LSF

Does anyone have Cigna that went from the band to the sleeve? If so, how long did the approval take and what was your BMI? I'm worried because I gained most of my weight back but I don't have any medical issues like diabetes or high blood pressure and my BMI is a 39.1 instead of the 40 requirement. My surgeon want to do the revision - we are getting ready to submit the paperwork.

. My surgeon wants to get it done because of the pain I'm experiencing. So I need to see my PCP also??

I'm surprised that we have to go through it again since we went through it before with the band

. Did you have to wait long when you started the process for approval?

My doctor told me a lot of his patients are switching. I'm in the process of getting ready to submit everything to my insurance to see if I can get it approved

Do we really need to go through all that again if we already were banded and want the revision??? I haven't contacted Cigna yet because my surgeon is having me go through the Barium Swallow test first to see what's causing the pain I'm expreriencing. Then we are going to submit the paperwork. I don't want to wait 3 - 6 months - I just want to get the revision done.

Good luck!!

I don't understand why we would have to go through it all for revision surgery. We all went through it the first time.....

I'm on the same path as the rest of you. Just worried about the insurance more than anything else

There are people that had great success with the band and were never hungry. I was not one of those

The best way to describe the difference is when the band is "full" it's more an uncomfortable feeling. At restaurants , I could only eat 1/2 my meal because it wouldn't go through the band but once it passed, I was hungry again so I would finish it when I got home. From what I hear, with the sleeve , once you are full, you are full.

I'm now talking to my surgeon about going from band to sleeve but am worried about the insurance - Cigna. I've been banded since 2008 and pretty much gained most of my weight back

Did any of you have any problems getting your insurance to approve the band to sleeve surgery?

I have Cigna and am looking to switch from the ban to the sleeve. Anyone else with Cigna have this done? I had Tufts when I originally got the band and I'm worried that Cigna will not approve. I'm going to meet with the surgeon today. I was banded in 2008 and lost 70 pounds but have gained most of it back. I've been experiencing on & off pain for the past year. I did the barium swallow test a year ago but it looked like the band was in place. I don't like it - don't like that 'stuck" feeling - I just want to feel full. I was doing great until the band was too tight and waited a year before having some saline removed. By then, I was back into oldbad habits.

Has anyone gotten the sleeve after the band? I'm going for an UGI on Monday to see if my band slipped and was considering the sleeve if it did slip

i I had Tufts when I had the band put in 2008. They paid 100%. Now I have Cigna and want to maybe switch to the sleeve. Not sure if they will pay it

What about the sleeve do you like better? I've gained back most of the weight I lost

Alot of the doctors are now suggesting the sleeve instead of the band

My last fill was in November of 2009 - ever since that fill - I can't eat or drink in the mornings until I have been awake for at least 90 minutes. I have to sip quite a bit of water and then get get a yogurt down - I'm hungry but the band will cause it all to get stuck if I don't wait. I'm also starting to feel like a failure because at night I'm pigging out and not exercising in the winter like I was doing in the spring/summer & fall. I'm pleasantly suprised to see that I'm not alone as I'm reading about others that have had the band as long as me and are in a similar situation.

Vodka with light cranberry juice or the V8 Fusion Light is really good!!! I also love it with all the Crystal light or Ocean Spray light flavors. I'll even get the different flavored vodka's

South Beach Protein bars make a good breakfast as well as Yogurt

I simmer mine in a chili seasoning sauce with chili powder, garlic powder. I also chop up onions and tomatoes really fine and then melt shredded cheese on top.

To be honest - I just order off the menu and plan on taking home the leftovers - OR order an appetizer for dinner. I found that the Cheesecake Factory & Olive Garden have these really small appetizer pizzas - It's very rare that I can eat the entire one. But mostly I'll order something that I can eat the next day. I'll have that at Olive Garden with their salad. (I don't touch the breadsticks)