. A quote from a banster on here "Iknow that I am worthy of being healthy and happy."

Thanks Corrigan. I'm definitely worried about it. I don't have any major comorbites, but I am at 48+ bmi. I guess my fear is getting through the 6 months then getting told that there really was an exclusion. I checked my insurance website and did not see anything on a pre-cert or inquiry. This will be difficult enough without having to be told, "hey sorry, but we made a mistake".

The patient advocate at True Results called and told me that my insurance, CIGNA, will cover my Lap Band, and she gave me an out of pocket price, CIGNA requirements, etc. However, when I look up my insurance summary it says obesity surgery is excluded. Could it be that CIGNA can exclude the Lap Band procedure from an obesity surgery exclusion? Or is someone pulling my leg?

OMG, I was shopping this weekend for a dress for my niece's wedding. I look and feel like a cow. The 24's at the department store are too dang tight. I hate it. I just wanted to cry. I just want to shop in the normal sizes! I haven't decided yet between the sleeve and the band. One or the other, I'm going to do it. Thanks, Ellie, for your post! You give me confidence!

So... I've been to one seminar, got an estimated out of pocket cost which was in my budget, and decided this is something I am going to do. Then I started doing some research. First, I found some negatives about the surgeon from my side of Houston and called the clinic to ask about switching to one of their other surgeons. However, I'm still having reservations about the clinic, and all my options are now an hour's drive. The clinic is a chain clinic for bariatric only, specifically lap-band called True Results. I've not seen too many negatives, but there seems to be one here and there. Now I am moving forward with more homework. I've located another seminar in my area that I am going to attend at a regional, well respected hospital (Memorial-Hermann) on Thursday night. I am hoping that this doesn't mean my out of pocket will increase. The doc giving this seminar, Dr. Turnquist so far seems to have excellent comments and reviews. This is so important. This is me. This is my health. This is my life. If anyone has experiences in the Houston area, let me know. I'd love to hear!

I agree with the others! Smack yourself on your hand if you have to, but move on. Weight loss is not easy, even with WLS. I am just starting my 6 months (well, will be doing so Nov 1st when my pre-existing condition clause expires). I am looking forward to the journey, but I do have a 'farewell tour' planned. Good luck with your surgery and your WL. I'm looking forward to reading your blog!

Ok, so I'm feeling pretty lucky right about now. That's quite the requirements. Congrats for getting through it all! No requirements for weight loss. CIGNA is only requiring that I have 6 months of physician directed weight loss program completed within the last 2 years including weights, dietary program, physical activity, behavioral modifications etc. This is what True Results will handle for me when I go in their office.

Thanks roeroe. I do have a pc physician back in MI, but I moved last October and have yet to get settled with one here. That is now at the top of my list. I do have records that show I've been morbidly obese for 20+ years. I've also been on WW since Sept of last year but can't stick to it. Thank you for the reminder that I will need to transfer my records. My last full physical was in 2009 when I was diagnosed with osteopenia which is not weight related, but the extra weight is not helping. Good luck on your surgery and your journey, too!

This brought tears of happiness to my eyes. Congrats! Very inspirational post. I'm just starting my 6 months pre-op and I think I'll follow your example. Thank you!

I weigh 263 lbs. My BMI is 48.2 depending on who's BMI calculator you use. Whoa! That is INSANE! I've got to stop this madness. I attended a lap band seminar at Texas Gastric Banding on Tuesday 9/27/11. The surgeon is Dr. Richard Wilkenfeld, and surgery is done at True Results in Houston. I got a call on Thursday 9/29/11 from TR saying my insurance, CIGNA will approve my surgery based on the information they gave me, however there are things that need to be done. I will be required to have 6 months of weight loss counseling, 1 nutrition counseling, a psych exam, and a letter of necessity from my primary care physician. I also have a pre-existing condition clause that expires Oct 31st. So, I have my first counseling on Nov 1st at TR that will include a nutritionist session. I do have a copay plus some deductible, so I will be upping my medical flex deduction next year. I currently don't have diabetes, sleep apnea, or hypertension. I do have unmedicated high cholesterol and acid reflux that is treated with Prilosec OTC. I have medically diagnosed bone loss, what my last doc diagnosed as Osteopenia or pre-Osteoporosis. I do have painful knees and ankles, and I did break my ankle in a fall last December. This excess weight is not helping. The lap band is my choice, but I am hoping to combine it with gastric imbrication, referred to here as gastric plication. Problem #1: No primary care physician. I did get a couple of recommendations from the surgeon, and have checked and found two are in network with my insurance. So I will call them and see which one fits my needs best. Problem #2: My work insurance will renew, and I have all my fingers and toes crossed that they do not introduce an exclusion for bariatric surgery. If so, I'm toast. I am hoping this surgery will give me what I need to lift me up and defeat my weight problems and my food addiction. This forum, youtube videos, and this blog will be great support and great therapy. I am so looking forward to sharing my journey with y'all.

Wow, congrats! I'm hoping to have the same combination next year. I'm just starting my 6 month counseling, so I'm a long way off. I am looking so forward to reading your blogs. Please keep us up to date, DivaD50.