Damander

Well, I finally told the 4 ladies in my office that I was planning on doing the surgery since only one of us can take off at a time and I work so closely with them, I knew they would notice.. 3 of the ladies were very supportive and the other one said her mother in law had it and she was very disheartened because she feels she took the easy way out. I knew I would have some negative responses, but the easy way out? Really?? Obviously she is very uneducated about it and what really shocked me is that she said "I think my mother in law could have done it the right way and worked out and ate less and blah blah"..What is so shocking is that this girl is my age and is overweight as well. Obviously she isn't doing it the "right way" either since she isn't losing any weight. Ugh. The lack of education around here is overwhelming sometimes. Oh well, we'll see who gets skinnier faster!!

You guys are absolutely right! I just needed someone else to tell me to suck it up! (in not so many words!) I am my worst critic, even though I try not to be, and of course my family would rather me be here than thinner, my initial reaction was just "great, what next!" but I will definitely take things one day at a time and know that each day I am a step closer to my "b-day" Thanks so much for the support!!

I don't know why I thought this was going to be a quick processed (getting approved) but I did. I have my lifestyle class today and technically I should be done after that, but of course the dr found an issue with my heart so now I have to be cleared by a cardiologist before I can have surgery and I have to have a current PAP done since I have dysplasia. It's like everytime I get close, something keeps popping up. I have a feeling that when my PAP comes back abnormal (and it will-for sure) they will tell me I have to take care of that, even though I had the LEEP procedure and it is going to take a series of tests over months to determine whether or not it eventually turns normal or I have to have another LEEP. Ahh, its just so frustrating. And the frustration is rubbing off at home, partially because I am frustrated and partially because I am so self conscience about my weight that I am feeling down and feeling like my husband doesn't love me anymore Of course, he hasn't said or done anything to make me think that, it's just my fat brain telling me so. Ugh. And of course he has to be the cute Army recruiter that all the girls love..sigh.. I can't believe I gained this weight after my son was born in December. I was 160 before (of course still needed to lose weight but thought I looked great) and am now up to 214 just in that mere few months and I can't lose it to save my life. It's just frustrating.. Sorry, today is my off day and I'm allowed

Hey guys, I am in the process of getting approval for surgery, just waiting on my lifestyle class (which is tomorrow) and an appointment with a Cardiologist and then I should be good to go. Just looking for some people to talk to around my area. I don't know anyone else who has gotten the lap band and it would be nice to talk with people around my age (I am 26)!! Amanda

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Hey, I am just saying what I heard my surgeon say in the seminar. In no way am I a Dr-just relaying information.

The bariatric seminar I attended said people with BMI over 50 cannot get the band, and the gastric or sleeve is recommended. I would tell your DR to still refer you to a surgeon because they will be able to tell you yes or no and if your dr refuses, then seek another dr

I had an ECHO done on Sept 21, and my surgeon called me to tell me that one of the valves in my heart isn't closing all the way so I need to get cleared from a Cardiologist before I can have the surgery (I've met all other requirements) My appointment with the cardio is on Monday at 11am and they told me I had to get a referral from my PCM (Tricare Prime) for the cardiologist. I called my PCM for the referral and after the nurse talked with him, she called me back and said that he had to see me before he would write the referral. WTF! The surgeon and cardiologist and PCM are all Scott & White so he can see the results of that. I hung up with her and called the surgeon to see if they could write it and due to them being "specialty physicians" they are unable to do so. So I called my PCM back and after pleading with the receptionist who agreed with me, they talked to him and he finally agreed to write it without seeing me. I will be switching PCMs after the surgery. He doesn't agree with the LAP band so he doesn't want to make anything easy for anyone, and although they aren't allowed, the nurse/receptionist agreed with me and told me they have had several problems with that from him. Ugh! Even though I am happy he agreed to write it, I am appalled that he would put me through hell because of a well educated decision that I have made to have this surgery. I hate him.

This is what I have been calling "phantom fat"..we can definitely tell, keep up the good work!!

My surgeon had me get a Dobutamine Echo/EKG/Stress Test due to the fact that I have been having shortness of breath. She called me yesterday to tell me that my tests were negative and all was well...or so I thought. She called me first thing this morning to tell me that she had a coworker look over my test results and they noticed that one of my valves isn't closing all the way. She said that I had to see a Cardiologist and have them clear me before surgery. If this is what it is, will I still be able to have the surgery? I am 25, I've never heard of this before...I searched the forums but I didn't see anything else out there.. any help!?

If you do a search in the forums for Tricare Prime, you will find all of our other topics on it. Tricare Prime has now changed their requirements and no longer use the MetLife chart to determine ideal weight. For Tricare Prime, if you have a BMI of 35-you have to have at least one co-morbidity. If you have a BMI of 40 or higher, you do not need a co-morbidity. I am waiting on my approval now. Good luck!

I can't find any that fit my boobs. I am a G cup and no store I have ever been to has ever carried anything close to that size..

I have Tricare Prime also and I was required to do the psych eval and the nutrition appointment. I had my psych eval last week and my nutrition appt is oct 6.. you may want to double check the requirements, I would hate for your surgery to be delayed because you were missing two simple things.. good luck!

I am thinking the exact same thing! I've already told my husband I am almost 100% positive that my boobs will be disgusting when I'm done with weight loss since they are just so big now so I have already decided that when all is said and done, I will get a lift and probably a large C cup or small D cup to make them perky.. I am 25 years old and I don't want my boobs looking like sad dog eyes..lol..although they already do since they are so heavy!

Fredericks is where I buy mine now.. and Figleaves is very good also. The cup size isn't the issue, its just around the waist. Thanks!!

I know its going to vary between surgeons and bariatric centers, but what is the consensus on when paperwork will be submitted to tricare? In MY opinion, I think it should be submitted first thing to see if it will be, so that can save us from having to do everything else if we don't get approved. I have done my seminar, my consult and my psych eval..the only thing I am lacking is the meeting with the nutritionist..so shouldn't they go ahead and submit?? I mean alot of people I have read about have surgery dates before anything is even submitted to their insurance so I am just curious.. I am going through scott and white bariatric center btw..

I think everyone that posted here covered almost everything that every one of us want to do! I must admit, reading all of the posts made me tear up because I related to all of you. Here's my list: I want to be able to stand up for longer than 5 minutes without feeling like my ankles are going to collapse. I want to be able to carry my handicapped son from the car to the house without being so out of breath that I need to stop for a long "breather" I want to be able to take my kids to the park or the dogs for a walk without hurting all over. I want to look forward to doing outdoor activities of any kind and not dread them because I'm too fat. I want to feel comfortable around my husband and feel sexy around him I want to wear shorts and tank tops in the summer instead of pants (I live in Hell! [Texas]) What I want to do more than anything is just...live.

I didn't even know they made those! Thanks!!

So the bras that I have now are CUTTING ME IN HALF! I am debating on whether or not I should buy a new bra considering that I should be having my wls next month and should be losing the weight and then the bra would fit properly.. The only reason that I question it is because my bras are super expensive, as I have to purchase them online because my bra size is 36G. Most plus size shops start the waist size at a 40 (which is plus) with the cup size being G since most plus size girls are larger around the waist..I don't know if I want to waste the money now only to have to buy smaller ones once I have lost a significant amount of weight. so.. to buy a new bra or not to buy.. that IS the question..

I'm 25, 5' 3/4" and 214 lbs. I will be getting the lap band next month; I am only waiting on my appointment with the nutritionist. I think that the lap band is a great choice with anyone suffering with a weight problem, just as the first poster said. Although I have chosen not to tell anyone about it, I am so proud that I am able to get this and I view it as a tool to help me get to where I need to be. Don't stress about it. If you feel you want/need the lap band, don't worry about other people thinking you are too young, I think better sooner than later. Good luck!!

Yep, my surgeon is the same surgeon who gave the seminar that I went to. A really nice guy, and every question was answered the way it should have been. He didn't rush through anything or blow anyone off, I really liked him! The appointment that I had with them last week just went over everything, and I got these really thick books about the lap band, which I will have to carry around everytime I see him or when I see the nutritionist because there are questions in there that I have to answer and turn in, as well as pages that I need to sign once things have been done. They are supposed to go ahead and send everything to my insurance for approval. The soonest I could see the nutritionist was Oct 6, but once insurance approves they can go ahead and give me a surgery date for after the nutritionist appointment. He said that it could even be the day after, as long as I go to that appointment. I am hoping that is what happens because I really wanted to have my surgery sometime this month so that I could have lost a tremendous amount of weight for my husbands military ball coming up..sigh..at least I'll be on the road to losing the weight and even if I have it next month I can still be better than I am now! Be careful with your PCP, as mine was brand new also and I got stuck with the guy who was completely against weight loss surgery, but after I pressed on and on about it, he finally sent my referral. Remember that even though he/she is a doctor, they work for YOU, not the other way around!! Good luck and I hope everything works out for the best!!

I had my first appointment with my surgeon.. I have a stress test scheduled on the 21st to make sure everything is ok since I have some chest pain and I had my psych eval, which I'm sure i breezed by it.... the only thing I have left to do is have my seminar type thing with the nutritionist and I should be good to go! I am just waiting approval from Tricare and that should be pretty quick! Yay!

Found out that it was because I listed my dysplasia as a medical condition and they want to know that I've had the LEEP to show that I am having it taken care of and I am under a physicians care for it....no biggie!

Thanks ladies for all the responses! I thought that was absolutely absurd as well and definitely will be asking about it when I go next week! And thanks for the laugh Screeden..lol I definitely lol'ed!

For those of you that have been following my other post about the process in getting the lap band, I was able to make my appointment today to see a surgeon. I see him next week and the receptionist told me that one of the criteria for getting the surgery will be having a current pap smear.. that's all fine and dandy except for the fact that I have/(possibly had) moderate to severe dysplasia. I found out I had it while I was pregnant and then was retested and biopsied after I had my son. In April I had the LEEP procedure done and I am supposed to schedule a follow up pap to see if its gone. Am I not going to be able to get this surgery since I have dysplasia?? I haven't read anything else like that so I was stunned!! Any help would be greatly appreciated!! Amanda