futurbander2007

you my darling are an inspiration to all of us! thank you for sharing your story as i believe there are many many lapbanders stuggling right along with you. keep your head up and continue your amazing progree

I use livestrong as well, I love it!!!

I am wondering if anyone has had there Lap-Band done at a military treatment center and received a referral to plastics. I had my Lap-Band placed at Madigan Army Medical Center January 2008. I have had a referral to plastics before but due to my husband deploying, and having no-one to help me I had to decline the surgery. Well my husband is due home from deployment this Sept. and I am going in to talk to my surgeon Aug. 18 for a referral to plastics again. I know I will accepted, but my question is, has anyone had their TT done by a Army plastic surgeon? I want to know if the procedure is as good as if I went to a private practice and paid out of pocket. I am ready to this for several reasons but the main reason I want it done now is that we are leaving WA soon and the only way Tri-Care will cover the entire cost is if I have my TT done at the original treatment center that placed my Lap-Band. Is it worth it to have an Army plastic surgeon do it, or should I just wait until we get settled at our new post and pay out of pocket? Sorry about the long post but thought I should clarify a few things. Thanks....

I too have Tricare. We are stationed at Ft. Lewis and I had my band here. From what I have been told recently is that you can have a TT done at the Military Hospital but you now have to pay. Tricare isn't the ones charging for it, it's the hospitals. Madigan has been so wishy washy with the actual price that's it's quite frustrating. I have heard it can range from anywhere between $1800-8000. It all depends on what CPT code your doctor submits to the billing department at the hospital. I have an appointment next week to start the paperwork to submit to the billing department. He said he would try to go the cheapest route but still ultimately giving me what I want. It just really depends on your surgeons knowledge on the CPT codes. Good luck to everyone, I just thought I would share what I have found out as recent as yesterday.

Tricare will cover the entire cost if you have it done at a Military Treatment Facility. Is your husband going active duty or reserves? My husband too is in the Army so we have Tricare Prime and I had my Lap-Band done at Madigan Army Medical Center here at Ft. Lewis. I have never paid one cent to Tricare for either the procedure or any fills that have followed. Granted I do live on Ft. Lewis so I automatically have all my care done at the MTF. I don't have any personal experience with dealing with Tricare but I have seen alot of posts about it being kind of a pain in the ass to get Tricare to approve. Best of luck to you in your journey:thumbup:

Actually out all my tattoos the one that hurt the most was the one I have on my foot! I need to get it touched up (because I picked it, lol) but because it hurt so damn bad I am scared to do it! Even though they hurt like hell I want another one really bad, have no idea where to get it since I am running out of places to hide them.

So sorry chicadee81, it's been awhile since I've been on this thread:sneaky: But thank you sooo much for the compliment on my tattoo. It hurt like something fierce but in the end (4 hrs later) it was all worth it! Something to remind me of where I was and where I am now:thumbup:

That's awesome you didn't get stuck on a wait list. I was on a wait list for 4 mths before my name came up and don't you know it my husband had deployed 3 weeks before that! Just my luck! That sucks about the $1800, although it's much cheaper than going off post. I was looking into the Avalon clinic in Lakewood and to get a TT there was somewhere around $8900, too much for me. I'm sure I could gather togather $1800 for one Thanks for the info, my email address is chrisavalos@hotmail.com

WOW!!! That's really sad. Here's to good luck on your new letter hopefully this one has been proof-read:laugh:

WOW! Really small world, btw you look fantastic and congrats on the weight loss:thumbup: I would love to get togather or talk through email. Sept. cannot come fast enough, only another military wife really gets it lol If you don't mind me asking, which surgeon did your TT? I won't really know anything until I meet with my surgeon and get the call from plastics but it would be nice to hear from someone who has actually had it done here. We are PCSing to a post that doesn't even have a hospital and you know Tri-Care always looking for loopholes so I need to get it done soon. How long were you on the waitlist before you had your TT?

Good luck! I have been banded for some time now, if there's any questions or concerns that come up during your process please do not hesitate to ask. The only thing I know absolutely NOTHING about is insurance procedures. :scared2:

I'm right there with you! I have been banded for 2 and a half yrs and even now there are only a handful of people that know. No one has really asked me has really asked me how I have lost so much weight. If they do I simply tell them I did it through healthy eating and exercise. It's not a lie since that is basically what I do. They don't need to know I have a tool to keep me in line. I have had a few other friends that had bypass and they were shouting it from the rooftops and can't figure out why people keep asking them how much they have lost. I just found it extremely personal and quite frankly none of their damn business. I'm happy that I chose to keep it to myself :bolt:

Congrats and welcome, in the beginnig it's hard but once you get restriction it becomes a little easier, good luck

Best of luck to both of you! This site has answered alot of my questions. From when I was newly banded until now, lots of good information but be careful for some of the bad or misleading info as well.

I totally know where your coming from. I too had that realization while looking through pictures. Even now I cannot believe I was that FAT! Good luck in your process and dealing with your insurance, keep your head up and stay positive:thumbup:

In the beginning I really thought the same thing. I decided what did I have to lose? It was a huge decision for me to take the first steps and I thank God that I did it! I am 2 and half yrs out and down 88 lbs. Went from a size 14 to a size 2, best thing I ever did for ME! Good luck in your process and I hope you make the right choice for YOURSELF

I am two and half yrs out and I still get cravings. Pizza is at the top of my list but I am too scared to even try it. I have fairly good restriction and there are still many many things I wish I could have. Wish I could tell you it gets better but for me there are days that are absolutely miserable and all I think about is food! lol :smile2:

So sorry to hear about your loss. On a brighter note, congrats on making the choice to get back on track! Way to go on being at the 100 lbs mark!