JamieNP

Go for it Karen! What do you have to lose? (well, they could send you in for another Psy exam, :tongue_smilie: I am still "Pending" on the Tricare site. So I called Tricare to see what was going on. Apparently they have sent it to the post hospital (which I have never had anything to do with, and my surgeon is not there) and they have to refuse it first and then it is sent out to a local surgeon. She said that usually that means I am approved. I should find out something officially tomorrow. So, I am thinking..does that mean I am approved?!?!?! The soonest that my surgeon can get me in is Sept 23. I guess I am a control freak...the waiting is KILLING me!!

I work in the CCU...heck I was thinking about going back to work in 3 days..maybe I will rethink that!

I am still pending. I called Tricare today and they said that it has not been reviewed yet. Argh!! Waiting is the hardest part!!

Tprejean, I also have Humana PPO with an exclusion written in the policy for WLS. They have paid for all of the pre op requirements (the EGD, PSY eval, lab work) but will not pay for surgery. Thank goodness I have a secondary insurance! I am sure I would try to fight it if I had to. I think you have to go through your employer to try to get the exclusion changed, since they are the ones that specifically had it placed there. You could talk to obesity law.

I just finished "One for the Money", our August book. Good book. Sorry it took me so long. I had others that I was reading that I needed to finish ( I usually have 2 or 3 going at the same time). I just bought "Twilight" and "Sunday at Tiffany's".

Lap band IS FDA approved! You may want to enlighten Tricare!

I am so excited! My surgeon's office finally submitted everything, and I am "PENDING" right now...could be any time now before that changes!!

My paperwork has been submitted and now I am PENDING!! Please oh PLEASE get approved!!

I have Tricare North and as of a month ago, they required the overnight stay. Take it if you can get it.

Before I got to the exam room, the nurse asked me to take my shoes and socks off to step on the scales...I think it had a body fat measurement thing on it..

Hi! One of my coworkers sells Shaklee and I am considering their products. They have liquid vitamins (my surgeon will not let us have pills of any kind after surgery) and of course, the cinch stuff. She gave me some samples and I tried the strawberry. I mixed it with water and it was pretty good. Here is the site. Shaklee.com - Official Site - Creating Healthier Lives

Cobrien, When you go to your PCM, hand him a list. Include the following: 1.Medications and allergies (if no allergies put "NKDA" 2.Medical history (include anything and everything, esp if it is related to weight) 3.Weight History. I went back to my teens, to now...like every 5-ten years. 4.Every single diet, exercise program, dvd, gym, weight loss program, weight loss medication (Rx and over the counter) that I have tried. Put in there that you lost weight on most, but ended up gaining back more. 5.Family Medical History...everything weight related...cardiac, diabetes, etc etc 6. Cut and paste Tricare's requirements for weight loss surgery. You can get it online from the hand book or find it on one of your threads. 7. Met life's height weight chart. Highlight your ht/wt 8. Figure your BMI 9. List all of the tests/steps you have taken to get this surgery...like the requiremets, ekg, sleep study, labs, psy eval, meetings, etc, etc 10. Just for good measure, you can add some research articles. 11. All of the doctors that you have seen over the past several years...esp if you have seen then for weight related issues. Put their phone numbers on there. I handed this to a PCM that had never seen me before. He was so impressed that he wrote the referral with no questions asked. I told him I was a nurse and I had been researching this, and that I have had patients and coworkers that have had the lap band and GB. Make sure that he orders the following things for you: CBC, BMP, Thyroid tests, EKG, Lipid panel. I wouldn't hurt to get a sleep study if you are borderline. Go ahead and go to any and all meetings you can attend. Good luck!!

My Walmart carries them!

You coumadin use has nothing to do with your weight loss/gain. Don't go off of it unless your doctor says so.

Here are some questions that I asked my surgeon: 1. What are your incidence of band slippage? 2. What are your incidence of port displacement? 3. What are your incidence of MRSA? 4. How often do you fill? and what are the post op visits? 5. If I ever become hospitalized, can I have an NG tube placed? 6. When you do your fills, do you do it under flouroscopy or xray? 7. Who does the fills? 8. What is the most common cause of being unsuccessful in weight loss for your patients (he said "ice cream")

I had 3 brothers...and I always heard.."fatty fatty two-by-four, couldn't fit through the bathroom door", and "Big Bad Bubble Butt Bertha"

We have been at Ft Campbell, since his unit (160th) is there. I missed out on going to Germany (we have been married for 10 yrs and his ex got that trip). Now that my husband has retired, we have decided to stay here (actually Clarksville, TN).

Good luck Cobrien! Maybe we will find out the same time!! My doc is submitting mine sometime this week (as soon as the PSY report gets written up...and I am NOT crazy, by the way!!:cry_smile:).

Welcome! I have learned quite a bit since I joined about 2 1/2 months ago.

I started a new poll for those of us that have Tricare. If you have time fill it out. It is under the insurance threads.

Hi, I am posting this for those of you that have Tricare Insurance. Hopefully this will help ease the nerves of those who are waiting for approval.

One of my coworkers sells Shakelee and their Strawberry Cinch is pretty good. She gave me some other protein shake samples that I have yet to try.

I am putting together an appeal letter just in case. I have been putting together research articles and all of my medical history. Like I have mentioned many times on here before, my surgeon and his nurse told me that Tricare approves everyone...and they didn't think there would be a problem getting me approved. I just want the waiting over with!!

Doesn't it seem like most of the people that are getting denied end up getting approved? I am getting so nervous..I cant stand it!