JamieNP

Lemons. I add lemon to my water and I like the lemon icees.

I feel great and my energy level is high. I am on mushies for another week. My port site doesn't hurt, but you can tell it is there. It is like it moves with my body, and the fat around it jiggles. It is hard to explain. I still have some gas pains occassionally, depending on what I eat. Something that helped with the itching was benadryl cream, if the site is not open. You can even put it on the skin around the area. Benadryl also comes in a dissolving strip that you put under your tongue (I am not allowed to swallow pills). I am going for a walk/jog and will try to put my pics on here later. My site looks so much better!

My tummy rumbles a lot! I can't decide if that is hunger pangs, gas, or spasms. I have an appointment for a fill this week. One fortunate thing is my surgeon's office said that they would give you a fill when ever you need it. I am still loosing weight, but I am only taking in about 600 calories. One of the hard thing is getting all of your water in. I can manage the protein in, though. So far I have lost 32 lbs since the day of surgery. Personally, I cannot tell it except for my boobs. It seems like my tummy is still big and it has been a month now. I am going to be posting pics sometime today, so keep an eye out for them. I took pics of my port site while I was in the hospital. I hope Karina ends up getting surgery. We kinda were going through the whole Tricare thing together and fighting the system. Keep us updated on your progress, even if you are not going for the band.

Does anyone know if you can change the polls? I am the starter of this thread and I thought you could change your options.

When I had contacted Tricare, all they gave me was the 100 lb or 200% thing. But my surgeon's office said that they require certain tests. Psy eval and EGD plus the blood work. I also had to have the gall bladder scan and nutrition class for my surgeon's office. Your surgeon may require the supervised diet.

Just call them and ask them what they mean by that or what they need.

I am 4 weeks post op and I am having some uncomfortable feelings in my stomach. Even around my lower ribs. I think some of it is gas. It almost feels like hunger pangs. GasX strips help ( my surgeon prohibits any kind of pill unless it is crushed). I even had to refill my liquid lortab prescription. It seems to be a little better. I am going to get a fill next week. I don't know if that will help or hurt.

Yes, you will have to give them dates of your last insurance. Tricare is ALWAYS secondary.If you have a primary insurance and they will not pay for anything lapband related, it still has to go through the primary first. If you do not have another insurance, then Tricare will need the dates that your last insurance was terminated. If you have any other Tricare related issues, let us know. There are several of us on here that have had to fight them.

Kim, If you have diabetes, then Tricare will go by the 100 pounds overweight. They use the met life height/weight table and use the medium frame. They DO NOT use BMI. If you are 10 lbs under you should have no problem gaining the extra weight to qualify, esp now that winter is coming up and winter clothes weigh more. Here is the link for the met life chart Met life ideal height weight tables references

I am so sorry you are going through this. I had issues 36 hours post op and ended up in the hospital for a week. They thought it was either an infection or a reaction to the band. After multiple antibiotics, things are much better and my site looks good. But I am one month post op and I am scared to death something is going to happen. Every twinge, pain or gas bubble scares me ( I had severe nausea and vomiting post op). Hopefully there is not any issues with the band itself and you get to keep your band. Keep us updated!

If I had blond hair, I always wanted to go as Stephen King's "Carrie". Pink prom dress, crown, and blood all over..

Good luck tomorrow Girls! We will be thinking about you! Let us know as soon as you get out and are feeling like chatting. Karina, I would think that they would use the "joint" issue and the possible GERD. Any aches and pains related to obesity need to be used. If you need anything, let me know. I am anxious to find out why exactly they denied you.

I have Tricare and was denied, appealed and was approved. It wouldn't take but a few pounds for you to be at the 40 mark if that is what it takes to get approved. Then have your surgeon's office resubmit your new weight. I know that your insurance company is a bugger to get them to do ANYTHING. But sounds like if you are at the 40 mark and they still deny, you have a case for obesity law.

You could call the office and ask to speak to his nurse. She/he is usually easier to reach and to talk to...and usually more personable. When is your follow up appointment? Make a list of questions and ask them. Even if your surgeon is not there, the nurse has your chart in front of her. As far as sex, I would wait at least 2 weeks. I don't know about you, but I use a lot of stomach muscles and I would not think that would be comfortable for you. Unless you can't keep your hands off of each other...you may just have to be "creative". At my 2 week appointment I was ok'd to work out at the gym, but no abdominal exercises. Keep in mind, i had complications post op too and was in the hospital an extra week.

Karina, I am so sorry. It is pretty crappy. Hopefully you will get your surgery on post. I know it must be a relief just to get the answer.

My employer had an exemption for weight loss surgery. So I had to use my husband's military insurance.

Is this up high or down toward your stomach? I am having something similar and didn't know what it was.

I have seen this in several threads. You could turn this around just as easily. It has been mentioned about Mrs McCain's pain killer addiction, but nothing about Obama's cocaine use (per his own comments). What if Palin got in trouble in college for plagiarism? What if she continued to plagiarize through the years? Michelle Obama paraded their kids across the stage ("where are you, daddy?") but no one said anything about that. Palin has not hidden her children and is not embarrassed by them...would you rather her put her son in an institution and perhaps her daughter in a home for unwed mothers?? The first Mrs McCain is well taken care of and remains close friends with her ex and his wife, but you don't hear anything about that. If McCain met in a terrorist's living room, and this terrorist raised money for his campaign, people certainly would be complaining about that. What if McCain went as far as reviewing a book for this neighbor that he barely knows? People think that the Republicans need to take their blindfolds off, but when are the Democrats? There are things in the closet about all of these candidates. I said I was going to get away from these threads but I..just ...can't ...turn away!

Welcome! I was banded on Sept 30th. I have a new attitude toward my health and toward food. I have done a bit of self reflecting throughout this whole period. It is the best thing that I have done. Congrats on the weight loss!

I lost 13 lbs on the preop and I was on it for a month, for a total of 41 lbs now.

I was glad to stay in the hospital over night. I was on a Morphine PCA pump and IV antibiotics. It was nice to be there "just in case". If you have a choice (I think Tricare requires you to spend the night) spend the night.

If I am hungry I will do a low calorie, low sugar snack. I seem to have a hard time getting water in, since you are not supposed to drink after eating. I have been drinking the Special K protein waters to get in the extra protein. I have been very creative with my protein shakes. I love my pumpkin spice one, and the blueberry one. I work 12 hour nights and will work out every day that I am off. The pounds seem to be melting off for now, at a rate of about a pound a day. I was a lower BMIer and am suprised at how fast I have lost. It could be because I am no longer drinking Cokes. My surgeon's office said that I could eat shaved meats, like Turkey. That is very satisfying.

Thank you all for your responses. It seems to be a little better today. If it continues, I may get a fill next week.

After surgery, I had buyers remorse. In fact, as I was in the ER, I seriously considered clawing out the band myself. This passed after my nausea and pain got under control. Then I became very protective. When the infectious disease doc told me that I could lose my band, I was thinking "no way am I going through this again! I am keeping this baby!". I got hungry when I was on liquids. When I started full liquids it became better. Mushies even better. But I did not cheat. It wasn't worth it to me. This whole thing has been a mental process. If once you get on mushies and are hungry all of the time, talk to the surgeon. They may end up giving you a fill early.(At least my surgeon's office will...why make you suffer?) Karina, take a deep breath and forget about it until your letter comes. I know this is easier said than done, but I had to get away from it while I waited for my answer. I stayed away from Lapband talk, I tried not to think about it 24/7. You will drive yourself crazy. You can look into other options in the mean time. Perhaps they are having a panel review it and not meeting until that day. Hugs to you.!