First timer...
Hey everyone. I'm a newbie! I was so relieved to find a website with people from my part of the country going through the same things that I'm going through. I'm actually waiting on my surgery date. My insurance company (CIGNA OAP) requires a stupid 6 month diet history that has to be completed with a physician's supervision within the last year. I'm 1/2 way there so only 3 more months. It's like HELLO? Do you actually think I haven't tried to be skinny. Noone chooses to be 100+ lbs overweight. But anyway, I'm soooo excited about actually being normal and doing the things that normal weight people do. I could never tolerate medicines to lose weight they always made me so sick, and I struggled so hard to be normal. I went through a failed marriage that my ex husband blamed all on the weight which was just so hurtful and family who just didn't understand what it was like to be obese. Dr Bour and his staff in Greenville SC are so understanding and for the first time in my life, I'm looking forward to being able to look in the mirror again without flinching. Any advice on what to do to get myself mentally prepared?
Hi Jamie and welcome. On the CIGNA front, make sure you get a copy of their "criteria" and follow it to the letter. You have to document your compliance and exercise because they will try to deny you no matter what, but if you perservere you will make it.
As for getting mentally prepared, you are half way there by just making this life-changing decision. This is a great board and we have some people on it that can be very inspirational and lots of help.
Keep us posted.
Susann
Susann 
WELCOME, WELCOME, WELCOME, MS JAMIE. WE ARE ALWAYS SO PLEASED TO GET NEW PEOPLE COMING TO "OUR" BOARD ... 
THERE ARE SUCH CARING, SUPPORTIVE PEOPLE ON THIS BOARD ... YOU'LL JUST LOVE SHARING YOUR EXPERIENCES HERE.
FROM OTHER'S EXPERIENCES, CIGNA IS A BEAR TO GET TO APPROVE, BUT IF YOU DO EXACTLY WHAT THEIR "CRITERIA" STATES, YOU WILL GET APPROVED. JUST ASK MS SUSANN & MR DAVID (I THINK - DA-UHHH, BRAIN FART). BE SURE TO REQUEST THEIR "CRITERIA" IN WRITING TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU DO FOLLOW THEIR RULES.
AS FOR YOUR FAILED MARRIAGE ... BEEN THERE, DONE THAT ... I WAS MARRIED TO AN ALCOHOLIC FOR 30 YEARS. HE'S THE SWEETEST MAN WHEN HE'S SOBER, BUT THAT WAS RARE. CONSIDERING THAT I WAS ONLY 118 #s WHEN I MARRIED HIM, MY WEIGHT COULDN'T HAVE BEEN THE ENTIRE PROBLEM BUT, THAT WAS HIS EXCUSE AS WELL. IT DROVE ME TO THE BRINK OF SUICIDE ... THE BLACKEST PLACE I'VE EVER BEEN IN MY LIFE.
BUT, I GOT THROUGH THAT & LOOK AT ME NOW ... MARRIED TO THE SWEETEST, MOST LOVING & ACCEPTING MAN ALIVE ... LOST 50 #s IN 69 DAYS AFTER WLS & LIVIN' ON TOP OF THE WORLD ... &, THIS IS WHERE YOU WILL BE VERY SOON IN YOUR OWN LIFE!
AS FOR YOUR FAMILY'S LACK OF UNDERSTANDING ... THEY CAN'T UNDERSTAND UNLESS THEY'VE EXPERIENCED OBESITY THEMSELVES. IT'S TOTALLY DIFFERENT FROM HAVING TO "LOSE A FEW POUNDS". JUST LIKE I CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT A PARALYZED PERSON GOES THROUGH BECAUSE I HAVEN'T EXPERIENCED IT, NEITHER CAN YOUR THIN FAMILY MEMBERS UNDERSTAND YOUR CHALLENGES. TAKE THIS WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO "EDUCATE" THEM. EVEN IF THEY DON'T AGREE IN THE BEGINNING, ONCE YOU START LOSING WEIGHT & REGAINING YOUR HEALTH, THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO STAY UNSUPPORTIVE.
MENTAL PREPARATION? WELL, IT'S ALL SUMMED UP IN A QUOTE I HAVE ON MY PROFILE ... "EAT TO LIVE vs LIVE TO EAT". &, THERE'S EVEN A CUTER ONE THAT I FOUND ... "NOTHING TASTES AS GOOD AS BEING THIN FEELS".
BE MENTALLY PREPARED TO FOLLOW THE RULES. PERIOD, NO EXCUSES. IT'S SOOOOOOOO MUCH EASIER AFTER SURGERY BECAUSE YOUR APPETITE IS SUPPRESSED. BUT, DOWN THE ROAD ... IT'S ON YOUR SHOULDERS. IF YOU'VE GOT IT IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND THAT YOU'LL FOLLOW THE RULES UNTIL YOU LOSE WEIGHT, THEN YOU CAN EAT ALL THOSE FOODS YOU WANT BUT SHOULDN'T ... THEN, YOU'LL BE HEARTBROKEN IN THE END BECAUSE THERE ARE ABOUT 15% OF WLS PATIENTS WHO FAIL MISERABLY BECAUSE THEY DON'T CHANGE THEIR MINDSET REGARDING FOOD.
SOME OF THE LADIES ARE HAVING A HARD TIME "SEEING" THE CHANGES IN THEMSELVES ... THEY STILL "SEE" THEMSELVES AS FAT. THAT SEEMS TO BE THE HARDEST MENTAL ISSUE ... TO RECOGNIZE YOUR SUCCESSES ON YOUR OWN BODY & REALLY SEE YOUR BODY CHANGES IN THE MIRROR.
ONE THING THAT REALLY HELPS IS WHEN SOMEONE POSTS BEFORE & AFTER & CONTINUING PICTURES SO ONE CAN SEE THE CHANGES RIGHT THERE ON A PAGE IN THEIR PROFILE. LOOK AT MS HEATHER'S PROFILE & IF THAT WERE YOU, YOU'D BE ABLE TO SEE THE CHANGES RIGHT AWAY THAT YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO "RECOGNIZE" IN YOUR OWN MIRROR. SPEAKING OF THAT, I HAVE TO GET MINE POSTED AS I'M REALLY BEHIND NOW!
KEEP COMING TO THE BOARD CUZ NO MATTER WHAT COMES UP OR WHAT MOOD YOU'RE IN, SOMEONE WILL HAVE THE ANSWER ... IT'S A TOUGH ROAD TO WALK ALONE SO WALK IT WITH UNDERSTANDING FRIENDS LIKE US!
GOD BLESS YOU ON THIS JOURNEY TO HEALTH 
DAWN & NICK
THERE ARE SUCH CARING, SUPPORTIVE PEOPLE ON THIS BOARD ... YOU'LL JUST LOVE SHARING YOUR EXPERIENCES HERE.
FROM OTHER'S EXPERIENCES, CIGNA IS A BEAR TO GET TO APPROVE, BUT IF YOU DO EXACTLY WHAT THEIR "CRITERIA" STATES, YOU WILL GET APPROVED. JUST ASK MS SUSANN & MR DAVID (I THINK - DA-UHHH, BRAIN FART). BE SURE TO REQUEST THEIR "CRITERIA" IN WRITING TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU DO FOLLOW THEIR RULES.
AS FOR YOUR FAILED MARRIAGE ... BEEN THERE, DONE THAT ... I WAS MARRIED TO AN ALCOHOLIC FOR 30 YEARS. HE'S THE SWEETEST MAN WHEN HE'S SOBER, BUT THAT WAS RARE. CONSIDERING THAT I WAS ONLY 118 #s WHEN I MARRIED HIM, MY WEIGHT COULDN'T HAVE BEEN THE ENTIRE PROBLEM BUT, THAT WAS HIS EXCUSE AS WELL. IT DROVE ME TO THE BRINK OF SUICIDE ... THE BLACKEST PLACE I'VE EVER BEEN IN MY LIFE.
BUT, I GOT THROUGH THAT & LOOK AT ME NOW ... MARRIED TO THE SWEETEST, MOST LOVING & ACCEPTING MAN ALIVE ... LOST 50 #s IN 69 DAYS AFTER WLS & LIVIN' ON TOP OF THE WORLD ... &, THIS IS WHERE YOU WILL BE VERY SOON IN YOUR OWN LIFE!
AS FOR YOUR FAMILY'S LACK OF UNDERSTANDING ... THEY CAN'T UNDERSTAND UNLESS THEY'VE EXPERIENCED OBESITY THEMSELVES. IT'S TOTALLY DIFFERENT FROM HAVING TO "LOSE A FEW POUNDS". JUST LIKE I CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT A PARALYZED PERSON GOES THROUGH BECAUSE I HAVEN'T EXPERIENCED IT, NEITHER CAN YOUR THIN FAMILY MEMBERS UNDERSTAND YOUR CHALLENGES. TAKE THIS WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO "EDUCATE" THEM. EVEN IF THEY DON'T AGREE IN THE BEGINNING, ONCE YOU START LOSING WEIGHT & REGAINING YOUR HEALTH, THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO STAY UNSUPPORTIVE.
MENTAL PREPARATION? WELL, IT'S ALL SUMMED UP IN A QUOTE I HAVE ON MY PROFILE ... "EAT TO LIVE vs LIVE TO EAT". &, THERE'S EVEN A CUTER ONE THAT I FOUND ... "NOTHING TASTES AS GOOD AS BEING THIN FEELS".
BE MENTALLY PREPARED TO FOLLOW THE RULES. PERIOD, NO EXCUSES. IT'S SOOOOOOOO MUCH EASIER AFTER SURGERY BECAUSE YOUR APPETITE IS SUPPRESSED. BUT, DOWN THE ROAD ... IT'S ON YOUR SHOULDERS. IF YOU'VE GOT IT IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND THAT YOU'LL FOLLOW THE RULES UNTIL YOU LOSE WEIGHT, THEN YOU CAN EAT ALL THOSE FOODS YOU WANT BUT SHOULDN'T ... THEN, YOU'LL BE HEARTBROKEN IN THE END BECAUSE THERE ARE ABOUT 15% OF WLS PATIENTS WHO FAIL MISERABLY BECAUSE THEY DON'T CHANGE THEIR MINDSET REGARDING FOOD.
SOME OF THE LADIES ARE HAVING A HARD TIME "SEEING" THE CHANGES IN THEMSELVES ... THEY STILL "SEE" THEMSELVES AS FAT. THAT SEEMS TO BE THE HARDEST MENTAL ISSUE ... TO RECOGNIZE YOUR SUCCESSES ON YOUR OWN BODY & REALLY SEE YOUR BODY CHANGES IN THE MIRROR.
ONE THING THAT REALLY HELPS IS WHEN SOMEONE POSTS BEFORE & AFTER & CONTINUING PICTURES SO ONE CAN SEE THE CHANGES RIGHT THERE ON A PAGE IN THEIR PROFILE. LOOK AT MS HEATHER'S PROFILE & IF THAT WERE YOU, YOU'D BE ABLE TO SEE THE CHANGES RIGHT AWAY THAT YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO "RECOGNIZE" IN YOUR OWN MIRROR. SPEAKING OF THAT, I HAVE TO GET MINE POSTED AS I'M REALLY BEHIND NOW!
KEEP COMING TO THE BOARD CUZ NO MATTER WHAT COMES UP OR WHAT MOOD YOU'RE IN, SOMEONE WILL HAVE THE ANSWER ... IT'S A TOUGH ROAD TO WALK ALONE SO WALK IT WITH UNDERSTANDING FRIENDS LIKE US!
GOD BLESS YOU ON THIS JOURNEY TO HEALTH DAWN & NICK 
Hi Jamie...WELCOME!!! I too am a patient of Dr. Bours...I don't have a surgery date either...not because of insurance...I was approved Dec 23...I still have a balance on my registration fee...but that will be paid on Wed. or Thur., my husband cashed in some of our stock...I still have 4 more post op meetings to attend...but I think I will still be able to start the Optifast while I attend those. Do you attend the group meetings?
I can't really give advice concerning insurance...my insurance(Tricare) doesn't require a diet history...but has far as becoming mentally prepared...if you attend group meetings...and take in the ton of info that Dr. Bour and his staff provide you're on your way.
I have started taking chewable vitamins to get use to the fact that this will be my new way of life...I try and walk even if it's just 5 min, to get use to the fact that exercise will also be my new way of life...I must admit it's hard and painful at this weight(274)...but I'm more committed than I've ever been to do this right after failing at everything else...it's my last hope.
So if you attend the postop meetings I look foward to meeting you there...if you check out my profile you will see what I look like and if you feel like it please introduce yourself at our next meeting...I would love to get together with some folks from the Greenville area.
Hang in there only 3 mos to go, Tonya
heather 
Welcome Jamie
I was approved by Cigna in just 1 or 2 days (hard to pinpoint the exact days, because it was over the Christmas holidays!!). Here is the latest info that I have on their criteria:
http://www.cigna.com/health/provider/medical/procedural/coverage_positions/medical/mm_0051_coveragepositioncriteria_bariatric_surgery.pdf
Dr. Ross' office gave them what they asked for and they approved it. My surgery is in 2 weeks!! I can't wait for the exciting changes in store for me!!
Good luck to you!!
Hugs, 
Dianne
I was approved by Cigna in just 1 or 2 days (hard to pinpoint the exact days, because it was over the Christmas holidays!!). Here is the latest info that I have on their criteria:
http://www.cigna.com/health/provider/medical/procedural/coverage_positions/medical/mm_0051_coveragepositioncriteria_bariatric_surgery.pdf
Dr. Ross' office gave them what they asked for and they approved it. My surgery is in 2 weeks!! I can't wait for the exciting changes in store for me!!
Good luck to you!!
Hugs,
Dianne Most Active
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