Moving right along...

Hi Everyone. I had my Psy. Evaluation this morning and all went well. My Dietary evaluation is scheduled for June 1st. I will probably start the nutrition classed in June also. So hopefully if all goes well, I will become a looser some time in July or August. My only fear is CIGNA HMO giving me a hard time.. have anyone use them with success?

hi valerie.... I to had Cigna HMO and I had problems with but my dr was wonderful and done everthing she could and I was finally approved. who is your surgeon..... email me and I will try to help all i can.

Hiya Valerie! Glad to hear things are going so well for you. Each step taken brings you closer to being a loser!! I'm going for all my preop on the 11th. I have to do lab work, ekg, chest xray I think, dietician, and the psych eval. I cant believe the psych lasts 3 hours. They said they give you 2 hours for the test?? and another hour to talk to the doctor. Three hours?? what, they think if you dont crack in that amount of time you must be ok? LOL God bless ya hon! Melanie

Hey Melanie! You're going to the Evelyn Frye Center, is that right? If so, that's where I went. The test was sooo long and boring...and it asked the same questions over and over again, just rephrasing. The talk session didn't seem to last that long, and the psych. went over your scores right then. (Just wanted to let you know what to expect) Good Luck with that. Have a great day! ~Brandi~ (2/16/04 -65 lbs.)

Hey Valerie, Congrats to you. I was thinking that you would have your eval with Ginger sooner than the 1st. My eval with her is on the 11th of May. I have my psych eval on this Friday and I am going to start classes on the 5th of May. She said that I could start them then so that I can get them all in during May. I am hoping to have surgery sometime after July 8th. My kids are going to NY for the summer to stay with my Dad and I want them home when I have the surgery. My Md sent all the information in to the office. I just hope BC/BS doesn't give me a hard time. I am so looking forward the getting this done. Talk to you soon. Anne

Hi Val, Do I understand you right that you've had the Psy Eval before you know whether or not your approved??? I wonder if that's the way it is, if so, should I go ahead and schedule mine, or should I wait til I hear from my Dr.s office??? Any help is appreciated...Thanks, Carol

Carol, I completed everything before I was approved. The only thing I had to do was meet with the surgeon and schedule my date and go for blood work, EKG, Upper GI, etc.. when I got approval. Hope this helps.. Catina Memphis, TN

Carol, I got a letter of acceptance from my surgeon and then proceeded from there. I haven't had an eval with the surgeon yet but it went like this. I made an appointment with my PCP, had a physical, blood work, EKG and chest x-ray. Made my appointment with the psychiatrist and then called the dietician to set up classes and the eval with her. After all of this is done which will be the end of this month I go see the surgeon. Not until after that appointment will I know if I have been approved by the insurance. I know it's a lot to go through without knowing but the end result is what we are all shooting for so go for it!!! Anne

Hi Anne & Everyone, I was a bit disappointed that I could not get into the dietitian sooner. I probably want start my classes until then. I saw my PCP last week, I asked Dr. McGrath's office if I need to request any additional test such as blood work, EKG, Chest X rays. I was told no because these test will need to be completed 2 weeks prior to Surgery... (I sound like I'm already approved hu?) My Psy. Visit yesterday with Dr. Paul Leonard took about 2 hours. He was wonderful, but the paperwork had my vision blurry for the rest of the day. Or was it this TYPE 2 Diabetes. Shhhhh don't tell anybody I'm posting from work. A home computer is also one of my prerequisites before surgery. I get nervous just thinking about not having the ability to communicate with you all if it happens, or shall I say when it happensJ.