Startingover!

I'm glad to know I'm not the only one worried about the surgery!! So you and I are in the exact same boat regarding the hernia/lap band surgery. It's nice to know someone else out there will be going thru the same thing. Please keep me posted and good luck!

WOW! It sounds like you did very well! I hope I can do that well. From what I'm hearing the key seems to be to get up and get moving. I will remember that. They're also talking about fixing my hiatal hernia while they're in there. I think that's got me a little bit scared also. But I'm sure it will be fine. Good luck to you and thanks!

I'm so glad that you're doing well. Thanks for the info. I also consider myself a big chicken when it comes to pain! So to hear it from another chicken it makes me feel better! I have my appt w/the dietician & the pre-op class tomorrow which is when they said they will submit my package to Tricare. So I'm hoping to have a surgery date by the end of the week! I'll keep you posted also. Congrats on the 14lbs also!

I'm so glad y'all are talking about this! I hope to be banded soon and am worried about my body telling me when I'm full! One of my problems now is that my body doesn't tell me when I'm full. So I worry that after being banded that won't change. Was anyone else like this before being banded and if so what has been your experience after being banded?

Thanks so much...a 3 is bearable! Do you ever feel the port or any other part of the band inside of you?

First, good luck on your surgery on Thursday! I can't wait until I have a surgery date! I'm hoping that I will fall into the group of people that are up and running the day after and not in too much pain! I do worry though about being able to feel the band. I'm sure I won't be able to, but it makes you wonder. I see you're in Jacksonville, I just moved from St. Mary's, GA to West Palm Beach last month. It's nice up there. Well thanks for the info and good luck again. keep me posted and let me know how it goes!

I'm hoping to be banded soon and was just curious as the how bad the pain from the surgery actually is? Also what type of medicine does the doctor usually prescribe to help with the pain? Also, can anyone feel the band inside of them? Or the port? I was just kind of curious about these things! Thanks! Amy

Mgordon-how's everything since you've had your surgery? How's the pain after the surgery? I worry about that and if you can feel the band inside of you! Congrats on the weight loss so far! Don-WOW! That's amazing that you started walking a mile a day after the surgery! Congrats to you!

Thank you for the info. I should find out next week if the insurance will cover it due to my other medical problems. Keeping my fingers crossed! Good luck to you also!

Looks like it's working! I like the shamrocks!

Yes, I think I will be going crazy while I wait this out. As everyone else on here has experienced. I just keep having these visions of myself actually in a bathing suit on the beach this summer! I wonder if that's unrealistic!! God I hope not!

Hi everyone, I also have Tricare and had my consultation with my surgeon yesterday. I am on the lower end of the weight chart at 222 5'5". But my surgeon told me w/my other health issues it shouldn't be a problem at all. They claim they have never had anything denied by Tricare. But I will be the 1st lap band they have run thru. They are so confident that scheduled my psych appt for tomorrow and my dietician appt and pre-op class on Wednesday. They told me to look at having the surgery in less than a month. They said that once they submit the package they usually hear back from Tricare within a day. So I guess after my appointments on Wed they'll submit it and hopefully I'll hear something by next Friday. But I'm trying not to get my hopes up. Good luck to everyone else. Keep me posted w/the Tricare approvals!!

StLouisGal, My consult went great. They don't think they'll have a problem getting me approved because of my other health problems. I have my psych appt tomorrow, my dietician appt Wed & my pre-op class Wed. So they're proceeding like I have been approved! But they won't actually run it by Tricare until after I meet with the dietciain on Wednesday. I don't want to get my hopes up though, just in case. Glad to hear that yours went well. keep me posted!!

Wow Carly, you really have a lot of health problems. I hope you're able to get the surgery done to help with your problems. I had my consult today and they are very confident that they can get me approved with tricare. They said that they have never been denied by tricare, but that I would be the 1st one for the lap band. I have my psych appt on Friday and my appt w/the dietician on Wednesday and the pre-op class on Wednesday. So they are very confident that they can get me approved. I'm very excited! They said that even though my BMI is 36 that because of the sleep apnea, knee problems, hiatal hernia, and the documented medical weight loss attempts that it shouldn't be a problem. I hope they're right!! But I'm not getting my hopes up too much until we hear back from Tricare. I'll keep you posted as to Tricares response. Good luck to you!

I don't understand why the insurance won't approve you if fall only 10lbs short of the requirements!! It's tricare right? So are you now waiting until you gain enough weight and reapply to have the surgery? Do you also have sleep apnea?

Those amazing that that's all you're eating and that you're not starving! Congrats to you! I noticed that you and I are almost exactly the same weight, well your starting weight, do you mind me asking how tall you are? I am 5'6" and I'm hoping that I weigh enough for the insurance to pay for the surgery!

I don't blame you, I wouldn't want to blow it either after finally having the surgery! Do you mind me asking you about how many calories a day are you on now? Of course I'm just really curious because I'm getting ready to go on the same journey!

I haven't been "banded" yet, my consult is tomorrow. But I was wondering about the hunger factor. If it goes away or not and what in the world happens if your will power cracks and you eat something you're not suppose to soon after surgery. Did they tell y'all what would happen if you cheat on the liquid/mush diet? Because that really scares me. Good luck to both of you!

I will definitely use the water trick! I will feel better doing that than the weights! As sad as it sounds I have actually been trying to gain weight every since I made my appointment last week. I think I've put on a few. It's sad that I have to put more weight on when I'm already over 80lbs overweight. But I need the insurance to pay for the surgery.

Carly, My husband just retired from the Navy and we moved to West Palm Beach, Fl. My BMI is a little over 35, I'm 5'6" and weigh 222. I'll let you know how it goes. I just hope they approve me!! I'll keep you posted. Please do the same. I had actually thought about wearing my ankle weights!!! I wonder if they check people for that stuff or not??? I might have to slip them in my purse just in case! Good luck on Friday Jaime...keep me posted! I'll do the same. Thanks everyone!

I have my consult tomorrow and am very nervous!! I guess I'm worried the most about the insurance not covering it. My PCM gave me the referral for "morbid obesity" and I was excited! Kind of sad that I was excited to get a referral for that. I have tricare and have been told that they don't go by bmi but by weight. If they go by the lowest weight on the scale I am 100lbs over weight. But I don't know how they will figure it. I guess I just have to wait and see what the insurance says. Sorry for rambling! Just kind of nervous. Does anyone have any advice for the first visit to the surgeon?? All would be appreciated. Thanks Amy

My BMI is just over 35 and I just got my PCM to give me a referral to the surgeon. My appt with him is on Wednesday. I'm so excited, but worried that my insurance won't approve it. But I do have sleep apnea, GERD, plus I've had 3 knee surgeries in 3 years and my weight keeps going up. So I'm hoping that with all these things considered it will slip by the insurance! But I have gotten the same response from a few people that I "wasn't that big". They don't realize how hard it is to lose weight with medical problems that keep you from leading a normal life. Hopefully I'll get approved and this will all be a thing of the past!!

Do you mind me asking you what your height/weight is?

Thank you Randi for the info. I guess I'll have to wait until Wednesday to find out what the surgeon says!!

Considering that Tricare just began covering the lap band procedure I was just curious if anyone has been approved yet? Amy