Stay_Tuned

Thanks, that is just what I needed to hear. It is all true, if only I could have had my head banded instead of my stomach!! :cursing:

Isn't this the truth! I think maybe if I tie a bandanna really tight on my head it could work..... LOL!

It truely is the head hunger that I know will be my biggest obstical..... I am looking on things I can take up to do that will keep my mind busy....

Linda

I am tricare and I got my referral... waited for a seminar and from the day I attended the seminar to the day I am being banded was ONE month.... Tricare is great with approving as long as you meet their requirements....

Wishing you good luck.... !!

One shake at a time....

that is how to approach it.. do not think of it as 2 weeks...just one shake at a time....

Drink lots of Water or crystal light...Don't just get in the obligatory 64 ounces... WAY up your water intake..you will spend a good amount of time on the potty.. but your body will adjust by day 3....... Days 1-3 are the toughest and then it is fine.....you body will be on board to what you are doing from then on....

I did a 6 month program of optifast... towards the end... waiting on people to eat made me angry ... I called them "eaters" LOL! I wanted everyone to be able to shake rattle and roll on with their day with me.....Eating was a waste of my time... I had things to do!!

So remember... ONE SHAKE AT A TIME.......and keep posting on here for support....

Hi all....Not sure as to how many places I should post this.. I would hate to over due it LOL

Surgery is in 2 weeks!! Yeah I am a May 21st bander!!

I am super excited and would love to stay in touch with others on this journey.....

May bandster in the house!!!

May 21st is the date!!

Super excited!

Yeah!

there is someone else......!!

Nice to meet you Lucy!

So yesterday I went to my appt with the surgeon's office and it is official... I am scheduled for surgery on May 21st. :tt1: I am super psyched and not at all nervous. I can not wait! I wish it was tomorrow! The process went very smooth and quick! One month from seminar to surgery.....

I have my pre-op day of testing scheduled for the 12th. I also need to meet with the Psych. again as it is their policy to meet with her one more time before surgery... Personally I see it as a way to get more money out of me....... but alas I must do what I am told to do to get to my ultimate goal.... So it will be a period of my life I wont be able to get back...... LOL! But it is just a step in the process.......

The office did not give me a specific diet except to start cutting down portions and working on chewing food well and all the things that I will need to be doing after surgery...... I have on my own started a Protein liquid diet to prepare anyways so all is good....They said I could continue that if I wanted.... The only thing mentioned was that they did not want a weight gain prior to surgery..... to start an exercise program. Two checks in the block completed... I work out 3-5 times a week for an hour allready and have been for over a year.... and I am down 13 lbs. since the seminar....so no weight gain to worry about....

:biggrin:Sooooo anyone out there joining me on the 21st??????

:tt2:

I hope you didnt think I was telling you to stop before you feel that.. That is what she was telling me.....I am positive I too will be on a learning curve for this one LOL

Sounds like just when you think you have it figured out the rules change....I am sure I will be on here with the same questions SOON!

Good luck!

I am not banded yet.. but I met with my surgeon today... and her nurse actually spoke about this. She said that some people get a pain in their shoulder when they are full.....She didnt give much of an explanation just that I should learn the signals my body gives when I am full.... So this may be one for you... So if you feel that... then it is time to stop eating.... and you should learn how to stop BEFORE that happens so that you are satisfied and not full....

Duly noted.....

I pledge to not ask foolish question of those who have gone before me on this "Lapband support board".....

Signed,

A not yet banded newbie full of questions

Let me know how you like it! I am anxious to hear....

I made this up and I call it

Mexican fish florentine...

VERY tasty... hits all the taste buds...It is low fat and high Protein

Prepare the fish by putting a 1/4 tsp of lemon juice on each piece of fish and then sprinkle with salt free lemon pepper on both sides. Pan cook in non stick skillet with Pam untill still moist but done...

While the fish is cooking take fresh spinach and chopped it up coarsly... put in a microwave safe dish with a pinch of Water and heat for 45-60 seconds....

Hi there...

I had my psych eval today.. and it was VERY basic... I did have to fill out a few surveys... the color in the circle ones... one was T or F and the other was a degree of depression one... She told me that 15 was the cut off to allow someone to do surgery... I was a 9. I do not feel as though I am depressed... I feel as though my weight holds me back...

I was very nervous about my eval but it was fine... she asked about diets I had been on... the kind of things I eat now AND what kinds of things I will be eating.

She was very informed in the lapband because that is primarily what she screens for. She was not judgemental just making sure that I had valid thoughts and expectations of what the band was.... I have heard it said here before... It is a tool for weightloss... and it not the primary solution.

she also wanted to see how I handled doctors orders and if I was prepared for what the surgery entailed pain level wise...

She asked questions about if I was an emotional eater... if I ever thew up after eating for weightloss.. what other diet programs I had tried... things of that nature....

I hope this helps to give you peace of mind.. If you have any questions after reading my reply.. Please let me know..

Good luck!

Once you log into the Tricare website you will see on the left hand side something that says ref/auth. click on that and then click the bullet for 0-2 weeks... and PRESTO you should see your referral!!!! Then you can print it off and use that.... It should only take about 24 hours for that to show up... You will also get a paper letter from them with the same information that should take 7 days.

Hope this helps! and congrats on getting the referral!! I am super psyched for you!!!

We are stationed at Offut AFB in Bellevue NE.

My PCM was sooooooooo supportive..... I am just in awe at how many PCM's will not refer to see a surgeon.... he and I talked about the different things I had done to lose weight and how I am currently active (work our 3-5 times a week) and he said he believes in preventative medicine and his thoughts were that is what the Lap Band would be for me....

Is there a surgeon on your Base that you can talk to?? We have a general surgeon that I spoke with prior to meeting with my PCM.... he did my gallbladder removal... so at my 3 mos check up he and I spoke about WLS and he told me to not going with bypass and to wait and see if Tricare would cover the Lap Band which he was supportive of for me to have done.....He had done lap bypass surgery while he was stationed in Germany... and he asked/advised me to not go ahead with that surgery... When I went to my PCM with that information he was more then happy to help me with the referrall.....

I am so sorry you have to deal with a doctor that is so close minded....Keep up the fight! Arm yourself with knowledge.... and present it to him/her..... Sooner or later you will find one to help... or maybe give in... I WISH they would just allow the correct person... The bariatric surgeon make the decision on if it is right for you or not...

Keep us posted!!!

I got the approval today from Triwest! No surgery date yet.....

My story....

While stationed in Italy I started the process however at that time only bypass was approved... I found out that I couldnt have it done at the base we were stationed at because there was no aftercare... DH and I talked about it and when we got to the USA I started Optifast at a weightloss clinic ALL OUT OF POCKET... I had a lot of success. I lost 100 lbs in 6 months.....had gallstones and had to have that removed...I spoke with my surgeon at the time and he said.. please do not do bypass... IF Tricare ever offers Lap Band then look into it....now a year later 60 lbs have crept back on... after doing research AGAIN...I found that Tricare now approves Lap Band YES so off to the base I went.....

I scheduled an appt with my PCM.. he was very supportive and refferred me to a bariatric surgeon. I had to wait 3 weeks to attend the infomational seminar. I did that on Monday the 21st of April. I scheduled my psych. appt for the 30th of April and today Triwest received the paperwork from the surgeons office and I am approved! I am awaiting a call from the Surgeons office to schedule the appt. to see the Doctor. Appt is now scheduled for May 5th to meet with the surgeon

I fall into the weight guidelines for Tricare and it was a quick process..... I hope those who have struggled with their PCM's can find one who believes in this as mine did...

Stay tuned for more of my Journey!!