cobrien78

So will tricare send me paperwork about my approval for surgery? Will it be in the paperwork?:confused2:

I just moved FROM San Antonio to Montana!! HAHAHA! Needless to say I'm happy where I'm at! I have a chance that it might be moved up no biggie time will fly! I have time to get mentally prepare for surgery and get in all my favorite bad for you foods! HAHAHA!

Oh honey, I don't need a guide!HAHAHA!

Well the city I'm in is the only one in Montana that does LapBand and there are only 3 dr.s here and mine is the most popular! I was pretty surprised too! But there is a chance I might be moved up, I hope!

I have this feeling that my approval is too good to be true and they will pull the rug out for some reason! I'm still in shock about it! Good luck you guys definitely fight for it!

Can I sky write this? OMG! I just knew I wasn't going to be approved but then, I got a call this morning from Triwest and the lady said she reviewed it and that I'm APPROVED!! She was great too! She asked if I had help after the surgery and asked if she could call me after the surgery! How sweet is that?! UNFORTUNATELY, since my dr. is the most popular and this is the only city in Montana that does lap band, my surgery isn't until November 3rd! WOW! I don't care though cause I know I WILL have it done! And this is the BEST feeling in the world knowing my life will be changing and soon! :cool2::thumbup:

Well from my referral appt. to my surgeon appt. I gained 10 lbs. I just ate A LOT more than usual switched to regular soda instead of diet, and snacked a lot. I also put on two layers of clothes and threw in change in my pockets and wore jewelry. It must have worked cause I found out today that I was approved! I was shocked and ready for denial with all the crap I've been through with dr.s at the base clinic. It's only 6.5 lbs. I would gain it and try again! In my opinion it's definitely worth it!

Well, basically my new PCM called me a liar. She said there is NOTHING in my medical records to indicate I've ever had Hypertension or high cholesterol or that I've ever been treated!! WTF?! She wouldn't put me on meds and referred me to the HAWC even though I've already seen a nutritionist. There is no record of my weight loss attempts according to her. I was arguing and bawling my eyes out! I'm going to the medical records dept. today to request a copy! How can that possibly be?! So I'm a fat and lazy liar according to my PCM. I've been crying since I left the clinic! I don't think I'm able to stop. I called my surgeon's nurse who is GREAT and told her to go ahead and submit the paperwork. I should know by Friday or Monday she said and would call to let me know. I'm just devastated and pissed and depressed and upset and lost and crushed and confused, etc. Why when I finally decide to make a permanent change in my life for the better people have to get in the way?:crying::confused2::drum::sleep2::moon::Banane37:

No it's because I only have PCOS with insulin resistance and no other technical co-morbids. I have had them in the past but my current PCM and referral doc don't want to diagnose me even though I DO have hypertension and elevated cholesterol because they know it will help me get the surgery and they don't think I need it. So, I had the nurse send in the paperwork anyway. She said she didn't know if they would qualify me because of the lack of co-morbids. I'm only 20-30 lbs from being 200% over ideal body weight. Who knows, I'm preparing for a back-up plan cause I don't think I will get qualified because of the ASSHOLES here at Malmstrom AFB! Seriously, my PCM all but said I was lying! I'm going to patient advocacy Monday. Hopefully I'll hear something about my approval/denial on Monday. If I get approved I'm waiting till after I get the surgery and then I'm going to make an appt. just to rub it in the bitch's face!! (She's a fatty too) Just kidding I probably won't but it would be nice!

For Dr. Rodriguez in Juarez, how much was it and do they have payment plans? Can you finance through them or is there another company you can finance with? I have family in El Paso so that would probably be the easiest for me. How can I go about researching the dr.s stats? Feel free to PM me with information!

This is the only city in the state of Montana that does lapband and there are only 3 surgeons here so, it's busy. My dr. is the most popular out of the 3. If I get approved I could be moved up though. But like I said before I really don't think that will happen since the dr.s at the base are being assholes about this.

Well I was told I should hear something tomorrow or Monday. However, I'm not getting my hopes up even the nurse at my surgeon's office said it might not be likely that I will get approved. So I don't know what to do now. However, if I am approved the surgery won't be until NOVEMBER!! UGH!

Well, I meet the weight requirement and was already weighed in at my consult. The problem I have is with "documented" co-morbids. I have them I'm just not being treated for them and that is why I'm going to PCM for meds for these conditions. I just hope she doesn't give me the run-around about how it would be best if I just lost weight and didn't take meds! I'm not leaving without meds!

Oh I am of the mindset I'm NOT leaving without meds! HAHAHA! That is how I went in to get my referral. The dr. who gave me my referral was a total A$$hole and we had an argument but, I got my referral. I realize now I kind of did this backwards but at least I'm getting it done. Right now I have a tentative surgery date of Nov. 3 of course I have to get approved by Tricare and then if that happens it may be moved up. I'm ready for this surgery, it's what I want but more so what I NEED. Therefore, I'm not letting some a-hole military dr.s get in my way or anyone else for that matter.:biggrin2:

Well, my appt. with my PCM is August 13. Should I take all that stuff when I just want to discuss my cholesterol and blood pressure? I already have the referral I just want some treatment for those conditions because it will be better that it's "documented" when they send in the paperwork to tricare. At least now, I know they have my medical records. I'm waiting for a call back for the cholesterol class. I think I will cry if my PCM is a total jerk and won't listen and won't prescribe me anything. I am going to ask for a sleep study because I think I have at least a slight degree of sleep apnea. I'm so tired of dr.s NOT doing anything but telling me to lose weight to take care of my health problems. It's so frustrating!

So last week I went in to get my cholesterol checked (again). Today, I get a call from a med tech that some dr. who wasn't even the one who ordered my test is referring me to the "cholesterol class" at the HAWC!? Seriously? AND I asked the tech what about meds, and he said all I can do is tell you to exercise! Wow! Gotta love military clinics! SO anyway, I'm calling and making an appt. with my PCM (whom I haven't met and will probably be a total jerk) to get meds for cholesterol and my high blood pressure. I'm not looking forward to it because the past few dr.s I've seen NEVER want to prescribe me anything they tell me to diet and exercise. UGH! I'm at the point that I really hate dr.s! I really want this surgery, I feel it's my last resort before I really start going downhill. I know I'll appeal the decision if I get denied but I feel like I don't know what I'll do if I get denied, I'll be so upset. I feel like the military doesn't want to help me.

AF here too! We have been stationed at: Columbus AFB, MS 97-03 Lackland AFB, TX (San Antonio) 03-08 Currently at Malmstrom AFB, MT (Great Falls) 08-? I'm hoping to go overseas for our next assignment whenever that will be.

Thanks for posting this! My surgeon's office is going to submit the paperwork to tricare this Friday. I have a strong feeling I will get denied. Probably cause I am pessimistic, but I have co-morbidities that aren't being treated. The nurse at my surgeon's office said that could be a problem. So I'm ready to appeal and get copies of my medical records and letters together to send to them. I'm over 100lbs overweight and have PCOS w/ insulin resistance that is being treated, hypertension which has been treated in the past but no other dr. has treated me for it cause they've all said "lose weight", I also have high cholesterol which has been treated in the past and once I ran out the other dr. I saw said "lose weight". So I'm hoping I will get approved but not TOO hopeful cause of what the nurse said. The only thing I have to do is see nutrionist and have psych eval. I also have an extreme family history of heart disease. Who knows I will post when I find out. Wish me luck!

OK I won't miss standing up and looking down at myself and all I can see is boobs and fat tummy!

Hello, just wondering what I can expect tomorrow at my initial consult with my bariatric surgeon. I know every dr. is different but just wondering in general what to expect. Thanks!

I have PCOS and my hair is thinning. I'm hoping to get the lapband and was wondering if any of you who have PCOS with thinning hair can tell if your hair grew back or got worse?

In general men need to refrain from commenting on female conditions that they will never have or could ever relate to. I can't believe he would even WANT to chime in on such a thread. What a freaking moron?!

Hey Katinafer I was wondering the same thing because I had mine out in October 07. The military dr. that gave me my referral (not my PCM) said it didn't count cause the removal of it resolved the issue. However, he didn't seem to know much about bariatric surgery so I'm not sure if that is true or not.

Seeing everyone get denied by tricare makes me worried I won't get approved. I am more than 100lbs overweight and I have PCOS, high cholesterol, high blood pressure. I haven't been diagnosed with sleep apnea but haven't had a sleep study done. Someone mentioned earlier that tricare doesn't count PCOS, I think they do and was wondering where they heard this from? I definitely plan to appeal a denial, I am NOT taking NO for an answer cause with my family medical history I'll lucky if I make it to 40 with the road I am on. I'm not even exaggerating.

I am SOOO excited!!! I decided to switch surgeons because I just heard a lot more about this other surgeon and I felt he had more experience with the LapBand and when I called to make the appt. It is NEXT WEEK!! My appt. with the first dr. wasn't going to be until Aug. 26th because he was going on vacation. AWESOME!! Also, the new dr.'s nurse/receptionist was a lot more friendly! I am thrilled, I just pray everything works out and I get approved for the surgery!! Now I just need to change my seminar date see if I can move it up. :thumbup: