mel2643

I'm Chicana and lovin my sleeve. I am already enjoying many of my favorite but healthy foods...ceviche, shrimp cocktail, nopales, frijoles, tacos (I might eat one tortilla but mostly just the insides) menudo/posole/albondigas (about 1/3 of my old serving) salsas. Everything in moderation. I have decided to stay away from rice, fideos, flour tortillas, papas and most all sweets....but it is totally doable. For a ton of light Latin inspired recipes try skinnytaste.com.

Boricua ( Puerto Rico) Taina in da house! I am not sleeved yet, but already dreading family thanksgiving. Including pic pf last year's spread. Yes food is a big part of family. It will be interesting, especially since I am planning not to tell my parents.

Congrats!! I had an NSV last night that is probable trivial for most but I was able to stand up from sitting on the ground without rolling over on all 4's first! YAY for NSV's!!

I finally got my date!
9/17/12 in Brooklyn, NY Dr. Vulpe

Latina from Puerto Rico here!

Hi everyone. I noticed that there are group for everyone out there, but not for Hispanics & Latinos.
I feel like food is such a huge part of our culture. Like you go to your aunt's house and the first thing they do is try to feed you LOL!
Are there many of us????

Good luck to you I only have today, tomorrow then one day Clear Liquids then surgery.
We can do it!!

I have been in a nightmare with Cigna for weeks now. Since August 23rd to be exact. My surgeon sent over 36 pages of documents to Cigna for approval. Including all clearances from doctors, weight check ins for 6 months, reccomendations for surgery from multiple doctors. I get a letter of denial saying they need more information to prove medical nessescity. We discovered that they didnt recieve the fax with 36 pages... so they re-sent. Then on August 31st I get another denial saying they needed a letter from my dietician, a letter showing proof of a BMI over 40 for 12 months and a letter from a physician approving the need for surgery (which they ALREADY had). My surgeons office RE SENT for the 3rd time marking it URGENT. I called this morning as it had been 48 hours since they recieved the fax marked urgent. They said that it would take 5 business days before they would do a reconsideration plus 48 hours to return an answer. I am 13 days from surgery and still have 2 pre-op appoinments that they wont schedule until I get approved. There just isnt enough time. I cant move my surgery date since my boyfriend can only take off certain days because of they type of job he has. Plus I have a wedding in October to go to... and have to be feeling good enough to go... at this rate they would have to push back my surgery to the end of October which doesnt work for my work schedule. I am disgusted with Cigna. Luckily I work for Human Resources and my boss happens to be the director of benefits. I had my surgeon fax over all 36 pages to me and I have given them to my boss... she is calling our Cigna rep and is going to go above the medical directors head to try and get this approved today. PLEASE pray for me... I cant take another denial. I am running out of steam and I am SO stressed. Good thing all I can eat is Protein shakes... I dont think I could keep anything else down.

Actually i forgot to ask..i was thinking about that after i saw him yesterday. The day of surgery i was so out of it that he spoke to my mom and then saw me yesterday and he went over things. I am going to ask on my follow up next week to see how much they removed. I do know he said they switched to a 40 sized bougie because people were reacting better to it than the 32 bougie he was using. The difference between the two is only a few millimeters so i am not exactly worried.
Now i just have to focus on getting this gas out!! haha Seems to mostly be going south which im fine with but my abdomen is still all bloated so i haven't weighed myself since im sure i weigh more.
Day 3 post op...and i woke up feeling like someone punched me in the stomach...but its tolerable and they gave me perks. I figured the 3rd day would be the worse. I will say that i cant even tell they did anything to my stomach..the pain was all on the incisions. So far i am happy with my decision. :wub:

I am getting my sleeve on September 11th....4 more days!! Wedding on the 8th, wooping cough shot on the 9th, liquids on the 10th and surgery the 11th...Sooooo excited~~~!

Cigna is THE WORST. I was approved Tuesday, but only after my surgeon's insurance coordinator sent my information twice. The first time she sent it (8/17) they combined all new information (new doctor, hospital, everything) into a denied file with my previous surgeon (who quit unexpectedly.)
So, the coordinator had to call them and have them set up a new case and send everything in again.
They also told me they send that medical necessity letter out almost all the time. If a case is built and the clinicals are not entered at the same, exact moment, then that letter is auto-generated. So, don't get too upset if you get one, doesn't mean that something is necessarily missing or wrong.
My advice for Cigna is to stay on top of them AND your surgeon's office. You really have to, or they will misplace your information.

Sorry for quoting your post twice , I am replying on my nook and it doesnt seem to be app friendly on here, anyway I also received a letter from cigna stating they didnt see a medical necessity... i contacted my surgery cordinator and she worked with my pcp on a letter that stated medical necessity and i was approved , as a matter of fact I called and found out today .... do not let that letter bring you down ..... I have a sept 17 date and started my pre op liquid diet today.....

I was approved today as well! Congrats to you and everyone else again:-)

congrats to all the new sleevers. now dont leave us we want to know everything post op so stick around a little while.
i am counting down 6 more days. still havent heard from the mammogram thoughi pray its ok. heres to another liquid day. cheers

My paperwork sent in on August 16th and I received a letter stating that my medical necessity information was missing , So I have been waiting ever since , HOWEVER just called today and I was FINALLY APPROVED for Sept 17th ...... I am so excited , Now I just have to hear from my surgeons office .... I can't believe it , About 5 yrs ago I was denied for the lapband and I had doubts on getting an approval on this but I have been approved ... I feel so relieved ..... Yayyyyyyyyyy

My paperwork sent in on August 16th and I received a letter stating that my medical necessity information was missing , So I have been waiting ever since , HOWEVER just called today and I was FINALLY APPROVED for Sept 17th ...... I am so excited , Now I just have to hear from my surgeons office .... I can't believe it , About 5 yrs ago I was denied for the lapband and I had doubts on getting an approval on this but I have been approved ... I feel so relieved ..... Yayyyyyyyyyy

Congratulations!!!

My date is Sept. 24th. I am glad that my Dr. had a cancellation and I was able to get it. I have my NUT class on 9/10 and start my 2 week pre-op. I am excited, anxious and scared all at the same time. Anyone have advise as far as pre-op diet (good foods,bad foods)?

October 29!!! Did anyone else have to wait that long? Seems like a long wait but anywho, I'll take it! Super excited!!!

awww im sorry! do you have to appeal this now
??? good luck to you!!!! im praying everything works out for me hopefully!!!

I started m journey April 2012 by attending a weight loss seminar on gastric surgery. I have been approved by my insurance and am excited about the surgery (although I am a little nervous). I happened upon this site last week and it has been wonderful to read so many stories on surgery experiences, preop and postop. I start my postop diet on Sept. 4 for 2 weeks.

They say they only have the last 2 months of my 6 month diet but hell if they just look through the paperwork they will see the whole damn 6 months was completed!! Wow they make things so difficult!! My coordinator is resubmitting it to them, but she has comfirmation that she did send it! Be so glad when this is over!!!

I'm only 2 months post op but doing great! Down 40lbs and hit onderland on July 31st! Yay me!! Stay strong everyone. Every pound is worth it! Love you all!

Thank you everyone! I am enjoying this little journey! Been overweight my entire life and I waited 42 years for this type of surgery to be discovered. Wishing you all the best on your journeys! xoxo

WOW. You went from cute to beautiful. I can tell by your makeup and hair you're enjoying your success to the fullest. Congrats!!!