GeauxForIt

Or getting a frickin' CRAMP in my back while wiping my behind!

I got it!! LOL Oh wait...does that make me crazy, too???

Touché!!! : D

My great-grandmother called it a "mustn't touch it". I'm sure she was great fun on a date.

I :wub: this thread SO MUCH!

I have my first "official" (<---for Aetna) appointment with my surgeon on the 19th and my first appointment with the nutritionist on the 21st. That will be the real beginning of the hoop-jumping for Aetna's approval (my 90 days). I've done all of my blood work, chest x-rays, EKG and the upper GI thingy. I've got all of my doctor's appointments and nutritionists appointments made. I still have to make appointments with the physical therapist and do the psych eval. My last appointment with the surgeon isn't until 8/28!! My head will explode before then!!! I keep trying to distract myself, but to no avail. It's ALL I can think about...

I think I'm going to lose my mind before I can even officially start this process!! I'm constantly preoccupied with thoughts about this surgery...from fears of not being approved to the giddiness of being able to buy cute clothes again. My emotions are all over the place, but mostly I just feel frustrated with having to wait and wait and wait...

LMAO!!! (<----Too bad that's not true...)

I was on Byetta a few years ago (pre-diabetic; high insulin) and I did lose weight but only b/c it made me horribly nauseated! I stayed on it for about 2 months and was so sick the entire time. Finally had to give up on it and rely on Metformin. Along came Victoza and it's a miracle drug! No nausea.

Great news! I'm so jealous! LOL Tell her that we wish her well and can't wait to hear the details.

Hey Cool!!

Some great ideas, y'all!!

I need little ones!!

Where?!? I'm actually from Waskom but I usually just say Shreveport since nobody knows about my tiny home town. LOL I haven't had surgery yet, but I'll have it hear in Baton Rouge. I've heard good things about Merriman though.

Your doc is Merriman, so you're in Shreveport? That's where I'm from and most of my family is still there!

I'm still pre-surgery, so clothes are out for now!

I'm going to start a list non-food rewards to use as motivation for staying on track both before and after my surgery. So far I have the more obvious ones...mani/pedi, massage, jewelry, nail polish/make-up...but I'm looking for more ideas. What types of Atta-Girls/Boys are you giving yourself for making good choices? Thanks!

Days seem to be d-r-a-g-g-i-n-g by!

And although my (naturally slim) husband is nervous about my having major surgery, he's very, very supportive. I see from some of your posts that your husbands aren't...that stinks and hopefully you'll find the support you need here.

Baton Rouge here, too! Just getting started with Aetna's hoop-jumping. I'm either using Brent Allain (my preference) or Jonathan Taylor (Aetna's preference). I have appointments with both in a couple of weeks. I've got to be the world's most impatient person! All I can think of is this surgery and I'm ready to do it NOW.

Recovering *** hag here!! Another Straight Warrior for GLBT! <3

I'm just getting started, too! I can think of nothing but this surgery...24/7. I think I'd go plum crazy if I didn't have this website. And my husband would go crazy hearing me talk about it ALL the time! LOL

Thanks Brent! I really appreciate your feedback. Dr. Allain did my gallbladder surgery in 2009 and I really like him. Unfortunately for me, he's not in-network as a bariatric surgeon under my Aetna plan. All it would take is a quick call to Aetna requesting a Non-Participating Provider Request for him to do my surgery as in-network. That call is the difference between my paying $250 vs. ~$3500 for my surgery. I have gone around and around with his insurance coordinator for 3 weeks now and she flat out REFUSES to make that call. Her last email to me said, "you have to use your out of network benefits since we are out of network". I found out today that Jonathan Taylor (BR Clinic) is in-network. I made an appt w/ him for June 12, but I've kept my appt w/ Dr. Allain for June 19, just in case. The bottom line is that I trust and like Dr. Allain very, very much, but a $3000+ difference and a rude staff may make me turn to someone else for surgery and that's upsetting to me.

How about Jonathan Taylor at BR Clinic? Any feedback at all?