MemphisChik

August 26th for me!! So ready after starting the approval process last October!

Let me ask you something - have you tried to lose the weight on your own?
I have been dieting since I was 10 years old. I'd be successful in the beginning but eventually I'd plateau and get frustrated, then gain the weight back plus another 10 lbs! It was a vicious cycle and I decided I needed to try something different. I did a lot of research before I opted for the sleeve.
I can't tell you why they gave you an "unimpressive" goal number. It could be for the benefit of their practice stats, it could be something else. You certainly aren't bound to it - if you surpass it and then some then GREAT! My surgeon didn't give me a goal number at all. He said a weight in the healthy BMI range is important but that the number isn't absolute. It doesn't account for muscle-fat ratio. He told me getting my waist size under 30 inches is equally important with my family history of diabetes.
As for exercise - working out like a banshee is required for effective weight loss (surgery or not). There's really not much getting around it. Can't think of too many people who got to goal without regular exercise. I know a lot of people hate to do it but exercise has so many more health benefits than just weight loss. For me, I have been off antidepressants for over 3 years because I started working out 4-5x a week. For me it has been much more effective than pills.
food for thought.

Wooo hooo!! Hmm Maybe I'll call Cigna today and light a fire under their butts!

Yup, me!! B-)
I tried to call my coordinator to find out what's going on, and of course I didn't reach her...it's been weeks since I heard anything and I'm growing impatient. So being who I am, I called my insurance company. BAMMM, approved!! Lol I will be stalking the coordinator today for a date!

Ok, when I read what the nurse told you, only one word came to mind. It starts with a capitol B!! lol
I'm so sorry you're having such a bad experience. In your position, I'd call the doc and run your issues past him, just to be on the safe side. Truly hope you do feel better soon!

Alex, I really like the book! I did notice there are a few editorial sorts of issues, though - mostly the sorts of things that a good proofreader with knowledge about WLS might have caught (hey, I can't help it; I'm a test engineer by trade and a proofreader by nature ). Did you want/need any details, or do you have someone going through the book for the next edition?

Yep!! I have four sippy cups and I love them. Three are the six ounce size and one is the ten ounce size. I use them at University and don't care if anyone stares :-)!!! They actually help get Protein Shakes down faster because I can't "smell" what's in the cup and I'm the cup it doesn't feel like such a big task. Also I can shake them if stuff separates. Love them.

Isn't it amazing how insensitive and rude some people can be and you would think that ESPECIALLY from someone in the medical field, they would be raising you up instead of tearing you down!
You go proudgrammy!

Marfar-That IS Melissa McCarthy! From Gilmore Girls. I'm not brave enough to post my own picture- yet!
Thanks everyone!! I really love reading these stories.

I told EVERYONE. I am kind of making ut my mission to inform people on the surgery and how we arent taking the "lazy" route... I hate that there is such a bad rep for those of us making this huge decision. :-)

I initially started out only telling my hubby. Once I got approved I told my 3 lifelong girlfriends and also my siblings. They were all really really supportive.
Little by little and as I got more comfortable with my decision I started telling more and more people. I think i was almost ashamed and embarrassed that it came to having surgery that I wanted no one to know.
But now that I see what a change it has made in my life I wanted to share my story with others.
Last week I through it all out on fb. Letting everyone know my reasons for doing it, how I felt about it, how scared I was doing it and scared what would happen if I didn't do it.
I finally hit a point where I want my story to help others find the help that they might need to get healthy.
Not sure if that helps you at all. PM if you have questions.

Telling NOONE except my husband and my mother. I told my mom to tell my dad but that I didnt want to talk about it. She said he was very upset and wanted her to convince me not to do it. Which is the reason I dont want to tell anyone. I dont want to hear bad stories of someones sisters cousins step brother who had it done and blah blah blah. I feel that it is my decision that I thought long and hard about and noone elses. I do however feel like I am being deceptive. With all the pre-op appointments people were noticing something was going on. I just dont want to have the conversation about it with anyone, And I certainly dont want people to know that I weigh enough to qualify for weight loss surgery...: ) Maybe after I lose most of the weight I will share with others, but for now its my business..

When getting out of bed, roll over on your side and swing your legs off the bed. Then use your arms to push yourself up off the bed rather than your abdomen. It will take a few weeks to completely go away, but it will. As far as liquids hurting, I found hot (warm) herbal tea went down easier. My favorite is Honey Lemon Ginger (caffeine free). Hang in there.
Shel in Kansas - Sleeved 5/21/13

Absolutely adore the outfit! Wish I could wear heels. Were you able to wear them before WLS? I only wore them for special occassions when I was younger, so my feet never became accustomed to them. I fear I'll never be able to wear them...

Your husband won't leave your side all night! you look hot, hot. Your legs are fab and the dress shows your figure to perfection.

It took me a year to finally get approved from CIGNA...I did everything required, except I didn't have 2 co-morbidities at the time and my BMI was .5 off from their standards..Took me a year of fighting with them to finally get approved...I feel your pain, good luck!

Cigna is being very strict now on the dietician visits, well about everything really. You have to do a full 90days, and all the visits have to be spaced out evenly apart. Apparently, they went from a 3 consecutive month visit to a full 90 days on May 15th. My surgery had to be postponed so i could get my 4th dietician visit in, which was today. Insurance will be resubmitted today for my July 22nd surgery. Fingers crossed. I was originally denied because I was missing my 4th visit and because of some verbiage on my PCP letter.

One of there restrictions added in may was 3 months = 90 days, or something similar. once you've got all of their requirements filled, they'll approve you.

Ok -- i never post anymore but saw this and felt compelled. I too worried about these percentage numbers before my surgery. I mean, to go through such a drastic remedy and only lose slightly over 1/2 of my excess weight would still leave me pretty overweight. But, as everyone here has said, each person on here is individual and numbers are just numbers and don't define your journey. So, i took a leap of faith -- mostly faith in myself and had the surgery. That was 13 months ago. Here are my actually numbers. I am 46 years old and 5'4. I went from 220 lbs to 135 and am in normal BMI range. I went from a tight size 16 (so probably an 18) to a size 4-6 (except at old navy, where i am a 2 -- i love old navy). In other words, i have lost over 100 percent of my excess weight. I am not a nazi about my food or exercise. While all of those "numbers" are awesome, they are not the best part. The best part is that my life no longer, for the first time in my adult life, revolves around food or what the scale says. My day is not defined as good or bad based on what i weigh or what i ate. I don't define myself as good or bad based on that criteria anymore either. That is freedom. Enjoy your journey.

I don't recall the percentage of excess weight doc said she'd expect me to lose, but I do recall her saying that the results of the sleeve are proving to be only 5% lower than the gastric bypass. That number was insignificant to me when taking into consideration the negative side effects of the GB.
To be clear... a pound is a pound is a pound. A pound of muscle weighs the same as a pound of fat. The difference comes in the area they occupy. A pound of muscle takes up a lot less space than a pound of fat. So, when you exercise your butt off and don't lose much weight, the difference should be felt in the way yours clothes fit.

IM BACK ON FOR SURGERY!! July 15th here I come!!!!
Thank you all for your support and encouragement and ideas. Down payment of 1,000 dollars and monthly installments for the rest!!
I love you all

Yes you can!!! We use our care credit card for our dogs!!!! As long as someone pays they don't care!!!

http://www.carecredit.com/
Interest free if paid in the time frame they give, instant approval online and it'll ot you nothing to try. I was going this route if i had been denied.

I don't recall the percentage of excess weight doc said she'd expect me to lose, but I do recall her saying that the results of the sleeve are proving to be only 5% lower than the gastric bypass. That number was insignificant to me when taking into consideration the negative side effects of the GB.
To be clear... a pound is a pound is a pound. A pound of muscle weighs the same as a pound of fat. The difference comes in the area they occupy. A pound of muscle takes up a lot less space than a pound of fat. So, when you exercise your butt off and don't lose much weight, the difference should be felt in the way yours clothes fit.