swmr2006

Whew. I know what you mean. As soon as I got home from the hospital Saturday I started having back pain. It is just now going away. My doctor said it was probably gas pain... especially since I sleep flat on my back and not propped up like at the hospital.

I had my surgery yesterday and besides feeling ill for 2 hours and slight soreness until that night I have felt completely fine. No gas pain at all. Didn't even use my pain pump because I didn't need it... I'm not even sore anymore. I started walking 3 hours before they expected (they even told me to stop because they have never seen someone willing to walk without being told to and they were worried I was pushing it). I just feel like an oddball because the other patients here don't want to do anything... And all they do is complain about the gas pain. Is this the calm before the storm or am I just blessed? I'm having this sinking feeling like something is just waiting behind the next corner to bring me to my knees.

I had to go in to talk to my insurance coordinator in person because she hadn't sent in my information and wouldn't answer my calls... so yes sometimes it is just better to go in person because they can't ignore you that way. Good luck!

I wouldn't give all of them away! My doctor/ nutritionist/ exercise psychologist/ psychologist/ program coordinator told me to keep 1-2 pair of my favorite outfits to try on as I lose the weight to see how much I change. Also it is always good to have a few outfits in as many sizes as you can just in case you have company over... they may need a set of clothes to change into for various reasons.

I would call first thing this morning to remind them... they shouldn't be too busy early in the morning. Also, state if they can't get back to you in a timely manner that you would appreciate the phone number in order to make the appointment yourself. My doctor's office took forever to do anything so I pretty much just took over for them.

How exciting! congrats!

Nita and 2ndchance: Sending positive thoughts and prayers your way for your upcoming surgeries. Hope they are as smooth as mine was and that your recovery time is as good as mine has been so far! I'll keep everyone updated as to how the rest of my hospital stay is... Hopefully it is uneventful.

It went amazingly well. I was nauseous for about 2 hours but it wasn't bad at all. I also started walking 3 hours before they thought I would! No pain and the soreness is at a minimum. No complications as of yet and I hope it stays that way! Thanks for the prayers everyone!

Yes, that is correct! I am having my surgery tomorrow morning!!! Well more around 10:30ish but I have to be there at 8:30. Wish me luck!

Good Luck tomorrow! I hope everything goes well. And we should totally get together sometime since we are in the same area.

Once they received the information, I was approved in 4 hours.

I had my last pre op yesterday too! So exciting!

I have Tricare too... I didn't have to do a supervised diet but that may be because I am Tricare North/Standard. I had my first consult June 13th and my surgery is set for August 9th. What took so long is that at the consult, the surgeon/nurses are going to ask you to get labs done (to make sure you are physically able to withstand the beating your body is going to take from surgery and to make sure you are currently getting the nutrients you need) and see their nutritionist (because the diet after the surgery is graduated back into normal solid food from liquids over a 1 to 2 month time span and they need to know you understand that... also that you understand various problems that may arise if you don't get the nutrients that you need). Also, with Tricare you need to have a referral from a Psychologist the specializes in weight loss surgery (they basically determine if your expectations are realistic with the surgery, if you are emotionally stable to handle all the the changes, and to make sure you don't have any alcohol or drug addictions). After all that (assuming that your surgeon doesn't require any other classes), the surgeon's office needs to send in an insurance "package" with all of the classes, referral letters, and BMI in order to get approval from the insurance company. WLS is one of those surgeries that requires PRIOR approval and they won't cover it if it is just billed to the company after the fact without that approval. Tricare is quick with the approval but slow with sending out the proper documentation to make the approval official to the surgeon's office... mine took 2 days to approve but 2 weeks to get the documentation to my surgeon for the go ahead. PLUS you have to realize these surgeons are booked weeks in advance (and sometimes months in advance) for the surgery... I was lucky and there was a cancellation for two weeks after my surgeon got the approval. I don't think 2 months of a wait is that bad... but I don't know of anyone that got their surgery in less than a month (and they were all self pay!!!). Good luck at your consultation and keep us posted... And if you already knew all this information, sorry. I tend to go overboard and give waaaaaayyyy to much information sometimes.

I only had one visit and a "test" (which was more like a survey on drug/alcohol use, eating patterns, and emotional balance). My insure covered some of the cost buy my additional fee was only $40 to cover the test analysis... Plus my psychologist had my letter written in about 5 mins.

I literally went to my PCP and told her that I was getting the surgery and gave her a list of diets that I had tried with my approximate weight at the beginning and end over the passed 6 years. If I knew how much I lost each month (like with Weight Watchers or Nutrisystem), I gave those weights to her as well. She ended up taking my weight for that day and typed up ONE note with the exact information that I gave her. Book diets are OK (south beach, atkins, 17 day diet, etc) but pills don't count because they want a diet and exercise program. I don't know if Tricare North doesn't require the 6 month diet like they had previously or if my doctor's note just seemed like 6 months of medically supervised weight loss programs condensed into one note (which it sort of was since my mother is a doctor and she was advising me and recording my progress for my personal use... my PCP didn't know that however). Either way, my PCP's last sentence was "After full evaluation and several failed attempts up to today's weigh in, I am referring this patient to a local bariatric surgeon for a consult for Lap-band or gastric bypass." That sentence in itself sounds like she had been supervising me all along. Also, she didn't really refer me... my first visit with my surgeon was the day after she typed up the note and I had already set up an appt with him. Anyway, Good Luck and keep us posted. (PS: Sorry if something in here doesn't make sense. It is really late here and I am super tired. If you need clarification on anything, just let me know.)