JacobsMommy

My name is Natasha, Anybody from Maryland??!!

I've been telling everyone that I am having my gallbladder removed. My supervisor knows only because i trust her. And my husband know...but my kids, church fam, or immediate fam will not know. I had gotten a lot of feed back when I got the band and I'm saving myself the extra lashing from my revision by calling it a "gallbladder" removal. Its almost the same...That's my story and I'm sticking to it!! 5/22/14

I pray I have as much success! Congratulations!

Good morning everyone, I have my surgery date, May 22! So I'm wondering what does a sleeve feel like? Can you feel that a part of your stomach is gone? I am an emotional eater, how do you move past that feeling? I have so many mixed emotions. But after eating a Subway foot long the other day (with the band) I need serious help.

LOL LOL the struggle is real! SMH...but your news is pretty awesome! Congratulations! I sure hope my turn around time is that quick.

LOL LOL I live Maryland. ..are you waiting for approval also? If so, I guess we'll both sit on pins and needles until we hear from someone.

Hi everyone! I've updated my profile, however the pictures that were uploaded are upside down. LOL, I am too sleepy and tired to figure out what went wrong...ooh well, you will see two upside down pics... In other news, yesterday was the last day of everything that was required by my insurance and my papers were submitted. The coordinator said that I should hear something by Friday...I am seriously praying for a miracle that Cigna accepts everything and I can finally get my surgery date!

Wow, SparkleCat that was fast!! Congrats! I hope I don't have to deal with nausea, I will be asking for meds. Feel better soon. Keep us posted

Alright everyone, I submitted all of my paperwork today. The girl who gave me a big woop to doo did not put up a fight this time, in fact she said she's rooting for me. Then she dropped the bomb...Friday is her last day and the person taking her place is reluctant to submit paperwork. Pray!! I need a quick turn around before this new chick take over...smh always something

Congratulations on everyone's success! !

Hi everyone! Thank you so much for your response and after thinking/praying about it over and over again. I decided to go to Dr. #2! Your response made a difference in how I should go about choosing because you all gave me a new perspective and gave me something to think about. My poor husband just didn't know what to think anymore. Anyway, to seal the deal, as I walked out of my nutrition class this morning, a random lady from nowhere tapped on my car window as I was about to pull away. With doubt and still troubled by my dilemma, she said "Did you just finish class? Because I saw you walking and I wanted to catch you before you left, I just had ByPass surgery 6 months ago and I feel great". I asked her who performed her surgery as I explained to her how I am considering the sleeve and she said my Dr. #2 performed her surgery. She also said "he is amazing, has a dry sense of humor, but very caring, you will be fine". We ended our short conversation on that note and I drove home thanking God for settling my concern in this matter. I am officially excited!

I have the same insurance and it is very nerve wrecking! Did you have to do a 3 or 6 month diet? I hope everything work out for you. Pray, don't worry, and now go to bed LOL LOL

At least you are losing! Celebrate that and keep up the awesome work.

Lipstick Lady! Sound like you know exactly what I am going through...And you are right, he may not have that much experience and isn't confident in doing the surgery.....like you said I need someone to go in like God and take on the world!!

Aussie Lady! I think you are on to something. Because when I sat and spoke with the insurance coordinator, she said he had a hard time with the band/sleeve surgery once before and then began to do the surgeries separately after that mishap. I was up last night thinking about that statement and thought to myself, well I really like him and because we have this three year relationship, I would have done the whole take out the band, wait three months, and then sleeve. I guess I'd let what is familiar get the best of me. It's already nerve wrecking to do this again, but I was hoping at least I could stick with someone I know. Thanks for the feedback....

Ok, I've got a dilemma and maybe you all can help. Ok, so I visited my original band surgeon in February (surgeon #1) and inquired about the sleeve. He said "if you want it done, you will need to find another doctor". He is not in agreement with the sleeve and said that I would gain the weight back in one year. I really took that to heart and I had to make a choice. I love my original surgeon and I really wanted him to do the surgery, but per his response, in March I began to find a new surgeon Surgeon #2 is all for the sleeve and explain how he opposes the band because of it's "failure to produce long term weight loss" and said that he would take out the band and perform the sleeve all at once, but because of the revision I may have complications (which he explained was a standard disclaimer that he must warn to his patients; however, he's never had a patient return with complications). I thought wow, he must be some kind of amazing. So I began the process. I went to surgeon #1 last month (March) to inquire about the sleeve again and he was not for it still. I really love this dude Meanwhile, under surgeon #2, I had my psych eval and I will begin my two nutrition classes on Saturday, April 19th and paperwork will be submitted for surgeon #2 next week. With many prayers for an approval, I hope to have surgery next month. Thought, ok a third time is a charm, I went to surgeon #1 today and now he's on board with the sleeve surgery! What?? But here is the catch 22, he would remove the band next month and I must follow a three month diet w/o band. He will perform the surgery in July IF I can follow the dietitians plan. This complicates my decision because I would much rather have it done sooner than later and I do not trust myself without the band. And if I cannot follow the dietitian plan, is that to say he would not perform the sleeve? UGH What would you do??

Luckyinluv, that's encouraging! I hope it goes through. Keep me posted

I did not have complications with the band; however, I did not lose as much as expected. My doctor recommended revision surgery.

Yes, I have the band now and is in the approval process for revision surgery. I hope to have surgery as early as June.

So far, Cigna isn't requiring me to pay those extra copay fees I've been hearing about; except for the normal $100 copay my insurance require for the hospital stay. Thank God!

Hi everyone! Is it true that band to sleevers lose weight slower than regular sleevers? I've heard that some band to sleevers don't lose weight at all. How true is this? I need to lose 60 -70 pounds and if the sleeve doesn't help, I will be disappointed. ..

SPARKLECAT!! CONGRATULATIONS! ! I am so happy for you! ! Wow! I am next, I'm believing that:)

Thanks SparkleCat...I hate insurance also...hopefully everything will work out for the best for the both of us.

I spoke to my surgeons coordinator and she told me again today that I needed to wait six months. I asked her to submit the paper work next week after my pre-op class just in faith to see what happens. She was persistent in saying I needed to wait six months before she would submit the paper work because everyone who has Cigna insurance beginning with an "U" all were denied. I asked her to submit it anyway and we will go from there. SMH....She also said that Maryland requires 6 months although Cigna requires 3 months...that doesn't make sense at all....I am officially discouraged and frustrated.